Real Moms...Real Jeasus

This coming weekend is the Hearts at Home National Conference in Bloomington. I'm very excited about going this year and know that it will be a very informative, refreshing weekend. To gear up for the weekend, I’d like to welcome author and speaker, Jill Savage. Jill’s recent book Real Moms…Real Jesus, just released, and I wanted to ask her about her real mom moments..

Jill, tell us a little bit about yourself and your family.

Mark and I have been married 25 years and we have five children. Anne is 24 and married to our wonderful son-in-love, Matt. Evan is 21 and married to our beautiful daughter-in-love, Julie. Erica is 18 and a college student at Heartland Community College. Kolya is 15 and in the 8th grade. We adopted Kolya at the age of 9 from Russia---the God story about his adoption is included in the Real Moms…Real Jesus book. And Austin is 12 and in the 7th grade.

Tell us about your newest book Real Moms...Real Jesus?

Real Moms…Real Jesus is a book designed to help moms understand that when Jesus lived on this earth he was fully God, yet fully man. We don’t often think about the fact that he was a human being and he lived the full human experience: pain, hunger, fatigue, frustration, betrayal, disappointment. He experienced it all!

There’s one verse in the Bible about Jesus that simply says “large crowds followed him everywhere he went.” Well, isn’t that the life of a mom? Large crowds follow her to the bathroom. They follow her to the kitchen. To the grocery store. She’s in high demand! And when Jesus lived on this earth, He was in high demand, too.

Why did you want to write this book?

Most of us long for a friend who understands. Yes, we need girlfriends who understand what our life is like. But we also need to understand that we have a friend who understands in Jesus. Too many of us think of God as being distant and unable to relate to our daily struggles. But nothing could be further from the truth! He understands and he wants us to build our friendship with Him. He wants to not only be our Savior, but also our Friend.

What do you hope your readers will gain from this book?

I hope that readers will gain a new perspective about their relationship with Jesus. I also hope to weave God’s truth into the daily life of a mom.

What unique elements will the reader find in Real Moms…Real Jesus?

Each chapter looks at some character trait in Jesus’ life that can help us in our life as a mom. In between the chapters are interactive vignettes that provide brief, refreshing glimpses into our real, messy, busy lives.

There are also questions at the end of the chapter for further consideration and suggested Bible reading in the book of Matthew. If the reader chooses to pursue the suggested reading, she will have read the book of Matthew completely by the end of the book!

There is also a leader’s guide in the back of the book so it can be used in a group setting.

This is a Hearts at Home book. What is Hearts at Home?

Hearts at Home is an organization that encourages, educates, and equips women in the profession of motherhood. Hearts at Home encourages moms through annual conferences, our extensive website (www.hearts-at-home.org), a free bi-weekly electronic newsletter, a radio program, and an entire line of books designed to meet the needs of moms all over the world!

Any closing thoughts?

I am very excited about this book! I believe that if a mom can strengthen her relationship with Jesus Christ, she will feel more equipped to be the mom she wants to be. I’m also offering an online book discussion on my blog beginning Tuesday, April 7. If you’d like to join us, you can subscribe to my blog at www.jillsavage.org.

I’d love to hear a reader’s thoughts after they read the book, too! You can connect to me through my blog at www.jillsavage.org.

Thanks, Jill, for taking time out of your busy schedule to share your real mom, real Jesus moments with us.

You can purchase your own copy of Real Moms…Real Jesus by clicking here.

And be sure to check out Hearts at Home, their conferences for moms, and all their online resources here.

Hearts at Home Week | Day 5

For me, Hearts at Home was a great "get-away" weekend. It was refreshing to hear stories from other moms who have dealt with situations that we all deal with or will be dealing with; it was encouraging to learn ideas to help me delegate my time better and use it more efficiently; and it was uplifting to see that many moms together and having such a great time. I plan on going again next spring and already have a number of friends who have told me to add them to the list of who's going with me.

Today's question (even though it won't earn you any prizes):

If you've been to a Hearts at Home before, what was your favorite thing about it?

Now, the moment you've all been waiting for, using the script at random.org, the winner of our drawing is

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:
13

Entry #13 belonged to Rochelle! Congratulations Rochelle!

You get to choose which one of these three books you would like: The Complete Guide to Getting and Staying Organized by Karen Ehman, Facing Every Mom's Fears by Allie Pleiter, or Is There Really Sex After Kids by Jill Savage.

Conference Dates:
Oct 3-4, 2008 Grand Rapids, Michigan
Nov 7-8, 2008 Rochester, Minnesota
March 13-14, 2009 Bloomington, Illinois
hearts-at-home.org

Hearts at Home Week | Day 4

Hearts at Home not only offers these wonderful conference get-aways, they also have a wonderful website: hearts-at-home.org. On their site you can find many useful tools (including, but not limited to) a link to the books they offer; conference information; a blog full of great tips, reviews, and stories; and a link to their online mom community/forum.

Today is the last day to make your comments and be entered in to the drawing, so, with that being said, here's today's question...

What do you do to keep yourself motivated?

For each person that leaves a comment on my blog (under any of the Hearts at Home posts this week) will be in the drawing for one of the books that is available at the conference. How cool is that? Each day this week I will be asking a question for you to answer and on October 5th I will be drawing one of those names and posting it here on the blog (Each day there is a new question for you to answer...that means you have 4 chances to win!) The winner will get to choose which of these three books she would like: The Complete Guide to Getting and Staying Organized by Karen Ehman, Facing Every Mom's Fears by Allie Pleiter, or Is There Really Sex After Kids by Jill Savage.

**please note - I don't know all my readers personally, so if you have any doubt, be sure to link with your e-mail address...and don't post anonymously otherwise it will be hard for you to win. I will be posting the winner's name here on the blog on October 5th, so be sure to check back!

Conference Dates:
Oct 3-4, 2008 Grand Rapids, Michigan
Nov 7-8, 2008 Rochester, Minnesota
March 13-14, 2009 Bloomington, Illinois
hearts-at-home.org

Hearts at Home Week | Day 3

At the last conference, I purchased one of the books that is available as a prize, The Complete Guide to Getting and Staying Organized by Karen Ehman. After listening to Karen speak during one of the sessions, I bought her book and have been trying to implement her ideas into my every day life. I still have a ways to go, but with this book I now have the tools that I need to get myself , my home, and my schedule more organized. Karen teaches you step-by-step how to create a system that will work for your specific family. She teaches you how to manage your time, unclutter/organize your home, get your kids interested in helping you and, most importantly, how to not over commit to things. A must read for anyone who needs help in any or all of those areas, which was and is definitely me!

Today's question:

What's your best tip or piece of advice for a mom?

For each person that leaves a comment on my blog (under any of the Hearts at Home posts this week) will be in the drawing for one of the books that is available at the conference. How cool is that? Each day this week I will be asking a question for you to answer and on October 5th I will be drawing one of those names and posting it here on the blog (Each day there is a new question for you to answer...that means you have 4 chances to win!) The winner will get to choose which of these three books she would like: The Complete Guide to Getting and Staying Organized by Karen Ehman, Facing Every Mom's Fears by Allie Pleiter, or Is There Really Sex After Kids by Jill Savage.

**please note - I don't know all my readers personally, so if you have any doubt, be sure to link with your e-mail address...and don't post anonymously otherwise it will be hard for you to win. I will be posting the winner's name here on the blog on October 5th, so be sure to check back!

Conference Dates:
Oct 3-4, 2008 Grand Rapids, Michigan
Nov 7-8, 2008 Rochester, Minnesota
March 13-14, 2009 Bloomington, Illinois
hearts-at-home.org

Hearts at Home Week | Day 2

We're going to spend today getting to know Jill Savage, founder of Hearts at Home.

1. Growing up, did you ever see yourself as a mother – better yet, a professional mother? Please explain.

I had one goal in mind growing up…I wanted to be a music teacher. That’s how I envisioned my professional aspirations. I did see myself as a mother, but I felt that a teaching career would work well with motherhood (summers home, same schedule as school age children, etc)

2. Your organization’s purpose is to help mothers love their lives. Why is motherhood often looked down upon in today’s society?

I think we associate money with value. When a mother contributes to the family in a non-monetary way, we have wrongly assumed that the contribution isn’t as valuable as a monetary contribution.

3. Should a bright, intelligent, educated and professional young woman shy away from being a wife and mother if, in her heart, she desires to be?

We have the most educated generation of mothers we’ve ever had. We have more mothers with college degrees than any other preceding generation. That makes the decision to solely be a wife and mother an even harder decision to make. I believe however, that full-time motherhood is a valid career choice. A woman who desires to be at home for a season of time is not throwing her education away. As the founders of the former Mothers at Home group used to say, “She is simply applying her good mind and exceptional skills to the nurturing of her family.” And that is valuable!

4. How do you run an international ministry and still be the mother you’re instructing others to be?

15 years ago when Hearts at Home had our first mothering conference, we were expecting about 500 moms to attend. When 1100 mothers from 10 states showed up we realized that what we meant for a one-time event, God meant for the birth of a ministry. One of my early prayers was, “Lord, if this is going to be bigger than my vision, you have to send me many moms to make the work light.” God has answered that prayer over and over again. We have over 150 moms and about a dozen dads that serve the Hearts at Home ministry year-round. They each take one little piece of the puzzle and do their job well. I may be the most visible voice and face of the ministry, but home is still my priority.

5. What is the meaning of the name “Hearts at Home?”

There are so many good things that a mom can do---not just in the workplace, but also in the volunteer arenas. Before we know it, our heart is tugged in so many different directions. We encourage women to keep their heart at home---making their family their first priority---because we only have one chance to raise our kids.

6. Why must mothers make sure that their hearts are at home?

Most of us don’t realize just how fast our kids grow up. In the blink of an eye your kid moves from a Happy Meal to Value Meal #9! When you keep your heart at home, you make the most of this unique season of motherhood.

7. Does this mean you discourage mothers from working outside the home? How do you respond to those who do?

Hearts at Home makes no judgment call on those who work outside the home. We do, however, know that women who consider motherhood their profession need a cheerleader and that’s what we’re able to be for them. They also need quality resources that help them be the best wife and mother they can be. Honestly, though, most of the resources available through Hearts at Home would encourage any mom and we have a lot of working moms that attend our conference events and tap into our resources.

8. Why is a healthy marriage so important? In other words, why must you be a wife first and a mother second?

My husband and I are self-described as being married 25 years, 15 of them happily. That’s because we made a mistake in the early years that many couples make. We wrapped our lives around our children…and just about ruined our marriage. What we eventually learned as we sought out counseling to bring healing to our hurting relationship, was that the best gift we could give our children was a strong marriage. This gives our kids the stability they long for and assures us that our marriage has more in common than our children who will someday grow up and leave home. We’ve come to learn that taking intentional time to nurture and grow our marriage away from the children is the most loving act of parenting we can actually do.

9. How do you become the “intentional” mom that your family needs? What exactly does it mean to be intentional about motherhood?

Being intentional is about deliberately using the moments we are given with our children. It’s about being proactive rather than reactive. An intentional mom has a vision for her family and home environment and she pursues that with purpose and goals.

10. What’s one of the best gifts you’ve received from one of your children over the years?

It would have to be a picture of my teenage daughter with her arms spread wide and this message printed on the picture: “I am so grateful for all the years you have invested in my life. Thank you…for taking care of me when I was sick…for crying with me when I needed to cry…for loving me even when it was incredibly hard…for being patient with me when you probably wanted to yell at me…for spending time with me when I needed it most…for listening to me when I felt like no one could hear me…and for not giving up when times were hard.”

She gave that to me after an incredibly hard season of her teenage life. It made all the challenges of mothering in that season worth it!

11. What universal, unchanging piece of advice would you give to all mothers?

In the words of my dear friend Charlene Baumbich, “Don’t miss your kids…they’ll be gone before you know it!”

We can’t go back and raise our kids again. We’re presented the opportunity just once. Use this season to the fullest and keep your heart at home.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Today's question:

What is the hardest thing about being a mom?

For each person that leaves a comment on my blog (under any of the Hearts at Home posts this week) will be in the drawing for one of the books that is available at the conference. How cool is that? Each day this week I will be asking a question for you to answer and on October 5th I will be drawing one of those names and posting it here on the blog (Each day there is a new question for you to answer...that means you have 4 chances to win!) The winner will get to choose which of these three books she would like: The Complete Guide to Getting and Staying Organized by Karen Ehman, Facing Every Mom's Fears by Allie Pleiter, or Is There Really Sex After Kids by Jill Savage.

**please note - I don't know all my readers personally, so if you have any doubt, be sure to link with your e-mail address...and don't post anonymously otherwise it will be hard for you to win. I will be posting the winner's name here on the blog on October 5th, so be sure to check back!

Conference Dates:
Oct 3-4, 2008 Grand Rapids, Michigan
Nov 7-8, 2008 Rochester, Minnesota
March 13-14, 2009 Bloomington, Illinois
hearts-at-home.org

Hearts at Home Week | Day 1

Hey mom! Did you know that there are other moms out there that understand what you go through each day? Of course you knew that, but wouldn't it be nice to be able to talk with some of them and get ideas for how they handle things, what works, what doesn't? Then you need to know about Hearts at Home. I went to Hearts at Home for the first time last spring and it was awesome! A Hearts at Home conference is like going to “mommy school.” You’ll laugh, you’ll learn, and you’ll be inspired to be the best mom, wife, and woman that you can be. Additionally Hearts at Home offers books, an online community, a bi-monthly magazine, and a free E-Newsletter. I strongly urge you to grab some girlfriends and attend one of their upcoming conferences:

October 3-4, 2008 Grand Rapids, Michigan
November 7-8, 2008 Rochester, Minnesota
March 13-14, 2009 Bloomington, Illinois

If you don’t live close enough to drive to a conference, and hopping on a plane isn’t an option, you can also order a Home Conference Packet which gives you the conference via CD.

Check out the Hearts at Home website today to find out all that Hearts at Home has to offer you!

Okay, all that being said, there's one more thing to tell you...for each person that leaves a comment on my blog (under any of the Hearts at Home posts this week) will be in the drawing for one of the books that is available at the conference. How cool is that? Each day this week I will be asking a question for you to answer and on October 5th I will be drawing one of those names and posting it here on the blog (Each day there is a new question for you to answer...that means you have 4 chances to win!) The winner will get to choose which of these three books she would like: The Complete Guide to Getting and Staying Organized by Karen Ehman, Facing Every Mom's Fears by Allie Pleiter, or Is There Really Sex After Kids by Jill Savage.

So, without further ado, here's today's question:

What is your favorite thing about being a mom?

**please note - I don't know all my readers personally, so if you have any doubt, be sure to link with your e-mail address...and don't post anonymously otherwise it will be hard for you to win. I will be posting the winner's name here on the blog on Oct 5th, so be sure to check back!