This whole journey — growing up Baptist, then becoming Presbyterian, and now finding ourselves in Orthodoxy — feels, in hindsight, like the providence of God. He had us on this path for a reason. He placed us where we needed to be, when we needed to be there, even when we didn’t understand it at the time.

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Even while we were still attending the Anglican Church more regularly, something began to shift quietly in the background. The priest at the Orthodox Church had given us a few books to read, and we decided to take our time with them. There was no pressure attached — just an invitation to learn. The first book we read was The Indication of the Way into the Kingdom of Heaven by Saint Innocent of Alaska. That book stirred something deeply in my husband. It made him want to try

When I place that alongside the verse describing the Church as the pillar and foundation of the truth, that claim suddenly makes more sense than it ever did before.

Is it enough to attend a church simply because it’s available and familiar? Is stability more important than conviction? Or does settling now risk long-term confusion later?

One of my favorite aspects is the way assessments are handled. If my kids don’t pass an exam, they’re given two more opportunities to retake it—but only after rewatching the lesson presented from a different angle. It’s not just the same video again.

As someone who spent more time in public school than being homeschooled, I often catch myself trying to conform to a system we deliberately stepped away from. But that’s the issue—homeschooling is supposed to be freedom from that structure. It’s supposed to offer flexibility. And yet, sometimes I find that hard to embrace.

As Christian parents, many of these may seem like obvious truths, yet in the busyness of daily life, it’s easy to overlook or neglect some of them. Sometimes, seeing them clearly laid out in a visual list can serve as a helpful reminder—keeping us grounded and focused on what truly matters in raising our children in the faith.

using time well means doing what you ought to be doing, when you ought to be doing it. But sometimes, what we think we should be doing—and when—doesn’t always align with what God knows is best for us in that moment. That’s where tools like prayer and a renewed mindset become essential. They help us navigate the demands of motherhood without becoming completely drained.

When we push ourselves too hard, our attitudes often suffer, and that sour mood certainly doesn’t glorify God. But when we approach our tasks with the Fruit of the Spirit—with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—we begin to reflect Him, even if our to-do list isn’t fully checked off.

Closing the doors of a church building doesn't mean the Church has closed. The Church is not a building—it’s the body of believers. And in today’s world, we’re blessed with technology that allows us to gather virtually. Whether through livestreams, video recordings, or conference calls, we are still meeting.

I felt like I was failing him. He’d even come to me later and apologize for being “disrespectful,” and all I could do was hug him and wonder what I was doing wrong.

...we often try to control our lives through schedules and to-do lists, only to become so consumed by them that we neglect our spiritual well-being.