Category: Voices From Our Community

"The crisis of vulnerable children in South Africa and how one person’s life can make a difference Overwhelmed, anxious, exhausted, weary, apathetic. These are all words that could have described how I was doing in 2014."

"Hi, I’m Savannah, a proud mom of two beautiful kids—Luka, who is 9, and Luna, who is almost 3. Being a mother is a joy, but when your child has special needs, like Luna, it’s an experience unlike anything you could anticipate; nothing can prepare you."

“I did what most mothers do: I tried to push through. I added more structure, more rest, more help. My husband stood beside me, steady and kind, while I did everything that was “right.” And yet, the anxiety would not lift..”

"Being a mother has always been a desire of my heart from a young age. When people would ask me how many kids I’d want one day, I would say “six.” Since actually becoming a mother, this number has decreased significantly but my desire for a big family continued to increase and God, in His kindness, has granted more than I ever could have dreamed."

“The key to stress-free dinners is planning ahead. Every Sunday, I sit down with my Stellarize Meal Planner and map out our meals for the week. I consider what we already have in the pantry, what fresh ingredients we need to use up, and what meals will best fit our busy schedule.”

"I definitely felt the switch when we welcomed our third child into the family. Suddenly we were a ‘big’ family. Now we have five children and a lot of our daily routines and organizational habits, have become absolute second nature for me, that I do not even notice I am doing them in a certain way"

“In that moment, the Holy Spirit whispered to my heart: “May your first lesson of motherhood be to let go of control and trust Me.” That one whisper has shaped every day of my motherhood since.”

"When I look outside the gates of LIV, my heart goes out to society. I feel this African proverb is missing in our world. I know of so many families who feel isolated, single mothers who are not coping, or parents who do not want to ask or provide support for others."

“We work hard at times in our marriage, and other times it all just feels easy. And that is normal! My husband, Robin, and I are 11 years married today (and nearly 18 years together), and as I am reflecting on our marriage (and on our bond as parents, as lovers, and darlings of each other’s hearts), I want to share some learnings, some reflections and some practical tips with you.”

"Probably the greatest gift to come from the mistakes we make in parenting – we have the opportunity to repair the relationship. The relationship will not rupture in one moment, and the re-connection is almost as powerful as the connection itself."