Motherhood comes with lots of hard things—but by God’s grace, those very things can bring fruit in our lives. In this episode, Emily and Laura interview Jani Ortlund about some of the hard things she faced as a mom of young children, like fatigue, fear, and finances. Jani is a writer, speaker, and podcast host who ministers alongside her husband, Ray. She is a mother of four and grandmother of fourteen who remembers well the challenges of the little years. In the midst of the hard, she encourages us to keep seeking the Lord, trusting that he will gently lead us.

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 directly or indirectly by the joys and challenges of this reality, we hope this show encourages and equips you to love moms who have children with special needs.

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 episode is full of laughter, wisdom, and encouragement.

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 encourager of the Risen Motherhood ministry. As parents, we disciple our children with eternity in mind, preparing them to meet Christ. What a privilege to teach them how to use their gifts for God’s glory.

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 movement. She’s a prolific writer, speaker, radio host; and she’s wife to Robert. It may be hard to see past the early years of motherhood in the moment, but when we’re 40, 50, or 60 years old, we’ll see the spiritual impact of the daily choices we make right now. If we want to breathe the gospel in and out, we need a steady habit of seeking God through his word.

Moms have a lot of work to do and the exhaustion of our responsibilities in the home, the church, and the community, often leave us wanting to lean into despair and defeat.. But God uses the work before us to show us his sufficiency and unending love in our weakness so we can lean into grace. In this episode, Emily and Laura interview Debbie Martens about God’s faithfulness and grace in motherhood. Debbie is a wife, mom of seven, and grandmother of five who is actively involved in her local church and community. We’re called to be faithful to God in the work before us, but even when we fail, God is faithful to teach and sustain us in every season of motherhood.

Every moment in motherhood is an opportunity to trust God. Through suffering, hardships, and difficulties, we have to answer the question, “Is the gospel really true?” In this episode, Emily and Laura interview Nancy Guthrie about faithfulness and hope in motherhood. Nancy is a wife, mom, author, and Bible teacher who experienced deep suffering when she lost two children. We can fret, strategize, and lose sleep over many worries in motherhood, but when we trust God is sovereign and faithful, we’ll see the gospel meets us in every situation.

There’s no formula for raising godly children. Instead, we follow the Christ’s example by offering our kids God’s expectations and grace as we disciple them. In this episode, Emily and Laura interview Elyse Fitzpatrick about faithfulness in the early years of motherhood. Elyse isa wife, mom, and prolific author of many books that apply gospel truths to daily life. While we’re called to faithfully nurture, train, and discipline our children according to God’s word, only Jesus can transform their hearts and teach them to love his design. Let’s give our kids the greatest example of faith by being sinners who run to Jesus with them.

The idea of eating around the table with little ones may bring to mind little tea cups in front of stuffed animal friends or fidgeting children and food-covered floors. No matter what mealtimes look like in our homes, each meal is a chance to share how God’s love impacts our children’s lives. In this episode, Sally Clarkson, wife, mother of four, and prolific author, offers her wealth of experience and insight on sharing Christ with your children around the family table. By making our times at the table something special and an opportunity for training, moms can tackle the hard work of sharing gospel truths in a natural way within the daily rhythm of mealtimes.