About Angela Richter

Angela is a wife and work at home homeschooling mom to three children. She is a speaker and a blogger who has a real heart for encouraging moms in homeschooling, parenting, and connecting with their children. You can find Angela at Mom with Heart or on Twitter.

Bible Moms {Life Lessons From Mothers In The Bible}

May 21, 2013 By Angela Richter

Bible Moms is a book with twelve Bible studies probing the heart of God on what it means to be the kind of mother He calls us to be. It’s about examining our hearts, confronting our sin, finding the truth of scripture and applying it.

I love to read the Word and I love to apply the stories and the words to my own life. As a mom I need so much direction, everywhere I turn there are books, blogs, well meaning relatives and tv telling me how to be the best mom I can be. Sometimes it can be SO overwhelming and so many times I feel like there is too much noise out there and I’m listening to too many voices. Lately God has been putting it on my heart to close them all out and just listen to HIM!

HIS Words, His Voice, All Him!

The book Bible Moms: Life Lessons From Mothers in the Bible came at just the right time. It is a book that helps you go to The Word for the answers in your parenting. Each lessons starts with a name of a mother in the Bible. The chapter then goes on to give scripture passages for you to read and the topics it will cover.

Topics such as:

Waiting on the Lord

Perseverance

When Children Fall Away

The Christian Lifestyle

and many more!

The chapter then goes on to give a devotional about the scriptures and how it applies to your life today as a mom. There is a topic for further study that helps you dive more into the scriptures and answer questions for your own personal life. This could even stand as a personal journal. This was my favorite part because the questions really made me reflect on my parenting and being a wife. Sometimes my own answers were hard to hear and other times I felt strong in areas.

Each lesson ends with a prayer!

Bible Moms offers mothers the chance to see and apply the principles for motherhood that God has given in His Word. It provides material for discussions on practical ways to apply these truths to our own lives.

You can buy the book on Amazon for 13.95. This would be the perfect baby shower gift for a new mom, and ANY mom in your life.

I have been parenting 14 years now and this book really blessed me!

Giveaway: We have three copies of Bible Moms to Giveaway. To enter join the rafflecopter below:

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Blessings,

Angela

44 Comments | Filed Under: Following God, Uncategorized

The Baby Companion: A Faith Filled Guide for your Journey Through the First Year {Giveaway}

April 18, 2013 By Angela Richter

TBC-Final-Cover

I remember like it was yesterday when my first child was born! Of course it wasn’t yesterday, it was 14 yrs ago now and I really can’t believe that!

I had a very difficult pregnancy and birth! I ended up with an emergency c-section but had the most beautiful baby boy I had ever seen. But then I actually had to take him home and care for him. This new life that I already loved more then life itself needed to be fed, changed, cuddled and loved. I had NO experience in child rearing, I knew nothing about children and had never even babysat! I had so many questions and doubted myself too often. I had a baby that cried all day and night with a bad case of colic and at times (more often then I like to admit) I was clueless in what I was doing.

The Baby Companion : A Faith Filled Guide for your Journey Through the First Year is a book to help you through your child’s first years. I wish I would have had this book. Some of the elements include baby stats, development checker, baby care, common questions, mommy care, truth for the journey, and more. Organized into chapters that follow baby’s monthly progress, the reader will have everything she needs to be informed and peaceful during her baby’s first year.

This book should be on every new moms shelf! It contains some wonderful knowledge and encouragment (every mom of a newborn needs plenty of that) on a baby’s first year. The book offers practical wisdom we need in caring for our babies but my favorite part is that it also offers spiritual guidance as well. Although doctors, family, good meaning friends and more can offer us advice it is God we need to seek regulary on parenting our baby.

This is my favorite line of the book.

“My Holy Spirit is the perfect guide to understand what I am calling you to do as her mother.”

Now that I am an “older mother” close to 40 and have all tweens and teens I can tell you hands down this is the best parenting advice you will get! There is not always a right/wrong, black/white way to parent. You can not wrap it all up and say this fits all because every family is unique and called to lead different lives. This book keeps that in mind and it is filled with truth,reflection, and scripture to guide you and encourage you along the way.

The authors of this book want you think of it as a un-book of baby books! This is not a how to but a book that gives important medical information to help you with your PERSONAL journey in parenting and tips on allowing God to be the leader of all of that.

You can buy the Baby Companion HERE!

About the authors:

After working 13+ years in marketing, JESSICA WOLSTENHOLM is now a stay-at-home mom to her two small children. Although the transition from the corporate world to the playground has been an adjustment, she is learning more every day about accessing the grace available to us through Christ as she navigates the full time job of motherhood. Jessica lives on the edge of the Tennessee countryside with her husband, Dave, and two children.

ANDREA JOHNSTON is Board Certified with the American Academy of Pediatrics and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. She completed her pediatrics residency from Indiana University at Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis. Dr. Johnston has a passion for primary care and after completing her medical training moved back to her hometown to practice. She is a partner at Owensboro Pediatrics. She lives with her husband, Mark, and son, Cooper.

HEATHER RUPE, DO is Board Certified with the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology and is a Fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She has been an OB/GYN for 6 years and has delivered over 1000 babies. Dr. Rupe is a partner at Women’s Group of Franklin located in Franklin, TN where she resides with her husband and two sons.

Giveaway: We have three copies of The Baby Companion to giveaway here at The Better Mom. To enter join the Rafflecopter below:

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26 Comments | Filed Under: Babies, Parenting, Uncategorized

Sharing Your Hobbies with Your Children

March 3, 2013 By Angela Richter

I love to find ways to connect to my children’s hearts. I believe one of the greatest ways to connect with your children is quality time, there is nothing they want more from you then your time. I know how busy life is and I also know the guilt when I don’t fit them in like I should and if we are honest mamas, we have all been there.

Not enough time to read tonight.

Not enough time to play right now.

Not enough time to look at your schoolwork or art projects at this moment.

We are human and we shouldn’t beat ourselves up everytime we are busy,however we must be careful that busy doesn’t become such a norm for us that we never have time to give our kids ourselves. Time is something we can’t get back.

We have to be intentional and we have to make sure we are carving out time for them! Hobbies are a wonderful way to do that! I wanted to share with you a list of hobbies you can do with your kids, please share yours too in the comments(I would love new ideas)

Scrapbooking/Crafts-is is really amazing how early on your children can start this hobby with you. A preschooler loves cutting and pasting and just loves being by your side. My daughter(9) and I now do Project Life by Becky Higgins together. EASY scrapbooking method and we just LOVE it!

Walking or Running- This is a great hobby for boys and girls. If you have been wanting to get in shape and start walking or preparing for a run why not include your kids? I have three kids (9,10 and 14) I have made a goal of taking a walk at least 3 days a week and each day a different child goes with me. A time to have great conversation, laugh, exercise and just enjoy one another. Think of a goal that would work for your family and implement it, your kids will love it! Even a baby can be pushed in a stroller! I SO remember those days, with two 18 months apart I was pushing a double stroller often!

Spiritual Journals- Making prayer books, gratitude journals, or scripture books can be a lot of fun and your child will have something in their hands to help them grow in the Lord. I have a pinterest board called Spirtual and have many ideas there. Also check out our Better Mom board because there are some fantastic ideas from all of the contributors.

Dad’s Hobby- If dad builds models or plays golf see if he will allow his children to come along side and learn his hobby-GREAT way to connect with dad!

Cooking-Cooking with your kids can be a WONDERFUL way to connect with them, again this is an activity where you talk, listen to praise music together, and learn something together. So much FUN!

Physical Activities-Some families are real outdoorsmen. They love to camp, hike, and travel. Many love to play a sport together. GREAT way to bond with your children!

SMASH books. This one is new to us and we are LOVING it. You can do anything your want in your smash book. I have been putting my special notes from friends and loved ones, cards from my husband, just things that I cherish. My daughter has been doing scripture verses, her favorite dolls and recipes and more. My son is starting one with hot rod cars and pictures from car shows his dad takes him to. He loves to collect rocks, marbles, and gems and he has pictures of them. Check out this smash video to see what they are about. All this takes is you and them sitting at a table and smashing things in your books that you love. Total fun and a great way to spend with your kids. Remember you don’t have to be creative to make memories! See pic at the top for my page in my daughters book.

Hobbies can help you connect with your kids on a deeper level. You can have some of the best talks as a family and really get to know your children better. When your children struggle with hard days, and oh they will you want to be the one they come to. When you invest your time and energy into them, they know it!

What are some hobbies you do with your family?

Each day of our lives we make deposits in the memory banks of our children. ~Charles R. Swindoll, The Strong Family

Blessings,

Angela

1 Comment | Filed Under: Boys, Fun For Kids, Girls, Parenting, Special Needs, Teens, Toddlers, Uncategorized

How Important Love Really Is!

February 3, 2013 By Angela Richter

photo credit

February is the month of Valentine’s Day and the month we often think about love. There isn’t a February that goes by that I don’t think of the love passage in the Bible. I truly think it is one of the most beautiful passages of scripture. Every single time I hear it or read it, I am amazed at its words.

1 Corinthians 13 Love

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames,but have not love, I gain nothing.Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.

But the greatest of these is love!

We could have faith that moves MOUNTAINS and give all we have to the poor but if we are not loving it would mean nothing! These are some powerful words and should not be taken lightly!

Are we loving people? Are we loving the unlovable? Are we in cliques that leave people out, do we hurt others with our words? Do we wound other women in our lives?

Do our children feel our love or mostly our wrath? Do our husbands know we put them above all except God himself?

Love is talked about SO much in the Bible.. The Bible is clear that it is important for us to love others, (spouses, our children, even our enemies) It tells us of God’s love for us,( For God So Loved the World He sent his son) and its clear that HE wants us to love HIM with everything we have(the greatest commandment is to love our God with all of our heart, soul, and mind).

Love is IMPORTANT! Don’t miss the opportunity to love others this year! If there is someone you are struggling to love, pray every day that God helps you love them, because sometimes in your own flesh you can not. But nothing is impossible with God.

My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV

Blessings,

Angela Richter