As moms, our hearts ache when we see our daughters struggling with insecurity or self-doubt. We want to pour confidence into them, to help them see the beauty and strength that we see in them. But for teenage girls, confidence is often fragile, shaped by a world that constantly tells them they’re not enough. It’s...Continue Reading
Hi, Nate… And here we are at high school. You are so ready. You told me the other day that you were bored at the end of middle school and that wasn’t good for you. I see this. You’re at your best when you feel like you’re doing something epic, fresh, and thrilling. High school...Continue Reading
Dear Sam, As I write this, you’re sitting next to me, sweating through AP History notes. Maybe this is the theme of your junior year—sweat. That certainly has been the theme of the past few months. You sweat so much every day. Yes, of course from all the running you’re doing, but it’s more than...Continue Reading
Dear Elisabeth, You have more character, more integrity, more deep strength than anyone I know. You are never shallow. You prefer fresh-faced to make-up, your ancient iPhone to the 15, talking to your grandparents to TikTok, baking bread to fast food. Most of all, you show undying loyalty and vicious protection of those you love. ...Continue Reading
Good morning, Lord, Thank you for today, for Your perfect plans, for your child, Catie. Your protection is a blessing, and I’m so grateful for Your care. As Catie begins her junior year, please bless her. Fill her year surprise moments of joy and fun. Continue to grow her incredible sense of adventure and her...Continue Reading
In Houston, it’s raining for the third day. The summer is both dragging on and way too short. We’re restless for something else and dreading school’s start. I’m working on projects that move too slowly and am ready for relief. As I journaled about what could help me out of this rut, it felt like...Continue Reading
7 The Lord will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life;8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. -Psalm 121:7-8 Last week was Senior Walk at our high school, Lutheran South Academy. It’s always a bit startling to see all these students leaving LSA. The cliché is true: it goes fast. One minute, your...Continue Reading
Anxiety is Contagious The scene in my B Block class was familiar. That morning had been a killer test in one of LSA’s notorious AP classes. Several of my students had this class—but only a handful had taken the test that morning. The rest would face it that afternoon. Hysteria spread like a bad case...Continue Reading
Healthy Teen FriendshipsAs part of my job, I speak a couple of times a month to parent groups. One of my most attended sessions is about helping your teenager navigate relationships.As you’ve probably seen in your own house, high school relationships are hard. The stakes are higher now. Your teenager is navigating friend break-ups, learning...Continue Reading
The artic blast this week gave our family one gift: time together. The day off was a nice moment to reconnect—and clean out our teenagers’ rooms. They were thrilled. Ha. Cleaning out closets is an archeological dig through their past goals and passions. Remember those years of softball? Tennis? Learning the guitar? Your Etsy era?...Continue Reading
