At Home With Sally

In our first picture book, bestselling author Sally Clarkson and her son Nathan encourage children on the journey to discovering their strengths. Mother and son duo draw on themes from their first book, Different, the emotive story of Nathan's experiences growing up with mental illness and learning disabilities and Sally's journey to loving him unconditionally. With the powerful truth that what makes you different makes you great, Only You Can Be You will help children embrace their differences and celebrate the differences in others.

Today, Misty and I are talking about our reactions to watching Downton, and the parallels we saw between the movie and motherhood. We hope you’ll listen in, and also that you’ll be sure to get your own copy of Mom Heart Moments, which launches out into the world TOMORROW

Though there are many letters to answer, piles to organize, rooms to clean, groceries to shop for, people to call back, ad infinitum, I will lay them all in the file folders of heaven for God to keep. I have learned that they will all still be here tomorrow, and that God wants me to leave my burdens alone--as He is the father, I the toddler and He will indeed work in all of my circumstances without my help. But if I take responsibility to take care of my own heart and soul, I will last much longer, much better, and even have peace and quietness if I take time to rest.

Motherhood keeps going and going! It is a long distance run and often we feel isolated and alone. Today, I am talking with my dear friends Margaret and Holly about the ways we have been challenged by the long-range reality of motherhood. I pray you will know that your long distance run matters every step of the way. We hope you’ll enjoy and be encouraged by our conversation!

Do you ever, like me, neglect to answer God’s call? Do you ever leave Him waiting? Sometimes we do so because we just don’t know what to say. Maybe we are feeling dry and exhausted, and we don’t even know what to read in His word.

Giving your child the gift of acceptance for who they were designed to be is one of the most valuable foundations you can provide. If we want our children to be able to embrace their own spiritual convictions and to be able to go against a secular culture, they must first learn to feel comfortable and confident in who they are, as they are.

Our deep longings become a platform for our hope in God. We sense there is something more that we were made for. If we can imagine fulfillment, deep, unconditional love, and long for the ‘more” that wrestles inside of us, we can assume it was because God made us for more.

As I began yet another time of study, I was vitally aware of the legacy of these morning times. I had invested literally thousands of hours at the feet of my greatest professor and teacher, Jesus. His words had made the difference between a wasted life and one focused strategically on the issues of eternity. This time was where I received His strength, wisdom, and direction for all the moments of my life—as a woman, wife, mom, daughter, and believer—here Christ had met me daily, shown me His path and His ways, and assured me of His constant companionship.

Yesterday, the Lord prepared a party for me. I almost didn't go, because I had planned busy-ness and duties for the hours of my day. But, something deep inside spoke to me of His invitation, and so I put everything else aside and drove to the party where He was graciously waiting for me. I am so glad I showed up, as He had prepared so very much for me to enjoy.

Join Joel and me as we talk about these things, about how music and story melded together to shape his imagination. Learn how you might be able to have Joel’s artistic music and photos and readings be a blessing to you and your family. And, of course, get your own copy of my new children’s book!

In a fallen world, where sin, death, and darkness have marred and hidden so many truths that God originally created us to know, we must look for the original patterns and follow diligently after them. I believe the reason so many are captivated by epic stories is because we were made to be a part of great adventure, divine beauty, and magnificent love.

Motherhood is hard. In a world of five-step lists and silver-bullet solutions to become perfect parents, mothers are burdened with mixed messages about who they are and what choices they should make. If you feel pulled between high-fives and hard words, with culture’s solutions only raising more questions, you’re not alone. But there is hope!!!! Today, I talked with Emily and Laura from Risen Motherhood about the ups and downs of motherhood and how to bring the love and grace of God into each moment.

I so enjoy having friends who inspire me and who have messages that fill my heart. Ruth Chou Simons is such a friend. Her art, her words and her friendship always help to fill some of the dry places of my spiritual heart. We recently recorded a podcast together of some of the issues we have both experienced in this long journey of life as a woman, a spouse, a working writer and a mother. I hope you will be encouraged by our time together. I also am excited to share her new book with you because it is so beautiful and so encouraging.

No matter how hard we try, how many achievements we make, or how many ideals we keep, we will never be able to do enough to earn God's love. Such attempts lead us down a dead-end road paved with feelings of life-depleting guilt and condemnation. Only the grace and love that God gives freely through his merciful nature can provide us with that which we long for: peace and joy.

When these tests come upon us, it is our one moment when we can look at our circumstances, feel our feelings of despair, and then choose to say, "I don't understand, but I believe and I will wait, and I will rest, as an act of my will, because you are the Lord of Hosts and you are my Father."

Five years ago, my friend Ainsley Arment started a community of mothers who want to give their children a quality education, but also a childhood full of wonder, freedom, and curiosity. This community, called Wild + Free, began on Instagram but has spread into real-life gatherings all over the world. I’ve spoken at several of her conferences, and she’s just written a book called The Call of the Wild + Free: Reclaiming Wonder in Your Child’s Education.

To build anything great and strong requires time. But a hedge of strength, protecting, guarding the beauty inside is a safe-guard from destroying the sacred trust. Marriage is one of the most profound ways God designed for us so that we could slowly learn and develop in our own lives, the very character of Christ, learning to serve, love, and give ourselves as He did for us. We hope you’ll enjoy this podcast today, as Kristen and Misty are again joining me to talk about marriage!

I hope you will give yourself time to really ponder the podcast today and to breathe in the beauty of this story. We only have this life, today, to choose to celebrate the reality of God in the presence of others and we never know when this opportunity will be over. Let me know your thoughts after you listen.

Marriage is meant to be a picture of the love Christ has for the church; His commitment and persevering faithfulness to us. He said He would never leave us or forsake us. He laid down his life for us.  Jesus treasures marriage because it is the holy place where His love for the world is modeled by how we practice giving to one another and staying the course of our commitment. What might you do to strengthen your own marriage, today?

I have had several podcasts lately about friendship. I almost didn’t play this one today because I wanted to be sure you had not heard too much about friendship from me lately. Yet, in this podcast, I realized that there have been crucial dark moments in my life when I would have floundered or fallen apart if I had not had friends to carry me, to comfort me, to guide me when I couldn’t see where I was going. So I hope that you will listen to this podcast today and be encouraged once again about how vitally it is to understand that much of our joy is sustained through relationships with people who have chosen to love us, to help us, to be committed.