Scripture Motto

"Let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father." Matthew 5:16

Monday, February 10, 2014

Searching for Sanity with author Lindsey Bell


"Train up a child in the way he should go,
Even when he is old he will not depart from it."
Proverbs 22:6 nasb


I want to introduce you to my sweet friend, Lindsey Bell. We met at the "Called to Write" conference in Girard, Kansas, several years ago, and then ran into one another at the "Heart of America Christian Writers' Network" conference in Overland Park, Kansas. We've stayed in touch ever since.

Lindsey Bell is a stay-at-home mother of two, minister’s wife, avid reader, chocolate lover, and the author of Searching for Sanity, a new parenting devotional with practical applications.

She has stopped here on her blog tour to encourage those not-so-new moms.
Have you ever looked at your beloved children and wondered, “What in the world am I doing? Why did God trust me—of all people—to raise them?”


There are lots of posts about how to encourage a new mother. I ran across one the other day that listed 100 great ideas. These posts are vital. (After all, do you remember how stressful and difficult those first few weeks were after you brought your baby home from the hospital?)

These posts are certainly necessary, but sometimes I wonder…what about those of us moms who don’t have babies anymore? Those of us whose babies are five…or ten…or twelve? There aren’t a whole lot of posts about how to encourage these women. Regardless of the ages of their children, ALL moms need encouragement.

How to Encourage the Not-So-New Mom:

1. Help her in a practical way 
When you’re at the grocery store, call her and ask if you can pick up a gallon of milk or something else for her. When you’re chatting at her house, help her with the dishes or some other household chore. Do her laundry. Buy her a candy bar.

2. Watch her children (for free) 
All moms need breaks—new moms as well as seasoned moms. By offering to watch her kids, you’re giving her time to herself, time for a date with her husband or boyfriend, or time to run a necessary errand. This is a gift every mom would enjoy.

3. Write her a note of encouragement
Moms of seven-year-olds aren’t dealing with postpartum depression like new moms (unless, of course, they have a seven-year-old and a newborn).

Nonetheless, they still struggle and need encouragement at times. Write her a note to tell her she’s a great mother. Remind her you’re thinking of her. Encourage her with Scripture.

4. Pray for her
The struggles might be different for a not-so-new mom. Instead of worrying about her baby who refuses to sleep, she might worry about her child who refuses to talk to her anymore. Instead of breastfeeding nightmares, she might worry about having “the talk” or sending her child off to middle school.

Whatever stage of life she is entering (or in), pray for her. Then let her know you did so.

5. Let her vent to you
Motherhood is hard. There are days, of course, when it’s beautiful and wonderful and all you ever expected it to be.

Then there are other days that make you wonder what you’re doing wrong.

When these days happen to her, let her vent. Don’t offer advice unless she asks for it. Instead, let her open her heart to you without fear of judgment.

Let’s Talk: What encouraging things has another mom done for you? What would you add to this list?

Motherhood is the most difficult job many of us will ever take. Searching for Sanity offers moms an opportunity to take a breath, dig into the Word, and learn from parents of the past. In short devotions designed for busy moms, this book uses the parents of the Bible—both the good and the bad—to inspire today’s mothers.

Leave a comment to be entered to win a gift card from Lindsey for her blog tour contest!

Increase your chances to win by following Lindsey’s Searching for Sanity blog tour (dates and sites listed at: www.lindseymbell.com/searching-for-sanity)

You can find Lindsey at any of the following locations:
Her website: www.lindseymbell.com

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