Don't Mom Alone Podcast

Thank y’all for your sweet texts/emails/prayers for the Declare Conference last weekend. Everything went above and beyond all we could have hoped or imagined. Lives were changed. Women were healed and encouraged. And 170 people were challenged to know God & make Him known by wildly obeying His specific calling. Thank you for being a part of all that by lifting me up.  Now back to our regularly scheduled program. . . This week’s podcast is “Part Two” of the interview with my in-real-life friend, Kris Habashy. (Apparently, we like to talk. And talk. And talk.) Although we cover a lot of topics today, I think they all boil down to one–a mom’s relationship with her kids. Having watched Kris with her own kiddos, I greatly value her thoughts and opinions. (You can listen to “Part One” of our chat, here). What we talked about: * Handling boys who bicker or fight. * Should you allow boys to pretend/play fight. * Training self-control vs. natural angry outbursts. * Not changing or lowering the standard because of behavior. * Their family rules for Nerf gun use. * Micro-management parenting and how it inhibits obedience. * Playground play vs. playing in the backyard. * Use as few words (and few “no’s”) as you can. * Role playing scenarios before they happen (aka, leaving the park . . . ). * Taking neutral moments to speak life over your kids . . .disconnected from behavior. * Encouraging your kids even in the hard moments. . .acknowledging accomplishments. * Advice for those times when you are out-of-sync with your kids. * The role dads can play in helping moms relate with her kids. * Rite of passage rituals to help boys move forward into manhood without guilt. * Speaking and praying vision over our kids. . . even on a really awful day. Show Notes: * Pool noodle light sabers & balloons * Leslie Johnson–previous podcast episodes (Ep 1 & Ep 20) * Amy McCready – Positive Parenting Solutions What areas do you struggle in your relationship with your child(ren)? How do you get re-connected or stay connected? **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. Apple has a free one (that I mentioned) in the app store, there is also one called Downcast. It allows you to search for shows, subscribe to them and even speed up the audio. If you don’t have an iDevice,

Expect the Hard, Experience the Good (Part Two) :: Kris Habashy {Ep 35}

We just kept running into each other everywhere. . .the zoo, the arboretum, Michaels, the grocery store. Finally we decided God wanted us to be friends and we set up our first playdate at the park. That was 6 years ago. Since we continue to be admittedly bad at the “planned meetings”, we are thankful for the times our paths cross around town and at church. I’ve written before about Kris Habashy, labeling her my “bump into grace” friend. She not only brings grace into my life, she shares Truth. She is not afraid to ask me the hard questions and offer me wisdom in the midst of this mothering journey. Today I get to share Kris with y’all. In fact we chatted so long (typical) I’m going to split our conversation into two separate podcasts. This episode we focused on: the struggle of allowing our children’s behavior to define our value; the “hard” nature of motherhood; the benefit of making sure everyone’s needs are met; and the steps to training manners. To me the summary of all those topics is . . .obedience, training, serving are all hard, but once we expect them to be and push through the challenges, we experience the good–the blessings that come with perseverance.  More specifically we chatted about: * Her homeschool experience & what prepared her most. * How Kris handles the struggle of tying her value to her kids’ behavior and academic performance. * Seeing your value as a child of the King, responding to that Truth with love, apprehension & honor doing what God says is the best design for me.  “Life works better when we obey.” * Having great relationships relies on your relationship with God. * James 1:19-25–the irony of the perfect “law of liberty”. * How to handle when children behave badly. . .especially when we respond badly to their behavior. * The hard choices, actions, & inconvenience required of motherhood. “You will do something hard every single day of your life. What are you going to do when things get hard? Lower standards, get out of it, complain. . .” * How making sure everyone’s needs are met helps you handle the hard things better. * Kris’ AMAZING Friday night ritual for rest (and sanity). * How she trained her kids in responding to others, interrupting an adult conversation, and appropriate behavior at playdates. “Really big consequences to small things go a long way.” Did you expect motherhood to be hard? What has been the hardest part for you? **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. Apple has a free one (that I mentioned) in the app store, there is also one called Downcast. It allows you to search for shows, subscribe to them and even speed up the audio. If you don’t have an iDevice, you can listen via Stitcher. 3. Subscribe to the Podcast – access the podcast in iTunes (

Expect the Hard, Experience the Good :: Kris Habashy (part 1) Ep 34

Last year we were family camp newbies. But after a week of refreshment, bonding and spiritual encouragement, we were hooked on the concept. In fact, before we left camp we had signed up come back again this year. I could literally talk to you for hours about all the reasons Pine Cove is a gift to our family. (In fact, our time riding horses last year, inspired the most popular post I’ve ever written.–>read it here) With such a high bar, I worried how this year would measure up. Thankfully, it didn’t disappoint. (well, ok, I didn’t ride horses this year. . .which was disappointing at first. . .but I’m saving that story for another post). The director of Pine Cove Bluffs is Chris Sherrod. He is a gifted teacher and invaluable source of Spiritual mentoring to the husbands who attend camp. His lovely wife, Katie, also a superstar, spends one lunch with all the moms spurring us on with Truth and love. When I started my podcast, one person I wanted to interview was Katie Sherrod. So, along with our bags of clothes and some flashlights and lots of swimsuits, I grabbed my mic. She and I sat on the floor in my cabin one afternoon and recorded this podcast. I hope her words remind you of your value as a wife and mom. Most importantly, that you accept God’s rest, relish His grace and seek His wisdom. What we chat about: * How she and her husband followed their hearts for families and found a place to serve, even if that included a season of unemployment. * How their adopted daughter was delivered to their door Christmas Eve & God’s protection of this baby from disease and addiction. * How they were given a vision of how God accepts us in our broken state, no questions, for the long haul, to rescue us. * When you fear you won’t be able to love more people, realizing you are standing in a river of God’s love, never-ending, inviting others to join you. * How Katie grabs time with Jesus anytime and every time. . .not just a “first in the morning” quiet time. * Her advice to expect hard things to happen, not getting upset when they do. * Allowing your kids to see Jesus in your reactions, even when you make mistakes, asking for forgiveness. * How little ones reveal and remind you all your brokenness and need for God. * Advice she would give her young self, to allow herself rest & accept God’s grace. * To cry out: “Give me wisdom to rule these people that you’ve put under me.” and He will give it to us. * How there is no recipe for motherhood–which keeps you on your knees. * First picture of the gospel is how you love your husband. * Don’t have to pray for a calling when you have young children. * Everything  you do for your children is your spiritual act of worship. A mother’s prayer: “God, give me wisdom in this situation for this child for today in this moment.” Show Notes: * Pine Cove Christian Camps * “Let not our longing slay the appetite of our living” – Elisabeth Elliot **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 podcastin...

Fighting for the Family :: Katie Sherrod {Ep 33}

Atlas Girl :: Emily Wierenga Ep 32

“Disillusioned and yearning for freedom, Emily Wierenga left home at age eighteen with no intention of ever returning. Broken down by organized religion, a childhood battle with anorexia, and her parents’ rigidity, she set out to find God somewhere else–anywhere else. Her travels took her across Canada, Central America, the United States, the Middle East, Asia, and Australia. She had no idea that her faith was waiting for her the whole time–in the place she least expected it. ” –Atlas Girl In today’s episode, Emily, vulnerably shares bits from her memoir, “Atlas Girl”.  I hope you are encouraged to hear how God brought Emily to a place of healing, even in the most challenging of circumstances. As a mom of little ones I pray you are lifted up to do your best work during, what Emily refers to as, the “hidden years”. Serving in ways which won’t gain lots of attention but are foundational to growing children who desire to serve God. In this episode we talk about: * How Emily started to starve herself at the age of 9 * The purpose of her latest memoir “Atlas Girl”. * Her transition to marriage—surrendering control and trusting her spouse * The necessity of setting loving boundaries with loved ones in our lives—following the guidance of the Holy Spirit to speak up. * How 3 years of caring for her mom with cancer, allowed her to see God and heal with her family. * The value of the hidden years of service—talking about Jesus & Hannah. * Emily’s method of staying God-centered in the midst of two little ones and writing books. * Methods for memorizing Scripture with your kids. * How all proceeds from her book go to Lulu tree—supporting moms to care for their babies in Uganda. Connect with Emily: Blog :: Twitter :: LuluTree Show Notes: * Guest post Emily wrote for God Centered Mom–> “I Celebrate Your Beauty” * Jason Chatraw * Emily’s books * Seeds Family Worship * Lulu Tree **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. Apple has a free one (that I mentioned) in the app store, there is also one called Downcast. It allows you to search for shows, subscribe to them and even speed up the audio. If you don’t have an iDevice, you can listen via Stitcher. 3. Subscribe to the Podcast – access the podcast in iTunes (

Before I get into today’s podcast/post, I wanted to thank y’all for your sweet emails and for letting me know how I can help you know God better. It truly helped me see your needs and direct future posts/podcasts. But. . .for today? We’re back to talking about movies.  If you are reading via email, click here to listen to the podcast. If you are reading email, on your phone, click here.  As you heard on my last podcast with OhAmanda (Amanda White), she and I love movies. We also LOVE to use movies to help talk to our children about God. On today’s podcast, she and I chat about the newly released, “How to Train a Dragon 2”. We answer the question, “Is it okay for my kids to see?” We let you know what we did not like in this flick. photo credit We also share what we loved. For those of you who’ve already seen it, we discuss our favorite overriding themes and conversations you can have with your kids. A few examples: * Stoick, Hiccup’s dad–his role as a protector and his unfailing, redeeming love for Hiccup’s mom. * Drago’s tragedy turned angry aggression–how bad things happen, but if we go to God for healing and restoration, it can be used for good. But in Drago’s case, “Hurt people hurt people”. * Dragon training as an analogy of parenting styles–harsh/domineering vs. gentle/caring. And the loyalty which results from one over the other. * Toothless’ challenge to tune out the alpha dragon and trust Hiccup–when temptations come we need to often close our eyes, cover our ears and trust God to deliver us, overcoming evil. At the end of the week Amanda will be posting her discussion guide and possibly a link-up where you can add your own family movie guide. Choose a film you’ve enjoyed watching as a family and type up some ideas for discussion topics/questions stemming from the movie. Show Notes: * OhAmanda.com * IMDb Film summary * The one line in the film that caused controversy–plugged in * Susanna Wesley’s separation from her husband over politics (for 5 months, not a year like I mentioned in the podcast). Join the Family Movie Mom discussion. What themes, questions, and/or conversations did you come up with after seeing this film?   **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. Apple has a free one (that I mentioned) in the app store, there is also one called Downcast.

How to Train a Dragon OhAmanda Ep 31

You know people in your life who light up a room when they walk in? That’s my friend Melissa Jenkins. After spending hours chatting with her in the Tae Kwon Do waiting room, I gained an even deeper appreciation for who God made her to be and the light she is shining for His glory. And I can’t wait to share her with y’all! Melissa is married to Kyle and they have FIVE boys (the oldest is 9!). Together they started a nonprofit called, Vickery Meadows Ministry, which you can read more about over on their site LovingAllPeoples.com  In today’s podcast, Melissa shares her ministry story and so. much. more. Make sure you listen all the way to the end and don’t miss how they apply their ministry approach to parenting and discipling their children. Anyone is qualified to talk to God.–Melissa Jenkins Based on this interview, I’m going to give you a challenge. * Open your Bible (or the closest devotional) and read one verse. * Pray and asked God how He is leading you to apply what it says to your life. * Let me know at end of today how it went (can even use #applyTruth) Were you able to mediate on the verse throughout the day? Did you get a chance to apply and obey what God had showed you? Through obedience, God can change our hearts.–Melissa Jenkins In this episode we also chat about: * Where Melissa & her husband Kyle decided to spend their first year of marriage. * How they became involved with a family from Afghanistan. * How watching a documentary moved their ministry to a new area of need. * How they love people on the fringes, who may not walk into a church building. * How Melissa entered a strip club by offering to wash the girls’ feet. . .and it worked (read one of their team members’ story here “so I went into 10 brothels last night“) * How a ministry can be derailed by spiritual warfare . . . learning to protect your family & marriage. * How they re-grouped and re-focused on the initial ministry purpose–> not a job but a call to care for others because of their love for Him. * How we can all struggle with content, even if we see those living with less. * How she uses their ministry approach–any one is qualified to talk to God–to help train her children how to connect with God. * How they have a creative time of worship. . .superhero costumes and all. * Lastly. . . you must hear what Kyle and Melissa carry around town to start conversations. Connect with Melissa: Blog :: Instagram :: Facebook  Show Notes: * International Rescue Committee * Lost Boys of Sudan  * Resettlement Agency * Seed Family Worship **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. Apple has a

Loving All Peoples Melissa Jenkins Ep 30

Ok. I won’t tell you how many minutes hours I scrolled through Facebook & Instagram yesterday reading about all the wonderful men in my friends’ lives. But I came away from social media feeling all warm & cozy. Because I’m raising future fathers (hopefully a role for all four boys). When I see the difference an honorable man makes in a family, I pay extra close attention. Noticing all the adjectives that mattered: encouraging, strong, caring, protective, loving, joyful, and amazing. One friend posted that her dad had “grit”. This stood out from among the rest because it’s a word you don’t hear often enough. And because it was a topic fresh on my mind… Today’s podcast guest, Laura Hale, defines “grit” as: The courage to show up and do something that matters in your own way. To be OK with failing and trying again. Learning and growing. Of course, I want this for my boys. But I think moms show grit. We courageously keep showing up. Even when we feel like we failed, we jump back in and try again. Laura has grit. She is launching a new line of toys for young boys, Generation Grit. Her desire is to offer an option for boys which allows for hours of reading and imaginative play.   Her solution is to create a line of boys’ action figures and accompanying story books based on fictitious characters from different historical eras (picture a boy’s version of “American Girl”). The first of these characters is Mac Mason, a 14-year-old boy living in California in 1943. At Generation Grit, we model characters who struggle. People are wired to struggle. It’s how a baby learns to walk, and it’s how a child learns to read. As a mom, one of the most heartbreaking things I see is when a child chooses to stay on the sidelines because they are afraid to risk failure. In our stories, Generation Grit is committed to celebrating the willingness to face hard things, to fail sometimes, and to get back up. -Laura Hale During the podcast we chatted about: * How we went to the same church at the same time and didn’t know it * What motivated her to create a new toy product for boys * How Laura demonstrated grit in pursuing toy maker connections * How boys in the 8-12 age range don’t have a lot of “non-screen” toy options * How quickly children grow from 8 years to mid-teens. * How we can support Laura to accomplishing her dream, through Kickstarter Side notes: *My boys watched the Kickstarter video and asked if we could get a Mac action figure. Seemed like a no-brainer to me and a perfect Christmas present option.  **AND saw this article yesterday with fabulous book options for helping shape our kids “moral imagination”, not to be confused with “moralism”. Must read. ***Speaking of boy toys. . . don’t forget to enter to win subscriptions to Pley or a Lego set! I added a new way to enter,

Generation Grit Laura Hale ep 29

Relationships are tricky (major understatement). I think today’s podcast with my pastor’s wife, Vela Tomba, will give us words & imagery to help alleviate some of the trickiness. Vela has been married to Neil for 30 years, is the mom to three grown girls and grandmother to one adorable granddaughter. She served with Campus Crusade for Christ (Cru) before staying home full-time. Last summer Vela guest posted a 3-part series on the concept of “Hula Hoop-o-logy” (read the series here) Honestly? Her thoughts on this topic have helped all (absolutely all) my relationships. In this episode we discuss: * What it means to stay in your “hula hoop” * Why we need to stay out of others’ hoops * How to transition our children from our hoop (birth) to their own (jr. high-college) * Physical hoop issues vs emotional hoop issues * Whether or not it is a mom’s job to make her kids happy * Interacting with husband in light of “hula hoop-o-logy”–reflective listening * Handling a variety of relationships with this mindset–>adult children & their spouses; grandchildren; extended family * Difference between hula-hoops and “Boundaries” * A Christian’s responsibility to non-believers in relation to hoops Show Notes: * Campus Crusade for Christ (Cru) * “Boundaries” by Henry Cloud & John Townsend * “Father of the Bride”  Do you struggle with staying out of others’ hoops? Which relationship challenges you the most? **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. Apple has a free one (that I mentioned) in the app store, there is also one called Downcast. It allows you to search for shows, subscribe to them and even speed up the audio. If you don’t have an iDevice, you can listen via Stitcher. 3. Subscribe to the Podcast – access the podcast in iTunes (Click here to access via iTunes). You can also search for it on your smartphone app (like the ones listed above) and subscribe. *If you missed past episodes, you can listen via iTunes or click on this page of the GodCenteredMom site to find a listing of all the episodes.