<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0"
	xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"
	xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/"
	xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
	xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"
	xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/"
	xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/"
	>

<channel>
	<title>Parenting &#8211; Families With Grace</title>
	<atom:link href="https://familieswithgrace.com/category/parenting/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>https://familieswithgrace.com</link>
	<description>Helping Christian moms create homes filled with grace, love &#38; faith</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Mon, 06 Jul 2026 16:18:40 +0000</lastBuildDate>
	<language>en-US</language>
	<sy:updatePeriod>
	hourly	</sy:updatePeriod>
	<sy:updateFrequency>
	1	</sy:updateFrequency>
	<generator>https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.6</generator>

<image>
	<url>https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/cropped-Square-for-tabs-Initials-Transparent-32x32.png</url>
	<title>Parenting &#8211; Families With Grace</title>
	<link>https://familieswithgrace.com</link>
	<width>32</width>
	<height>32</height>
</image> 
	<item>
		<title>Taking a break from your kids: Why it&#8217;s OK to need one</title>
		<link>https://familieswithgrace.com/break-from-your-kids/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Stacey A. Shannon]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 06 Jul 2026 16:18:37 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Parenting]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://familieswithgrace.com/?p=27470</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>For the Christian mom who feels guilty needing a break from her kids: why it's OK, what Jesus modeled and how to actually get one.</p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://familieswithgrace.com/break-from-your-kids/">Taking a break from your kids: Why it&#8217;s OK to need one</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://familieswithgrace.com">Families With Grace</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">A Christian mom&#8217;s honest take on the guilt that says good moms don&#8217;t need time away — and how to actually get the break.</h2>



<p>I&#8217;ll never forget the day my husband came home from work early when our son was 7 months old and our daughter was 3. He walked in the door to find the dog barking, me cleaning spilled milk off a crying 3-year-old and the baby boy crawling around with a runny nose.</p>



<p>He wryly said, &#8220;This isn&#8217;t what I expected to come home to.&#8221;</p>



<p>In the middle of chaos, I quickly responded, &#8220;Then you must have thought you were coming home to a different house.&#8221;</p>



<p>The truth behind the chaos that day was that I was exhausted and overwhelmed. Yet, it was also just a regular day in parenthood at that stage.</p>



<p>I was so grateful he walked through the door and could pitch in for even a few minutes to give me a break from the kids, because I desperately needed one.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="alignright size-large is-resized"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" width="683" height="1024" src="https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Taking-a-break-from-your-kids-PIN3-683x1024.jpg" alt="Taking a break from your kids Pinterest image 3" class="wp-image-27478" style="width:350px" srcset="https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Taking-a-break-from-your-kids-PIN3-683x1024.jpg 683w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Taking-a-break-from-your-kids-PIN3-200x300.jpg 200w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Taking-a-break-from-your-kids-PIN3-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Taking-a-break-from-your-kids-PIN3.jpg 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px" /></figure></div>


<p>There is a particular kind of tired that has nothing to do with sleep. It&#8217;s the worn-down feeling of being needed all day, by everyone, with no pause.</p>



<p>And underneath it, a quieter thought we hate to say out loud: I need a break from my kids.</p>



<p>For a lot of us, that thought shows up with a wave of guilt close behind. We love our children fiercely. So wanting time away from them can feel like a betrayal.</p>



<p>I want to say this gently and clearly. Needing a break does not mean we love our kids any less. It means we are human beings, not machines.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Why needing a break from our kids feels like failing</h2>



<p>Somewhere along the way, we picked up the idea that a good mom is always available, patient, present and happy to be climbed on.</p>



<p>So when we hit our limit, it feels like proof that we are doing it wrong. Somehow the limit itself seems like the failure.</p>



<p>That pressure is everywhere. It&#8217;s in the highlight reels online, where everyone else seems to have endless energy and a sunny attitude.</p>



<p>The guilt gets even louder when the help we need is with the kids themselves. Asking someone to watch them so we can leave can feel like admitting we cannot handle our own children. </p>



<p>When my kiddos were 2 and 5, I was contemplating taking a low-impact workout class led by a friend. I really struggled with the decision.</p>



<p>I was blessed to have a husband to take charge and both sets of grandparents in town and available. I&#8217;d left the kids before for a work meeting or a date with my husband. But I&#8217;d never left them to do something just for me.</p>



<p>I was plagued by guilt about whether it was OK for me to take a break to do something solely for myself.</p>



<p>But that guilt was built on a lie. The lie says our worth as moms is measured by how much we can pour out without ever refilling.</p>



<p>That is not how God made us. And it is not how He made our kids, either.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Needing a break doesn&#8217;t make you a bad mom</h2>



<p>Here is the truth we have to keep relearning. Rest is not a reward we earn after we have given every last drop. It is part of how we keep going.</p>



<p>A mom running on empty cannot pour out what she does not have. That slow slide toward <a href="https://familieswithgrace.com/loving-others-without-burnout/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mom burnout</a> is real. We all know the version of ourselves that shows up after too many days with no margin. </p>



<p>She is shorter-tempered. She is quicker to snap and slower to laugh.</p>



<p>Stepping away for a bit is not abandoning our kids. Often it is the very thing that lets us come back as the mom we actually want to be.</p>



<p>There is even a quiet gift in it for them. When our kids see us practice self-care, they learn that they are allowed to do the same one day.</p>



<p>The relief we feel when we finally get a break is not a red flag. It is our bodies and spirits telling us the truth about what we need.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Taking a break from your kids looks different in every season of motherhood</h2>



<p>When the kids are tiny, a break can feel almost impossible. Someone always has to be watching them, and the watching never stops.</p>



<p>In those years, a break might be 20 minutes while a neighbor walks the stroller, or having your husband take the early shift so you can sleep in. It is small, but it is everything.</p>



<p>In the middle years, roughly ages 6 to 11, my best break often came after bedtime. My husband and I could watch a show together or read, knowing we had that quiet stretch each evening to look forward to.</p>



<p>Some nights it had to go to chores. But we protected it as downtime as often as we could.</p>



<p>I also learned to slip away for 30 minutes alone in my bedroom while my husband was on duty or the kids were happily occupied. I&#8217;d read a few pages or take a short nap, and it reset me.</p>



<p>As kids grow into the teen years, the breaks change shape again, but the need does not disappear. The mental load of motherhood follows us right in.</p>



<p>Life has certainly changed for us from those early days. Now with a 13- and 16-year-old, the chaos is different as we&#8217;re working to figure out just the right amount of independence. We&#8217;re managing driving, braces, work schedules, activities and so much more.</p>



<p>We&#8217;ve also lost that after-bedtime window, because their bedtimes are now the same as ours, and on weekends and school breaks they often stay up later than we do. So we have to find the break in other places.</p>



<p>These days, a little me time often looks like the quiet before everyone wakes up, or driving somewhere alone and belting out praise music in the car. Sometimes it&#8217;s waiting in the car while a kid is at an activity, or simply telling my kids and husband I need a nap and taking one.</p>



<p>Other times it looks like telling everyone that dinner is DIY because figuring out cooking and cleaning up afterward is just too much for the day.</p>



<p>Wherever you are, the season you are in does not decide whether you deserve a break. You always do.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Even Jesus stepped away</h2>



<p>If anyone ever had a reason to keep going without stopping, it was Jesus. The crowds were endless. The needs never let up.</p>



<p>And yet Scripture tells us this:</p>



<figure class="wp-block-pullquote"><blockquote><p>&#8220;But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.&#8221;</p><cite><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%205%3A16&amp;version=NIV" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Luke 5:16</a> (NIV)</cite></blockquote></figure>



<p>Notice that word &#8220;often.&#8221; This was not a one-time collapse. It was a rhythm — a regular stepping away to pray and be restored.</p>



<p>If the Son of God built breaks into His life on purpose, surely we can let ourselves off the hook for needing them, too. Pulling away to refill is not selfish. It is wise, and it is good.</p>



<p>There is a spiritual reason to guard these breaks, too. It is hard to <a href="https://familieswithgrace.com/how-to-connect-with-god-in-the-middle-of-raising-a-family/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">connect with God</a> when we cannot finish a single thought, let alone a whole prayer, without being interrupted.</p>



<p>Stepping away for a few quiet minutes gives us room to actually meet with Him. And that time with God is often what refills us enough to keep going.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The honest part: a break has to be planned</h2>



<p>Here is what nobody tells us. &#8220;Just take a break&#8221; is easy to say and hard to do.</p>



<p>Most of us do not have a built-in village standing by. Childcare is expensive and hard to arrange, and the people who could help have full lives of their own.</p>



<p>So a real break rarely just happens. We usually have to plan it on purpose, and that means asking.</p>



<p>In the early days of parenting, sometimes that meant asking my husband to take over so I could enjoy a long shower. Other times it meant asking my parents or in-laws to watch the kiddos.</p>



<p>The good news is that a break does not have to be big or expensive to count. A couple of quiet hours can reset a whole week.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">How to actually get a break from your kids</h2>



<p>Knowing we need a break is one thing. Making it happen is another. A few things can help.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Ask your husband for a specific block of time</h3>



<p>&#8220;I need a break&#8221; is too vague to act on. &#8220;Can you take the kids Saturday from 9 to 11 so I can get out of the house?&#8221; gives him something concrete to say yes to.</p>



<p>Be clear that you mean a real break, not you in the next room still on call. The whole point is to actually step away.</p>



<p>My husband has a standing Monday evening online gaming session with some of his close friends. He&#8217;s carved out that block of time weekly.</p>



<p>I&#8217;ve been thinking about what I can do in the same vein, even once a month.</p>



<p>Not every mom has a husband or partner to hand off to, and even when we do, he isn&#8217;t always within reach. If that describes you, the ideas that follow do not lean on a spouse at all.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Trade with another mom</h3>



<p>If a sitter is not in the budget, a swap costs nothing. Maybe you take her kids Tuesday morning, and she takes yours Thursday.</p>



<p>You both get a guaranteed break, and the kids get a playdate out of the deal.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Lean on the family you have</h3>



<p>Many of the people in our lives would gladly take the kids for an afternoon if we let go of our pride and simply asked. Think about grandparents, a sister, an aunt or a trusted friend.</p>



<p>People often want to help. They are just waiting to be asked.</p>



<p>Don&#8217;t forget about church family as well. Our small group, for example, has been supportive of us. One couple recently had our son over to do chores when they heard he was looking for ways to earn money for a school trip.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Use your church&#8217;s nursery or kids&#8217; ministry</h3>



<p>If your church has a nursery or children&#8217;s program, let yourself use it. Handing the kids off for the service is not a cop-out.</p>



<p>It lets us focus on the message, grow in our own faith and catch a genuine breather all at once. That time with God can be the very thing that gives us strength for the week ahead.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Build in a daily quiet time</h3>



<p>After kids give up naps, the day can feel like it has no bottom to it. My oldest gave up her nap while I was pregnant and exhausted with her brother, so I traded naptime for quiet time.</p>



<p>She stayed in her room for an agreed-upon stretch, 30 to 60 minutes depending on the day, and could play, look at books or rest. Some afternoons our quiet time looked like snuggling together to watch &#8220;Mickey Mouse Clubhouse&#8221; while I closed my eyes.</p>



<p>A daily pocket of quiet like that is a break we can build right into the rhythm of the day, no sitter required.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Start small and protect it</h3>



<p>If a whole morning feels impossible, start with 30 minutes. Take a walk around the block. Enjoy a cup of coffee you get to drink while it is still hot. Find a small way to do something for yourself.</p>



<p>Then guard that time. When the guilt creeps in, remind yourself that this is not stealing from your family. It is keeping you steady for them.</p>



<p>A spiritually, physically and mentally rested mama is a happier mama.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Sometimes a break just means breaking the monotony</h2>



<p>Here is something it took me a while to learn: a break is not always about getting away from our kids. Sometimes it is just about getting out of the sameness.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="alignleft size-large is-resized"><img decoding="async" width="683" height="1024" src="https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Taking-a-break-from-your-kids-PIN8-683x1024.jpg" alt="Taking a break from your kids Pinterest image 8" class="wp-image-27483" style="width:350px" srcset="https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Taking-a-break-from-your-kids-PIN8-683x1024.jpg 683w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Taking-a-break-from-your-kids-PIN8-200x300.jpg 200w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Taking-a-break-from-your-kids-PIN8-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Taking-a-break-from-your-kids-PIN8.jpg 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px" /></figure></div>


<p>When my kids were little, our weekly library story time was a lifeline. It was built for the kids and they loved it, but for once I was not the one in charge.</p>



<p>It got us out of the house and doing something different. I got to connect with other moms in the same season, my kids practiced being around others and afterward we explored the children&#8217;s section and played with toys that felt brand new to them.</p>



<p>A reset can be that simple. It might be a video call with grandparents or a friend, even one who lives across town. It might be a new show watched together, or the kids in the bath with a pile of toys while we sit close by and breathe.</p>



<p>Sometimes the break even hides inside something ordinary. Running to the grocery store alone can feel like a small vacation. I&#8217;ve eaten lunch by myself in the car after a drive-thru run and felt completely refilled.</p>



<p>None of that requires childcare or extra dollars. It just asks us to let a change of pace count as the break it really is.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">You don&#8217;t have to earn rest, mama</h2>



<p>I still have to preach this one to myself. The guilt does not vanish just because we know better.</p>



<p>But we can choose to step away anyway. We can choose to believe our needs matter too, because they do.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-pullquote"><blockquote><p>&#8220;He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.&#8221;</p><cite><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2023%3A2-3&amp;version=NIV" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Psalm 23:2-3a</a> (NIV)</cite></blockquote></figure>



<p>That refreshing is not a perk for the moms who have it all together. It is an invitation for the tired ones, which is all of us some days.</p>



<p>So take the break. Ask for the help with the kids. Let someone else hold things for an hour so you can breathe.</p>



<p>You are not a worse mom for needing it. You are a wise one for taking it.</p>



<p>And sometimes what we need isn&#8217;t a break from the kids at all. Sometimes we just need help with everything else: the dishes, the laundry, the never-ending list. If that&#8217;s the kind of help you&#8217;re after, here&#8217;s <a href="https://familieswithgrace.com/asking-for-help-as-a-mom/"><em>Asking for help as a mom</em></a>, which has great ideas for getting help with your to-do list.</p>



<p>And once the break is won, <a href="https://familieswithgrace.com/how-to-rest-as-a-busy-mom/"><em>How to rest as a busy mom</em></a> is right here for when you are ready to rest. You are always welcome in our <a href="https://familieswithgrace.com/facebook-group-for-Christian-moms/">Christian Moms with Grace free Facebook community</a>, too.</p>
<div class="swp-content-locator"></div><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://familieswithgrace.com/break-from-your-kids/">Taking a break from your kids: Why it&#8217;s OK to need one</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://familieswithgrace.com">Families With Grace</a>.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>How to rest as a busy mom: 7 Practical ways to actually make it happen</title>
		<link>https://familieswithgrace.com/how-to-rest-as-a-busy-mom/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Stacey A. Shannon]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 23 Jun 2026 18:53:58 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Parenting]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://familieswithgrace.com/?p=27422</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Tired mom with no time to rest? Here are 7 practical ways to find real rest in the middle of busy motherhood plus the grace to stop feeling guilty.</p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://familieswithgrace.com/how-to-rest-as-a-busy-mom/">How to rest as a busy mom: 7 Practical ways to actually make it happen</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://familieswithgrace.com">Families With Grace</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">We&#8217;re told to rest, but rarely how. Here&#8217;s how to find real rest as a busy mom.</h2>



<p>Ask a mom of little ones how she finds time to rest and she&#8217;ll probably laugh, then maybe tear up a little. I remember those days in the thick of it — babies and toddlers needing something every single minute, the kind of tired that sleep didn&#8217;t touch. </p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="alignright size-large is-resized"><img decoding="async" width="683" height="1024" src="https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/How-to-rest-as-a-busy-mom-PIN1-683x1024.jpg" alt="How to rest as a busy mom Pinterest image 1" class="wp-image-27428" style="width:350px" srcset="https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/How-to-rest-as-a-busy-mom-PIN1-683x1024.jpg 683w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/How-to-rest-as-a-busy-mom-PIN1-200x300.jpg 200w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/How-to-rest-as-a-busy-mom-PIN1-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/How-to-rest-as-a-busy-mom-PIN1.jpg 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px" /></figure></div>


<p>My kids are teens now, and I still have to fight for rest. The laundry never stops. The dishes multiply by the hour. Somebody always needs a snack, a ride or a permission slip that was due five minutes ago.</p>



<p>We hear it all the time: we should rest. Take a Sabbath. Slow down. Fill our own cup first. It&#8217;s good advice. But almost nobody tells us <em>how</em> to actually do it when there&#8217;s a toddler on our hip and a to-do list that resets itself every morning. </p>



<p>And so rest becomes one more thing we feel behind on and one more way we&#8217;re falling short. We tell ourselves we&#8217;ll rest when the house is clean, when the kids are older, when life calms down. But that day never quite arrives.</p>



<p>So let&#8217;s talk about the part nobody covers: not <em>why </em>rest matters, but <em>how </em>to find it in real life.</p>



<p>Because here&#8217;s the truth: we weren&#8217;t built to run on empty. Even Jesus pulled His disciples away from the crowds to rest. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-pullquote"><blockquote><p>&#8220;Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, &#8216;Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.'&#8221; </p><cite>Mark 6:31 (NIV)</cite></blockquote></figure>



<p>If the Son of God made space to step away, we can stop treating rest like something we have to earn.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">1. Redefine what rest looks like right now.</h2>



<p>In my head, rest means sitting in my recliner with my feet up, reading a book, taking a nap, with nobody needing a single thing from me. (I&#8217;m an introvert, so quiet and alone is how I refill.) That picture isn&#8217;t wrong; it&#8217;s just not very realistic in this season. I could laze around with a book all day maybe once every couple of years.</p>



<p>So I&#8217;ve had to redefine it. For me, rest sometimes looks like ordering pizza and watching a movie on the couch with my husband and kids instead of cooking dinner and cleaning up after. </p>



<p>Other times it&#8217;s locking myself in the bathroom for five minutes just to breathe. Rest in the season we&#8217;re in might not look like the rest we picture, and that&#8217;s OK. The goal isn&#8217;t a magazine version of rest. It&#8217;s whatever genuinely refills us, right where we are.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">2. Use the small pockets of time we already have</h2>



<p>Most of us don&#8217;t have a free day. We don&#8217;t even have a free afternoon. But we do have five minutes here and 10 minutes there, and those add up more than we think.</p>



<p>The trick is being a little intentional with them. When I have an extra 10 minutes alone in the car waiting in the school pickup line, I feel so much more refreshed if I read a few pages of a book or an article instead of scrolling social media, which honestly leaves me more drained than when I started. Same minutes, completely different result.</p>



<p>I recently needed to wait in the car while my daughter was at an appointment. I hadn&#8217;t had time to read my Bible yet, so I brought it along and used the alone time in the car to get into the Word. Then in the time left after that, I played a mindless game on my phone.</p>



<p>It was an overdue pause in a busy day that left me feeling recharged and with the energy I needed to go home and make dinner without being grumpy.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">3. Let some things wait</h2>



<p>My to-do list never ends. Right now I could rattle off 10 things that need doing without pausing for breath. But sometimes the chores just have to wait so we can rest instead. I know — it feels almost scandalous to say out loud.</p>



<p>Chronic health issues have forced this lesson on me; my body makes me stop whether I planned to or not. But even then, I have to choose it. If I know we&#8217;re going to have a late evening or an overly busy one, I&#8217;ll set my phone alarm and spend 30 minutes reading or napping before making dinner.</p>



<p>Yes, my unfolded laundry pile looms. Of course, my work to-do list is unending. Yes, there are 100 other things. And they&#8217;ll still be there later. Giving ourselves grace to let things go so we can rest isn&#8217;t laziness. It&#8217;s wisdom. On the days the weariness feels like more than we can carry, these <a href="https://familieswithgrace.com/prayers-for-overwhelmed-moms/">prayers for overwhelmed moms</a> are a good place to land.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">4. Try a different kind of rest — not just sleep</h2>



<p>When we think rest, most of us think sleep. And sleep matters. But it&#8217;s not the only kind of rest we need, which is exactly why we can get a decent night&#8217;s sleep and still feel worn thin the next morning.</p>



<p>Sometimes what we&#8217;re craving is quiet: a few minutes with no noise, no questions, nobody touching us. Sometimes it&#8217;s a break from decisions, letting someone else pick dinner for once. Sometimes it&#8217;s time with a friend who fills us up instead of draining us, or 15 minutes doing something creative just for the joy of it. </p>



<p>And sometimes it&#8217;s a deeper, spiritual rest that only comes from God. When rest isn&#8217;t working, it&#8217;s worth asking what kind of tired we actually are. The answer usually points us to the rest we really need.</p>



<p>Recently I found myself home alone on a Saturday for a few hours. This rarely happens. I did some chores to be productive, then I debated about how to best rest.</p>



<p>I snuggled into the recliner with my pooch, put on soft classical music and read my book. I dozed a bit. I truly rested. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">5. Do something just because we want to</h2>



<p>Moms tend to put everyone and everything else first. That&#8217;s noble, and a lot of the time it&#8217;s necessary. But every so often we need to do something purely for ourselves.</p>



<p>Maybe we paint our toenails bright purple after the kids are in bed. Or perhaps we swing by Starbucks for a favorite drink. We might even love to sit on the front porch watching the sun set with nowhere to be. </p>



<p>It doesn&#8217;t have to be productive or even justified. Doing something just because we want to is its own kind of rest, and it refuels a part of us the practical stuff can&#8217;t reach. These are the times we remember we are more than just a mom and a doer-of-all-the-things.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">6. Ask for help and protect the time</h2>



<p>Here&#8217;s one I&#8217;m still learning: rest gets a whole lot easier when we stop trying to do it all alone. We can ask our husband to take bedtime so we get an hour to ourselves. We can let the kids learn that when mom is resting for a few minutes, that&#8217;s allowed. The world won&#8217;t fall apart. We can say no to the extra commitment that&#8217;s quietly draining us dry.</p>



<p>Protecting rest can feel uncomfortable, especially if we&#8217;re used to being the one who holds everything together. But the people who love us would so much rather have a rested mom than a martyr running on fumes.</p>



<p>Not long ago, I banged around my kitchen cleaning up after dinner while my family watched a show. I was steaming that nobody was helping me. My family noticed, paused the show and came to help.</p>



<p>My teen daughter reminded me that if I needed help, I should just ask rather than being cranky or even passive-aggressive. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">7. Bring it to God</h2>



<p>I can&#8217;t tell you how many times I&#8217;ve tried to fix something with my own ideas first, run myself ragged and only <em>then</em> thought to pray about it. I sigh, roll my eyes and wonder why I didn&#8217;t just start there. Because shouldn&#8217;t prayer be where we begin?</p>



<p>God built rest into the very rhythm of creation. He rested on the seventh day Himself. So He&#8217;s not going to leave us alone to white-knuckle our way through. </p>



<p>We can ask Him to open our eyes to the habits that are getting in the way of our rest. We can trust that the God who made us also made us to <em>need</em> rest, and He&#8217;ll help us find it when we come to Him with an open heart. </p>



<p><em>If you&#8217;re craving that deeper, soul-level rest too, I wrote a whole post on <a href="https://familieswithgrace.com/bible-verses-about-rest-for-busy-moms/">Bible verses about rest for busy moms</a>, and you&#8217;ll find more encouragement over in the <a href="https://familieswithgrace.com/category/faith/">Faith section</a>.</em></p>



<p><em>If you want to take the soul-rest piece even further, I&#8217;ve created <a href="https://familieswithgrace.gumroad.com/l/simple-rest-for-weary-moms-BRP" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">a free 31-day Bible reading plan all about rest</a> — just a verse or two a day, with reflection questions designed for busy moms.</em> </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">A few ways to start this week</h2>



<p>We don&#8217;t have to overhaul our whole life to rest. We just have to start small. Pick one:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Name what rest actually looks like in this season</li>



<li>Use one 10-minute pocket today for something refilling, not scrolling</li>



<li>Let one chore wait on purpose</li>



<li>Ask what kind of tired you are, then rest that way</li>



<li>Hand off one task and protect 30 minutes</li>



<li>Do one small thing just because you want to</li>



<li>Bring your need for rest to God</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">We&#8217;re worth resting for</h2>



<p>Friend, rest isn&#8217;t a reward we earn once the list is done, because the list is never done. It&#8217;s something we were made to need, built right into us by a God who rested too. </p>



<p>So let&#8217;s give ourselves permission to stop, even for five minutes, even imperfectly. We&#8217;re better moms, wives and humans for it. And mama, we are absolutely worth it.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Want to go deeper with rest?</h2>



<p>If today&#8217;s post resonated with you, you might love the <a href="https://familieswithgrace.gumroad.com/l/simple-rest-for-weary-moms-BRP" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">free 31-day Bible Reading Plan about rest</a>. It&#8217;s designed for busy moms — just a couple of minutes a day — and it will help you slow down, open God&#8217;s Word and let Him meet you right where you are. The plan comes with an undated version too, so you can start any time, no matter when you find it. </p>



<div class="wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-16018d1d wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex">
<div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-white-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color has-text-align-center wp-element-button" href="https://familieswithgrace.gumroad.com/l/simple-rest-for-weary-moms-BRP" style="background-color:#ad7dab" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>Get the free Bible reading plan here</strong></a></div>
</div>



<div style="height:12px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>



<div class="wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-16018d1d wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex">
<div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-white-color has-text-color has-background wp-element-button" href="https://familieswithgrace.com/free-bible-reading-plans-for-moms/" style="background-color:#ad7dab">Check out all the free Bible reading plans for moms</a></div>
</div>



<div style="height:33px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>
<div class="swp-content-locator"></div><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://familieswithgrace.com/how-to-rest-as-a-busy-mom/">How to rest as a busy mom: 7 Practical ways to actually make it happen</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://familieswithgrace.com">Families With Grace</a>.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>Feeling like a bad mom? You&#8217;re not alone (and you&#8217;re not failing)</title>
		<link>https://familieswithgrace.com/feeling-like-a-bad-mom/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Stacey A. Shannon]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 22 Jun 2026 15:35:06 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Parenting]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://familieswithgrace.com/?p=27409</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Feeling like a bad mom? You're not alone. Honest encouragement and grace-filled truth for Christian moms. Bad moments don't make a bad mom.</p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://familieswithgrace.com/feeling-like-a-bad-mom/">Feeling like a bad mom? You&#8217;re not alone (and you&#8217;re not failing)</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://familieswithgrace.com">Families With Grace</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Grace for the hard moments, because bad moments don&#8217;t make a bad mom.</h2>



<p>My daughter was barely two days old the first time I felt like a bad mom.</p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
<p>She cried almost all the time, and nothing I did seemed to help. I cried right along with her. Things got so intense that my husband gently suggested I call my own mom and ask if it ever got better. </p>



<p>When our regular pediatrician was out, the doctor we saw instead laid the blame squarely on me. I climbed into the backseat next to my baby on the drive home and cried some more. It&#8217;s a strange, awful thing to feel that much love and that much helplessness at the same time. I felt like the worst mom in the world, and I&#8217;d barely been a mom for 48 hours.</p>
</blockquote>



<p>(For what it&#8217;s worth, the answer turned out to be simple. By the end of that first week, my husband figured out our girl didn&#8217;t quite know what to do with her tongue to nurse well, so she was hungry all the time. Once we knew, we worked around it. I didn&#8217;t suddenly feel like a great mom — but I felt a little less like a terrible one.)</p>



<p>Here&#8217;s the thing I&#8217;ve learned in the years since: that feeling never fully goes away. It just changes outfits. And if you&#8217;ve ever whispered &#8220;I&#8217;m such a bad mom&#8221; to yourself in the carpool line, you are in very good company.</p>



<p class="has-small-font-size"><em>Affiliate links are used in this post, if you make a qualifying purchase via my link, I receive a small percentage of the sale at no additional cost to you. It helps support my blog, so thank you for your support! Read my full disclosure </em><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://familieswithgrace.com/wpautoterms/affiliate-links/" target="_blank"><em>here</em></a><em>.</em></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What we really mean when we say &#8220;I feel like a bad mom&#8221;</h2>



<p>I&#8217;d guess moms have been questioning themselves and feeling like a bad mom since Eve. We say the words &#8220;I&#8217;m a bad mom,&#8221; but most of the time we don&#8217;t actually mean we don&#8217;t love our kids or aren&#8217;t trying.</p>



<p>We mean we lost our patience. We mean we forgot the thing, snapped at the wrong moment, served cereal for dinner again or compared our messy middle to somebody else&#8217;s highlight reel.</p>



<p>That feeling has a name now — mom guilt — and it tends to show up loudest in the moms who care the most. The very fact that it bothers us so much is evidence we&#8217;re paying attention. Bad moms, the truly checked-out kind, don&#8217;t lie awake worried they&#8217;re bad moms.</p>



<p>I&#8217;ve collected plenty of those moments. The time my baby rolled off my bed. The time she got hold of a pair of scissors. The time she skinned her knee to pieces falling <em>while I was holding her hand</em>. For years my go-to move was to turn to my husband, say &#8220;I&#8217;m such a bad mom,&#8221; and launch into the story of why.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The reframe that changed everything: a bad moment is not a bad mom</h2>



<p>Years ago a friend shared a quote on Pinterest that stopped me in my tracks. It&#8217;s from <a href="https://amzn.to/4eXyWOw" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Unglued</em> by Lysa TerKeurst</a>: &#8220;Bad moments don&#8217;t make bad mamas.&#8221;</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="alignright size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="683" height="1024" src="https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Feeling-like-a-bad-mom-PIN2-683x1024.jpg" alt="Feeling like a bad mom Pinterest image 2" class="wp-image-27413" style="width:350px" srcset="https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Feeling-like-a-bad-mom-PIN2-683x1024.jpg 683w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Feeling-like-a-bad-mom-PIN2-200x300.jpg 200w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Feeling-like-a-bad-mom-PIN2-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Feeling-like-a-bad-mom-PIN2.jpg 1000w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px" /></figure></div>


<p>I needed that more than I knew. Two things had to shift for me. First, I had to <a href="https://familieswithgrace.com/learning-to-stop-being-hard-on-yourself/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cut myself some slack</a> — something I&#8217;ve had a lifetime of practice <em>not</em> doing. But second, I had to change the actual words in my head.</p>



<p>Instead of &#8220;I&#8217;m such a bad mom for losing my patience when she wanted to play,&#8221; the truer thought is: &#8220;That was a hard moment.&#8221; And then what can we do differently next time it comes around?</p>



<p>Because we all have hard moments. At home, at work, in the carpool line, wherever. They just happen. Life isn&#8217;t perfect or happy all the time, and a bad moment doesn&#8217;t make us bad people any more than a burned dinner makes us bad cooks.</p>



<p>I suppose truly bad mothers exist somewhere. But the vast majority of us are simply doing the best we can with what we&#8217;ve got. My own mom wasn&#8217;t perfect, but she was perfect for me. I have to believe the same is true for my kids and me.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Why we feel this way (and why it&#8217;s not the whole truth)</h2>



<p>If we&#8217;re honest, a lot of our bad-mom feelings get fed from the outside:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><strong>The comparison scroll.</strong> Social media hands us an endless reel of moms who seem to have it together. Ours rarely looks like that at 7 a.m. on a school morning.</li>



<li><strong>The impossible standard.</strong> Somewhere along the way we swapped &#8220;things that might make me a good mom&#8221; for &#8220;things I <em>must</em> do or I&#8217;ve failed.&#8221;</li>



<li><strong>The lie that it&#8217;s all on us.</strong> When the load is invisible — the appointments, the permission slips, the snack supply — a missed detail feels like a character flaw instead of a full plate.</li>
</ul>



<p>None of that is a verdict on our mothering. It&#8217;s just noise. And noise is worth turning down.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Where grace comes in</h2>



<p>This is the part I keep coming back to. We are not held together by our own flawless track record — thank goodness. Scripture promises something steadier:</p>



<figure class="wp-block-pullquote"><blockquote><p>&#8220;Because of the Lord&#8217;s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.&#8221;</p><cite>Lamentations 3:22-23 (NIV)</cite></blockquote></figure>



<p>New every morning. Not earned, not perfect, not contingent on whether yesterday went well. When we feel like we&#8217;re falling short, even when we feel like we&#8217;re <a href="https://familieswithgrace.com/when-i-fail-god-he-remains-faithful/">failing God Himself</a>, His mercy doesn&#8217;t run out. It resets with the sunrise. That&#8217;s the kind of grace that has room for our hard moments, and it&#8217;s the same grace we get to extend to ourselves and to our kids.</p>



<p>If the weight you&#8217;re carrying feels heavier than a hard day or even sits on you most days, that&#8217;s worth saying out loud to someone you trust or a doctor who can help. Grace and good support aren&#8217;t opposites. Sometimes asking for help <em>is</em> the grace-filled choice.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What we can do when the bad-mom feeling hits</h2>



<p>We can&#8217;t always talk ourselves out of feeling like a bad mom. But we can give that feeling somewhere to go.</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><strong>Name the moment, not the mom.</strong> Swap &#8220;I&#8217;m a bad mom&#8221; for &#8220;that was a hard moment.&#8221; It&#8217;s a small change that tells the truth.</li>



<li><strong>Let tomorrow be new.</strong> Mercies are new every morning, so we don&#8217;t have to drag today&#8217;s mistakes into next week.</li>



<li><strong>Repair instead of rehearse.</strong> A quick &#8220;I&#8217;m sorry I snapped, let&#8217;s try again&#8221; does more good than replaying the moment on a loop. Our kids learn as much from how we reconnect as from how we mess up.</li>



<li><strong>Step away from the feed.</strong> When the scroll is making us feel behind, the kindest thing is usually to put the phone down.</li>



<li><strong>Tell another mom the truth.</strong> Saying &#8220;me too&#8221; out loud breaks the spell. We were never meant to do this alone.</li>
</ul>



<p>Just this past Valentine&#8217;s Day, I was struggling. I like to get a little something for my children (and husband), but I&#8217;d honestly just forgotten. I can give you a slew of reasons why, yet those don&#8217;t matter so much.</p>



<p>I found myself at Target with my middle school-aged son on Feb. 13. I told him I was feeling so bad about not having anything for Valentine&#8217;s Day. He suggested we grab a few things together, including his own little treat that he&#8217;d act surprised to get.</p>



<p>He helped me pick out sweet little finds for his dad and big sister. He snuck in some candy for me. I found something I knew he&#8217;d like.</p>



<p>In the car on the way home, I was still beating myself up and talking about how I couldn&#8217;t believe I had forgotten this year. My wise son looked at me and said, &#8220;Mom. It&#8217;s OK. You&#8217;re doing the best you can.&#8221;</p>



<p>I felt like a bad mom, but my own son was reminding me to give myself some grace that day.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">One day, we&#8217;ll laugh about it</h2>



<p>A college professor of mine used to say, &#8220;If you&#8217;re going to laugh at it later, you might as well laugh at it now.&#8221; I have never once managed to pull that off in the moment. But I do see the humor now in things that were not one bit funny when they happened.</p>



<p>Now, years later, I can laugh with my daughter about how she struggled to eat from the beginning. Or I can tease my son about how I stayed up with him on the couch for three months straight when he was a newborn.</p>



<p>Maybe someday, I&#8217;ll laugh with my daughter about the time she hit a curb and took out a tire the very first time she drove alone. Or I&#8217;ll chuckle with my son about how he used to put off taking showers as long as possible.</p>



<p>I&#8217;m certain there are plenty more hard moments coming that we&#8217;ll one day joke about together. That&#8217;s just part of it. And it will be all right. We&#8217;ll get through it together. As long as we keep showing up and keep loving these kids with our whole hearts, we really can&#8217;t go all that wrong.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Frequently asked questions</h2>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Is it normal to feel like a bad mom? </h3>



<p>Completely. Most moms feel it, and feeling it usually means we care deeply about doing right by our kids — <em>not </em>that we&#8217;re failing them.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Why do I feel like a bad mom even when I&#8217;m trying so hard? </h3>



<p>Often it&#8217;s comparison, exhaustion and impossible standards talking, not reality. The moms who worry most about being &#8220;bad&#8221; are usually the ones paying the closest attention.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">What does the Bible say about mom guilt? </h3>



<p>Scripture points us toward grace over perfection. Verses like <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Lamentations%203%3A22-23&amp;version=NIV" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lamentations 3:22-23</a> remind us God&#8217;s mercies are new every morning, so we don&#8217;t have to carry yesterday&#8217;s mistakes as proof of who we are.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">A little grace to take with you</h2>



<p>So here&#8217;s the reminder I still need to hear regularly: bad moments don&#8217;t make a bad mom. Not the lost tempers, not the forgotten forms, not the cereal dinners. We are doing our best, we are loved and tomorrow holds brand-new mercy. We&#8217;re in this together, friend, and we&#8217;re going to be all right.</p>



<p><em>If you&#8217;d like a gentle next step, my free <a href="https://familieswithgrace.com/grace-filled-parenting-bible-study">Grace-Filled Parenting Bible study for moms</a> walks through letting go of the pressure to be perfect. It&#8217;s a soft place to land on the hard days. You might also find encouragement in <a href="https://familieswithgrace.com/finding-gods-perfect-peace-in-the-chaos-of-motherhood/">Finding God&#8217;s perfect peace in the chaos of motherhood</a> and in <a href="https://familieswithgrace.com/faith-without-pressure/">Why grace matters more than works</a>.</em></p>
<div class="swp-content-locator"></div><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://familieswithgrace.com/feeling-like-a-bad-mom/">Feeling like a bad mom? You&#8217;re not alone (and you&#8217;re not failing)</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://familieswithgrace.com">Families With Grace</a>.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>Generosity for kids: Simple ways to raise generous children</title>
		<link>https://familieswithgrace.com/teaching-our-children-to-give/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Stacey A. Shannon]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 25 Mar 2026 16:20:01 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[School-aged Children]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://familieswithgrace.com/?p=582</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Learn simple, real-life ways to teach generosity for kids so they grow into kind, compassionate and giving people without overcomplicating it.</p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://familieswithgrace.com/teaching-our-children-to-give/">Generosity for kids: Simple ways to raise generous children</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://familieswithgrace.com">Families With Grace</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">6 Practical, real-life ideas to help your kids notice others, give freely and grow compassionate hearts</h2>



<p>Teaching generosity for kids doesn’t have to be complicated, but it does need to be intentional. Giving as a family has always been important to us, and we’ve tried to make it a regular part of our lives. Still, I realized recently that just because we are doing these things doesn’t mean our kids always recognize them as generosity.</p>



<p>When I talked with my kids about it one morning when they were younger, they could name a few ways we give, but not nearly all of them. They hadn’t really thought about how generosity for kids includes more than just money.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Generosity also includes giving your time, paying attention to the needs of others and choosing to do good work even in small, everyday moments. That was a good reminder for me that if I want to teach my kids generosity, I have to talk about it more and be more intentional about showing it.</p>



<p>You’ll hear people say that children have to be taught generosity because it goes against human nature. There’s some truth to that. If you’ve ever asked a toddler to share their favorite toys, you know it doesn’t always go smoothly.&nbsp;</p>



<p>At the same time, I’ve also seen how naturally kids can have compassionate hearts. When my children see someone in need, their first instinct is often to ask how we can help. That is something worth encouraging and building on.</p>



<p>If you’re looking for simple ways to focus on generosity for kids in your own family, you’re not alone. Most of us want to raise children who notice the needs of others and respond with kindness.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What is generosity for kids?</h2>



<p>Generosity for kids is more than just giving money. It’s helping children learn to notice the needs of others and respond with kindness, whether that means sharing what they have, giving their time or showing compassion in everyday situations.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Teaching kids generosity starts with small, consistent moments that help them grow into generous people over time.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="alignright size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="683" height="1024" src="https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Generosity-for-kids-PIN1-683x1024.jpg" alt="Generosity for kids Pinterest image 1" class="wp-image-27294" style="width:350px" srcset="https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Generosity-for-kids-PIN1-683x1024.jpg 683w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Generosity-for-kids-PIN1-200x300.jpg 200w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Generosity-for-kids-PIN1-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Generosity-for-kids-PIN1.jpg 1000w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px" /></figure></div>


<p id="isPasted">These are some of the ways we’ve been teaching generosity in our home and figuring out how to teach kids generosity in real, everyday life.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">1. Give kids their own money to practice generosity</h2>



<p>One of the first steps in teaching kids generosity is giving them a chance to practice it for themselves. When our children turned 5, they started getting a weekly allowance based on their ages. We use a simple envelope system with saving, spending and giving so they can clearly see how their money is used.</p>



<p><em>Read more about <a href="https://familieswithgrace.com/allowance-for-kids/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">our allowance system and get a free tracker here</a>.</em></p>



<p>For example, at age 5, the money might be divided into three parts for saving, one part for spending and one part for giving. Every month or two, we talk about how they want to use their giving money and what generous acts they want to be part of.</p>



<p>When we first started this with our daughter, I assumed she would want to give her money in the offering at church. Instead, she wanted to do something more tangible. That led us to buying items for a local food bank.</p>



<p>Since then, that one decision has grown into something much bigger. We have matched her giving, my parents have contributed and she has had multiple opportunities to serve at food pantries.&nbsp;</p>



<p>What started as a few dollars became a meaningful way for her to see how generosity can make a real difference in the lives of others.</p>



<p>Even better, as she has grown into a teenager, she’s had opportunities to continue giving in fun ways, such as sponsoring a food drive in elementary school, organizing charity drives at her school for toiletries and other items students might need as well as spearheading a project to raise money for safe drinking water in other countries.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">2. Help kids practice generosity in real-life ways</h2>



<p>Generosity for kids becomes more meaningful when they can see the impact of what they are doing. For our family, supporting a local charity has been one of the most practical and consistent ways to do that. We have volunteered in food banks as well as toiletry banks.</p>



<p>Our kids enjoy going to the store, looking for deals and figuring out how much good they can do with the money they have. We talk with them about what the food pantry and toiletry pantry needs most so they can understand how their choices help meet needs in our local community.</p>



<p>Along the way, they’ve also come up with their own ideas. Sometimes they want to help a family member, sometimes they give to our local church and other times they choose different charitable organizations. We try to encourage those ideas and guide them as they learn what it means to be a generous person.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">3. Make generosity fun and meaningful for kids</h2>



<p>Teaching generosity for kids doesn’t have to feel serious all the time. In fact, making it fun often helps it stick.</p>



<p>My kids enjoy being part of the process, especially when they get to make decisions. One time, my son chose to buy a box of Honey Nut Cheerios with his giving money. It wasn’t what we planned to purchase that day, but it was his choice, and it still went toward helping someone else.</p>



<p>Their school has also created opportunities to make giving fun. They’ve done activities where kids can donate money to vote in a silly competition or send small treats to classmates. These moments may seem simple, but they create teachable moments that help kids connect generosity with joy rather than obligation.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">4. Talk about why generosity matters</h2>



<p>If we want generosity for kids to grow into something lasting, we have to talk about why it matters. Kids need to understand that their actions are part of something bigger.</p>



<p>We talk about the families who will receive the food or support and what it might feel like to not have enough. We help our kids see that their giving is not just a small act but part of meeting the needs of others in meaningful ways.</p>



<p>This helps them begin to understand that generosity isn’t about recognition. It’s about showing love and care in ways that reflect God’s love for us and for others.</p>



<p>These are the kinds of teachable moments that help generosity take root in a child’s heart.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">5. Show kids how to give their time, not just money</h2>



<p>An important part of generosity for kids is learning that giving isn’t only about money. Giving your time and effort is just as valuable.</p>



<p>While our kids have helped with the food pantry, we’ve also looked for other ways to serve. There have been seasons when organized volunteering was harder for our family, but we still found simple ways to help. When I taught a Sunday School class, my kids enjoyed helping me prepare and try activities.</p>



<p>We also talk about how helping a friend, supporting a family member or simply paying attention to someone who needs help are all ways to practice generosity. These everyday moments are often where kids learn the most.</p>



<p><em>These <a href="https://familieswithgrace.com/16-volunteer-ideas-for-families/">16 volunteer ideas for families to do together</a> are a great place to start.</em></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">6. Model generosity in your own life</h2>



<p>More than anything, generosity for kids is caught by what they see. Our actions as parents shape how they understand what it means to live generously.</p>



<p>When my husband volunteered with <a href="https://teamrubiconusa.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Team Rubicon</a> and traveled to help with disaster relief, it gave us a powerful opportunity to talk about generosity as a family. The kids had questions about what he was doing and why he was doing it.</p>



<p>His answer was simple. If there is something you can do to help, then you should. Sometimes giving money is helpful, but other times you are called to step in and serve directly.</p>



<p>That example showed our kids that generosity isn’t just something we talk about. It’s something we live out. It’s choosing to be part of meeting the needs of others and trusting that even small acts can make a meaningful impact.</p>



<p></p>
<div class="swp-content-locator"></div><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://familieswithgrace.com/teaching-our-children-to-give/">Generosity for kids: Simple ways to raise generous children</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://familieswithgrace.com">Families With Grace</a>.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>3 Best Easter books for preschoolers that teach about Jesus</title>
		<link>https://familieswithgrace.com/best-easter-books-for-preschoolers/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Stacey A. Shannon]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 24 Mar 2026 20:38:38 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Baby and Toddler]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://familieswithgrace.com/?p=27273</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Looking for the best Easter books for preschoolers? These 3 Berenstain Bears books help kids understand the true meaning of Easter.</p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://familieswithgrace.com/best-easter-books-for-preschoolers/">3 Best Easter books for preschoolers that teach about Jesus</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://familieswithgrace.com">Families With Grace</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="isPasted">Christian Easter books to help young children learn about Jesus</h2>



<p>The Easter story is the most pivotal one in the entire Bible, yet teaching it to preschoolers can be challenging. The story includes some difficult themes to cover with little ones, and it can be hard to know how much to share and how to explain it in a way they understand.</p>



<p>Picture books are a great way to help bring the Easter story of Jesus to life for this age group, especially when they include lovely illustrations that help little ones stay engaged. Whether you are looking for the best Easter books for preschoolers to fill an Easter basket, one to read with your own children or one to use in a church setting, these three Berenstain Bears books are a great fit.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Why Easter books matter</h2>



<p>Personally, I’m a huge fan of reading to kids. It’s one of the best ways to build vocabulary, strengthen your relationship and introduce new concepts in a way that feels natural and engaging.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="alignright size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="683" height="1024" src="https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Best-Easter-books-for-preschoolers-PIN2-683x1024.jpg" alt="Best Easter books for Preschoolers Pinterest image 2" class="wp-image-27288" style="width:350px" srcset="https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Best-Easter-books-for-preschoolers-PIN2-683x1024.jpg 683w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Best-Easter-books-for-preschoolers-PIN2-200x300.jpg 200w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Best-Easter-books-for-preschoolers-PIN2-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Best-Easter-books-for-preschoolers-PIN2.jpg 1000w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px" /></figure></div>


<p>Because the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection is intense, using books with colorful illustrations and simple text helps young children begin to understand the true meaning of Easter in a way that isn’t overwhelming.</p>



<p>In the lives of my own children and the kids I work with at church (where my teen daughter and I help create curriculum), I’ve found Bible story books engage children in learning in ways they’re much more likely to remember.</p>



<p>The story of Easter is too important to skip over or water down completely. With the right children’s books, we can share it in a way that is both truthful and appropriate for young kids to learn the holiday is about so much more than the Easter Bunny and an Easter egg hunt.</p>



<p class="has-small-font-size"><em>I received copies of three Easter and Bible related Berenstain Bears books at no charge in exchange for providing book reviews and social media posts. All opinions, however, are completely my own and not influenced by the free copies.</em></p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">How we&#8217;re using these books in our church preschool class</h3>



<p>My daughter and I create the curriculum for all K through 5 classes at our church, and she also teaches the preschool class during one service. She has always had a heart for young children, especially preschoolers, so she is constantly on the lookout for resources that will work well in a Sunday School setting.</p>



<p>Recently, she was out shopping with her brother and picked up a new book, <em><a href="https://amzn.to/3BLgojA" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow sponsored">The Berenstain Bears: The Very First Easter</a></em> by Jan and Mike Berenstain. She thought it would be a great fit for her class, especially since the Berenstain Bears books are some of our family&#8217;s favorite books. </p>



<p>That same day, I opened the mail to find that exact book along with two other Berenstain Bears titles for review. It felt like one of those little God moments where everything just lined up.</p>



<p>After looking through all three together, we quickly agreed that <em>The Very First Easter</em> is the perfect book to read to the preschool class on Easter Sunday. It became part of our curriculum—and one of our favorite Easter books—just like that.</p>



<p><em>(Don&#8217;t miss these <a href="https://familieswithgrace.com/staceyblog/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">simple DIY resurrection eggs</a> and <a href="https://familieswithgrace.com/ideas-to-teach-kids-about-easter/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Easter object lessons for young children</a> that pair well with these Easter books.)</em></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Book #1: The Berenstain Bears: The Very First Easter</h2>



<p>This book tells the Easter story in a clear and straightforward way that works really well for preschoolers. It begins with following our animal friends, the Bear family, on the night before Easter. Papa Bear is reading a story to the cubs, and then the book transitions into the story itself.</p>



<p>From there, <em><a href="https://amzn.to/3BLgojA" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow sponsored">The Berenstain Bears: The Very First Easter</a></em> walks through the events starting with Palm Sunday and continues all the way through Jesus’ resurrection. The flow of the story feels natural and easy to follow, which is especially important for younger kids who are hearing these events for the first <s>​</s>time.</p>



<p>What I appreciate most about this book is that it doesn’t shy away from the truth of what happened, but it presents it in a gentle, age-appropriate way. It keeps the focus on Jesus and why Easter matters without becoming overwhelming.</p>



<p>Out of all three books, this one is my top pick for teaching the Easter story in a church or classroom setting. It stays focused, it’s easy to understand and it clearly points back to the meaning of Easter for young readers.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="576" src="https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Book-1-1024x576.jpg" alt="The Very First Easter interior pages of the crucifixion. " class="wp-image-27282" srcset="https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Book-1-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Book-1-300x169.jpg 300w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Book-1-768x432.jpg 768w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Book-1-480x270.jpg 480w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Book-1.jpg 1280w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>The Crucifixion page images are very age appropriate for young children.</em></figcaption></figure></div>


<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Book #2: The Berenstain Bears and the Easter Story</h2>



<p>This book takes a slightly different approach to sharing the Easter story. Instead of reading it as a traditional narrative, this sweet story follows the Bear family watching children perform a play about Jesus at church.</p>



<p>Because of that format, the story includes a broader overview of Jesus’ life along with His death and resurrection. It doesn’t go as in-depth into specific events like the Last Supper, but it still clearly communicates the message of Easter.</p>



<p>This book also includes a page of related stickers, which are always a hit with kids.</p>



<p><em><a href="https://amzn.to/3BLgojA" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow sponsored">The Berenstain Bears and the Easter Story</a> </em>is a great option if you are looking for something that connects the Easter story to a church setting, since kids can see other children learning and participating as well. It reinforces that Easter time is about more than traditions like candy and Easter egg hunts and instead points back to Jesus and salvation.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="576" src="https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Book-2-1024x576.jpg" alt="The Berenstain Bears and the Easter Story interior page and sticker sheet" class="wp-image-27284" srcset="https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Book-2-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Book-2-300x169.jpg 300w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Book-2-768x432.jpg 768w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Book-2-480x270.jpg 480w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Book-2.jpg 1280w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>Along with terrific images and text, this book also comes with a page of stickers.</em></figcaption></figure></div>


<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Book #3: The Berenstain Bears Storybook Bible Search and Find</h2>



<p>This book is quite different from the other two, but in a really fun and engaging way. It’s a large, sturdy board book that includes a variety of Bible stories from both the Old and New Testaments.</p>



<p>As kids flip through the pages, they can search for different items hidden within each scene. It turns the book into more of a feel book experience for kids, because they aren’t just listening—they’re interacting with every page.</p>



<p>This interactive element makes it especially appealing for toddlers and preschoolers who may have a harder time sitting still for a traditional story.</p>



<p>In addition to familiar stories like creation, Noah’s ark and Daniel in the lions’ den, <em><a href="https://amzn.to/3BLgojA" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow sponsored">The Berenstain Bears Storybook Bible Search and Find</a></em> also includes parts of the Easter story, such as the Last Supper and the events leading up to the resurrection.</p>



<p>I really like this one as a supplement to the Easter story because it helps kids engage with Scripture in a hands-on way. It’s not just something they listen to—they’re actively involved in it.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="576" src="https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Book-3-1024x576.jpg" alt="The Berenstain Bears Storybook Bible Search and Find book interior pages of The Last Supper" class="wp-image-27285" srcset="https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Book-3-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Book-3-300x169.jpg 300w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Book-3-768x432.jpg 768w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Book-3-480x270.jpg 480w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Book-3.jpg 1280w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>The Last Supper scene in this book is perfect for the Easter season.</em></figcaption></figure></div>


<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Which Easter book is best for preschoolers?</h2>



<p>All three of these books are great resources, but they each serve a slightly different purpose.</p>



<p>If you are looking for a clear and focused retelling of the Easter story,&nbsp;<em>The Very First Easter</em>&nbsp;is definitely my top recommendation. It works especially well for church settings, family reading time or anytime you want to walk through the story from beginning to end.</p>



<p>If you want something that connects the story to a church environment,&nbsp;<em>The Berenstain Bears and the Easter Story</em>&nbsp;is a good choice.</p>



<p>And if you are looking for something interactive that keeps little hands busy while still pointing them back to Bible stories, the Search and Find book is a fun option to add in.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">A meaningful Easter basket idea for kids</h2>



<p>If you are putting together Easter baskets this year, these books are a great way to include something meaningful alongside the fun items on Easter morning.</p>



<p>It’s easy for Easter holiday season to become all about jelly beans, chocolate bunnies and Easter eggs, but adding in a Christ-centered book with a heartwarming story&nbsp;helps keep the focus where it belongs. These would also be great to read together throughout the Easter season as you prepare your child’s heart for what the day truly represents.</p>



<p>Plus, books are great basket stuffers to add to your book collection without adding more sugary candy.</p>



<p><em>(Check out also these great <a href="https://familieswithgrace.com/easter-basket-ideas-for-tween-boy/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Easter basket ideas for tween boys</a> and <a href="https://familieswithgrace.com/200-easter-basket-ideas-that-arent-candy/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">200 Easter basket ideas that aren&#8217;t candy</a>.)</em></p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Where to find these Easter books</h3>



<p>You can find all three of these Berenstain Bears Easter books here:</p>



<div class="wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-16018d1d wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex">
<div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-white-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button" href="https://amzn.to/3BLgojA" style="background-color:#ad7dab" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow"><strong>Get these Easter books for your family</strong></a></div>
</div>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Final thoughts</h2>



<p>Teaching young children about Easter doesn’t have to be complicated. With the right tools, we can share the story of Jesus in a way that is both meaningful and understandable for them.</p>



<p>These books are a simple way to start those conversations and help little ones begin to grasp the incredible truth of what Jesus has done for us.</p>



<p></p>
<div class="swp-content-locator"></div><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://familieswithgrace.com/best-easter-books-for-preschoolers/">3 Best Easter books for preschoolers that teach about Jesus</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://familieswithgrace.com">Families With Grace</a>.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>How to find peace at Christmas (even when you&#8217;re busy)</title>
		<link>https://familieswithgrace.com/peace-at-christmas/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Stacey A. Shannon]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 10 Nov 2025 17:10:23 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Parenting]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://familieswithgrace.com/?p=27009</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Feeling overwhelmed this holiday season? Discover how to find peace at Christmas through faith, rest and letting go of perfection.</p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://familieswithgrace.com/peace-at-christmas/">How to find peace at Christmas (even when you&#8217;re busy)</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://familieswithgrace.com">Families With Grace</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Real-life tips for when the Christmas season feels anything but peaceful</h2>



<p>Christmas has always been my favorite holiday. But, honestly, these days when the holiday season rolls around, I feel a bit anxious and stressed. Finding peace at Christmas in the midst of the stress and busyness can feel really hard.</p>



<p>As mamas, we can be so busy working hard to make sure everyone has a merry Christmas that we get bogged down in the details. The message of Christmas — the true meaning — ends up getting lost in the fray.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="alignright size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="683" height="1024" src="https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Peace-at-Christmas-PIN1-683x1024.jpg" alt="How to find Peace at Christmas Pinterest image 1" class="wp-image-27020" style="width:300px" srcset="https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Peace-at-Christmas-PIN1-683x1024.jpg 683w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Peace-at-Christmas-PIN1-200x300.jpg 200w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Peace-at-Christmas-PIN1-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Peace-at-Christmas-PIN1.jpg 1000w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px" /></figure></div>


<p>And that&#8217;s not at all what we want. I&#8217;ve learned that I have to be intentional about keeping Christ in Christmas. It may be the most wonderful time of the year, but it&#8217;s also the busiest and most distracting.</p>



<p>As my Christmas to-do list starts rolling through my head, I&#8217;ve got some reminders and strategies for us all to experience peace this Christmas and rest in the comfort of the birth of Jesus.</p>



<p>Because true peace doesn&#8217;t come from quiet around us. It comes from God&#8217;s presence in our hearts and lives.</p>



<p class="has-small-font-size"><em>Affiliate links are used in this post, if you make a qualifying purchase via my link, I receive a small percentage of the sale at no additional cost to you. It helps support my blog, so thank you for your support! Read my full disclosure </em><a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://familieswithgrace.com/wpautoterms/affiliate-links/" target="_blank"><em>here</em></a><em>.</em></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Remember the source of peace</h2>



<p>This may seem like the most obvious tip of them all. Yet, the only way to truly experience God&#8217;s peace is to make time for Him.&nbsp;</p>



<p>That means even during Christmas time — maybe especially during Christmas time — that we spend time with Him through His Word and in prayer.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-pullquote"><blockquote><p>&#8220;You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.&#8221;</p><cite>Isaiah 26:3 (NIV)</cite></blockquote></figure>



<p>Having a steadfast mind simply means that we put our minds to God. That&#8217;s the quickest way to find peace in any situation.</p>



<p>There are some simple ways to get into the Word of God during the Christmas season. Having good habits in place for devotion time in God&#8217;s Word make this easier.</p>



<p>But, even if you don&#8217;t have a regularly scheduled devotional time, this is an amazing time of the year to start.</p>



<p>Books like <a href="https://amzn.to/4ozj0EI" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener sponsored">&#8220;A Family Christmas Devotional&#8221;</a> are written to help you and your entire family reflect on and remember the birth of Christ Jesus in as little as five minutes a day. It has simple reflection questions for kids, teens and adults.</p>



<p>The good thing about a family devotional is you are helping your children set good habits and traditions to keep Christ in Christmas as well.</p>



<p>This Christmas season, commit to spending at least five minutes each day inviting God into the busyness and fray. Ask Him for inner peace and reminders of the true reason for the season.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="819" height="1024" src="https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Peace-at-Christmas-Book-IG1-819x1024.jpg" alt="Peace at Christmas book Instagram image 1" class="wp-image-27015" style="width:300px" srcset="https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Peace-at-Christmas-Book-IG1-819x1024.jpg 819w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Peace-at-Christmas-Book-IG1-240x300.jpg 240w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Peace-at-Christmas-Book-IG1-768x960.jpg 768w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Peace-at-Christmas-Book-IG1.jpg 1080w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 819px) 100vw, 819px" /></figure></div>


<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Simplify your expectations</h2>



<p id="isPasted">I know in my own life how easy it is to get caught up in&nbsp;<em>doing all the things</em>&nbsp;so our kids know the magic of Christmas. We want the gifts to be thoughtful, the cookies to be homemade and the house to feel cozy and cheery.&nbsp;</p>



<p>But sometimes, in trying to make everything picture-perfect, we miss the peace that’s waiting quietly beneath the surface.</p>



<p>One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned over the years is that my family members don’t need me to do <em>everything</em>; they need me to be <em>present.</em> It’s OK if we skip a few traditions this year or take some shortcuts.</p>



<p>The truth is, peace at Christmas often comes when we release ourselves from the pressure to make it all perfect.</p>



<p>What matters most is that we’re creating space for God’s presence and quality time for one another.</p>



<p>Try asking yourself:&nbsp;<em>“Will this help my family draw closer to each other and to Jesus?”</em>&nbsp;If the answer is no, maybe it’s time to let it go this year.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Talk to your family and see what matters to them most. You might be surprised that some of the simpler pleasures of the season are what they look forward to most anyway.</p>



<p><em><a href="https://familieswithgrace.com/how-to-decide-which-holiday-traditions-to-keep/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">(Read more about deciding which holiday traditions to keep here.)</a></em></p>



<p>Adjusting our expectations can help us focus on the simplicity of the holiday and embrace the true joy of Christmas.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Make space for quiet moments</h2>



<p>Peace doesn’t usually shout; it whispers. And in a world full of noise, we have to make space to hear it.</p>



<p>That might look like waking up five minutes early to pray before the day begins or turning off the TV for a few minutes at night to read Scripture as a family. Sometimes, it’s simply pausing during dinner to thank God for His blessings or taking a deep breath before heading out the door.</p>



<p>When I think about Mary, the mother of Jesus, I’m reminded that she “pondered these things in her heart” (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%202%3A19&amp;version=NIV" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Luke 2:19</a>). She didn’t rush from one thing to another. She took little breaks and reflected. </p>



<p>Peace lives in the quiet, reflective moments when we let the God of peace calm our hearts with His presence.</p>



<p>(If you’re looking for a simple way to build that habit, my <a href="https://amzn.to/4ozj0EI" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener sponsored">Family Christmas Devotional</a> is designed for just that. It helps families spend five intentional minutes together each day focusing on Jesus, even in the busiest season.)</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Let go of comparison</h2>



<p>It’s so easy to fall into the trap of comparing our Christmas with everyone else’s. We see the perfectly decorated trees on Instagram, the coordinated family outfits, the endless gifts, and suddenly our best effort feels small.</p>



<p>But peace doesn’t come from measuring up to others. It comes from resting in the truth that&nbsp;<em>you’re already enough</em>&nbsp;and that your family’s Christmas doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s.</p>



<p>God isn’t asking for perfect decorations or an elaborate Christmas dinner; He’s asking for open hearts and a little time spent with Him.</p>



<p>When we stop comparing, we make room for gratitude. And a thankful heart always brings peace.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Keep your focus on Jesus</h2>



<p>When it comes down to it, peace at Christmas is really about keeping our eyes on Jesus. Everything else—presents, lights, activities—fades in comparison to the wonder of His birth.</p>



<p>This year, try weaving reminders of Jesus into your home and daily rhythm:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Display a nativity scene where everyone can see it.</li>



<li>Play Christmas worship music in the background as you wrap gifts.</li>



<li>Choose a verse about peace to memorize as a family, like John 14:27.</li>



<li>End the day with a short prayer of thanks for the Prince of Peace who came for us all.</li>
</ul>



<p>Because the more we focus on Him, the more we realize peace isn’t something we have to chase. We already have it through Christ.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Take care of yourself.</h2>



<p id="isPasted">Mama, I know how easy it is to put yourself at the bottom of the list, especially at Christmastime. You’re wrapping the gifts, planning the meals, coordinating the calendar and making sure everyone else feels loved and cared for.&nbsp;</p>



<p>But if you’re running on no sleep, cold coffee and cookie dough, it’s hard to feel peaceful no matter how strong your faith is.</p>



<p>The truth is, taking care of yourself isn’t selfish; it’s essential. When you’re rested, nourished and spending even a few quiet minutes with God, you’re better able to pour love and peace into your family.</p>



<p>Give yourself permission to:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Go to bed a little earlier, even if the to-do list isn’t done.</li>



<li>Say no to one more commitment without guilt.</li>



<li>Step away for a few minutes of quiet and prayer when you feel overwhelmed. (Maybe go for a short walk and get some fresh air.)</li>



<li>Eat a nutritious meal between all those Christmas cookies (I’m talking to myself here, too!).</li>
</ul>



<p>Remember, even Jesus rested. He stepped away from the crowds to pray and recharge. If the Son of God needed rest, we definitely do, too.</p>



<p>When you care for your body and soul, you create space for God’s peace to settle in. And one of the best gifts you can give your family this Christmas is a peaceful, present version of you.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Closing encouragement</h2>



<p>If this season feels heavy or overwhelming, take heart and know you’re not alone. Many of us are craving peace at Christmas. </p>



<p>The good news is that peace isn’t something we have to create; it’s already been given through Jesus.</p>



<p>When we slow down, simplify and keep our eyes on Him, we find the calm our souls have been searching for.</p>



<p>So this Christmas, let’s choose peace over perfection and presence over performance. Let’s welcome Jesus—the true Prince of Peace—into every moment.</p>



<p>And if you’d like a simple way to stay centered on Him throughout December, check out &#8220;<a href="https://amzn.to/4ozj0EI" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener sponsored">A Family Christmas Devotional</a><em>.</em>&#8221; It’s 25 days of short, heartfelt reflections to help your family experience more joy, connection and peace this Christmas.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="819" height="1024" src="https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Peace-at-Christmas-Book-IG2-819x1024.jpg" alt="Peace at Christmas book Instagram image 2" class="wp-image-27016" style="width:300px" srcset="https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Peace-at-Christmas-Book-IG2-819x1024.jpg 819w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Peace-at-Christmas-Book-IG2-240x300.jpg 240w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Peace-at-Christmas-Book-IG2-768x960.jpg 768w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Peace-at-Christmas-Book-IG2.jpg 1080w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 819px) 100vw, 819px" /></figure></div>


<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Find more great resources and ideas for Christmas:</h3>



<p class="has-text-align-center"><strong><a href="https://familieswithgrace.com/how-to-decide-which-holiday-traditions-to-keep/">How to decide which holiday traditions to keep</a></strong></p>



<p class="has-text-align-center"><strong><a href="https://familieswithgrace.com/free-printable-christmas-lunchbox-notes/">Free printable Christmas lunchbox notes and jokes</a></strong></p>



<p class="has-text-align-center"><strong><a href="https://familieswithgrace.com/how-to-keep-christ-in-christmas/">How to keep Christ in Christmas</a></strong></p>



<p class="has-text-align-center"><strong><a href="https://familieswithgrace.com/a-family-christmas-devotion-book-volume-2/">The best 5-minute Advent devotionals for families</a></strong></p>



<p class="has-text-align-center"><strong><a href="https://familieswithgrace.com/7-ways-to-make-your-christmas-crunch-time-easier/">7 Christmas hacks to make your life easier</a></strong></p>



<p class="has-text-align-center"><strong><a href="https://familieswithgrace.com/8-simple-christmas-traditions-to-bring-your-family-closer/">8 Simple Christmas traditions to bring your family closer (with 2 free printables!)</a></strong></p>
<div class="swp-content-locator"></div><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://familieswithgrace.com/peace-at-christmas/">How to find peace at Christmas (even when you&#8217;re busy)</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://familieswithgrace.com">Families With Grace</a>.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>A Christian fantasy book for tweens and teens</title>
		<link>https://familieswithgrace.com/christian-fantasy-book-for-tweens-and-teens/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Stacey A. Shannon]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 30 Oct 2025 17:26:20 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Tweens and Teens]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://familieswithgrace.com/?p=26994</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Looking for a Christian fantasy book for tweens and teens? “The Ghost You Can’t See” blends faith, courage and adventure in a story kids will love.</p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://familieswithgrace.com/christian-fantasy-book-for-tweens-and-teens/">A Christian fantasy book for tweens and teens</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://familieswithgrace.com">Families With Grace</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">A review of “The Ghost You Can’t See,” a faith-based fantasy adventure tweens and teens will love</h2>



<p>Finding faith-based adventure books for tweens that are both exciting and clean can feel like searching for buried treasure. That’s why I’ve loved The Issachar Gatekeeper book series from L.G. Nixon.&nbsp;</p>



<p>A few months ago, I shared <a href="https://familieswithgrace.com/christian-books-for-teens-book-review/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">a review of the first two books</a> in the fantasy series. The new book in the series, &#8220;The Ghost You Can’t See,&#8221; keeps the adventure going with a story that’s packed with mystery, courage and Biblical truth all while staying clean and tween-friendly.</p>



<p class="has-small-font-size"><em>I received a free copy of &#8220;The Ghost You Can&#8217;t See,&#8221; a Christian fantasy book for tweens and teens, in exchange for my honest review and social media coverage. All opinions are my own.</em></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">About &#8220;The Ghost You Can&#8217;t See&#8221;</h2>



<p>As part of a series, &#8220;The Ghost You Can&#8217;t See&#8221; both continues with main characters we&#8217;ve come to know and love &#8212; namely Lucy Hornberger and her best friend Schuyler Williams &#8212; while also introducing new characters. </p>



<p>Lucy, who we meet in the first book of the series, &#8220;The Ghost of Darwin Stewart,&#8221; is a young girl (13) facing all the struggles of real life like parents, chores, school and even a bit of romance.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Early in the first book, Lucy&#8217;s world changes when she learns she&#8217;s been chosen to battle evil spirits.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Instead of having special powers, Lucy is gifted with some magical items in the first book that let her see supernatural creatures not otherwise visible. Pretty quickly Schuyler joins her with the girls having been best friends their whole lives.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="alignright size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="683" height="1024" src="https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Christian-fantasy-book-for-tweens-PIN4-683x1024.jpg" alt="Christian fantasy book for tweens: &quot;The Ghost You Can't See&quot; Pinterest image 4" class="wp-image-27002" style="width:350px" srcset="https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Christian-fantasy-book-for-tweens-PIN4-683x1024.jpg 683w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Christian-fantasy-book-for-tweens-PIN4-200x300.jpg 200w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Christian-fantasy-book-for-tweens-PIN4-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Christian-fantasy-book-for-tweens-PIN4.jpg 1000w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px" /></figure></div>


<p>The pair quickly face a series of tests in the first book. Then in the second book, &#8220;The Ghost Writer,&#8221; Lucy&#8217;s spiritual battles continue as she comes to the rescue of a classmate who has been cursed.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Like all great fantasy books, those in The Issachar Gatekeeper series let us see a mix of the real world and the magical world beyond.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Lucy is working for The High King, who reigns over all that is good, to defeat Darnathian, whose true identity is the dark prince reigning over evil.</p>



<p>Having fought against evil with good in the past, Lucy has fully embraced her new life in this latest book and is ready to watch out for daemons (or evil spirits) and protect those around her. However, her path isn’t easy, and her challenges grow more complex with each book.</p>



<p>In this third book, Lucy faces struggles with friendships, new responsibilities at home and taking on a curse from hundreds of years ago.</p>



<p>Lucy remains the perfect heroine for the series with a mix of relatable strengths and weaknesses in both the real world and in the fantasy world. It’s a creative way to explore spiritual warfare in an age-appropriate, Biblically sound way.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Ghosts in a Christian fantasy book</h3>



<p id="isPasted">Don’t let the word “ghost” throw you off. These books aren&#8217;t about haunted houses or spooky specters.</p>



<p>Ghosts are often taboo in Christian circles &#8212; and understandably so in the sense of departed souls haunting others. But, that is&nbsp;<em>not</em>&nbsp;the take or interpretation in these books.</p>



<p>Nixon, a devout Christian, portrays these ghosts as manifestations of demon spirits. Early in the series, for example, Lucy learns the ghost she sees isn’t the real Darwin Stewart but a demon taking his form.</p>



<p>Instead of spooky ghost stories, L.G. Nixon&#8217;s fantasy novels for tweens are faith-based adventures.</p>



<p><em><a href="https://lgnixon.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/problemwithghosts.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">(Read about Nixon&#8217;s viewpoint on ghosts reflected in the books here.)</a></em></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">A faith-filled story with heart and purpose</h2>



<p>This creative take on the supernatural makes it easy to connect the story’s deeper meaning to Biblical truths.&nbsp;</p>



<p>&#8220;The Ghost You Can&#8217;t See&#8221; is a great book for digging into the ways the supernatural world affects our daily life in a way that is approachable and understandable to tweens. While reading the book, I found a variety of references to Biblical concepts.&nbsp;</p>



<p>It&#8217;s an easy connection to make between The High King representing God and the dark prince, Darnathian, representing Satan &#8212; much like in The Chronicles of Narnia from C.S. Lewis.</p>



<p>Multiple passages throughout the book explain Biblical concepts in a great way that older kids will easily understand while also just reading a good book. This passage, for example, explains the importance of monitoring what we allow into our minds:&nbsp;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-pullquote"><blockquote><p>&#8220;Darnathian whispers half-truths and deceptive thoughts to bend your thinking &#8212; a redirection, if you will. Unconsciously, you know something is missing, so you add your own interpretation to fill in the gaps. Then, instead of truth you have a lie&#8230;Don&#8217;t you understand? What you let into your mind can change your thinking. It&#8217;s like nourishment for those little gray cells.&#8221;</p><cite>&#8220;The Ghost You Can&#8217;t See&#8221; by L.G. Nixon</cite></blockquote></figure>



<p>Nixon does a great job of encapsulating the fantasy genre while also making Biblical principles accessible. It&#8217;s a relatable Christian middle grade book.</p>



<p>&#8220;The Ghost You Can&#8217;t See&#8221; is a perfect book for Christian moms who are fans of Harry Potter and looking for a clean Christian book series for teens with a young protagonist fighting against a dark force.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Why tweens (and parents) will love it</h2>



<p>Yet, with all of that said, will tweens actually like the book? Is it relatable, engaging and thrilling? In short, yes to all of the above &#8212; and for good reason! Voracious readers and casual readers alike will be drawn into this fantasy adventure for tweens.</p>



<p>​&#8221;The Ghost You Can&#8217;t See&#8221; has lots of fantasy elements but is also relatable. Lucy is struggling with friend drama in the middle of spiritual wars. For example, Lucy faces doubts about her best friend early in this third book and finds herself losing heart.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Feeling left out or cast aside by friends is something tweens can certainly relate to. Lucy certainly isn&#8217;t perfect and struggles with a variety of imperfections, even including being clumsy.</p>



<p>The book doesn&#8217;t use any inappropriate language. It does, however, use language that tweens and teens will relate to. The characters&#8217; dialogue sounds like listening to a group of kids with sarcasm and slang terms unique to the series. For example, expressions like ‘Son of a buck snort!’ add humor without crossing any lines.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">The story continues</h3>



<p>One of the great things about a book series is getting to know and follow the characters throughout their journey. Just as in any other series like Harry Potter or Percy Jackson, The Issachar Gatekeeper series gives tweens and teens the chance to see main character Lucy and Schuyler grow and change.</p>



<p>As they are growing and learning, so are young readers. It&#8217;s a great series in that it grows with the reader.&nbsp;</p>



<p>As with any great series, each book ends with just enough of a cliffhanger to make you eager for the next book. As an avid reader myself, I appreciate that each storyline ties up in the book while also leaving us wanting more at the end just as all favorite fantasy books should do!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Getting your own copy</h2>



<p>The Issachar Gatekeeper series really is worth adding to your tween or teen&#8217;s book list. This is the perfect time to get started with the series.</p>



<p><a href="https://lgnixon.com/books/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">L.G. Nixon&#8217;s site</a> is running a limited time offer to get the books in the series for $10 each <em>and</em> receive a copy of the seasonal novella from the series, &#8220;The Ghost in Your Christmas Present.&#8221;</p>



<p>You can also just <a href="https://bit.ly/TheGhostYouCantSee" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">purchase book three</a>, &#8220;The Ghost You Can&#8217;t See&#8221; for $15.99 for paperback, $8.99 for ebook or $3.99 for audiobook. (As the mom of a dyslexic child, I love this series has the accessibility of an audiobook as well!)</p>



<div class="wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-28206b41 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex">
<div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-white-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button" href="https://bit.ly/TheGhostYouCantSee" style="background-color:#ad7dab" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>Start the Adventure with &#8220;The Ghost You Can&#8217;t See&#8221;</strong></a></div>
</div>



<p>If you’re looking for a clean, faith-filled fantasy adventure for tweens, &#8220;The Ghost You Can’t See&#8221; is a must-read.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Find more book reviews for tweens and teens from Families with Grace:</h3>



<p class="has-text-align-center"><strong><a href="https://familieswithgrace.com/christian-books-for-teens-book-review/">Christian books for teens: Why &#8220;The Ghost Writer&#8221; is a standout read</a></strong></p>



<p class="has-text-align-center"><strong><a href="https://familieswithgrace.com/the-message-student-devotional-bible/">Book review: &#8220;The Message Student Devotional Bible&#8221;</a></strong></p>



<p class="has-text-align-center"><strong><a href="https://familieswithgrace.com/the-enneagram-for-teens/">Book review: &#8220;The Enneagram for Teens&#8221;</a></strong></p>
<div class="swp-content-locator"></div><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://familieswithgrace.com/christian-fantasy-book-for-tweens-and-teens/">A Christian fantasy book for tweens and teens</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://familieswithgrace.com">Families With Grace</a>.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>Tips for how to make friends as a Christian mom</title>
		<link>https://familieswithgrace.com/how-to-make-friends-as-a-christian-mom/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Stacey A. Shannon]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 20 Oct 2025 16:17:45 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Parenting]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://familieswithgrace.com/?p=26947</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Feeling lonely in motherhood? Here’s how to make friends as a Christian mom with faith, authenticity, and simple ways to find community.</p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://familieswithgrace.com/how-to-make-friends-as-a-christian-mom/">Tips for how to make friends as a Christian mom</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://familieswithgrace.com">Families With Grace</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">An introvert&#8217;s advice on making mom friends</h2>



<p>I still remember standing at kindergarten pick-up for my oldest, watching groups of moms laugh together while I clutched my toddler&#8217;s hand and smiled politely at strangers. My heart ached with a familiar loneliness I didn&#8217;t expect motherhood would bring.</p>



<p>If you&#8217;ve ever felt invisible in a crowd of other moms, you&#8217;re not alone. Making friends as an adult is hard. Making friends as a Christian mom—when you&#8217;re exhausted, covered in spit-up and can barely remember the last time you had an uninterrupted conversation—feels nearly impossible.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="alignright size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="683" height="1024" src="https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/How-to-make-friends-as-a-Christian-mom-PIN3-683x1024.jpg" alt="How to make friends as a Christian mom Pinterest image 3" class="wp-image-26953" style="width:350px" srcset="https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/How-to-make-friends-as-a-Christian-mom-PIN3-683x1024.jpg 683w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/How-to-make-friends-as-a-Christian-mom-PIN3-200x300.jpg 200w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/How-to-make-friends-as-a-Christian-mom-PIN3-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/How-to-make-friends-as-a-Christian-mom-PIN3.jpg 1000w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px" /></figure></div>


<p>But here&#8217;s what I&#8217;ve learned through the loneliness and the awkward first conversations: God created us for connection. And while learning how to make friends as a Christian mom takes intentionality and courage, it&#8217;s one of the most life-giving things we can do for ourselves and our families.</p>



<p>You don&#8217;t have to navigate motherhood alone. Friendship is possible, even in this busy, overwhelming season.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Why friendship matters for Christian moms</h2>



<p>We weren&#8217;t designed to do life in isolation. From the very beginning, God looked at Adam in <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%202%3A18&amp;version=NIV" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Genesis 2:18</a> and said, &#8220;It is not good for the man to be alone.&#8221; </p>



<p>That need for companionship doesn&#8217;t disappear when we become mothers. If anything, it intensifies.</p>



<p>The Bible gives us a beautiful picture of what friendship can be: </p>



<figure class="wp-block-pullquote"><blockquote><p>&#8220;Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor:<sup> </sup>If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.&#8221;</p><cite><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ecclesiastes%204%3A9-10&amp;version=NIV" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ecclesiastes 4:9-10</a> (NIV)</cite></blockquote></figure>



<p>Christian moms need that kind of friend—someone who will help us up on the hard days, celebrate with us on the good ones and remind us of God&#8217;s grace when we&#8217;re struggling.</p>



<p>Friendship isn&#8217;t a luxury for mothers. It&#8217;s a lifeline.</p>



<p>When we&#8217;re connected to the body of Christ and rooted in genuine community, we become better moms, better wives and more grounded in our faith. We need women who will pray for us, laugh with us and show up with coffee (<em>or chocolate!</em>) when life feels too heavy to carry alone.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Understanding different types of friendships</h2>



<p>Not all friendships look the same, and that&#8217;s actually a beautiful thing. As Christian moms, we need different kinds of friends for different seasons and needs.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Friendships within the faith</h3>



<p>There&#8217;s something sacred about friendships with other Christian women who share your faith and values. These are the moms who understand when you say, &#8220;I&#8217;m praying about it,&#8221; or &#8220;I really felt the Holy Spirit nudging me.&#8221; </p>



<p>They&#8217;re the ones who will text you a Bible verse on a hard day or show up to your small group even when they&#8217;re exhausted.</p>



<p>Christian mom friends can become kindred spirits who walk alongside you in both motherhood and faith. Whether it&#8217;s through a Bible study, a church mom&#8217;s group or simply another family at your local church, these friendships ground us in community and remind us we&#8217;re part of something bigger.</p>



<p>When I was in the baby and toddler phase of mothering, a woman from my church invited me to a small Bible study meeting at a friend&#8217;s home. I was hesitant to go at first, but my soul ached for connection and community.</p>



<p>That&#8217;s exactly what I found, and I&#8217;m so glad. It&#8217;s now more than a decade later and our group no longer meets for study but is always available to message with prayer requests or give big hugs when we see one another.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Friendships beyond the church</h3>



<p>Non-Christian friends can be incredible gifts, too. God places people in our lives for mutual respect, common ground and genuine connection. And sometimes those people don&#8217;t share our faith background.</p>



<p>I&#8217;ve made great connections with other moms at library story times, arranging play dates for my children and sitting on the school playground. These friendships have taught me about grace, hospitality and loving people well. </p>



<p>They&#8217;ve challenged me to live out my faith authentically without being preachy, and they&#8217;ve shown me that kindness and companionship aren&#8217;t limited to the walls of the church.</p>



<p>Different friendships bring different gifts. Some friends are perfect for deep spiritual conversations. Others are the ones you text memes to at 10 pm. Both matter.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Practical ways for how to make friends as a Christian mom</h2>



<p>OK, let&#8217;s get real. Knowing you need friends and actually making them are two different things. Here are some doable, realistic ways to start building new friendships. This is something I&#8217;ve struggled with a LOT. </p>



<p>But, I promise, these tips will work even if you&#8217;re an introvert (<em>like me</em>) or haven&#8217;t made a new friend since high school.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Pray about it</h3>



<p>You may be thinking that sounds like a trite, Sunday School kind of tip, but stick with me here. I have struggled with friendships throughout my lifetime. Yet, it wasn&#8217;t until a few years ago that it occurred to me to pray about it.</p>



<p>I had a &#8220;duh&#8221; moment of realizing that if God created me (and all of us) for community, then He wanted me to find that community. He knows me more than I know me. </p>



<p>I might think I&#8217;m awkward, quiet and kind of weird, but I am who God made me, and He doesn&#8217;t make junk. I knew there had to be people out there I could connect with.</p>



<p>So I started praying about it. I asked God to open my eyes to connections and give me courage to reach out to others. And He did. </p>



<p>Before you start trying to make some steps toward friendships, talk to God.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Start where you already are</h3>



<p>You don&#8217;t have to join 10 new things to make mom friends. Who has that time?!</p>



<p>Look at where you already spend time. Do you go to the same coffee shop every week? Chat with the other moms there. </p>



<p>Does your child attend a soccer game or take classes somewhere? Strike up a conversation while you&#8217;re waiting.</p>



<p>A lot of times, the best friendships start in the places we already frequent. Your local church, the library story time, even the grocery store are all great places to meet other moms who are navigating the same season.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Make the first move</h3>



<p>This is the hardest part, I know. But someone has to take the first step, and it might as well be you. Smile. Introduce yourself. Compliment another mom&#8217;s patience or her kid&#8217;s adorable shoes.</p>



<p>Then—and this is key—ask for a phone number or suggest getting together. &#8220;Would you want to grab coffee sometime?&#8221; or &#8220;We should plan a playdate!&#8221; It feels vulnerable, but most moms are craving connection just as much as you are.</p>



<p>I&#8217;ve learned that most people are relieved when someone else makes the first move. They&#8217;ve been waiting for permission to reach out, too.</p>



<p>And others may blow you off, but that&#8217;s OK, too. You still made progress by reaching out in the first place, and the more you do it, the easier it gets.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Join a group in person</h3>



<p>Small groups are one of the best ways to build consistent friendships. Whether it&#8217;s a Bible study at church, a book club or a local moms&#8217; group, joining something structured takes the pressure off.</p>



<p>Groups give you regular touchpoints with the same women, which is how acquaintances become true friends. You don&#8217;t have to overthink it. You just show up consistently and let friendships develop naturally.</p>



<p>Make sure to actually give the group a solid try. I have been tempted to stop going to groups after the first meeting when I felt awkward and didn&#8217;t know who to talk to or what to say.</p>



<p>Remember that in-home Bible study I talked about? The first meeting was OK, but I also felt a bit awkward, because that&#8217;s who I am. </p>



<p>Yet, I&#8217;m so glad I kept going and gave it a fair shake. It made a huge impact in my life both practically and spiritually.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Join a group online</h3>



<p>In-person connection is important, but connection in general matters. I met a group of moms through a forum for expectant moms back when I was pregnant with my oldest (who just turned 16!).</p>



<p>That group spun off and I have a few of those mamas with whom I still talk regularly about life and faith. I have watched their kids grow up from afar as they have mine. They&#8217;ve been great support for questions about parenting, since we&#8217;re in the same phase with parenting at least one of our kiddos.</p>



<p>Online communities can also be a great place to connect. Social media can be a starting point for how to make friends as a Christian mom—especially for long-distance friendships or when you need encouragement at 2 a.m.</p>



<p>My own experiences inspired and helped me so much, that I&#8217;ve created my own group for Christian moms. Check out and join the free and private Christian Moms with Grace Facebook group!</p>



<div class="wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-16018d1d wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex">
<div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-text-color has-background has-text-align-center wp-element-button" href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/momswithgrace" style="color:#f8f5f5;background-color:#ad7dab" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>Join Christian Moms with Grace on Facebook</strong></a></div>
</div>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Invite imperfectly</h3>



<p>Here&#8217;s the truth: your house doesn&#8217;t have to be clean, and you don&#8217;t need to have it all together to invite someone over. Some of my deepest friendships have been built over messy living rooms and store-bought cookies.</p>



<p>Hospitality isn&#8217;t about perfection; it&#8217;s about presence. Invite a new mom over for coffee. Suggest meeting at a coffee shop if your home feels too chaotic. </p>



<p>Plan a field trip to the park or children&#8217;s museum with another family. Just create space for connection, however imperfect it might be.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Look for common interests and common ground</h3>



<p>Friendship grows faster when you share something in common. Maybe it&#8217;s a similar parenting style, a shared love of hiking or both being new to the area. Maybe you&#8217;re both navigating the challenges of a new baby or adjusting to life in a new city.</p>



<p>Finding common ground doesn&#8217;t mean you have to be identical. It just means you have something to build on. Even shared struggles can become the foundation for deep connection.</p>



<p>I once connected with a mom at the playground over struggles with managing constipation for one of my kids. Mom life can bring connections in the oddest ways sometimes!</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Expand your comfort zone</h3>



<p>If you&#8217;ve been doing the same things and seeing the same people, maybe it&#8217;s time to try something new. Join a Christian homeschool co-op if you homeschool. Volunteer at your child&#8217;s school. </p>



<p>Try a different service time at your church to meet new people. Or maybe even seek God&#8217;s will and move toa different church if He so leads. Sometimes you can spend years at a church and not be connected.</p>



<p>You don&#8217;t have to become someone you&#8217;re not, but gently stretching beyond your comfort zone opens doors to new friendships you wouldn&#8217;t have found otherwise.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">When friendships are hard or inconsistent</h2>



<p>Let&#8217;s be honest: adult friendships are complicated. Schedules don&#8217;t align. Texts go unanswered for days. A good friend moves to a new place, and suddenly your mom tribe feels smaller.</p>



<p>Some seasons of motherhood are lonelier than others. When you have a new baby, when you&#8217;re adjusting to a new town or when life just feels too full, maintaining the kind of friendships you long for is much harder.</p>



<p>Give yourself grace. Give your friends grace, too.</p>



<p>Friendships ebb and flow, and that&#8217;s OK. Your best friend from last year might be in a different season now. A group of moms you used to see regularly might drift apart as kids get older and schedules shift. That doesn&#8217;t mean the friendship wasn&#8217;t real or valuable; it just means life is changing.</p>



<p>And sometimes, despite our best efforts, connection feels impossible. If you&#8217;ve tried reaching out and it&#8217;s not working, remember that God sees you. He knows the loneliness, and He&#8217;s faithful even when friendships feel inconsistent or hard to find.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="alignleft size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="683" height="1024" src="https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/How-to-make-friends-as-a-Christian-mom-PIN11-683x1024.jpg" alt="How to make friends as a Christian mom Pinterest image 11" class="wp-image-26961" style="width:350px" srcset="https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/How-to-make-friends-as-a-Christian-mom-PIN11-683x1024.jpg 683w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/How-to-make-friends-as-a-Christian-mom-PIN11-200x300.jpg 200w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/How-to-make-friends-as-a-Christian-mom-PIN11-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/How-to-make-friends-as-a-Christian-mom-PIN11.jpg 1000w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px" /></figure></div>


<p>Keep showing up. Keep being the kind of friend you want to have. And trust that in different places and seasons, God will bring the right people into your life at the right time.</p>



<p>I&#8217;ve learned through my life that some friends are for a season. This is true even outside of motherhood.</p>



<p>Some people are situational friends. You&#8217;re in the same situation together (work, school, etc.) and you become friends, but once that changes, you drift apart. </p>



<p>It&#8217;s OK to let that go and be glad for the time you had together. New seasons can mean new friends. Life is always changing.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">You were made for community</h2>



<p>Motherhood is beautiful and exhausting and overwhelming. And it was never meant to be walked alone. God designed you for connection, for friendship, for community within the body of Christ and beyond.</p>



<p>Making friends as a Christian mom takes courage. It requires you to be vulnerable, to make the first move, to step outside your comfort zone and risk rejection. </p>



<p>But the reward—genuine connection, true friends who see you and love you and walk beside you—is worth every awkward introduction and every unanswered text. And it makes the initial stress about how to make friends as as Christian mom pale in comparison.</p>



<p>This week, I want to encourage you to take one small step. Send that text. Smile at the mom in the church lobby. Sign up for a small group or a Bible study. </p>



<p>Show up to the birthday party even though you&#8217;re tired. Invite someone for coffee, even if your schedule feels impossibly full.</p>



<p>You don&#8217;t have to do this perfectly. You just have to start.</p>



<p>God sees your loneliness, and He&#8217;s inviting you into something better—a life marked by connection, friendship and grace. </p>



<p>The mom tribe you&#8217;re longing for? It&#8217;s out there. And it starts with one brave, imperfect step toward someone else.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Struggling with loneliness?</h3>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Learn more about the free <a href="https://familieswithgrace.com/facebook-group-for-Christian-moms/">Christian Moms with Grace Facebook group</a>.</li>



<li>Read <a href="https://familieswithgrace.com/bible-verses-about-loneliness/">encouraging Bible verses about loneliness</a> and download the free Bible reading plan.</li>
</ul>
<div class="swp-content-locator"></div><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://familieswithgrace.com/how-to-make-friends-as-a-christian-mom/">Tips for how to make friends as a Christian mom</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://familieswithgrace.com">Families With Grace</a>.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>Christian kids&#8217; worship music: Slugs &#038; Bugs &#8220;Sunday Songs&#8221;</title>
		<link>https://familieswithgrace.com/christian-kids-worship-music-slugs-and-bugs-review/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Stacey A. Shannon]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 16 Oct 2025 17:57:44 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[School-aged Children]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://familieswithgrace.com/?p=26922</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Christian worship music just for kids Music has always been my way to connect with and learn about God, even as a child. Now as a mom and someone who writes church curriculum for children&#8217;s ministry, I see how powerful Christian kids&#8217; worship music can be for helping little hearts learn big truths about God. [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://familieswithgrace.com/christian-kids-worship-music-slugs-and-bugs-review/">Christian kids&#8217; worship music: Slugs &amp; Bugs &#8220;Sunday Songs&#8221;</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://familieswithgrace.com">Families With Grace</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Christian worship music just for kids</h2>



<p>Music has always been my way to connect with and learn about God, even as a child. Now as a mom and someone who writes church curriculum for children&#8217;s ministry, I see how powerful Christian kids&#8217; worship music can be for helping little hearts learn big truths about God.</p>



<p>There are so many verses and concepts I remember due to songs I learned with catchy melodies that have stuck with me. The same is true for my own children.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="alignright size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="683" height="1024" src="https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Christian-Kids-Worship-Music-PIN7-683x1024.jpg" alt="Christian Kids' Worship Music Review: Slugs &amp; Bugs &quot;Sunday Songs&quot; Pinterest image 7" class="wp-image-26934" style="width:300px" srcset="https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Christian-Kids-Worship-Music-PIN7-683x1024.jpg 683w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Christian-Kids-Worship-Music-PIN7-200x300.jpg 200w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Christian-Kids-Worship-Music-PIN7-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Christian-Kids-Worship-Music-PIN7.jpg 1000w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px" /></figure></div>


<p>The fruit of the Spirit? We can recite those thanks to a song the kids learned in children&#8217;s church.</p>



<p>Yet, I also know how little children work: they get bored of the same songs after a while. You may hear the song on repeat for ages, but eventually they are ready for a new song.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Finding good children&#8217;s worship media resources is important.</p>



<p>I recently had a chance to preview the new Slugs &amp; Bugs release &#8220;Sunday Songs.&#8221; I came away with some new Sunday School songs stuck in my head—in a good way!</p>



<p>As parents, we want to fill our homes with things that point our kids toward Jesus, but finding music that’s both fun <em>and</em> faithful can be tough. That’s what makes finding great Christian family music like Slugs &amp; Bugs &#8220;Sunday Songs&#8221; such a gift.</p>



<p class="has-small-font-size"><em>I received a Slugs &amp; Bugs &#8220;Sunday Songs&#8221; CD at no charge in exchange for providing a review and social media posts about it. All opinions, however, are completely my own and not influenced by the free copy.</em></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">A bit about Slugs &amp; Bugs </h2>



<p>If your family hasn’t discovered <a href="https://slugsandbugs.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Slugs &amp; Bugs</a> yet, you’re in for a treat. Their songs are smart, Scripture-based and silly in the best way — the kind of music you won&#8217;t mind on repeat.</p>



<p>Slugs &amp; Bugs is a ministry for families that provides great resources for teaching children about Jesus in fun and catchy ways. Back in 2006, Randall Goodgame and Andrew Peterson released the first Slugs &amp; Bugs album and the ministry has been growing ever since.</p>



<p>In fact, Mr. Randall, as he goes by on stage, has toured Slugs &amp; Bugs Live throughout the United States to play more than 350 shows. Since 2019, the ministry has also released four picture books and a 26-episode T.V. series.</p>



<p>The <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@SlugsandBugs" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Slugs &amp; Bugs YouTube channel</a> is filled with terrific music videos of kids songs and fun lesson videos kids of all ages will enjoy.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The songs on this Christian kids&#8217; worship music album</h2>



<p>The Slugs &amp; Bugs &#8220;Sunday Songs&#8221; album includes a mix of classic hymns and new Christian worship songs. Some children&#8217;s Sunday School and Vacation Bible School favorite songs on the album include:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>&#8220;Father Abraham&#8221;</li>



<li>&#8220;This Little Light of Mine&#8221; </li>



<li>&#8220;I&#8217;ve Got the Joy&#8221;</li>



<li>&#8220;Jesus Loves Me&#8221;</li>



<li>&#8220;He&#8217;s Got the Whole World in His Hands&#8221;</li>
</ul>



<p>You&#8217;ll also hear some new songs that teach Bible stories. I love that the CD pulls out some lesser known Bible stories, such as the story of Joseph in the Old Testament who was sold into slavery.&nbsp;</p>



<p><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%2041%3A45&amp;version=NIV" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pharaoh renamed Joseph &#8220;Zephenath Paneah,&#8221;</a> which is one of the catchy songs on the album. That&#8217;s some Bible trivia right there! </p>



<p>I know the story well, but I didn&#8217;t remember the exact name change he had. I wasn&#8217;t even sure how to pronounce it, to be honest! But now I know. </p>



<p>And even better, children will love the song that will leave a lasting imprint on them for years to come.</p>



<p>One of the first songs released on streaming from the album is <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kUn1tr8H5c" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">&#8220;Lydia, Seller of Purple.&#8221;</a> This snappy tune tells the story of Lydia, which isn&#8217;t one of the New Testament stories often shared in children&#8217;s church. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Lydia, Seller of Purple Official Music Video | Slugs &amp; Bugs | Bible Songs for Kids | Sunday Songs" width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-kUn1tr8H5c?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



<p>And then the album also includes three tracks of characters talking help children understand the Biblical truth they&#8217;re singing about in a fun way.</p>



<p>Whether it’s classic songs your kids already love or new tunes that tell Bible stories in memorable ways, &#8220;Sunday Songs&#8221; will have your family singing truth without even realizing they’re learning it.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Ways to use &#8220;Sunday Songs&#8221;</h2>



<p>This Christian kids&#8217; worship music works well for home, church or anywhere you want music that brings God&#8217;s Word to life for kids.</p>



<p>You can listen to in daily life—think car rides from one errand to the next—or during your family worship time. </p>



<p>Yet, it&#8217;s also great for children&#8217;s ministry. From children&#8217;s church to Vacation Bible School to Sunday School, kids&#8217; church programs can easily use the songs as part of instruction and worship time.</p>



<p>You can even use it for children&#8217;s choir. The other CDs released from Slugs &amp; Bugs include sheet music and chord charts for purchase. &#8220;Sunday Songs&#8221; will likely have these released soon as well.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Where to get &#8220;Sunday Songs&#8221;</h2>



<p>Right now, there are two options for getting Slugs &amp; Bugs &#8220;Sunday Songs&#8221; album. First (and most ideal), you can <a href="https://bit.ly/SlugsandBugsNewMusic" data-type="link" data-id="https://bit.ly/SlugsandBugsNewMusic" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">order the CD for $19.99</a>.</p>



<div class="wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-16018d1d wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex">
<div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-white-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color has-text-align-center wp-element-button" href="https://bit.ly/SlugsandBugsNewMusic" style="background-color:#ad7dab" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>Order the Slugs &amp; Bugs &#8220;Sunday Songs&#8221; CD</strong></a></div>
</div>



<p>The songs are also releasing on streaming services, such as the <a href="https://open.spotify.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Spotify app</a>, two per month. With 16 tracks on the CD, it will take a while before they are all released.</p>



<p>However you listen, &#8220;Sunday Songs&#8221; is a joyful reminder that worship isn’t just for Sundays. Worship is for every moment of family life.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Find more reviews for Christian kiddos:</h3>



<p class="has-text-align-center"><strong><a href="https://familieswithgrace.com/the-message-student-devotional-bible/">Book review: &#8220;The Message Student Devotional Bible&#8221;</a></strong></p>



<p class="has-text-align-center"><strong><a href="https://familieswithgrace.com/all-the-things-i-say-to-god/">Book review: &#8220;All the Things I Say to God&#8221;</a></strong></p>



<p class="has-text-align-center"><strong><a href="https://familieswithgrace.com/book-review-the-bible-food-truck/">Book review: &#8220;The Bible Food Truck&#8221;</a></strong></p>



<p class="has-text-align-center"><strong><a href="https://familieswithgrace.com/the-enneagram-for-teens/">Book review: &#8220;The Enneagram for Teens&#8221;</a></strong></p>



<p class="has-text-align-center"><strong><a href="https://familieswithgrace.com/christian-books-for-teens-book-review/">Christian books for teens: Why &#8220;The Ghost Writer&#8221; is a standout read</a></strong></p>



<p></p>
<div class="swp-content-locator"></div><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://familieswithgrace.com/christian-kids-worship-music-slugs-and-bugs-review/">Christian kids&#8217; worship music: Slugs &amp; Bugs &#8220;Sunday Songs&#8221;</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://familieswithgrace.com">Families With Grace</a>.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>Grace-Filled Parenting free Bible study for moms</title>
		<link>https://familieswithgrace.com/grace-filled-parenting-bible-study/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Stacey A. Shannon]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 11 Aug 2025 18:19:16 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Parenting]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://familieswithgrace.com/?p=26806</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Join our Grace-Filled Parenting Bible study and get a free reading plan. Find encouragement, Bible verses and tips to parent with peace and grace.</p>
<p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://familieswithgrace.com/grace-filled-parenting-bible-study/">Grace-Filled Parenting free Bible study for moms</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://familieswithgrace.com">Families With Grace</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Encouraging Bible verses and practical wisdom for Christian moms</h2>



<p>Motherhood is both the most rewarding and most challenging job we&#8217;ll ever have. As a mom, I&#8217;ve experienced some of the best moments and some of the worst moments of my life.</p>



<p>Just last week, for example, I had a great evening with my 15-year-old daughter shopping for a first day of school outfit. But I also had an evening of frustration when chores weren&#8217;t getting done by either kiddo.</p>



<p>We go from marveling at our children&#8217;s beautiful hearts to questioning every parenting decision we&#8217;ve ever made in minutes sometimes.</p>



<p>Add in the weight of being a Christian mom and raising children in the modern world, and, quite frankly, it can be overwhelming. Know that you&#8217;re not alone.</p>



<p>In fact, it&#8217;s for these very reasons that I put together a free monthlong study about grace-filled parenting. The truth is God didn&#8217;t create us to parent on empty and feel overwhelmed. We can lean into His patience, wisdom and love.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><a href="https://familieswithgrace.com/grace-filled-parenting-devotional/" target="_blank" rel=" noreferrer noopener"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="400" src="https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/GFP-Devotional-Promo-Image-Small.jpg" alt="Get the free Grace-Filled Parenting Devotional for Moms (Small Image)" class="wp-image-26828" style="width:400px" srcset="https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/GFP-Devotional-Promo-Image-Small.jpg 800w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/GFP-Devotional-Promo-Image-Small-300x150.jpg 300w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/GFP-Devotional-Promo-Image-Small-768x384.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></a></figure></div>


<style type="text/css">@import url("https://assets.mlcdn.com/fonts.css?version=1754915");</style>
    <style type="text/css">
    /* LOADER */
    .ml-form-embedSubmitLoad {
      display: inline-block;
      width: 20px;
      height: 20px;
    }

    .g-recaptcha {
    transform: scale(1);
    -webkit-transform: scale(1);
    transform-origin: 0 0;
    -webkit-transform-origin: 0 0;
    height: ;
    }

    .sr-only {
      position: absolute;
      width: 1px;
      height: 1px;
      padding: 0;
      margin: -1px;
      overflow: hidden;
      clip: rect(0,0,0,0);
      border: 0;
    }

    .ml-form-embedSubmitLoad:after {
      content: " ";
      display: block;
      width: 11px;
      height: 11px;
      margin: 1px;
      border-radius: 50%;
      border: 4px solid #fff;
    border-color: #ffffff #ffffff #ffffff transparent;
    animation: ml-form-embedSubmitLoad 1.2s linear infinite;
    }
    @keyframes ml-form-embedSubmitLoad {
      0% {
      transform: rotate(0deg);
      }
      100% {
      transform: rotate(360deg);
      }
    }
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer {
        box-sizing: border-box;
        display: table;
        margin: 0 auto;
        position: static;
        width: 100% !important;
      }
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer h4,
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer p,
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer span,
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer button {
        text-transform: none !important;
        letter-spacing: normal !important;
      }
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper {
        background-color: #f6f6f6;
        
        border-width: 0px;
        border-color: transparent;
        border-radius: 4px;
        border-style: solid;
        box-sizing: border-box;
        display: inline-block !important;
        margin: 0;
        padding: 0;
        position: relative;
              }
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper.embedPopup,
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper.embedDefault { width: 400px; }
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper.embedForm { max-width: 400px; width: 100%; }
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-align-left { text-align: left; }
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-align-center { text-align: center; }
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-align-default { display: table-cell !important; vertical-align: middle !important; text-align: center !important; }
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-align-right { text-align: right; }
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedHeader img {
        border-top-left-radius: 4px;
        border-top-right-radius: 4px;
        height: auto;
        margin: 0 auto !important;
        max-width: 100%;
        width: undefinedpx;
      }
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody,
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-successBody {
        padding: 20px 20px 0 20px;
      }
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody.ml-form-embedBodyHorizontal {
        padding-bottom: 0;
      }
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedContent,
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-successBody .ml-form-successContent {
        text-align: left;
        margin: 0 0 20px 0;
      }
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedContent h4,
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-successBody .ml-form-successContent h4 {
        color: #000000;
        font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
        font-size: 30px;
        font-weight: 400;
        margin: 0 0 10px 0;
        text-align: left;
        word-break: break-word;
      }
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedContent p,
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-successBody .ml-form-successContent p {
        color: #000000;
        font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
        font-size: 14px;
        font-weight: 400;
        line-height: 20px;
        margin: 0 0 10px 0;
        text-align: left;
      }
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedContent ul,
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedContent ol,
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-successBody .ml-form-successContent ul,
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-successBody .ml-form-successContent ol {
        color: #000000;
        font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
        font-size: 14px;
      }
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedContent ol ol,
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-successBody .ml-form-successContent ol ol {
        list-style-type: lower-alpha;
      }
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedContent ol ol ol,
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-successBody .ml-form-successContent ol ol ol {
        list-style-type: lower-roman;
      }
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedContent p a,
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-successBody .ml-form-successContent p a {
        color: #000000;
        text-decoration: underline;
      }

      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-block-form .ml-field-group {
        text-align: left!important;
      }

      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-block-form .ml-field-group label {
        margin-bottom: 5px;
        color: #333333;
        font-size: 14px;
        font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
        font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none;;
        display: inline-block;
        line-height: 20px;
      }
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedContent p:last-child,
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-successBody .ml-form-successContent p:last-child {
        margin: 0;
      }
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody form {
        margin: 0;
        width: 100%;
      }
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-formContent,
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-checkboxRow {
        margin: 0 0 20px 0;
        width: 100%;
      }
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-checkboxRow {
        float: left;
      }
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-formContent.horozintalForm {
        margin: 0;
        padding: 0 0 20px 0;
        width: 100%;
        height: auto;
        float: left;
      }
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow {
        margin: 0 0 10px 0;
        width: 100%;
      }
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow.ml-last-item {
        margin: 0;
      }
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow.ml-formfieldHorizintal {
        margin: 0;
      }
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow input {
        background-color: #ffffff !important;
        color: #333333 !important;
        border-color: #cccccc;
        border-radius: 4px !important;
        border-style: solid !important;
        border-width: 1px !important;
        font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
        font-size: 14px !important;
        height: auto;
        line-height: 21px !important;
        margin-bottom: 0;
        margin-top: 0;
        margin-left: 0;
        margin-right: 0;
        padding: 10px 10px !important;
        width: 100% !important;
        box-sizing: border-box !important;
        max-width: 100% !important;
      }
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow input::-webkit-input-placeholder,
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow input::-webkit-input-placeholder { color: #333333; }

      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow input::-moz-placeholder,
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow input::-moz-placeholder { color: #333333; }

      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow input:-ms-input-placeholder,
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow input:-ms-input-placeholder { color: #333333; }

      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow input:-moz-placeholder,
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow input:-moz-placeholder { color: #333333; }

      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow textarea, #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow textarea {
        background-color: #ffffff !important;
        color: #333333 !important;
        border-color: #cccccc;
        border-radius: 4px !important;
        border-style: solid !important;
        border-width: 1px !important;
        font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
        font-size: 14px !important;
        height: auto;
        line-height: 21px !important;
        margin-bottom: 0;
        margin-top: 0;
        padding: 10px 10px !important;
        width: 100% !important;
        box-sizing: border-box !important;
        max-width: 100% !important;
      }

      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow .custom-radio .custom-control-label::before, #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow .custom-radio .custom-control-label::before, #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow .custom-checkbox .custom-control-label::before, #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow .custom-checkbox .custom-control-label::before, #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedPermissions .ml-form-embedPermissionsOptionsCheckbox .label-description::before, #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-interestGroupsRow .ml-form-interestGroupsRowCheckbox .label-description::before, #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-checkboxRow .label-description::before {
          border-color: #cccccc!important;
          background-color: #ffffff!important;
      }

      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow input.custom-control-input[type="checkbox"]{
        box-sizing: border-box;
        padding: 0;
        position: absolute;
        z-index: -1;
        opacity: 0;
        margin-top: 5px;
        margin-left: -1.5rem;
        overflow: visible;
      }

      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow .custom-checkbox .custom-control-label::before, #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow .custom-checkbox .custom-control-label::before, #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedPermissions .ml-form-embedPermissionsOptionsCheckbox .label-description::before, #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-interestGroupsRow .ml-form-interestGroupsRowCheckbox .label-description::before, #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-checkboxRow .label-description::before {
        border-radius: 4px!important;
      }


      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-checkboxRow input[type=checkbox]:checked~.label-description::after, #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedPermissions .ml-form-embedPermissionsOptionsCheckbox input[type=checkbox]:checked~.label-description::after, #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow .custom-checkbox .custom-control-input:checked~.custom-control-label::after, #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow .custom-checkbox .custom-control-input:checked~.custom-control-label::after, #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-interestGroupsRow .ml-form-interestGroupsRowCheckbox input[type=checkbox]:checked~.label-description::after {
        background-image: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 8 8'%3e%3cpath fill='%23fff' d='M6.564.75l-3.59 3.612-1.538-1.55L0 4.26 2.974 7.25 8 2.193z'/%3e%3c/svg%3e");
      }

      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow .custom-radio .custom-control-input:checked~.custom-control-label::after, #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow .custom-radio .custom-control-input:checked~.custom-control-label::after {
        background-image: url("data:image/svg+xml,%3csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='-4 -4 8 8'%3e%3ccircle r='3' fill='%23fff'/%3e%3c/svg%3e");
      }

      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow .custom-radio .custom-control-input:checked~.custom-control-label::before, #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow .custom-radio .custom-control-input:checked~.custom-control-label::before, #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow .custom-checkbox .custom-control-input:checked~.custom-control-label::before, #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow .custom-checkbox .custom-control-input:checked~.custom-control-label::before, #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedPermissions .ml-form-embedPermissionsOptionsCheckbox input[type=checkbox]:checked~.label-description::before, #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-interestGroupsRow .ml-form-interestGroupsRowCheckbox input[type=checkbox]:checked~.label-description::before, #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-checkboxRow input[type=checkbox]:checked~.label-description::before  {
          border-color: #000000!important;
          background-color: #000000!important;
      }

      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow .custom-radio .custom-control-label::before, #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow .custom-radio .custom-control-label::before, #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow .custom-radio .custom-control-label::after, #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow .custom-radio .custom-control-label::after, #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow .custom-checkbox .custom-control-label::before, #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow .custom-checkbox .custom-control-label::after, #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow .custom-checkbox .custom-control-label::before, #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow .custom-checkbox .custom-control-label::after {
           top: 2px;
           box-sizing: border-box;
      }

      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedPermissions .ml-form-embedPermissionsOptionsCheckbox .label-description::before, #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedPermissions .ml-form-embedPermissionsOptionsCheckbox .label-description::after, #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-checkboxRow .label-description::before, #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-checkboxRow .label-description::after {
           top: 0px!important;
           box-sizing: border-box!important;
      }

      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-checkboxRow .label-description::before, #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-checkboxRow .label-description::after {
        top: 0px!important;
           box-sizing: border-box!important;
      }

       #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-interestGroupsRow .ml-form-interestGroupsRowCheckbox .label-description::after {
            top: 0px!important;
            box-sizing: border-box!important;
            position: absolute;
            left: -1.5rem;
            display: block;
            width: 1rem;
            height: 1rem;
            content: "";
       }

      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-interestGroupsRow .ml-form-interestGroupsRowCheckbox .label-description::before {
        top: 0px!important;
        box-sizing: border-box!important;
      }

      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .custom-control-label::before {
          position: absolute;
          top: 4px;
          left: -1.5rem;
          display: block;
          width: 16px;
          height: 16px;
          pointer-events: none;
          content: "";
          background-color: #ffffff;
          border: #adb5bd solid 1px;
          border-radius: 50%;
      }

      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .custom-control-label::after {
          position: absolute;
          top: 2px!important;
          left: -1.5rem;
          display: block;
          width: 1rem;
          height: 1rem;
          content: "";
      }

      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedPermissions .ml-form-embedPermissionsOptionsCheckbox .label-description::before, #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-interestGroupsRow .ml-form-interestGroupsRowCheckbox .label-description::before, #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-checkboxRow .label-description::before {
          position: absolute;
          top: 4px;
          left: -1.5rem;
          display: block;
          width: 16px;
          height: 16px;
          pointer-events: none;
          content: "";
          background-color: #ffffff;
          border: #adb5bd solid 1px;
          border-radius: 50%;
      }

      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedPermissions .ml-form-embedPermissionsOptionsCheckbox .label-description::after {
          position: absolute;
          top: 0px!important;
          left: -1.5rem;
          display: block;
          width: 1rem;
          height: 1rem;
          content: "";
      }

      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-checkboxRow .label-description::after {
          position: absolute;
          top: 0px!important;
          left: -1.5rem;
          display: block;
          width: 1rem;
          height: 1rem;
          content: "";
      }

      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .custom-radio .custom-control-label::after {
          background: no-repeat 50%/50% 50%;
      }
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .custom-checkbox .custom-control-label::after, #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedPermissions .ml-form-embedPermissionsOptionsCheckbox .label-description::after, #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-interestGroupsRow .ml-form-interestGroupsRowCheckbox .label-description::after, #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-checkboxRow .label-description::after {
          background: no-repeat 50%/50% 50%;
      }

      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow .custom-control, #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow .custom-control {
        position: relative;
        display: block;
        min-height: 1.5rem;
        padding-left: 1.5rem;
      }

      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow .custom-radio .custom-control-input, #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow .custom-radio .custom-control-input, #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow .custom-checkbox .custom-control-input, #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow .custom-checkbox .custom-control-input {
          position: absolute;
          z-index: -1;
          opacity: 0;
          box-sizing: border-box;
          padding: 0;
      }

      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow .custom-radio .custom-control-label, #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow .custom-radio .custom-control-label, #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow .custom-checkbox .custom-control-label, #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow .custom-checkbox .custom-control-label {
          color: #000000;
          font-size: 12px!important;
          font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
          line-height: 22px;
          margin-bottom: 0;
          position: relative;
          vertical-align: top;
          font-style: normal;
          font-weight: 700;
      }

      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-fieldRow .custom-select, #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow .custom-select {
        background-color: #ffffff !important;
        color: #333333 !important;
        border-color: #cccccc;
        border-radius: 4px !important;
        border-style: solid !important;
        border-width: 1px !important;
        font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
        font-size: 14px !important;
        line-height: 20px !important;
        margin-bottom: 0;
        margin-top: 0;
        padding: 10px 28px 10px 12px !important;
        width: 100% !important;
        box-sizing: border-box !important;
        max-width: 100% !important;
        height: auto;
        display: inline-block;
        vertical-align: middle;
        background: url('https://assets.mlcdn.com/ml/images/default/dropdown.svg') no-repeat right .75rem center/8px 10px;
        -webkit-appearance: none;
        -moz-appearance: none;
        appearance: none;
      }


      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow {
        height: auto;
        width: 100%;
        float: left;
      }
      .ml-form-formContent.horozintalForm .ml-form-horizontalRow .ml-input-horizontal { width: 70%; float: left; }
      .ml-form-formContent.horozintalForm .ml-form-horizontalRow .ml-button-horizontal { width: 30%; float: left; }
      .ml-form-formContent.horozintalForm .ml-form-horizontalRow .ml-button-horizontal.labelsOn { padding-top: 25px;  }
      .ml-form-formContent.horozintalForm .ml-form-horizontalRow .horizontal-fields { box-sizing: border-box; float: left; padding-right: 10px;  }
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow input {
        background-color: #ffffff;
        color: #333333;
        border-color: #cccccc;
        border-radius: 4px;
        border-style: solid;
        border-width: 1px;
        font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
        font-size: 14px;
        line-height: 20px;
        margin-bottom: 0;
        margin-top: 0;
        padding: 10px 10px;
        width: 100%;
        box-sizing: border-box;
        overflow-y: initial;
      }
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow button {
        background-color: #ad7dab !important;
        border-color: #ad7dab;
        border-style: solid;
        border-width: 1px;
        border-radius: 4px;
        box-shadow: none;
        color: #ffffff !important;
        cursor: pointer;
        font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
        font-size: 14px !important;
        font-weight: 700;
        line-height: 20px;
        margin: 0 !important;
        padding: 10px !important;
        width: 100%;
        height: auto;
      }
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-horizontalRow button:hover {
        background-color: #efcde2 !important;
        border-color: #efcde2 !important;
      }
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-checkboxRow input[type="checkbox"] {
        box-sizing: border-box;
        padding: 0;
        position: absolute;
        z-index: -1;
        opacity: 0;
        margin-top: 5px;
        margin-left: -1.5rem;
        overflow: visible;
      }
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-checkboxRow .label-description {
        color: #000000;
        display: block;
        font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
        font-size: 12px;
        text-align: left;
        margin-bottom: 0;
        position: relative;
        vertical-align: top;
      }
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-checkboxRow label {
        font-weight: normal;
        margin: 0;
        padding: 0;
        position: relative;
        display: block;
        min-height: 24px;
        padding-left: 24px;

      }
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-checkboxRow label a {
        color: #000000;
        text-decoration: underline;
      }
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-checkboxRow label p {
        color: #000000 !important;
        font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif !important;
        font-size: 12px !important;
        font-weight: normal !important;
        line-height: 18px !important;
        padding: 0 !important;
        margin: 0 5px 0 0 !important;
      }
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-checkboxRow label p:last-child {
        margin: 0;
      }
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedSubmit {
        margin: 0 0 20px 0;
        float: left;
        width: 100%;
      }
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedSubmit button {
        background-color: #ad7dab !important;
        border: none !important;
        border-radius: 4px !important;
        box-shadow: none !important;
        color: #ffffff !important;
        cursor: pointer;
        font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif !important;
        font-size: 14px !important;
        font-weight: 700 !important;
        line-height: 21px !important;
        height: auto;
        padding: 10px !important;
        width: 100% !important;
        box-sizing: border-box !important;
      }
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedSubmit button.loading {
        display: none;
      }
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-embedSubmit button:hover {
        background-color: #efcde2 !important;
      }
      .ml-subscribe-close {
        width: 30px;
        height: 30px;
        background: url('https://assets.mlcdn.com/ml/images/default/modal_close.png') no-repeat;
        background-size: 30px;
        cursor: pointer;
        margin-top: -10px;
        margin-right: -10px;
        position: absolute;
        top: 0;
        right: 0;
      }
      .ml-error input, .ml-error textarea, .ml-error select {
        border-color: red!important;
      }

      .ml-error .custom-checkbox-radio-list {
        border: 1px solid red !important;
        border-radius: 4px;
        padding: 10px;
      }

      .ml-error .label-description,
      .ml-error .label-description p,
      .ml-error .label-description p a,
      .ml-error label:first-child {
        color: #ff0000 !important;
      }

      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-checkboxRow.ml-error .label-description p,
      #mlb2-29473021.ml-form-embedContainer .ml-form-embedWrapper .ml-form-embedBody .ml-form-checkboxRow.ml-error .label-description p:first-letter {
        color: #ff0000 !important;
      }
            @media only screen and (max-width: 400px){

        .ml-form-embedWrapper.embedDefault, .ml-form-embedWrapper.embedPopup { width: 100%!important; }
        .ml-form-formContent.horozintalForm { float: left!important; }
        .ml-form-formContent.horozintalForm .ml-form-horizontalRow { height: auto!important; width: 100%!important; float: left!important; }
        .ml-form-formContent.horozintalForm .ml-form-horizontalRow .ml-input-horizontal { width: 100%!important; }
        .ml-form-formContent.horozintalForm .ml-form-horizontalRow .ml-input-horizontal > div { padding-right: 0px!important; padding-bottom: 10px; }
        .ml-form-formContent.horozintalForm .ml-button-horizontal { width: 100%!important; }
        .ml-form-formContent.horozintalForm .ml-button-horizontal.labelsOn { padding-top: 0px!important; }

      }
    </style>

    
  
    
    

    
    

    
    

    

      
        
        
      

      
        
        
      

      

            
            
            
            
            
            
      

      

      
        
        
         
        
        
      

        
        
        
        
        
        
      

       

        
        
        
        
        
        
        
       


      
        
        
        
        
  



  
        
        
        
      


      
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
  

  
        
        
        
        
        
      

      
        
        
        
        
        
      

      
        
        
        
        
        
      

       

        
        
        
        
       

       
        
        
        
        
      

      
        
        
        
        
        
        
        
       

    

    


      


      

      
      

      

      





    

      
    <div id="mlb2-29473021" class="ml-form-embedContainer ml-subscribe-form ml-subscribe-form-29473021">
      <div class="ml-form-align-center ">
        <div class="ml-form-embedWrapper embedForm">

          
          

          <div class="ml-form-embedBody ml-form-embedBodyDefault row-form">

            <div class="ml-form-embedContent" style=" ">
              
                <h4>Send me the devotional!</h4>
                <p><em><span style="font-size: 11px;">You’ll also get weekly&nbsp;encouragement emails from Families with Grace — unsubscribe anytime.</span></em></p>
              
            </div>

            <form class="ml-block-form" action="https://assets.mailerlite.com/jsonp/1428768/forms/162450287562327601/subscribe" data-code="" method="post" target="_blank">
              <div class="ml-form-formContent">
                

                  
                  <div class="ml-form-fieldRow ">
                    <div class="ml-field-group ml-field-name">

                      


                      <!-- input -->
                      <input aria-label="name" type="text" class="form-control" data-inputmask="" name="fields[name]" placeholder="Name" autocomplete="given-name">
                      <!-- /input -->

                      <!-- textarea -->
                      
                      <!-- /textarea -->

                      <!-- select -->
                      
                      <!-- /select -->

                      <!-- checkboxes -->
            
            <!-- /checkboxes -->

                      <!-- radio -->
                      
                      <!-- /radio -->

                      <!-- countries -->
                      
                      <!-- /countries -->





                    </div>
                  </div><div class="ml-form-fieldRow ml-last-item">
                    <div class="ml-field-group ml-field-email ml-validate-email ml-validate-required">

                      


                      <!-- input -->
                      <input aria-label="email" aria-required="true" type="email" class="form-control" data-inputmask="" name="fields[email]" placeholder="Email" autocomplete="email">
                      <!-- /input -->

                      <!-- textarea -->
                      
                      <!-- /textarea -->

                      <!-- select -->
                      
                      <!-- /select -->

                      <!-- checkboxes -->
            
            <!-- /checkboxes -->

                      <!-- radio -->
                      
                      <!-- /radio -->

                      <!-- countries -->
                      
                      <!-- /countries -->





                    </div>
                  </div>
                
              </div>

              

              <!-- Privacy policy -->
              
              <!-- /Privacy policy -->

              

              

              






              
              <input type="hidden" name="ml-submit" value="1">

              <div class="ml-form-embedSubmit">
                
                  <button type="submit" class="primary">Yes! I&#8217;m ready for 7 days of grace!</button>
                
                <button disabled="disabled" style="display: none;" type="button" class="loading">
                  <div class="ml-form-embedSubmitLoad"></div>
                  <span class="sr-only">Loading&#8230;</span>
                </button>
              </div>

              
              <input type="hidden" name="anticsrf" value="true">
            </form>
          </div>

          <div class="ml-form-successBody row-success" style="display: none">

            <div class="ml-form-successContent">
              
                <h4>Thank you!</h4>
                
                  <p>You have successfully joined our subscriber list.</p>
                
              
            </div>

          </div>
        </div>
      </div>
    </div>

  

  
  
  <script>
    function ml_webform_success_29473021() {
      var $ = ml_jQuery || jQuery;
      $('.ml-subscribe-form-29473021 .row-success').show();
      $('.ml-subscribe-form-29473021 .row-form').hide();
    }
      </script>
  
  
      <script src="https://groot.mailerlite.com/js/w/webforms.min.js?v176e10baa5e7ed80d35ae235be3d5024" type="text/javascript"></script>
        <script>
            fetch("https://assets.mailerlite.com/jsonp/1428768/forms/162450287562327601/takel")
        </script>



<p>Being a mom with grace isn&#8217;t about being a perfect mom (because she doesn&#8217;t exist!). It&#8217;s about showing up as present, faithful mothers who rely on God&#8217;s strength, extend grace to our children and ourselves, and trust in His wisdom for the important job of raising human beings who will impact the world for His glory.</p>



<p>It&#8217;s a style of parenting that works whether you have younger or older children.</p>



<p>I&#8217;d love for you to go on this journey with me with four weeks of practical, grace-soaked truth, one mom talking to another, chocolate optional, Spirit essential. Ready? Let’s dive in together.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Weekly themes for the <em>Grace-Filled Parenting </em>Bible study</h2>



<p><em>Grace-Filled Parenting</em> is divided into four different weeks with their own themes. And the best thing about this study is it&#8217;s rooted in Biblical principles and is created for mamas like you (and me) who don&#8217;t have hours a day for quiet time.</p>



<p>Each week has a Bible reading plan with one to three verses per day, reflection questions, a short video and optional emails. The <a href="https://familieswithgrace.com/facebook-group-for-Christian-moms/" target="_blank" data-type="link" data-id="https://familieswithgrace.com/facebook-group-for-Christian-moms/" rel="noreferrer noopener">Christian Moms with Grace private Facebook group</a> will also be home to the study for discussions and more.</p>



<div class="wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-16018d1d wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex">
<div class="wp-block-button is-style-fill"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-white-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button" href="https://familieswithgrace.gumroad.com/l/parenting-Bible-reading-plan" style="background-color:#ad7dab" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>Download the free 30-Day Grace-Filled Parenting Bible Reading Plan</strong></a></div>
</div>



<div style="height:24px" aria-hidden="true" class="wp-block-spacer"></div>



<div class="wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-16018d1d wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex">
<div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-text-color has-background has-text-align-center wp-element-button" href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/momswithgrace" style="color:#f8f5f5;background-color:#ad7dab" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>Join Christian Moms with Grace on Facebook</strong></a></div>
</div>



<p>Each of the weeks includes the following:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Daily Bible readings (1–3 verses)</li>



<li>Weekly reflection questions</li>



<li>Encouragement + discussion in our private FB group</li>



<li>Free printables each week</li>



<li>Weekly Zoom call for connection &amp; prayer</li>
</ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Week 1: Living faithfully as a mom</h3>



<p>Before we get into parenting techniques or how we speak to our children, we need to start with something even more foundational: our own faith. This first week is all about resetting our hearts and realigning with God. We&#8217;re not doing this out of guilt, but because He is our source.</p>



<p>As moms, we often pour ourselves out without pausing to be filled up. But a grace-filled home starts with a mom who is anchored in Christ.</p>



<p>Living faithfully doesn&#8217;t mean we never have hard parenting days or moments of failure. Instead, it means we clothe ourselves &#8220;with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience&#8221; (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Colossians%203%3A12&amp;version=ESV" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Colossians 3:12</a>, ESV) as we navigate the beautiful chaos of motherhood.</p>



<p>When we&#8217;re exhausted from sleepless nights or dealing with challenging behaviors, it&#8217;s easy to react from our flesh rather than the Spirit. But as Christian parents, we have access to supernatural love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Galatians%205%3A22-23&amp;version=ESV" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Galatians 5:22-23</a>, ESV).</p>



<p>During this week, we&#8217;ll take a look at what living faithfully as a Christian mom in daily life really means, how to pursue spiritual growth while raising kids and how God equips us even in the mundane and ordinary moments of motherhood.</p>



<p>This week isn’t about doing more. It’s about coming back to the heart of why we mother the way we do. Because when we live rooted in God’s Word, everything else begins to shift with grace.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Week 2: Speaking life over your children</h3>



<p>As moms, our words carry incredible weight. From cheering on our kids to correcting them mid-tantrum, how we speak becomes part of their inner voice. This week, we’re focusing on the power of our words — not just what we say to our children, but how we speak about them, over them and even to ourselves.</p>



<p>God calls us to speak life with both grace and truth. That means we don’t ignore misbehavior or hard moments, but we approach them from a place of love and wisdom, not frustration or fear. It also means extending that same grace to ourselves when we don&#8217;t get it right.</p>



<p>This week, we’ll explore what Scripture says about the tongue, encouragement, blessing and gentleness. And we&#8217;ll learn how to reflect the heart of our Heavenly Father through our everyday communication.</p>



<p>We’ll be reminded that our words can build up or tear down, and we’ll ask God to help us become moms who are intentional with how we speak, choosing words that plant seeds of faith, identity, and love in our children’s hearts.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Week 3: Discipling your children daily</h3>



<p>Teaching our kids about Jesus doesn’t have to mean daily devotionals or elaborate object lessons. While those can be wonderful, everyday discipleship is more often about how we live than what we say.</p>



<p>It’s the rhythms of our home, the conversations at bedtime, the way we handle stress and the example we set in our own faith walk.</p>



<p>This week, we’ll take a closer look at what it means to disciple our children in the daily moments like driving to school, folding laundry or navigating another round of sibling arguments.</p>



<p>God hasn’t asked us to be perfect moms with Pinterest-worthy faith routines. He’s asked us to be faithful, to model trust and to bring our kids along as we follow Him.</p>



<p>As we dig into these verses, we’ll be encouraged to sow truth into our kids’ lives in small, consistent ways — not with pressure or perfection, but with presence, intention and grace.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Week 4: Trusting God with your parenting journey</h3>



<p>No matter how much we plan, pray and prepare, parenting will always bring uncertainty. There are seasons of fear, moments of regret and questions we can’t answer.</p>



<p>But one of the important things to remember is our children belong first to God. And we can trust Him with their hearts, their futures and even our shortcomings.</p>



<p>This week is about surrender. It’s about letting go of the unrealistic expectations we place on ourselves and choosing to believe that God is faithful, even when we feel like we’re failing.</p>



<p>We’ll reflect on verses that remind us of His presence, His provision and His promises for our children and for us as moms. Whether you&#8217;re in a joyful season or walking through difficulty, these Scriptures will point you back to the One who sees, sustains and equips you.</p>



<p>This isn’t a passive trust. It’s an active choice to parent from peace rather than fear. And it’s the beautiful reminder that while motherhood can feel like a heavy responsibility, it’s also a sacred partnership with a God who never leaves us to figure it out alone.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What grace-filled parenting looks like in real life</h2>



<p>You don’t need to overhaul your entire life or start a brand-new routine to practice grace-filled parenting. In fact, the beauty is the gift of grace meets you right where you are from the carpool line, to the kitchen, to the middle of a meltdown.</p>



<p>Here are a few small but powerful ways you can start shifting your home toward grace — one moment at a time:</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Start your day with God — even if it’s short.</h3>



<p>A few quiet minutes before the chaos starts can set your heart in the right direction. Ask God to help you see your kids through His eyes today and respond with His love, not just your own exhaustion.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="alignright size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="683" height="1024" src="https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Grace-Filled-Parenting-Bible-Study-PIN1-683x1024.jpg" alt="Grace-filled parenting free Bible study Pinterest image 1" class="wp-image-26813" style="width:350px" srcset="https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Grace-Filled-Parenting-Bible-Study-PIN1-683x1024.jpg 683w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Grace-Filled-Parenting-Bible-Study-PIN1-200x300.jpg 200w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Grace-Filled-Parenting-Bible-Study-PIN1-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Grace-Filled-Parenting-Bible-Study-PIN1.jpg 1000w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px" /></figure></div>


<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Pause before you react.</h3>



<p>When your child pushes every button, pause and ask, “What does this moment need—correction, connection, or simply calm?” Sometimes a hug speaks louder than a lecture.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Speak truth over your kids and yourself.</h3>



<p>It’s easy to focus on what’s going wrong, but grace helps us call out what’s good. Tell your child, “I love how you care for your sister,” or “God made you such a thoughtful leader.” Let that same truth reflect back on you, too.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Protect your margin.</h3>



<p>When you&#8217;re rushing from one thing to the next, grace is the first thing to go. Make room for slow moments, silly moments and soul-filling moments. They matter more than the to-do list.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Give yourself grace, too.</h3>



<p>You will mess up. You will lose your temper. And you will forget something important. Being a perfect parent just isn&#8217;t possible.</p>



<p>But God’s grace doesn’t run out and every misstep is a chance to model humility, repentance and fresh starts.</p>



<p>Grace-filled parenting doesn’t mean you always get it right. It means you’re learning to parent from a place of peace, not pressure and inviting God into the process.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">10 Powerful Bible verses for grace-filled parenting</h2>



<p>These Scriptures are a beautiful reminder that we don’t have to parent in our own strength. When we root ourselves in God’s Word and lean into the grace of His Son, we find the patience, peace and wisdom we so often long for.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-pullquote"><blockquote><p>&#8220;But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.&#8221;</p><cite>Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV)</cite></blockquote></figure>



<p>When your patience wears thin before breakfast, remember: these qualities aren’t something you have to force. They’re the fruit of walking closely with God. Ask the Spirit to produce His fruit in you today. You don&#8217;t have to rely on your own natural storehouse of wisdom.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-pullquote"><blockquote><p>&#8220;Put on then, as God&#8217;s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.&#8221;</p><cite>Colossians 3:12-14 (ESV)</cite></blockquote></figure>



<p>Grace in parenting doesn’t mean letting everything slide. It means showing up clothed in Christ’s character.</p>



<p>Showing grace to your children isn&#8217;t a sign of personal weakness. As He has given you complete forgiveness, you can also forgive, correct and lead your children with love.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-pullquote"><blockquote><p>&#8220;Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.&#8221;</p><cite>Ephesians 4:29 (NIV)</cite></blockquote></figure>



<p>Your words matter; they shape your children&#8217;s hearts in profound ways.</p>



<p>Even when discipline is needed, you can speak with grace, truth and intention to build your child up instead of tearing them down.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-pullquote"><blockquote><p>&#8220;Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.&#8221;</p><cite>Proverbs 22:6 (NIV)</cite></blockquote></figure>



<p>You’re planting seeds that may not bloom right away into immediate success in the lives of your children. You must trust the process — even when progress feels slow — and keep pointing kids toward truth.</p>



<p>You serve a God of perfect wisdom and can trust in His timing, even when it doesn&#8217;t necessarily match your own. God&#8217;s delivery time is always the right time.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-pullquote"><blockquote><p>&#8220;Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.&#8221;</p><cite>Psalm 127:1-2 (ESV)</cite></blockquote></figure>



<p>You’re not meant to carry the whole weight of your child’s future. Do your part, but rest knowing God is the one building your family and watching over your children.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-pullquote"><blockquote><p>&#8220;Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.&#8221;</p><cite>Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)</cite></blockquote></figure>



<p>Motherhood is exhausting. Jesus doesn’t ask you to hold it all together. He invites you to come to Him and find rest in His strength, not your own.</p>



<p>As God&#8217;s child, you are able to cling to Him and rest in Him.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-pullquote"><blockquote><p>&#8220;He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.&#8221;</p><cite>Isaiah 40:11 (ESV)</cite></blockquote></figure>



<p>What a beautiful picture of how God tends to mothers! You’re not leading your children alone. God sees you, carries you and gently leads moms like you through every stage and struggle.</p>



<p>The work of God is done in your life simply by being His beloved daughter doing her best to live for Him. Thankfully, you don&#8217;t have to have an independent ability to be a Christian parent. None of us would succeed!</p>



<figure class="wp-block-pullquote"><blockquote><p>&#8220;In the same manner the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.&#8221;</p><cite>Romans 8:26 (NIV)</cite></blockquote></figure>



<p>In those moments when you don&#8217;t even know what to pray for your children or yourself, the Spirit steps in.</p>



<p>The good news is you don&#8217;t have to figure out everything on your own. God&#8217;s Spirit is actively helping you in your weakness.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-pullquote"><blockquote><p>&#8220;And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.&#8221;</p><cite>Philippians 1:6 (ESV)</cite></blockquote></figure>



<p>God isn’t finished — not with you, and not with your kids. When you feel like a failure or worry about your children&#8217;s spiritual growth, you can rest in knowing that God is committed to completing the good work He&#8217;s started in each of your lives.</p>



<p>Grace means trusting that He’s working, even when you can’t see the results yet. His invisible grace is there to sustain you along the journey.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-pullquote"><blockquote><p>&#8220;Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.&#8221;</p><cite>Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)</cite></blockquote></figure>



<p>Grace-filled parenting ultimately comes down to trust. God knows your child even better than you do, and He will guide your steps as you walk with Him.</p>



<p>You can trust God&#8217;s plan for your family is good, even when you can&#8217;t see the bigger picture. You trust His timing is perfect, even when progress seems slow.</p>



<p>And you can definitely trust He loves your children more than you do and will guide your path as you seek to honor Him.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Join the <em>Grace-Filled Parenting</em> journey</h2>



<p>These verses are a beautiful reminder that you don’t have to parent from pressure or perfectionism but from the grace God freely gives. If you&#8217;re ready to take that truth and walk it out in your everyday life as a Christian mom, I’ve got something special just for you.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Grab your free <em>7 Days of Grace-Filled Parenting</em> devotional</h3>



<p>This printable devotional is designed to help you:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Reset your mindset as a mom</li>



<li>Reflect on God’s truth in the middle of everyday chaos</li>



<li>Parent with more peace, purpose and confidence in Christ</li>
</ul>



<p>Each day includes a short Scripture, a heartfelt reflection and space to connect with God in a real and practical way. It’s perfect whether you’ve got 10 quiet minutes or you’re squeezing in grace on the go.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><a href="https://familieswithgrace.com/grace-filled-parenting-devotional/" target="_blank" rel=" noreferrer noopener"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="819" height="1024" src="https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/GFP-Devotional-Promo-Image-819x1024.jpg" alt="Get the free Grace-Filled Parenting Devotional for Moms" class="wp-image-26826" style="width:350px" srcset="https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/GFP-Devotional-Promo-Image-819x1024.jpg 819w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/GFP-Devotional-Promo-Image-240x300.jpg 240w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/GFP-Devotional-Promo-Image-768x960.jpg 768w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/GFP-Devotional-Promo-Image.jpg 1080w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 819px) 100vw, 819px" /></a></figure></div>


<p>You’ll get instant access to the devotional and be the first to hear when the full <em>Grace-Filled Parenting</em> study begins in September!</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Be part of the free <em>Grace-Filled Parenting</em> study</h3>



<p>This September, I’m inviting Christian moms to join me for a 4-week journey that will refresh your soul and reframe how you approach motherhood.</p>



<p>We’ll cover:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Living faithfully as a mom</li>



<li>Speaking life with grace and truth</li>



<li>Discipling our kids through everyday moments</li>



<li>Trusting God with the big and small of parenting</li>
</ul>



<p>You’ll get weekly encouragement, Scripture-based reflections and optional journal prompts plus access to a printable upgrade and a community of moms walking through it with you.</p>



<p>Want to make sure you don’t miss it? Grab the free devotional above, and I’ll send all the details straight to your inbox.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Want to go deeper?</h3>



<p>The <a href="http://familieswithgrace.gumroad.com/l/grace-filled-parenting-study-journal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Grace-Filled Parenting Journal</a> gives you guided space to reflect, pray and live out what you’re learning. Grab your printable copy here:</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><a href="Discover the heart of grace-filled parenting with encouragement, practical tips, and powerful Bible verses. Join the free Bible study and reading plan to parent with peace, patience, and God’s wisdom. Perfect for Christian moms in every season." target="_blank" rel=" noreferrer noopener"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="1024" src="https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/1-1024x1024.jpg" alt="Grace-Filled Parenting study journal" class="wp-image-26864" style="width:350px" srcset="https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/1-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/1-300x300.jpg 300w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/1-150x150.jpg 150w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/1-768x768.jpg 768w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/1-500x500.jpg 500w, https://familieswithgrace.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/1.jpg 1080w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></figure></div>


<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Keep showing up, mama</h2>



<p>You don’t have to have it all figured out. You don’t need a perfect track record or a picture-perfect routine.</p>



<p>What matters most is that you&#8217;re walking with God and pointing your children toward Him one moment, one prayer, one imperfect day at a time.</p>



<p>Grace-filled parenting isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about staying rooted in the One who does.</p>



<p>So when you feel tired, uncertain or like you’ve missed the mark again, pause, breathe and remember: God chose you to be your child’s mom on purpose.</p>



<p>You’re doing holy work, even when it&#8217;s a hard parenting day. Keep going. Keep trusting. And most of all, keep showing up — covered in grace.</p>



<div class="wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-16018d1d wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex">
<div class="wp-block-button"><a class="wp-block-button__link has-white-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button" href="https://familieswithgrace.gumroad.com/l/parenting-Bible-reading-plan" style="background-color:#ad7dab" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>Get the <em>free</em> 30-Day &#8220;Grace-Filled Parenting&#8221; Bible reading plan here</strong></a></div>
</div>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Check out these other posts on grace-filled parenting:</h4>



<p class="has-text-align-center"><strong><a href="https://familieswithgrace.com/being-a-grace-filled-parent/">Being a grace-filled parent</a></strong></p>



<p class="has-text-align-center"><strong><a href="https://familieswithgrace.com/christian-parenting-advice/">Christian parenting advice: 10 tips for raising Godly kids</a></strong></p>



<p class="has-text-align-center"><strong><a href="https://familieswithgrace.com/grace-filled-sibling-relationships/">Grace-filled sibling relationships</a></strong></p>



<p class="has-text-align-center"><strong><a href="https://familieswithgrace.com/graceful-or-grace-filled/">Graceful or grace-filled?</a></strong></p>



<p class="has-text-align-center"><strong><a href="https://familieswithgrace.com/raising-a-christian-child-in-public-school/">Raising a Christian child in public school</a></strong></p>
<div class="swp-content-locator"></div><p>The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://familieswithgrace.com/grace-filled-parenting-bible-study/">Grace-Filled Parenting free Bible study for moms</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://familieswithgrace.com">Families With Grace</a>.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
		
		
			</item>
	</channel>
</rss>
