It’s a rhythmic truth breathed throughout Scripture: “You return man to dust; …they are like a dream, like grass …in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers.” ~Psalm 90:3-6 (author: Moses) “He knows our frame He remembers that we are DUST. As for man, his days are like GRASS; he flourishes…
Author: Jess Connell
6 TIPS for JOYFULLY Hosting a Small Group
We’ve opened our homes to small groups for over ten years: We’ve hosted short-term groups (i.e., a single-book study that only met for that one topic, and then disbanded) For four years, when we lived in Istanbul, we were the primary host home for a house church that met, week in, week out with a…
Become a Better Writer: READ
It’s all about intake and outflow. To become a better writer, one must become a better READER. Consider Frederick Douglass– without formal education, he devotedly read and analyzed speeches by successful public speakers of his day. Then, he practiced. A LOT. He is still consistently listed as one of the greatest thinkers and speakers that America…
My First Book: ONE THING: Top Tip From a Mom of Six
Oh, y’all, I am SO excited to share with you something I’ve been working on for a long time. My new book, ONE THING: Top Tip From a Mom of 6, is the most important piece of motherhood advice I’ve got. It’s just as relevant for the seasoned mom as it is for the newly…
Beyond GOALS: What Will Change My Heart in the New Year?
Happy New Year! This time of year, goal-setting gurus and exercise hounds browbeat us into putting forth measurable, specific goals or resolutions. But the far more challenging question for me is this: WHO WILL I BE IN 2014? If I was a yelling shrew throughout 2013, what will change my heart? Can a simple goal, that…
When Your Husband Listens To You
Ever read Genesis 3? It’s the chapter where sin enters the picture. One verse previous, Adam and Eve are frolicking in the perfect garden God crafted for them, naked and unashamed. But by Chapter 3, everything goes awry. Genesis 3 teaches me, frames my theology, and makes me long to walk with God in Heaven….
6 Ways I Handle Being an Exhausted Mom
Feeling exhausted? ME TOO! At this point of motherhood, it seems I should walk around with caution tape. That would give everyone around me a warning before they talked to or interacted with me. Maybe I could wear a sign: WARNING, WARNING, WARNING!!! DO NOT GO INTO THIS CONVERSATION WITH GREAT EXPECTATIONS. In fact, DIAL THOSE EXPECTATIONS…
What Comes After the Pain?
Isaiah is one of my favorite books of the Bible. So much truth about God. So much honesty about the fallibility of man. So many promises that strengthen faith. Consider this: God has built rhythms into our lives. The cold ice-death of winter is followed by the buds of spring. The heat of a Texas…
How to Be Content
Last night I got up out of bed because I remembered this wonderful advice– I needed it and my soul wouldn’t rest until I found it and reminded myself of these truths. Perhaps you need it too? I’ve added some Scripture references for each point, for further meditation. PRESCRIPTION FOR CONTENTMENT: Never allow yourself to…
Homeschooling at Your Child’s Pace
One of the things I love most about home education is this: You can wait for understanding and move through material with MASTERY as the goal. There is no need to “plow onward” to keep on pace with the rest of the class. You look at what your child is grasping and retaining, and assess what…