Growing Home Together

If Mother’s Day poured salt in the wound of your loneliness, find comfort in the love of the Lord. In Him, you are wanted and cherished, seen and held. In His love you are home, forever.

Today, may you rest in the truth that His love reaches every aching place with gentleness, comfort, and belonging. 🤍

Happy Mother's Day 💐

Motherhood changes us in ways we never fully expect.

In the beautiful moments and the overwhelming ones, God continues to meet us there... strengthening, comforting, and gently reminding us that we were never meant to carry it all alone.

Today we’re praying over every mother, grandmother, foster mom, adoptive mom, spiritual mother, and mother figure who has poured love into the lives of others.

Your care, prayers, presence, and faithfulness matter more than you know. 🤍

This Mother's Day, it's even sweeter since I get to celebrate as Grammie to four precious little people in my life.

And while they are the best gift I can imagine just by the joy they bring everyday, the best gift I can give in return is my prayers.

That's why Rob and I wrote "One-Minute Prayers for Grandparents." We want to cover them in prayer for their hearts and minds, their hopes and dreams, and their health and strength as they grow.

We invite you to pray with us for your own precious grandkids.

Get your copy today: growinghometogether.com/product/one-minute-prayers-for-grandparents/

Worry and stress can show up in every season of parenting—from the moment we first bring our newborn baby home from the hospital to the day they start preparing to head out into the world on their own.

Over the years, we’ve felt the weight of countless uncertainties swirling through our minds as we raised our five children.

Being concerned for our children and watching out for the dangers they can’t yet see themselves is a normal part of parenthood; however, healthy concern can quickly transform into unhealthy worry.

Our latest guest knows the destructive power of worry, and she is here to help us mark a path to peace. Laurie Davies is a speaker, lay counselor, and the author of an important new book, “Emotional Hoarding: Letting Go of the Stuff That Keeps You Stuck.”

In this episode, Laurie shares:
• Key differences between concern and worry
• Encouragement for parents in every season
• How to rely on God and release your worry

🎧 Listen to the Episode 129 of the Growing Home Together Podcast on your favorite podcast platform or at: growinghometogether.com/laurie-davies-129

When we pause and think about the women who have shaped us...it's rarely one big moment that comes to mind. It's all of the ways they showed up year after year.

The way they loved and encouraged as the biggest support in your life.

The way they celebrated your wins and comforted your losses.

They way they sacrificed and carried so much without looking for praise.

Today is a simple moment to reflect on all they've done.

Who is a mom (or mother figure) who has meant the most to you?

Tag her below and share 3 words that come to mind when you think of her.

Let's honor the women who have given so much. 🤍

Sometimes we think our bernedoodle, Jovy, would fit in just right in a preschool classroom. She’s always up for snacks. She takes afternoon naps with her stuffie. She loves to play outside, and she needs extra cuddles if she’s stressed. And, she knows just the naughty tactics to get our attention!

Sometimes Jovy will drag the mail off the table with her teeth. Or she’ll tip her food dish over on the floor. She’ll shove our elbow with her nose, lay her chin across our laptop, drop a ball at our feet, or woof until we turn all eyes on her. If Jovy wants or needs something, she’ll make sure we know it.

While we laugh or complain about Jovy’s attention-getting methods, we realize it’s not all her fault. We get distracted. We don’t always pick up on her signals that she’s hungry or needs a trip outside. Busy days can crowd out playtime to burn off her energy. In her own “Jovy” ways, she’s just trying to be seen and heard.

I know all of us could write a list of the strategies we use to get our needs met too. Maybe it’s by pretzeling ourselves to be all things to all people. Or working relentlessly to earn a sense we’re enough. Or numbing our hurts with shopping or screens or whatever dulls the pain. Maybe it’s running after relationships to feel we belong. Through all of it, we’re longing to know we matter and we’re loved.

That’s why I (Joanna) am so grateful for a God who knows us in every detail. He cares about every need and hope of our heart. We don’t have to perform or shout for his attention because he’s oh-so-close every moment. He simply says, “Come to me.”

Today, let’s run to the One who stands ready to listen and help. Let’s be radically transparent, inviting him into every corner of our heart and mind. Let’s release every care into his capable hands to find peace for our souls. We will find him to be the loving Source of all we ever need.

"The Lord will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore." (Psalm 121:7b-8)

Lord, you are attentive to me in every detail. Move me to pray in every situation, trusting I’ll find every need and longing to be satisfied in you. Cover me with your peace. Amen.

In the storms of trouble, it’s easy to forget the sun is still shining behind the clouds. Negativity and fear consume our thoughts. We lose our hope in the One whose faithful love never lets us go.

Today, let’s search for signs of His goodness all around. Let’s name the ways He meets our needs, both big and small. Let’s re-discover the deep, satisfying joy that comes from knowing we’re His forever.

"But may those who come to you be happy and rejoice. May those who love being saved by you always be able to say, 'Praise the Lord!'" - Psalm 40:16

Every family, at some point, needs a moment to pause, catch their breath, and to find their way back to each other again.

But a reset doesn’t have to be complicated.

Here are a few simple ways to help your family reset and move forward together:

1️⃣ Clear a Saturday

Give your family the gift of unstructured down time for a full day. Sleep in, hide all the devices and remotes, and share a lazy brunch in your pj’s with waffles and smoothies. Play at the park. Break out an old-school board game. Make ice cream sundaes for dinner. Take time to simply breathe as a family.

2️⃣ Call a family meeting

Spark a “State of the Family” conversation to share who’s feeling tired or overwhelmed, ideas for family quality time, and which activities you could shelve to create breathing room. Update your calendar as a family with planned rest and fun to look forward to.

3️⃣ Digital detox

Our devices so often leave families distracted, overstimulated, and stressed. Building in nightly, weekly, and monthly breaks to unplug can restore connection and free you up for shared, meaningful time together.

4️⃣ Pray for discernment

Usually we don’t realize we’ve overcommitted until we’re in too deep. Mom and Dad, step away together to ask God what he has for you going forward. He’ll guide your family’s pace, the projects you pick up or set aside, and how to lean into worship and discipleship with your kids.

5️⃣ Create new rhythms

The best thing about a reset is fresh creative energy to build new rhythms as a family.

Maybe it’s starting a new family read-aloud book before bedtime. Or getting back to meals around the table. Maybe it’s fostering teamwork through a weekend chore list or creating a hope-filled worship playlist just for the car ride to school.

A new rhythm can boost the joy as you move into the next season together. ❤️