Releasing Air: You Can’t Keep Them in a Bubble Forever

Parenting is a tough job – the most in-your-face, never-gonna-end job ever. And, frankly, it’s easier to keep our kiddos in the bubble. We can control the bubble. The bubble is safe – physically, and emotionally. But the bubble is sterile. It’s lifeless. It’s life in monotone.

How NOT To Love Your Neighbor

Immediately my heart was convicted as the words love God and love my neighbor as myself were brought to mind. His law superseded any rights I felt I had as a neighbor of John.

Beautifully Broken

“There is a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in.” –Leonard Cohen

It's Okay to Say 'No'

But when I’m squeezing all those things in, I end the day exhausted and empty. The to-do list was checked, zero balls were dropped, commitments were fulfilled, but nothing was savored or enjoyed. My spirit wasn’t at rest.

The Motherhood Narrative

“I don’t know why this is so hard for me and easier for everyone else.” Hearing her say it out loud helped me recognize it. This is the lie that is so easy for us to believe. Actually, it is more than just one lie; it is a whole narrative. It is the story we are telling ourselves about motherhood.

Mom Guilt: Raising an Only

Mom-guilt, ever present and exceedingly nuanced.

Answering the Call of Heart Stirrings and Nudgings

Do you ever wake up in the middle of the night with someone on your mind or have a person spring to mind seemingly out of nowhere? Walk past a stranger down on their luck and feel compelled to do something for them?

Brenda Maas

Brenda Maas shamelessly used the escapades of her three boys and husband Brett to write Life in the Trenches during Simply Family’s growing years. While both have matured, reflection is not yet 20/20…but it’s close.

Eric Bayse

Eric currently resides in Billings, MT with his wife Shelly and their four children where they live amongst those they serve in effort to live out a gospel response to poverty, homelessness, addictions, and brokenness that often plagues low-income communities.

Jamie Beeson

Jamie, the wife of her high school sweetheart and mom of 4 boys, has been in the fitness industry for 18 years. "Fuel the body, mobilize the soul" is her mission.

Anna Rogers

Anna Rogers is a transplant from the Carolinas with a background in marketing and graphic communications. She is a wife and mother who loves to garden, cook, and practice yoga. Anna is passionate about travel, which at its core is really a passion for people, as she believes people and community are what truly bring life and beauty into a place.

Jenna Jones

Jenna Jones is a local mompreneur, she is a mom to four little ones! She is also a web developer and owner of Jenna Jones Design. In her writing, you will find Jenna getting honest about the hard stuff. And in all of it, finding some humor and some hope.

Rebecca Stewart

Just a girl who loves her family with every last bit of her heart while striving to put the words (real or made up) in all the pretty places.

Stephanie Toews

Stephanie is finding joy in the journey of faith, marriage, motherhood, and friendships. Writing is her therapy and one of her favorite creative outlets.

Marriage in the Midst of Motherhood

How can we keep our marriages alive amid motherhood? This question has many facets. I will attempt to share a few simple, but effective tools we’ve used to keep our foundation strong.

Angry Mom

Here’s the thing…I love my kids, more than life itself. I care about raising them, and parenting them, and investing in them more than anything. It's my main priority. I consciously purpose to be patient and calm…and a lot of times I am! Actually most of the time! But things build up…I'm fine. I'm fine. I'm fine. And then I'M NOT FINE.

Sports Edition: I wish my parents knew…

We wondered, though, what the kids might have to say about how they feel when their parents are watching them play and what they wish we’d say to them (or what they wanted us to know). 

Breastfeeding: When Things Don’t Go As Planned