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4word Blog

The Relationship You’ve Been Waiting For

We blinked and February is done! It's been so refreshing to see the response to this month's discussion on relationships. As we shared back at the beginning of this month, relationships are something to think of beyond the constraints of romantic love and Valentine's Day. Our lives… Read More

When Christmas Changes

When it comes to Christmas, I challenge you to find a more diehard fan than myself. Growing up, I often "joked" (not really a joke) that I wanted to dedicate an entire room in my future house to year-round Christmas decorations. My parents gave each Mechling child a small… Read More

The Millennial Becomes the Master

Becoming a mom has been one of the craziest rollercoasters my life has put me on so far. As I've mentioned before, I'm the oldest of seven kids, so raising children was not a practice with which I was unfamiliar. However, the rules of the game change pretty drastically… Read More

Pokémon Parenting

As I have watched the phenomenon of the latest video game sensation reach to ridiculous heights and consume my kids’ time, I have decided not to fight it. Instead of resenting Pokémon Go, I have resolved to learn from it. I’m asking questions like: "How do we get… Read More

I Know that You are For Me.

God, I know that you are for me. It’s dance competition season. As she wriggles into the dance costume that would be the first of four that night, my 11-year-old daughter, Bethany, notices the tiny red dots that had shown up on her legs three weeks ago are… Read More

I Want My Baby Back

Any parent will tell you that from the moment that little baby lets out their first cry, life becomes a roller coaster of happiness and heartbreak, balance and bittersweetness, pride and patience. Parents will also tell you that the roller coasters have many different loops and turns, each… Read More

War Against Your Family

Raising children in this present world can be a daunting task. As parents, you watch your children become exposed to and combat issues, situations, and temptations that you never would have seen when you were their age. How can you guide your family steadfastly through the muck and… Read More

Unmistakable Bond

The bond between fathers and daughters is unmistakable. Dads want to protect their princesses from the world, and daughters grow up hoping to find a life partner that will emulate their father’s best qualities. So just how important is the “first man” in a woman’s life? We spoke… Read More

When It’s Your Time

FOX News Guest Contributor Carolyn Castleberry always knew she wanted to be a journalist. For years, she built a career in business and journalism through a variety of positions and ventures. However, she always dreamed of being a coach and encourager to fellow professional Christian women struggling to balance… Read More

Mom Evolution Revolution

I SO hope everyone enjoyed your Mother’s Day…..AND remembered to honor those that have mothered us through life. I took the time to reflect on how my feelings about my mom have changed throughout the years, and on how what my kids think of me will change, too.… Read More

Take Life In Stride

Transition. It’s a word not many of us would readily admit liking. Change of any kind can definitely be an exciting time in your life, but at the same time, it can be a slightly terrifying thing. Parenting is full of transitions and it's up to us as… Read More

Avoid “Super Woman Syndrome”

Finding just the right balance between work and life is something with which any professional struggles. Professional women typically have even more unbalance thrown into their mix when life involves children. Fabi Howard has worked as a professional coach for years and has watched every stage of raising… Read More

Career, Kids, Then Another Career

There are many stages of parenting: infant years, toddler years, and school-age years. Then, your children are leaving the nest, and you’re left wondering, “What’s next?” When Rhonda Kehlbeck, Director for Global Engagement with the Halftime Institute, found herself with an empty nest, she began the journey… Read More

When Parenting Gets Tough, PRESS IN!

Today we are speaking with Christian Tucker about the parent-child relationship, and specifically the teenage years. Christian shares his experiences with us, both as a youth pastor and from his own teenage years. ----- Christian: Before we get started, I want to introduce myself. I am Christian Tucker,… Read More

Ditch Mommy Guilt and Take Store Bought Cupcakes

Do you remember that Time magazine article that focused on a style of parenting called “attachment parenting?" The article asked the question "Are you mom enough?" which is a direct attack on us moms working outside of our homes. It puts us on the defensive and makes us question… Read More

5 Lessons Learned Since Quitting My Job

Making decisions about your family and children is never easy. With so many options and possibilities, choosing the right one can seem overwhelming. For Sonya Crawford Bearson and her husband, the challenge wasn’t in making the choice for Sonya to stay home- it came after. Sonya shares her story… Read More

Doing Less, Because You Care

How often do you find yourself taking on extra work just because “It’ll be quicker if I do this myself?” Or even worse, because “no one else will do it right?” I’ve seen women (and men for that matter) around me who do this every day both in… Read More

Raising Middle Schoolers

As an area director for Young Life and step mother to two girls aged 17 and 20, LaTonya Stevenson has a good deal of experience with the challenges facing today’s middle schoolers. Last week, she shared some of her insight with us. -------------------- 4word: So you work at Dallas… Read More