In this episode of Playfully Faithful Parenting, host Joy Wendling welcomes back guest Valerie Ellis, a mom of two and children's book author. Valerie shares about her online resource, Our Everyday Parables, which helps parents engage with their children about faith and compassion through meaningful conversations and the use of children's books. Valerie also discusses the challenges of parenting preteens and how she learns from her boys, particularly in navigating anxiety. She highlights the importance of finding joy in everyday moments and offers a book recommendation to address anxiety in a playful way. Lastly, Valerie excitingly shares about her upcoming book, "Share the Joy: A Christmas Lift the Flap Book", which encourages families to celebrate the holiday season with fun and faith. Don't miss this insightful and inspiring conversation about raising faithful children.
Valerie’s Bio:
Valerie Ellis is a children’s book author, speaker, and founder of the multi-author online
resource Our Everyday Parables, which offers book reviews and parenting resources for families
pursuing faith and compassion.
A certified teacher, Valerie is passionate about helping kids and parents connect with God and
each other in the everyday moments. Her books—releasing October 2023 from Paraclete Press,
February 2025 from Tyndale, and October 2025 from Waterbrook—are designed to serve
families at the intersection of faith and fun.
Valerie is a member of MOPS/MOMSnext, SCBWI, and the Texas Library Association. She is also
a nonprofit consultant, trainer, and grant proposal writer in the Houston area, where she lives
with her husband, Josh, and their two boys.
For more information, visit OurEverydayParables.com for parenting and book resources,
ValerieEllis.com for speaking events and classroom visits, and ShareTheJoyBook.com for free
“share the joy” resources. Valerie would love to connect with you at @iamvalerieellis.
Links from the episode:
(This may contain some affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase using these links. For more information, please see my disclosure policy.)
Instagram: @iamvalerieellis
Blog Instagram: @oureverydayparables
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Music by jorikbasov from Pixabay.
