Ruth is a woman of courage who did the opposite of what anyone else would have done. She made a choice instead of feeling like she was choiceness. Bathsheba was a woman who was shamed, but she made a choice to not live in the bondage of shame. She made choices that mattered for the future!

The 5th commandment is to ‘Honor your father and your mother, which is the only commandment that comes with a promise.’ Donna learned to do this despite having a difficult relationship with her parents by rearranging her thinking and planning activities that her mother enjoyed.

With Spring on the horizon, get some Spring cleaning underway with Donna’s ‘clutter-proof’ principles on getting organized in all areas of your home.

Throughout the New Testament, we are commanded to honor our parents. Donna sensed God’s pleasure once she began to honor her mother, doing things her mom liked to do.

Thank you for your questions on friendship, encouraging your husband, sibling rivalry, and lying in adult children. Donna shares wisdom on each of these topics.

Donna’s special guest is Jessica Hodge, a worship leader at a local Phoenix church, who shares with us the ways that she has developed a deeper prayer life and some different ways to worship through song.

God calls us all to obedience. Donna tells us to ask ourselves 3 questions: 1. What am I being disobedient about? 2. How is my life complicated? 3. How much is enough? The most important thing we can do is make space in our day for time with God. Just sit in His presence as you may have once done with your spouse before you were married, or when you held your infant in your arms, bonding with each other by just being together. This is the last of Donna’s teachings until September. Have a blessed summer and explore our web site for free resources that are available to you and catch up on all of the free podcasts you may have missed.

The Girlfriends are back and talking about Spring cleaning. Be a good steward of what you have and clear out anything that you have not used in years. Attachment to things is okay as long as it doesn’t drive you to disorganization.

Manners matter! They are about demonstrating respect and are important values in everyday life. Teach your children manners around company and in public.

“Adoration is the spontaneous yearning of the heart to worship, honor, magnify, and bless God. We ask nothing but to cherish him. We seek nothing but his exaltation. We focus on nothing but his goodness.” ~ Richard Foster

We often desire the shortest, easiest way to things in life, but God’s directions may include a delay or detour, as was the case with the Israelites (Exodus 13:17-18). Don’t miss the lessons God has for you in the “wilderness” or delays and detours of life, which could be illness, isolation, or a broken relationship. Give God consent to work in your life by giving Him control!

It is common for followers of Christ to seek the approval of others, BUT God’s approval matters most! We are to imitate Christ and outdo one another in preference and consider others as more important than ourselves. The many questions that Donna has for us will make us think about whose approval we are trying to win.

One of Donna and David’s summer reads was “Life Without Lack: Living in the Fullness of Psalm 23.” Dallas Willard, the author, wrote about living a life of contentment and peace. Many of you may have memorized Psalm 23 from a Sunday school class and now Donna’s review of this book can help you put the truths from Psalm 23 into practice.

The GOAL of the kitchen is to feed your family nutritious meals. Donna teaches the principles that are part of the warp and woof (look that one up!) of her life. Take notes, and start to do one or two things that will help you be more organized, save time and money, and train your family to help prepare meals.

Donna gives us practical tools for training our children to use God’s gift of money for His purposes, including hands-on activities teaching financial principles. The “ABCs of Handling Money God’s Way” from Crown Ministries is one resource she references.

Donna offers many ideas for training your children in the area of money. Children model us, good or bad! Showing thankfulness and being hospitable are 2 of the many ways that we can model positive behavior.

What is your posture when it comes to training your children about money? Parents need to lead by example and teach that God owns all the gold and silver and we are the stewards of all that He has blessed us with.

God is still on the throne! Trust Him with your finances and listen to Him when it comes to stewarding the gifts He has given you. Go to ThriveInLoveAndMoney.com to take the assessment that Shaunti and Jeff Feldhahn developed when writing their latest book, and work with your spouse on communicating about money.

Shaunti and Jeff Feldhahn learned very important concepts about the ways men and women are different when it comes to money and they spell those ways out in their new book that will help each of us who struggle with this sensitive topic to be better at communicating about and handling money.

You will see by Donna’s illustration, with all the pennies she saved for many years she was able to purchase her daughter’s wedding gown, that every penny does indeed matter!

There is no subject that God didn’t cover in his Word, and friendship is no exception! The Otto Motto: You Are Who You Hang Out With is one that Donna has passionately taught about for decades! Friendships can be complicated, but you can learn how to navigate the difficulties when you choose carefully who you become friends with.

Are there quotes that resonate with you? Or books you want to read? Maybe you have written down your testimony, life goals, or family mission statement. Donna talks about stuffing your files with ideas you want to act on, such as ways to get organized or a new skill you want to practice.

The kitchen is more than a room to cook in. It is also a room where charity takes place. Charity is not only giving to the poor, but it also means serving those who live in your home. Teach your family what it looks like to serve others by preparing meals together, and perhaps you are able to bless someone else by bringing a meal to them.

Humans love ceremony! Even if you don’t have a formal dining room, make meal time a special occasion as often as you can for your family. Donna has many suggestions to make memories with your family and/or your grandchildren. Share your ideas in an email to us!

When Elisabeth Elliot died 5 years ago, Donna found among her belongings a graduation speech that Elisabeth wrote in 1974 and delivered at Eastern University. It’s message is timeless, and for the 2020 graduates who have had to miss out on their ceremonies due to the pandemic, this is for you!

It is such a beautiful thing when you can get a glimpse into the heart of a truly humble follower of Jesus, as Donna was privileged to do as a ‘spiritual daughter’ of Elisabeth Elliot’s! Donna interviews Lauren, another ‘daughter’ of EE’s, on the 5th anniversary of Elisabeth’s death. Lauren shares her observations and the lessons she learned from Elisabeth.

Mentoring a younger woman is to share your experiences and wisdom, your time and energy. That’s what Elisabeth Elliot was to Donna Otto, and what Donna is to the younger women who have been daughters of her heart for decades. Donna suggests ways to become a mentor and help fill the needs of a young woman in your life, whether it is a practical need or advice or any number of ways to support her in her journey.

The friendship between Donna and Elisabeth Elliot was more like a mother/daughter relationship, and Donna shares her eulogy that she gave at EE’s memorial 5 years ago. Being taught and mentored by Donna is like being taught and mentored by Elisabeth herself, as Donna has shared the many pearls of wisdom she learned with all of us through the years!

If you enter your house or bring guests through the front door, is it a welcoming space? Many of us come and go through the garage into the house, but we still need to keep the front door entry area tidy and presentable. The Living Room is a place for family and friends, and now (during the pandemic) a place where teaching and working from home take place. What is the atmosphere like? Make it a place of love for your family.

Donna offers practical ways to make your home a haven of peace, where everyone in your family will want to be at the end of a long day. Try to keep it orderly, clean, cozy and cheerful!

Are you taking seriously the ways God is desiring to transform you (especially in this time of the pandemic)? The quote, “We are not yet what we shall be, but we are growing toward it…” by Martin Luther, who initiated the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century, is what those of us who are practicing spiritual disciplines should live by. Disciplines are practiced, not out of duty, but out of devotion and with great purpose. Continue your journey with Christ and you will find joy!