Have you ever felt unequipped for the practical responsibilities of motherhood? You're not alone! Most moms have feelings of confusion and insecurity when it comes to handling the in's and out's of diapering, discipline, and domestic management. In this scenario, most of us will be tempted to avoid the uncomfortable, place blame on our personalities, or put our hope in a "silver bullet" strategy for motherhood. Is there another way? In this episode, Emily and Laura discuss their own insecurities coming into motherhood, and the ways they've grown as moms despite those challenges. Regardless of how well you were equipped for motherhood, God still calls you to trust Jesus and nurture the lives of those around you with joy and effectiveness.

Despite the sorrows of multiple miscarriages and a two year season of infertility, Courtney Reissig still has faith in God's goodness. An author and speaker, Courtney shares her journey in this interview, discussing the way she found solace in scripture, and she recounts the many blessed but barren women God used throughout redemptive history. If you are in a season of suffering, waiting, or even just enduring life's daily hardships, this episode will be a blessing to you. Courtney's encouraging perspective of God's good plans is a humbling reminder that our loving father is in control of all things.

Do you feel like maintaining good friendships is harder than ever in the season of young children? We have so much on our plates, it often feels impossible to steal away precious moments to reconnect with others. In this episode, Emily and Laura discuss their personal challenges when it comes to maintaining friendships. They also explore the importance of staying connected to other women in the season of motherhood, as well as strategies for gospel-minded friendship. God doesn't intend for us to do life alone, but with the rich gift of other women beside us. It's hard, but possible in every season with wisdom and intentionality!

As a child, Emily had visions of homemaking that included fresh-baked cookies, fun outings with children, and quiet afternoons of running errands. But after becoming a mom herself, she quickly realized that stay-at-home-motherhood wasn't as simple as she imagined. Without self-discipline, intentionality, and an industrious spirit, she was unable to stay-on-top-of the simplest child-rearing and homemaking responsibilities.

In this episode, you'll hear Laura and Emily discuss her journey as a stay-at-home-mom, and what finally helped her view motherhood as an important calling with eternal implications. When the gospel changes our identity, it also changes our mission. Whether you're a stay-at-home mom or not, this episode will challenge you to mother for God's glory and his kingdom purposes.

Moms hear a lot of messages when they scroll through their news feeds; "You are doing enough. If you just love your kids, you're doing a good job. It's okay to be falling apart, we all are." While those messages might offer some temporary help, are they the whole truth? In this episode, Emily and Laura discuss what it looks like to give moms an injection of lasting hope and how to discern messages that are contrary to the gospel. Moms need more than just sips from the water-bucket of mom culture, they need help and encouragement from the eternal, life-giving well of Jesus.

Without even noticing, we can let the daily dish piles, weighty to-do lists, and urgent needs of little children push our husbands far into the background. While this might not cause immediate harm, in the long-term, giving our husbands the "leftovers" can lead to distance and damage. In this episode, Emily and Laura discuss the the importance of keeping our marriages in the forefront of our minds, and give some simple ideas for blessing our husbands. A healthy marriage is an opportunity to love our children well, and to model the very faith we hope to pass along.

Nearly 35 percent of women experience a traumatic birth and most women take at least 12 months to acknowledge or realize the true affects of what happened to them. In today's episode, Laura is sharing her story of a traumatic birth with her firstborn. Sharing her feelings of inadequacy, anger, shame, blame and comparison, Laura talks through what happened and how she healed from a traumatic birth, finding hope in the gospel. Whether you experienced a traumatic birth in the past, or just feel discouraged that your birth that didn't live up to your expectations, today's show will help you process and recover, turning a disappointing birth story into one filled with meaning and hope.

With near-permanent dark circles under our eyes and a perfected diaper changing routine, it's easy to get lost in the haze of the baby and small toddler stage. Instead of savoring the moment and seeing the opportunities, we rush through, wondering when the "real" parenting is going to start. But God didn't design children with a switch that flips at a certain age, but instead, he begins using mothers to do important gospel-work from the very beginning. In this episode, Emily and Laura discuss the important foundations laid for future discipleship during infancy and toddlerhood. They also share lots of practical ideas for moms, caregivers, nursery workers, and anyone who wants to be intentional with the moments they share with a sweet little one. God cares for children, and he created babies and toddlers to retain more than we think.

Gloria Furman explains that there are two ways to look at motherhood: through a microscope lens at the daily issues and pressing needs of little children, or from up high; using a telescope to look at the big picture. In this special interview, Gloria explains how we can take the long view, seeing motherhood as not just a helpful social construct, but authored by God for specific purposes. You'll be encouraged as she talks about everything from theology and redemption to lattes and quiet times. If you're wondering how the gospel impacts you in your most difficult moments in motherhood, tune in for some powerful words of truth!

Hey momma, are you feeling a little anxious this election season? Are you unsure of what the future holds for your children? Although it's easy to get caught up in the never-ending news cycle, shrouded in fear and bias, there is a place you can turn to for truth. In this episode, Emily and Laura look on the bright side of this political season, discussing our unchanging hope and eternal home. Contrary to what the culture tells us, moms really don't have to fear what is frightening, but can instead trust the God who is working for our good and his glory.

Maybe it's related to a petty thing, or maybe it's rooted in a big daily decision, but all moms face familiar feelings of guilt. The question isn't, "Do we battle guilt as moms?" but, "What will we do with it?" Will we continue to live under a dark cloud of condemnation, or bring our questions to the throne of grace? In this episode, Emily and Laura explore the common underlying reasons for mom guilt, and start the conversation about how to deal with. Regardless of what you discover about your heart as you examine your guilt in light of scripture, there is only one outcome in the gospel: freedom.

Especially under stress, it's easy to get caught in a pattern of using critical words with our children. Can you relate? Instead of tearing down, God's word encourages us to harness the tongue for building-up, giving grace, and pointing our children towards their ultimate source of life. In this episode, Emily and Laura discuss the importance of practicing this skill with our children, and share practical ways to get started. We won't be perfect, but we can keep choosing words that speak truth, along with a heaping dose of love.