One thing we can be sure of is that we will walk through trials. The question is how will we walk through them? So much of that is determined by what we believe about trials. Do trials serve a purpose or are they just there to irritate us? Do we simply see them as problems to be solved or is there more to consider? Today I'll be sharing what a trial is, how/why they come, what our response should be and why. (Hint: not easy, but simple) Scriptures, podcasts, and resources mentioned: Romans 12:7-...
Mar 04, 2022•42 min•Ep. 304
Family life is a spiritual calling and involves spiritual warfare and often that warfare simply involves being faithful to our duties each day without wavering. Discipline is one of those very important parental duties and requires discernment, fortitude, and perseverance to do well. We live in a culture that doesn’t value children or the raising of children. God’s perspective is the polar opposite. He tells us we are investing in eternal souls and not just those of our children, but our grandch...
Feb 28, 2022•57 min•Ep. 303
This is another episode in a series that I’ve been doing where I share a bit of truth and the simple, unhurried word of God. The purpose is to give you a tool that helps you and your family to meditate on God’s word. You can listen as soon as you get up, before bed, if you’re feeling anxious, during quiet time with the kids, or having a hard time sleeping, whatever works for your family! I like to share some simple truths before we dive into the main topic verses. I’m trying to do it in a way th...
Feb 25, 2022•23 min•Ep. 302
Today we're going to be talking about disciplining our kids! I’ll be talking about what biblical discipline is, why it's so important, and I'll be addressing the issue of mom-guilt. Next week, I’ll be talking about practical parenting in hopes that you will be able to catch a vision for what it might look like in your home! Podcasts, sermons, and links mentioned in this episode: Taming the 'Tude in Your Kids- https://www.durendawilson.com/podcast/episode/c362e6a1/taming-the-tude-in-your-kids-pod...
Feb 21, 2022•49 min•Ep. 300
Welcome to another episode of the Durenda W podcast. This episode is one in a series that I’m doing to help you and your family get to know God’s word and learn to meditate on it. A mom suggested that I include the passages in the show notes because her son sometimes likes to write them out! (Copywork for the win!) Last week we focused on the sovereignty of God. One thing I have said over and over again is this: If God were sovereign but not good, we would be in really BIG trouble! But the fact ...
Feb 18, 2022•13 min•Ep. 301
I frequently get questions from moms and recently I received an email with some concerns a mom had about her 9-year-old son who is giving her and her husband a lot of grief. So today I’m going to dive into her concerns and questions and I think you’re going to find a lot of encouragement here! Next week I will continue the conversation about child training and discipline because the truth is that unless we are really engaging that part of our role in our kids' lives, we will find our homeschooli...
Feb 14, 2022•45 min•Ep. 299
Last week I tried something a little new. I did an episode that included me reading the word of God slowly and quietly. The purpose of this was to encourage you and your family to slow down and get to know your God by meditating on His word. We cannot live authentically as Christians if we do not know the truth about our God and we get to know Him by reading and studying His word. We make decisions every day both big and small based on what we believe about Him so it’s imperative that we actuall...
Feb 11, 2022•20 min•Ep. 298
A few episodes ago I started the conversation about growing character in our kids. I shared how we as moms have a responsibility to encourage our kids to grow in character by creating an environment that will foster that. (Here it is if you missed it: https://www.durendawilson.com/podcast/episode/bb0fac96/creating-a-healthy-environment-for-character-growth-podcast-282 ) Today I’m getting into the nitty-gritty of character growth: What it is, why it’s important, how we do it and when we do it. Th...
Feb 07, 2022•58 min•Ep. 297
Every mom struggles with anxiety to one degree or another. There are countless resources we can turn to and some of them can be useful tools that God gives to help us. However, Proverbs 3:7, 8 warns us to not be wise in our own eyes, but to fear God and shun evil which means we go to Him FIRST and care more about what He has to say than anyone else. Then it goes on to say that this will be “health to our bodies and nourishment to our bones.” God’s word is timeless, it’s free, it’s living and act...
Feb 04, 2022•19 min•Ep. 296
Sometimes our kids say things that feel like a punch in the gut and kick our fear/guilt response into high gear. The reality is that there could be a serious character issue that needs to be dealt with in them and other times they are just being foolish like children often are. Make no mistake, God is working in these situations. The key is to take the time to see what He's doing and cooperate with that work. Whether the work is more in us or in them is worth taking the time to discover. Last we...
Feb 01, 2022•29 min•Ep. 285
(I encourage you to grab your teen or graduated daughters to listen in!) This is the second episode that we are talking about that season when our daughters have graduated, but aren't yet married. Johanna, our 19-year-old, graduated in 2019 and chose not to go to college. She is joining me for both episodes to share her story and what she has learned. Our family has never been ashamed of the fact that we highly value the role of being wives and moms because God clearly does. We believe that God ...
Jan 31, 2022•35 min•Ep. 295
(I encourage you to grab your teen or graduated daughters to listen in!) In this episode and the next, I'll be veering a bit off of my usual topics to talk about that season when our daughters have graduated, but aren't yet married. Johanna, our 19-year-old, graduated in 2019 and chose not to go to college. She is joining me for both episodes to share her story and what she has learned. Our family has never been ashamed of the fact that we highly value the role of being wives and moms because Go...
Jan 28, 2022•26 min•Ep. 294
Lately, I’ve been sharing a lot about the importance of fully engaging in our roles as parents. I wanted to talk about character building today, but I realized that before I do that, it’s really important to understand that we as moms have a responsibility to create an environment for our kids that is conducive to growing their character. Listen in, be encouraged, and share with a friend! Podcast and links mentioned: Homeschooling Today Magazine: https://homeschoolingtoday.com/ https://www.famil...
Jan 25, 2022•24 min•Ep. 293
Now more than ever parents are seeing the need to raise strong children. As believers, we don’t just want our children to be strong in themselves, but strong in the Lord so that they can thrive in spite of what kind of pressure the culture might want to put on them to concede to secularism. In order for this to happen, it is imperative that we are intentional in our role as parents because, as we heard in last week’s episode, it's one of our primary mandates from God! Our obedience in this area ...
Jan 21, 2022•34 min•Ep. 292
I periodically get questions about testing. Many moms want to know if I tested my kids and if I think it’s important or not. Last week I talked about how math is a tool. Testing is also a tool and when used at the right time can be very helpful. However, the opposite is also true. If a child is not a good test taker and/or becomes stressed in the process, you are not going to get an accurate assessment. Listen in as I talk about my personal experience homeschooling our 8 kids. I'm not a "teacher...
Jan 17, 2022•36 min•Ep. 291
Today I want to talk about just how crucial our roles at home really are. All throughout scripture, God references the family in countless ways because the family is what bears His image to the world. I’ve said over and over again that the most effective way to change the culture is for Christian parents to fully engage in their roles at home. Listen in to this conversation with Wes, a local pastor, husband, and father of four (who also happens to homeschool) as we talk about why the call home i...
Jan 14, 2022•48 min•Ep. 290
I often have moms reaching out to me to ask me about math. Maybe their child hates it and they're struggling to help them. They can't seem to find an approach that works or they hated math as a student or weren’t good at it and aren't sure how they're going to teach their kids. If you can relate, please know you are not alone: Put simply, math is the bane of many a home-school mom’s existence. Today, I'm going to share with you my personal experience homeschooling our 8 kids. I'm not a math prof...
Jan 10, 2022•40 min•Ep. 289
Narratives are essentially stories. We are all living from a narrative in our heads, but the question is what or whose narrative? Let’s pause for a few minutes and take stock of what we are believing. God’s word says that as a man thinks in his heart, so is he. Moms we are responsible to guard our hearts because everything we do flows from them and we want life and truth flowing from our hearts so that we are wise women who build our homes, not foolish ones who tear them down! (Proverbs 14:1) Sc...
Jan 06, 2022•34 min•Ep. 288
This is the 55th time I have rung in the New Year. It’s from this perspective that I want to share a few things that I want you to remember as we head into 2022. What has anchored me over and over again throughout these years? What did my devotional life look like with 8 kids? (It's probably not what you are thinking!) Please share this podcast with your friends! For more encouragement, use the search bar on the podcast page on my website! Just enter keywords to find the encouragement you need! ...
Dec 31, 2021•21 min•Ep. 287
Most families have at least one kid who seems to think they are in charge. Sometimes a special occasion like birthdays, holidays, or vacations kicks that into high gear. Listen in to this short podcast to hear some tips for retraining the kid who thinks he/she is in charge! PLEASE CHECK OUT MY BEST SELLER, THE FOUR HOUR SCHOOL DAY, ON AMAZON, YOUR FAVORITE BOOKSELLER OR DURENDAWILSON.COM
Dec 27, 2021•9 min•Ep. 284
Life can be hard, but when that hard happens during the Christmas season, the hard can feel magnified. Sometimes we just need permission to be ok with the fact that certain expectations are simply not going to be met. Stepping back and looking at the grand scheme of things can often help us gain a little more perspective. I hope you'll listen in, be encouraged, and when you've done that, take a few moments to soak in this sweet song ! PLEASE CHECK OUT THE FOUR HOUR SCHOOL DAY ON AMAZON, YOUR FAV...
Dec 22, 2021•24 min•Ep. 286
)This is the final episode in the Unhurried Christmas Grace series! We can feel so rushed in the midst of the Christmas season. But this time of year is really so much taking time. It's an invitation to wait in anticipation of a promise of a Messiah that was given so many years ago. Waiting isn't something that most of us do well, but why don't you join me for (literally) just a few minutes to ponder a few tender Christmas thoughts. Get your Free digital Holiday Edition of Homeschooling Today he...
Dec 20, 2021•4 min•Ep. 280
)Get your Free digital Holiday Edition of Homeschooling Today here ! Gather the kids and find a cozy spot to relax while I read to all of you our family's favorite Christmas story! Most of my kids are grown up and some even have kids of their own, so it makes me happy to be able to share this with your family today! Are you ready? LISTEN TO THE PODCAST HERE ( https://www.durendawilson.com/podcast/episode/bc135b67/our-familys-favorite-christmas-story-read-aloud-podcast-102) PLEASE CHECK OUT THE F...
Dec 17, 2021•4 min•Ep. 279
Does it feel like God is requiring more of you today than ever before? I’m right there with you. Maybe you are suffering through a particularly difficult trial. Maybe God is calling you to persevere in everyday life like never before. You are not alone. I think it’s important to know that we are not alone, but it’s even more important to know that as believers...(read the full transcript at durendawilson.com: https://www.durendawilson.com/post/is-god-requiring-more-of-you-now-than-ever)...
Dec 14, 2021•17 min•Ep. 282
As we wrestle with the challenges we are currently experiencing, many of us are asking questions like these: Can God rescue us from the problems we face? Can He save us from oppressive world powers? Can He break the power of our sin and help us deal with its consequences? These are pressing questions that every generation of Christians has asked and today we are going to find out how we can steer clear of panic/despair and anger and move toward joyfully engaging in the battle (that we will win) ...
Dec 10, 2021•7 min•Ep. 278
I love it when God lays encouragement on my heart to share with you in a moment when I didn't expect it. That is what today's podcast is. I hope you'll take a few minutes to sit back and let your heart be filled! (Note: I mention Mary's presence throughout Jesus' life. I wanted to clarify that she may not have been physically present for the resurrection and ascension, but she was alive and I'm confident had knowledge of all of it!) Verses shared: Luke 1: 46-56 Hebrews 12:1-3 Proverbs 3:5-8 Jame...
Dec 08, 2021•27 min•Ep. 283
Today I’m sharing with you why I wrote my new book. It’s not a marketing podcast. It’s a very short explanation of why I can’t tell you exactly HOW to homeschool your kids. I am confident you won’t be disappointed as I share several things that you may not have ever really thought about and how knowing these things will help you homeschool more confidently. The ultimate goal of The Four Hour School Day? To realize how doable homeschooling really is and that yes, you are in fact qualified to give...
Dec 06, 2021•24 min•Ep. 277
Throughout the holiday season, I thought it would be fun to revisit some Christmas-related topics that I’ve recorded in the past. We have had over 50K downloads in the last 30 days, so I know there are many new listeners out there, and even if you aren't a new listener and you actually remember these episodes chances are you will STILL be encouraged by hearing them again! I have current episodes posted over these weeks as well, but I'm really trying to spend time with my family and keep things s...
Dec 03, 2021•5 min•Ep. 276
Hey Everyone! I'm throwing an extra short podcast in here this week sharing my heart and hopefully bringing you a dose of encouragement as we head into the Christmas season! You all are the BEST! Really! I'm so thankful that God connected us. I so appreciate all of your notes and messages encouraging me to keep sharing! Thank you for that! Hugs from one mom to another! Durenda
Dec 02, 2021•14 min•Ep. 281
Throughout the holiday season, I thought it would be fun to revisit some Christmas-related topics that I’ve recorded in the past. We have had over 50K downloads in the last 30 days, so I know there are many new listeners out there, and even if you aren't a new listener and you actually remember these episodes chances are you will STILL be encouraged by hearing them again! I have current episodes posted over these weeks as well, but I'm really trying to spend time with my family and keep things s...
Nov 29, 2021•4 min•Ep. 275
