No Higher Calling

Clutter, Organizitaion, & Minimalism

As a mom of a lot of littles, I get asked often about how I manage the clutter and keep our home organized and tidy. My personality is to have everything decent and in order. I cannot funtion or find joy in a home that is drowning in stuff, messes, and dirt. On the other hand, having many little children means that messes are a part of our everyday life. So, how does one find balance? How do you juggle it all?

In this episode, I share some tips that have been helpful to our home in this area. 

 

Resources:

NHC YouTube: Kid's Bookshelf https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=womti80cqOo&t=637s

NHC YouTube: Natural Cleaning with Kids https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeJi_LPv34Q&t=18s 

NHC Podcast: Clean 15 with Sarah Boots https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/clean-15-with-sarah-boots/id1547126864?i=1000593962267

NHC Podcast: Cleaning with Littles https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/cleaning-with-littles/id1547126864?i=1000609275443 

 

Follow my  journey by subscribing to this podcast. You can also follow me on Instagram, YouTube, and www.nohighercalling.org

Thy Word Have I Hid In My Heart

Joshua 1:8 “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”

 

Motherhood is a sanctification journey. As I am trying to correct, instruct, and nurture the little hearts God's blessed me with, I'm learning that I must use the tools that He has provided. So often, I work out of my own strength wondering why my words seem to fall on deaf ears. The Holy Spirit has reminded me that it is His words that do not return void. Over the past year, I have sought to be intentional about commiting Scripture to memory. Not only has it helped me in my parenting, but it has helped me in my own relationship with the Lord. We need mamas who will desire that His Word will not depart out of their mouths, who will meditate therein day and night!

Hear some practical ideas for how I am memorizing Scripture myself and how I am helping my children to hide God's Word in their hearts. 

 

Scriptures Referenced:

Deuteronomy 6:8

Joshua 1:8

Psalm 40:8; 119:16

Proverbs 6:21; 15:1

Ephesians 6:12

Philippians 4:8

II Timothy 3:16-17

 

Resources:

NHC Podcast: Saturating Our Homes with God's Word with Erin Bates Paine https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-46-saturating-our-homes-with-god-s-word-with-erin/id1547126864?i=1000538562720 

Scripture Memory Resources https://www.chadanderin.com/store/

Wise Words for Moms Pamphlet by Ginger Hubbard https://www.gingerhubbard.com/products/wise-words-for-moms 

Scripture Meditations by Erin Bates Paine https://www.chadanderin.com/product/scripture-meditations-2-disc/ 

 

Follow my  journey by subscribing to this podcast. You can also follow me on Instagram, YouTube, and www.nohighercalling.org

Pregnancy After Miscarriage

The topic of pregnancy after miscarriage is one that is rarely addressed. Maybe because it is often interwoven with deep grief and conflicting emotions. The Lord blessed Simeon and I with 3 babies, then we lost a baby in 2021. Since that loss, God has blessed us with 2 more babies. We are so grateful for every life He's entrusted to our care, whether it was for days or years. 

Pregnancy after miscarriage is different from pregnancy without experiencing loss. I have to battle doubts, fears, and emotions that I never dealt with in my first three pregnancies. A part of my heart wants to scream, "It's not fair!" But the reality is, we live in a broken, sin-cursed world and death is a part of the brokeness. Satan wants to keep my heart focused on my lack of control and his lies against God's character and promises. I have to fight to keep truth on the throne of my heart. But God gives victory! In Him, we find hope, joy, and a perfect peace that casts out all fear.

In this episode, I share my personal struggles with pregnancy after miscarriage and what God is teaching me about His character and love in the midst of my greatest joys and my greatest sorrows.

 

Scriptures Referenced:

Psalm 34:18; 94:19

Isaiah 26:3

Jeremiah 29:11

Mark 9:23-24

Romans 8:26

II Corinthians 10:5

I Thessalonians 4:13

 

Follow my  journey by subscribing to this podcast. You can also follow me on Instagram, YouTube, and www.nohighercalling.org

Psalm 23~ Thy Rod and Thy Staff, They Comfort Me

Psalm 23:4 "thy rod and thy staff they comfort me."

Psalm 23 is all about our present Shepherd. He is with us! Praise God for His faithful, constant presence in our lives. In this episode, we discuss the Shepherd, our protector, and how He uses the rod and staff as tools of His protection. Just as as shepherd uses the rod and staff for the care of his sheep, our great Shepherd uses the rod (God's Word) and the staff (the Holy Spirit) to keep us under His wing of safety and security.

 

Scriptures Referenced:

Psalm 23; 139:23-24

Hebrews 12:6

 

Resources:

Enjoying the Journey Podcast Series: The Shepherd in the Shadows with Evangelist Scott Pauley https://enjoyingthejourney.org/series_title/the-shepherd-in-the-shadows/ 

NHC Podcast: Guiding Our Kids to the Shepherd with Katie Davidson https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-13-guiding-our-kids-to-the-shepherd-with-katie-davidson/id1547126864?i=1000514400888 

A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by W Phillip Keller: https://amzn.to/3CJZGid 

The Heart of the Shepherd by Stephen Chappell: https://amzn.to/3Sh6B8R

 

If you do not know Christ as your Shepherd, email me at nohighercallingpodcast@gmail.com. I'd love nothing more than to share how Jesus Christ can be your Savior.

 

Follow my  journey by subscribing to this podcast. You can also follow me on Instagram, YouTube, and www.nohighercalling.org

A Most Important Prayer Request

Prayer is one of the most powerful tools God has given us for every aspect of life, but especially when it comes to parenting. The most important prayer request we can intercede for on the behalf of our children is for their salvation and relationship with the Lord. The next most important, I believe, is praying for your child's future spouse. So much of what their future will look like will be directly connected with the person they marry. 

In this episode, I challenge mothers to pray for their child's future spouse. We take it a step further giving the challenge to also pray for the parents of your child's future spouse. If you are anything like me, you need the power of the Holy Spirit and divine wisdom to raise your children for Christ. So do the parents who are raising your future daugther or son-in-law! What a powerful thing it would be to meet them one day, and be able to say that you've spent decades praying for them! 

 

Scriptures Referenced:

II Corinthians 6:14

I Thessalonians 5:16

 

Resources Referenced:

Head to Toe Prayer Journal: https://nohighercalling.org/product/head-to-toe-prayer-journal/ 

 

Follow my  journey by subscribing to this podcast. You can also follow me on Instagram, YouTube, and www.nohighercalling.org

Mothering the Strong-Willed Child with Sarah Boots

Motherhood is sanctifying work, and mothering a strong-willed child is extra sanctifying! The challenges parenting this personality type brings can lead a mother to feeling isolated, frustrated, and exhausted. What are we to do when everything we try doesn't work? How can we find hope in the midst of tantrums and attitudes?

Sarah Boots from Altogether Lovely Collective joins me to share how God is helping her grow in this area. This episode is less about the strong-willed child, and more about the mother who's been gifted that unique life. God promises to give us wisdom when we ask it of Him. Claim His promise and find strength to believe forward into the life of your child, seeing the potential that God has for them! 

 

Scriptures Referenced:

Galatians 6:9

 

Resources:

Altogether Lovely Collective Blog: Mothering the Strong-Willed Child https://altogetherlovelycollective.com/blog/mothering-the-strong-willed-child 

Altogether Lovely Collective https://altogetherlovelycollective.com/ 

Altogether Lovely Collective Instagram https://www.instagram.com/altogetherlovely.co/ 

 

Follow my  journey by subscribing to this podcast. You can also follow me on Instagram, YouTube, and www.nohighercalling.org

Homeschooling with Toddlers & Babies

Homeschooling with toddlers and babies is no joke! Yet there will be endless opportunities for laughter and fun! A question I get often is, "How do you manage homeschooling your older children while juggling having a toddler and baby under foot?" 

In this episode, I share practical advice on how we've structured our school days to best fit the season of life our family is in right now. I also share ways that I keep my toddler and baby entertained and involved in what we are learning. 

Not every day looks like what I picture and some days I cling to the promise that "His mercies are new every morning", but this life is a true joy! It is the greatest priviledge to get to teach my children at home and have our whole family involved in a lifestyle of learning (toddler and baby included)!

 

Resources:

NHC YouTube: Our Favorite Activities and Resources for the Kids https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=womti80cqOo&t=106s 

Grocery Sort & Play Book (PaperPie) https://paperpie.com/p/9902/grocery-day-sort-play 

NHC Podcast: Encouraging Your Children to Enjoy Books https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/encouraging-your-children-to-love-books/id1547126864?i=1000612612054 

Children of Character Cards https://nohighercalling.org/product/children-of-character-cards/ 

NHC Podcast: Establishing a Quite Time Routine https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-119-establishing-a-quiet-time/id1547126864?i=1000587712462 

 

Follow my  journey by subscribing to this podcast. You can also follow me on Instagram, YouTube, and www.nohighercalling.org

Current Homeschool Curriculum & Resource Choices

The Australian school year begins in January, so we are right in the middle of a fantastic homeschool year. But, I know all my friends in the US are back-to-school! I thought it'd be fun to share a glimpse into our homeschool days and the curriculum line-up we have for the next semester. Researching curriculum is a geeky hobby of mine; it's been so fun to come up with these resources, unit studies, and curriculum choices!

 

Resources:

NHC Blog: Curriculum Line-up for Fall/Winter 2023 https://nohighercalling.org/curriculum-line-up-for-fall-winter-2023/ 

The Four-Hour School Day by Durenda Wilson https://amzn.to/3ONO6cl 

NHC Podcast: Clean 15 with Sarah Boots https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/clean-15-with-sarah-boots/id1547126864?i=1000593962267

NHC Podcast: Cleaning with Littles https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/cleaning-with-littles/id1547126864?i=1000609275443 

 

Follow my  journey by subscribing to this podcast. You can also follow me on Instagram, YouTube, and www.nohighercalling.org

Homeschooling & Discipleship

For the next three episodes of the podcast, we'll be chatting about homeschooling! This is a huge part of our lives, and it is something and Simeon and I are very passionate about.

The goal of education is so much more than academic success. Our goal for the education of our children is to introduce them to God, allowing them to know God better. As they learn of Him, we learn about the world He created (science, history, literature) and the order He instilled in the world (math, languages, civics). Home is the ideal place to invest in this calling of discipleship and learning. Home is where we can lay the foundation of what real like looks like and how to accomplish real life skills. You do not have to homeschool to emphasize those things, but homeschooling does give margin for more time and opportunities to train.

Simeon and I share our hearts, and why we believe that home education is the best choice for our family. If you are on the fence about school choices, or maybe you've never thought and prayed through the decision, we hope that this episode will give you some great conversation and prayer points!

 

Outline of biblical reasons why we have chosen home education (taken from the list in the the Clarkson's book)

-Homeschooling allows the greatest opportunity for emphasizing the Word of God in a child's life 

II Tim 3:16-17; Heb 4:12-13; I Thess 2:13

 

-Homeschooling allows the greatest opportunity for strategic discipleship influence in a child's life

Luke 6:10; Matthew 28:18-20; Col 2:6-7; II Tim 2:2

 

-Homeschooling provides the best setting for dynamic learning through exposure to real-life experiences

James 1:2-4; Proverbs

 

-Homeschooling provides the best setting for discovering and developing spiritual gifts and personal skills and talents

I Pet 4:10-11; Col 3:17; II Tim 1:6-7

 

-Homeschooling is the best way to live out the biblical picture of walking with your children on God's path of life until they walk it on their own

Proverbs 4:1-19; John 14:6; Eph 5:1-2

 

Scriptures Referenced:

Deuteronomy 6:7-9

Mark 3:13-15

I Corinthians 11:1

II Timothy 1:5

 

Resources:

Educating the Wholehearted Child by Clay & Sally Clarkson https://amzn.to/3DMy5Nb 

General Order Four (discipleship podcast) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/general-order-4-podcast/id1529928237 

NHC Podcast: Parenting & Discipleship https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-38-parenting-and-discipleship/id1547126864?i=1000534090284 

 

Follow my  journey by subscribing to this podcast. You can also follow me on Instagram, YouTube, and www.nohighercalling.org

Pregnancy Q & A

I can hardly believe we are at the halfway point of my pregnancy with baby #5! We could not be more delighted about this new addition to our family. In this episode, I answer listeners questions about the baby & pregnancy.

-When's the due date?

-Will we find out baby's gender?

-Will baby be an Australian citizen?

-What is my birth plan?

And more!!

 

This podcast was recorded live for the NHC YouTube Channel. You can watch the q&a here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QX_hxph0IqY 

 

Follow my  journey by subscribing to this podcast. You can also follow me on Instagram, YouTube, and www.nohighercalling.org