Dealing with differences can be hard. How do we engage with others who have very different life experiences, beliefs, or preferences than we do? How do we guide our children as they encounter these same challenges? In this episode, Emily and Laura invite four women to share how the truth that we’re all made in the image of God, or Imago Dei, impacts their motherhood and relationships. While it’s okay to be aware of our differences, the gospel reminds us that we’re all the same in one fundamental...
Feb 12, 2020•17 min•Ep. 152
Does all of the time, effort, and heart we put into motherhood really make a difference? When we make meals that end up on the floor, wash load after load of laundry, and discipline our children for the same behaviors day after day, it’s easy to wonder if motherhood makes an eternal impact. In this episode, Emily and Laura talk with Elyse Fitzpatrick and Eric Schumacher (authors of Worthy: Celebrating the Value of Women ) about how moms matter in the redemptive story of the Bible. They help us s...
Feb 05, 2020•39 min•Ep. 151
Most of us have heard it. Some of us have said it. There’s a common encouragement to moms of littles that if we “pay our dues now” or if we’re “faithful in the small things” then there will be bigger things coming later as our unseen sacrifices give way to visible fruit. In this episode, Emily and Laura unpack this idea, helping us see that while it comes from a very right desire to encourage faithfulness in following Christ, it may lead us to wrong expectations. Rather than serving the Lord loo...
Jan 29, 2020•25 min•Ep. 150
Being a mom can feel isolating. Our children may be our constant companions, but we often long to interact with other adults, and social media can be a fun and easy way to connect. But with statistics showing that the average person spends 2.5 hours a day on social media, we’re wise to consider how it affects our ability to live out the calling of motherhood. In this episode, Emily and Laura discuss how social media is designed to draw us in and how it might influence our hearts and actions more...
Jan 22, 2020•24 min•Ep. 149
We make so many decisions in motherhood. Daily, we consider things like, what snack should I feed my child? How much screen time should they have? What discipline strategy should I use for this tantrum? And we also ask deeper, bigger questions like, how should we handle their schooling? What church should our family go to? How much time should we spend away from our kids? In today’s episode, Emily and Laura discuss how they each process decision-making and the many factors that influence the fin...
Dec 11, 2019•23 min•Ep. 148
Have you ever frozen as your child loudly asks why another child is in a wheelchair? Wondered how to check in with your friend after her child receives a difficult diagnosis? Felt unsure of how to encourage a mom who feels their child’s needs might be “too much” for the church to handle? In this special round table, Emily and Laura are joined by Abigail Dodds and Katie Blackburn to discuss what it’s like to raise a child with special needs and how others can show support. Whether you’re impacted...
Dec 04, 2019•40 min•Ep. 147
‘Tis the season of special Christmas parties at work and school. There are gift lists to check off and cookies to devour (we mean, deliver). There’s the Advent calendar and accompanying crafts, and someone needs to find the tree decorations. Is it just us or are you already tired? In this episode, Emily and Laura invite five women to share how they rest in Christ through this season of hustle and bustle. All of the good things we do—from present shopping to craft-making—can be an overflow of a h...
Nov 20, 2019•20 min•Ep. 146
Navigating the waters of grandparent-parent relationships can be difficult. How how much candy is too much? How do you invite them into your kids’ lives? How do you talk about boundaries? In this episode, Emily and Laura welcome their parents to the show to discuss how they honor one another in their differing roles and to work together to cultivate a gracious relationship. Whether you’re navigating a new grandparent relationship with your parents and in-laws or you are the grandparent, this epi...
Nov 13, 2019•28 min•Ep. 145
Moving is hard. One day, you’re packing a box faster than your toddler can unpack it, and the next, you need Google maps to find the kids’ new school. Your family can feel uprooted, discouraged, exhilarated, and adventurous all on the same day. In this episode, Emily and Laura discuss the challenges of moving with littles (which overlaps with any season of transition!). While moving is hard and full of unknowns, we can be sure God has a plan, and it’s a good one. These days, months, or even year...
Nov 06, 2019•23 min•Ep. 144
Have you ever noticed your child light up as they greet others at church or offer drinks to guests in your home? Those moments could be the first glimpses into your child’s natural or spiritual gifts. In this episode, Emily and Laura interview Karen Hodge about nurturing our children’s gifts in the context of community. Karen is a pastor’s wife and mom of two adult children, who serves as the Coordinator for the PCA Women’s Ministry. She’s also the R|M Board Chair and has been a faithful encoura...
Oct 30, 2019•24 min•Ep. 143
Whenever we ask the R|M community for questions, they range from lighthearted and practical to thought-provoking and theological, which makes the AUA show something special. In this one-hour episode, Emily and Laura answer listeners’ questions about the R|M pop-up shop and upcoming conferences, to things like spiritual slumps, attraction in marriage, and finding the right church for your family. We hope as you listen, you’ll see how the gospel applies to everything and how we have freedom in Chr...
Oct 23, 2019•1 hr•Ep. 142
Stretch marks, loose skin, and under-eye circles—oh my! Many moms stand a little awkwardly before the mirror, examining their postpartum bodies. We may know the world’s standard isn’t a true one, but how do we find peace with our new bodies? In this episode, Emily and Laura invite five women to share how the gospel changes their outlook on their postpartum bodies. While we’re tempted to focus on what we think our bodies should be today, the gospel reminds us that our hope isn’t in our flesh. Ins...
Oct 16, 2019•22 min•Ep. 141
Moms are no strangers to worry. We daily consider the possibility of danger, hurt feelings, or stressful situations. We turn hypothetical situations around in our heads, trying to find solutions, but it feels like everything is just beyond our control. And so we worry. In this episode, Emily and Laura discuss how the gospel changes our worry. As moms in a broken world, we know we’re going to ask ourselves, “What if?” and, “What then?” But what do we do when we start to dwell on those questions? ...
Oct 09, 2019•26 min•Ep. 140
It’s easy to think of things that are more fun than doing dishes or putting shoes back where they belong. But serving in motherhood often means sacrificing what we want in order to care for those around us in service to Christ. We know we’re called to be living sacrifices, but what are we supposed to do when the “sacrifice” part is uncomfortable? In this episode, Emily and Laura examine another angle of being a living sacrifice: service. Working hard to serve others isn’t an obstacle to fun or f...
Oct 02, 2019•23 min•Ep. 139
Sometimes we serve ourselves into exhaustion, and sometimes we avoid serving to keep ourselves comfortable. Neither extreme is good. Many of us have heard that we’re called to be a living sacrifice, but what does that mean? In this episode, Emily and Laura examine one angle of being a living sacrifice: burnout. While not every mom experiences full burnout, many of us believe our work proves our worth or the world depends on us. If these lies motivate us, we’ll live as though we’re limitless unti...
Sep 25, 2019•25 min•Ep. 138
We see each other every week at church, but our relationships can grow into more than just a quick wave in the lobby while a toddler hangs from our knee. We’re supposed to the church body, supporting and caring for one another by God’s grace as we grow together in Christ. In this episode, the Risen Motherhood team shares how their local church communities have helped them in various seasons. The church plays a vital role in the Christian’s life, and while it’s not perfect, God uses the church to...
Sep 18, 2019•21 min•Ep. 137
Most of us have our favorite “experts” or “gurus”—the voices we turn to for tips, tricks, and how-tos. We love the ability to learn something quickly by scrolling through our social media feeds. But should Christians solely depend on the “experts” of our culture to learn how to live a faithful life? In this episode, Emily and Laura examine why we like our gurus so much. While they are often be helpful, we’re called to unconditionally follow only one expert: Jesus. In Christ, God gives us the Hol...
Sep 11, 2019•20 min
Why does marriage feel so hard in the little years? After pouring your energy and brain power out for your kiddos, it’s easy to offer your spouse the leftovers. In this episode, Emily and Laura invite some very special guests on the show to talk about marriage with little ones: their husbands, Brad Jensen and Mike Wifler! Dates may look different, conversations may constantly be interrupted, and serving one another may look mundane, but the gospel can breathe new life into marriage. The gospel s...
Sep 04, 2019•25 min•Ep. 135
The show is back! After a summer break, we’re kicking off the season by flipping the microphone and putting Emily and Laura in the interviewee seats to discuss being women in process. In Christ we’re growing, but we’re not perfect yet. So while we truly want to obey God, we still put our hope in other things. But even in the tension, Christ offers all we need as we learn to live lives of faithful obedience. No matter where we are in the process, the gospel meets us there. We’re grateful to Cross...
Aug 28, 2019•31 min•Ep. 134
At the beginning of June, you reveal your summer bucket list, which makes your children cheer with anticipation. By July, you can’t find your list and by August, you’re tempted to check out until a new season starts. It’s no surprise we need the gospel to shape every expectation we have as we think about our summer plans. In this episode, Emily and Laura look towards the next three months and offer challenges to help us keep the right perspective as we plan, hope, and dream for summertime. We’re...
May 15, 2019•21 min•Ep. 133
Everything seems pressing in the early years of motherhood. The baby’s diaper, the promised game of tag, and the dirty upstairs bathroom repeatedly demand our attention. It can be easy to feel bogged down by the everyday and lose sight of the bigger picture. In this episode, Emily and Laura interview Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth about building habits of faithfulness in every season of life. Nancy has impacted millions of women worldwide through her ministries, Revive Our Hearts and the True Woman move...
May 08, 2019•33 min•Ep. 132
We all wonder if we meet the “good mom” standard. Do I feed them enough vegetables? Should I be the one reading the bedtime story? Do my kids behave? In this special episode, Emily and Laura ask the mother of all motherhood questions in front of a live audience: How do I know if I’m a good mom? Deep down, we all know we’re not good enough on our own. But the good news of the gospel is that we have Christ’s perfect record as our own, and God sees us as good in Jesus. So instead of looking at ours...
May 01, 2019•23 min•Ep. 131
Motherhood is a gift from God. We never want to forget that. But while we’re down here in the trenches, we can’t ignore real annoyances—like who left this sock behind and why are there crumbs everywhere? In this episode, Emily and Laura discuss why moms get annoyed and how the gospel shapes our responses. They even discuss some practical tips. Every mom is going to face annoying things, so we can sigh and roll our eyes or turn back in dependence to God who supplies for our every need. Christ cam...
Apr 24, 2019•21 min•Ep. 130
Historians won’t record that we prayed with ours kids before school, dropped off meals to neighbors, or hosted Bible study. But God’s greater story uses the everyday work of women to spread the gospel around the world. In this episode, Emily and Laura interview Dr. Michael Kruger about women in the second century church. Michael is the president of Reformed Theological Seminary (Charlotte) and professor of New Testament and Early Christianity; and an author, husband, and father. Church history t...
Apr 17, 2019•29 min•Ep. 129
Going to Bible study in the early years of motherhood can feel like an Olympic feat. In our minds, getting everyone ready requires some gymnastics, enough snacks to feed a sumo wrestler, and the ability to marathon your way across a parking lot. In this episode, Emily and Laura discuss common struggles that keep moms from being involved in women’s ministry and reasons to get yourself out the door. While podcasts, websites, and books are great gifts of encouragement, God specifically gives the lo...
Apr 10, 2019•18 min•Ep. 128
Sometimes it feels like we can’t finish a thought before a child needs us to grab more water, tie a shoe, or change a diaper. When mom’s brain power is consistently going to urgent things, adding scripture memory into the routine can seem too hard. Who really has time for flashcards? In this episode, Emily and Laura show how memorizing scripture gives us the wisdom we’re craving for the everyday. God’s word renews our minds and transform our lives, which helps us in the carpool line, the kitchen...
Apr 03, 2019•20 min•Ep. 127
Whenever we ask the R|M community for questions, they range from lighthearted and practical to thought-provoking and theological, which makes the AUA show something special. In this one-hour episode, Emily and Laura answer listeners’ questions from how they handle the work of the ministry and how they manage their personal screen time, to how they’ve changed as mothers and how they intentionally connect with their husbands. We hope as you listen, you’ll see how the gospel applies to everything a...
Mar 27, 2019•59 min•Ep. 126
“Mommy, what happens when someone dies?” When our kids ask us about death, answering can feel intimidating and even sad. How much should we share? What can they understand? Will we scare them? In this episode, Emily and Laura interview Tim Challies about how to talk to our kids about death. Tim is a husband, father of teenagers, pastor, and writer who encourages us to bring the conversation about death back to our children’s hearts and the hope they have in Jesus. We don’t need to worry so much ...
Mar 20, 2019•26 min•Ep. 125
It’s vacation time! We can see ourselves sleeping in, sipping hot coffee, and diving into a good book. But it’s more likely someone will get sick, the traffic will be terrible, and the diaper bag will be left at the house. In this episode, Emily and Laura offer a “Mom Heart Check” to help find the root of difficulty in family trips. When we travel, it’s not about being served but about serving others. We can prep our hearts before, during, and after a trip by rethinking our expectations and reme...
Mar 13, 2019•21 min•Ep. 124
Changing dirty diapers. Providing nourishing meals. Having conversations about patience and self-control. It doesn’t look like an official outreach or job position, but ministering to our kiddos is one way we serve God. In this episode, Emily and Laura share how moms can see and serve their kids. Our individual circumstances are different, but we can all look to Jesus as our perfect example for ministry in everyday life. He worked, traveled, taught, and ate with his disciples to show them what i...
Mar 06, 2019•18 min•Ep. 123
