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My Favorite Resources For Those Who Want To Be Better Moms…

Kat — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:08:33 +0000

There have been a few key parenting books and resources that have helped me as a mom. I can specifically remember the change in my attitude and outlook after absorbing them.

Parenting with Love and Logic

Parenting With Love And Logic

This book just made SO much sense to me. It helped me to be a “wall of jello” when my kids got emotional and upset. It’s full of excellent, practical wisdom for parents.

Mission of Motherhood

The Mission of Motherhood: Touching Your Child’s Heart for Eternity
Parenting is about so much more than making our kids behave, it’s about leading them to Jesus.

Sally’s book inspired me. It made me see the nobility of motherhood and the sense of faith, tradition, security and love I can create in my home and my family.

Give Them Grace

Give Them Grace: Dazzling Your Kids with the Love of Jesus
I joked with my husband that I wanted to ask Jesus into my heart all over again by the time I reached chapter 2 of this book.

It’s not just a parenting book, it revolutionized the way I see Grace.

Positive Parenting Solutions

Amy McCready’s class came at at time when my husband was out of town for a couple weeks. He was not even reachable by email or phone for the most part. I was SO overwhelmed. And, for me, Amy’s videos and lessons not only taught me a lot, but they also comforted me. I know that sounds weird, but there was just something so reassuring about sitting down after the kids went to bed and *seeing* someone older than me share wisdom and insight.

My biggest take away from Amy is the power of our presence. Spending one on one time with our kids will solve more behavior problems than any structured parenting method. It’s so simple, but so powerful.

A FREE Webinar for You

I’m excited to share that I’ll be hosting another FREE parenting webinar with Amy next Wednesday. We’ll actually do two webinars – 2pm EST and 9pm EST.

We’ve done these webinars together several times and they are always amazing! It’s wonderful to learn from Amy, but it’s also fun to chat with one another in the webinar text chat area. It’s a fun, helpful, social time. I hope you’ll join us!

To register for the FREE webinar, click here.

Get Kids to Listen Without Nagging, Reminding or Yelling

Why is it so difficult sometimes to get kids to listen? You know she heard you, but she ignores you. You ask again and still . . . no response.

If you’re tired of nagging, reminding and yelling to get kids to listen – this session is for you! Inspired to Action is excited to partner with Amy McCready, founder of Positive Parenting Solutions & TODAY Show contributor to offer a FREE LIVE training webinar on Wednesday, February 8 at 2 PM and 9 PM Eastern Time.

Join us to learn easy to implement strategies to correct misbehavior and reclaim the calm voice you had before kids. Discover proven tools for your most frustrating discipline dilemmas including the 5 R’s of Fair & Effective Consequences.

All you need is your computer. (No webcam required.) You’ll see and hear Amy on your screen and you can even ask questions and she’ll make them part of the presentation. Parents RAVE about this session.

RSVP today and then kick back and learn from the comfort of your home.

Webinar seating will be limited so learn more and RSVP now! I’ll look forward to welcoming you.

Invite your friends to join you by sharing this on your FACEBOOK page by clicking here!

About Amy McCready

Parenting expert Amy McCready is the Founder of Positive Parenting Solutions and a “recovering yeller.” She is a champion of positive parenting techniques for happier families and well-behaved kids. Amy reaches a worldwide audience with her Positive Parenting Solutions Online course and is a frequent guest on the TODAY Show and has also appeared on Rachael Ray, CNN, Fox & Friends, MSNBC, and elsewhere. In her most important role, she is mom to two teenage boys.

Final Note About Any Parenting Resource

First of all, I want to note that while all the books I mentioned are Biblically based, Amy’s course is not. I think it’s excellent information, but it’s just a general parenting resource, not one specifically for Christians.

Second of all, the Bible should be our first parenting resource. I haven’t read a parenting book yet, Christian or not, that I agree with and want to implement 100%.

Lastly, I would like to disclaim that those links above are affiliate links. Feel free to use them or if you’d rather not, you can simply copy the book title and search for it on Amazon. Please know that I value each of you very highly and would not waste your time or resources with something unless it has had a significant impact on my life.

What parenting resources have impacted you? Books, blogs, etc? Share them here.

--------- Free Resources Just For You! Maximize Your Mornings eBook: Stop waking up TO your children and start waking up FOR your children. Mission Statements for Moms eBook : Learn why moms need mission statements and how to make one of your own! A Mother’s Prayer Calendar: A simple monthly calendar that will guide you through praying for your children. Praying Daily for Your Husband Calendar: A simple monthly calendar that will guide you through praying for your husband. Join our community on Facebook and Twitter! Or browse all the resources at Inspired To Action here.

Tell Me About That Thing You Can’t Do…

Kat — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:58:57 +0000

Running uphill.

Running in the cold.

Running alone.

Running to catch up with his sisters.

Running in his monkey hat and face paint.

Running the final mile on Saturday.

4 years old. 4 weeks. 26.2 miles. Finisher medal.

Now…tell me again about that thing you can’t do…

Start small. Do it faithfully. Finish.

(If your children would like to do a kids marathon, here’s the info. I think you can register and mail in the log sheet for your medal if you’re not from Texas.)

For When You Feel Discouraged…

Kat — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:43:56 +0000

Maybe you made big plans to get up early and read your Bible, pray, exercise and plan. Maybe you hit the snooze button this morning. Maybe you’ve hit it every morning for the past month.

Maybe you’re feeling discouraged right now. Or maybe you’ve been discouraged for awhile.

Maybe your past echoes of brokenness, fatigue and failed dreams.

Have I got a story for you.

This isn’t a story of triumph. It’s a story of pain, falling short and unfulfilled dreams. But it’s also a story of furious love. And a reminder that faithfulness in the face of our failures can bring the greatest reward of all.

Last Place Never Looked So Good

Barcelona. 1992. Derek Redmon was Britain’s greatest quarter miler.

BANG!! Off to a good start, his prospects for the race looked good. Until…

Until his hamstring snapped. Yes, snapped. He stumbled and fell to the ground. With cameramen snapping pictures and the world watching, he was consumed with the pain of his broken body and broken dream.

And then? He made a decision. To finish. He knew he wouldn’t come in 1st, 2nd or 3rd. He knew he wouldn’t cross the finish line in victory. But he decided he would cross that line. So, up he struggled and he hobbled down the track, grimacing in pain.

Then, in the background, something happened in the stands. A man, older, gray-er than Derek pushed past people, waved off guards and ran down the track. His face was filled with the furious love of a father.

He pushed away officials. He pushed away security personnel. He pushed away anyone who dared interfere. He wrapped his arms around his weeping son and together they finished the race.

Few could name the winner of the 400 meter gold that year. But millions of people remember Derek’s faithfulness and his father’s furious love.

You Do Not Struggle Alone

If you are struggling, whether it’s with getting up in the morning or life in general, never believe that your Father’s love is any less furious.

He DOES NOT stand at the finish line awaiting your triumphant victory. He runs alongside you, cheering you as you go. And when you struggle, when you fall, He wraps His all powerful, healing hands around you and and holds you as you press on. Together.

He will let nothing get in His way.

Enough of my insufficient words. Read what David said in the Psalms and then watch the video below.

Psalm 18

4 The cords of death entangled me;
the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.

5 The cords of the grave coiled around me;
the snares of death confronted me.

6 In my distress I called to the Lord;
I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice;
my cry came before him, into his ears.

7 The earth trembled and quaked,
and the foundations of the mountains shook;
they trembled because he was angry.

8 Smoke rose from his nostrils;
consuming fire came from his mouth,
burning coals blazed out of it.

9 He parted the heavens and came down;
dark clouds were under his feet.

10 He mounted the cherubim and flew;
he soared on the wings of the wind.

11 He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him
the dark rain clouds of the sky.

12 Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced,
with hailstones and bolts of lightning.

13 The Lord thundered from heaven;
the voice of the Most High resounded.

14 He shot his arrows and scattered the enemies ,
great bolts of lightning and routed them.

15 The valleys of the sea were exposed
and the foundations of the earth laid bare
at your rebuke, O Lord,
at the blast of breath from your nostrils.

16 He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
he drew me out of deep waters.

17 He rescued me from my powerful enemy,
from my foes, who were too strong for me.

18 They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
but the Lord was my support.

19 He brought me out into a spacious place;
he rescued me because he delighted in me.

Grab Your Tissues Now…

(RSS and email readers, please click here to watch the video.)

Press on, my friends. For perfection is not our reward. He is.

(Originally posted on 2.14.10. I’m working on a group solution for everyone who had Hello Mornings Challenge registration issues. I’ll post it tomorrow or later today. Thanks for your patience.)

Do You Have A Dream For Your Children?

Kat — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 14:48:52 +0000

Today is Martin Luther King Jr day. For those of you who live elsewhere, Martin Luther King Jr is well known for his part in the civil rights movement here in the U.S. And he is probably most remembered for his “I Have A Dream” speech. (RSS and email readers, click here to watch the video. It’s only 2 minutes long.)

Powerful, isn’t it?

Thanks for the history lesson, Kat. But, um, what does this have to do with motherhood?

My question for moms is this – Do we have dreams for our children -Â wild, crazy, “only God could do this” dreams of who they will become and how they will live life?

I don’t want to just hope that my kids will go to church and maybe participate in See You at the Pole. I dream that their faithful and fervent prayers would ignite revival In their school.

I don’t want to just hope that they will stay away from drugs. I dream that they will dive into the lives of hurting classmates, help them break free from addiction, and introduce them to Life.

I don’t want to be content with prayers of thanks at the dinner table. I dream that my children’s hearts would break for the things that break the heart of God. That they would be passionate in prayer and as desperate for Him as they are for air.

I don’t want them to be like me. I dream that they will far surpass anything I could teach or show them – that I would be deeply challenged and inspired by the way they live their lives.

I have a dream.

Do you? If not, it’s a great day for dreaming!

:: (originally posted 1/11)

Also, Happy first day of Hello Mornings, my friends!

5 Amazing Quotes to Inspire Your Hello Mornings or Your 2012

Kat — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:46:06 +0000

Here are some of my favorite quotes, along with a little comment about why I think it applies to all of you who are taking on the Challenge of “maximizing your mornings.” I hope they inspire you!

He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.
Jim Elliot

We are more likely to impact our families with a morning on our knees than a late night on the ‘net.

A river cuts through rock, not because of its power, but because of its persistence.
Jim Watkins

Simple changes combined with faithfulness is all it takes to make a morning routine.

God has created me to do him some definitive service. He has committed some work to me which he has not committed to another. I have my mission.
John Henry Newman

The only way to know your mission is to know the One who made you.

If you think you are too small to be effective, you have never been in bed with a mosquito.
Betty Reese

Every moment, no matter how small, spent with God has a deep and eternal impact.

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, and comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.
President Theodore Roosevelt

I just love this quote. {fist pump}

Do you have a quote that inspires you? Please share in the comments

Why You Aren’t Supposed To Be Good Enough

Kat — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 14:58:57 +0000

Life Lessons from a Little Boy

The other day I found my little boy in the living room with the fan on ultra-super-insane high speed. He was standing on the couch arms outstretched…waiting. Then, with all his might, he jumped.

“Mama, if I catch the wind, I can fly. Watch!”

I know what you’re thinking, “Great story Kat. What does that have to do with me?”

The Point

Are you catching the Wind?

Because Jesus didn’t die for “good enough.”

He didn’t step down from heaven to be born in a stable, grow up in anonymity, be beaten and despised just so that we could be “good enough” to get to heaven.

“Good enough” is a low goal.

He WANTS you to fly. He wants to walk with you to conquer with you. He has plans and a purpose for you.

It’s not about us just trying to be better. We can’t be better. We can’t be a great mom, wife, friend, believer apart from Him. We need the wind.

The beauty of it all is that Grace doesn’t end at the cross. It’s available to us every single day.

If you are alive it means He’s not done using you. There is more for you in this life. He has a specific purpose for you in all your uniqueness. But we can’t plan it or make it happen.

It all starts at His feet.

The more time we spend with Him, the farther we fly. His Grace lifts us and His Love propels us.

Each morning we have the choice to step into the raging wind of His Love, Grace and Will.

So, today, will you stretch out your arms and jump?

Question: What is one obstacle to spending time with God that you’ve overcome? What tips can you share with others? Tell us in the comments!

(I’m hard at work sorting all 2000 Hello Mornings Challenge registrants – from 40 different countries! – into groups. I’ll send group information out to AC’s later today and to registrants on Wednesday. In the meantime, don’t forget to download the optional Bible Study and bonus printables.)

Maybe I’ve Ruined My Kids

laragwilliams — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 11:57:45 +0000

(Note from Kat: This is a guest post from monthly contributor (and inspiring friend) Lara Williams. )

Sometimes I wonder if I’ve completely ruined my kids. I see them copying the sin that have tried to lay down over and over again, and I’m certain. I did it. I ruined them.

flickr photo credit

But here's the really amazing thing about our God. He's bigger than our many {many} failures.

Granted He calls us as moms to train up our kids in the ways of the Lord — continually and purposefully. And our training does have an effect. But we will not do it perfectly. At times we won't even do it well.

But our God is bigger than our failures.

If we depend upon our list of mommy-successes to change our kids, then we flirt with parental-legalism. Only One transforms hearts. And it’s not us, no matter how perfect we try to be.

Our kids growing in the knowledge and sanctifying work of our Lord comes completely by His great grace and undeserved mercy. He allows us to be a part of the seed-planting process. But we can't save them. And our failures aren’t bigger than our God.

When we fail, we confess. We just agree with God that in our flesh we are really stinkified. (Yeah, I made that up.) Then we stand up and move on, continuing with our imperfect reflection.

He graces every moment with new mercies.

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How have you struggled with thinking your failures have ruined your kids?
What truths of God can we choose to meditate upon when those despairing thoughts arise?

Speaker and writer, Lara Williams lives in central North Carolina with her husband and three young children.
Check out her blog or follow her on Twitter.

This Blog Post Is Really Short Because…

Kat — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 14:55:19 +0000

…I won’t always be the only girl he sings his songs to.

The dishes, laundry and crushed up Cheerios will always be around.

Let’s go enjoy our kids today.
(Need some ideas? Try these.)

A 12 Word Post on Selecting Goals for the New Year

Kat — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 14:44:34 +0000

Need goals?

Imagine who you want your kids to become.

Be that.

fyi: Registration for the Hello Mornings Challenge ends on January 2. Join us?

This post was originally shared on 12/28/10.

She Didn’t Know She Would Have A Family…

Kat — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 15:01:10 +0000

If you were somehow able to read all of the internet today, I don’t think you’d come across anything more beautiful and moving than this. (RSS and email readers may need to click here to watch the video.)

Not only is it a powerful story to watch unfold, but it’s also such an incredible picture of God’s heart towards us.

If you’re in a ridiculous hurry, the best part is at 2:25 – just watch her face. But, I promise, won’t regret taking 5 minutes to watch the whole thing. The sweet family pics at the end are so precious.

So, am I the only one that ugly cried watching this?