{NOTE: For those readers who don’t know our family, we’re the Connells. Doug’s my husband and I’m Jess. At the time of this trip, we had 7 kids (Ethan-14, Baxter-12, MeiMei-10, Silas-8, Moses-6, Theo-3.5, Luke-18 months), and I was 6 months pregnant with our 8th child. Over the next 3 weeks, I’m publishing journal entries, pictures,…
Author: Jess Connell
Ep. 02: Lean in & Learn from Other Women
You weren’t made to walk alone. Look around, listen, and learn! God means for you to lean in to the wisdom of godly women around you. Mom on Purpose host, Jess Connell, shares why you can LEARN to be the mom you want to be what her Titus 2 relationships have looked like, practically how to identify, and get,…
Wonderland Trail, Day 2: Bear Growls & a Rope Climb
{NOTE: For those readers who don’t know our family, we’re the Connells. Doug’s my husband and I’m Jess. At the time of this trip, we had 7 kids (Ethan-14, Baxter-12, MeiMei-10, Silas-8, Moses-6, Theo-3.5, Luke-18 months), and I was 6 months pregnant with our 8th child. Over the next 3 weeks, I’m publishing journal entries, pictures, &…
Wonderland Trail Day 1: This Feels Impossible.
{NOTE: For those readers who don’t know our family, we’re the Connells. Doug’s my husband and I’m Jess. At the time of this trip, we had 7 kids (Ethan-14, Baxter-12, MeiMei-10, Silas-8, Moses-6, Theo-3.5, Luke-18 months), and I was 6 months pregnant with our 8th child. Over the next 3 weeks, I’m publishing journal entries, pictures,…
Why Do I Feel Depressed After My Birthday & Holidays?
Since October is my birthday month, let’s talk about birthday depression. Last year, I (seriously) typed in, “why am I sad even though it’s my birthday?” to Google. Yup, I typed in that phrase. It wasn’t much help, except to say, apparently, this is a thing. Some people get sad, instead of happy, on their birthdays. There…
The 1ST EPISODE!!! “Mom On Purpose” Podcast– Listen NOW!
This has been a long time coming… … and I’m SO excited to share episode 1 of the Mom On Purpose podcast! (Scroll down to listen here, or click to listen in iTunes.) Each Mom On Purpose episode features an imperfect-but-growing mom who will share one or more intentional decisions she’s made to benefit her home and family. I’m…
Ep. 01: Choose to Be an Engaged, Intentional Mom
It’s easy to be filled with zeal and purpose when they first put that baby in your arms… but how can we stay engaged and intentional as moms, over the long haul? In Episode 1, Mom on Purpose host, Jess Connell, shares: why she left a job she loved, to be a stay-at-home mom. how she thinks through…
Mom Exhaustion Doesn’t Have to Steal Your Vision
Over the last year, I didn’t realize what was happening, but looking back, I was fighting a combination of fatigue and laziness. Though I still cared immensely about how our kids turn out, getting off the couch very often felt like too great a burden to ask. Being mentally engaged and physically active throughout each day with…
What the Bible Doesn’t Say About Your Sex Life
Ever wondered if the Bible has something to say about your sex life? It definitely does. And let’s be clear: it’s not simply a list of “thou shalt nots.” Beginning way back in Genesis, we get peeks into various couples’ marriages. Throughout Old Testament stories, we see how one’s choices about sex and marital intimacy affect their entire…
Christians, Cribs, & Co-Sleeping (Is it “Heartless” for a Baby to Sleep in a Separate Bed?)
Let me start out by saying this: I am pretty sure I have done it all. I’ve slept with a baby on my chest or in the crook of my arm– on the first night, in the hospital, in my bed at home after home births, and (accidentally) in a chair when I was trying to stay…