A long time ago there were three siblings—two sisters and their brother. One day the brother became very sick, so the sisters called a friend, a friend they knew could help their brother. When this friend heard that their brother was sick, he decided it would be best...
We know that praying for our children and our grandchildren is important, but do we live as if it's important? Are we a people committed to praying for the next generation? Are you committed to praying for your children? For the children in your church? How committed...
Recently my husband and I were gifted a trip to Spain. Yes, you read that right. And yes, I still can't believe it. I have only been out of the country four times in my 50 years. Two of those times were mission trips to Central America. The third was a quick drive...
A couple of years ago, I was praying Scriptures of sanctification over my children, my grandchildren, and future generations of Shultzes. Just a few short days into praying, "Lord, sanctify them! Set them apart for you. Make my children holy," I found myself outside...
2015 That was a really painful year for me. The kind of pain that shakes a person to their core. 2016 Don't even get me started on the pain of that year! I seemed to find some sort of rhythm in the pain, but just when I'd settle into a place of "this is painful, but...
We didn’t know that night that Hannah would get sick, withdraw from school, and never make it back to Pepperdine. We didn’t know it would take her three years to fight her way back, just to study online. But the Lord knew. And He provided for what He knew was coming.
Part of what we do at FamiliesAlive is encourage and lead parents, especially moms and grandmas, to pray through Scripture over their own families. We focus on the whole Word of God, but in this season, we are praying through the Psalms. So, there I was two weeks ago,...
Thanksgiving is fast approaching. How are we already here again? Wasn't it just yesterday that we were gathered together with family and friends around our turkey-potatoes-cranberry-sauce-pumpkin-pie tables? The years are flying by! This reminds me how fleeting I am;...
At our most recent FamiliesAlive board meeting, we concluded our time together as we normally do, in prayer over one another. These prayers always include praises mingled with grief, a crying out to the Lord our gratitude for the things He has done and our entreaty...
The date was February 9, 2021. I will never forget that day. It was a beautiful Colorado day. I went on a 6-mile hike on a little-used trail through 6 inches of snow. Silence, sun, fresh snow, and beautiful views filled my heart and my soul. I got off the trail,...
There has always been something special about Palm Sunday. The waving of palm branches. The singing and shouting of "Hosanna!" The young worship dancers leading our hearts to praise in a different way. I am always moved as I read of Zechariah's prophecy hundreds of...
The last time I wrote a blog was March 2020—exactly 2 years ago. This “break” from writing and sharing and posting was both intentional and unintentional. Intentional because I knew the Lord was instructing me to be silent. Unintentional because I had no idea that His...
Do you ever feel like your family is a part of this rat race of life, like there’s never enough time in the day to do all you need to do, let alone do the things you want to do? Do you ever wake up desiring a slower pace, wanting to spend time in God’s Word, and find...
Have you always been given what you ask for? Have you always been given what you ask for right away? Have you always been given what you ask for in the way you actually want it? We’re not always given what we ask for, simply because it’s not part of His purpose. We’re...
I know. I know. Some of you might disagree with me (I almost disagree with myself). But, these were the words Jesus spoke to my heart the other day. I was headed to church early to serve as a greeter at the South Doors. I love to welcome faces I recognize, new-to-me...
As I spend some time in the book of Jeremiah this morning, I'm reminded of the work the Lord does in my life and in the lives of my children. This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: "Go down to the potter's house, and there I will give you my message."...
My husband and I recently returned from Costa Rica where we spent 9 days with 20 students and several other leaders building homes, and participating in ministry through soccer. It was an amazing trip. One that most of us will not soon forget. The Lord used us to come...
The other day, I became privy to a really funny, really horrifying plan being hatched under our roof... One Shultz boy encouraging another Shultz boy to respond to our pastor's "HE IS RISEN!" from our pew on Easter Sunday with "APRIL FOOLS'!" Lord, have mercy. I utter...
By Becky Shultz Curriculum Developer, FamiliesAlive Homeschooling mom of 6 Here I am. Again. Sitting in a similar place I was sitting in one year ago. Only this time, I already know the Lord's reply. He has given the same patient reply every single time I go down this...
by Becky Shultz Got kids? Then you've got wonderful blessings - gifts from on high! You've also got disagreements, issues, messes, worriment, and trouble. And the older those kids get, the bigger the problems get, the more difficult those difficulties are to handle....
by Becky Shultz It all began 23+ years ago when we found out we were expecting a baby girl. Laura Elizabeth Shultz slowly made her entrance into this world, but quickly stole our hearts! I remember being stopped while out for a walk or moving through a grocery store....
by Becky Shultz I sat down to write a blog yesterday. Here's how it went: Lord, please give me the words you want me to share. *cricket* *cricket* *cricket* So writing a blog turned into 30 minutes of praying and thinking and crying. I thought about this past year and...
I woke up on Sunday, May 8 feeling absolutely pulverized. Since September, we have been trying our darndest to live a semi-normal life while searching for answers to Hannah's health issues. If you've followed along, you know that our college-sophomore daughter got...
When our daughter, Hannah, left for leadership training near her college campus back on August 20, we had no idea what was in store for her...for all of us. We did not see the twist in the road that lay before us. She was looking forward to her 2nd year at Pepperdine...
As I think back over the past couple of weeks, they seem to me to be a blur. Having been home for three days now, in some ways it feels as if I never left, except for the fact that we're about to enter the month of October. In other ways, being out in California,...
To All My Mama Friends Whose Babies are Far Away Today, I feel like we belong to some sort of club. As I've watched you post pictures of your goodbyes the past few weeks, I've cried with you. I've been there. I AM there. I spent three years saying goodbye to our...
Two weekends ago, my husband and I were able to get away to the mountains for a wonderful, relaxing time celebrating our 22nd wedding anniversary. It was glorious! We took drives, walks, sat outside listening to the birds, sipped tea and coffee, read (my reading was...
When I get to spend time with the East Coast Shultzes, I find that I get to see life from a different perspective. Being around loved ones I don't get to be around very often has a way of doing that. I married into the Shultz family and I sometimes joke that I married...
I LOVE summertime -- vacations, family visits, pool time, trips up to our Colorado mountains, eating just about every meal on the deck, laid-back, lazy mornings. My favorite time of year. Last week we had family (my aunt, cousin, cousin-in-law, and their 2 little...
As many of you know, this month has been a big one in the life of our family. Less than three weeks ago we cheered, celebrated and rejoiced as we watched our eldest, Laura, walk across the stage to receive her diploma from Westmont College in Santa Barbara, CA. That...
Last week the boys and I went on another school adventure. This time to Salt Lake City, UT. In preparation, we did a little study on the Donner-Reed Party, Mormon pioneers, Joseph Smith, Brigham Young and Mormonism. We hit the road, entered Utah and followed the...
Easter. I love Easter. Holy Week celebrations, family gatherings, the smells, the food (HAM!!!), the traditions, and...the ham! 😉 Seriously, my mom used to say, "We need to buy two hams. One for Becky and one for the rest of us." I do love me some Easter spiral ham....
The Shultz family is currently on a road trip in AZ. In fact, it’s 6:30 a.m., freezing cold, so I’m sitting in the warm-ish bathhouse of our campground. Needless to say, my blog is going to be short and sweet. Well, short and to the point. 🙂 I had a conversation a...
Hannah Ruth Shultz entered our world on March 2, 1996. She was our second daughter, so we felt prepared, convinced we knew what to expect. Daughter #1 was 2-years-old. We were pros. 😉 For the first 8 months of her life, things went effortlessly. Out of six labors and...
Do you ever find yourself questioning the Lord? His timing? His purposes? His lack of moving in a way you want? I do. You'd think I wouldn't. After all, I've known the Lord my entire life. I've witnessed the movement of His hand time and time again. I've read and...
Last week the boys and I took school on the road again. We explored and adventured through the great state of Texas. I seriously have only been there once, and that was for a world sport stacking competition, so I spent most of my time in the hotel or at the...
I'm sitting here preparing to say goodbye to two very special daughters as they head back to CA later this week. One -- Laura -- will be finishing up college (seriously...we'll be heading to her graduation in May). The other -- Hannah -- will be completing her first...