by Connie Albers | Mar 31, 2021
Self-protection isn’t new. People disappoint us, so we put up walls. God doesn’t answer our prayer, so we stop praying. We deal with pain and suffering by self-protecting. It feels safer. But, is it how Jesus handled pain and suffering? Did he avoid people who hurt him? No. Then maybe we should live by his example.
Life can be messy. Very messy. Faith might seem hard to hold on to, especially if your prayers seem to fall on deaf ears. But, are you allowing self-protection to hurt your faith and friendships?
Guilty of Self-protection?
A friend recently shared something about self-protection from the book 40-Days to Decrease by Alicia Britt Chole. Her text was so good that I had to pull my own copy off the shelf and read more.
I found myself wondering if I’m guilty of self-protection. Sadly, I am. Most of us are. I think the longer we live, the more pain and suffering we’ll experience, but we have a choice: Put up walls or let our light shine by being different.
In this episode, I share some reasons people self-protect, what God’s taught me about not using self-protection to keep others at a distance, and why we should follow Jesus’s example.
The Solution to Self-Protection
Instead of avoiding people and uncomfortable situations, Jesus chose to be fully present. He knew what was about to happen to him. He knew he would be betrayed, mocked, and rejected. He could have put up walls and distanced himself from others. Why didn’t he? Because he knew freedom comes through suffering, not avoidance. He endured much, but he embraced the moment.
Are you hurting your faith and friendship by protecting yourself? You don’t have to live that way. It’s a choice. Freedom doesn’t come by way of not experiencing pain or suffering. It’s the opposite.
Take some time to consider the impact of living a life that constantly tries to keep God and friends at bay. May I invite you to consider removing the walls you’ve so carefully constructed so your faith and friendships can flourish?
*If you are in an abusive situation, seek help. Don’t stay in an abusive relationship or put yourself in harm’s way.
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by Connie Albers | Mar 3, 2021
Are you among millions of parents trying to run a business and homeschooling your children? You’re not alone. Millions of parents are faced with the tension that comes with juggling deadlines, making sure the kids are doing school, planning meals, and spending hours in the kitchen.
Whether you’re working a few hours or full-time, the challenge to fit it all in is real. The guilt and frustration from day-to-day can leave you discouraged and worn out.
Running a Business and Homeschooling
Today, Ashley Wiggers is joining me on the podcast. She is a second-generation homeschool graduate whose parents were pioneers in the homeschool movement. Greg and Debbie Strayer were respected leaders, mentors, speakers, authors, and magazine owners/editors. Ashley grew-up watching them juggle the demands of running a business and homeschooling.
We discuss some of the lessons she learned as a homeschool graduate and how she plans to follow their example.
Tips for Your Journey in Business and Homeschooling
- Being fully present
- Plan memorable moments
- Set realistic goals
- Create a love of learning
- Trust the Lord
- Protect what matters most
About Ashley Wiggers
Ashley Wiggers speaks at homeschool seminars, serves as Public Relations Director for GeoMatters, and is the author of the Profiles from History series. She also joins Homeschooling Today magazine as a co-executive editor and writes the column, Lessons My Mother Taught Me.
Ashley grew up in the early days of the homeschooling movement. She was taught by her parents, Greg and Debbie Strayer, who are authors of numerous homeschooling materials and were part of the founding group of Homeschooling Today magazine back in 1992. As a homeschool graduate, Ashley has a deep appreciation for the opportunity to homeschool and the need for encouragement and support of homeschooling families.
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by Connie Albers | Jan 20, 2021
Did you know only 31% of people read their Bible every week? I’m not sure if that surprises you or not, but It did me. That got me wondering why. What are the hindrances to consistently reading God’s Word? How can you fall in love with God’s word?
Fall in Love with God’s Word
Brittany Ann of Equipping Godly Women joins me on the program to talk about her newest book, Fall In Love With God’s Word. We unpack two of the “7 Core Reasons” that Brittany says are why we don’t spend time in the Word and how we can turn that around.
Brittany’s ideas will help you get more consistent in spending time with God’s word.
About Brittany Ann
Brittany Ann is an author, speaker, and founder of EquppingGodlyWomen.com, a popular Christian-living website dedicated to helping women be “all in” in faith and family. Brittany is married to an incredibly godly husband, and together, they have three adorably energetic little ones.
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Listen to last week’s episode #44 – Strategies to Improve Motivation When You’re Stuck
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by Connie Albers | Jan 6, 2021
Has your child been bullied? Do you find out or did they tell you? How do you know if they are dealing with bullying or if it’s general conflict that they can resolve?
It’s vital that children understand the difference between bullying and general conflict so they can properly navigate each scenario wisely.
Parents often teach their children to resolve conflict, but the problem is bullies aren’t interested in resolution. They are interested domination and intimidation. They seek to hurt or harm others by their actions.
As parents we need to learn and teach our children the characteristics of a bully.
Characteristics of a Bully
- Aggressive
- Repeated
- Power Imbalance
Other Key Points
- Two important action steps you must do if you think your child is being bullied.
- What we must do to protect our child.
- How to create a place where your child feels safe: use words like we and us, work together to help your child discern the next steps. Your child needs to know if they are being bullied it’s not their fault.
*If you know someone being bullied or someone who is bullying others don’t ignore it. Contact the proper authorities before the matter escalates. And if your child has been bullied find a trained mental health professional who can help your child work through what happened.
About Candice Duggar
Candice Duggar is the founder of Bullied, Broken, Redeemed, and a nationally recognized anti-bullying expert, author, speaker, and trainer. Candice and her team specialize in equipping leaders, parents, and youth on all aspects of Gen Z Bullying. These life-changing programs use interactive activities and projects to motivate and empower effective anti-bullying warriors. Candice has been seen on NBC, CBN, FRC on top of training fortune 100 companies. She is also regularly featured as a keynote at events nationally and international conferences.
On top of being an anti-bullying warrior, Candice is passionate about helping families transition from public school to homeschool. Her “Coming Home” Series of talks and workshops are a blessing for those trying to navigate the sometimes difficult transition. She is also the co-founder of the Reimagine Education Conference, specializing in helping families transition to homeschooling. This conference is an annual event and has now grown to an international presence with over 80 speakers and 100 talks.
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Listen to last week’s episode #42 – How to Handle Bullying with Candice Duggar (Part I)
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by Connie Albers | Dec 30, 2020
Have you or your child been on the receiving end of bullying? If so, you know how emotionally traumatic it can be for your child. Bullying is a repeated pattern targeted at someone weaker, younger, or more vulnerable. So, how do you handle bullying?
What is bullying? The act of bullying is an intentional behavior designed to hurt another person by wanting to intimidate or get their way. Anti-Bullying warrior Candace Duggar and I discuss how to identify and deal with bullying.
How to Handle Bullying
- Bullying v Conflict Resolution
- How to help a child being bullied
- At what age to discuss bullying
- How to handle bullies
- Steps a parent needs to take to help their child
Bullies can’t bully without a victim. Teaching your child to avoid and learn to stand up to bullies is the focus of this conversation.
About Candice Duggar
Candice Duggar is the founder of Bullied, Broken, Redeemed, and a nationally recognized anti-bullying expert, author, speaker, and trainer. Candice and her team specialize in equipping leaders, parents, and youth on all aspects of Gen Z Bullying. These life-changing programs use interactive activities and projects to motivate and empower effective anti-bullying warriors. Candice has been seen on NBC, CBN, FRC on top of training fortune 100 companies. She is also regularly featured as a keynote at events nationally and international conferences.
On top of being an anti-bullying warrior, Candice is passionate about helping families transition from public school to homeschool. Her “Coming Home” Series of talks and workshops are a blessing for those trying to navigate the sometimes difficult transition. She is also the co-founder of the Reimagine Education Conference, specializing in helping families transition to homeschooling. This conference is an annual event and has now grown to an international presence with over 80 speakers and 100 talks.
* If you know someone who is being bullied or is bullying others contact the proper authorities before the matter escalates. And if your child has been bullied find a trained mental health professional who can help your child work through what happened.
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Listen to last week’s episode #41 – Listen and Trust God’s Leading with Misty Phillip (Part II)
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by Connie Albers | Dec 16, 2020
Learning to listen and trust God’s leading takes intentionality and practice. These are disciplines Misty Phillip put into practice early in her life. She joins me to discuss how God led her from corporate work to homeschooling to writing and speaking and then to creating a podcast conference for Christian podcasters.
During our conversation, Misty and I chat about her decision-making progress and how she has learned that listening and trusting God’s leading helps her avoid stress and wrong decisions.
Listen and Trust God’s Leading
- Waiting during the hidden years
- Taking heart for God is with you
- Understanding your gifts and talents
- Being in His Word
- Knowing God doesn’t have second best for you
Misty Phillip Bio
Misty Phillip is a podcaster, speaker, author, and entrepreneur who is passionate about helping you spark your soul message. Founder of the Spark Christian Podcast Conference, Founder of The Rocket Podcast Community, and host of the By His Grace podcast show. Misty inspires through her leadership, speaking, and mastermind groups. She currently serves as the Houston Connect Leader for Christian Women In Media. Misty is the author of The Struggle is Real: But So is God Bible Study and Spark Podcast Planner 2020.
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Listen to last week’s episode #39 – My Child Would Not Do THAT
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