The holidays and the final days of the year draw near. As we prepare to celebrate with joy, chances are disappointments remain from unaccomplished goals, unanswered prayers, and unexpected challenges. We long to see fruit from the work of our hands this year, but what happens when there is no harvest yet?

Maybe we need a harvest of hope. Allow these faithful next steps to help you give thanks when you’re waiting for the harvest.

What keeps me stagnant in my faith is often not the fear of unknowns but the fear of failure. It has taken years of wrestling to understand that my hesitancy to say yes to where God is calling me lies in my propensity to trust in my own performance over his presence. But in his Word, God reminds us that we are called to go deeper on our journey of faith, and he promises to lead us himself.

So, if you feel stagnant today, stuck even, allow these encouraging reminders to help you fight your fear of failure so God can take you further.

When the world is spinning, maybe what we need is a little less worrying and a little more grounding. Maybe one of these ten ways will help you, too, stay rooted and soft, despite not having all of the answers. They may even surprise you with a smile.

Finances, marriage, parenting—each feel heavy in this halfway season of life. As I walked briskly, my heart pumping, I prayed for God to let me bypass these burdens. With each step, these three truths helped me continue moving when I wished to escape simply.

No one desires hunger. We like feeling full. Neither our rumbling desires nor our lacking longings are welcomed with joy. So, how can we grow in gratitude for hunger? How can we celebrate the ‘less than’ over the ‘more than’ of this life? Where are we turning to finally feel full?

As parents who desire connection with our children at a deeper level, it’s helpful to remember that there are layers to a conversation, much like water. We have a choice: slowly wade into the shallow or dive headfirst into the deep. Since not all circumstances allow for diving into the deep, here are ten strategies to better connect with your child and foster the art of conversation.

Our calendar consistently needs more margin, especially this time of year. As spring activities and school events dominate, it’s easy to feel like a participant in a mad dash toward the finish line.

Solitude? Quiet? Prayer? We know we need them, but finding space for them remains pretty challenging. Yet it matters not only for the health of our souls but also for the health of our families. So, here are three ways for busy moms to consistently flourish in their faith, creating space for the seemingly impossible yet spiritually essential.

If you’ve ever wondered: Why here, Lord? Why not there? Why now? I get it.

Whether through your geography, relationships, or resources, allow these reminders to help you identify the blessings of boundaries God has placed in your life for this season.

Rather than clear goals that lead to my striving, I’m praying this year is marked by abiding. So, how do we navigate the tension between work and rest? When does our work shift into unhealthy patterns of trying to control the outcome?

At the end of every year, expectations run high as to what the new year holds. We want to work out more, eat less, and finally focus on that dream we keep putting off. Before we know it, the calendar fills with plans and expectations, yet sometimes, we don’t stop to ask God what He desires for us. So, as we approach the new year, let us position our hearts with these five prayers, seek to hold plans loosely, and create space for God to move.

Ready or not, another year is upon us. The usual goals for health and wellness occupy our thoughts, yet we may neglect the foundational areas of our time and money. That’s why we created this guide to help you put first things first. Read and grab your free New Year’s guide now.

If you’re looking at the holidays ahead and wondering where the time and energy is to put into fun memories with your family, I got you. This time of year is full of year end activities and anticipation, but as moms it can be challenging to keep the fun.

So, let me help with this FREE download.

After reading The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom, I knew it was the perfect time to visit our local Holocaust Museum. I attempted to prepare my eighth grade students for the breadth and depth of tragedy they would encounter. In hindsight, I’m not sure that’s possible.

However, what I didn’t expect was how much a simple story of potato soup would teach me about gratitude.

The parenting journey parallels the popular children’s book We’re Going On a Bear Hunt. Some seasons find us slowly trudging through thick mud, stuck in weight and worry, while others swish past in the blink of an eye. No matter what—we can’t go over it, we can’t go under it, we must find the courage to go through it. So, how can we maintain an eternal perspective along the way? Read the full featured article at www.familychristian.com and download your family mission statement here.

Perched upon breathtaking cliffs, my eyes searched the surroundings in disbelief. Pure waves of blue rolled below, occasionally showing off a white cap from time to time as if to remind the spectators it is, in fact, real. Our 20th anniversary trip to Santorini, Greece was more than we could have imagined we needed. The entire week I couldn’t stop thinking about this one fact, and I wonder if we might gain some perspective from it as we pray and seek to help those walking through incomprehensible pain these days.

Whether a new month, a new school year, or a new opportunity—there are always “what if’s” circling through my mind.

Here are three prayers ushering my heart into the unknown, as new opportunities present themselves this coming month. Perhaps they are helpful to settle your anxious thoughts as well and draw your eyes upward toward your loving Father.

Despite the uncertainty, be encouraged that some plans can be made independent of what happens outside of your door. Start here and enjoy some free resources as you pray and plan for the upcoming school year.