National Day of Prayer

Pour Out to the God of Hope and Be Filled*! This is the theme of this year’s National Day of Prayer. Observed every year on the first Thursday in May, the National Day of Prayer is a dedicated time when we, as Americans, can come together to pray for our country and its leaders in all levels of government, our families, our churches, and more.

At One by One, prayer is an important part of our work day every day. We begin every week in prayer for our moms, our mentors and other volunteers, our staff, our supporters, and our communities. And it’s not unusual to hear staff members on the phone praying for the people they’re speaking with or to see them gathered in the hall praying over a specific concern.

But if you’re a new Christian, new to prayer, or someone who’s just exploring Christianity, you may be wondering what you can do – or how you can pray – on this day. We have some suggestions below to help you participate in National Day of Prayer as well as ways you can pray for our ministry. We hope these ideas will help you deepen – or discover – a relationship with the Lord today and every day moving forward.

Spiritual Growth through Service

Are you looking to grow closer to the Lord, but you’re not sure how? You already do “all the things:” participate in church, pray, read your Bible, but you feel you’re missing something. Are you actively serving others? Could that be what you’re missing?

We know the excuses: “How can I make a difference?” “I don’t have anything to offer.” “That’s really not needed.” And perhaps the most common excuse: “I don’t have time.”

Now consider Galatians 5:13 (NIV): “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.”

As Christians, we are commanded not only to serve but also to serve humbly and in love. Keep reading to see just five benefits of taking this command seriously and how One by One may be the perfect place for you to serve others.

Holidays Got You Stressed? De-Stress with Our Tips and Enjoy Your Christmas!

Although Christmas can be the most wonderful time of the year, it can also be one of the most stressful. There are work parties, school parties, church parties, family events, friend events, cooking, shopping, baking, wrapping, church plays, pictures with Santa, travel plans, outings to see live nativity scenes and neighborhood lights, and – of course! – that pesky elf on the shelf! We’re exhausted just thinking about it all!

But there is hope. Keep reading for 10 easy ways to de-stress this holiday season so you can enjoy time with your family and – most importantly – focus on the birth of our Lord. And isn’t that what it’s all about?

Focusing Your Kids' Attention on the Cross instead of the Bunny at Easter

As Easter approaches, your kids may be getting excited about Easter baskets and egg hunts. They may be picking out Easter outfits and looking forward to a day out of school on Good Friday. These traditions are certainly fun, but our kids need to know Easter isn’t about the bunny; it’s about the cross. They need to know Jesus died on the cross for our sins and rose from the dead so we can live with Him in heaven when we die. If your kids need to be reminded of the importance of Easter, try out one or all of the fun activities below.

Volunteer with Us to Serve Pregnant and New Moms!

As National Mentoring Month comes to a close, are you looking for a way to serve others? At One by One we have many opportunities for you to help change the life of a pregnant or new mom and her baby. Of course, mentoring tops our list, but there are many other ways you can join us. Keep reading to see how you can help!

Celebrating Life - How One by One mentors support moms who choose life for their babies

For most women, finding out they are pregnant is a cause for celebration. But imagine you weren’t planning to get pregnant. And maybe you’re alone – because you live away from family or because your family (and maybe even your boyfriend) don’t support your decision to keep your baby. Where do you turn? How will you do this on your own?

The answer is – you don’t have to do it alone. At One by One, it’s always been our goal to walk alongside new moms throughout their pregnancies and at least until their babies turn one. Our mentors love and support our moms without judgment. They provide friendship, support, and parenting education to help moms learn to parent well. We want every mom to know she is not alone - because we are here to help.

How to Keep Your Child Focused on Jesus at Christmas

December is here, and Christmas is just around the corner! For many of us, Christmas is “the most wonderful time of the year,” so it’s easy to get caught up in all things holidays: decorating, shopping, wrapping, cooking, parties, and more. Imagine how easy it is for our kids to focus on Santa, gifts, and parties! If you’d like to teach your kids more about the true reason we celebrate Christmas, we have 10 great tips to help you keep your kids focused on Christ this Christmas.

Gratitude Challenge - How to Instill a Sense of Gratitude in Your Child

It’s November – and you’re social media may soon be covered with #GratitudeChallenge posts! While we count our blessings this month, do we help our kids count theirs? Kids have a reputation for being selfish, but they can be some of the kindest and most generous people. It’s up to us as parents to instill a sense of gratitude instead of entitlement in our kids. Here are 10 ways to begin to instill a sense of gratitude in your child.

Will You Be the One to Help a New Mom?

You’ve heard it before: it only takes one person to make a difference in someone’s life. Often, we hear adults thank a childhood teacher for being that person: the one to perceive when a child is struggling, the one to provide special encouragement, the one to recognize special talents. As adults we remember those teachers who really took the time to know us and help us grow.

At One by One, that person can be you. Our mentors serve pregnant and new moms by providing friendship, support, and encouragement as well as parent education and life skills lessons to help them learn to parent well. We talk a lot about our mentors because they’re on the front lines: each mentor talks/texts with her mom weekly and meets with her monthly until her child turns one. But there are other ways you can be the “one” at One by One.

Celebrate Life!

On June 24, our country celebrates the first anniversary of the Dobbs ruling which overturned Roe v. Wade. While many of us celebrated the ruling in 2022, others wondered what the decision would mean for women in crisis: for women experiencing unplanned pregnancies, for single women with no support system, for women wondering what they should do next and how they would manage a job or school with a baby.

At One by One, our goal has always been to walk alongside pregnant and new moms – without judgment - throughout their pregnancies and at least until their children turn one. Our mentors offer friendship and support, teach moms how to meet their babies’ safety and developmental needs, and share parenting and life skills lessons. Most of all, our mentors are there to remind every scared mom she’s not alone – because One by One is right there with her.

Virtual Mentors Help New Moms across the U.S.

At One by One, our mission is to mentor and educate new moms to parent well. We provide in-person mentoring in Memphis, Dallas/Ft. Worth, San Antonio, and a few smaller communities in Mississippi, Tennessee, and Kansas. But what if you’re not in one of those locations? We launched a virtual mentoring program earlier this year to support moms across the US who don’t have in-person mentoring opportunities or who can’t meet in person due to various hardships, and we’re looking for women to serve as mentors. Does virtual mentoring appeal to you? Let’s look at how the program works.

Keeping Christ in Easter: When Your Kids Get too Excited about the Easter Bunny, Follow These Tips to Redirect Their Attention to the Cross

As Easter nears, kids get excited about the Easter Bunny, Easter baskets, and Easter egg hunts. And who wouldn’t? After all, these are fun traditions! But we need to remind our kids that Easter is not about eggs and baskets; it’s about Jesus’ death and resurrection. To help you remind your kids of the importance of Easter, we’ve created a list of fun activities you and your kids can do to keep their focus on the cross.

Mom Lessons from a NFL Quarterback Moving: Forward after a Setback – Even if it’s Just a Bad Day

If you’re one of the 113 million people who watched the Super Bowl last month, you saw Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts deliver a record-setting performance in a close loss to the Chiefs.

Before you get worried that we’ve become a sports blog instead of a mom blog, hang on! It’s what Jalen Hurts said AFTER the game that we’re going to talk about. And we’re going to use his words to help us be better moms when we face setbacks - even when our setbacks are just crazy, frustrating days.

We're Going Virtual! One by One is now able to serve women all across the US!

Nationwide, 4 out of 10 children are born to single mothers. Many of these moms weren’t expecting to become pregnant and are facing pregnancy and motherhood alone – without the support of family or their babies’ fathers. But what if we could provide a trained mentor to each one of these moms? A mentor who would offer friendship, support, parent education, and other resources the mom might need? A mentor who would let the mom know that she’s not in this alone. A mentor who will be there with her at least until her child turns one. Now we can.

Wanting to Spend More Time with the Lord in 2023? We Have Tips to Help You Achieve Your Goal

Who can believe it’s already 2023? And who’s making resolutions this year? Studies show fewer of us are making resolutions – and even fewer are keeping them! Do you feel it’s easier to remember to write 2023 instead of 2022 than it is to keep a resolution? We’re here to help – especially if you have a resolution to spend more time with the Lord this year.

Whether your goal is to spend more time reading the Bible or to focus more on your prayer life, there are things you can do to set yourself up for success. Check out these 10 tips – and let us know in the comments which ones work for you and any tips you have that we left out!

Mom Tips, Spiritual GrowthCindy CurryJanuary 4, 2023mentor, mom, parenting, christian, resolution, new year, God, time with God, Grow faithComment

Keeping Christ in Christmas - Teaching Your Kids the True Meaning of Christmas

It’s Christmas time! Ok, maybe it’s ALMOST Christmas, but doesn’t it seem like everyone is putting out Christmas lights, decorating trees, and shopping already? And our kids are here for it all, right?!

For many, Christmas is the “most wonderful time of the year,” and it’s so easy to get caught up in the shopping, cooking, decorating, parties, and various outings that come with the season. As much fun as it is to do “all the things,” as a Christian mom, do you ever feel something is lacking? Are you looking for ways to keep Christ the center of Christmas – and to teach your children the true meaning of Christmas?

It can seem like a daunting task, but it can be done! Here are 10 easy things you can do this Christmas time to help your kids and your family focus on Christ as you celebrate the season.

Mom Tips, Spiritual GrowthCindy CurryNovember 29, 2022Christmas, Christ, Jesus, Presents, Children, Nativity, Holidays, Santa, Ornaments, Advent, Christmas activitesComment

Being Thankful at Thanksgiving - why we should all focus on gratitude

With Thanksgiving on the horizon, many of us are beginning to think of all the things we have to be grateful for. While we may include different things on our lists – and our lists may change from year to year – most adults will agree that in 2022 in the United States, we have a lot to be thankful for.

But what about our kids? Are we making an effort to instill in them a sense of gratitude? Kids can have a reputation for being self-centered and selfish, but they can also be some of the kindest, most generous people. And when we teach our children to be thankful, you’ll be amazed at how often they will be the ones to remind us of just how much we have to be grateful for. Let’s look at 10 things you can do to help instill a sense of gratitude in your child.

Claim the Future: How You Can Claim the Future You Want for Yourself and Your Child

Mom Tips, Volunteer Resources, Spiritual GrowthCindy CurrySeptember 27, 2022future, let love lead, moms, babies, Bartholomew Orr, child's futureComment

Church Nurseries: How to Know When It's Time to Take Your Child and What to Look for When You Do

You’ve had your baby, all is going well, and now you’re ready to return to church. But what does that mean for your little one? Do you keep him with you during service, prepared to make a quick exit if he cries or needs a diaper change? Or do you drop her in the church nursery for a volunteer to watch while you participate in the service?

Some parents prefer to keep their babies with them in service as long as they can; others prefer (or need - especially if they have a role during the service) to drop their kids off as soon as they can. So what should you consider before dropping your child off at the nursery? Here’s a short list of things to look for in a church nursery and a few things you can do to make it easier on the staff when you drop-off your child.

Mom Tips, Spiritual GrowthCindy CurrySeptember 7, 2022church nursery, daycare, sunday school, moms, moms of babiesComment

Finding Joy in the Mess of being a Mom

Do you remember how you felt when you found out you were pregnant? Nervous? Yep. Scared? Probably at least a bit – especially if your pregnancy was a surprise. But excited? Absolutely! Then, after the initial excitement wore off, did it start to feel like your baby would never arrive?

If you’re like many moms, you fill the long months between learning you’re pregnant and your baby’s arrival with anticipation. You can’t wait to meet your little one, and you often imagine all the sweet, peaceful, and meaningful moments you’ll share!

But then your baby arrives, and you discover that among the coos, cuddles, and sweet little cries lie sleepless nights, unexplained fussiness, and more laundry than you could have imagined possible for someone weighing less than 10 pounds. And then a new kind of waiting can creep up. You “can’t wait” until he sleeps through the night. You can’t wait until her first tooth comes in, she doesn’t need a bottle, and she can eat solid food. You can’t wait until he can sit, crawl, then walk. And you really can’t wait until she talks and potty trains! But we can appreciate - and find joy - in parenting in the mess (and end up with some great stories to tell!).

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