Heart Of The Matter Radio

Rest? I never did it. In fact, I prided myself on being able to juggle four or five things at a time. As a busy homeschool mom, I thought I was doing great. But I started getting sick. I had a hard time sleeping at night because my mind wouldn't stop running even when I went to bed. I began to wonder what it meant to rest. How did you do it? Ha! Rest means doing nothing.  My guest this week was. Brenda Janks. She has a ministry helping overworked moms slow down and rest. Listen to her tips on what healthy rhythms look like. 

Homeschool moms have at least two full-time jobs. Managing a home with multiple children, especially toddlers, presents a challenge. Add science, lesson preparation, essays, math, reading comprehension! Wow.  You can do it, and Melanie Wilson shared how she managed with her six children. Melanie is a psychologist  and has a homeschool blog, a podcast, and curriculum. 

In America, we can dream and take steps to make it happen. However, even more exciting than that, our choices to make something new reflect the nature of God.   My guest this week, Svetlana Papazov, shared how from her new book, Church for Monday, how much God loves us. She also said we can bring a redeemed future into reality every day of the year.     

Magic. That's the way I describe my childhood memories of Christmas. My family wasn't wealthy, but my mother purchased gifts thoughtfully. I knew she cherished me. That along with the lights leaves a wonderful feeling about Christmas, and I believe that's the message God wants us to get. The gift of his son shows us the depth of his love. We are special. My guest this week is Fay Lamb. She wrote Christmas Under Cover, and her story demonstrates overwhelming kindness. She shared how we could do that for others. 

Imagine Mary. An angel appeared to her and gave unbelievable news. How would you feel? What would you say to your parents? Can you envision your fiance's reaction? Author Debbie Wilson was my guest this week, and she shared lessons we can learn from the virgin Mary.

Christians celebrate the birth of our Savior at Christmas, but our culture leans toward partying to the point of exhaustion. Many of us long for a simpler time when we didn't face the pressures of the holiday. This week, I gathered a group of historical fiction authors to give us a look at Christmas in history. Susan G. Mathis shared about the Yule Log, and Linore Burkhard talked about Christmas in Regency and Victorian times.  Dave Fessenden covered traditions in the 1920s and Sarah Sundin finished with a look at the holiday season in World War II. 

Not everyone enjoys the holidays. Losing someone we love hurts, and the empty chair aches the first Thanksgiving and Christmas. We must remember children grieve too, but they can't process their emotions the same way we do.  Amy Ford was my guest this week, and she is a counselor specializing in children. She gave tips on helping your child grieve when you are hurting too.    

Hostess Cynthia L Simmons offers a prayer for thanksgiving: Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good. Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him Oh fear the Lord, you His saints,  For those who fear him have no lack The young lions want and suffer hunger, But those who seek the Lord lack for no good.

My father seldom called me the right name. First he called me his sister's name, then mother's before he landed on mine. Once my aunt died, I requested he drop out her name, but he didn't. I can't criticize him, though, because I messed up my kids names. Even worse, I've used the cat's name by mistake. LOL. Recently, a young father complained on facebook about confusing his kid's names. I welcomed him to the joys of parenting. My guest this week was Lori Wildenberg. She gave amazing advice about how to connect with your child, and how to empower them. Plus, have you thought about the difference between helping and enabling? She clears up that issue. Listen and enjoy!  

Princess Beatrice has been flashing her new engagement ring, and the media has been showing photos of other royal rings for comparison. How fun to ooh and ah over the size and cost of each However, because platinum is rare, it's worth even more.  Bethany Jett and Michelle Medlock Adams recently finished a book called Platinum Faith, which described all-in faith. They shared how valuable we are in God's eyes and how to have resilient faith.      

I had five children, and each child had different strengths. In fact, the first two seemed so opposite, I wondered what the third child would be like while I was pregnant.  Both girls struggled with math, and so I used Saxon math in my homeschool because that text keeps reviewing. Once the girls learned a concept, I didn't want them to forget. When my son came along, I used the same book, and he missed a lot of problems too. However, when he entered college, I learned my son excelled at math.  That puzzled me, so I asked him why he found math hard. He told me math wasn't difficult. It was boring.  He had a strength and I didn't know it. My guest this week was Analyn Miller. She and her husband wrote Play to Their Strengths, and they explain how to look for areas where your child is strong.

I've never enjoyed going through clothes. Years ago my mother-in-law gave me a bag of old clothes for the kids in varying sizes and colors. I stuck them in the attic and prayed they would all match when I brought them down in the spring. Thank goodness my closet door stays closed because my clothes are often a mess. However, I've learned all sorts of new things from Kathryn Graves. She's an author who loves to organize closets and drawers, and she also discusses fashion tips. She was my guest this week, so tune in and enjoy. 

The homeschool movement started just after I married, and the idea fascinated me. I wanted to do it myself, but I gave birth to my third child about the time my oldest would have started kindergarten. Homeschooling with an infant seemed impossible, so I put my daughter in our church school.  What a big mistake! My daughter was very sensitive and too young to put into a classroom situation. She disobeyed and became hard to handle, and we all missed the sweet girl she had been. Now I realize that's how she handled stress. We decided to homeschool and took her out of kindergarten.  But I was terrified. The moment I started, I felt a huge weight descend on me. I had dreams of ruining my children. However, i adjusted to the new routine and school went well. I kept going when I realized my children thrived and had good manners. I ended up teaching all five through high school.  My guest yesterday was Jennifer Henn. She also taught her three children through high school and wrote the book, Take the Mystery Out of Ho

The North and South operated different economies, and misunderstandings led to continual pressure during the mid-1800s. The two sides disagreed over slavery, states' rights, and tariffs. Finally after Lincoln won the 1860 election, Southern states left to form their own country. A bitter, bloody war fought between them lasted from 1861 to 1865. The battles caused the death of many soldiers and the deprivation of numerous civilians. George Santana said, "Those who cannot remember the past are doomed to repeat it." Author Cathy Gohlke was my guest this week. She has researched extensively and written two novels on the war. Cathy shares insights on what we can learn from this terrible time.

I recall going through a period of transition a few years back. Even though I understood what I faced, I didn't feel comfortable. The world didn't seem right, and I didn't know what to do.  I'm thankful for the older women in my life who helped me navigate those times. They knew how to speak to my heart when nothing else worked.  The Bible talks about older women teaching the younger ones how to love their husband and children, so praying for a mentor can be a good thing. My guest this week was Susie Davis, and she has called herself a spiritual momma. She shared topics younger women often struggle with.   

Habakkuk's complains ring true today: Oh Lord, How long shall I cry for help and you will not hear?... Why do you make me see iniquity and why do you idly look at wrong?   Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise. So the law is paralyzed and justice never goes forth.   Many people today suffer at the hands of others, creating pain and sorrow.  I'm glad we have hope. Today my guest is Paula Mosher Wallace and she will share her story and ministry: Bloom in the Dark.  God can "restore the years the locusts have eaten" and he has done that for her. 

Recently a dear friend suffered a severe heart attack and died. Sadness overwhelmed us The suddenness caught us by surprise because our friend was so strong and healthy. He had a vital role to play in our church and in missions. In my grief, I remember accusing God of making a mistake.  From my earthly perspective, God needed to plan better since this man who died did helped so many people.  Emotions don't always reflect truth when you are hurting. My guest today is Sarah Forgrave suffered a long illness and shares how she managed tough emotions to find hope and healing.

Once I married, I realized the complexity of relationships. I thought I understood my husband's facial expressions, and I expected him to read my body language. He didn't. In fact, I learned his perspective often differed from mine.  Babies are challenging too. They start off sweet and cuddly, but someday they'll grow up enough to say, "No!"  How should you discipline them? Should you spank? That's a big controversy today. Have you ever been misunderstood or betrayed by a friend? What should you do about that? The book of Proverbs addresses all these issues. Kathy Collard Miller is my guest today, and she shares on these topics from her recent Bible study.     

I once heard a joke on the James Dobson show. The guest said that when a child turns 12 you lock him/her in a barrel with a small opening, and when he/she turns 13, you stop up the hole. That expresses the frustration we parents feel while trying to navigate those sensitive years. I was a difficult teen at times too. When my mother got me a ride to school, I took issue with the family I didn't know and refused to talk. Mother told me they wondered if I hated them, and that wasn't far from the truth. It's embarrassing to think how rudely I acted. My guest is Letitia Suk and she has written 100 Need to Know Tips for Moms of Teens and Tweens. She's offering tips on managing our almost-grown-up kids. 

When you hear the word cancer, you tremble. Recently, the doctor found I had enlarged lymph nodes. I understood he was trying to rule out cancer, but I felt creepy when my scan took place in the hospital cancer center.  I'm a retired RN, so I know what can happen. Death. That's scary Have you ever noticed people whisper when they talk about death? I heard a pastor from England remind the congregation that death is serious. At the least, facing death makes you evaluate your life. Don't get me wrong, I'm confident in my faith, but I'm not anxious to be sick. The ups and downs of chemotherapy weigh on the family as well as the patient.  I'm thankful my tests came back normal.  Today my guest is Joanie Shawhan, and she shares how she lived through cancer and chemotherapy.