After her mother suffers several small, debilitating strokes, the author--a senior citizen--finds herself in the position of having to parent her own mother. In the midst of the heartache and emotional exhaustion, Oveson discovers the blessings of her unchartered role-reversal.

Make the Most of Your Time with Your Children On the day of their baby dedication, Eryn and her husband were given a jar of 936 pennies. The jar contained a penny for every week they would raise their child until graduation, and they were instructed to remove one penny each Sunday as a reminder, placing it into another jar as an investment. At some point every parent realizes time is moving swiftly, and they ask themselves, How am I investing in my child? Through personal stories and biblical examples, 936 Pennies will help you discover how to capture time and use it to its fullest potential, replacing guilt and regrets with freedom. Meanwhile, your kids will see how simple choices, like putting the cell phone down and going on a family hike, will make all the difference. Together you will stretch time and make it richer. Craft a family legacy in tune with God's heartbeat as you capture a new vision for your children and learn the best ways to spend your pennies.

Saying goodbye to a child as they leave the nest and learn to fly ushers parents into an emotional time of grief, joy and nostalgia. Release My Grip, by popular blogger Kami Gilmour, offers inspiration and practical insight as she reveals the surprising truth she learned while knee-deep in this sacred season of parenthood. Often humorous and always honest and hope-filled, these stories have equipped and encouraged the hearts of millions on the popular SoulFeed blog. In this keepsake book, you'll discover how this time can be fertile ground for deepening your relationship with Jesus. You'll also gain the practical tools you need to help you pause, reflect, and capture the words on your heart during your own unique journey as a parent of a young adult fledgling--from high school graduation through the years that follow. With every chapter of Release My Grip, you'll find: - Compelling reflection questions that draw you into the peace of God's presence and promise, gently shifting your focus from the loss you feel to the richness and hope of a new season that's just beginning. - Relevant Scriptures to ponder--words that reveal God's heart, bringing relief and hope in the midst of wondering and worrying. - Practical challenges that help you adjust to the rhythm of life's "new normal" and maintain meaningful connection with your young adult child. - Journaling spaces that make it easy to capture your letting-go journey as it unfolds, making this book a treasured keepsake to reflect back upon.

Bestselling author of Odd Girl Out, Rachel Simmons exposes the myth of the Good Girl, freeing girls from its impossible standards and encouraging them to embrace their real selves In The Curse of the Good Girl, bestselling author Rachel Simmons argues that in lionizing the Good Girl we are teaching girls to embrace a version of selfhood that sharply curtails their power and potential. Unerringly nice, polite, modest, and selfless, the Good Girl is a paradigm so narrowly defined that it's unachievable. When girls inevitably fail to live up-experiencing conflicts with peers, making mistakes in the classroom or on the playing field-they are paralyzed by self-criticism, stunting the growth of vital skills and habits. Simmons traces the poisonous impact of Good Girl pressure on development and provides a strategy to reverse the tide. At once expository and prescriptive, The Curse of the Good Girl is a call to arms from a new front in female empowerment. Looking to the stories shared by the women and girls who attend her workshops, Simmons shows that Good Girl pressure from parents, teachers, coaches, media, and peers erects a psychological glass ceiling that begins to enforce its confines in girlhood and extends across the female lifespan. The curse of the Good Girl erodes girls' ability to know, express, and manage a complete range of feelings. It expects girls to be selfless, limiting the expression of their needs. It requires modesty, depriving the permission to articulate their strengths and goals. It diminishes assertive body language, quieting voices and weakening handshakes. It touches all areas of girls' lives and follows many into adulthood, limiting their personal and professional potential. Since the popularization of the Ophelia phenomenon, we have lamented the loss of self-esteem in adolescent girls, recognizing that while the doors of opportunity are open to twenty-first-century American girls, many lack the confidence to walk through them. In The Curse of the Good Girl, Simmons provides a catalog of tangible lessons in bolstering the self and silencing the curse of the Good Girl. At the core of Simmons's radical argument is her belief that the most critical freedom we can win for our daughters is the liberty not only to listen to their inner voice but also to act on it.

“Is it wrong that I wanted to underline every single word in this book? Simmons brilliantly crystallizes contemporary girls’ dilemma: the way old expectations and new imperatives collide; how a narrow, virtually unattainable vision of ‘success’ comes at the expense of self-worth and well-being. Enough As She is a must-read.” —Peggy Orenstein, author of Girls & Sex From the New York Times bestselling author of Odd Girl Out, a deeply urgent book that gives adults the tools to help girls in high school and college reject “supergirl” pressure, overcome a toxic stress culture, and become resilient adults with healthy, happy, and fulfilling lives. For many girls today, the drive to achieve is fueled by brutal self-criticism and an acute fear of failure. Though young women have never been more "successful"–outpacing boys in GPAs and college enrollment–they have also never struggled more. On the surface, girls may seem exceptional, but in reality, they are anxious and overwhelmed, feeling that, no matter how hard they try, they will never be smart enough, successful enough, pretty enough, thin enough, popular enough, or sexy enough. Rachel Simmons has been researching young women for two decades, and her research plainly shows that girl competence does not equal girl confidence—nor does it equal happiness, resilience, or self-worth. Backed by vivid case studies, Simmons warns that we have raised a generation of young women so focused on achieving that they avoid healthy risks, overthink setbacks, and suffer from imposter syndrome, believing they are frauds. As they spend more time projecting an image of effortless perfection on social media, these girls are prone to withdraw from the essential relationships that offer solace and support and bolster self-esteem. Deeply empathetic and meticulously researched, Enough As She Is offers a clear understanding of this devastating problem and provides practical parenting advice—including teaching girls self-compassion as an alternative to self-criticism, how to manage overthinking, resist the constant urge to compare themselves to peers, take healthy risks, navigate toxic elements of social media, prioritize self-care, and seek support when they need it. Enough As She Is sounds an alarm to parents and educators, arguing that young women can do more than survive adolescence. They can thrive. Enough As She Is shows us how.

When a mother’s journey begins, one is venturing into the unknown. It’s hard to imagine what this tiny little baby will be as an adult. My journey was difficult, heart-wrenching, and laborious and yet joyful, worth every tear and strife. My child seemed impossible to me, but God chose me to be the mother of this impossible child. And what we deem impossible, God makes possible (Luke 18:27). From the introduction In The Impossible Kid, relationship coach and pastor’s wife Lucille Williams writes an exceptionally honest and funny account of parenting a strong-willed child. Through 11 entertaining chapters, this book provides practical tools for parents to sow seeds of encouragement in their kids as they aspire to raise adults who reflect the nature and character of God. Endorsed by Dr. Gary Smalley, The Impossible Kid is an encouraging and informative read, covering topics including family dysfunctions, feeling like an inadequate parent, creative and effective discipline, parenting with integrity, the dreaded sex talk, learning to laugh together, and keeping God as the focal point in the home.

There is something about God's Word that can override those endless feelings of hopelessness and despair and completely change how we view our situation. It is our prayer that the daily Scriptures and words of encouragement found in this book will bring the comfort and healing you seek. The Hurting Moms community had such an outpouring of love for the Daily Encouraging Words in their inbox, that we took all 200 of them and publishing them into a beautifully crafted book for you to have in those moments when just need a quick encouraging message.