Her name was Lynne. She had shoulder-length, wavy hair that was a blend of red and brown hues which framed her soft, pale face and infectious smile. Her titles were many: pastor’s wife, mother, homeschool mama, Sunday school teacher, puppet team coach, friend, and more. But I called her Mama Hobbes. She was part of my life before I can even remember. I never asked her to be my mentor and she never asked if I wanted a mentor; she was just ... Read More about Where to Start When You Want a Mentor (Or Want to Be One)
Mandy J. Hoffman
Mandy J. Hoffman is happily married to her husband, Justin, and together they have three teen/tweens.
Five Books I Wish I’d Read as a Young Mom
As a young mom, I would browse the parenting section of our local Christian bookstore only to become overwhelmed by all the choices. Brightly colored covers offered a new kid by the end of the week and tips on how to parent without going crazy. Other titles offered comfort with their claims to teach me how to be a calm and joy-filled mama. Some were written by experts and others were written by ordinary parents. Men, women, grandparents, ... Read More about Five Books I Wish I’d Read as a Young Mom
The Danger of an Unbalanced Reading Diet
All of us are aware of the dangers of an unbalanced diet. Too many cookies and ice cream and our jeans get too snug. Too many carrots and we might look a little orange around the edges. Not that I know about the "orange around the edges" personally, but I did see a lady whose skin was orange from such a thing. The jeans, however...maybe! While we all think about our food diet in one way or another, it's not often that we give much thought to ... Read More about The Danger of an Unbalanced Reading Diet
How to Use Social Media to Connect With Your Church Family
"I couldn't do church without it!" I exclaimed to the other ladies in the car. Two of them agreed with emphatic nods and "yeses" as we told our third friend about a private Facebook group for the ladies of our church. Social media is not the church. Despite how commonplace social media is in our culture, it was never God’s plan for building relationships and community. God’s plan for building community and connecting people with one another ... Read More about How to Use Social Media to Connect With Your Church Family
How to Love Your Pastor’s Kids
Abby's eyes were as big as saucers as she rushed up to me and exclaimed, "Mom! Uncle John said he would buy me a pony!" I smiled and winked as I explained that he was just teasing her. He also teased the kids that if they came over to their house that he and "Aunt Sherrie" would give them Mountain Dew and candy. (Secretly, I hoped I would see a pony before the Mountain Dew and candy!) I don't even remember now what started it all, but as ... Read More about How to Love Your Pastor’s Kids
How to Love Your Pastor’s Wife
As wives, each of us have unique joys and challenges which God has lovingly allowed into our lives for our good (James 1:2-4) and His glory as we live life with our husbands. Some issues are the same across the board and others vary depending on our husband's profession. If several of us got together, I am sure it would not take us long to compile a long list of the hard things we each face based on what our husband's job. Pastor's wives are no ... Read More about How to Love Your Pastor’s Wife
8 Ways to Connect More Deeply on Social Media
It seems to be popular thought these days that our society is more connected than ever before in known history. For example, we no longer have to wait for the Pony Express to cross the rivers, mountains, and dusty plains to bring us a note from our dearest friend. In fact, most of us don't even have to wait on that five minute dial-up process for our Internet connection anymore either! However, despite the never-ending options with which to ... Read More about 8 Ways to Connect More Deeply on Social Media
