The Farm Wife Sagas

Do you ever pray that your child will do the right thing? That they’ll be the kind one, the one who includes others, stands up for what’s right, and doesn’t follow the crowd, even though following the crowd seems to come with better snacks?

Because same.

The world is crazy. The influences aren’t always great. And sometimes it feels easier to blend in than to stand up, especially when you’re three years old and your biggest life struggle is someone else touching your crayons.

Every night, I pray for my daughter, for her heart, her future, and even for the one who will someday love her as deeply as her daddy loves me. But more than anything, I pray that she’ll always be kind. That she’ll see people for who they are, not what they have. That she’ll be the one who includes the left out, encourages the shy, and stands firm when it’s hard.

I also pray for the one she’ll love one day because Lord help whoever that is! My little girl already knows what she wants, and she’s not afraid to negotiate like a seasoned attorney to get it. We joke about it, but I’m only half kidding when I say that child could sell ice to an Eskimo.

At just three years old, I already tell her, “We don’t have time for mean girl energy.” I pray she never becomes the one who tears others down to feel taller.

We all remember that person, the “popular” one who made others feel small. But popularity fades. Kindness doesn’t.

My goal as a mom isn’t to raise the smartest, most talented, or even the best-dressed kid in class, though matching bows do help. It’s to raise a good human. One who knows the world can change with one choice, one word, one act of love, and that the way you treat people will always matter most.

And to my fellow parents, you’re doing better than you think. Every bedtime story, every car ride pep talk, every “you need to say sorry” moment, it all matters. You’re planting seeds that may not bloom overnight, but they will bloom.

So take a deep breath, keep leading with love, and know that even on the hard days, you’re shaping hearts that will change the world.

A Mother’s Prayer:

Lord, help me raise a child who loves You and loves others.

Give me patience when my words are short and strength when my spirit is tired.

Remind me that kindness begins at home and that my example teaches more than my words ever will.

Bless every parent walking this same path, that we may raise children who shine Your light in a world that needs it so badly. Amen.

One goal Colton and I have always shared is to build a legacy and to build it well.

I grew up on a farm that had been in my family for generations. The land, the stories, and the traditions were passed down like heirlooms. Colton, on the other hand, is first generation. He’s the start of something new, the roots of what will one day be our family’s story.

I love the idea of continuing a legacy that those before me helped create, but I’ve learned that times change and sometimes, so do the ways legacies are built. Watching what we once dreamed about slowly turn into reality is something words can hardly describe. The blood, the sweat, the tears—it’s all been worth it. Knowing that what we’ve built together will one day be something our daughter can call her own is the greatest reward of all.

But this isn’t just about ownership or accomplishments. It’s not about saying, “Look what we’ve done,” or “Look at what we have.” It’s about the values that built it all: the long nights, the hard conversations, the sacrifices, and the unwavering teamwork it took to get here. It’s about creating something rooted in faith and perseverance, something that teaches our daughter that working for something means more than simply being given everything.

The world feels different now. Times are tough. People have changed. Families are more divided, and the values that once held communities together seem fewer and farther between. But there’s still hope. There are still those of us who believe in doing better, who believe that hard work, integrity, and love for what you do still matter.

Because legacies aren’t meant to be handed to you—they’re meant to be built by you. They’re not defined by what you inherit, but by what you create, nurture, and pour your heart into. Building a legacy doesn’t always mean following in someone else’s footsteps; sometimes it means blazing your own trail and trusting that the foundation you lay today will bless generations tomorrow.

So whether you’re continuing a legacy or starting a new one from scratch, do it with purpose. Build something that reflects your values, your grit, your faith, and your love for those who will come after you.

“A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children.” – Proverbs 13:22

“The people you are around the most is the type of person you will become.”

Have you ever heard that saying? I have, and not only heard it, but lived it. I’ve seen firsthand how those closest to me have shaped my decisions, my personality, and even the way I dream. I’ve also seen the other side, how certain people in my life have revealed what I don’t want to be like, showing me paths I don’t want to follow.

As a mother, this truth feels even heavier. Every day I think about the influences in VJ’s life and how they will shape her future. I want her surrounded by people who pour goodness, kindness, and strong values into her, people who encourage her to grow into the best version of herself. At the same time, I know I can’t shield her forever. One day she will face voices, habits, and examples that may not align with the values we are teaching at home.

That is why Colton and I see ourselves as her first and most important influence. We are the starting point of her future. The way we speak, act, and treat others will shape the standard she carries with her into the world. That truth challenges me daily because it means that even in the little things, like how I react when I am tired, how I speak about others, or how I treat strangers in passing, I am teaching her what is “normal.”

But here is the part that really makes me pause. It is not just about the influences around us, it is about the influence we are.

It is easy to point out who we don’t want to be like, but it is harder to ask ourselves the deeper question: What type of influence am I on others? Do my words leave people feeling encouraged or drained? Do my actions point others toward kindness, patience, and grace or away from them? Am I modeling the kind of life I pray my daughter will one day live?

The truth is, whether we realize it or not, we are influencing someone all the time. Our children, our spouses, our friends, our coworkers, even the cashier at the grocery store. Every interaction plants a seed. Some of those seeds grow into life-giving encouragement, and others, if we aren’t careful, can grow into weeds of negativity.

So while I pray that VJ is surrounded by good influences, I also pray that I am a good influence, not just to her but to everyone God allows into my circle. Because influence is not only about who we let shape us, it is also about who we are shaping.

At the end of the day, none of us will be perfect. We will make mistakes, lose our tempers, or say things we wish we could take back. What matters is that we keep coming back to love, to grace, and to the example of Christ. As Proverbs 27:17 reminds us, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” May we sharpen each other toward goodness, not harm.

So I’ll leave you with this challenge. Take a look at the circle of people who surround you. Are they helping you grow into who you want to be? And just as importantly, what kind of influence are you leaving on the lives of those who cross your path?