True Gratitude by Jennifer Maggio

 Posted by Jennifer on May 25, 2011  General  No Responses »
May 252011
 

I was driving along this morning and if I am to be really honest with you, I was feeling quite sorry for myself.  My family and I have undergone tremendous hardship over the last 60 days and I needed a pity party.   I have felt like it has been pretty close to the brink of “too much”.  Maybe you’ve been there.  Maybe you know the feelings of exhaustion, stress, pressure, and anger, of which I write.  

As I was driving along, I began to pray about why God would allow me to endure such hardship.  Of course, we all have them, but today, I wasn’t really worried about anybody’s else’s hardships – just my own.  All of a sudden, I had a very random, yet profound thought. 

 ”Imagine your life without contacts.”  Continue reading »

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Welcome the Ruins – Ride the Wave!

 Posted by Michele on May 23, 2011  General  No Responses »
May 232011
 

Sometimes it is out of the ruins that the most powerful wave of transformation begins. Have faith that you can rise above anything, rebuild and stand in a stronger foundation than ever before. Welcome the ruins and ride the wave…..Michele DeVille

Recently, tornadoes and horrific storms have ravaged towns across the South and Midwest destroying everything in its path and leaving entire areas in ruins. Add to that, the devastation of earthquakes and tsunamis. Mother nature has continued to strike with a vengeance and my heart goes out to the people and the loss they have endured. What strikes me most when disaster strikes is how amazing the human spirit is and how resilient people are. Cities have been destroyed and left in ruins for centuries and yet with courage, strength and faith cities can be rebuilt.

Thinking about this whole concept helped me to remember that we all have what it takes to survive and rise above anything. There are times when regardless of the reason we feel like our lives are in ruins and it can leave us feeling helpless, overwhelmed and our faith can be tested. I have been in this place more than once but I can honestly say that I have learned that just as my quote says, it is out of those ruins that some of my most powerful transformation has occurred. Continue reading »

I Am Not Sure How To Feel About This..

 Posted by Bill on May 22, 2011  Balancing Work and Children, Raising Children as a Single Parent, Teenagers, Uncategorized  1 Response »
May 222011
 

I know that each one of my children is a gift from God. I also know that as a parent, it is my job to build a foundation that one day will allow them to spread their wings and soar, to fly without fear, to fly with confidence and to fly in the direction that their heart takes them. I have always supported my kids in whatever sport, event, hobby and challenge they have faced. I love them unconditionally and without judgment. I love them for their uniqueness and their differences. I love them for who they are and what they are not. I love them for being them.

Have you ever noticed how people tend to describe their children, as well as others, by mentioning only a few of their many amazing qualities? They say things like; Tommy is such a great athlete, or Suzy is such a good student, or Mary is an amazing dancer, or Joey is a wonderful musician. I’m not immune form this. People always seem to describe my daughter Michaela as, beautiful with amazing blue eyes and a good soccer player. I agree with both of these descriptions but I also describe her as a protector of the underdog, a determined young lady, and one who has a heart of gold. People always seem to describe my son Jack as handsome, witty and smart. Again I agree with all of these assessments, but I also describe him as independent, headstrong and a young man who can do anything, and I mean anything, that he sets his mind too.

Ever since Jack was young I have had this gut feeling that he was going to truly do “something special” in this world. Since he is witty and charming, stubborn and independent and very intelligent (he had the 30th highest score out of 400 kids on his high school entrance exam) I always thought that he might become a doctor, a lawyer, or a successful entrepreneur. I really didn’t care which career he chose, although with the cost of med school being what it is,I was hoping that option three would be the last of his choices. All that I really ever wanted for Jack was for him to reach his full potential, and do that “special thing” that I have always believed in my gut he was destined to do. Continue reading »

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You Are Enough

 Posted by Lisa on May 20, 2011  Dealing with Divorce and Your Ex, General  1 Response »
May 202011
 

What-Every-Parent-Should-Know-About-Divorce-Video

As Oprah winds down her final season of the Oprah Winfrey show I have tuned in to catch the last week of shows. Yesterday she had on her most memorable guests from the last 25 years, including two refugees from Rwanda and also a courageous woman who while dying of cancer recorded hours and hours of video with lessons for her then small daughter to grow up with. Here message: Live in the now. The present is all we know we have for sure.

Also on the show was one of my favorite Oprah guests: M. Gary Neuman. I have written about him here before. He is the author of numerous books, including Divorce the Sandcastle Way and Connect to Love. Neuman sat down again with a single father and two children whose mother had left them. The children shared their pain and Oprah said they were most memorable because they mirrored what many children in America feel. The show highligheted the fact that while many people say “children are resilient” and ”they will be okay” parents and other loving members of the extended family must continue to reach out and listen to the children and help ease their pain. Continue reading »

Starting a Single Moms Ministry by Jennifer Maggio

 Posted by Jennifer on May 18, 2011  General  3 Responses »
May 182011
 

I continue to be honored to be part of the team at Single Parents Town, as they allow me the perfect avenue to express thoughts and share a nugget or two of wisdom.  Bill McLeod (founder of Single Parents Town) and his team do an excellent job providing value and insight to the single parent walk, so here’s a shout-out to Bill and friends for letting me be part!

I am best known for my work nationwide with single moms and churches, so it stands to reason that my most frequent questions come from those that are currently in ministry.  For those who have not started a single moms support group, they often question how to get one started.  For those who have started a group, they become frustrated when it is not growing. 

I have been fortunate enough to work with the greatest church on the planet, Healing Place Church, and this has allowed me to gain great wisdom and insight on what does and does not work within the walls of the church on ministering to single mothers.  I am excited to announce that my next book, The Church and the Single Mom, will be out in June 2011, and addresses many issues in relation to single moms, the church, and getting active on helping with the single parenting issues, but……..until then, I wanted to provide a few quick tips. Continue reading »

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To My Children…..

 Posted by Michele on May 16, 2011  General  6 Responses »
May 162011
 

There have been many times that I wish parenting would have come with some special manual that would have given me better guidance and a direction on how to be the mom you consistently needed  me to be. I can promise you that if I could press rewind and have the chance to do some things different, I would for I know there are things that hurt you and worried you along the way. Unfortunately, I cannot change the past or yours but I can hold myself accountable, apologize for the things I need to and do whatever it takes to be the best mom I can be moving forward.

I am not going to deny that parenting is not always easy and to have been a single parent for so much of your lives is without a doubt, one of the toughest jobs I have had to do. With that being said, there is no greater gift than to be a mom and it is a true blessing to be a mom to each of you! My love for you is unconditional and I can promise you that regardless of what life brings our way, I will always be here for you and I will never quit on you. We have weathered a lot of storms and while it has not been easy, we have survived and I would like to believe we have grown stronger.

So it is with love and from my heart that I want you to know….. Continue reading »

Are You In Denial?

 Posted by Bill on May 15, 2011  Balancing Work and Children, Dealing with Divorce and Your Ex, Nutrition, Raising Children as a Single Parent, Single Entrepreneur Mom, Taking Time for Yourself  3 Responses »
May 152011
 

Today I want to challenge each and everyone of you with my blog. I want to challenge you to be brutally honest with yourself and ask yourself just one question “Are you in Denial?”. I will bet that the majority of you will emphatically answer NO. I’m not in denial, I fully accept what has gone on in my life, what is going on in my life and why it has all happened, I have no regrets… But I will say to you right now that you ARE in denial, you just don’t know it yet. First let’s understand what denial is.

Webster’s Dictionary defines Denial as:

Refusal to admit the truth or reality (as of a statement or charge) (2) : assertion that an allegation is false. Continue reading »

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