You’re Invited to the New Blog Home!

In case you missed the fun news, I moved my blog home to a new website last month and I wanted to make sure that you found your way over! Come make yourself at home won't you? http://www.jennyhowell.com I also want to say how fun it has been to have so many of you along …

From One Mom, to the Whole World of Moms

Jesus, today we want to pray for and honor the women in our lives. The ones who raised us, the ones we call "mom" and those of us who are in the mothering trenches today. For the teary eyed – sleep deprived brand new mothers…give them strength and remind them of their worth when they …

Leading with Sacrifice and Compassion: These are MOPS Leaders

This fall I pulled up to the parking lot of my first MOPS speaking venue of the year. It took nearly two hours of driving north in the Seattle traffic with four of my five kids in tow. This was the start of a year of saying "yes" to God and giving Him my words …

On Crumbling and Losing Our Mom Cool

I ran into my friend this weekend in the foyer of church after an exhausting day. She had this "my children have maxed out my sweet, gentle, holy patience" kind of look. I know this overwhelmed feeling well and so do you I'm sure. We called it what it was and we exchanged "hard kid …

Be Like Those Who Stay the Course

I made my way across the dimly lit church parking lot as the chill of winter rainfall drenched me. I wasn't carrying an umbrella because this is Seattle, where you raincoat only. I'm learning to appreciate year-round green, the moss growing on everything, and the river passing through my back yard with so much water …

Fresh Hearts and New Starts

  I'm sitting by the most charming, real-life tree we have ever had which is standing ornament-less - but still covered in lights because I couldn't quite let it go. Let me tell you that it is twinkling off the windows like a total dream. It's also 12:30am and I have this "gotta write stuff …

The Ministry of Mom Rest, My Ugly Cry, and Airplane Prayers

  I boarded the plane for my five and a half hour flight from east to west and took my seat in row 31, seat D. I'm usually a big fan of the window seat because there is nothing quite like getting lost in the horizon is there? Give me all the above cloud heavenly …

On Belonging, Bravery, and Deep Breaths

    Sometimes it’s difficult to "count your blessings" when stress sets up camp in your life. Slipping into mud boots and securing the hood on my rain jacket, I took another drenched walk to the lodge. Searching for a new job, living on the road, plus leaving behind our deeply rooted friendships in Tennessee, …

On My Tiny Church, The Doxology, and How We Over Complicate Lasting Impact

  My heart was skipping beats as we made our way to my very first church. The building was tiny, with every possibility for glam absent. Just a small sign with those plastic changeable letters out front, and a backyard play set squeezed in next to the fence. The church that housed my faith as …

When Your Marriage Cries For Margin

  I excitedly packed my bag for an overnight getaway with my man in Seattle like I was leaving for a high-end trip for a month to another country. Although I only needed a change of clothes, a hat, a book and my journal just in case - my heart was beating hard just like …