Relationship Building Archives

Love is Patient

By Samantha Evans

I tell my teens that I love them every day, and I mean it with all my heart. But I know the way I love my kids doesn’t always align with God’s love for them, and I wanted to take some time to realign my heart with His. So I opened up my Bible to the all-too-familiar passage about love in 1 Corinthians 13 with the intent of meditating on what God says about love. I had every intention of reading the full passage, but the first three words stopped me on my tracks, and I couldn’t get passed them:…

Parenting, Relationship Building

Connecting With Your Teens

By Samantha Evans

I remember the fun dates I used to plan with my kids when they were little: tea time at the American Girl store with my daughter, the annual mother-son dance, lunch dates, going to watch the latest Disney movie, picnics at the park, and taking my daughter to get her nails done for the first time, are among some of the many memories I treasure in my heart. It was so easy to plan things to do with them. They were always available, excitable, and more than willing to participate in whatever activities I planned. They didn’t have smartphones, TikTok…

Parenting, Relationship Building

God Loves Your Kids More Than You Do

By Samantha Evans

I remember tucking my daughter in bed one night, as I always did when she was little. She was wearing her Cinderella princess night-gown, and her favorite stuffed animals, Sheepy and Lamby, were securely nestled in her arms. She was chatting up a storm (as usual), and her eyes were sparking with joy and excitement as she shared whatever thoughts were going through her mind. I can still hear her little lisp, which was no match for her insatiable need to communicate all the things, all the time. I was gently stroking her hair when I suddenly became overwhelmed by…

Parenting, Relationship BuildingGod's love, Parenting

Equip and Empower Your Teens

By Samantha Evans

With Caleb heading into his Senior year and Mia starting High School this fall, I find myself with a new sense of urgency when it comes to teaching them ALL-THE-THINGS, but sometimes it feels like my words fall flat. Not only do my words seem to go in-one-ear and out-the-other, but I also come across as a nag: "Pick up your room. Don't stay up too late. Get off your phone. No ice-cream before (or instead of) dinner. You've been playing video games for too long. Clean up after yourself in the kitchen." I can see how, from their perspective,…

Parenting, Relationship Buildingequip and empower her

More Than Enough

By Samantha Evans

"And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19 I will forever be reminded of the Lord’s goodness by this picture. I love that He can use an ordinary bowl of left over noodles to speak to my heart. A long time ago, when my kids were still little, I brought home one order of pasta for them to share. My daughter's bowl had slightly more pasta than my son's. He took one look at her bowl and pointed out that she had more pasta than him. I told…

Parenting, Relationship Building, Spiritual Growth

5 Things to Remember on Valentine’s Day

By Samantha Evans

ONE - The greatest love you’ll ever know, is the love of God. So whether you are happily married, married but lonely, or single, remember that no man will ever fully satisfy the deepest longings of your heart. Only God can do that. Take some time to dwell in His love for you by reading His word, spending time in worship, and praying. TWO - Love is not a feeling, love is an action. Even if you are not feeling all lovey-dovey towards your husband because of a disagreement or conflict, you can still take a step towards getting closer…

Marriage, Relationship Building

How to Create a Quite Time Space for Your Kids

By Samantha Evans

Knowing how hard it has been for me to develop the habit of meeting with God daily, I want to do whatever I can to make it easier for my children to seek Him regularly. When my kids were younger, I was inspired by the movie “War Room” to create a quiet time space for them in their closets. It wasn’t anything fancy, but it was a dedicated place for them to spend time with the Lord. The space encouraged them to read their Bibles or devotionals, write on their journals, and/or pray. I remember a particular day in which…

Parenting, Relationship Building, Spiritual Growth