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Rooney likes to play hide and seek, but she loves to pretend she’s invisible.

It’s fun to make believe I can’t see her for a few minutes, but I always find myself being quick to remind her that, no matter how hard she tries to make herself disappear, I can still see her.

I felt challenged by that because, moms, so often we can feel insignificant and unseen. So today here’s a simple reminder for you. God sees you.

Carrying that little body on your hip and all the responsibilities and pressures on your mind.

He sees you.

Getting work done and still managing to find time to sit them on your lap and read a book.

He sees you.

Staying up late to pack lunches and up early to make breakfast.

He sees you.

Pouring into your children and fighting the enemy on their behalf.

And let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

Galatians 6:9

He sees you in all your motherhood. Don’t give up. The harvest is coming.

Have an awesome day!

If this post struck a chord with you, I want you to know I have a solution to help and own your influence. If you’re looking for practical tools and strategies to thrive and not just survive this whole motherhood thing, be sure to check out our mentorship program. These topics changed my approach to motherhood, marriage, business, and life forever. Click here for more information.

“Clothes make a statement, but costumes…tell a story.” -Mason Cooley

A while back, Rooney told me that for Halloween she wanted to be a purple ghost, a ballerina, and Darth Vadar. Not a purple ghost OR a ballerina OR Darth Vadar.

She told me she wanted to be all three at the same time.

I remember thinking, Where would I even begin to piece that wardrobe debacle together?

Regardless of your girl’s stage or season, dressing up this fall can be a touchy subject, am I right?

Do we celebrate? 

What’s okay for my girl to wear? 

What’s not okay, and how do we decide? 

Is it okay to be scary, and what constitutes “over the top”? 

Every mama has her method for coaxing little bodies into costumes or just letting go (Frozen, anyone?) and allowing kids to choose their own outfits with little to no guidance or input.

Challenge: This season, instead of fussing over what your girl will wear when the ghosts and ghouls (and Elsas and Captain Americas) come out to play, brainstorm an intentional costume with your girl that won’t make you feel like you had to give up the good fight.

Action Step: Talk together about how her costume choices can reflect her intentionality and integrity.

Help her choose a costume that celebrates a positive character trait or points her toward a hero: a woman of strength who wasn’t afraid to stand up and do something important, something needed, or something that needed to be done. Or maybe she was afraid and she did it anyway.

What if instead of Elsa, your daughter dressed up like Eleanor Roosevelt, Zora Neal Hurston, Ida B. Wells, Amelia Earhart, or Joan of Arc? What if instead of a pretty princess, she dressed up like a courageous warrior? What if instead of choosing to emulate a cartoon character, she chose to emulate a defender, a protector, a vanquisher of evil?

I’ve got chills just thinking about it.

Activity: Choose an Intentional Costume In 3 Easy Steps

1. Pick a character trait

Trying to brainstorm a costume with so many options can be overwhelming, especially if you have more than one small human to think about. Narrow it down by choosing a trait or virtue. Some ideas: kindness, strength, generosity, compassion, ahem…bravery.

Spend some time brainstorming with your girl about someone that she thinks possesses that quality. If she can’t name someone that fits the theme, this is a perfect opportunity to introduce her to a few of your real-life heroes. Win-win, right?

2. Pick an event

Maybe choosing costumes based on a trait proved to be a little bit more work than you’d hoped. Not to worry.

Try choosing an event instead. You and your family can dress up as the Israelites leaving Egypt, the first astronaut team launched into space, or even those who marched with Dr. King on Washington. A significant event can help her pinpoint a moment in history that’s important for reasons that matter.

3. Pick a cause

Still having trouble thinking of something clever? Maybe you’ve been totally captivated by a cause or a problem in the world and you and your girl want to bring attention to it.

Well, this is the perfect opportunity!

Choose someone or something relevant to the work being done to solve that problem. When people ask your daughter who she is, she has a chance to explain (Ex. Liz Bohannon is a journalist turned shoe maker who started an international fashion brand that provides employment, educational opportunities and entrepreneurial training to hundreds of women in East Africa and across the globe).

You’re ready, Mama. Go!

This is another opportunity to talk to your girl about what really matters, to talk through the values that you think are most important, and to get her excited about dressing up with intentionality and ingenuity.

Have fun this fall swimming together against the current of culture…Oh my gosh, you should totally dress up as fish!

Have an awesome day!

If this post struck a chord with you, I want you to know I have a solution to help you grow deeper in your relationship with your daughter and improve her character and confidence. If you’re looking for practical tools and strategies to support her, be sure to check out my free video series, 3 Keys To Unlocking Her True Potential. Click here to watch. These topics changed my approach to motherhood, marriage, business, and life forever…

Over the last few months I’ve received countless messages from you about your girls and what to do about a variety of challenges and difficulties you’re facing…

…and no question more often than what to do about your girl and her use of technology.

And I want to tell you something right now.

Your girl + devices like iPads and smartphones does NOT have to = chaos, confusion, anxiety or fear. 

I hear you, and help is on the way.

Today we’re kicking off 4 weeks of tech talk with my dear friend, Arlene Pellicane. I’m giving her the TBH reins for the next few weeks to speak into this topic and to give you the encouragement and support you need to lead your girl in this area.

Take it away, Arlene!

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What does it mean to be still?

Being still means to abstain from motion, to utter no sound, to be subdued, muted, calm, tranquil, and quiet.  It’s being free from noise or turbulence.

Doesn’t that sound nice…but a bit foreign or outdated in our noisy, busy world?

Yet when we are still and at rest with God, we can hear His voice through the Bible or the prompting of the Holy Spirit.  But much of our time is not really spent in stillness. It’s awfully hard to be still while scrolling through messages, watching TV in the background, and googling a recipe for tonight’s dinner.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a stay home mom or an ad executive.  The temptation to constantly use screens is all around us. Smartphones and tablets are portable, right by your side throughout the day.

The screen world is enticing because it promises something new with every interaction.

Beep.  Someone messaged you.

Of course, you immediately check your phone because you want to know if it’s urgent or important.  Usually it’s neither, but you have been trained to respond at a moment’s notice.

If we are not careful, this rush of responding to blinking lights and buzzing gadgets can be addicting.

Are we listening to the voices coming out of our smartphones and computers more than we are listening to God’s voice?

Have we traded stillness and silence for the constant hum of online living?

Psalm 46:10 (NIV) says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

If you are living with anxiety, stress or fear, perhaps it is time to still your screens.

Unplug the modem.

Limit your time on social media.

Turn the television off.

Instead, be still before the God who calms the storm so its waves are still (Psalm 107:29).  Only He can calm the turbulence in your heart.

This isn’t just true for you.  It’s true for your daughter.  

Screens often distract us from putting our focus where it should be.  Think about the environment of your home. Is it a place where you or your girl can be quiet before God to think about His goodness?  Or is each room permeated by pixels, chimes, and ringtones?

Maybe it’s time to still your screens.

And in those pockets of quiet, your girl will make space for God to reveal Himself to her.  She will make space to join the chorus of praise described in Revelation 15:3.

They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying: Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty!  Just and true are Your ways, O King of the saints!

When she is still, she will realize anew that He is God.  Make it your aim to model for her how to be still in an overly wired, 24/7, always-on world.  Tune out from technology on a regular basis to tune in to His still, small voice.

Your daughter no doubt will notice and learn from your example.

 Arlene Pellicane is a speaker and author of several books including Parents Rising, 31 Days to a Happy Husband and Calm, Cool, and Connected: 5 Digital Habits for a More Balanced Life.  Arlene has been a featured guest on the Today Show, Fox  & Friends, Focus on the Family, FamilyLife Today, The 700 Club, and Turning Point with Dr. David Jeremiah.  Arlene hosts The Happy Home podcast and writes regularly for Proverbs 31 Ministries and Girlfriends in God.  Arlene earned her BA from Biola University and her Masters in Journalism from Regent University.  Arlene lives in San Diego with her husband James and their three children Ethan, Noelle, and Lucy.  To learn more, visit www.ArlenePellicane.com

If you’re looking to connect with your girl and develop her skills in life and leadership,  integrity, character, and confidence in your girl, be sure to check out Arlene’s free video series, Screen Time: 3 Reasons Why Your Daughter Can’t Stop. Email me at [email protected] to be added to the VIP list. These topics changed my life and how I lead girls (including my own daughter) forever…

“Beautiful” is a carefully wielded word in our house. Not that it’s never used, but we try to refrain from using it just because Rooney’s wearing a colorful dress or fancy shoes.

We try to point out things that she does that are beautiful.

Sharing? That’s beautiful, Rooney.

Kind words? Those are beautiful, sweetheart.

A hug for a sad friend? That’s beautiful, Honey.

Beauty is a heart issue, and our girls should stand firm in the truth that the measure of real beauty goes much further than the way God made their faces or what they wear.

A little while ago, we saw this really cool idea over at New Moon Girls that we just had to try on for size. The idea of making a “Statement of Beauty” really struck a chord with us because at Truth Becomes Her, we’re not about “redefining beauty”.

Beauty’s already been defined by Our Creator. For us, it’s more about rediscovering beauty, the way God has already defined it.

Challenge: We need to guide our girls as they encounter the topic of beauty. They need our help to engage in these conversations, but with some better information.

We will equip them with truth so that, when the world begins to bombard them with messaging about makeup tricks and diet tips, they won’t question their worth or their beauty. So here is a simple yet powerful way to remember the way God looks at beauty.

Action Step: Together, develop your own statements of real beauty in three easy steps:

1. Identify who God is: The creator of the heavens, all the oceans, and every breathtaking peak in this world. He is the all-knowing (Isaiah 40:28), Almighty God (Genesis 17:1). He knows a thing or two about beauty, so we can trust what He has to say.
2. Talk through what God says about beauty. Read Ephesians 2:10, Psalm 139:14, and 1 Peter 3:3-4 together and discuss what you think these verses mean.
3. Write down seven ways you and your little belle are beautiful, one for each day of the week. Be sure that these declarations are centered around the beautiful things you do and not your external appearance. (ex. I am beautiful because of who made me / I share my feelings honestly / I am beautiful because I am gentle / I am beautiful because I listen patiently).

When you’re finished writing seven statements for each other, add a few more. Read them out loud. Talk about them. This will help reinforce that beauty is a measure of the heart, and it will help train your daughter how to look for it in others.

Lastly, post these in prominent places where she can see them: in the bathroom, inside her lunchbox, or next to her bed. Decorate these statements and frame them in her room as a loving reminder that beauty already exists within her, that how she lives, not what she looks like, determines her beauty.

Have an awesome day!

If you’re looking for ways to encourage your daughter and guide the conversation about topics like beauty and her true identity, don’t miss our free video series, 3 Keys To Unlocking Your Daughter’s True Potential. Click here to watch.

It’s that time again. Time to hit the office supplies store for new notebooks, binders, pencil pouches, and protractors. It’s time to prepare your girl to head back into the classroom. But as she gets ready to start a brand new school year, don’t forget to help her to stock up on more than just the material. She needs some important and intangible supplies too: qualities of character that will help her thrive, not just survive, the school year.

Encourage your daughter to invest in one of the most important school essentials: mindfulness.

What is Mindfulness? 

Mindfulness is a practice that means to pay attention in a purposeful way. It’s a deep sense of focus: an intentional dive into the present moment. So often it can be easy for our girls to get lost in their own minds, either living in anticipation of the future or dwelling on the past. When your girl learns to practice mindfulness, she will unlock the potential of her present set of circumstances.

Want to help your girl navigate her busy world and remain present, no matter the situation? Here are five quick tips to promote and help her practice mindfulness.

Non-Judgment

For your girl to practice non-judgment, it means she needs to:

1) let go of her expectations for how a situation should be and

2) observe and embraces how it truly is.

Each moment she experiences, if she’s not careful, she may try to color it with her personal preferences and aversions. When that happens, there’s a good chance she’ll miss an opportunity for her to learn and grow. She might miss the truth God wanted to illuminate.

It’s natural to seek out pleasure and happiness and avoid pain and discomfort. What matters most is how she responds when she doesn’t get her way. Perhaps, things are taking longer than she would like. Instead of defaulting to frustration, she gets the opportunity to practice patience. Maybe there’s a certain, and comfortable way she is used to doing something at home. Different environments, like school, mean that she has to adapt and be open to doing things differently.

Action Step: When your girl comes home from school and tells you about her day.

First, ask her to describe the different events that occurred.

Then, ask her to tell you how she felt about each one.

How could she broaden her perspective and practice non-judgment about situations she faced today that were out of her control?

Self-Confidence 

How can your daughter have genuine confidence in her gifts and unique abilities? Guide her to trust the One who gave them to her. The first step in cultivating your girl’s self-confidence is to ensure she is aware of the Lord and how special and powerful she is because of who he is.

Chat with your girl about what makes her so unique. How is she showing up with confidence in the world? How does she cope when her confidence gets rattled? Can she bounce back quickly and return to a sense of wholeness and peace?

Right Action

Right action means to do what is right even when it may be challenging. It’s a gut feeling that will allow her to follow through and do what we know must be done in the moment to show love to God by serving others.

Right action is in alignment with the code of ethics given to us in God’s Word. For your daughter this may be sticking up for a friend or cleaning up a mess she made.

Right action takes courage. Share with your girl that doing what’s right is not always easy, but it’s always worth it. She may need to make sacrifices and let go of what she wants to fulfill what God wants for her life. God won’t ever waste the choice she made to put others first.

Beginner’s Mind

The Japanese word shoshin means “beginner’s mind”. It’s an attitude of openness to the present moment and the opportunity to learn new things. Sometimes we get stuck in old ways of thinking about how things should be done versus being open and eager for God to show us how he wants us to acquire new skills or welcome a change in our own perspectives.

Children tend to be experts when it comes to practicing beginner’s mind. They are full of a sense of wonder, curiosity, and amazement. As parents, we can learn a lot from them, and it’s important to nurture this quality in girls to promote a healthy and balanced approach to thinking. How can we do it?

If your girl naturally excels in one area, encourage her to hone skills in another. Improving technical art skills or learning to play a musical instrument can offer her a chance to embrace learning something new by beginning with the unfamiliar.

Compassion

Compassion is an act of the heart. It’s the ability to be aware of how someone else is feeling physically, mentally, and emotionally, and meet them where they’re at. To be compassionate is to have the ability to empathize with others and how they are feeling.

Empathy starts by making the choice to engage another person’s emotions because we believe, we know, we trust that the pain they are experiencing, although it’s real, it’s temporary.

Being empathetic also means choosing to engage a person, even when we don’t agree with or share their point of view. Our aim can be to simply understand where they’re coming from.

When your girl confronts a person with a differing perspective from her own, can she shift away from thinking about it in terms of Agree/Disagree (which implies Connect/Distance) and instead move into a state of curiosity with the intent to

Action Step: Encourage your daughter to listen and reflect on the following questions whenever she needs to empathize:

1) What is important to this person?

2) What is this person thinking?

3) What do they need?

4) What do they want?

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Matthew 6:34 

Have an awesome day!

If you’re looking for ways to teach mindfulness to your girl and prepare her to head back to school feeling confident, centered, and purposeful, be sure to check out our free video series, 3 Keys To Unlocking Your Daughter’s True Potential. Click here to watch.

Random acts of kindness. That phrase has always kind of annoyed me.

Maybe because as a teacher, I used to hear my students say the word random all the time, without really understanding it or using it correctly.

Kids, I love you, but there’s nothing random about your friend’s turkey sandwich.

“Random” describes something done “without method or conscious decision.” Even if there was something unconventional in your friend’s lunchbox, odds are that somebody made a deliberate choice about what to put in there.

I’m all for kindness, but pairing it with the word “random” stirs up images of a person who “ran dumb” around a room doing things that were nice but who gave no real consideration to why they were doing it.

Would we tell our sons to show random respect or have our daughters complete their homework randomly?

No.

Challenge: Let’s teach our kids to think through what they do, to have a bigger picture goal behind the choices they make, especially when it comes to kindness.

Action Step: Teach your girls to think through these three questions before speaking:

1. Is it true?

2. Is it necessary?

3. Is it kind?

If she can answer “YES” to any of these questions then it has value. If not, perhaps it requires more reflection.

How do you encourage your girl to be kind on purpose? Be sure to let me know in the comments below.

Have an awesome day!

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If you’re looking for practical tools and strategies to support your daughter and cultivate traits like kindness and compassion from the inside out, be sure to check out my free video series, 3 Keys To Unlocking Her True Potential. Click here to watch. These topics have changed my life and how I lead my own daughter forever…

For the last several weeks, we’ve been working through the stories of five incredible women and giving our girls the chance to make daily reading interactive + fun over the summer. We’ve had discussions, completed activities, memorized verses, and so much more.

But learning isn’t just about engaging their brains.

It’s also about engaging their bodies, both physically and emotionally. That’s why, no matter what stage or season your girl is in, activities like movement and play will continue to be essential to her development and learning.

Remember when your girl was first learning how to crawl? The cross-pattern movement of opposite hand and knee together was a critical stage in her brain development. It helped fire up neurons, cells that send information from our brains to our bodies, and build new neural connections between the left and right hemispheres of her brain for better coordination.

Neurons with the most connections are located in the movement center of the brain, the cerebellum.

What does that mean? Movement can make her smarter.

And we can receive the benefits, too.

Moms, as we age we must continue to learn and challenge ourselves in new ways to stay fit physically and mentally. When it comes to strength, endurance, flexibility, and balance, we’ve got to use it or guess what?

We lose it.

As your girl prepares to head back to school, here are some fun and engaging exercises to strengthen her brain and body while she’s taking a break from her studies. Don’t be afraid to join your girl on the playground for fitness and fun!

Swing

Single Leg Balance Lunge: Stand facing away from the swing. Extend one leg back behind you and place the top of your foot over the swing. Bend your knees as you lower your hips towards the ground keeping your chest lifted.

Inverted Push-Ups: Place your ankles over the swing as you come into straight arm plank position. Keep your core engaged. Bend your elbows as you lower your chest towards the ground. Extend your arms and push yourself back up to plank position.

Bench

Alternating step-ups: Step up onto the bench with one foot and draw the opposite knee in towards the chest to balance. Step back down and repeat on the opposite leg.

Bench Dip: Take a seat on the bench. Scoot your hips off the bench and bend or extend your legs fully. Bend your elbows to a 90 degree angle and  lower hips towards the ground. Push back up and straighten your arms.

Monkey Bars

Scapular Retractions: Grip the bar shoulder distance apart. Keep your arms straight as you retract your scapula (move shoulders away from your ears) and lift your breast bone up. Release and repeat.

Active Hang: Maintain the retracted position and firm up your entire body (except your face). Engage your core. Squeeze your legs together. Aim to hold for at least one minute.

Open Grassy Area or Field

Skipping: Draw one knee into toward your chest as you simultaneously drive the opposite arm forward with your elbow bent at 90 degrees and rise onto the ball of the foot of the opposite leg and forcefully push the ground away. As soon as the front foot lands on the ground, quickly repeat the motion on the other side. Aim to get as much height and distance as possible.

Lateral Shuffle: Stand sideways with your legs wider than hip-distance apart. Bend your knees and sit your hips back. Keep your chest lifted and abs drawn in as you step to the side, then bring the other leg in toward the leading leg, laterally shuffling.

Dance Party: Bring a mini speaker and play her favorite song. The only rule is constant movement for the duration of the song.

Tag Your It: There’s nothing like a good old game of tag. Get your heart rate up and burn some energy as you try to keep up with your girl.

While movement and play are essential for our physical and mental wellbeing, remember that our true purpose calls us to flex our faith muscles first: to be like Christ and exude His qualities.

The ability we have to move and use our bodies in healthy ways is a blessing, but that our spiritual fitness is even that much more important.

“Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is valuable in every way, because it promises life both for the present and for the future.”

1 Timothy 4:8

When the exercise is done, spend some time with your girl in prayer. Encourage her to thank God for the ability to move, play, and take care of her wonderful and exquisitely-made body.

Have an awesome day!

If you’re looking for ways to help your daughter be the best version of herself and grow in confidence, character, and faith be sure to check out our free video series, 3 Keys To Unlocking Your Daughter’s True Potential. Click here to watch.

Mama, you did it!

For those of you that signed on to be part of our summer reading challenge, you spent the last few weeks pouring into your daughter with intention and PURPOSE.

You committed to five weeks of faith, fun, and connection to five women who played an important part in God’s story. Great job!

In case you missed it, here’s a recap of what we we did over the last few weeks to spend some quality time with our girls.

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Throughout our lives, there will ups and downs. But no matter what we may be experiencing, God is there with us through it all. He’s always ready and willing to listen and guide us along our journey when we open our hearts to Him.

Draw near to God and He will Draw near to you

James 4:8

In the first week of our Summer Reading Challenge we share with our girls the first of their five superpowers: Prayer.

Pray Like Hannah

God wants to be close to your girl, and He’s waiting for her to come and talk to Him. It’s easy to turn away from God during those moments when all God is asking is for her to call upon Him.

When Hannah was treated harshly by Peninnah it would have been very easy for her to shut down, get angry, or try to handle the problem herself. Instead, she brought her feelings to God in prayer and told Him the truth from inside her own heart. And just as God heard Hannah’s prayer, He hears your girl’s prayers, too.

Every single one.

Maybe she never thought that much about it before. Think about it right now. She has the ability to talk to God, and He can hear everything she says. God, the Creator of the entire universe, listens when she talks to Him.

Open the Window: T-A-P

Remember, she can think of prayer like she’s opening a window. When it’s open, God is there on the other side, waiting to hear from her. Talk to your girl. Encourage her to remember to tap the window (T-A-P) and tell Him what’s on her mind.

T: THANK

The “T” in TAP stands for thank. God has given us many gifts, wonderful people, and special blessings. He has given us a beautiful world to live in and He takes care of our every need. Be sure to tell Him how happy and grateful you are for His love, protection, and grace. Thank Him for everything you can think of!

A: ASK

The “A” in TAP stands for ask. God has the answer to every single question you have. No matter if you are feeling sad, lonely, confused, or angry, you can ask Him anything. He is always listening, and He wants you to ask Him your questions.

P: PRAISE

The “P” in TAP stands for praise. God made this entire world and everything in it (Psalm 89:11): everything we can see, touch, hear, smell, and taste. He is awesome and mighty and powerful, so celebrate and tell Him so! You can be happy and excited that God is who He is. He is loving, faithful, and worthy of our praise.

Here’s an Activity to Try with Your Daughter

Make your very own prayer window! Create one from scratch by decorating a cardboard cutout, or use one made of real wood that’s been repurposed. Paint it, decoupage it, bedazzle it… be creative!

Add pictures and words to remind you of reasons you want to say “thank you” to God.

Patient Like Esther

Have you ever done something before really thinking it through?

Sometimes we make quick decisions based on fear. A lot of the time, people don’t pause or prepare their hearts before making a choice. They jump in before taking enough time to pray, think, or ask God for help.

In week 2 of our Summer Reading Challenge we share with our girls the super power of patience.

Having patience means taking time alone with God to allow Him to share something with us, instead of rushing in to make a decision too quickly. God says to be still. When we’re still, sitting quietly and without anything there to distract us, it gives us a chance to hear what God wants to tell us.

Exodus 14:14 The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still. 

The Bible says that when we choose to wait on the Lord, taking time to properly prepare before making choices, He gives us the power and strength we need so that we can make the best choice at the right time.

Sometimes our timing is not same as God’s timing, but God’s timing is always perfect. God knows and has planned every detail of our lives. We can trust His plan!

Activity: Make your very own patience clock! Create one from scratch by decorating a cardboard cutout, or build one out of materials you have at home (Moms, there are some awesome examples on Pinterest). Paint it, decorate it, dress it up…be creative! Add pictures and words that will help you to remember to “wait on the Lord,”and that His timing is perfect.

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Have you ever been so scared or nervous that it was hard to do something?

Did it feel like you were frozen, or like time was standing still? Have you ever felt like you knew the right thing to do, but you couldn’t do it because something was holding you back?

In the third week of our Summer Reading Challenge we learn about the superpower of Bravery from our Belle, Abigail. (Read 1 Samuel 25)

Abigail was faced with a difficult and dangerous choice. It would have been very easy for her to ignore the problem or be too scared to do anything about it. Instead, Abigail remembered that God was with her. She thought about how to protect her family and show David respect and kindness at the same time.

Brave Like Abigail

Bravery is a feeling of confidence and strength, even when you are faced with trouble or danger. During those times, it’s easy to forget that God is bigger than our problems.

Psalm 27:1-3 The Lord is my light and my salvation-whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life- of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked advance against me to devour me, it is my enemies and my foes who will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then I will be confident. 

The Lord Is My Strength And My SHIELD

When we find ourselves in scary or uncomfortable situations, or when we feel like we’re alone in the dark, we need to remember that God is with us. He is our light. Bravery isn’t about overcoming our fears alone. It’s about remembering how strong and powerful God is. When we remember that, we realize that there is absolutely nothing to fear.

S- Shoulders back

H- Head high

I- Imagine God right next to you

E- Eyes forward

L- Listen with an open heart

D- Decide how best to show love and kindness.

Here’s an Activity to Try with Your Daughter

Draw and color a shield as a reminder that God is always right beside you, protecting you from harm. (There’s a printable coloring sheet on Day 4 in the Devotional).

Loyal Like Ruth

In the fourth week of our Summer Reading Challenge we share with our girls the superpower of loyalty.

Loyalty is showing love and genuine kindness towards others, despite how you may be feeling. It means loving others faithfully, without waiting or wanting something in return. This isn’t always easy to do, especially when we are feeling hurt or betrayed, but the story of Ruth (Read Ruth 1) teaches us how to be a loyal friend and show up fully for the people in our lives.

Dear children, let’s not say that we love each other. Let us show our love with our actions.

1 John 3:18

Think back to the last time someone hurt your feelings. Maybe it was during an argument or misunderstanding. How did you feel?

In these moments it’s easier to lash out and react to our emotions rather than remaining calm, collected, and rooted in kindness, love, and loyalty.

When you find yourself in a situation where it feels hard to love someone, remember that God is love. He is the best place to go when you need help loving the people around you.

Here’s an Activity to Try with Your Daughter

On a piece of paper, make two columns. Have her think about the people she knows (family, friends, classmates, teammates etc.). In the first column, make a list of people she thinks are easy to love. In other words, it wouldn’t be difficult to be kind to these people. It would take a little bit of effort and a little heart. In the second column, make a list of people in her life who are a little harder to love. Once she has some names written down, encourage her to spend some time thinking and praying out loud with you. Ask God together to change her heart for these people. Ask Him to make her heart bigger for the people in the second column.

We are in our final week of the Summer Reading Challenge. Over the last four weeks we have been encouraging our girls to ignite their superpowers: Prayer, Patience, Bravery, and Loyalty.

This week we explore our fifth and final superpower: Leadership.

Lead Like Deborah

The story of Deborah (Read Judges 4) is an example of how God wants us to use our superpowers to serve Him and others as a leader. As a judge, Deborah solved disagreements, gave people good advice, and encouraged them to love God and discover their authentic voice and unique purpose in the world. Because of her faith, strength, and character, God placed Deborah in a position to lead His people into battle and win a great victory!

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also the interests of others. 

Philippians 2:3-4

Just like Deborah, God has chosen each and every one of us to be a leader as well.

What is a Leader?

Leadership is more than being in charge or telling people what to do. It doesn’t only mean doing the work God wants you to do. Being a good leader also means encouraging the people around you to do the same. The word leader literally means, “to put courage in” others.

Action Step

Recall a time you were struggling and someone encouraged you.

Discuss the following with your girl:

• What were you facing?
• What did the person say?
• What did the person do?
• How did it make you feel?

Pray together and ask God to grow your desire and skill to encourage others in both words and actions.

Let Her Noise Be H.E.A.R.D

This marks the finale of our Summer Reading Challenge! Your little Belle has earned all five bells: The bell of prayer, patience, bravery, loyalty, and leadership.

As a reminder of her superpowers help your girl make her very own HEARD bracelet with yarn, string, cord, craft foam, or whatever other fun material you prefer. Be creative! Use beads, jewels, charms, letters, and more!Be sure to add the initials of each Bible Belle (“H” for Hannah, “E” for Esther, “A” for Abigail, “R” for Ruth, and “D” for Deborah). Wear your HEARD bracelet as a reminder that, like the Bible Belles, God gave her a powerful voice. He wants that voice to be heard out in the world!

Trust your own voice.

I stared at those words as they sat on a page of loose-leaf paper next to my computer. I remember scribbling them furiously as my editor was explaining how to approach my newest writing project.

The author in me received her advice and encouragement.

The mom in me pulled back a bit.

A few hours later, I was staring at my little girl. This was a few years back, so her sweet, 3-year-old self was trying desperately to read the book she had open on the floor of her bedroom.

She tried to remember out loud which sounds went with what letters. The words stumbled as they left her lips. I watched and listened.

She’s older now, and that little voice is still music to my ears.

She’s 5 now. Whenever I catch myself listening to her speak, or sing, I’m reminded that she’s developing a voice that goes beyond simple sound production.

She’s young. She is impressionable. And every day presents real opportunities for her to grow and build the voice she’ll use to make her unique impression on the world.

Will that sweet voice speak the truth?

Will it become strong and powerful?

Will it ring, filled with love and compassion?

Or will it echo the noise of a culture that tells her to care more about herself than others?

The world has a lot to tell our girls about what they should do and who they should be.

The world is wrong, and at times it sure is loud.

Will she use her life and her voice to make a different kind of noise?

Virtues training.

Values education.

Whatever we want to call it, developing a girl’s character is no easy undertaking in today’s world. And no matter what stage or season she’s in, at times the responsibility of guiding her can feel like both a great honor and a heavy burden.

If you want your girl to grow, I mean REALLY grow, surround her with women who have the character you want to instill in her.

Challenge: Give your girl the opportunity to interact with women whose character you would be proud to have her emulate. Use the next few weeks to create opportunities for her to learn from these women and grow in character and confidence.

Action Step: Swap screen time for five weeks of intentional character training. Join us for a 5 week reading challenge that’s both fun and faith-building!

The only thing you need is our digital devotional bundle and to set aside a little time each day to connect with your girl and do the daily reading/activity. We’ll take care of the rest!

It’s going to be a fun and simple way to encourage your girl to read and lead!

Remember, Mama, it is in your home, on your lap, and at your kitchen table that you will fight the battle for her character.

Take 5 weeks to show her that leadership isn’t just about learning to trust the voice inside.

It’s about building in her a voice that is worthy of trust.

Order your copy of the devotional here.

Do yourself a favor. Don’t put it off.

Fill out the form and join us!