Recently we were asked: why is the Bible–and what we believe about the Bible–important to parenting?
“[F]rom infancy you have known the holy writings, which are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Every scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the person dedicated to God may be capable and equipped for every good work.”
2 Timothy 3:15-17
Read More“Now this is the parable: the seed is the word of God. And those beside the road are the ones who have heard, then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, so that they will not believe and be saved. Those on the rocky soil are the ones who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and yet these do not have a firm root; they believe for a while, and in a time of temptation they fall away. And the seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked by worries, riches, and pleasures of this life, and they bring no fruit to maturity. But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word with a good and virtuous heart, and hold it firmly, and produce fruit with perseverance.”
Luke 8:11-15 NASB2020
Read More“What do you want to be when you grow up?” Our kids are asked this question so many times! Some, like my (Camilla’s) older brother, know their future profession from about age seven. Some do not. After such an interaction with an adult my mom would say to me, “You do not have to be anything! You just have to BE.” So freeing! And such a good reminder even today as a mother: identity is not in what we do, it’s in who we are.
Read MoreThis month many of you will plan a class party, plan a prom, bake cookies for a birthday, celebrate the end of a sports season, celebrate the end of school, make a last minute trip to the store (again!), sign permission slips, make lunches out of nothing, throw together dinner in minutes because someone has practice, drive carpool, try to finish that last project in time, motivate your kids to hang in there, attend a class performance, attend a school play, attend a school conference, try to find an allergy safe treat to send in to snack, buy snacks for that last game, plan a service project, plan a graduation party, buy graduation gifts, try to find an appropriate bathing suit for a teenager, help your child with homework, buy teacher gifts, write thank you notes, encourage your kids to write thank you notes, buy groceries, make breakfast and do laundry more times than you can count.
Welcome to May!
Read MoreWhen the first Relay Exchange group started in 2007, both of the founders were both working outside (and inside!) the home. They wrote the first lesson, and met ahead of time to practice the bread making and go over all the details. They spent a lot of time making sure their friends, who trusted them with their time, were happy they had signed on for a year of the unknown! By the end of the first meeting, the moms were happily exhausted. You know the feeling: a collapse on the nearest chair and WHEW! The next thing they knew, all the girls were gathered around saying, “Can we do this AGAIN? Next week?”
Read MoreThis week we are focused on the third element of the program: relationships. Relay Exchange mothers lead girls to Jesus in the context of relationships—mothers and daughters, mothers linking arms, and girls cultivating lifelong friendships. Relay Exchange small groups are designed to be an avenue for mothers to support and be supported by other mothers of girls. The groups foster friendships between girls and create long term, often lifelong, friendships that are centered on a shared and growing faith.
Read MoreHere at Relay Exchange we believe a game plan for passing along our faith to the next generation must be tangible, and not merely aspirational. Wanting to make time is not the same thing as setting aside time and making connection happen! Importantly, the game plan must be sustainable. In order to be sustainable, it must be doable for the mothers and it must be appealing and engaging to both generations.
Read MoreThis month we start registration for Relay Exchange groups for the 2022-23 school year. We love this season of connecting with existing group leaders and coaching new groups as they form! We love the potential for life change and growth that this season represents. In 2007, we started the very first Relay Exchange group with a vision to create a way to engage our girls and demonstrate our daily faith in a way that is intentional, sustainable, and relational. These three words sum up the heart of the program.
Read MoreIt is extremely like that if you are a mom, it’s been a while since you were “doing nothing.” May especially is a month of go, go, go. With all of the end of year parties and celebrations and ceremonies, we focus a lot on going and on doing. Certainly we should celebrate accomplishments and milestones! But, in the midst of all the going and doing, let’s sit with something this week:
Read MoreIf you have ever found yourself in the middle of home renovations, you know this mantra: it will be worth it! We are willing to endure all of the dust, the mess, the disruption, the disorganization, the hammering, the destruction because we believe that the value of the final product will meet or exceed the price required to get there. Of course, this applies to all types of life scenarios. For example, taking time to exercise is worth it because we feel better and it’s good for us. Setting an alarm to get up early for time alone with God is worth the missed sleep. We consciously and unconsciously ask this question regularly: is it worth it?
Read MoreAt Relay Exchange, we are always discussing the importance of connections. While Jesus is the focus of all we do, we are rooted in our desire to foster healthy connectedness: between mothers and their daughters, between mothers as they raise their girls, and between the girls. We start the emphasis on connectedness when a group forms by requiring that every group is led by a team of two moms. We adopted this model for several reasons. First, we were copying Jesus.
Read MoreOne recurring theme in conversations with Moms of pre-teen and teen girls is, “how do I help my daughter realize her true value, rather than seeking to gain value through [her grades, her sport, her friendships, her looks, her accolades]? This is an important topic, and one that drives a lot of what we do at Relay Exchange, Inc., where our mission is to lead girls to the truth of who they are in Christ.
Read MoreHave you ever had a time where you heard a phrase and even though it was entirely out of context, it crystallized an idea for you? This happened to me (Camilla) last week. I was listening to a podcast and the speaker was talking about the apostle Paul. The speaker quoted the Christian pastor and teacher Chuck Swindoll’s use of the terms grace and grit to describe Paul’s ministry and preaching.
I have not been able to shake the phrase since. It’s what I want for myself; it’s what I want for my girls. It’s what all of us at Relay Exchange want for this entire next generation of girls: we want them to be full of grit and grace.
Because they are going to need both. And so do we.
Read MoreWe have exciting news!
Relay Exchange, Inc. is piloting a new program for high school girls and their moms so that older girls can “go the extra mile!”
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