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What do you love? Try answering this question…

WHAT DO YOU LOVE? Try answering this question…

I LOVE…

The quiet of the morning…and how he lets his night owl sleep in and the comfort in hearing him quietly shut the door behind him every morning. I love when I beat him to morning and the feeling of quietly shutting the door for him back.

I love how chipper Zeke is when the light comes on—and how sluggish she is…and when she says please rub my back and then asks the best question, “Why do I love you so much?”

I love the minutes in between waking the next set of children—and the morning noises my teenagers make when I say rise and shine.

I love the raindrop sounds of morning coffee and tearing off the silver for the seasonal flavor to make it even better.

I love the warmth of the sun on my face in the early morning—how the dogs stare intently at something nothing…and the risk of holding the cat I’m allergic to. It’s never not worth it. I love the sound of hammers in the distance and the muffled banter of construction workers knowing the repetition is another step closer to someone else’s dreams being built in that very moment.

I love old school phone call friends and new friends. And that moment raw authenticity is said and you know that person is gonna be part of your people. I love old friendships that are mostly there because loyalty and longevity that shows up but sees differently on so much and they teach you how to love different and we don’t always have to agree to love each other deeply. I love friendships that cried it out, worked it out, stuck together because you do see so much the same and your heart beats for the margins together and now you karaoke like sisters…wild sisters…knowing this depth is what we were really all made for. And don’t you dare post that.

I love small talk at checkout and when they play 80s music…and when a friend or one of my kids is with me to dare them to dance with me in the aisle…or pushing the cart by myself thinking how great it would be to have one of my favorites with me because you really just look crazy if you dance there alone😂. And more small talk like the time I told the cashier Chicago is just too depressing when you are in the cereal aisle and her absolutely agreeing.

I love the little things at home…the smell of clean laundry and my kindergartener’s stinky feet—and how I can love opposite things so much. I love hearing one of them say the dinner blessing and when the naughty dog puts his head on my lap and the reminder that every single thing has something sweet and good to be found.

I love the big things…the sound of the ball on the metal bat and his stoic face when he brings it home. And when that one tells me what he’s thinking. I love the chill at football game in the fall and a play so good the shameless cowbell in the air…and high fives when her son like my son made that play…and the unspoken togetherness our kids bonds bring. I love watching him dance in the grass and how he is always prepared to tell Alexa what’s next…and the sacredness of coming a little early…seeing her dance through the studio window knowing in weeks she’ll drive herself and that day of waiting passed…so watch longer and I love the bittersweet holy of motherhood lasts and that intentional lingering longer. I love how the smoke lingers in the air after the candles are blown out and how everyone knows who the first piece is for. 

I love digging in the dirt and tending the soil and asking the Lord what should I do as I work it out and turn it over. And how every single time parables or scriptures come to mind and I know He is real and with me.

I love feeling spent one minute then hearing a story and knowing our work isn’t done…and how He gave us heart to feel…to really feel and want to be apart of something more…and knowing in our bones what He created us for. To keep showing up and asking how our hands can be used for His glory and healing and goodness.

I love how at night he listens with his glasses on…and how he takes them off because he is really listening and thinking and helping me be okay as I process everything isn’t always tied with a bow. I love show that take us away for a minute—and podcasts that make us think and learn a lot…and how we need to both laugh and getaway AND learn and grow.

I love what happens when we reflect on all that we love. And remembering how good this ride is. And how most of it is what it is because it’s done together with authenticity and vulnerability. And how it reminds us we aren’t alone…and there’s beauty and goodness and joy to be found in every moment when we stop to remember.❤️

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A Voice Becoming Study Together – Jan/Feb “Women LOVE”

Did you think we’d forgotten the next chapter?  January and February months are focusing on how we get to love. Here are some ideas to apply this February…

Chapter 7 – Women LOVE

4 IDEAS for focusing on LOVE in the Bible together…

  1. Study the story of Ruth and Naomi
  2. Priscilla Shirrer’s Teen Study: Radiant
  3. Dive into the friendship of Jonathon and David
  4. Look up and study the 4 types of love we find in the Bible:
  • Storge (empathy)
  • Philia (friendship)
  • Eros (romance)
  • Agape (Unconditional God’s love)

Watch & Read

A few movies to open up discussions on LOVING well:

  • Pretty Faces
  • Soul Surfer
  • Love Different
  • Beaches
  • The Help
  • Secret Life of Bees

A few books to consider:

  • Crazy Love by Frances Chan
  • Everybody Always by Bob Goff
  • Love Does by Bob Goff

Experience…

1. Daddy/Daughter Time

Encourage a daddy/daughter date night or trip. If your daughter normally does a Father/Daughter dance consider helping them create their own at home this year!

2. Write Letters

Encourage your daughter to love on others this month by writing a letter to someone to tell them how special they are to her.

3. Door Doilies (You can buy these at the Dollar Store right now!)

Put 14 HEART Doilies on everyone’s door in your home. Encourage everyone to write things on them that they love about each person.

Praying for you!

I hope these ideas help as you focus on loving this month! We would LOVE to hear how it’s going–and if you have things to add to the list please let us know so we can share it with other moms also. Praying for all of you as you lead your daughters through this year. If you have gotten behind–now is a great time to jump back in! Just jump in on Chapter 7 and try some of these ideas this month as you are able.

Much love from my house to yours!

Andrea

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A Voice Becoming Study – Nov/Dec “Women Lead” Chapter…

Women Lead

Y’all I hope these emails turn out okay as I create them pecking on my iPhone while a preschooler plays, and I plan for this sweet time with my teenage daughter alongside many of you! I hope you all had AMAZING, unforgettable “Launch Trips”—now it’s time to jump in!

November/December Bucket List
The first theme we are jumping into for our daughter’s “Becoming Journey” is Women Lead. On page 87 in your book “A Voice Becoming” there are some questions for YOU to reflect on in your own leadership growth amd how you have used your gifts and talents to benefit others. My fav: What are some aspects of leadership that you want to impart to your daughter?

When Laney was a baby, God used us to help start a school in Zambia (Wiphan.org). While many encouraged, there were always voices that said “just focus on your home because that is your mission field”. So much truth to that, but the Lord was calling us to even MORE outside our home. How thankful I am we followed and this ministry thrives today as our children have been shaped much by it.

When Laney turned 5, the Lord called us to grow through adoption, and then the following year start a ministry for foster and adoptive moms. Again—that voice of uncertainty came but sweeter, stiller and stronger was HIS CALL. I hope to challenge my daughter in the next two months to follow His call no matter the noise of good intentions or of the world. The Lord will equip our girls for His call no matter what is already on their plates. Leaders raise their plates to Him allowing Him to place the portions.

There will also be seasons where the Lord says slow down or not right now to great things—and the call to step aside for others to lead will be just as important for them to follow.

Get Inspired…Nov/Dec

The goal for NOVEMBER & DECEMBER will be to learn from other women who have lead well. A handful of local moms met at the barn to help come up with a “Bucket list” (above) for you to use or inspire you creating your own! Of course there may not be time to do them all, but we pray the next 2 months as you focus on learning from different leaders this list might help!

Another great activity to start this 2 month theme with is making a list together of qualities a leader has. When you see your dear daughter loving out these traits—affirm her and speak words of life to her acknowledging she is beginning to walk in these ways and you SEE it!

I will post the bucket list we made on our Facebook page! If you aren’t on Facebook but want it please just text me (404-667-0077)and I can text it to you to print off. (Disclaimer: We haven’t listened to every podcast, movie or read listed yet! Many were recommended on leadership so the most recommended we added to the list!)

Also a leadership idea! Those of us who met at barn are going to gather to make Jesse Trees for our daughters to lead Advent devotions for siblings. Think of ways your daughter might can lead even in your home in these 2 months. She might need your help and even to share the load with you—but maybe this is another sweet thing you could do together.

Praying for all of you as you love your girls big and well!

Much love from the farm!

Andrea Young

”She was unstoppable, not because she didn’t have failures or doubts but because she continued on despite them.” —Christine Caine

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October – Launch Trip

I’m posting this months after our trip…but wanted to document for this mommas to use later and come back to year after year!

Mother/Daughter Year Together!

Hopefully, most of you have gotten your book “A Voice Becoming” in the mail or on your Kindles by now. There are just 4 chapters in the first part that are VERY quick and easy to read. When we got together a few weeks ago, we decided we would try to read through PART ONE by October.

PART ONE is just preparing YOU for the exciting year leading your daughter. The BIG thing you need to be thinking about right now is WHERE you can take her to invite her into this exciting year! Be thinking about a place her for a weekend away in October to start this journey.

ALSO–if you have some friends who would like to be added to the monthly encouragement emails filled with ideas to go along with this book you can forward this email or just share this email signup link: http://eepurl.com/hb8ZUH

If you ever want a quick reference–I am ALSO posting the emails and info on my family blog website and you can just go to Mother/Daughter year at: www.theyoungfamilyfarm.com

So…go ahead and keep reading PART ONE this month. Chapter 1, 2 and 3 will prepare you for what the year and topics will be about. Chapter 4 will have example invitation letters similar to the one you will give your daughter on your weekend together. I will share a couple as well in the email you receive on October 1st as well as a PDF that you can just easily tweak if you want to tweak mine and make it your own!

Ideas for a weekend away with your girl this October…

Just a few ideas of beautiful places to take your girly away to! If you have ideas to add please jump on the Facebook page “The Barn Gathering – A Voice Becoming” and give us your ideas!

We are praying for you and your daughter as you prepare to ask her to join you on this journey to BECOMING all God made her to be! This truly is going to be an exciting year you both will never forget.

Blessings for the Barn!

Andrea

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Mother/Daughter Year Together (A Voice Becoming…Chapter 2)

Hey mommas! I hope you are doing well! We are working through Part 1 of “A Voice Becoming” during this month and October with the goal to take your daughter on her “Launch” trip in October if you decided to do the year alongside us. If you are waiting for a special year down the road–awesome! These notes will remain posted on my blog for you to print out and use later for yourself or for any moms you may be doing this with also. (Chapter 1 is posted on our FB group and will remain on my blog:)

Here are a few of my notes and questions from Chapter 2 that I want to think about…

Processing who I am a woman and what I want to pass down to my daughter. What do I want to pass down? What do I want to let go of?

(Grab a coffee…and process these in your heart and mind…)

  • Who am I?
  • What is my story?
  • What are the parts of my story that have grown me deeper in my role as a woman who longs for more of Jesus?

I love Beth’s questions on page 18…”What about femininity have I wrestled with all these years and how can I prevent her from wrestling with the same things? What am I still wrestling with?

  • Who are other women I can invite into helping my daughter transition from girlhood to BECOMING who God designed her to be? Pray about this!
  • Pray for your spouse as he is also invited in to be a part of this process because dad’s play a very significant role in their daughter’s BECOMING. 

“Too often, women who carry wounds from their own fathers or who have been betrayed, abandoned, or harmed by their husband allow their pain to seep into their daughter’s perceptions of men. Hold out hope for her story to be different and trust that not all men are so wounded that all they can do is harm.” -Beth Bruno

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