Ashley Johnson | The Grit and Grace Project

If Kids Disrupt Our Lives So Much, Why Do We Do It?

By Ashley Johnson / Motherhood, Audio Articles

(Listen to the audio version of this article here.) Before I had kids, I used to see all of the motherhood memes on social media and scroll right on by, rolling my eyes a bit. Why are there so many? Now that I am a mother, I read almost every single one, laugh, screenshot the best, and send them to my friends. They’re funny because they’re true. All of them. The ones about how your kid never asks their father for something if mom is in the room. The ones about how your toddler has a meltdown because you cut their sandwich in half (even though they asked for you to cut it in half yesterday), about how you never knew what […]

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When You Feel Weighed Down, God Comes Through

By Ashley Johnson / Faith

“Save him, Mama! I want to saaaaave the ant!” My 2-year-old was giving me very clear orders as she bobbed up and down in the pool, engulfed in her life vest. Her eyes, the same color as the aqua water, locked onto mine in a determined challenge. I studied that unfortunate ant caught in the swimming pool. He was large as far as ants go, and he was still moving. I brought my two hands together, creating a cup, and lifted him out of the water, setting him onto the ledge before us. He was out but still struggling to break away from the little puddle I created while scooping him up. He continued to move but made little progress. My

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When I Feel Like a Bad Mom, I Pray This for My Kids

By Ashley Johnson / Faith, Audio Articles, Motherhood

(Listen to the audio version of this article here.) “I am not a perfect mom.” I have this thought—well, much harsher versions of it—more often than I’d like to admit. I lost my patience and yelled. I made PB&J for lunch and frozen chicken nuggets for dinner because I cannot seem to meal plan. I was on my phone too much. My house is a mess (better not post any pictures from today—yikes). I tried a “super easy” kids’ activity I found on Instagram that ended in my toddler eating the glue stick and coloring on the wall. I felt stressed out rather than present during our entire trip to the park because the kids were running in opposite directions, and all these

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Just Because She Carries It Well Doesn’t Mean It Isn’t Heavy

By Ashley Johnson / Faith

“It feels as if most areas of my life are very uncomfortable,” I thought as I carefully shut the door of my 19-year-old Dodge Durango. It makes a terrible creaking noise and I’m kind of afraid it might fall off the hinge onto my feet whenever it swings. The car has over 200,000 miles on it, and I feel a sheepish guilt each time I strap my 2-year-old and 1-year-old into it. The AC is wimpy at best, but it’s better than our Hyundai Elantra that my husband drives which just blows hot air. Did I mention we live in SW Florida? I’m pretty good at overlooking frustrations and reframing disappointments to focus on what I’m learning and gaining. But sometimes the

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Dear Mom, I Will Always Need You (Even Now That I’m a Mom)

By Ashley Johnson / Audio Articles, Motherhood

(Listen to the audio version of this article here.) Yesterday my mom sent me a text asking if she could take my two toddlers and me to Costco. And she did. She came over at 10 a.m., acted as if she didn’t notice the disaster my house was, took my son to the bathroom while my daughter was melting down in my arms, and ignored my poor attitude. The truth is, I was about to melt down myself… which she probably knew. I now understand the uncanny accuracy of a mother’s intuition. They know so much more than they let on. They do so much parenting without even saying a word. I know this now, and I’ve only got three years under

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My Dad's Suicide and the Hole in My Heart

Your Battle Is What Makes You Beautiful

By Ashley Johnson / Life & Culture

Before my daughter was born, I hung a quote from The Velveteen Rabbit above her crib. I have no emotional connection to that book; in fact, I’ve never read it. But the second I read the words printed on that beautifully distressed canvas, my eyes welled up with tears because I’ve lived it out and thus learned the very lesson I suppose this soft, tattered bunny is sharing. “You become. It takes a long time. That’s why it doesn’t happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in your joints

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God Is in Control When You Feel Like You Have None

By Ashley Johnson / Faith

Have you ever felt like your world was shaking, maybe even crumbling, around you? I say “your world” and not “the world” because it’s not actually the whole world, just your whole world. Which is a very different thing because you can feel quite alone when it’s only “your world.” If it were, indeed, the whole world then at least you’d have some company. I think most of us have been there, or are there right now. It’s part of living in a broken place. Illness, division, pain, separation, heartbreak, sin—and its aftermath. There is so much going on around us, it can be overwhelming within us. As I was reading Psalm 46, I felt as though the author understood all of

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This Is What You Need for a Life Long Love

You Need to Do This for a Lifelong Love

By Ashley Johnson / Audio Articles, Relationships

(Listen to the audio version of this article here.) The other night my husband and I sat on the kitchen floor and talked until 1 in the morning. The TV wasn’t on—or maybe it was—I can’t remember… We told stories about our day and rolled our eyes over the annoyances. We discussed our individual jobs and the vision we have for what we hope to accomplish. We talked about the funny things our kids are saying and doing, watched a couple videos of them, and laughed so hard. I told him about something that has been on my heart and cried because I knew God answered my prayer. He smiled and said he’d been praying that for me too. I’m not being

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These 2 Nurses Told Us What Makes Them Feel Appreciated

By Ashley Johnson / Life & Culture

It’s National Nurses Week, and I can’t think of a better time than now to honor these special people and celebrate their selfless work. In an effort to show our sincerest appreciation, I interviewed two nurses to better understand their role in society, their unique struggles, and how we can make them feel valued. This is what they said… What made you decide to become a nurse? Katelynn is a nurse in the ER, she’s 27 years old, and has been a nurse for 5 years. One of the first times I met her she told me an incredible story about a summer she spent in Haiti providing medical care for villages who go years without having access to any. She’s smart,

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To My Teacher Wife, They Should See Everything You Do

By Ashley Johnson / Life & Culture

In light of all that our teachers are doing right now, we felt they should be honored in a special way during teacher appreciation week (and beyond). To do that well, we asked someone who knows more about this career than most people to give us some insight… To My Teacher Wife, Teachers have the ability to leave a lasting impression on people, but nothing compares to the experience of being married to one. What I have come to learn in our marriage is that teaching is so much more than a profession. It is a calling. I have never met someone more selfless, compassionate, encouraging, determined, or invested in what they do. The first time I heard you refer to your

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6 Relatable Mom Moments That Will Make You Laugh Out Loud

By Ashley Johnson / Motherhood

Our kids can embarrass us and make us laugh. These moms are sharing a few of those moments. “I will never forget this Target run” I will never forget the time my two oldest and I went to Target for a quick errand. One of my girls had to go to the bathroom and decided to pull her pants down while we were still in the entryway to the store. I’m fumbling around trying to pull her pants back up, and she is fighting me trying to pull them back down. “But I have to poop, Mom!” I carried a half-naked 4-year-old under my arm like a sack of potatoes through the entire store, just to hear her say, “I don’t have

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This is What Jesus Says About Equality for Women

Jesus Gave Up All Comfort So That He Could Comfort You

By Ashley Johnson / Faith

Have you ever felt abandoned by God in your pain? You seek His face, but it cannot be found. You turn the pages of your Bible, searching and searching, turning every stone for a word of hope. You pray. You cry. You plead… Father? Are you there? Are you real? Can you hear me? Do you see me? Do you care? Where are you? I need you. I’m hurting. Help! I feel like a fool for trusting you, and yet… I have nowhere else to go. If you don’t show up, I have nowhere else to turn. No one left to call. I wonder how many people are this place right now. All the Bad News… Enduring crisis. Grieving a loss. Weary

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Feeling Anxiety How to Snap Out of It and Live in the Moment

Feeling Anxious? How to Snap Out of It and Live in the Moment

By Ashley Johnson / Life & Culture

I recently read a great article about how anxiety can negatively affect our health, stress our immune systems, and actually cause us to become more susceptible to illness. While this is good information, it can also cause those who are anxious to feel even more anxious about their anxiety. Welcome to the mysterious world of living inside your head. Here’s the thing: cutting through the static of anxiety is not as simple as turning the station or flipping it off altogether. Trust me, if it were, I’m fairly certain the issue would no longer exist. Instead, anxiety disorders are affecting 40 million adults in the U.S.1 So, if you’re struggling in this crazy COVID season, here are 10 things that might help

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9 Qualities You Need in a Good Friend

By Ashley Johnson / Relationships

I drove upstate to visit my best friend from college this past weekend because she just had her first baby. I couldn’t help but ponder the milestones we’ve shared: graduations, weddings, fur-babies, careers, buying and selling homes, and now…motherhood! Our friendship has felt pretty special from the start, so it got me thinking about what it is that makes our relationship so life-giving… 9 Qualities That Make a Good Friend: 1. Someone who helps carry your load, but doesn’t make you feel like a burden. 2. Someone who knows your worst, but only sees your best. 3. Someone who never makes you feel small, no matter how big they are. 4. Someone who doesn’t flaunt, especially when they know you’re hurting. 5.

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Do You Want to Write for The Grit and Grace Project?

By Ashley Johnson / Life & Culture

Do you have a passion for writing? A personal story that you know other women would benefit from? Do you want to offer women encouragement? Maybe you have older kids and desire to pour into new moms. Have you survived the terrible-twos? Are you at the place you are dealing with middle school meltdown, high school drama, or considering a new life direction? Or have you walked a hard road as a wife, mother, sister, daughter, or friend and want to encourage women through your story? We’re looking for you. Why not consider becoming a writer for The Grit and Grace Project? Join our community of real women inspiring and encouraging each other through all of life’s joys and struggles! Here’s how

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Every Mom Needs Her Own Highlight Reel, This Is Why

By Ashley Johnson / Audio Articles, Motherhood

(Listen to the audio version of this article here.) We all do it. The long-awaited moments of silence ensue, and what do we do after those crazy little humans are sleeping in their beds? Pull out our phone and enjoy a recap of our day. We spend countless hours with these people, during which we dream of all the luxurious things we will do after bedtime. You know, like, eat a meal, take a shower, or complete a task such as the dishes, respond to a text, or RSVP to something without interference. But then, that magical moment arrives, and we do this silly thing… We stare at the compilation of snapshots and videos that made up our day: the morning smiles

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Good Can Come When You Live in the Shadow

By Ashley Johnson / Faith

I have a confession to make. This article began from a place of pride and pain. Feelings of insignificance, hurt, and loneliness fueled the first two drafts. I even thought it was complete, tied up in a “pretty” bow of words that claimed a moral to the story. It was for the overlooked woman. The lonely woman. The forgotten woman. (Total honesty, I think I was just in a bad mood.) Just hold your head up high, friend. Press on in the strength you’ve developed. Remember your worth, I said. But I knew my heart was in a bad place when I hit the “submit” button. Even now, I’m internally shaking my head at myself in disappointment for my lack of self-control.

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