Don't Mom Alone Podcast

If you've ever strived for perfection, then you know how it feels when you fall short. Maybe you aren't the one carrying a list of all you "need to do to earn God's love." But more the type who carries a "Never Good Enough List” with all the reasons you'll never be able to earn His love. Either way, Amy Carroll, (author, speaker, Proverbs 31 contributor) is on the podcast this week helping us break up with perfect. In this episode (and in her new book), Amy helps us recognize the lies we have been believing and the Truth to set us free. Lies like: "I was created to produce perfection" or "People are obstacles to my tasks" or "If I have the right stuff, my life will be perfect." My favorite quote from our conversation was: Only when I end my own pursuit of perfection can God do a perfecting work in me. --Amy Carroll May you experience a supernatural freedom from the struggle to be perfect. May your friendships deepen, your family be strengthened and your awareness of God's love grow as you stop striving and surrender to His gentle heart work. Connect with Amy: Breaking Up with Perfect :: Blog :: Facebook :: Twitter :: Pinterest What we chat about: The events making Amy aware of her perfectionism The impact a mentor had in Amy's journey to lose the list of perfect The supernatural work God did on Amy to break the shell around her heart, to feel His love The two perfect super moms in Amy's head--torn between two ideals. The destruction of friendship when perfectionism enters. The different types of perfectionists and their lists: good girl list or the never-good-enough list The possibility of passing on perfectionism to our kids. Links Mentioned: Courtney DeFeo--our connector Breaking up with Perfect Dr. Caroline Leaf Proverbs 31 Ministries The Opinion Blender--didn't mention in podcast, but found it on Amy's site. . .such great advice Discussion Questions: Have you had friendships end because of your struggles with perfection? When friends go through hard times do you wonder how to be a good, imperfect friend? Do you have a mentor? Is there someone you wish you could meet with? Could you make a plan to meet with her once in the next few months? Could you relate to Amy’s struggle to feel God’s love and having a list of things you have to do to be right with God? What areas are you striving for perfection in motherhood? Who is your mental ‘ideal’ mom? Earth-mama, right-on-schedule mom? Which type of perfectionist do you relate to—the good girl list or the never-good-enough list? Need to measure up or will never measure up? Or do you swing between the lists? What have you found helpful to break up with perfection? Featured Sponsors: Betterhelp--get 10% off your first month of secure online professional counseling betterhelp.com/DMA Glorify app--Get 50% off unlimited access to Glorify App with promo code DMA applied in the profile section of the app.

Our first year of marriage was HARD. And we hit another rough patch (a.k.a. the “come to Jesus” days) after our second son was born. I took all the marriage advice I could get. For all you mommas out there looking for a little marriage help, I’ve invited Jen Weaver on the show to talk about her newest book, “A Wife’s Secret to Happiness”. This episode originally aired on March 6, 2017. Jen is an adorable millennial who knows God’s Word and isn’t afraid to hit the marriage topic head on. She shares some great insights on a few controversial issues. But more than anything she helps us identify the marriage habits (a.k.a., “WifeStyles”) that are attracting or denying the blessings God has for our marriages. What we chat about: What is a “wifestyle”? Habits that can attract or deny the blessings God has for our marriages The slightly-controversial topic of “submission” Making room for your spouse to lead and space for the Lord to speak. What about when your spouse isn’t walking with the Lord? Wifestyles: “braided” or “frayed” What Jesus asked Jen. Wifestyles: “doubtful” or “decided” When you go through a relationship winter after a new baby Hebrew convo about “chayil”and Proverbs 31 woman who is a wife of valor Connect with Jen Weaver: Website :: Instagram Links Mentioned: “A Wife’s Secret to Happiness” by Jen Weaver *** Francie Winslow (ep 61-Power of Sex in Marriage &ep 138 Ripple effect of healthy sexual connection) Discussion Questions: Discuss the idea of submission the way it’s described in the episode. How can you choose to make space for your spouse to lead in your relationship? In what ways do you lead? Do you feel frayed or braided with God right now? How can you rebraid your attention back toward God? What was your most recent relationship winter? How did you come through that? What are your Proverbs 31 wife superpowers? How do you use your strengths in a way that blesses and doesn’t hinder? Featured Sponsors: Rothy’s — Don’t miss this great opportunity! Get $20 off a purchase of $100 or more. Rothys.com/DMA. Thrive Market — Go to ThriveMarket.com/DMA. Join today to get $20 off your first order AND a FREE gift!

This special episode was recorded at our first Live Event held in 2017. Guests, Kat Lee & Wynter Pitts shared their mom stories. And encouraged with audience with thoughts on mentorship, friendship and dealing with fear and insecurity in motherhood. What we chat about: Kat Lee and Wynter Pitts’ motherhood stories Dealing with insecurities in motherhood The importance of having mentors and deep friends in the motherhood journey Mentors don’t have to be older than you or available weekly. Find a way to make mentorship work for you. Think of areas you are struggling with and look for someone who excels in that area to mentor you, no matter their age Start or join a DMA podcast club as a way to connect with other women You can be a mentor too! Look for younger moms who need encouragement. We are never alone because God is with us, but it’s hard to remember that when life gets crazy. Kat and Wynter share what helps them remember God in the midst of life. “Should is not a sustainable why.” Don’t just do things you SHOULD do if you don’t have a good reason for WHY. Helping your kids develop healthy friendships and community Not trying to over control your children’s lives and praying through how involved you should be in their friendships Hope for dealing with irrational fears and grief Giving yourself permission to be honest with God when you aren’t coping well and realizing that he is good despite your circumstances Connect with Kat and HelloMornings: Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram Connect with For Girls Like You: Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram Links Mentioned: Music sung by Elena Pitts--"Even when it hurts" by Hillsong UNITED "HelloMornings" Book* by Kat Lee Start a DMA Podcast Club Paul David Tripp’s devotional, New Morning Mercies: A Daily Gospel Devotional ** Barefoot Dreams Bamboo Lite Wrap** (aka "The Blardigan") She Is Yours: Trusting God As You Raise the Girl He Gave You ** by Wynter Pitts Featured Sponsors: Lovevery — Take the guesswork out of your child’s play. Choose Lovevery TODAY and get free shipping when you sign up to receive your Play Kits at Lovevery.com/DMA Function of Beauty — Go to FunctionofBeauty.com/DMA to take your quiz and save 20% on your first order. That applies to their full range of customized hair, skin, and body products.

"They just keep fighting!" Summer, for us, means lots of unstructured time together as a family. Which is great. . . until it's not. Perhaps you can identify. Maybe you see yourself in one of the following situations: Situation #1 - The kids are fighting - again! The harder you try to make it stop, the worse it seems to get - and the kids seem more and more resentful. Situation #2 - One minute they love each other and the next minute they’re arch enemies. The older they get the louder and angrier it gets. You hate the way this affects everyone’s mood, including your own. Situation #3 - Time-outs, required apologies, and firmness temporarily curb the fighting, but it soon comes back with more intensity. Situation #4 - Your young kids are beginning their rivalry and you worry where it’s heading if you don’t learn some better strategies. (copied from Sibling Conflict Online Course description). Jim & Lynne Jackson from ConnectedFamilies.org are back to equip us in training our children to solve conflict well. And instead of just wishing they would "just stop fighting", to recognize the gospel work of guiding our family to reconciliation. Jim & Lynne have been on the show before sharing their fabulous 4-layer framework for discipline that connects (Listen here to Episode 80 & 81). And again helping connect in any situation (Ep 98). Today, they are talking us through The Peace Process. A simple but effective way to guide our kids to a lifetime of reconciled relationships. Here's their great graphic with the four steps moving us from "crazy mountain" to peaceful reconciliation (Click here to print your own copy): Conflict is inevitable. Instead of just getting frustrated and annoyed, I've found having a plan to reconnect hearts and train empathy so helpful. I also loved all the phrases Jim & Lynne modeled to use as we guide our children through the process. Here are some of my favorites (I'll be bookmarking this page and referring to often): "Sounds like y'all are having a hard time. Do you need my help or are you able to work it out on your own?" "Solving brains won't work until we're calm. Why don't we each find a comfortable place. How long do you need? 5 min? 10 min? Then we'll come back together to work this out." "Did you hear that? How does she feel? Do you like that what you did made her feel that way? You two are listening to each other. How does that feel?" "Your big feelings are a gift. And they are an even greater gift with you can use them to help understand other's big feelings." "What's going on? What was important to each person? How have you solved this problem before? Would you like to think of ways to solve the problem or do you want me to help give you choices on how to solve it?" "Are there four things you could say that are kind and true about that person?" Lastly, if you need more help learning how to guide your kiddos through the peace process, check out Jim & Lynne's new SIBLING CONFLICT ONLINE COURSE. I'll be working through it this summer. Join me! USE DMA20 to save 20% off. What we chat about: Considering your own baggage/sibling situation as you rush into your kids' conflict. Are we trying to get conflict to stop or teach reconciliation? The four steps to "The Peace Process". A real life example of applying peace process. How training in reconciliation helps our kids in their future marriages and relationships. Helping our kids learn how to solve the problem of the conflict (a 3-step process). A scenario of a more empathetic child in conflict with a more strong-willed child--growing specific skills in kids. Addressing the differences in your kids outside of conflict. Help for the mom who has a child with special needs in the sibling mix. Connecting with others based not on experience but emotion. Tips for conflicts that happen right before you have to leave the house. Connect with Jim & Lynne: Connected Families Site :: Facebook :: Twitter :: Pinterest Links Mentioned: Free Discipline that Connects handbook Building Empathy in Kids (Part 1) and Building Empathy in Kids (Part 2) article "Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ." (Ephesians 4:15) "Suppose your brother or sister has something against you, go make peace with them." (Abbr. Matthew 5:23-24). "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God." (Matthew 5:9 NIV) "You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family." (Matthew 5:9 MSG). Need one-on-one parent coaching? Click here Peaceful Mothering DVD DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: What is your process for sibling conflict to management in your home right now? What are some ways you and your child can calm down in the heat of conflict? How could taking a mom "time out" help you can down? Discuss how seeing conflict resolution in light of your

It’s summertime again and in the absence of formal school your kids may be looking forward to unstructured time and more access to screens. As one of the first generations to parent kids in the age of smartphones, we can choose to be on high alert to how healthy our kids' digital habits are and help them set healthy boundaries. My guest Arlene Pellicane shares strategies from her book Screen Kids and from her own family life. They have a “no phone, no gaming, no social media” policy for their kids and she shares the research and practical reasons behind why. But, wherever you are with screens and your family, this time of year is a perfect time for a reset. “For our summer mindset, we all need a break and this could be a beautiful time to have some kind of different routine with our screens." We talk about digital vegetables vs digital candy, reconsidering phones for younger kids, building real world skills for our kids instead of just digital ones and setting digital boundaries. It’s so helpful and I’m already implementing some of Arlene’s advice for my boys this summer. Know that you are not alone in this struggle. Together we can do this! Connect with Arlene: Website: https://arlenepellicane.com Facebook: facebook.com/ArlenePellicaneAuthor Instagram: @arlenepellicane Links Mentioned: BOOK: Screen Kids: 5 Relational Skills Every Child Needs in a Tech-Driven World BOOK: 5 Love Languages Of Children: The Secret To Loving Children Effectively Screen Kids in their Own Words ScriptSub by Erika Dawson (Faithful Moms) Gabb Wireless Phone Featured Sponsors: Prep Dish—Get 2 weeks of meal plans FREE go to prepdish.com/DMA BetterHelp—get 10% off your first month of professional online counseling at betterhelp.com/DMA

Managing your home in the midst of motherhood is a challenge, especially when cleaning, organizing and decluttering don’t come naturally. My guest Dana K. White struggled for years to figure out why her home was so messy. She could get it clean, but it would take days and then in no time it was right back to where she’d started with piles of clutter, laundry and dishes. “I had always thought before, my home is not who I am, but now it was my identity and it was even harder. And that was when I really thought. There's something wrong with me. Like, literally I am broken in some way. I cannot do this thing that other people seem to be able to do so easily.” God brought her to a place of breakthrough when she started an anonymous blog to get open and real about being a “slob.” Through that, she started to discover some simple truths about cleaning and organizing strategies that actually work for people who don’t love cleaning and organizing. We talk about tips for how to start cleaning when you feel overwhelmed, how to only make progress when decluttering and more. It’s a great listen for yourself and to learn how to help the less organized members of your family. Here’s to making progress on our homes this summer! Stay tuned for the Summer of Mentorship starting June 21st. Great episodes to listen to while you clean and declutter. Connect with Dana: Website: aslobcomesclean.com Facebook: facebook.com/ASlobComesClean Instagram: @aslobcomesclean Links Mentioned: BOOK: How to Manage Your Home Without Losing Your Mind BOOK: Decluttering at the Speed of Life Featured Sponsors: Rothy’s --Keep it clean with washable shoes and bags from Rothy’s. Plus they just launched men’s shoes, so make sure to check them out for the men in your life. Go to Rothys.com/DMA today to check out your favorites Thrive Market -- Go to ThriveMarket.com/DMA Join to get $20 off your first order AND a free gift.

Jess Connolly has not always seen her body as good. It’s a struggle all of us can relate to. Whether it’s a concern over weight and external beauty or a physical disability or medical issue, there’s always something about our bodies that cause “trouble.” Jess shares about her struggle with an autoimmune disease and feeling body shame from an early age. “I spent a few years treating that disease, as if my body was a huge problem that just needed to be solved or a project that needed to be completed. My healthier behaviors as a young mom weren't rooted in love, but in extreme frustration.” And she takes us into her journey of asking God to give her a kingdom body mindset to break free of body shame. We talk about shifting our perspective on what makes a body good and so much of it comes down to a key question Jess shares: “Do you treat your body as if it is loved or as if you want it to be lovable? Are you trying to make it good? Are you trying to treat it as if it is good? Because when I treat my body as if it was made good, and I want to steward that.” For more on this, grab a copy of Jess’ new book Breaking Free from Body Shame. Connect with Jess: Website: https://jessconnolly.com Facebook: facebook.com/jessaconnolly Instagram: @jessaconnolly Links Mentioned: BOOK: Breaking Free from Body Shame Ep 132: Revelation Wellness :: Alisa Keeton Featured Sponsors: Function of Beauty — Go to FunctionofBeauty.com/DMA to take your quiz and save 20% on your first order. Acorn TV — Try Acorn TV free for 30 days. Go to Acorn.tv use code: dma (all lowercase letters).

You asked and I’m so happy to have Mary Flo Ridley and Megan Michelson back to coach us on how to talk with our kids about the topic of sex. I love their approach which is explained in their online course called Birds and Bees. It’s all about having multiple conversations over the years with your kids instead of having one big TALK when they are older. “What we want parents to do with the topic of sex is to not be afraid and be silenced, but to be equipped and have tools and phrases to say an age appropriate ways … They're drip by drip, by drip conversations, because it takes a lot for them to absorb this information.” Mary Flo and Megan take us through reasons why we should have conversations with our youngest kids about reproduction, birth and specific scientific terms for private areas. We chat about how to bring these topics up and answer questions that might make you nervous at first. It’s all about giving your kids accurate and honest information on this important topic. “I know when parents first hear about this they think, ‘I didn't want to talk to my kids about sex one time, why in the world, but I want to do this multiple times?’ But it's just so much easier to do it in bite size, age-appropriate phrases and conversations and soundbites because that's how things are digested and absorbed.” Connect with Birds & Bees: Website: https://birds-bees.com Facebook: facebook.com/birdsbeeshelpplease Instagram: @birds__bees Links Mentioned: Birds & Bees Course New Birds & Bees Podcast Previous Podcasts with Birds & Bees: Ep 25: Birds and Bees? Oh, help me please :: Mary Flo Ridley BONUS: When to Have “The Talk” :: Mary Flo Ridley Ep. 153 Birds and Bees (Continuing the Conversation) :: Mary Flo Ridley and Megan Michelson Ep 243: Preparing Now for Future Puberty and Masturbation Questions :: Megan Michelson and Mary Flo Ridley Featured Sponsors: StoryWorth —Give your dad the most meaningful gift this Father’s Day with StoryWorth. Get started right away with no shipping required by going to StoryWorth.com/DMA to get $10 off your first purchase. HelloFresh —Go to HelloFresh.com/dma12 and use the code: dma12 to get 12 free meals, including free shipping.

Dorina Lazo Gilmore-Young is an author and speaker who is passionate about helping people discover God’s glory in unexpected places. But in the midst of the Pandemic with her family’s long-awaited travel plans delayed and then cancelled, Dorina found herself struggling to see glory in the continued quarantine life. With a long winter break and nothing to look forward to, Dorina processed her disappointment with her husband Shawn and her three daughters. Shawn suggested bringing Hawaii home by having a luau and ordering in Hawaiin food and it sparked the idea of Global Glory Chasers, a cultural exploration program for families. Dorina and I talk about doing deep dives into the food and culture of international communities and how helping our kids engage with other races and nationalities gives them a global perspective on the glory of God “Learning about cultures is actually an invitation for us to learn more about God's glory and how he has made each one of us into his image bearers. We can't understand God, unless we're willing to listen to stories of people from different backgrounds. So we like to say we’re breaking barriers by breaking bread at home and by eating the foods of the different cultures.” Connect with Dorina: Website: dorinagilmore.com Facebook: facebook.com/DorinaLazoGilmore Instagram: @dorinagilmore Links Mentioned: Global Glory Chasers Membership BOOK: Glory Chasers: Discovering God's Glory in Unexpected Places Ep 282 Many Hues, One Humanity :: Dr. Lucretia Berry

In a world that seems to bring more and more division every day, how do we connect with other people in a deep, human way? Kay Wyma takes us into her story of how seemingly small acts of kindness, thankfulness and mercy have made all the difference for her and her family. “There are so many ways you can practice kindness that are outward acts of kindness. And then you'll start to realize kindness is picking up the laundry for somebody that I'm frustrated with, you know, that they could have done it themselves.There are kindness opportunities everywhere. Be kind to yourself for Pete's sake. At least one day a week. Actively do something kind for yourself.” Learn about what Kay calls a Soul 30 and her new book The Peace Project. I love that this isn’t another thing for your to do list, it is more about HOW you do the things on your list. And when we practice kindness, thankfulness and mercy we can’t help reflecting the goodness of God to a world that needs it more than ever. Connect with Kay Wyma: Website: kaywyma.com Facebook: facebook.com/kaywillswyma Instagram: @kaywyma Links Mentioned: BOOK: The Peace Project: A 30-Day Experiment Practicing Thankfulness, Kindness, and Mercy Featured Sponsors: Nextdoor—Join your neighborhood on the FREE app. Use this link nextdoor.com/DMA to let them know you heard about it from me. Betterhelp—Listeners of the DMA podcast get 10% off their first month of secure online professional counseling. Betterhelp.com/DMA.

Long-time friends Erin Moon and Courtney Cleveland join me to share their motherhood stories and how they’ve found their identity as moms separate from motherhood stereotypes. “There are so many ways to be a good mom and what it looks like for you doesn’t look like it does for me. And I really had to let go of the idea that I had to be the same kind of mother as everyone else... It was so freeing and it seems so simple. I mean, that's not even how humanity works. So why would motherhood be that way?” We talk about mom superpowers, viewing dinner as optional food exposure and the ridiculousness of keeping track of socks for multiple kids. Listen and laugh along with us as we take light hearted views on the daily grind of motherhood. I’m sure you will relate. Don’t Miss: Near the end Erin shares a great idea for creating your own “fake Mother’s Day” on a different day from the actual holiday that I’m totally going to try. Happy Mother’s Day to you all! I pray you feel celebrated for all the unique gifts you bring into motherhood. Connect with Erin: Website: https://bio.site/fA7Uk5 Instagram: @erinhmoon Connect with Courtney: Website: https://www.allthebestdays.com Instagram: @courtclarkcleve Links Mentioned: Silk Pajamas Bluetooth headband Fancy Sardines Summer Strategies :: Laura and Courtney [Ep 249] Preparing Our Hearts for Easter :: Erin Moon [Ep 236] Featured Sponsors: Rothy’s — Check out all the amazing shoes, bags and masks available right now at Rothys.com/DMA Thrive Market — Join Thrive Market to get $20 off your first order and an exclusive FREE gift. Go to Thrivemarket.com/DMA

The daily grind of marriage, parenting, and life wears on us all, but when your relationship with your spouse is no longer a healthy one, how do you choose to walk away? My guest and long-time friend Lara Williams brings us into her story of working through marriage infidelity with her husband and her long, painful journey to divorce. “And it was a process, but I think I finally got to that place where I could accept that divorce was happening in my life, but that's just it. It's happening. It doesn't mean that's who I am. And it doesn't just because God hates it. It doesn't mean he hates me. He loves me and I went through a process of washing those lies with the truth of what God says and he's so gracious to transform our minds.” We talk about all the ways Lara and her husband worked to save their marriage, what it was like when saving it was no longer an option and how God met Lara in that place. Lara shares about parenting when you are walking through divorce, dating after divorce, and how the church can both help and hurt during this painful experience. I’m so thankful for Lara’s heart and how bravely she shares her story. She has graciously given permission to publish her email address if you or someone you know would like to reach out on this topic. Connect with Lara: Website: tooverflowing.com Instagram: @laragwilliams Email: [email protected] Amazon Author Page Links Mentioned: BOOK: To Walk Or Stay [Ep 246] Rebuilding from an Abusive Marriage :: Jeni B [Ep 195] Sinners Married to Sinners–How God Refines Us :: Cheryl Scruggs & Jae Carpenter BOOK: How to Avoid Falling in Love with a Jerk Lara’s New Project: Think True Things Lara’s Spoken Word—“That’s Not My Name” Featured Sponsors: Nextdoor- Go to Nextdoor.com/DMA to sign up and see what your neighbors are talking about. Join your neighborhood today. Skylight Frame- You can get $10 off your purchase of a Skylight Frame when you go to skylightframe.com and enter code DMA.

There is often a disconnect from what we read in scripture and how we experience life. God say, “I have not given you a spirit of fear,” but we keenly feel fear and anxiety. We know that God has taken away our sins, but we still feel like it comes between us and hearing His voice. One powerful way to work towards freedom in these areas is through a biblically-based program of inner healing prayer. My guest Jennifer Barnett of Freedom Prayer joins me to talk about inner healing prayer or freedom prayer, a powerful process that helps restore individuals to a more fruitful and fulfilling walk with God. “Inner healing prayer is its own sort of type of prayer. If you're not familiar with it, we would say it's some really intentional time devoted to allowing God to remove anything that would hinder someone from a full abiding relationship with him. That could look like sin, wounding, ungodly beliefs, or lies that we believe about ourselves, God or other people.” My experience with inner healing prayer has been so powerful and I believe it can be for you too. For more information on Freedom Prayer visit their website at https://freedomprayer.org. Connect with Freedom Prayer: Website: freedomprayer.org Facebook: facebook.com/freedomresources Featured Sponsors: FabFitFun — get $10 off your first box with the code DMA10 over at www.FabFitFun.com BetterHelp—DMA listeners get 10% off their first month of online secure professional counseling at Betterhelp.com/DMA

As moms we are often looking for parenting formulas and quick fixes to solve our latest parenting problems. When they are babies, following formulas for sleeping and eating makes sense, but as they get older and their needs change it gets a lot more complicated. We often turn to friends and mentors for advice, but that doesn’t always work or what works for one of our kids doesn’t for another and it can make us feel lost. Jeffrey Olrick, Ph.D. and his wife Amy Olrick join me to share a different way to interpret our kids needs using some practical tools and the science of connection. They offer an alternative question to “What do I do?”, asking instead: “How can I be with this child?”. They go through the six needs of every child and a helpful compass to help you find your way when it gets challenging. “I think some of it is a fear that we have parents. If we lose the trail for even a moment that our children will be put in imminent danger. And we want to set parents free from that and say, no, actually that's actually going to be pretty normal to lose the trail. But you are still together and you're going to find your way back to firm footing with these six needs.” This approach is teaching me a lot in my own parenting and I know it will help you on your parenting journey. To learn more from the Olricks, check out their podcast! Connect with the Olricks: Website: growingconnected.com Facebook: facebook.com/growingconnected Instagram: @growingconnected Links Mentioned: The Growing Connected Podcast BOOK: The 6 Needs of Every Child. Featured Sponsors: Hello Bello— Go to hellobello.com/DMA to get 25% off your diaper bundle order and 15% off any add ons like vitamins or wipes! StoryWorth—Give your mom the most meaningful gift this Mother’s Day with StoryWorth. No shipping required. Go to StoryWorth.com/DMA and get $10 off your first purchase.

On a recent Instagram survey I learned that 68% of y’all have experienced broken friendships. I knew we needed an episode to help. The last year has not been easy for any of us. So many things in our lives changed in response to the pandemic, political and racial tensions, and the loneliness of quarantine life. In the midst of everything, it has been hard to keep friendships healthy. Licensed professional counselor Shundria Riddick is here to walk us through some healthy ways to work toward reconciliation and how to know when to walk away from friendship that is hurtful. We talk about setting healthy boundaries, having clarifying conversations, and how to analyze the health of relationships. Connect with Shundria: Website: shundriariddick.com Facebook: facebook.com/shundriariddick Instagram: @shundriariddick Links Mentioned: Relax Relate Release Group Therapy with Shundria [Ep 159] Healing Friendship Wounds :: Lisa-Jo Baker [Ep 289] Strengthening Our Friendships :: Susan Seay Featured Sponsors: Rothys—Check out all the amazing shoes, bags and masks available right now at Rothys.com/DMA. Thrive Market—Join Thrive Market today to get 25% off your first order AND an exclusive FREE gift! The ONLY way to get this offer is by going to Thrive Market.com/DMA.

With Easter right around the corner, the traditional Jewish feast of Passover is also coming up. The Passover Seder, a ritual feast that marks the beginning of Passover, is a powerful, symbolic meal to help both Christian and Jewish believers remember the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt. My friends Chris and Karen Katulka walk us through all the elements in a way that is doable for families with young kids and still poignant for us as adults. You may be surprised all that you learn about how specific foods can serve as meaningful reminders of God’s redemption. “And what you do is you eat the bitter herbs with matzah as a reminder of the bitterness of bondage that was felt for the Israelites. For us as Christians, you know, there was a point where you didn't know Christ, a point where you were separated. So that bitterness is a nice, fresh reminder of what was life like before.” The Katulkas help make this sacred celebration accessible and understandable for families whether you’ve participated in the past or want to start a new tradition this year. Download their helpful Passover packet with recipes and more information. Connect with the Friends of Israel: Website: www.foi.org Facebook: facebook.com/FOIGM Instagram: @foigm Links Mentioned: Ep 217: The Gift of Celebrating the Biblical Feasts :: Amber Lee Get the Passover Seder Downloads More details on Passover from FOI Passover Haggadah FEATURED SPONSORS: HelloBello — Get 25% off your diaper bundle order and 15% off any add ons like vitamins or wipes: hellobello.com/DMA SoulCycle At Home Bike —Get your SoulCycle At Home bike by visiting MySoulCycleBike.com/DMA use promo code: DMA and get a complementary pair of at home Select cycling shoes with your purchase.

Licensed Professional Counselor Charissa Fry is back to help parents get the “most bang for our buck” when it comes to one-on-one connected time with our kids — PLAY! Even if you’re a mom who doesn’t love playtime or you feel like you can’t add one more thing to your family schedule, listen in as Charissa breaks down how the benefits of special playtime far exceed the difficulties. “We follow the child's lead because it allows the child to feel seen, heard, understood, and delighted in like you care about what they care about. You're interested in what they're interested in. It also models cooperation. And it’s helpful with the power dynamic between a parent and a child.” We talk about how to remove the teacher, parent and disciplinarian hats and enter into playtime with a positive and engaged attitude that can reap BIG benefits in our parenting over time. Charissa explains some of the “rules” of special playtime that can help us reinforce positive behavior and give our kids permission to play however they want. I hope this episode leaves you encouraged to connect with kids through imaginative play. For more information, check out this resource from Charissa! Helpful Verbal Cue: “Hey, in five minutes, we're going to have special playtime and you get to choose what we do together.” Connect with Charissa: Website: charissafry.com Facebook: facebook.com/CharissaFryCounseling Links Mentioned: The Window of Tolerance :: Charissa Fry [Ep 260] Special Playtime Keys handout from Charissa Featured Sponsors: FabFitFun— use code DMA10 to save $10 off your first FabFitFun box at FabFitFun.com Acorn TV—try the Acorn TV streaming service for FREE for 30 days. Go to Acorn.tv and use code DMA

I’m excited to welcome back Mo Isom Aiken to the podcast. She writes and speaks powerfully about how God has redeemed her own brokenness and set her on a path to challenge, encourage and equip other Christ followers. In this episode we talk about how each of us was made for true intimacy with God on a heart level. “The ultimate will of the Father is to know him intimately and to be known by him and to press into an intimacy with God that is all-consuming and not based on our doing as much as our being with him -- who we are, who he is. Allowing this intimacy that really takes us to think about marital intimacy, a vulnerable exposed, honest place that draws near to us. And somehow this rhythmic, you know, coming together transforms our heart.” Mo takes us into her own story of God peeling back the layers of shame and her own twisted view of intimacy to heal the deep places of her heart. We talk about how God wants to do the same for each of us, but it’s a process. In this time when so many of us have lost the support that sustained us and distractions that hid our true feelings, Mo invites us to draw near to God trusting him and exposing our physical vulnerabilities to him. “If we want to understand the deeper layers of spiritual intimacy with God, we've got to be willing to work through the very physical layers of things that have impacted our life and story because everything in the physical is ultimately served to shape our perspective of intimacy overall and especially intimacy with God.” Connect with Mo: Website: www.moisom.com Facebook: facebook.com/TheMoIsom Instagram: @moisom Links Mentioned: Books by Mo: Wreck My Life: Journeying from Broken to Bold Sex, Jesus, and the Conversations the Church Forgot Fully Known: An Invitation to True Intimacy with God Ep 168 Broken to Bold :: Mo Isom Ep 260 Window of Tolerance :: Charissa Fry Featured Sponsors: BetterHelp — 10% off your first month of professional counseling online at betterhelp.com/DMA PrepDish — try 2 weeks of meal plans FREE at prepdish.com/DMA

When it comes to learning differences and special education diagnoses, it can feel overwhelming and defeating to see your child struggle. My guest Kerri Irvin is a dyslexia specialist who has worked with countless children, teens and adults to help them thrive and embrace their learning differences. “It amazes me the gifts that God provides for all children, alongside their challenges. For every challenge, an equally important, if not more significant, gift has been provided and their challenges, without fail, are gifts that support them with their talents and make them better learners and people.” We talk about what dyslexia is, how students with dyslexia learn differently, ways to partner with your child’s teachers to help them succeed, and how to support friends who have children with learning differences. Kerri shares with passion and hope about how dyslexia is not just a learning challenge, but can be a strength. Connect with Kerri Email: [email protected] Site: SK Designs for Learning Links Mentioned: The Yale Center for Dyslexia & Creativity International Dyslexia Association Neuhaus Education Center Scottish Rite for Children Orton-Gillingham Academy Kerri’s List of Resources Featured Sponsors: Function of Beauty — Go to FunctionofBeauty.com/DMA to take your quiz and get 20% off your first order. Rothy’s — Check out their amazing repurposed, eco-friendly shoes, bags and masks available at Rothys.com/DMA

“What’s something you’ve grown in but at different speeds?”. After collecting listener questions, this question stood out to my husband Bruce. So instead of doing a general Q and A episode (in honor of our 22nd wedding anniversary), we decided to discuss Bruce’s journey in learning how to identify what he is feeling, labeling it and sharing it with others. Listen to how we learned to process our feelings through church small group. And how we’ve grown as a couple to express those emotions in a healthy way. “I think a common theme through all of this is just having a really constructive, clear language to talk about things. It is not like any one of these methods solves things. It's not a formula. The more precise and constructive and simple we make this language, the more effective communication can be.” Here are the cards we reference in the show (see website show notes). More Episodes with Bruce: 20th Anniversary Q & A :: Bruce and Heather [Ep 242] The Right to Change My Mind :: Bruce and Heather [Ep 196] This is Us :: Bruce and Heather {Ep 145} Goals, Roles and Superpowers :: Bruce and Heather MacFadyen {Ep 112} When your Husband has a Demanding Job :: Bruce and Heather {Ep 38} Links Mentioned: Steps into God’s Grace (12 step program) by Lynn Hoffman Recovery for Life :: Lynn Hoffman [Ep 129] BOOK: People Fuel by John Townsend Featured Sponsors: PrettyLitter — use code DMA to save 20% off a one month supply over at prettylitter.com Thrive Market— get 25% off your first order and a free gift. If you go to thrivemarket.com/DMA

David Thomas and I talked for SOOOO long in our interview because he's the BEST. The last part of our convo was specific to handling screen time with boys. The DMA team figured we could shorten the main episode by releasing this part separately. Of course, David and I did not cover every angle of managing technology (people write whole books on that topic). But I hope it helps you feel less alone in the struggle and empowered to do a few things: Create a Family Media Plan (or at least use the media calculator)--see links below Discuss what creative things your family has done outside of screen time. After reminiscing, brainstorm new ideas. Ask your son about one of his favorite video games. Perhaps sit down and play one with him. Let me know how it goes. Links: AAP family media time calculator and Media Plan Among Us game Mafia group game Fortnite Roblox List of Movie Recs by Raising Boys and Girls (a page on my site, not on IG for you non-Instagram peeps) Time and Space for Flourishing in a Tech World :: Andy Crouch [Ep 208]

Understanding the emotions of boys is a challenge no matter the age. Anxiety that presents as anger or distraction. Depression shows up as low-grade irritability. David Thomas returns to the show to answer listener questions about all things boy. David is a family therapist and director at DayStar Counseling Center in Nashville. He has lots of experience counseling families and children and has a set of twin boys himself. We talk about teaching our sons about emotional language, going to counseling, helping sibling relationships, and managing boy energy levels. “I think we need to be clear with boys. I think it's always helpful to use concrete language with them. When we're concise, clear, and concrete, those are kind of three rules of thumb, we can consistently be adopting. The mistake that I think we can make is we kind of soft pedal and dance around things.” If you are a parent of boys, this is an episode for you! Watch for a bonus episode coming out later this week too. Connect with David: Website: raisingboysandgirls.com Facebook: facebook.com/raisingboysandgirls Instagram: @raisingboysandgirls Links Mentioned: Ep 119 The Art of Nurturing Boys :: David Thomas Ep 160 Emotional Milestones :: Sissy Goff & David Thomas BOOK: Are My Kids on Track? by Sissy Goff & David Thomas Ep 260 The Window of Tolerance :: Charissa Fry BOOK: Best Friends, Worst Enemies by Michael Thompson BOOK: Wild Things: The Art of Nurturing Boys by Stephen James and David Thomas Movies & Books Highlights from Raising Boys & Girls MOVIE: Just Mercy VidAngel BOOK: Quiet: The Power of Introverts by Susan Cain BOOK: Quiet Power: The Secret Strengths of Introverted Kids by Susan Cain Featured Sponsors: FabFitFun —use coupon code DMA10 for $10 off your first box at www.FabFitFun.com Function of Beauty — Go to functionofbeauty.com/DMA to take your quiz and save 20% off your order.

The topic of racial inequality and the need for reconciliation and education on race in America is a BIG. It can seem overwhelmingly big when it comes to teaching our kids how to be allies for people who are different from them. My guest Kirsten Watson breaks down why we shouldn’t shy away from these conversations, but how to show our children the importance of diversity and how to righteously fight for what's right. “As a believer, as my sister in Christ, the reason it's so imperative for you to have this conversation with your kids is because when it happens to my kid, when the joke is made, I need your kid to stand up for my kid. Because they know that my kid was made in the image of Christ and they know that God made us all different. That they would stand up for my kid, because my kid is any kid who is not white.” Having these conversations with our kids and bringing it back to God's truth allows us to change the narrative and raise the next generation to continue to work toward racial unity. Connect with Kirsten: Website: https://thewatsonseven.com Facebook: facebook.com/kirstenwatsonofficial Instagram: @_kirstenwatson_ Links Mentioned: Why or Why Not With the Watsons podcast Please Talk To Your Kids About Race (Podcast ep) Ep 216: Help Your Children Embrace Differences :: Dorena Williamson Ep 261: Racial Healing Starts with You :: Latasha Morrison Ep 282: Many Hues, One Humanity :: Dr. Lucretia Berry “What About Gary” Season 7, episode 10 Black-ish Mom Life Today Featured Sponsors: BetterHelp —Go to betterhelp.com/DMA and listeners get 10% off their first month of counseling. SoulCycle At-Home Bike —Get your SoulCycle at-home bike TODAY by visiting MySoulCycleBike.com/DMA , and use promo code DMA to get a free pair of at-home Select cycling shoes with your purchase.

My guest Jackie and her husband David always thought they would foster and maybe adopt. After starting a family of their own, fostering siblings for a time and having twins, a viral photo of a malnourished orphan in Ukraine changed everything. As Jackie and her family prayed for the boy to be adopted and cared for, God spoke to her heart. “There were plenty of reasons that we could come up with, but no real reason that seemed good enough to say ‘no’ to it. So we committed to adopting him. We didn't even know what country he was from to start with people. God just said, that's your son.” After committing to their first adoption, another boy in Ukraine in a similar situation came to their attention. He was soon to “age out” of the adoption system and was desperate for a family. Again, Jackie and her family prayed and again God called them to adopt. Listen to the episode to learn more of Jackie’s story and all that God has done from them simply saying “Yes” to this assignment outside of her own strength. Another reminder not to overcomplicate motherhood, to watch how kids can flourish with love and care. Here are side-by-side pics of Miles and Jonah from the day of adoption, to 1 year and 2 year anniversaries. Connect with Jackie: Instagram: @askvigsadopt Links Mentioned: Reece’s Rainbow Joy in Obedience: Adopting the Little Boy in the Pink Shirt The Connected Child by Karyn Purvis TBRI: Trust-Based Relational Intervention® Fostering Together Promise686 Care Communities Featured Sponsors: Function of Beauty— Hello Bello—

Have you read the whole Bible? That was the question my guest Tara-Leigh Cobble struggled to answer while talking to a pastor friend. As she thought back through her life growing up in a Christian home, being involved in church and now working in full-time ministry and she couldn’t say for sure that she’d really read ALL of the Bible. So she started a chronological reading plan to read it all, even the genealogies. But as she read, Tara had to wrestle with stories she’d never heard from the pulpit. “I was questioning the Bible because I was reading the Bible and I was questioning not is this true, but is he good? Yeah. Do I like him? My mentor said the places where you have difficulty with God lean in because the good stuff is on the other side of this. The good stuff is on the other side of this struggle.” After completing her own journey of reading the full Bible and seeing scripture and God in a new way, Tara-Leigh created The Bible Recap podcast and book to help others encounter God through his Word. And she’s here to give us a pep talk for reading the full Bible too. “You behold the living God in scripture, and all of a sudden, instead of feeling burdened by your to-do list, you're going to be buoyed and carried along by the love of the God of the universe and by the person of who he is. And that's what I want you to take away from scripture every day, a vision of the God who loves you and who has already accomplished all that he requires of you.” Connect with Tara-Leigh: Website: www.taraleighcobble.com The Bible Recap: www.thebiblerecap.com Instagram: @taraleighcobble Links Mentioned: The Bible Recap: A One-Year Guide to Reading and Understanding the Entire Bible Listen to the Bible on YouVersion Featured Sponsors: Pretty Litter — get 20% off your first order at prettylitter.com with promo code: DMA Thrive Market — join Thrive Market today and get 25% off your first order AND an exclusive FREE gift only at thrivemarket.com/DMA

Sissy Goff is one of our favorite counselors to have on the show and she’s back with us to talk about her new guide for helping teen girls with worry and anxiety. But beyond that she offers hope and help for all of us as we experience hard emotions in the midst of this pandemic. We talk about strategies for working through worry and anxiety for different ages and stages of kids and for us as moms. And Sissy reminds us to trust our instincts when it comes to helping our kids. “You are not alone. And as a mom, your gut is your superpower. You are so intuitive and trust your gut on what's going on with your kids and, and have a few people that you trust a lot that you can talk to. Definitely talk about it because anxiety left untreated only gets worse. I'm seeing so much more in the pandemic that it's spilling over into depression.” She also reminds us that asking for help is a brave and often necessary step for helping our kids learn practical ways to fight back when worries come up. Connect with Sissy: Website: raisingboysandgirls.com Podcast: raisingboysandgirls.com/listen Facebook: facebook.com/raisingboysandgirls Instagram: @raisingboysandgirls Links Mentioned: BOOK: Brave: A Teen Girl's Guide to Beating Worry and Anxiety Ep 141: Raising Girls :: Sissy Goff Ep 160: Emotional Milestones :: Sissy Goff & David Thomas Bonus Ep: Raising Worry-Free Girls :: Sissy Goff Feelings Chart BOOK Raising Worry-Free Girls Featured Sponsors: Uncommon Goods--get 15% off at uncommongoods.com/dma FabFitFun--get $10 off your first box using code: DMA10 at fabfitfun.com

Amber O’Neal describes herself as a homeschooling mama using Charlotte Mason principles in an atmosphere where “Charlotte Mason wears an afro.” She joins me to talk about how she unexpectedly found she loved homeschooling and working to help her kids love themselves and others. “The Holy Spirit is the supreme educator and the Holy Spirit will speak directly and work directly with our children just as he does through us. And that was a total reframe for me because it gave me a lot of freedom and released a lot of pressure for me when I realized that I'm actually not the supreme educator, I am a guide and I'm going to come alongside my child and that my job is not to teach in the traditional sense of teaching, but more to act as a guide.” Amber shares why she’s creating resources for her children and others to share books and history from people of color and the journey she’s been on with her children as she encourages them to embrace their skin color and cultural history. And her resources and the Charlotte Mason principles aren’t just for homeschooling mamas. She has book lists of great things to read with your children to give them a more holistic view on black history, poetry and culture. Connect with Amber: Website: https://heritagemom.com Facebook: facebook.com/HeritageMomBlog Instagram: @heritagemomblog Links Mentioned: Amber’s Heritage Packs and more Book Recommendations from Amber About Charlotte Mason Featured Sponsors: Acorn TV --try it for FREE for 30 days acorn.tv use code: DMA Function of Beauty-- get 20% off first order at functionofbeauty.com/DMA.

Harville Hendrix, PhD and his wife Helen Hunt, PhD have been helping couples for years as therapists, authors and speakers. They are on a mission to share the concepts of safe conversations with the world. They join me to share how their method can help us have more effective in-depth conversations with our spouse and children. This works every time. It works with parents, with children and couples. It is something that we now know scientifically that if you mirror another person back accurately and with warmth and no judgment, something will happen inside of them. Something marvelous. They model a safe conversation for us and offer a lot of encouragement and hope for couples who are struggling and how “Conflict is future growth waiting to happen.” Harville and Helen have an amazing offer for DMA listeners. Use code DMA on their site at safeconversations.com to get 50% off your choice of SC Essentials or the Ultimate Couples Bundle, both courses will receive free tickets to a live workshop of your choice, a $196 value. Connect with Harville & Helen: Website: https://harvilleandhelen.com Facebook: facebook.com/harvilleandhelen Instagram: @harvilleandhelen Links Mentioned: Safe Conversations courses: https://safeconversations.com Featured Sponsors: BetterHelp-- visit betterhelp.com/DMA to get 10% off your first month of professional therapy. Warby Parker--Try 5 pairs of glasses at home for free. Go to warbyparker.com/DMA.

Our kids begin to feel and respond to shame as early as 15 to 18 months of age. Those early moments can begin a lifelong struggle with feeling unworthy, inadequate and unlovable. Shame also disintegrates us (separating our thinking brain from our feeling brain) and isolates us from others. My guest is Dr. Curt Thompson, a psychiatrist and expert on the effects of shame and how to find freedom from the lifelong negative messages that come after us and our family. “One of the things that we notice about shame is that because we are immobilized and we are hiding, shame does not actually ever allow us to move toward God. This is why we have to have someone come and find us. This is why when our children are experiencing shame, we have to go and find them. This is why it's important for us as parents to have others who are coming to find us.” YES! Moms don’t let moms sit in shame. We can choose to seek out others when they are stuck in the shame cycle. Who are your 2 or 3 moms that will help you tell your story more truly? Dr. Thompson walks us through some practical ways to build in memories and physical reminders to work against shame in the future for both ourselves and others. And throughout our conversation he points back to how God doesn’t leave us to deal with shame alone. “The beautiful thing is Jesus isn’t worried about our kids. He's not worried about your mothering. He's delighted. He knows how hard this work is and he knows that we will do it imperfectly. Even when we have our worst moments in which we foist to shame upon our kids or when our kids experience shame against everything that we're doing to try to combat it, God is saying: ‘I'm not worried. I never run out of options.’” Connect with Dr. Thompson: Website: https://curtthompsonmd.com Facebook: https://curtthompsonmd.com/ Instagram: @curt_thompson_md Links Mentioned: BOOK: The Soul of Shame BOOK: Anatomy of the Soul Featured Sponsors: Pretty Litter-- Get 20% off your first order at prettylitter.com with promo code: DMA Thrive Market -- Orders of $49 or more ship free. Get 25% off your first order and a FREE gift at thrivemarket.com/DMA.

I love Kirk’s realistic approach to parenting. He understands what your home dynamics are like. And gives practical tips. After listening to today’s episode you will have at least three different “tricks” to apply. Most of all, I’m thankful for the new perspective he has given me. Kirk helped me recognize how emotionally invested I was in my boys’ behavior and freed me from the need to regulate their behavior for them. The last couple days I’ve enjoyed the boys more. I’m also less tense and frustrated when we are out in public. In fact, I may need to go back and listen to this episode more than once, so it sticks! This episode originally aired in May of 2015 Kirk came back on the show multiple times. Check out additional episodes here. What we chat about: Kirk’s realization that he needed to focus on his own behavior and stop trying to fix his son’s strong-willed behavior. The switch he made from training 1500 kids in his home to training parents to calm themselves. The one thing you can do today to de-escalate a tense situation in your home. How to calmly handle your child’s meltdown I can only control one person in life, and that’s me. How motion changes emotion–helping little ones calm down b/c they don’t know how to “think” their way out. What to do in the middle of Target aisle 3 when your child freaks out Handling a tantruming child when his siblings are fighting and another needs help with homework and dinner is cooking (Heather’s daily 5 pm reality). If you don’t care enough about yourself, to take care of yourself physically, emotionally, spiritually. . .why would anyone else care? How sometimes parents want good behavior so badly, they are too invested in it and give children too much control. How to be an impartial giver of wisdom. Write down your emotional triggers & do the opposite of what you normally do. Connect with Kirk: Site :: Twitter :: Facebook :: Podcast Links Mentioned: CDs/DVDs 888-506-1871–Toll Free Number for Frustrated Parents Become a DMA Insider! Join me and Bruce in 2021 to discuss StrengthsFinder! How it impacts your marriage, parenting and career. You're invited!

This episode originally aired in Nov 2016 Today’s guest is Christy Nockels, Dove award winning musician and mom to three children. In 2006 she made the God-led choice to step away from the music industry, for a time, to pour into her family. In 2016 she released the solo Christmas album, “The Thrill of Hope”. With a blend of classic Christmas carols and original pieces, she has crafted a beautiful addition to our Christmas music collections. In this episode you’ll hear the inspiration behind the songs, “Amaryllis” and “Wrap This One Up”. . .both stories gave me goosebumps. I won’t think of the Bethlehem shepherds the same way again. And the winter blooming amaryllis reminds us the hope Jesus brought . . . Our King has come, He’s with us now & He’s making all things new again. That’s the thrill of hope. What we chat about: How motherhood takes you from peaceful quiet times to sock-and-underwear prayers The secret of simple scripture and open dialogue with God Christy’s new album “The Thrill of Hope”- her first Christmas album! The message of the amaryllis for those with heavy hearts in the Christmas season How “wrapped in swaddling clothes” may have meant much more to the shepherds Christy’s song on the new album that makes her listeners “ugly cry” Links Mentioned: Psalm 37:4-7 “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” The Glorious in the Mundane podcast “The Thrill of Hope” available on Christy’s site or Amazon** Ellie Holcomb PDF of “Amaryllis” lyrics I made. . . You are invited to become a DMA Insider! Join us over here and get bonus content. Including live Mentor Moment Q&As. In 2021 Bruce and I will lead Insiders through a StrengthsFinder Series. Learn the 101s of StrengthsFinder. And how knowing your Strengths impacts your marriage, parenting and career. Merry Christmas!

This is episode originally aired in Nov of 2015. Our copy is duct-taped and well-loved. . . My oldest son beamed telling me how he’s read the whole Bible in a couple weeks. . . It’s sold almost 2 million copies. . . Children (and adults) have been wooed by the story of their Great Rescuer. Of His ‘Never-Stopping, Never Giving Up, Unbreaking, Always and Forever Love.’ And now “The Jesus Storybook Bible” is even more accessible. This week’s podcast guest, author Sally Lloyd-Jones, chats with me about her newest project. . . Same great content, new design, new title. . .for a new audience. “The Story of God’s Love for You” is now available. For the person you never would have thought to give a children’s Bible. The person who needs to hear: “It’s not about rules, so keeping them God will love us. Or heroes we’re supposed to copy so God will love us. It’s about a God who loved us before we even knew Him. A God who will move heaven and earth to be with His children.” –Sally Lloyd-Jones In this episode, Sally shares a little of her background and the inspiration behind “The Jesus Storybook Bible”. We also spend time talking about how God uses stories to reach our hearts. Sally knows how to speak grace and the gospel message. Her words will feel like a deep cleansing breath. Her books are daily reminders of grace. The grace we long to show ourselves and our children. Connect with Sally: Story of God’s Love for You :: Site :: Facebook :: Instagram Join our DMA Community: Become a DMA Insider. In 2021 Bruce and I will lead the community through a StrengthsFinder Series. Learn the 101 of StrengthsFinder. How knowing your strengths helps your marriage, parenting and career.

"We can feel isolated – that’s real, but we can’t stay there. We have the entire trinity on our side, the Father loving us fiercely and making a good plan, the Holy Spirit interceding on our behalf, our coheir Christ interceding and making a way for us. Don’t believe the lie that it’s all on your shoulders, and it’s all up to you and you have no clue where to go or what to do. He is a very big God, and what’s better – He is incredibly near." --Jess Connolly, A Naptime Diary This is an edited, republished episode from April 2015. In this episode Jess openly shares about her bouts with depression. She offers three “helps” for the gal struggling to have hope. I nodded with agreement at everything she says. Especially the clinging to intimacy with God part. The praying out loud, walking around your house reading Scripture part. Cuz motherhood is no joke. There is an invisible battle raging all around us. We aren’t alone. Like Jess said we have the entire trinity on our side. Connect with Jess here: https://jessconnolly.com/ **Starting in 2021 Don't Mom Alone Insiders in our Patreon Community will begin a "StrengthsFinder Series". Learn the 101 of StrengthsFinder, how it impacts your marriage and parenting and get direction for your life pursuits. Go to Patreon.com/DontMomAlone to learn more. **

Between the pandemic and uncertainty of this last year and all the pressure of the upcoming holiday season, there is a lot of potential for conflict. My friend and mentor Lynn Hoffman is here with some timely advice on how to engage in this inevitable conflict in a healthy way. We talk about doing some inner work when you feel hurt by someone or see conflict on the horizon and Lynn shares some stories of how examining her own heart and feelings have made all the difference in her own relationships. “It’s about recognizing that I'm a limited human being and I have a limited amount of emotional capacity. It is not infinite. So it's my responsibility. Not somebody else's to pull back and spend some time with the Lord.To do some inner work to really figure out, okay, what's going on with me and what do I need at this moment?” Whether you find yourself in new, hard places of stress and conflict or fear the constant repeating of old woundings when interacting with family, this episode is for you. Questions to ask yourself in conflict: What happened? What do I think about this situation and person? What did I want (expect)? How do I feel (now and any related past feelings) Links Mentioned: EP 129: Recovery For Life :: Lynn Hoffman Lynn’s Book: Steps Into God's Grace: Spiritual Formation through God’s Word and the 12 Steps of Recovery EP 250: Setting Healthy Boundaries with Family :: Dr. John Townsend Featured Sponsors: Hello Bello -- Get 25% off your diaper bundle order. Plus get 15% off any add-ons. Go to hellobello.com/DMA Skylight Frames-- Get $10 off your purchase of a Skylight Frame. Go to: Skylight.com and enter the code DMA Ancestry -- Get an Ancestry gift today with their special Holiday pricing. Ancestry.com/DMA

You know who is coming to town. The big man in the red suit is everywhere this time of year and each of us grew up with different traditions on how to engage with and celebrate Santa. My assistant Sarah-Jane and I chat about what it was like for each of us growing up with and without Santa and how we acknowledge the jolly yuletide figure with our kids without taking the focus off Jesus. Sarah-Jane shares how her family adopted a separate holiday in December, Saint Nicholas Day, and I talk about playing the “Santa Game” with my kids. Wherever you fall on the “Santa spectrum,” we hope this conversation gives you grace to celebrate Christmas with your family with or without Santa being a major part (and give that same grace to others). “Isn't it so great that God doesn't work the same way as Santa? It’s because we're so naughty that we got the gift of Jesus. It's the opposite. So I would, as a teaching moment to reemphasize the glorious grace of Jesus. Instead of thinking, I can't do Santa because it takes away from the grace of Jesus, the good news is we have a different option.” Links Mentioned: Saint Nicholas Center Veggietales- Saint Nicolas: A Story of Joyful Giving Buck Denver: Who is Santa Claus? Light ‘Em Up The Star from Afar The Shepherd on the Search Using Santa to Teach Grace [BLOG POST] Featured Sponsors: Skylight Frames --get $10 off your purchase of a Skylight Frame when you go to SkylightFrame.com and enter code DMA. Story Worth -- Give your loved ones the gift of spending time together, wherever you live, with StoryWorth. Get started right away with no shipping required by going to StoryWorth.com/dma. You’ll get $10 off your first purchase! PrepDish -- Just go to Prepdish.com/shop and enter code DMA5020 at checkout to get HALF OFF meal plans (deal only lasts from Black Friday to Cyber Monday).

As a mom of three small children, author and podcaster Tsh Oxenreider found Christmas a bit overwhelming and as Charlie Brown would say, “too commercial.” Year after year she found herself dreading the season and looking for simple ways to refocus the holiday on the things that mattered most. After living overseas for a year with her family and switching to a more liturgical church, Tsh found the centuries old observance of Advent to be the perfect way to slow down the crazy season of Christmas. She joins me to introduce Advent if you are new to it and to talk about the beautiful new Advent guide she created. “This is for us, this is to reset our hearts and our focus to that which is the true reason we celebrate Christmas. So the thing I love about celebrating Advent in our culture is that it feels pretty counter-cultural in a world that both is focused on the gifts and is focused on the consumption parts of Christmas.” If you’ve ever wanted to know more about the liturgical practice of Advent, this is the show for you! Tsh shares a lot of practicals and perspectives about why celebrating this separate season can help us prepare for both the celebration of Jesus’ birth and the eventual time when Christ will, one day, make all things new. Connect with Tsh: Website: https://tshoxenreider.com Instagram: @tshoxenreider Twitter: https://twitter.com/tsh Links Mentioned: BOOK: Shadow and Light: A Journey into Advent Biblical Feasts with Amber Lee Advent resources from Tsh Other books from Tsh Featured Sponsor: BetterHelp -- Get 10% off your first month of online professional counseling betterhelp.com/DMA Acorn TV -- Try FREE for 30 days using code: DMA https://acorn.tv/

Do you ever find yourself replaying and reliving the details of the deepest hurt in your life? My guest today has endured a devastating, public heartbreak – and she has wrestled with the lingering,unresolved pain which followed. Author and speaker Lysa TerKeurst joins me to share part of her journey of learning to forgive what you can’t forget. “I don't want to make this sound more clean and pretty than it actually was. It was hard. It was horrific. It was terrible. And walking out something as devastating as an affair in a marriage created tremendous burden and tremendous hardship. But I will say that one commitment that I made that was really important was that I can feel hurt, but I don't have to choose to live hurt. Or perpetuate that hurt into other people.” Lysa shares vulnerably and offers advice for anyone who feels stuck in a cycle of unresolved pain. We talk about the huge help a Christian counselor has been both for Lysa and her children throughout this process and how she delved into what the Bible really says about forgiveness. “The Bible never says that people have to forgive and forget. It actually says quite the opposite. If we can be healed of it, it is actually beneficial not to forget because it becomes a testimony that can be used in powerful ways. And that's part of the good that God can bring in our story. I think how we know that we are experiencing healing is the way that we tell the stories of our lives.” Connect with Lysa: Website: https://lysaterkeurst.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OfficialLysa Instagram: @lysaterkeurst Links Mentioned: EP 45: 5 Schedule Sappers and How to Stop Them :: Lysa TerKeurst EP 131: Uninvited :: Lysa TerKeurst, Kay Wyma & Courtney DeFeo BOOK: Forgiving What You Can't Forget Featured Sponsors: HelloBello --Get a diaper bundle 25% off, free shipping and 15% off add-ons hellobello.com/DMA BetterHelp --Get 10% off your first month of online counseling betterhelp.com/DMA Ancestry --check out the holiday deals on Ancestry DNA products ancestry.com/DMA

As a long time believer, my friend Molly just couldn’t see much value in prayer. With her always on-the-go personality and her full life raising three boys with her husband, taking the time to sit in silence and pray seemed unappealing. Besides, doesn’t God already know what’s going to happen? But, something shifted in a big way for Molly as she started to learn more about the Holy Spirit and met a friend who prayed with power and conviction and talked about really having a relationship with God. “I would say that my prayers were very polite and just formal at best and just really few and far between. So I really did just kind of blow the lid off of the box that I had him in regarding prayer and just gave me this fresh perspective of going to him and communing with him… I started to see it as this right and this privilege to pray as God's daughter.” Since then, Molly has seen God move in powerful ways in her life through the humble act of prayer. She shares just a few of the stories of how God has used her — just a “normal mom” — to minister to others around her, even door-to-door salespersons! If you are feeling discouraged or need a boost in your prayer life, this is the episode for you! I pray Molly’s story gets you excited about talking with God in a new way. Links Mentioned: In Light of Eternity :: Jen Clouse [Ep 100] More on Prayer: Listening to the Lord :: Kelsey Phillips [Ep 279] Praying the Scriptures :: Jodie Berndt [Ep 194] God-centered Prayer (part one) | DMA blog post God-centered Prayer (part two) | DMA blog poast God-centered Prayer (part three) | DMA blog post Featured Sponsors: Prep Dish -- Try two weeks of free meal plans prepdish.com/DMA Better Help -- Get 10% off your first month of counseling betterhelp.com/DMA

With the heaviness of 2020 weighing on so many moms, I thought this week we should share a few laughs. My assistant Sarah-Jane Menefee joins me to share some funny mom stories we’ve experienced and stories that listeners submitted. We’ve got everything from simple misunderstandings to funny church stories to the ever-popular and unavoidable poop stories. I also share a tip on one way to remember the fun stories for each of your kids that doesn’t involve trying to write things down in a book. 😉 Sometimes you’ve got to laugh to keep from crying and that’s what this week is all about. Featured Sponsors: ModCloth -- To get 20% off your purchase of $75 or more INCLUDING sale items, go to ModCloth.com and enter code dma at checkout. Promo code can not be combined with other offers. Hello Bello -- if you go to hellobello.com/DMA, you’ll get 25% OFF your diaper bundle order! Plus, get 15% off any add ons like vitamins or wipes. And Free Shipping! Sun Basket -- Sun Basket is offering $35 off your order when you go right now to SunBasket.com/DMA and enter promo code dma at checkout.

Several listeners recommended Dr. Rosaria Butterfield as a guest on our recent survey. I’m so glad you did! Dr. Butterfield shares about her former life as a lesbian and professor of queer theory. In a quest to understand why Christians hated her, a neighbor introduced her Christ. Now she is an author, speaker, pastor’s wife, adoptive mother of four and gospel advocate to her neighbors. She is passionate about helping Christians lovingly look past labels of sexual identity and share the gospel effectively. “So if you know that you have neighbors who identify as lesbian. Don't avoid them. That's not what Christian neighbors do. You know? I think we really do need to see these things head on. Don't be afraid to listen to what people's concerns are and then speak a word in season. I would say too that Christians don't throw people away. We shouldn't be known for people who throw people away because they're inconvenient.” We talk about a lot of subjects that can be difficult for us as moms to discuss, but also about how important it is that we have conversations with our kids about sexual identity, the Gospel and who God made them to be. “The first thing is as Christian parents, if you don't talk to your children about sexuality, Someone else will. So while we want to maintain modesty and care and age appropriateness, we absolutely do not want to shirk this responsibility. We need to foreground the beauty and the majesty and the calling of what it means to be a man and what it means to be a woman.” Connect with Dr. Butterfield: Website: https://rosariabutterfield.com Links Mentioned: Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters** The Birds and Bees Curriculum When to Have “the Talk” :: Mary Flo Ridley [Encore Podcast] Birds and Bees (Continuing the Conversation) :: Mary Flo Ridley and Megan Michelson [Ep 153] Preparing Now for Future Puberty and Masturbation Questions :: Mary Flo and Megan [Ep 243] Dr. Butterfield’s Books: The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert** Openness Unhindered: Further Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert on Sexual Identity and Union with Christ ** The Gospel Comes with a House Key** Featured Sponsors: AncestryHealth -- get a kit to determine your genetic risk at ancestry.com/DMA Sun Basket -- get $35 off your first order at sunbasket.com/DMA use promo code DMA

Whether we like it or not we have habits that define our lives. We have habits that determine when we wake up, how we spend our time and where we focus our energy. Joining me today to talk about how to establish routines and healthy habits is my good friend Kat Lee. As the founder of Hello Mornings, Kat is all about helping people have a life-giving morning routine every day in as little as three minutes, but beyond just mornings, Kat has a wealth of knowledge to share on habit formation and a lot of encouragement that we can do them. “Whatever it is that you're wanting to change or improve--whether it's your morning routine, your parenting, your marriage--whatever it might be, if you believe that it's possible with God and you have a plan and you're committed to it, then you can only progress.” We talk about the idea of deconstructing habits we want to break to find solutions. Decision design and how our lives make habits easier or harder and we even get into a little neuroscience. But ultimately, Kat wants to remind me and you that God is for us and wants our time and attention. “It's not just about the morning routine or checking anything off, but it's about tapping into the one thing that's going to help you the most each day. And I hope that if you walk away from anything from this episode, it's just that God is with you and that He is for you.” Connect with Kat: Website: hellomornings.org Facebook: facebook.com/hellomorningsofficial Instagram: @hellokatlee Links Mentioned: The 3-Minute Morning Hello Mornings book Kat’s podcast: Hello Mornings “Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.” Psalm 143:8 Featured Sponsor: Thrive Market -- get a free gift of up to $24 when you sign for a Thrive Market Membership. go to thrivemarket.com/DMA

Marriage can be really hard. You start out so in love and excited but over time the daily strain of work, home, and parenting makes it challenging to connect with your spouse. Add a global pandemic and the strain is just overwhelming. My guests Brent and Janis Sharpe are both Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists who have been married for 42 years. They are passionate about helping couples have healthy and thriving marriages even in the hardest of times. “Most marriages are dealing with malnutrition. They're feeding everything else in their life… all the demands of children, the demands of taking care of a house, the demands of their job. And by the end of the day, they're just spent and they don't have much energy to move back towards each other. So finding little ways that we can move back towards one another and care for each other is significant.” We talk about healthy habits that we start right now to give our marriages a boost and they aren’t what you might expect. What is so encouraging about the tips they share is how simple and small these habits are and the big impact they can make. Don't miss the 90/10 lie! Connect with Brent and Janis: Website: brentandjanissharpe.com Counseling Practice: lifeconnectioncounseling.com Links Mentioned: Brent and Janis’ book: The Making of a Marriage Keeping Your Marriage Healthy While Sheltering in Place [BLOG POST] The Care and Feeding of Your Marriage [VIDEO] Featured Sponsors: Prep Dish -- Get two weeks of meal plans for free prepdish.com/dma "Will You Be My Friend" -- new children's book by Sam McBratney and Anita Jeram featuring beloved characters Big and Little Nutbrown Hare -- found wherever books are sold. Amazon Link

It was such an honor for me to chat with one of my favorite authors for this episode. Max Lucado has written almost 100 books and is a pastor at Oak Hills Church in San Antonio. We talk about his new book You Are Never Alone and he shares with so much kindness and care about how we can trust in the miracle of God’s presence — yep, even in 2020. Max knows God’s word and he combines meeting you where you with the truth of who God is in a powerful way as we talk about responding to loneliness as moms. “I'm not saying it's going to be easy, but what if God does have a miracle? And what if God in his sovereignty can use this isolation or use this unusual circumstance to draw you closer to him and show you who he is? So rather than resist this, be open to the idea and say, Okay, Lord, I still believe you're there.” If you are feeling weary with all this year has brought your way, this episode is the pep talk you need to reframe your perspective on God’s goodness and not give in to our emotions or feelings of hopelessness. “The message of the miracles is you're really not by yourself. You're not alone. Your heavenly father loves you and the Lord Jesus will come to you. And the Holy Spirit will empower you. Don't give in to despair now. You may feel nothing but exhaustion, but your feelings are not a barometer of the presence of God.” Connect with Max: Website: maxlucado.com Facebook: facebook.com/maxlucado Instagram: @maxlucado Links Mentioned: You Are Special (our family favorite!)** The Oak Inside the Acorn** Max’s New Book: You Are Never Alone** **Amazon affiliate links Featured Sponsors: Will You Be My Friend -- new book by Sam McBratney (author of "Guess How Much I Love You") Available where books are sold**. Care/of -- Go to TakeCareOf.com take your 5 minute quiz. Enter code dma50 to get 50% off your first order. Sunbasket --Go to Sunbasket.com/DMA and enter code DMA to get $35 off your first order.

Keli Reese is a naturally joyful person and a teacher who loves children. She figured that motherhood would come naturally for her too. But, after having five children in five years she found herself in the midst of life and home with lots of littles and wondered where her joy had gone. “I had this mindset of what our home was going to be like because I'm doing this for Jesus. We're going to have this wonderful home. And when things were not looking that way, when I wasn't loving getting up early; I wasn't loving the laundry that never ended; I wasn't loving potty training; (all the things that was actually happening in my real life) I found myself sinking really deep.” As she struggled to perform and achieve her way through motherhood and live up to the ideals she’d had before motherhood, Keli came to breaking point with God and that’s when everything changed. “I said God, I can't do it anymore. I cannot do it. And I can just remember the love of the Lord wrapping around me. And he reminded me that no one called me to do it all. I experienced this relief in this release of God.” Connect with Keli: Website: www.ministryinmothering.com Facebook: facebook.com/ministryinmothering Instagram: @ministryinmothering Links Mentioned: Keli’s life verses: Colossians 3:12-17 Featured Sponsors: Ancestry Health -- Go to Ancestry.com/DMA to get your AncestryHealth kit today Thrive Market -- Go to ThriveMarket.com/DMA. Join today and you’ll get a FREE gift of your choosing, up to $24 dollars in value. BetterHelp -- Special offer for Don't Mom Alone listeners get 10% off your first month at betterhelp.com/Dma.

As a mom of three, Lynne Jackson struggled to maintain the order and perfection she expected to have in her life. Conflicts with her oldest son especially left her feeling defeated, angry and fearful of the future. “The Lord was speaking to me one day about some of these beliefs that I had. And in Ephesians 4:15, it talks about speaking the truth in love. And I felt like I heard his voice say, you are not speaking the truth in love to yourself, about you and your kids. And then I went on a journey to figure out what was really true.” Lynne shares how she learned to fight back against the toxic lies she believed about herself and her kids with God’s truth. We talk about practical ways we can take time to process our feelings with God and with others so we can let go of expectations that hurt our families and can find freedom in our identity in Christ. “The goal to have perfect kids and be a perfect mom is just a setup for anger and despair. And it's actually idolatry. The real truth that helps us let go of that chronic anger is it's my job to parent wisely. My kid's job is to learn over time, to respond wisely. And that's a process.” Connect with Lynne: Website: https://connectedfamilies.org Facebook: facebook.com/ConnectedFamilies Instagram: @connectedfams Links Mentioned: Grace and Truth for Moms Online Course Discipline that Connects Fall 2020 Course --- use code "DMA" to save 15% off registration More Episodes with the Jacksons: Ep 200 The Entitlement Fix :: Jim and Lynne Jackson Bonus Mentor Episode–Resolving Sibling Conflict :: Jim and Lynne Jackson Ep 221 Discipline 101 :: Jim and Lynne Jackson Ep 222 Connected Relationships :: Jim and Lynne Jackson Ep 258 Helping Your Child with Sensory Processing Issues :: Lynne Jackson Featured Sponsors: Sunbasket --get $35 off your first order at sunbasket.com/dma Acorn TV -- try it free for 30 days acorn.tv with code: dma BetterHelp --get 10% off your first month betterhelp.com/dma

As minister and mom of one with another child on the way, Dominique Young looked like she had it all together — great job, great family, great ministry. But a few months into her second pregnancy she started experiencing postpartum psychosis, high anxiety and began hearing voices. The feelings she always tried to mask or hide behind helpful scriptures could not be controlled anymore, but she started to find breakthrough when she learned that her real problem was fear. “I always thought faith was easy. If I just said something and I kept moving, then God, on the back end, without my knowledge would take out all the fear. All I had to do is quote enough scripture. And what God began to show me is that he wanted me to have faith that he is God, so that I could just be human.” We talk about her experience of getting a new perspective on faith, learning to experience emotions in a healthy way, and allowing herself to rely on others more and she started her journey toward health and wholeness. Now, she helps other moms do the same with her online community of Faith Mamas. Connect with Dominique Young: Website: faithmamas.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/faithmamasvillage Instagram: @faithmamastribe Links Mentioned: Devotions and Bible Study Information from Faith Mamas Faith Mamas Podcast Featured Sponsors: Featured Sponsors: BetterHelp -- get 10% off your first month -- betterhelp.com/dma PrepDish -- get two weeks free of meal plans -- prepdish.com/dma

Kimberly Amici wanted her family to live by a set of values and a mission. So, she sat down with her husband and wrote out her ideas and expectations. But, in the midst of their busy life raising three kids and “going with the flow,” the Amici family didn’t have a set purpose or culture and it showed. However, through a series of ongoing conversations as a family, Kimberly has been able to identify a few areas of purpose that are now a part of her family’s culture. It took having more in-depth conversations to get buy-in from kids to really identify and own their unique family culture. Now, Kimberly provides coaching and resources that help others build their best families by having these conversations, choosing a few values to focus on and making small steps towards those values each day. “The routines that we've put in place, these small steps that we take every day is what builds culture. It's not some big campaign saying we're going to transform our lives and become this other family. It's these teeny, tiny steps along the way.” Connect with Kimberly Amici: Website: kimberlyamici.com and buildyourbestfamily.com Facebook: facebook.com/KimberlyAmiciBuildYourBestFamily Instagram: @kimberlyamici Links Mentioned: Family Retreat Packet Build Your Best Family Podcast Featured Sponsors: Sunbasket -- get $35 off your order at sunbasket.com/dma use promo code "dma" AncestryHealth -- get your genetic health kit over at Ancestry.com/DMA

(If you struggle with how to manage distance learning and working from home...listen to Kendra "lazy genius" that situation for me) Kendra Adachi also known as the Lazy Genius calls herself a professional permission giver. And she’s here to give us permission to be a genius about the things that matter and lazy about the things that don’t. “I've come to this place of realizing we do not need another life hack. MacGyvering together a list of hacks and inspirational quotes isn’t going to get you a life that is wholehearted and anchored in what matters to you. That's why you're tired because that doesn't work.” That sounds great, but the hard part is choosing what matters to YOU. We talk about how Kendra learned to let go of the expectations of doing everything well as a mom and how her Lazy Genius principles can help others get the same freedom. She helps me “lazy genius” my life when it comes to the constant interruptions of parenting and virtual schooling as a work-at-home mom with some solutions that are both practical and soulful. I hope this conversation is helpful to many of you as we head into a fall season full of unknowns. My key takeaways: Make house rules that serve you and your sanity Breath prayer when you feel scattered or like everything needs your attention: Lord, open my eyes to what matters right now. Connect with Kendra: Website: thelazygeniuscollective.com Facebook: facebook.com/thelazygeniuscollective Instagram: @thelazygenius Links Mentioned: Kendra’s book The Lazy Genius Way Change Your Life Chicken The Magic of Motherhood by Ashlee Gadd Featured Sponsors: 1. Thrive Market -- go to thrivemarket.com/DMA start a risk-free membership and a get a FREE $22 gift of your choosing. 2. BetterHelp -- sign up with a licensed professional counselor online. 10% off your first month. betterhelp.com/DMA 3. Ancestry Health -- discover if you have genetic health risks by checking out ancestry.com/DMA

When I recorded this interview in 2015 I had no idea just two years later my father would pass away. Stacey's wisdom on grief became my lifeline. This year with so many losses our hearts have experienced constant, low-level grief. On top of being quarantined, some of you may have lost loved ones. As moms, you've been unable to have time/space to grieve (or have a formal memorial service). Today’s podcast guest is my soul sister friend, Stacey Thacker. She and I have been chatting about life, Jesus and family for the many years. Stacey writes online and has authored several books (a new one releasing in just a few months--Threadbare Prayer). When we conducting this interview Stacey shared so much of what she had learned from the loss of her father. Since the interview she's experienced additional trauma and grief. Through it all she remains tethered to her faithful God. She is wise and can be trusted. My hope is whether you are the one who has experienced loss or not, you will be encouraged that even when our worst fears are realized, God’s grace is ever present. And as Stacey points out: “He holds all things together. And all things means all things.” What we chat about: How the message of Stacey’s book, “Hope for the Weary Mom” became real How do moms grieve while handling the dailiness of motherhood What actions and words of friends comforted her the most How children grieve differently How to be available and present with a grieving friend What moments over the course of the year bring back grief How do you manage your home when one child has to be hospitalized How God holds all things together Connect with Stacey: Site :: Facebook :: Twitter :: Pinterest Links Mentioned: Releasing Oct 2020: Threadbare Prayer Hope for the Weary Mom Stacey’s posts on grief: My Journey Through Grief and Loss Nobody’s Cuter than You: A Memoir about the Beauty of Friendship**by Melanie Shankle Holding On to Hope: A Pathway through Suffering to the Heart of God**by Nancy Guthrie I Wasn’t Ready to Say Goodbye: Surviving, Coping and Healing After the Sudden Death of a Loved One ** by Pamela Blair & Brook Noel Psalms 23 & Hosea 2 “He holds all things together.” Colossians 1:17 **Amazon affiliate links Featured Sponsor: PrepDish get two weeks of FREE meal plans if you go to http://prepdish.com/dma

As moms, we know we need rest. We usually equate rest with sleep or rest with a vacation, but this week’s guest shares a much bigger picture of our need for rest in multiple areas of our lives. Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith is a medical doctor, wife and mother to two boys. She had everything she’d dreamed of and worked hard to achieve, but wasn’t enjoying it. “So I kept pushing and pushing myself till I got to the point where I literally just burned out. I wasn't happy with my job. I couldn't see how my marriage would survive. I didn't want my kids anymore. I was just at the end of myself. I didn't want the life I created.” After reaching this breaking point, she went on a journey of restoration and healing where she learned to connect with God and with his plan for rest. Now she shares her research and methods with her patients and with all of us. If you’ve ever felt tired and at the end of yourself, this episode is for you. “We already have permission to rest, but the mommy guilt that sometimes comes tells us we don’t. That is really a lie. I look at it as the John 10:10. The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy. And he's doing it to a lot of us through our inability to rest, our inability to trust God that when we lay things down that he is able to uphold them.” What we chat about: When Saundra reached her breaking point from stress and lack of true rest We have physical limits to what we can do as moms How Saundra researched rest and looked at scripture for clarity on how God rested The seven types of rest are physical, to mental, spiritual, emotional, social, sensory and creative. The difference between a vacation and resting Paying attention to a place that feels painful in your body in the moment vs ignoring it Finding emotional rest through connection with friends, even through video chat if getting together is impossible The importance of authentic, open friendships with women who can relate to your life situation Ideas on how to stay engaged with your husband and reignite your marriage Putting limits on social media time so that your mind has down time Tips for getting mental rest and release ideas that make your mind race Sensory rest-- what it is and ways to get it It is not selfish to prioritize resting. It keeps you from having a toxic reaction to those around you. Links Mentioned: Website: http://ichoosemybestlife.com/ Book: http://ichoosemybestlife.com/sacred-rest/ Quiz: http://restquiz.com/ Featured Sponsor: BetterHelp Visit betterhelp.com/DMA and join the over 1,000,000 people taking charge of their mental health with the help of an experienced professional. DMA listeners get 10% off your first month at betterhelp.com/DMA.