Don't Mom Alone Podcast

Family Movie Moms-Annie & more Ep 53

**The winner of Amy Julie Becker’s “Small Talk” is Diana Nagel!! Congratulations! Thank you to all those who commented and left reviews. . .what a blessing to me & Amy Julia.** “People. People needing people. . .” Yes, we need ’em. But, y’all, I struggle always loving my people. I’m prone to focus more on what’s wrong than on what’s special and good. One person whose helped me see the unique in my everyday interactions, is today’s podcast guest, Sophie Hudson (aka, “BooMama”). Sophie writes, with Southern charm, the stories of her life. She models a joy and appreciation for people and why we’re blessed to have ’em in our lives. Y’all, Sophie’s a great writer. She’s been blogging for almost a decade and regularly writes for THE Pioneer Woman.  Plus, she has written two books filled with great stories: “A Little Salty to Cut the Sweet” and “Home is Where My People Are.” But more than all that, she’s just nice. (And warm-hearted.) (And dear.) On today’s episode she and I giggle quite a lot. We also get a lil bit serious while Sophie shares some wise “God-Centered Mom” words. She gives tips on being a good friend and dealing with feeling ‘left out’. Oh, and we talk about the faith journey for the “good girl”. . .the gal who didn’t have the 180 transformation. All good stuff. What we chat about: * Sophie’s fab job and how Heather wishes such a person existed back in her high school days. * How Sophie started blogging and writing books–“everyday a new pile of nothing we’re just happy to serve”. * How Heather messes up the names of Sophie’s books and what Sophie’s MIL calls them. * How everyone should record the stories of their people. * Sophie’s crazy, uh-mazing memory for details (but not for jokes). * How Sophie & Heather are “cabooses by a mile”. . .and better for it. * Why Sophie’s new book is #1 in the “History of Christianity” category–even with chapters on fried chicken & stirrup pants. * And how in this book she talks more about her faith journey–“History of (her personal) Christianity”. * How the “good girl” struggles working out her faith. “If you’ve ever wondered back to the moment you came to faith and if it was real. . .then ask yourself, ‘Are you different now?'” * How Sophie is handling the topic of faith with her son. * The keys to life-long friendships–being for each other, assuming the best, and being a safe place. * Love people the way you want to be loved. . .don’t “test” them. * “Blessed when you leave, blessed when you come back in.” * How you can wear yourself out trying to include everyone–Everyone can’t do everything together. “You’ll never regret being nice.” Connect with Sophie: Blog :: Twitter :: Facebook :: Instagram Links Mentioned: * Sophie’s books: A Little Salty &

Home is Where My People Are Sophie Hudson (Ep 58)

Have you ever heard someone say, “Motherhood is sanctifying”? Do you know what they mean? Well, I found this quick definition of sanctification to help us out: Sanctification: “the same Greek word as holiness, “hagios,” meaning a separation. First, a once-for-all positional separation unto Christ at our salvation. Second, a practical progressive holiness in a believer’s life while awaiting the return of Christ. Third, we will be changed into His perfect likeness—holy, sanctified, and completely separated from the presence of evil.”-Gotquestions.com Once you believe in Christ’s work on the cross for you, then starts the gradual sanctification until Christ returns. Our children stretch not just our bellies, but our patience and our beliefs. That process refines us and causes us to rely on Christ more and more. Children reveal our messy expectations. Nothing like a tantrum in the middle of a grocery store, or poop smeared on the bedroom walls to reveal what I really believe to be True. Today’s podcast guest, Amy Julia Becker, chats with me about her humbling, sanctifying motherhood journey. How her three children, including a daughter with Down Syndrome, have helped her grow up and hear more clearly from God. Amy Julia writes about her experiences on her blog at Christianity Today. She has also been featured on HuffingtonPost, Parents, NYTimes Motherlode and Time (click here to see all those articles). She has also written several books, her newest book is, “Small Talk: Learning from my children about what matters most”. My favorite conversations in this episode were: Amy Julia’s wisdom to see God’s image in our children, her thoughts on God’s faithfulness when we are faithless, and how to connect with others when we move to a new city. AND BONUS!!! Amy Julia agreed to give away one copy of her newest book, “Small Talk” Giveaway details: Enter to win by leaving a comment on this blog post or leaving a review on itunes (instructions here). Contest ends, February 1st. Winner announced Monday, February 2nd.  (if reading via email, click here to watch video) What we chat about: * Amy Julia’s humbling mom moment when a few hours after birth, her daughter, Penny, was diagnosed with Down Syndrome. * The expectations we carry into mothering. * The challenge of parenting to not create our children in OUR image, but to see God’s image in them. * The gifts given back to Amy Julia as she watches Penny grow and develop skills didn’t expect to have. * The ability at birth to see our kids as blank slates. * “Disability is a magnifying glass that shines on our common humanity” * “My job is not to decide who my children are going to be.” * The wake up call Heather had after reading Amy Julia’s newest book, “Small Talk”. * How we shouldn’t feel pressure to be fully present, all the time, with our children, but setting up intentional times to connect and chat with them. * How God works in our own lives through our kids’ questions. * The two things Amy Julia hopes parents get out of reading, “Small Talk”. * The year of faithlessness and discontentment for Amy Julia (aka, “the year of wine & nachos). . .how God carried her in the midst of that season. * What helped get her out of that season,

Small Talk Amy Julia Becker Ep 57

I’m thinking God has more to teach us about grace. Apparently, it’s the theme for January! If you are a mom who struggles to give your children grace (like Jeannie described in my last podcast), perhaps it’s because you don’t accept or know grace for yourself. Today’s guest, Stephanie Rische, an editor at Tyndale Publishing, is sharing what she’s personally learned about grace through a season of singleness. AND Stephanie is giving away FREE 30 day devotionals on grace, the perfect way for our God-centered Mom community to grasp the depth of God’s unmerited favor. Just click here, go to the right side bar, scroll down and enter your email address to receive a copy. As I share at the beginning of this episode: “This is a covenant of grace. I call your attention to the fact that there is no if in it; there is no but in it; there is no requirement of man made by it. It is all “I will” and “they shall”. “I will be their God, and they shall be my people.“–Charles Spurgeon, in reference to Jeremiah 31:33 Salvation by faith alone through grace. Whew. And one more: “But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.” Romans 11:6 God works on our behalf. We work in gratitude for what He has done through Christ. Not to earn His love, but because of His unconditional, never-stopping love. What we talk about: * How Stephanie met each other and the old-school way we’ve stayed connected. * Stephanie’s super cool job at Tyndale Publishers helping people tell their stories. * “The most interesting people are the ones who consider themselves to have an ordinary life, but experienced God in an extraordinary way.” * Stephanie’s journey growing in knowledge of grace. . .through years of singleness. * “Started to believe it was up to me to earn God’s favor.” * The steps which brought Stephanie back from a faith tailspin. * Discovering satisfaction in God’s grace alone. * How Stephanie picks a theme for her year. * A free 30 day devotional on grace. * The humbling experience which caused Stephanie to ask: “What does God think of me if I can’t perform for Him?” * Stephanie’s children’s book for little girls based on the story of Esther Connect with Stephanie: Blog :: Twitter :: Books  Show Notes: * Taylor University * “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” -A.W. Tozer * Free 30 Day Grace Devotional * My Princesses Learn to be Brave What is your biggest barrier to “seeing” grace? How to listen to the podcast: 1.Listen on the blog. Click through to GodCenteredMom.com and click the play button at the beginning of this post. 2. Listen on your smartphone, iPad or iPod Touch – There are a lot of great podcasting apps.

Blind to Grace, Learning to See Stephanie Rische Ep 56

You and I want to be good moms sooooo badly. And yet, the desire to be good and perfect frequently sabotages our goal. You and I know we should show ourselves, and our kids, grace. And yet, we struggle to understand what grace truly looks like. You and I want our children to follow Christ. And yet, our striving to force them to have the fruit of the Spirit gets in the      way of God’s Spirit shaping their hearts. Today’s guest, Jeannie Cunnion, understands the struggle I just described. And she shares what she’s learned about the danger of shame, the lie of perfectionism, and the joy of grace.  Jeannie knows grace and describes the day-to-day reality better than anyone I’ve heard. In this episode I specifically ask how to be kind to myself and how to discipline my boys with grace. My prayer is you and I gain a little more freedom, ready to walk in the Truth of all God has done for us. (Please check out Jeannie’s new website!! simply gorgeous. AND check out the FREE first chapter of her book. AND a free group study guide. Grace right there.) What we talk about: * The perfectionism which led to Jeannie writing her book, “Parenting the Wholehearted Child” * This: “Had to stop trying be to God what Jesus had already been for me.”-Jeannie * The problem of letting our identities get wrapped up in what kind of mom we are. * How we should believe God’s grace is bigger than our mistakes and how our weaknesses reveal His power. * Showing our kids that when we fail, God never will. He is faithful and ever-present. * Heather asks how to show grace when boys are fighting with one another. –day-to-day reality of showing grace * Difference between balancing grace & discipline and weaving grace into instruction. * “As I approach my children, see the Cross between us.” * What, Why, How & Now Discipline– * What just happened * Why did it happen * How could you have done that differently * Now–consequence or mercy moment * “Making our kids feel bad won’t make them be good.” * How much obedience do we expect & how quickly do we expect it–the R & R principal. * Importance of maintaining relationship through discipline & instruction. * Looking at God’s true character & how He loves us in how we love our children. Book Trailer: Connect with Jeannie: Blog :: Facebook :: Twitter :: Pinterest :: Instagram Show Notes: * Jeannie’s interview with Kat Lee–Inspired to Action Podcast * “The Greatest Gift”–Ann Voskamp * Brennan Manning–radically loved & accepted child of God * Unbroken–trailer * Hebrews 12:2 –“looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith.” (the verse doesn’t say,

How to really parent with Grace Jeannie Cunnion Ep 55

Sippy cup refill requests. Another load of laundry to fold. A sibling dispute. Ever feel like you are reacting to life? Life is coming at you and you respond. There have been many times in my mothering where instead of joy & hope I feel beat down and unfulfilled. One woman who has whispered beauty and calm into those dark places, is today’s podcast guest, Sally Clarkson. She told me motherhood can be more than just doing the dishes. It is the most important job, guiding souls through discipleship and love. She taught me that my hard-to-handle boy may need me to sympathize more than instruct. She agreed boys may be a little wild. . .but showed me they can be civil & sip tea. When I was coming out of a time of “not feeling like myself” Sally showed me how to own my life. To drop the negative thoughts which held me back. To consider what I wanted my days to look like and then make them happen. And now Sally’s written her encouragement into a new book called, “Own Your Life”. . . releasing today! In this podcast episode, I ask Sally all-the-things I’ve been pondering, from how to help your children really “know” God to simple advice on transforming a hard mom day. I’m just giddy to share this with you. . .enjoy!! **OH! And if you want to learn even more from Sally, there is a FREE webcast tonight, January 6th, 9 EST/8 CST/6 PST. Sign up HERE ** What we talk about: * Why I struggle to read Sally’s books at the end of hard days. * Every mom has her own mom personality. * In spite of our mom errors, children can learn our hearts * How do we help our children “Yadah” God…to know Him personally * Living a life of color & taste & joy so our children see & know the goodness of the Lord. * How we are motivated…not by guilt or checklists but by love & encouragement. * Balancing grace & truth in parenting–practicing patience & love takes time. * Definition of the phrase “own your life”- * Sally’s example of a friend who “owns her life” in a special way why she serves her son with a disability. * In an immediate gratification society, not forgetting the long term process of your life. growing day by day, little by little. * Making sure you make time for yourself, to fill up before you pour out to the little people in your life. * Common barriers to owning your life. * Sally’s advice to a mom who was depressed<–LOVED THIS * Importance of believing the right philosophy–God is for you. * How to start 2015–reflecting back & moving forward well Connect with Sally: Blog :: Facebook :: Twitter :: Instagram Book Trailer: (

Own Your Life Sally Clarkson Ep 54

So how’d your Christmas go? We had a wonderful morning just the 6 of us at home for the first time. Joy. The day after Christmas we left town to be with my family in North Carolina. Can I just say. . .that’s beautiful country. My brother’s home is up in the mountains and every morning I woke up with the same shock & awe. With days and days of no school/work commitments, we’ve made the time to watch a few movies. So has my friend, Amanda White. . . Amanda & I decided to record a New Year’s episode to help your family pick which of these PG movie(s) you could see this weekend. (Because one of these films is definitely NOT for young children).  Happy New Year & Happy Listening! What we talk about: * Our favorite Christmas movies (see show notes) * Amanda’s shocked response to “Into the Woods” and her important WARNING to parents. * What happens 3/4rds of the way through the movie. * How she loved the songs, the creativity, the costumes. . .but the ending ruined it for her. * AND her fear parents will think it’s a movie for little kids. * Amanda’s thoughts on how Hollywood keeps re-making classics. * What scary/naughty parts are missing from the new Annie movie. * Warning to parents of adoptive/foster parents. * Why Annie got bad reviews from movie critics & what made this version better than the older version * Heather’s favorite song sequence–about people changing * Warning–Miss Hannigan scenes may be a little frightening. * A little cheesy but leaves you with a happy feeling. * If you’re a fan of the Night Museum movies, then you’ll like the 3rd one. * Weird/silly scene between the security guard and caveman. * Conversation of whether Ben Stiller should let his son choose to skip going to college to be a DJ in Spain. * The one thing Heather liked (being a boy mom) in the movie–a boy becoming a man–her favorite character, Sir Lancelot. * The tangent we go on about children living at home with their parents & prolonged adolescence. * God’s will is not for your dream to come to . . . it’s to follow God’s plan, not your comfort. * Amanda’s trip to the mall and her thoughts from the American Girl Store. * Two characters who passed away before Night at the Museum released. . .poignancy of Robin William’s last line. * Forgot to mention in the podcast my boys were scared near the end of the movie of when the Egyptian prince’s skin starts changing/decaying. . .a little creepy. Show Notes: * “The Very First Noel” by Exclaim Entertainment–used copies only  * “It happened on 5th Avenue” * Into the Woods–Common Sense Media Review * Annie–review on IMDB  * Night at the Museum 3–review on IMDB * Goat Milk Stuff Podcast * Ragamuffin –Rich Mullin’s life story–available on Netflix Connect with Amanda: Blog :: Twitter ::

** Winner of Caroline Boykin’s “Well-Versed Family, 2nd edition” (delivered in Jan. 2015) is …Debi Schuhow! Congrats Debi! Merry Christmas!** Do y’all feel like you’ve lost your mind a wee bit lately? I drove to my boys’ school 4 times yesterday for various Christmas events. That’s just school commitments.  Throw in all the other “be here” and “do that”s . . .one may very likely call the whole thing off. And then. . . You see “her” speaking in a sweet singing voice to her children. Or “her” perfectly decorated, should-be-in-a-magazine, home. Or “her” children in matching holiday attire, hands to themselves and smiling beautifully. And frustration turns to anger when you compare your reality to “her” fantasy. But there’s hope. It comes from today’s podcast guest, Susan Seay. Susan’s goal is to help families live intentionally. As a homeschooling mom to 7 children (1 boy, 6 girls) between the ages of 5 and 18, she’s had lots of experience working towards that goal. Thankfully Susan is real. She shares her own struggles and hard places. She offers encouragement and tangible help. A few years ago Susan began helping authors and speakers create online courses/webinars to connect with audience (www.apowerfulmoment.com). Now she is hosting her own webinars for moms, called “Moms Night Out Online” .  In fact. . . On Thursday, December 18th, Susan is hosted a free webinar:  Tame the C.H.A.O.S.- The 5 core areas busy moms need to manage. Watch it here! I loved talking with Susan. We only scratched the surface of all her wisdom. Hope you are blessed by her insight. What we talk about: * How Susan started hosting webinars (and why she’s a great friend) * “If God gives you an idea He will equip you and show you how to do it.” * How being a mother is the ultimate refiner’s fire. * The time of day Susan was most aware of her anger & the personal rule she implemented. * How our frustrations are often rooted in expectations &/or comparison * Importance of pinpointing the trigger of frustration and the response * How to reframe your parenting approach. . .picking your top 3 core values (not another author’s expectation of how you should parent). * The “ah ha” moment when Susan helps bring clarity to my own struggle with intentionality. * The need to choose core values that honor who you are & not pick what you “think” you should be * An illustration God showed Susan for His perspective on how her friendships were changing. * What one thing Susan wants moms to know. * What one mothering mistake Susan made & how she changed. * The breaking point she reached and the discovery she and her husband made—the idols they had made out of the things God had called them. Show notes: * Alecia Baptiste * Moms night out online-Nov 2014–When More Equals Less * StrengthsFinder Connect with Susan: Site :: Facebook :: Twitter What 3 values would you pick for your family? (Do you struggle with focus, like I do?)

Focused Instead of Frustrated Susan Seay Ep 52

A harsh word thrown across the table by one brother led to an all-out verbal war in the midst of the mashed potatoes. Not quite the family dinner I pictured. So I  jumped in with the lecture (and a side of guilt). . .blank stares greeted me. If you missed it, don’t worry, tomorrow night we’ll be back again for the next performance of “life around the table” (don’t forget to tip your waitress). anyone else relate?  I love and care and serve my children. My heart longs for them to live their best lives. To stay on the path of life and pursue God whole-heartedly. But my lectures and my training can only go so far. “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.” (Romans 8:14) Ultimately, they need to be led by the Holy Spirit, to hunger and thirst for righteousness, and to be called sons of God. All of these things made possible through a knowledge of God’s Word & the way of salvation. Today’s guest, Caroline Boykin, guides us on how to help plant seeds of Truth in our children’s hearts. Through fun activities and a foolproof way to get your kids to ask YOU to work on memorizing Scripture, this podcast could change the course of your children’s lives and your family dynamics. Right after I recorded this episode there was another ‘opportunity’ to use the first verse she mentions. . .”harsh words stir up anger, but a gentle answer turns away wrath”. After re-training the older boys and teaching my 5 year old, I saw improvements in their interactions that afternoon (not “fixed” by any means. . . . but better). When the harshness started flying again it only took a quick reminder to readjust their attitudes & words. Maybe our dinner tonight will look a little different. Thank you, Caroline! AND in honor of Christmas, we are giving away a copy of the newest edition of her book, “The Well-Versed Family”. . .to be released January 2015.  Just comment below to be entered to win. Giveaway ends December 16th. Winner announced December 17th. Book to be delivered once it is released. What we chat about: * Why Caroline loves her newest hobby of bee keeping. * Who first introduced Caroline to God’s Word. * The Barbie Battle that led Caroline to teaching her own daughters Scripture memory * “A harsh word stirs up anger, a gentle word turns away wrath.” Proverbs 15:1 * Letting God’s Word train, instead of lecturing. * Learn, Link & Live method. * “Early Scripture memory is the single most effective life shaping tool in a parent’s toolbox.” -Joe White (Kanakuk Camps) * How Caroline picked the verses she included in her book, Well-Versed Family * How do you decide which verses to teach your children first * Foolproof approach to Bible Memory!! (SUCH a great idea) * “If you take care of the minutes, the years take care of themselves”- Benjamin Franklin * Dawson Trotman’s “last thought, first thought” theory of the power of the last thing you hear before falling asleep. * Three fun Scripture memory activities you can do with your kids Connect with Caroline: Blog :: Book (new edition – Jan 2015) :: Twitter Show Notes: * Scott Turansky, on Internal vs. External Motivation-Ep #2-podcast * Clay Clarkson, Heartfelt Discipline: Following God’s Path of Life...