Whether we’re brand new moms or have decades of experience in motherhood, we’ve likely all come upon a moment or season when it’s hard to find true joy. When the calendar is filled to the brim with sports practices, our teen makes a cutting remark at the dinner table, another night’s sleep is interrupted, or motherhood just isn’t as picture-perfect as we always imagined, we need a well of joy that never runs dry. In this episode, Laura reads a collection of verses to meditate on as we seek true joy in motherhood. As these truths root deep into our hearts, we’ll see that looking to and thinking about the Lord, his work, and his promises can give us deep joy, even if we still experience grief and pain. We pray these verses bring an eternal hope as you look to him for joy in every season.

Note: We understand that the absence of joyful or hopeful feelings can have a wide variety of factors and causes. Please keep in mind that some instances of persistent sadness or depression may require professional counseling, pastoral care, or a medical doctor. If you find yourself in a situation that feels much larger than the topics we cover in this series, we encourage you to seek help from professionals who are trained to care for you best in this struggle.

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Disobedience, nagging, interruptions, sibling squabbles, an attitude of entitlement, or just toys carelessly left all over the floor—there are plenty of opportunities to feel anger in motherhood. And when anger rises up in us, it’s tough to respond slowly and gently. Fortunately, God’s Word gives us hope and help. In this episode, Emily reads a collection of verses to meditate on when we feel angry as moms. When we fill our minds and hearts with the truths of Scripture, we can remember these words when anger tempts us to sin or despair. Next time you’re doing dishes, driving to work, or making lunches, we pray these verses encourage and transform you. The God of all sees your frustrations—he knows you and loves you deeply.

Note: We understand that anger covers a wide spectrum of responses and feelings. Please keep in mind that some instances and experiences of anger may require professional counseling, pastoral care, or a medical doctor. If you find yourself in a situation that feels much larger than the topics we cover in this series, we encourage you to seek help from professionals who are trained to care for you best in this struggle.

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

When we’re struggling with mom guilt, burnout, keeping up with housework, and more, where should we turn for help and hope? While fresh resources, support from others, creative hacks, and advice from other moms are helpful and important, one source of truth outlasts and supersedes all others: God’s Word. In this episode, Emily and Laura discuss the importance of God’s Word in the life of a mom, troubleshoot the most common barriers to studying it, and share the inspiration behind this Scripture-heavy series. As we study the story of God’s promises and faithfulness to his people throughout history, we can trust that he is faithful to work in our lives, too.

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 conversation, Emily and Laura discuss how they’ve applied the gospel to their own lives as they answer listeners’ questions. In this episode, you’ll hear what they’ve learned in marriage and motherhood over the years, how they deal with mom jealousy and comparison, how they disciple their children with disabilities, their favorite life hacks, and more. As you listen, we hope you don’t feel pressure to do life just like them, but that you see the beauty of the gospel in motherhood as we grow and gain the perspective of time.

Every mom does motherhood and work a little bit differently. A ton of factors are at play as each woman seeks to honor her own husband, care for children, serve the church, invest in the community, and glorify God in the marketplace. Instead of putting ourselves in another mom’s shoes, seeking to understand her situation or ask questions—we make a snap judgment, deeming her good or bad, faithful or unfaithful with little information. While there is a place for correction and tough conversations, left unchecked, our snap judgments about other moms can fuel pride and cause division. In this episode, Emily and Laura discuss practical ways to love moms in our lives, even when we make different choices. When our identity is in Christ and we’re seeking faithfulness in our own lives, we learn from other moms who might do things differently.

Note: Not all moms have the luxury of choice when it comes to balancing day-to-day work and motherhood, and we understand that the consideration to honor our husbands is not applicable for single moms. No matter your season or circumstance, we pray this episode is an encouragement to you.

Snow days and sick days, unexpected meetings, appointments, and skipped naps—motherhood is full of so-called “distractions” to our work. When these things happen, what is our next move as we seek to honor God in our day-to-day responsibilities? How can we be purposeful as we pursue the work God has given us to do? In this episode, Emily and Laura talk with author and Bible teacher Phylicia Masonheimer on practical ways to love the work of the home and manage daily demands. As we apply a right theology of work and motherhood to our lives, we can trust the Lord to give us the guidance and strength to run the race marked out for us.

Where do career dreams fit in with God’s calling on our lives as moms? For most of us, our capacity for income-producing work has likely ebbed and flowed as we’ve transitioned into motherhood, enrolled our kids in school, or added to our families. In this episode, Emily and Laura chat with Portia Collins, founder of nonprofit women’s ministry She Shall Be Called and Partner Development Specialist at Revive Our Hearts, on being faithful in full-time income-producing work, career ambitions, and motherhood. As we ask the Lord what he has for us in each season, we can view all of our work as an opportunity to serve, trusting that he is faithful to give and take for our good and his glory.

As moms, the work that fills our to-do lists can feel overwhelming. Schedules are tight, keeping the house clean is near-impossible, and the weight of meeting the mental and emotional needs of our families can put us in overdrive. In this episode, Emily chats with Jill Thomas, a mental health therapist focused on helping moms through the challenges of marriage and motherhood, on the ways work affects our mental health and how to step back and care for ourselves as we seek to faithfully do what God has placed before us. When our work feels heavy, we can rejoice that God has never asked us to do it alone, and his grace is sufficient to sustain.

*While Jill Thomas is a licensed therapist, this episode is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you resonate with any of the mental health topics discussed, please reach out to a counselor or medical professional.

How many hours can we clock each week, and still serve our families well? Should we take that job now that our kids are in school, or pull back as our families grow? Scripture hasn’t given us a one-size-fits-all answer in this area (which means Emily and Laura won’t be able to tell you either!), but we can find help for direction and discernment from God’s Word. In this episode, Emily and Laura outline a few questions to think through when considering turning the knob up or down on income-producing work, particularly if you have the privilege of choice*. To take this show even further, we’ve also created a free workbook filled with gospel-centered questions to help a mom think through their income-producing work. You can find the link to the workbook below! As we navigate these decisions, we can trust that the Lord is our Counselor and Comforter in every season.

*We know not all moms are afforded choice in this area and it's an enormous gift to have options in work. If you are in a season where you long for a change in how you spend your days, please know we've prayed for you, asking God to give you strength to trust him in every season.

It’s time to make the bed–again. Do the dishes–again. Sit in a meeting again. Answer an email–again. When we’re in a cycle of everyday, ordinary work, what is our reaction? Some of us dive head-first into busyness and box-checking, and some of us pull back, saving the hard work for “later.” In this episode, Emily and Laura examine our various sin tendencies when it comes to our work as moms. While we all will face challenges in our work on this side of heaven, God is gracious to help us work according to his principles and lead us in his ways.

As moms, we all want to be faithful in our work. Whether paid or unpaid, seen or unseen, mundane or exciting—God has given all of us work to do, and what he has given us matters. In this episode, Emily and Laura look at God’s good design for work and the variety of ways it manifests in motherhood. The work we do as moms won’t always be easy or exciting, but when we’re able to lay it before the Lord, we can trust that he is faithful to finish the work he started in us.

The dishes pile up. The kids run circles around the house. The to-do list is a mile long. Motherhood is full, but too often, we fill our time hunching over our phones, giving our best self to social media instead of looking up at the work in front of us. When we don’t know where to begin, social media feels like a welcome distraction. But when our days are consumed by social media, we might miss the most important things. In this episode, Emily and Laura discuss faithfulness in motherhood, examining the way it impacts our limited time and energy. When we give God first place in our hearts and steward the responsibilities before us, we can use social media as a tool rather than an escape.