Does your life look exactly like you want it to? All too often we come across what seems like the life that we want on someone else’s Instagram. You can dismiss those as the “highlight reels”, that is what they are, but sometimes the girl next door has what you want. What do you do then? How do you prep your kids for when they don’t get invited or when they feel like someone else has it better than them? My guest this week, Karen Ehman, says, “Go find your old self.” She’s not leading us on an existential journey into the past, but to those around us that need the love of Christ. She encourages us in a powerful way that when we are discouraged by someone who has it “better” than us to find someone who has it “worse” than us, not so we can feel good about something, but because there is a person who needs the love of Christ. We’re taking time this summer (as usual) to be mentored by some experienced moms and benefit from their wisdom. I’m asking them about their “mom brands” and the unique families and assignments God has given them to help us embrace the specific and unique spot God has given each of us. Discussion Questions: What stood out to you in this episode? Why? Who is your “old self”? What was a particularly difficult time God brought you through that you could use as a connection point to love someone else? When have you felt loved or seen by someone else in the midst of a difficult situation? Thinking about Karen’s mom and how hard she has to work as a single mom, where in your life are you having to work hard? Which of your God-given assignments is either physically, or mentally, or spiritually challenging? Spend some time praying for these situations with your group. When you think about loving others by inviting them into your life what limitations come to mind? Who is a necessary person you can love tangibly this month? Brainstorm ideas with your group about simple ways to show Christ’s love. Connect with Karen Ehman: Website: https://karenehman.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OfficialKarenEhman Instagram: @karenehman YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLbA_nXZ6HAhLGUL6KNhzRw Links Mentioned: Make Their Day: 101 Simple, Powerful Ways to Love Others Well by Karen Ehman Related Episodes: Changing the World for One :: Tara Clapper [Ep 70] Ridiculous Faith :: Shelene Bryan [Ep 116] Featured Sponsors: StitchFix: Sign up today at Stitchfix.com/DMA to get $20 off your first purchase. HelloFresh: Go to HelloFresh.com/dma16 and use the code: dma16 for 16 free meals across 7 boxes AND 3 free gifts. Thrive Causemetics: You can get 15% off your first order when you visit thrivecausemetics.com/DMA.
Creating Family Culture :: Amber O’Neal Johnston [SOM Wk 4] You are creating a culture for your family, right now, whether or not you’re aware of it or intentional in it. Your words and actions reveal the functional values you have for your family. Is yours a culture of fun and laughter? Grace and second chances? Integrity and grit? It could be all of those and more, or something simpler - it is unique to your family! Whatever it is, if it isn’t intentionally cultivated it will be like a garden filled with weeds - growing, but haphazard. My guest this week is Amber O’Neal Johnston and one of the values that drives her family’s culture is that her kids would know they are seen and valued at home and in the world. And that other people are just as valuable too. This, along with other values, drives the decisions they make about how they interact with the world around them, right down to the restaurants they eat at. She challenges us to not only cultivate a family culture, but to grow as moms and people along the way. Her book, A Place to Belong: Celebrating Diversity and Kinship in the Home and Beyond is available now. We’re taking time this summer (as usual) to be mentored by some experienced moms and benefit from their wisdom. I’m asking them about their “mom brands” and the unique families and assignments God has given them to help us embrace the specific and unique spot God has given each of us. Discussion Questions: What stood out to you from this episode? What practices or resources have you used to expose your kids to other cultures? Where has God called you to speak out in love when you’d prefer to remain silent? Spend time praying with your group for these circumstances. What is one value that you want to emphasize in your home? Amber shared that she had to release her need to impress other moms in order for her kids to flourish - what expectation or ideal do you need to let go of so that your kids can flourish? How would being secure and confident in your family culture change your relationships with other moms or families? Connect with Amber Johnston: Website: https://heritagemom.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeritageMomBlog Instagram: @heritagemomblog Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/HeritageMomBlog/_created/ Links Mentioned: A Place to Belong: Celebrating Diversity and Kinship in the Home and Beyond by Amber O’Neal Johnston Things To Do List from the Heritage Mom Website Related Episodes: Finding Yourself in Motherhood :: Amber O’Neal Johnston [Ep 310] Featured Sponsors: Athena Club. Get 20% off your first order at AthenaClub.com with promo code DMA. Rothy’s. Your new favorite shoes are waiting. Fet $20 off your first purchase at rothys.com/DMA. Fabric. Protect your family with term life insurance now, in just 10 minutes. Apply today at MeetFabric.com/DMA.
“I don't have time for the things that God has not called me to.” My guest this week, Shontell Brewer, wisely speaks those words. She is a wife and mom of 5. She’s written a book on parenting and still things haven’t always gone the way she’s planned or wanted. But she has learned where to lean in and wait on the Lord. She’s learned that to be intentional as a mom or wife or teacher she’s got to cut out the “keeping up” with others, whether on social media or the mom down the street. And she’s learned that God hasn’t finished writing the story. Even if she can’t see to the end of all God’s workings in her kid’s lives, knowing His word and taking time to commune with Him have given her a firm foundation to stand on. We’re taking time this summer (as usual) to be mentored by some experienced moms and benefit from their wisdom. I’m asking them about their “mom brands” and the unique families and assignments God has given them to help us embrace the specific and unique...
Childhood should be carefree, right? We hope that our kids make it to adulthood with as few scars as possible, but that isn’t the nature of the world we live in. What happens when our kids encounter grief? What happens when we aren’t able to give them the childhood we wanted them to have? This week I talk with Lisa Appelo, widow and mom of seven, who found herself in that spot - grieving the life she wanted for herself and her children, and then having to navigate the shift in every relationship that comes through change or grief. What she has found in the last 11+ years has been the presence of God for her and her kids. The rhythm of their regular bible study was a lifeline and she offers us great encouragement of God’s nearness and direct involvement in our lives. Read more of their story in Lisa’s new book Life can be Good Again: Putting Your World Back Together After it All Falls Apart. We’re taking time this summer (as usual) to be mentored by some experienced moms and ben...
“Don’t care how, I want it now!” When we watch Veruca Salt sing those words in Willy Wonka we are immediately repulsed. And yet, lots of our time and energy is spent trying to unlock the secrets to a quick change of our circumstance. This week, mom of seven Helen Smallbone, encourages us that following Christ and parenting alike are long games. Marathons, in fact. She has honesty and wisdom to offer as we strive to grow and maintain relationships with our kids that last into adulthood. She also encourages us with some practical ways to foster relationships between our kids, to get them working, and retain our own sanity. We’re taking time this summer (as usual) to be mentored by some experienced moms and benefit from their wisdom. This year I'm recording new interviews and I’m asking guests about their “mom brands”. They share their values, unique assignments God has given them and what helps their family flourish. The goal is to help you define your "mom brand" and the place...
Tragedy struck and Paulette Franklin could have given up hope. Instead, she used it as a chance to “bring together the village of hope and help” from her extended family, namely her aunts, who lived both near and far. They rallied around Paulette and her boys through presence and connection. Make no mistake, single parenting was still hard work, but by clinging to her faith in God and the village around her, she and her boys thrived. Though this bond with extended family was knitted together well before Paulette’s husband passed away, she had to let them in, she had to let them help. For Paulette’s middle son, DeVon, and his brothers, their aunts’ houses became places of refuge and connection that they still rely on to this day. DeVon and his aunts tell their compelling and encouraging story in his audiobook, It Takes a Woman, available now on Audible. Through the audiobook all of our villages are enlarged, all of their wisdom can be ours. Connect with DeVon and Paulette Franklin: Website: https://devonfranklin.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeVonFranklinOfficial Instagram: @DeVonFranklin Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKqTVGX0BZGQ5xPX98ibb4g Twitter: @DeVonFranklin Links Mentioned: It Takes a Woman audiobook by DeVon Franklin Heather’s Interview with Jennifer Garner and Christy Beam (start at 32:20 mark) Related Episodes: Be Vulnerable, Find Your People :: Jennie Allen [Ep 354] Mom, You are Important, but Not Essential, That’s Good News :: Brittany J. Turner [Ep 361] Truth for When You Feel Like a Bad Mom :: Jamie Ivey [Ep 339] Featured Sponsors: Athena Club–Get 20% off your first order at AthenaClub.com with promo code dma. Rothy’s–Your new favorite shoes are waiting. Discover the versatile styles you can wear absolutely anywhere and get $20 off your first purchase at rothys.com/DMA. Ladder– So go to LadderLife.com/dma today to see if you’re instantly approved.
Over 20% of Gen Z identifies as LGBTQ+. That’s roughly 1 in 4 of today’s teen and young adult populations. There is a lot of confusion around gender and sexuality in our Christian culture today - how do we love others well that have different belief systems and different language around gender and sexuality? How do we parent our children in a way that honors our faith and what we believe to be true? What do we do with the Church’s reputation of hate towards LGBTQ people we inherited? With even the staunchest of liberals asking questions around the sharp rise in people identifying as LGBTQ our grace and truth filled responses are more important than ever. This week’s guest, Dr. Preston Sprinkle, is the co-founder and president of The Center for Faith, Gender, and Sexuality and has written several books guiding Christians through these areas including Embodied: Transgender Identities, the Church + What the Bible has to Say and People to be Loved. Connect with Preston Sprinkle: Website: https://www.prestonsprinkle.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PrestonMSprinkle?fref=ts Instagram: @preston.sprinkle Twitter: @PrestonSprinkle Podcast: Theology in the Raw Links Mentioned: Bill Maher on Real Time with Bill Maher: New Rule: Along for the Pride May 20, 2022: Mark Esper, Donna Brazile, Adam Carolla (Full Episode) Clip that was discussed: New Rule: Along for the Pride The Center for Faith, Sexuality, and Gender The Center for Faith, Sexuality, and Gender course on Parenting LGBTQ Kids Related Episodes: Preparing Now for Future Puberty and Masturbation Questions :: Megan Michelson and Mary Flo Ridley [Ep 243] Let’s Talk About Sex :: Mary Flo Ridley and Megan Michelson [Ep 328] Sexual Identity and Radical Ordinary Hospitality :: Rosaria Butterfield [Ep 301] Gay Girl, Good God :: Jackie Hill Perry [Ep 214] When to Have “The Talk” :: Mary Flo Ridley [Encore] Birds and Bees (Continuing the Conversation) :: Mary Flo Ridley and Megan Michelson [Ep 153] Featured Sponsors: HelloFresh. Go to HelloFresh.com/dma16 and use code dma16 for up to 16 free meals AND 3 free gifts! Pair Eye Wear. Get glasses as unique as you are. Go to paireyewear.com/DMA for 15% off your first purchase. Stitch Fix. Sign up today at StitchFix.com/DMA to get $20 off your first purchase.
“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” Psalm 119:11 is a very familiar verse, but do you take it as a life-giving exhortation or do you shove it into the mental closet of “shoulds”? The rest of Psalm 119 tells us the person who loves God’s word enough to hide it in their heart finds peace, wisdom, delight, comfort, blessing, shameless life, reminders of the Lord’s nearness, and promises that will endure forever - just to name a few! So why don’t we memorize scripture? What if you had a system that was simple and beautiful and easy enough for the whole family to practice together? This week’s guest, Natalie Abbott, is a mom of five who knows firsthand of the wonderful things the rest of Psalm 119 promises the person who hides God’s word in their heart. She and her sister, Vera, created Dwell Differently, a system of temporary tattoos and devotional cards all beautifully designed for simple memorization of and meditation on one verse a month. It gives individuals, families or friend groups a chance to sow one verse into every aspect of their lives and then reap the peace and wisdom that comes from nearness to God. Connect with Natalie Abbott: Website: https://dwelldifferently.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dwelldifferently/ Instagram: @dwelldifferently Podcast: https://dwelldifferently.com/pages/dwell-podcast-2 Links Mentioned: Dwell Differently. Visit www.dwelldifferently.com to get the first month free of a FAMILY membership ($12 value) use the code: DMA Related Episodes: Praying the Scriptures :: Jodie Berndt [Ep 194] Equipping Your Kids for Difficulty :: Kim Sorgius [Ep 356] Must Have Conversations :: Vicki Courtney [Ep 239] Gospel-Focused Conversations :: Joel Fitzpatrick [Ep 251] Featured Sponsors: Caraway. Visit Carawayhome.com/DMA for 10% off your next purchase. Stitch Fix. Get 25% off when you keep everything in your Kid’s Fix. StitchFix.com/DMA Fabric. Protect your family with term life insurance now, in just 10 minutes. Apply today at MeetFabric.com/DMA
Our sons are constantly receiving messages about how to handle their emotions - from us as moms and dads, or from other men in their lives and from our culture as well. All too often that message has been “Be strong, emotion other than anger only shows weakness” and this to their detriment. Anxiety and depression are rapidly on the rise and our boys are not immune. We need our boys to grow into men who are strong of character and a beautiful, if undervalued, aspect of that is helping them learn how to name and process their emotions. This can be difficult to do as a grown up - imagine how your child experiences this and the training they need! Counselor and author David Thomas works regularly with boys and their families to help them put his three R’s of emotional processing into practice - recognize, regulate, and repair. Listen as he walks us through the importance of these practices and how they can set our sons up for lifelong emotional health. His new book, Raising Emotional...
Mommy Wars. They may have started out as “working mom” v. “stay at home mom” but it has morphed (or devolved) into something much bigger. While, in the eyes of our culture, “you do you” might have freed us to make different choices than another mom, has it drawn us together and given us the support we need? Parenting is so difficult and Ecclesiastes reminds us that toiling away alone is tantamount to trying to catch smoke. What we need instead are co-laborers. We need other moms to come alongside us, not because we agree on everything, but because we have a common goal - the flourishing of the next generation. We need to come alongside other moms because when we pit ourselves against one another due to differences in parenting styles, we cut off our nose to spite our collective face. Join Heather this week as she challenges us to look introspectively and grow in conflict resolution in light of Ecclesiastes 4. Links Mentioned: Resolving Sibling Conflict :: Jim and Lynne Jackson...