When Dad has to work late (again) and mom feels like she's soldiering on with the children, is there a gracious response to give? Although the long days might leave a wife stuck in cycles of comparison with other families and even anger, God hasn't left her without hope and help. In this episode, Emily interviews Laura, who shares a bit of her experience as a mom whose husband works long hours. Whether your own husband just misses the occasional dinner, or travels for months at time, you're not ...
May 03, 2017•20 min
When schedules are full and urgent needs abound, it's a struggle to run to God in prayer. We are hindered by distractions, unrealistic expectations, and even guilt, because we haven't already gone to our Father with our needs. In this episode, Valerie Woerner, joins Emily and Laura in a conversation about how moms can intentionally rely on God through prayer in each season. Valerie is a wife and mom herself, and is the founder of Val Marie Paper, which she started with a heart to provide women w...
Apr 26, 2017•36 min
Many moms wonder, "What is it going to be like to add another little one to our family?"...Through childbirth or adoption, the season of transition can cause everyone anxiety. In this episode, Emily and Laura talk about the way we face our limitations by looking to Christ, who ultimately fills our hearts with hope, not fear. God doesn't promise to spare us from spit-up, sleepless nights, blow-outs, or frustrated older siblings, but He does promise to use all things for our good and His glory. It...
Apr 19, 2017•20 min
Even before walking down the aisle, questions start coming your way, "So when are you going to have children and how many do you guys want to have?!" As a couple who just wants to settle into married life first, it's natural to take the path-of-least resistance, neglecting to intentionally consider the hard questions about family planning. In this episode, Emily and Laura share the unexpected ways that God has shaped their ideas about children -- including family size, caring for orphans, and be...
Apr 12, 2017•22 min
In motherhood, sometimes unexpected and even grief-filled news about your child can change all of your hopes and dreams for the future. When her son Titus was flagged for having a small cerebellum at his 20-week ultrasound, Abigail Dodds and her husband began their God-appointed journey as parents to a child with special needs. In this episode, she shares wisdom, rooted in the truth of the gospel, about everything from facing fears of the future to facing the hard chaotic "I can't do this" momen...
Apr 05, 2017•30 min
Before we've even grown comfortable in the role of motherhood, it starts...the fall-to-the-floor tantrums, the food throwing, the back-talking, the hitting, and even the selective hearing. Suddenly, we're faced with the the reality that our children are sinners, and moreso, that God has given us the authority to do something about it! With a sea of opinions and resources, it's easy to just feel paralyzed. In this episode, Emily and Laura give an overview of discipline in the early years, especia...
Mar 29, 2017•20 min
In today's culture, there is much debate about food, from the snacks on your toddler's plate to the liquid in their sippy cup. For every article that advocates for a certain diet, there is another one that says you should avoid it. Even the most research-savvy moms have a difficult time understanding how to love their family well by providing good food (without going overboard). In this episode, Emily and Laura discuss some common heart issues and gospel freedoms surrounding the issue of food. H...
Mar 22, 2017•19 min
Letting others into the imperfect mess of daily life is challenging in the easiest seasons, and holds particular stresses with little ones around. But should obstacles like disorganized toy rooms, meal planning, noise, and messes be a major deterrent to welcoming others in the name of Christ? In this episode, Emily and Laura discuss the biblical call to hospitality, and consider its importance, even in the season of young children. Because God welcomed us into his family when we were strangers a...
Mar 15, 2017•19 min
Over the last year or so, we've had many questions from listeners about all things motherhood, ranging from the super practical to the thought-provoking theological. Although we've tried to keep up with answers, we thought it might also be fun to record an entire episode that was packed with frequently asked questions! In this special one-hour edition, Emily and Laura laugh and chat about coffee, maternity pants, daily routines, balancing time inside versus outside the home, and so much more. An...
Mar 08, 2017•1 hr 1 min
With nearly-unlimited resources for motherhood, it can be difficult to figure out what's helpful and what subtly distracts from our primary mission as moms. Even in the Christian resources, there are great nuggets of truth, stirred together with potentially dangerous theology. How can we safely get the help we need for motherhood without deviating from the path of truth? In this episode, Emily and Laura discuss the common fears and missteps moms face as they navigate resources, and offer gospel-...
Mar 01, 2017•20 min
Have you ever felt like you can't shake the baby blues? Like maybe you've recovered from childbirth physically, but emotionally, you feel like an empty shell of who you once were? It's possible that you are battling postpartum depression (PPD). In this episode, writer and speaker, Lindsey Carlson discusses her struggles with PPD, giving practical insight and gospel-hope to other moms. She answers questions like, "How do I know if this is PPD or the baby blues?" and "What's the next step if I thi...
Feb 22, 2017•28 min
Busyness, squirmy children, silly questions, and feeling insecure about talking to toddlers about Jesus are all things that hinder intentional discipleship in the season of young children. When you feel like you can't live up to that other family, or your ideal picture of family devotion time, it's tempting to do nothing. But regardless the challenges, we're still responsible for sharing God's word with our children. In this episode, Emily and Laura discuss how they've altered their expectations...
Feb 15, 2017•22 min
When it comes to anger in motherhood, it's easy to be caught in a cycle of guilt and despair. However, the good news is that there is hope in Christ and power to fight sin in practical ways! Just like a person on a diet doesn't keep tempting foods within reach, with God's help, we can find ways to limit the temptation to sin in our anger while we process through the issues of the heart. In this show, Emily and Laura discuss common triggers for outbursts in motherhood, and share helpful hints for...
Feb 08, 2017•19 min
Frustration, impatience, losing our cool, having a bad day, feeling overwhelmed; we all have different ways of describing an angry heart-attitude towards our children. Although we know what it looks like when we lose self-control (and we're experts at feeling guilty about it), we rarely stop to think about why we're so upset in the first place. In this episode, Emily and Laura share their personal struggles with anger and impatience, and discuss how the good news of the gospel is transforming th...
Feb 01, 2017•20 min
When it comes to balancing various roles, Gretchen Saffles has experience with many on her plate! She's a wife, a mom, an entrepreneur, and an owner of a growing business. In this episode, she shares her journey into life as a working mom, some of the challenges she's faced along the way, and how she's learning to rest in Christ through it all. Gretchen speaks to moms who wonder how they can possibly accomplish all that God has called them to do, encouraging them to pray, "Jesus, be in me all th...
Jan 25, 2017•30 min
As winter presses on, so do the fevers, empty kleenex boxes, and doctor's office visits. When an illness means so much stress on the whole family, how can mom avoid bitterness, trust God and walk with grace? In this episode, Emily and Laura sympathize with the exhausting aspects of cold and flu season, while also sharing ideas about how the gospel transforms our perspective on common winter illnesses. Regardless of whether our little one has an ear infection or a bad cough, God calls us to the r...
Jan 18, 2017•21 min
So maybe YOU know your mission is to point your kids to Jesus, but do they? Just as God gave clear, overarching missional statements to his children, we can provide direction through the intentional act of writing a mission statement for those in our care. In this episode, Emily and Laura discuss the why (and how) of writing a family mission statement with your husband. Even if all you do is take time to get on the same page with your spouse, determining your family's ultimate mission helps you ...
Jan 11, 2017•20 min
Even with the best intentions, we're all prone to distraction and busyness, tempting us away from time with the Lord. In 2017, it's the heartbeat of Risen Motherhood to not only discuss how to apply the gospel to everyday situations, but to encourage moms to spend more time learning the word of God. In this episode, Emily and Laura give some personal updates and set the course for another year of new podcast episodes. We're so grateful for your support, and look forward to walking this journey t...
Jan 04, 2017•19 min
The world tells us to prepare our children to be athletes, successful business people, and helpful citizens; but as Christian moms, we aim for something eternally important. Our goal isn't just to have "good" kids, but to have children that know and love Jesus. We want to help our children not just do what's right on the outside, but to think through honoring God from a right heart. How can we do this well? In this episode, Emily and Laura close out the year with a reminder about our most import...
Dec 14, 2016•18 min
Most of us are guilty of being so caught up in our own lives, that we forget to care for the needs of others. We avoid big things like "evangelism" and "ministry" because those are for women with more time and lofty giftings. We think that serving others is going to be too burdensome or too inconvenient. But have we forgotten to just be faithful in the small opportunities God has placed right in front of us? In this episode, Emily and Laura break down the concept of ministry, making it accessibl...
Dec 07, 2016•21 min
Someone important has already come, and is coming again. Have you told your children? Despite the busyness and the expectations around us, Advent is a perfect time to rest the hearts of our family on the Savior. But how exactly can we do that with small children or less-than-ideal-circumstances? In this episode, Emily and Laura discuss the opportunity we have to point our children to Jesus during Advent. They also share practical ideas for engaging children in the Christmas story, and encourage ...
Nov 30, 2016•20 min
Adoption should matter to every believer, because every believer is adopted. In this episode, Laura shares a bit about her family's journey to adopt two children from Bulgaria and why they were motivated by the beautiful picture it paints of the gospel. Even if you don't personally plan to adopt, this episode is for you too! All believers need to love orphans, supporting those on the front lines of this calling. We hope this episode plants seeds, waters seeds that God has already planted, and re...
Nov 16, 2016•21 min
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...
Nov 09, 2016•20 min
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...
Nov 02, 2016•30 min
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...
Oct 26, 2016•20 min
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...
Oct 19, 2016•19 min
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...
Oct 12, 2016•22 min
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...
Oct 05, 2016•20 min
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 dis...
Sep 26, 2016•29 min
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 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 founda...
Sep 21, 2016•19 min
