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 freedom. It’s the pathway to joy in Christ.

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 until we’re unable to do anything well. But a heart abiding in Christ knows we can work faithfully and restfully within our limitations, which are for God’s glory and our good.

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 help us grow in wisdom and maturity.

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 Holy Spirit to teach and train us in wisdom according to God’s word. We can still enjoy the gurus, but we know the source of all wisdom is God alone.

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 story reminds us of God’s faithfulness as he works in our hearts—and the joy of partnering with others in the process.

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.

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 living for something much bigger than our summer plans, and God’s grace will sustain us as we persevere in motherhood—and to September.  

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.

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 ourselves, let’s look at Christ and ask the better question: Do I know and love the One who makes me good?

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 came to save us—annoyances and all—so we could learn to love others even when we’re annoyed.

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 teaches us that God is faithful to his Church through his people. From the second century to now, God uses ordinary women serving in sacrificial ways to change the world with the gospel of Christ.

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 local church to train, equip, and nourish his children. Getting there will be worth it.