Gospel Minded Mama

If you’ve been a mother for more than five minutes, you know that the "stomach bug" is one of the most dreaded phrases in the language. This past week, it hit our home. It wasn't a quick, one-night affair; it was a slow march through all four of my children, lasting an entire week. The most difficult part? It only happened at night in their shared bunk room.  I spent my nights displacing children from their bunk beds, scrubbing messes out of bedding, and avoiding every porous surface in the house. I had kids sleeping on plastic mats on the floor just to survive the night. There was one specific moment, exhausted and disgusted, where I was trying to clean out the tiny crevices between the furniture and the walls—spots I couldn't even reach because the bunk beds are all lined up—and I felt the weight of the week crashing down. I’ll be honest: I cried. The temptation to just give up and walk away was so strong. But leaving a mess like that on the walls and floors would h...

  If you’ve been following me for a while—whether for two years or ten—you’ve seen me evolve. I’ve been blogging in some form for over a decade. I’ve moved from website to website, rebranded more times than I can count, and dabbled in just about every corner of the internet. I’ve sold workout shakes and subscriptions; I’ve co-hosted a podcast (that is no longer); I’ve even taken the courses and tried the "hacks" to go viral with Instagram Reels. But if I’m being honest? It was exhausting. The Trap of the Screen For a long time, I felt like I was constantly performing. Putting myself in front of a screen always felt a bit inauthentic, like I was acting for views rather than sharing from conviction. I was always chasing the next "viral idea," and it left me drained. Along the way, I had a deep conviction about my home. I realized that my children were never meant to be "content" for strangers. My family is a gift to be protected, not a product to be marketed...

I had to ask myself a hard question recently: Is my faith actually in God, or is it in my own ability to "do the right things"? It’s an easy trap to fall into. We slip into a mindset where we think that if we obey the scriptures  (not even perfectly), follow the right rhythms, and check off enough "good deeds," we will get that prayer request. We start treating our obedience like a down payment for a life of answered prayers and ease. But here is the hard truth I’ve been sitting with: If my peace is dependent on getting my "desired outcome," then my faith isn't really in God—it’s in my own performance. Obedience Without the "Contract" Now, please hear me: realizing your faith has been performance-based doesn't mean you stop obeying the Lord or throw out your disciplines. Obedience is still the goal, but the motive has to change. It’s not about stopping the "good works"; it’s about shifting your focus from your own blueprint for...