As we approach Father’s Day, our hearts turn toward the men who stand as the pillars of our homes. We know that being a Christian father in today’s world isn’t just a role—it’s a calling that requires immense spiritual fortitude, a “battle plan” for the family, and a daily reliance on the Holy Spirit. This year, give the fathers, husbands, and grandfathers in your life something that strengthens their hands and encourages their souls. We’ve curated a selection of resources designed to help the men we love lead with honor, pray with power, and walk firmly in their God-given identity.

Fatherhood carries both great responsibility and great influence. The words, prayers, and example of a godly man can shape the atmosphere of an entire home for generations to come. In a culture filled with noise, distraction, and confusion, many men are longing to lead their families well while remaining grounded in truth, wisdom, and humility. Encouragement matters. Support matters. Prayer matters.

Whether it’s through a meaningful devotional, a Bible-centered book, practical tools for spiritual growth, or simple reminders of God’s faithfulness, thoughtful gifts can help strengthen a man’s walk with the Lord in everyday life. More than ever, fathers need reminders that they are not alone in the weight they carry.

Motivation to Change

Everyone experiences symptoms of anxiety at some point in life. Your foot might tap as you sit in a lobby, waiting to interview for a job. Or perhaps you check your phone several times a day, waiting for important medical test results. All of these are normal symptoms in normal parts of life. This is stress. I also call this situational anxiety.

Situational anxiety is defined as normal levels of anxiety that come ­from stressful things happening in life. It arrives when life around us becomes overwhelming and is often referred to as stress. Situational anxiety is ­helpful anxiety because it motivates us to do things about our problems. 

Situational anxiety is normal. It makes sense. It’s the kind of anxiety in which most people would feel the same way. This happens when a person’s anxiety is caused by things outside their control. Situational anxiety fades when the problem goes away.

As a counselor, situational anxiety can be difficult to work with because I cannot change a client’s situation. Regardless, it’s important to know that situational anxiety—­stress—­is a normal, necessary part of life. It keeps us alert and motivates us to make changes.

As they walk across the stage, our graduates stand at a beautiful yet daunting crossroads. For our sons, daughters, and grandchildren, graduation isn’t just a ceremony. It is a “sending out” into a world that often challenges the very foundations we’ve worked so hard to build.

There is a quiet ache and a deep hope woven into this moment. We celebrate all they’ve accomplished, while knowing they are stepping into unfamiliar spaces where their faith will be tested, stretched, and ultimately strengthened. The routines that once surrounded them will shift, and the voices shaping their thoughts may grow louder and more persuasive. It is here, in this in-between, that what has been planted begins to take root in a more personal and enduring way.

As mothers and mentors, we know that the transition to “adulting” requires more than just a degree; it requires a spiritual compass and a heart rooted in God. This year, move beyond the temporary and gift the graduates in your life the tools they need to navigate their new independence with Kingdom wisdom, mental fortitude, and a deep-seated confidence in their identity as children of God.

Because long after the celebrations fade and the diplomas are framed, what will carry them forward is not what they achieved, but who they know they are—and the truth they choose to hold onto when everything else feels uncertain.

I personally have a bent toward quitting. I defined so much of my life around staying at the expense of my own peace that learning to quit felt like a reclamation of power.

And yet, quitting never really erases the weight of what was left undone. I’ve quit plenty of things, and I’ve learned that quitting comes with its own regrets. The relief of letting something go is often followed by the ache of wondering what might have been if I’d just held on a little longer.

Are You Exhausted?

We are tired of life knocking us down and having well-­meaning Scripture quoted over us. Let’s be honest: Being told to “just trust God and keep going” when we’re at our breaking point feels more like condemnation than encouragement. We don’t want to be inspired; we want to be understood.

While we are worn out from getting up again and again and again, we can’t afford to stay down. When I look back, I can’t help but see clearly that the very challenges that felt overwhelming in the moment were what built my ability to rise, even when it felt like doing so was punishment.

This Mother’s Day, we’re turning our hearts toward the books and journals that help us stay fearless and faithful. This list features everything from keepsake journals that capture a mother’s unique legacy to practical guides for finding self-compassion and rhythm in the daily grind.

In a season of life that often feels full, fast, and sometimes overwhelming, these pages offer a gentle invitation to slow down and reconnect with what matters most. They create space for quiet mornings with the Lord, for honest reflection, and for remembering that faithfulness is often found in the small, unseen moments.

Each selection is meant to encourage, uplift, and remind mothers that they are not alone in their calling. Through written prayers, thoughtful prompts, and truth-filled encouragement, these resources help anchor the heart in God’s promises. They serve not only as tools for growth, but as companions in the everyday journey of motherhood—pointing back, again and again, to grace, purpose, and the steady presence of Christ.

We’ve curated a list of our Mother’s Day favorites perfect for the mom who wants to deepen her prayer life, find self-compassion, and create a life rooted in Christ. Whether you’re shopping for yourself or another mom in your life, these resources are a beautiful way to celebrate a life lived for the Glory of God.

While researching mornings recently, I became obsessed with studying the morning rituals of historical figures, entrepreneurs, inventors, politicians, and artists. There’s a collective fascination with how successful people start their day, and how those first hours can affect a day, even a life.

I wanted to determine if it would be possible to duplicate their results by adhering to their rituals. 

Mindset of Choosing

What I discovered was something far simpler—and far more important—than I would have imagined. Many of the people I studied had adopted what I’ll call a “mindset of choosing.” They chose to believe that good was possible every morning. They chose to believe that good work could be done for the betterment of the world. For those of faith, they chose to believe that God had good plans for their lives, every morning. And they chose to believe that each new day offered a fresh start.

Take, for instance, Benjamin Franklin. His morning routine is perhaps the earliest recorded morning routine in US history—the beginning of the American obsession with doing mornings right. Franklin’s morning routine was less about structured habits and more about adopting this mindset of choosing.

Have you ever felt this way?

“I don’t really like my husband very much. He’s not . . . He doesn’t . . . He always . . .”

Or: “We just don’t seem to have fun anymore . . . Our marriage feels boring. I feel stuck. I don’t know what to do.”

If we are really honest, we must admit that we have all felt like this at different seasons!

HOWEVER

I need to realize that my husband probably feels the same way about me from time to time.

Perhaps it’s time to enliven our relationship.

Here are 8 ideas that might help put the spark back into your marriage:

1. Recognize that you are both sinful people.

Our default viewpoint is most likely something like: It’s your job to make me happy, to meet my needs.

Most often, we don’t even realize we are operating with this in mind. We must realize that no one person can make us happy, fulfill all our needs. It’s too easy to look to another person to meet needs that we should be looking first to God to meet.

It was a cold day in March of 2020 when I made a choice that would change my life. 

Shortly after the abuse had started, I emailed a local counseling center to book a session. 

That afternoon in March, I headed to a therapy session, dropping my girls off at my mom’s house on the way. I had been seeing my therapist, Heather, for a month now. I had done therapy before, but had never felt like it helped.

Determined to Make a Change

This time, I was determined that it would be different.

That day in March when I arrived and took a seat in the armchair, she looked at me and asked directly, “So, do you want me to ask you questions about your marriage, or do you think you can share on your own?”

Here we were. I knew why I was avoiding the topic.

I took a deep breath and began. I shared about my fear of his anger and how it had kept me silent all these years. My hands and voice shook as I told her about how he had been coming in at night when I was asleep and touching my body in ways I wasn’t comfortable with. 

When I finished, only five minutes remained in my session.

Heartbreak and rejection run deep. But God’s grace meets you there — and his power is being made perfect in your weakness, not despite it.

Sources of Heartbreak

I imagine you clicked on this blog post because you know a thing or two about heartbreak and disappointment. You know what it feels like to be left out, looked over, forgotten, or rejected. You know the sadness and shame that often come with realizing painful and perplexing patterns in your life. You know what it’s like for your heart to cry out into the void, Love me, choose me, see me, know me.

Maybe for you that cry is about true friendship. 

Or maybe that cry is about love or marriage.

Maybe for you, that cry is about the relationship you never had with your parents. 

Or maybe that cry is about a world you dream of being in. Like the arts. Or athletics. Or ministry.

The pain of heartbreak and rejection can carve deep grooves into how we see ourselves, what we believe is still possible, and what we think we deserve.

Give the gift of Jesus this Easter. Easter is the perfect time to share the hope and love found in Jesus’s sacrifice. Whether someone is young or old, new to faith or growing deeper in it, a meaningful book can open the door to powerful conversations.

Let this year be about sharing God’s loving sacrifice. We have collected 10 reads to inspire, encourage, and point hearts toward the Gospel. There is something uniquely tender about placing the right words in someone’s hands at the right moment. A book that points to the Gospel doesn’t just fill an afternoon — it has the potential to change a heart, spark a question, or quietly water a seed that’s been waiting for rain. That’s the kind of gift Easter calls us toward.

This year, instead of baskets full of things that fade, consider giving something that points to the everlasting life made possible through the resurrection of Christ. Whether you’re shopping for a curious child, a weary mama, a friend walking through doubt, or someone you’ve been praying for, there is something on this list for them.

Explore the list and find the perfect book to gift, or to enjoy yourself, as we celebrate the sacrifice that paid it all.