Mom Seriously

Wrap Up in Hope: Purchase a Quilt to Support the Rescue1 Home

2013-09-11T18:57:00.001-05:00

Handmade King Size Quilt -- $275 Shipped from Thailand

Don't you just love handmade quilts? I have several that my great-grandmother made. They speak to me of my mother's people, a hard-working heritage of sharecroppers and coal miners. When I wrap up in that quilt, I study the even, hand-sewn stitches and the color patterns, and I feel the strength of a woman who was the backbone of her family.

The quilt you see pictured above was made by the girls in one of the Rescue1 Homes of Refuge in Thailand. It is a beautiful, large king size quilt. These girls who have been rescued from a victim's life of despair are learning how to make something beautiful. They sell these quilts and all the proceeds go to support the home of 76 children, all rescued from a life in human trafficking. This is a handmade quilt made by the girls at one of the homes in Thailand. It is a large king size quilt and it is beautiful. They make them to raise support for their home of 76 children. There were two for sale earlier this week, and now there is just one.

Would you like to wrap up in this? When you do, you can feel the strength of these girls who have been given a chance to live a life free from the horrors of trafficking, and you can know that you are making a difference.

Drop me an email ASAP ( 2rebeccapowell [at] gmail [dot] com and I'll send you details for purchasing.

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Don't Miss the Mission!

2013-09-09T08:00:00.000-05:00

As Christians, we live every day on the mission field. My husband is currently on a mission trip serving with Rescue1 in Thailand. He is doing very concentrated, focused work on the mission field there, and he promised to write some blog posts to let people get a look at what he's doing and what Rescue1 does meeting the needs of orphans in several different group homes. I love that the first post he has written speaks to the fact that the mission field is anywhere our feet are. God is always faithful to provide us with opportunities to serve Him and minister to others--if we are ready to see them.

* * * * *

My first missed opportunity was at the airport waiting on team members to arrive. A gentleman asked about my Rescue1 shirt. I responded with a polite, quick answer and continued to busily prepare my paperwork. I realized later that he had lingered, wanting to talk, and I had missed the opportunity.

The second missed chance to minister was basically the same. I got that familiar check in my spirit, that question God has to ask me far to often: Are you going to do your work or Mine? Thankfully, I did not leave the Nashville airport before He had my attention. The next opportunity was to come soon.

As we were ready to roll down the runway for our 12 hour flight to Tokyo, the flight attendant came and asked if I would like to get out of the middle seat and take an an aisle seat for the trip. Of course I would! My new seat was next to a 21-year-old Navy man who was leaving for a 3 year tour of duty in Guam. As we talked, he shared that he was engaged and that he and his fiancée were expecting. To further add to his plate, he felt he would be re-routed to the Middle East very quickly, as tensions there are mounting. Off and on for 12 hours, God allowed me to sprinkle His love and grace on this young man. I asked God for His ears to hear and His words to encourage the young man to understand the love of Jesus. No preaching--mostly listening--and sowing seeds.

I left him with a prayer and my card in case he ever wants or needs to talk. As we exited the plane, I was thanking God for another chance to serve and to leave the results to the Holy Spirit.

* * * * *

What an adventure! Would you pray today for this young man and his situation? Pray that his heart would be open to God continuing to work in his life. If you've ever missed an opportunity to share your faith with someone, be reminded that another chance will come along soon. Ask God to help you to be ready to serve.

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Rescue1 Rodeo: What One Church Did About Human Trafficking (Video)

2013-09-05T08:00:00.000-05:00

With 27 million people enslaved in the world today, how can you make a difference? You can care enough to do something...

Recently I had the privilege of working with my husband at the Rescue1 Rodeo in Jemison, AL (close to Birmingham), sponsored by the Amazing Grace Worship Center. It was literally my first rodeo, and it was so much fun--but the best part was that Amazing Grace WC raised tens of thousands of dollars for Rescue1, a ministry that is seeking to end human trafficking by raising awareness, by rescuing children in Asia from the sex traffic industry, and by rescuing women and children right here in the US who are being trafficked.

This rodeo came about because the Amazing Grace WC had a group of ladies who heard about what Rescue1 was doing, and they just decided to do something to help. They simply asked the Lord, What can we do? And then they did it.

Surrendered hearts, willing hands, and the audacity to believe that you can make a difference--that's what it takes to change the world.

The church raised over $25,000 at last year's rodeo, and this year's rodeo was blessed to more than double that amount! With 270 children being served in Thai orphanages, and many more who need a home, a hope, and a future, it is incredible to think of what can be accomplished with these monies. Below is a video clip from the local CBS TV station there in Birmingham. You'll see my husband Rich and with him is Genia Blankenship, the first lady of Amazing Grace WC.

Those stats blow your mind, don't they? Here they are again:

300-400,000 American children introduced into the trafficking industry each year
$32 Billion in profit generated each year
The world's third largest illegal market (fast becoming the second largest)
27 million people enslaved
80% of all trafficking is sex trafficking
12 - 13 years old is the average age of entry into the sex trafficking industry (both boys and girls)

My husband and I got to talk with a lot of people at the rodeo, sharing these stats with any who would listen. Many conversations were with people who had no idea that this kind of thing is going on. And when they wrap their heads around the fact that it goes on overseas, they are literally stunned to find out that it is going on right here at home. But it is. One lady we talked to became physically ill as we spoke with her. She understood prostitution but she had no idea that millions of women and children are being trafficked against their will. "I want to know more, and I want to know what God might be asking me to do now that I know this," she said, "but right now I am getting physically sick over it. It will take me a while to process this."

I know how she feels. Who wants to believe this? Who wants to wrap their heads around the truly dark, evil world we live in? Who wants to think of children as young as 3 and 4 being used for such evil, ugly purposes?

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." Edmund Burke

When you look at this huge, gargantuan problem--and when you understand that Americans are the #1 consumers of sex trafficking--it does make you sick. But then, after you process, it should also make you want to do something about it.

At the Rescue1 Rodeo with my favorite cowboy!

My husband is traveling in Thailand with Rescue1 over the next couple of weeks, and he'll be guest posting right here on Mom Seriously so you can learn more about Rescue1 and the world-wide problem of human trafficking. Follow me on Twitter and I'll let you know when his posts are up.

Visit the Rescue1 website to learn more.

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5 Tips for First Time ACT Test Takers

2013-09-03T08:00:00.000-05:00

Do you have a student taking the ACT test for the first time? There's no reason to stress when you learn these five tips for first time ACT test takers...

If you have a son or daughter taking the ACT college test for the first time this month, congratulations! You've come a long way! Don't let this college entrance exam make you or your child nervous. There's no need to stress and here's why: they are going to be taking it again. Yes--really. The ACT is not a one-time test--so don't look at it like it's a make-it-or-break-it kind of deal. That's why any student taking it for the first time can relax. The first time is the one and only time you should take it cold.

5 Tips for Taking the ACT for the First Time
Check out these 5 tips for taking the ACT for the first time from my son David, who created the ACT College Test website full of test prep tips and strategies. Talk these over with your test taker--and breathe!

Don't Study. Yep, you read that right. The first time you take the ACT test, you shouldn't study. In fact, you shouldn't prepare at all beyond a look at this list of the 21 Best ACT Tips (and a good night's sleep). What you're going for with this first time is to get a baseline--a where-I-stand-now score so you'll know what and how you should study next time.

Do Choose Your ACT testing site carefully. You're going to take the ACT again. Oh, believe me. You will. So, keeping that in mind, be sure that you choose carefully the testing site location. One of the best ways to insure that you get a higher score each time you take the test is by sticking with the same test site. It's one less thing to worry about. When you're familiar with the test location, you're going to be more relaxed and that makes for a higher score the second time around.

Do Eat Breakfast. It's a long test, okay? And no one around you will be able to function if your stomach is a growling distraction. Even if it's only a blueberry muffin (blueberries are great brain fuel) or a protein shake, your brain will think better when your stomach isn't empty.

Do Plan Ahead. Plan now for the next test date. Schedule it. Pay for it. When you walk in to your first stab at the ACT, you'll be much more relaxed knowing that the next test date has already been scheduled. Consider this your practice test. No matter how well you do on this first try, you are guaranteed to do better the second time you take it. With that in mind, the pressure's off.

Do Take Your Time. Go at a natural pace as you take the test. Keep track mentally of what parts you finished, what sections you almost finished, what you didn't finish, and what you almost didn't finish. Part of the strategy behind the ACT is just knowing how much time you have for each portion, and disciplining yourself to answer the questions within that framework. Knowing where you need to speed up, and where you have time to go back and check your answers, will help you when you take the ACT next time.

BONUS TIP: Make sure you know the answer to this all-important ACT test question.

Sharpen your No. 2 pencils and get to know the ACT test the first time you take it. Next time, things will be totally different!

Visit David's website, ACT College Test Prep, and find lots of information on strategies for taking the ACT test and getting the best score possible!

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Devotions for New Moms | Baby Boot Camp through the Years

2013-08-30T08:00:00.000-05:00

This month I celebrate 13 years since my devotional book for new moms, Baby Boot Camp, was published. I'm excited to take a few minutes to celebrate the book--and the fact that now Baby Boot Camp is available in Spanish!

My Book of Devotions for New Moms

"You wrote Baby Boot Camp! Oh, let me hug your neck!" Often I will meet ladies who read my very first book, Baby Boot Camp, and every time I do, it's a thrill. They never fail to bring me to tears as they tell me how much it meant to them to have a devotional book for new moms to carry them through those first few weeks with a new baby.

Aren't those some of the hardest weeks of your life? If you're a mom, you know those first weeks with a new baby are challenging in ways you could have never imagined.

:: Order Baby Boot Camp: Basic Training for the First Six Weeks of Motherhood

Spanish Devotions for New Moms

I'm especially excited that Baby Boot Camp is now available in a Spanish edition. It thrills me to see this new mom's devotion being given new life with a new voice that can further women's ministry to Hispanic new moms.

:: If you know a Spanish-speaking new mom, reach out to her with a copy of Mi Bebe las Primeras Seis Semanas.

Classic Baby Boot Camp: The First Edition (Pink Baby Boot Camp)

Do you have a pink copy of Baby Boot Camp? That was my very first, self-published edition of the book. What an exciting journey that was with the Lord, for my whole family! Recently I got to see my dear friend Lynnae Hall, who posed with her newborn son, Hampton for that first cover. She is as lovely as ever.

For Baby Boot Camp to be 13 years old--Wow! It really seems incredible to me. When it was published, I was 33 years old, and my children were 8, 6, and 3. Read the story behind Baby Boot Camp here, and learn all the amazing circumstances that surrounded its publication.

If you're a Baby Boot Camp mom, I'd love to hear from you!

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My 18th Year of Homeschooling: Last Man Standing

2013-08-20T08:00:00.000-05:00

With two of three children graduated and out of the house, homeschooling looks a lot different this year. Now my youngest is the last man standing...

And then there was one.

And it happened really fast. Oh, it didn't seem so fast at the time. The days were long and full and sometimes frantic. There was always so much to do and so much that didn't get done and so much more that seemed to get pushed to the next day.

There were letters to learn and math facts to memorize and people to place on a history timeline.

There were stories--lots of stories--to read, to write, to tell, and to listen to.

There were breakfasts and snacks and lunch and snacks and dinner and snacks and dishes and baths and pj's and snuggles and laundry.

And if that is where you are today, enjoy it. Embrace it. Wring every drop of joy from those glorious "every day's" and rejoice that you get to do it. You get to be there. You get to watch it even thought you don't always see it because you are so caught up in it. You don't realize that the dominos are falling. It happens so fast and it is brilliant and miraculous and before you know it, you're down to one. Your youngest.

And he is taller than you. And so handsome. And very busy.

And that is exactly as it should be.

As I enter my 18th year of homeschooling, things might look a lot different from my first year, or my fifth, or even my tenth. But you know what it does look like? It looks like blessing. It looks like accomplishment. It looks like investments that paid off--deposits that earned interest--a harvest like no other! And while I'm the first to admit there have been plenty of tears as I have grieved the passing of one season to the next, there is a lot to look forward to this year with the last man standing. And I get to be here for it--wringing every drop of joy from these glorious "every day's."

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Photo Credit

Setting Up Your Homeschool Student for a Successful Post-High School Journey

2013-08-05T08:00:00.000-05:00

Over the years, I've enjoyed teaching many homeschooled high school students in writing and advanced writing classes. Every writing class that I've taught has included a research paper--but not just any research paper. I have my students do a career research paper. This is a semester-long project that includes researching a career through interviews, hands-on experiences, and lots of current Internet research. It never fails that there are students who become more determined than ever to pursue the career they chose to research. But sometimes, I will have students who encounter some unforeseen reality about their chosen career that causes them to veer off that path and onto something totally different. I'm always thankful when this happens, because in taking the time to do the research and talk to people, they are taking the time to make a wise choice regarding how they will spend their post high school years.

For example, Cal was a senior who was headed for the police academy. Then he researched what being a police officer was all about, including interviewing several men who were on the police force in our community. He had been excited about carrying a gun, but realized he wasn't so excited about having to use one. He soon decided he just wasn't wired for that kind of job. But he discovered he loved interviewing the officers and telling their stories. He changed his course and headed to get a degree in journalism.

Kellye wanted to be an emergency room nurse. When she was a child, her older brother had a severe accident and was rushed to the hospital. She remembered the ER as place where she felt safe and comforted. However, upon doing her research, she saw the ER in a different light. Being a nurse wasn't what she wanted to do at all. She wanted to be a social worker. Those were the people who had really helped her during her family's crisis.

When my son decided to pursue business, he needed to look at all aspects of it. He had a job that enabled him to learn how to be a great employee. After several months, he received a promotion, was moved to supervisor, and took on more responsibility overseeing a group of several people. Building his ACT test prep website gave him real life experience in learning how to manage his time, develop his web skills, and learn how to ask the right questions to learn from his mentors' life experiences. During his college summer internship, he learned more about business theories, skills, and strategies from people on the cutting edge of entrepreneurship--and he knew he loved it.

:: Learn how to plan a senior project and choose a senior project, and make your homeschool student's senior year unforgettable!

All this led to a new project of creating a business that will provide an income stream for him as he transitions into life as a college student. While I and others helped him navigate through his first website, with this new business, he's on his own, and he knows the importance of getting the word out.

Whatever your child chooses to take on, be sure that you have given him the tools to make a wise choice that fits him and his gifts. Then give him the time and space to do the research that will help him discover the reality behind the career he's interested in.

Homeschool Seniors | Choosing a Senior Project

2013-08-02T08:00:00.000-05:00

Choosing a senior project for your homeschool senior student can be a lot of fun. Keep in mind their talents, gifts, and abilities and encourage them to set goals to make their project a reality.

My entrepreneurial son set his sites on eCommerce when he began mapping out his senior project. It seemed like the perfect fit for a burgeoning business student who loves to write, and he had a lot of fun doing it.

Visit David's website, ACT College Test HERE. His site's topic? Tips for mastering the ACT.

After homeschooling for over 17 years, I can honestly say that while we had a great experience, and I'm confident that my kids didn't come up short socially or academically, there was one thing that was missing during those high school years: a guidance counselor. During that all-important senior year, and really all of high school, it would have been really nice to have had a person acting in the role of a guidance counselor to help us navigate through testing, scholarships, college apps, career decisions, and more. I relied heavily on my circle of homeschooling friends who helped me find my way through.

One thing I had learned from my daughter's senior year was that we should have started ACT testing as a sophomore. (Poor oldest child! Guinea pig of the family!) I also learned from her experience how truly valuable (read $$$$$) that score can be when it comes to earning scholarships. David took the ACT test a total of three times, and his top overall score was a 32. That put him in a place of opportunity: for summer programs, for merit/academic scholarships, and for federal scholarships as well. Preparing for the ACT is not that difficult--especially when you let him walk you through it with the tips and tricks that worked for him.

Choosing a Senior Project

When it comes to choosing a senior project, your child's senior project should look like something that he or she is interested in. If they are not excited about taking on this challenge, and if it's not something that they can have fun with, then redirect them to something that they will enjoy doing. It should be something that is career-oriented, something that helps them solidify what they are interested in pursuing through further education or something that want to jump into and pursue as soon as they graduate. Here are a few ideas:

Education. One homeschooled student I know started a children's performing arts camp. She planned out a two-week program for multi-age levels, secured a location, hired a staff, advertised, and took on the students. This experience and the paper she wrote about it was included with every college application she sent. [Please note, she spent her junior year planning this, and the summer before her senior year was when the camp took place. This way, she was able to put it on her college apps, which are due by the end of November, your child's senior year.]

Real estate license. In our state, you can get a real estate license when you're 18 years old.

Internships. Let your child spend the summer working for experience. Lots of places are glad to trade work for experience and a college recommendation letter. Try your local zoo, newspaper, museums, television station, or hospital.

Apprenticeships. If your child has no direction, give her two-weeks each with business people and other professionals that you know. Offer her a wide lens on career opportunities and let her narrow it down for herself.

Learn more about Planning a Senior Project HERE. Find out how you can set up your homeschooled high school student for success HERE.

New to Mom Seriously? Welcome! You'll find tons of great parenting articles, and homeschooling encouragement. Enjoy!

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Homeschool Seniors | Senior Year| Planning a Senior Project

2013-07-29T08:00:00.000-05:00

With a little planning, your homeschool student can experience a Gap Year as a senior. Having a year free of required courses offers flexibility and a head start on the future...

From the beginning of our homeschool journey, I always hoped that when my kids were seniors, they would have a year to explore different career fields, dual enroll, work, and generally have a Gap Year in which to pray, plan, and prepare for life after high school. I had a lot of ideas in mind for how this would look. Of course, for my daughter, who graduated in 2010, and my son, who just graduated this year, the Gap Year has looked nothing like what I imagined.

My daughter's senior year. My daughter was on the road with her band touring the southeast, playing at camps, clubs, and concert festivals. Her senior project: recording her third CD. She also took a songwriting class in downtown Nashville where her instructors were some legendary names in the business. It was a great year that literally set the stage for her first year of college and further prepared her for balancing her current life's roles as the worship pastor at Generation Church and the front woman for her band.

My older son's senior year. Like Danya, my son David took his Gap Year and piled as much into it as it could possibly hold. He's interested in all things business, primarily entrepreneurship. His Gap Year began with a Summers Scholars program at a university that was on his short list, then continued over the fall/spring with holding down a couple of part time jobs, dual enrolling at our local community college, taking on his own senior project (a website dedicated to helping others prepare for the ACT), and it's just now concluding with a summer internship at The Nashville Entrepreneurship Center.

What does it take to build in a Gap Year? If you want to build in the option of a Gap Year, there are a few things you can do now to prepare.

Know your state's requirements for high school credits. By taking two or three high school credit courses in 8th grade, then having a full class schedule for the 9th, 10th, and 11th grade years, you can easily have all your required courses and be able to plan a senior year of electives that go along with your child's senior project.
Look for tutors, internships, and instructors. Always know who your people resources are.
Prepare to step back. You have raised an adult. Let your student have this year to prepare to launch. Back off and let him have control of the schedule. Let him make the contacts and arrangements. Let him take responsibility for the details and deadlines of dual-enrollment classes.

In just another year, my youngest will be ready for his Gap Year. As I'm writing this, he's traveling home from a two-week tour along the east coast with his band. Who knows what God has prepared for him as that year approaches! One thing I know absolutely: The Lord has been all over the Gap Years that my kids have had, providing opportunities I could have never imagined (or manipulated). Make your child's senior year a matter of prayer, and trust that as he is preparing for launch, you are preparing to watch him soar!

Learn How to Choose a Senior Project HERE.
Be encouraged to Set Up Your Student for Post-High School Success HERE.

New to Mom Seriously? Welcome! You'll find tons of great parenting articles, and homeschooling encouragement. Enjoy!

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Pure In Heart is Coming to Cincinnati!

2013-02-28T09:00:00.000-06:00

There is a tremendous need for laying a biblical foundation of purity in the hearts of our young girls. They need to hear it from us, as parents and church leaders, before they hear what the world has to say about purity.

That's why the Pure In Heart Conference is geared for moms/grandmoms/mentors and girls ages 7 to 12. We talk to the girls about specific cultural lies that will sneak up and grab them by the throat--and for the older girls, especially, they've heard those lies already, and they've bought into them. We go in like Nehemiah and begin re-building the wall of God-centered thinking, re-claiming those tender hearts for the Lover of their souls, Christ Jesus!

We have a lot of fun with the girls, just talking about the fact that love, real love, comes from a pure heart (a heart that is undivided, sold out to Jesus), a clear conscience (living as unto Him, with a focused effort on positive, healthy relationships with friends and siblings), and a sincere faith (a faith that really looks like love in action!)

While the girls are in their break-out sessions, mothers and mentors are getting some girl talk of their own, with powerful speakers who don't mince words when it comes to getting over a broken past in order to present your daughter with an intact future. They talk about the hard stuff:

forgiving yourself
being determined to stand up against a raging, sin-sick culture, and
receiving the true worth and value that Christ offers.

And that's why, everywhere the conference has been held, it has sold out--with literally hundreds left on a waiting list. We're coming to First Baptist Church of Glen Este, in Batavia, Ohio (by Cincinnati) in April.
What would it take to get you and your daughter there?
What mountains must be moved for you to attend?
Consider yourself most cordially invited! I would love to see you there!

Guest Post on Faithful Provisions

2012-12-20T14:02:00.002-06:00

Who says the Christmas dinner blessing at your house? If you're looking for a special grace that you can say at the table this year, check out this Christmas poem along with tips for crafting your own special family prayer.

My dear grandfather always said the Christmas dinner blessing when I was growing up. He took his time, and as I child, I remember wishing he would get a move on! But my, the memories I have of those special holidays and the quiet peace that fell when that man prayed. I'm glad to remember my Pappaw today in this guest post on Faithful Provisions HERE.

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Guest Post Today on Faithful Provisions: A Bible Verse for Christmas

2012-11-23T16:00:00.000-06:00

I'm so excited today to be guest posting on my friend Kelly Hancock's blog, Faithful Provisions. I'm sharing my favorite Christmas Bible verse for this year, and it's not a traditional Scripture that you might immediately think about when it comes to a verse for your annual Christmas card--but I think you'll see why I'm favoring this verse this year. Head over to Faithful Provisions and take a look HERE...

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Top Ten List: The Advantages of a Virtual Event

2012-10-08T08:00:00.000-05:00

I'm so excited about my virtual speaking event tomorrow with Mommy Jammies Night. You'll find complete instructions HERE for how to join us and listen in. I'll be presenting a talk on middle schoolers with some great tips for parents, and you can listen in and even ask questions all from the privacy of your home, or Starbucks, or wherever you want to go with your laptop! This is a no-fuss event, friends, unlike all the packing and preparing that I normally do when I go to speak at a homeschool convention. In fact, I was able to think of so many advantages, I came up with a top ten list!

Things I don't have to worry about for Tuesday night:

10. Getting directions to the event, paying for gas and parking my humongous van (BIG savings!). You don't either! This event is totally FREE!

9. Setting up my booth. If you want to purchase any of my resource, just click on the items you see here on my website, or head over to Amazon.

8. Getting my roots done (I really should have last week...)

7. What to wear. The dress code for Mommy Jammies Night is pajamas! So come in whatever you want to lounge in. And don't feel like you have to go out and get new ones. ;)

6. The person in front of me going over the time limit for their session. This happens sometimes at homeschooling conventions because everyone has very important information to share...but we should start right on time for Mommy Jammies!

5. Forgetting my flash drive and having to race back to the convention hall to get it. Nope, I've got everything I need right here at my desk.

4. Having enough seats for everyone.

3. People in the audience looking at me funny. (If you do, it's okay--I'll never know!)

2. My feet hurting at the end of my talk.

1. And definitely, I won't have to worry about my van exploding on the way down.

:: Get all the details for how you can listen in live to Mommy Jammies Night HERE.

I hope you'll join me tomorrow night! "See" you there!

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Coming Up

2012-09-26T08:30:00.000-05:00

I'm excited to let you know about several things I have coming up this fall. In just a couple of weeks, I'll be the speaker for Mommy Jammies Night! I honestly can't promise that I will be in my jammes, people, but since it's not until 8pm my time, I can promise that I will be pretty relaxed.

Tuesday, October 9, 2012
8:00 pm CST / 9:00 pm EST
MOMMY JAMMIES NIGHT details

I'll be talking about middle schoolers and you don't even have to leave your laptop to join me! If you're thinking, Well, my child isn't in middle school yet, so this might not be the topic for me, then let me offer you this encouragement: You would rather be listening to a "how to" talk about middle schoolers than looking for a "what now" talk when they're older!

If you're in the Tampa area, a Pure In Heart Conference for Moms and Daughters is coming up in November!

Saturday, November 10, 2012
Idlewild Baptist Church
PURE IN HEART CONFERENCE details

This is a life-changing event for moms, daughters ( 7 years old - 12 years old), and grandmoms--so please make plans to attend. It's definitely time you want to spend preparing yourself and your daughter for the years ahead.

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Survivor

2012-09-21T08:00:00.000-05:00

Go HERE to view Karla's video on the Tennessee Oncology Website.

What a long road it has been for my precious sister-in-law and her family. But look at what it says on that picture: KARLA / BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR.

Those are sweet words, and I want you to hear and see her tell a little about her story in that short video, so please take a few minutes and do that. People ask me everywhere I go, "How's Karla?" So, I thought you might like to see for yourself. :)

Karla will be participating in the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk coming up on October 20th. If you would like to donate to the American Cancer Society, please visit her donation page HERE.

Enter to Win a Copy of Season of Change!

2012-04-06T08:00:00.002-05:00

Today you can enter to win a copy of my book for parents of middle schoolers: Season of Change. My friend Cheryl is offering FIVE copies of Season of Change in this giveaway--WOW!--that really increases your chances of winning!

Season of Change: Parenting Your Middle Schooler with Passion and Purpose is a book that really can't wait for you to read it. If you have children who are 8 years old and up, you'll want a copy to help prepare you for those middle school years.

Go HERE to get all the details!

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Guest Post at Faithful Provisions

2012-02-27T14:00:00.000-06:00

Hey Everyone,

Today I'm guest posting over at my friend Kelly's site, Faithful Provisions. Please head over there and check out my article, Easter Basket Ideas for Boys. I hope you'll find some ideas you can use!

Be sure to see all Kelly's great Easter Ideas while you're there! This is a great time of year for making memories with your kids!

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The Titus 2:1 Conference is Getting CLOSE!

2012-02-13T08:00:00.001-06:00

Have you purchased your ticket for the 2:1 Conference? Check out the line up of speakers. There are lots of names you'll know!
Christine Young of From Dates to Diapers
Heidi and Jay St. John of First Class Homeschool Ministries
Rachael Carmen of Apologia
Zan Tyler of Apologia
Amy Andrews, author of Tell Your Time
Amy Gross of MomsToolbox
Amy Roberts of Raising Arrows
Kendra and Andy Fletcher of The Mango Times
Angie Kauffman of Many Little Blessings
Belinda Bullard of A Blessed Heritage
Carisa Hinson of 1+1+1=1
Heather Laurie of Special Needs Homeschooling
Jennifer Janes of Jennifer Janes
Jolanthe Erb of Homeschool Creations
My friend Kris Bales of Weird, Unsocailzed Homeschoolers
Linda Difino of The Joyful Journey
Lisa Bertolini of The Homespun Life
Maggie Hogan of Bright Ideas Press
Stef Layton, creator of The Homeschool Village
Toni Anderson of The Happy Housewife

I will be there too, speaking on a topic that is close to my heart, our IDENTITY--as homeschooling parents, bloggers, and most importantly, our identity in Jesus Christ. I hope to see you there!

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EVENT CALENDAR 2012

2012-01-01T08:00:00.004-06:00

Monday, March 12, 2012
Homeschool Support Group
Cleveland, TN

Saturday, April 21, 2012
Pure In Heart Conference
Madison Church of Christ
Nashville, TN

Friday, April 27, 2012
2:1 Conference
Sterling, VA

Wednesday - Friday, May 9-11, 2012
Chicago Homeschool Expo
Tinley Park Convention Center
Chicago, IL

Thursday - Saturday, June 28-30, 2012
Alabama Homeschool Expo
Montgomery, AL

Thursday - Saturday, July 26-30, 2012
Southeast Homeschool Expo
Atlanta, GA

Saturday, November 10, 2012
Pure In Heart Conference
Tampa, FL

Rebecca's 2009 Event Schedule
Rebecca's 2010 Event Schedule
Rebecca's 2011 Event Schedule

Merry Christmas *VIDEO

2011-12-24T08:18:00.000-06:00

Get a FREE download of this song HERE.

Merry Christmas!

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Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-23T16:20:00.000-06:00

Hello Friends,

Some time around May, life seemed to get crazy. With Karla fighting cancer, new writing, editing, and speaking opportunities, and regularly crazy family life, time for blogging has not happened quite so much. To update, everything is going well for Karla. She has battled fiercely and will be having her surgery next week. She is in great spirits and continues to be an example to everyone of facing the opponent with courage, grace, and strength--unswervingly focused on victory.

In reflecting on the past several months and on this year in general, I find that Thanksgiving is a time to ask these questions (see my Thanksgiving post) once again. That article was written some years ago, but I find myself returning to these questions and pondering them anew every year.

Wherever you are in the journey, may you have a blessed Thanksgiving.

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Listen to My Heart

2011-10-31T08:00:00.003-05:00

New to Mom Seriously? Welcome! You'll find tons of great parenting articles, and homeschooling encouragement. Enjoy!

Sara and Justice (Photo courtesy: The Perry Family)

Friday, October 28, Sweet Baby Justice went Home to be with our Lord Jesus. I invite you to visit the Facebook page, Pray for Justice Micah Perry and read what his parents, Troy and Sara Perry, have written about this baby's 28-day lifetime. Read how Justice impacted so many lives with the Gospel.

Five years ago, when Troy and Sara's son Noah was born with a heart defect, these two Christ followers were quick to recognize that they were on a journey with choices to make: Live what you believe, or live as those who have no hope. In truth, we face that choice every day, but never more so than when we are in the midst of suffering. I wrote an article for ParentLife magazine that detailed this couple's journey then, and I'm sharing that with you today. Five years later, as they both grieve the loss and celebrate the life of Justice, they have once again made it their intent to bring glory to God. I ask that you say a prayer for this family as they bury Justice this week, and especially for Noah, five years old now, as he grieves for his baby brother.

The beeping drone of a heart monitor. The mechanical gulps of a ventilator puffing noisily on behalf of incompetent lungs. The brisk echoes of a nurse’s loafers rushing down the hall. This describes the sounds of the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) on a hospital floor dedicated to heart babies. But there is no way to describe the feelings. “Until you are a parent of a heart baby, you do not understand,” says Troy Perry, minister to youth at First Baptist Church in Madison, Tennessee. When his son, Noah, was born with the heart disease Tetralogy of Fallot, everybody asked why. Troy and his wife, Sara, seemed to be the perfect Christian couple. Why shouldn’t they have a perfect baby?

In 2004, Troy was a lay youth leader at Lindsay Lane Baptist Church in Athens, Alabama. He had only been a Christian for a year when he met Sara Stamps, but he knew how important it was to set an example for the youth in his ministry. On their first date, each knew the other was “the one.” They also knew that their first kiss would wait until their wedding day.

Before they met each other, both Troy and Sara had made a commitment to purity, a radical decision in a 21st century culture. There would be no intimacy, not even a kiss, until marriage. Confident their stand would glorify God and influence their observant teenagers, Troy and Sara took the utmost precautions to protect each other’s purity while they prepared for marriage.

Fast forward a year later. Sara is pregnant a month after the wedding! Troy immediately began praying for the baby. “I just prayed that people would be impacted by his life,” he says. “I didn’t care how.”

But when Sara was six months along, test results revealed the unthinkable: a heart defect. “The hardest part was telling our mothers,” Sara says. “We hurt so badly, but we knew we had to be strong for them, especially Troy’s mom.”

“When I was born I had a hole in my heart,” Troy explains. “I had to have two surgeries to have it fixed.” Troy’s brother, Lance, was born four years later with a more complicated heart ailment. He lived only two months. Yet doctors said that Noah’s heart defect was not passed to him genetically.

“We never stopped praying for God to heal Noah,” Sara notes. “But our ultimate prayer was, Whatever Your will is.”

“I guess we had the Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego prayer,” Troy adds, remembering the Old Testament story found in Daniel 3:8-18. “Our God can heal, and our God loves us. But even if He chooses not to heal, He still loves us. We surrendered to His power to give and take away.”

“We had one big cry, and after that, we turned our thoughts to, How can this be used to glorify God?” Sara shares.

When Noah was born, he was taken from Alabama to Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville. The doctors there elected to send Noah to the University of Michigan’s Mott Children’s Hospital for his surgery. Noah was life-flighted while Troy and Sara made the ten-hour drive. Both admit to initial feelings of anxiety and even fear, but they soon began to feel the prayers of family, friends, and even strangers.

“That peace enabled us to not worry about ourselves,” says Sara. “We knew everything was in God’s hands. It then became our mission to say, What can we do for somebody else? There were so many people around us who did not have that same peace.” Sara especially felt God’s personal touch on the morning of Noah’s surgery. “It was like God just opened the heavens and poured out an amazing shower of grace and love over me, and all I could do was praise Him.” Noah’s surgery was successful, and as he recuperated, the Perrys stayed busy serving others in the PICU.

Troy and Sara were careful to respect the needs of the hurting parents around them while seeking ways to share the hope of Christ. Every day they were in Michigan, Troy wore a Christian T-shirt. “That would open up doors,” he says. “People asked questions, such as, Why does your shirt say, ‘Jesus is my hero’?” He would answer with a brief explanation of the Gospel and his own personal testimony. He and Sara also had cards printed up listing Noah’s CarePage website and their cell phone numbers. They invited people to call or contact them with questions about Christianity.

Often, Troy began conversations with other parents by asking, “What are you in for?” Parents would easily open up to talk about the issues their children were facing, giving Troy an opportunity to ask, “When my wife and I have our prayer time together later, would you mind if we prayed for you and your family?” Often, people would want to pray right then and there.

Word began to spread throughout the hospital, and soon Troy and Sara found themselves on call as prayer warriors throughout the PICU, praying with many different families. Because Troy wanted to be real whenever he offered prayer, he explained to parents,
“I’m going to pray for your child to be healed, but if for some reason your child is not healed from this disease, still know that God loves you. Still know that God has a bigger plan for your child and for you.”

God put Troy and Sara in unique places to minister to the very people who were there to minister to them. They became involved in the personal lives of the hospital personnel, supporting some through broken marriages and other stressful situations. “Everyone there was open to some kind of comfort,” says Sara. The Perrys wanted to offer people the true comfort that comes only from Jesus Christ.

Noah will face a few more surgeries as he grows up. “When people ask me, ‘Why didn’t God heal Noah?’ I tell them, ‘God wasn’t finished,’” Sara says. “I share our story. We’ve had so much more of an opportunity to glorify Him and to see Him be glorified through Noah.”

First published in the December 2008 issue of ParentLife magazine.

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Please Pray for Justice Micah Perry

2011-10-19T15:43:00.000-05:00

Hey Everybody,

There has been a lot going on around here over the past couple of weeks. Karla was in the hospital (She is okay now, and I will write more about her latest journey soon), and also, our sweet baby cousin, Justice Micah Perry, was born a couple of weeks ago with many complications (see video below).

You've read about Justice's dad, Troy Perry, and his testimony on this blog. Troy and Sara (Rich's cousin) are two of my favorite people. I bet after watching this video (just click and it will take you straight to it), they will be two of your favorite people, too. Please pray for them, and pray for Justice Micah Perry.

WZTV FOX 17 :: Newsroom - Top Stories - EXCLUSIVE: Family Asks for Prayers as Infant Clings to Life

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Contacting Me

2011-10-10T21:59:00.000-05:00

Please feel free to contact me with questions and speaking inquiries at this email address:

2rebeccapowell (at) gmail (dot) com

I look forward to hearing from you!

Dr Lois Evans: "Invest in Your Kids"

2011-09-01T09:00:00.001-05:00

New to Mom Seriously? Welcome! You'll find tons of great parenting articles, and homeschooling encouragement. Enjoy!

One thing that makes my interview with Priscilla Shirer really special is that several years ago, I got to interview her mom, Dr. Lois Evans (wife of Dr. Tony Evans), author of Seasons of a Woman's Life. She shared with me her thoughts on motherhood, after having raised four kids and seeing them walk successfully in their relationships with God. There was so much wisdom in what she told me, and today, I want to share with you some of my notes from that interview.

"It is important to begin training your children early in establishing a daily devotional time. Use age-appropriate material. Start with an easy reader Bible, or even a Bible book of just pictures. Read to them. Talk to them. Sit with your kids around the table and teach them God’s Word. Eventually move them up to the next level of reading. Find Bible story books that you can share together. Once they have listened to a story, have them tell the story back to you. Integrate in their systems their need to be in God’s Word. For older children, start in the book of John. Tell them stories of God’s goodness in the lives of His people. You can even include your children in your devotional life. Start with one day a week, and move up from there. It is never too late to invest in your kids.

I realize child-rearing and the formative years seem long. It seems like you will never get out of this season in life, but you will. Today I am looking at my kids who are all in ministry. I was not a perfect parent—who is? We’ve got lots of stories of imperfection. But I’m grateful that I took the advice of people in my life and invested in this hard work, yes, in this long season of mothering."

Looking for Bible studies to help your middle schooler establish a daily quiet time? Check out Wise Up! and Get Real! for girls and Dig Deep for guys.

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