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  • Girls, you were designed for this moment – to embrace your unique life story.

    Yours, Not Hers: 40 Devotions to Stop Comparisons and Love Your Life

  • Moms, let’s raise daughters for such a time as this.

    Is Your Daughter Ready? 10 Ways to Empower Your Girl in an Age of New Challenges

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    What a gift to spend time this morning with the mo What a gift to spend time this morning with the moms at St. Thomas More Catholic High School in Lafayette! @stmcatholichs 
 
I was honored to help kick off their new adult ministry, where we came together to celebrate moms and talk about wellness through God’s lens. 

A big thank you for my host, Susan Saad, who spearheaded this gathering, all the other key players in planning this - Missy Polazola, Katie Heard, Lance Strother, Stacey Ghanmi, and Lindsey Fitzgerald - and the sponsors behind this new initiative. 

As I told the group, my dancer daughter and I have long admired the St. Thomas More Sparklers for their phenomenal talent at Nationals, so it was fun to visit in person and meet some fellow dance moms💜My Louisiana friends excel in many areas, but most impressive to me is your love for family and hospitality. This was my first trip to Cajun Country, and I look forward to coming back!

*Also, get signed copies of my books locally at @chblafayette 💜
    LaFayette, thank you for an amazing night at Ascen LaFayette, thank you for an amazing night at Ascension Episcopal School!! 
@ascensionbluegators 

I’ll always treasure my time at this mother/daughter event where we talked about everything from kindness to loneliness to building healthy friendships. Seeing these girls so full of light, surrounded by adults who love them, was good for the soul 🕊️ 

A huge thank you to Sarah Lee, Head of School, for inviting me to come, and to the team that helped make it possible: Katherine McCormick, Angelle Adams, Rachel Delcambre, Portia Reyna and Kasey Ainsley. It was truly a beautiful night!

*Also, get signed copies of my books locally at @chblafayette 💜
    Fun Labor Day weekend with our baby and two of her Fun Labor Day weekend with our baby and two of her best friends at the beach! 

Our trips have evolved from when we always traveled as a family, and sometimes those Facebook memories (last picture🥹) hit me hard as I miss that time. But then weekends like this remind me of how much I love this season too with all of our big girls and the friends they bring in. They brighten our world and become our friends too❤️

Happy Labor Day to you and your family. Hope you had a good one!
    New on my Substack, temporarily free. Subscribe fo New on my Substack, temporarily free. Subscribe for the latest articles🤍

Comment here and I’ll message you this link. Thanks for reading along!

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“I once saw an Instagram post asking parents to name their hardest parenting season.
 
I was surprised when a majority said: Young adults between the ages of 18 and 22.
 
In most states, our kids become legal adults at age 18, and while they still need us, this is also the season when we begin to parent with more influence than control.
 
It’s a tricky dance, and I did a podcast with Kim Anderson listing 5 tips for parenting kids who have left the nest. I’ve added some extra thoughts too.
 
I hope these are helpful for you!
 
#1:  Be clear about boundaries and expectations.
 
It’s easy to get so caught up in the excitement of your child’s next chapter that you forget to communicate boundaries.
 
So, be clear. Set your expectations on the front end.
 
With our college kids, we expect them to do their best—and go to class. This sounds like common sense, but skipping class can be very normalized, and it helps to state upfront that isn’t an option.

When my daughter started college, she skipped her first Friday morning class.
 
It was a Music class, an easy elective, and my husband reminded her that:
 
1. She was there for school first, and he expected her to make class; and
 
2. He took Music as an easy course and almost didn’t make an A because it was harder than he expected.
 
He framed this conversation in a way that got the point across and set the stage for her to do well academically. I was glad this conversation happened early.”
    54 years ago today, this handsome guy was born! He 54 years ago today, this handsome guy was born! He left the hospital without a name (his birth certificate said “Unnamed Kampakis”😅) yet he sure has made an unforgettable name in all his girls’ hearts. 

Earlier today I remembered that when Harry spoke at his dad’s funeral, he said that Papou’s greatest strength was his consistency. Once he committed to something, he faithfully gave it 110%, and that is one Harry’s greatest strengths too. He’s the rock of our family and the calm in the storm, and the girls and I are forever grateful that he is ours.

Harry, what a gift you are to our world!!! You’re easy to love and celebrate, and I pray for many more decades of health and blessings for you. I love you and thank the Lord for this day you were born. May 54 be your best year yet!💙
    When I shared this message on Instagram last, it g When I shared this message on Instagram last, it got 775,000+ views. 

Clearly, middle school friendships can be tricky, but coaching your daughter well through the normal ups and downs makes a big difference in how well she navigates change, bounces back, and finds good friends.

On my Substack, for paid subscribers, is the full article + a printable you can share with your daughter, your Bible club, your youth group, etc. 

Comment below, and I’ll message you the link. Or, find it in my IG bio🤍
    Last week kicked off my fall events with a very sp Last week kicked off my fall events with a very special night in Austin🍋 

Michael Adams and Jess McCoy, founders of @shoplittleeight, did a fantastic job of hosting the launch for a new line of Sicily-inspired clothing, and I was honored to be part of it. This clothing is very well made, and I highly recommend it if you’ve got little ones.

A huge thank to Michael and Jess for inviting me, to Ryan Kremer for coordinating logistics, to the adorable college seniors from the University of Texas who assisted as interns, and to all the moms who came. Each of you helped make this a night to remember!

Austin, I look forward to visiting again. Such a fun and vibrant city!
    Living in Birmingham, I often get asked for food + Living in Birmingham, I often get asked for food + shopping recommendations as people travel here for sports or to visit their @samfordu child.

Birmingham offers the benefits of a big city and the charm of a small town. There are so many great communities + school systems, and everyone thinks theirs is the “best”, which is how a thriving city should be. 

This list isn’t comprehensive, as it’s impossible to capture every excellent business here, but this is my starting point. Birmingham friends, feel free to comment with your favorite recommendations too, especially in your community. 

If you visit Birmingham and have time for just 1 unforgettable meal - a meal you’ll talk about years from now - choose the best of the best: a Frank Stitt restaurant, either @bottegabham or @fonfonbham (@highlandsbarandgrill is also his claim to fame, and I keep hoping it will reopen)🤍

Frank Stitt is the local treasure who put Birmingham on the food map, and he’s the catalyst for the ripple effect of acclaimed restaurants quickly growing now. His reservations go quickly, so plan ahead and enjoy your time in our lovely city. I hope you love it as much as the locals do!
    Pastor Rick Warren once wrote that there may be ac Pastor Rick Warren once wrote that there may be accidental parents - but there are no accidental babies because God doesn’t make mistakes. 

Every human is created for a purpose, and our greatest life purpose is to love, know and serve the Lord using the gifts and opportunities we’re given.

We’re all designed to be a powerful force for good in a world that is deeply hurting.

On my Substack, temporarily free, is a purpose-driven message to share with your teenager. Comment below, and I’ll send you the link.

Also, for new content like this straight to your inbox, make sure you subscribe to my Substack🤍
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