Category

Advice for Moms

Building Confidence in Your Teen Daughter

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...
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Dear Sam (on your first day of junior year)…

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...
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Prayers for Catie & Junior Year

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...
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When Life Feels Ughhh

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...
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5 Ways to End a Season Well

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...
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Healthy Teen Relationships

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...
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Three New Ideas!

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?...
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One Essential Gift for Teens this Christmas

The Answer is Not Gift Cards What are you getting your high schooler for Christmas? I’m buying gifts for my 4 teenagers and feeling cynical about what they really need. Their Christmas lists are a repeat of last year. Airpods. Make-up. Video games. Gift cards-ugh.  But what would really help them? What would help all of...
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Making a Video Course for Shine

I’ve always wanted to create a video course. Writing for teens is my favorite–and yet. So many of them love images, videos, a human voice, an animated interactive experience. A video course felt like a good way to dish up the content. And, as I started to figure out the process, it felt pretty easy....
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Are You Valuable? Consider the Stanley.

October Newsletter Are You Valuable? Teenagers Ask This Question… I coach high school students. This means I sit across from them and listen carefully as they talk about their goals, struggles, and hopes for the future. My role is to ask great questions, pay attention to their reactions, and help them move forward.  Here’s what...
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