Motherhood Archives | Bridge of the Faithful

Building Deep Roots with Little habits with Christie Thomas

November 15, 2021 by Jenna No Comments

Bridge of the Faithful

Building Deep Roots with Little habits with Christie Thomas

00:00 / 31:50

Related Episodes: Raising Kids in a New Generation with Bethany Adkins, Discovering Wisdom from the Moms of the Bible with Sharon Wilharm, Secret Confessions of a Mom who Wants to Quit, Planting Scripture in Young Children with Julie Parido, Transitional Motherhood with Meg Glesener, Identity and Idols in Motherhood with Merritt Onsa, Making Marriage the Priority in Motherhood with Glori Winders, Being a Special Mom of Special Needs Kids with Julie Holmquist, Surviving as a Single Mom with Annie Quinnell, Restoring Joy in Motherhood with Winfree Brisley, The No Judgment Zone: Honest Motherhood with Becky Kopitzke, Anchored Motherhood with Tina Smith, The Fight for Relationships , J esus: The Rest in our Busy, Identity: What You’re Not, Identity: Unveiled

Life for Christie has not gone in the trajectory that she originally planned. Originally she was a college student studying science, but God directed her toward children’s ministry and helping parents build a firm foundation of faith in their children’s lives. Her most recent endeavor has been the Mother-Son Prayer Journal, where she dug deep in understanding God’s faithfulness throughout the chronological life of David. Along the way, she learned so much about his life and the trustworthiness of God’s promises.

As a mom herself, Christie has learned that making God a priority always reaps good fruit. However, she also realizes that as a mother, life will not always look structured and picture-perfect. She has learned to do things in the timing that she’s given and to give herself grace, God will always bless her effort!

A big thing Christie learned in her study of David’s life was that no matter if he was in the high of his faith or the valley of disobedience, God proved that He is always faithful.

Psalm 34:1-8 – I will extol the Lord at all times;
    his praise will always be on my lips.
²I will glory in the Lord;
    let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
³Glorify the Lord with me;
    let us exalt his name together.

⁴I sought the Lord, and he answered me;
    he delivered me from all my fears.
⁵Those who look to him are radiant;
    their faces are never covered with shame.
⁶This poor man called, and the Lord heard him;
    he saved him out of all his troubles.
⁷The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him,
    and he delivers them.

⁸Taste and see that the Lord is good;
blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.

Resources:
www.littleshootsdeeproots.com
Quinn Books
Mother Son Prayer Journal
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChristieThomasLittleShoots
Instagram: @Christie.Thomas.Writer

Raising Kids in a New Generation with Bethany Adkins

September 20, 2021 by Jenna No Comments

Bridge of the Faithful

Raising Kids in a New Generation with Bethany Adkins

00:00 / 34:03

Former pediatric nurse, Bethany Adkins knew that God was telling her it was time to make a change. Like many women, she fell into the trap of thinking that her worth can through her degree, a job, and everything that our culture pushes people to do. It became a tug of war on her heart, and God was telling her it was time to stop.

Bethany and her husband Corey found a passion for helping other Millennial parents and adults break the stigma of the “lazy millennial” and get tools with raising the next generation. Through her new book, the My Why Journal, she helps parents work with helping kids learn to ask good questions and where to find answers. Through this dialogue and intentional conversations, she believes that our conversations with our kids, no matter the age, affect our relationships with them and how they relate to culture.

Romans 12:12-23-

Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized byone Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.

Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body.And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body.If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty

Resources:
Website: www.bethanyadkins.com
Book: My Why Journal
Podcast: Millennial Mission
Instagram: @bethanyandcorey

Discovering Wisdom from the Moms of the Bible with Sharon Wilharm

September 6, 2021 by Jenna No Comments

Bridge of the Faithful

Discovering Wisdom from the Moms of the Bible with Sharon Wilharm

00:00 / 33:27

Throughout her studies for her podcast All God’s Women, Sharon has gleaned so much wisdom from the women of the Bible. Sharon agrees that there is “nothing more humbling than raising a child.” The study of the Proverbs 31 woman is what started her passion for further understanding what God wants to teach us through the women of the Bible, ranging from completely obscure to the most well-known.

Some examples of Biblical Mom stories that have inspired her are Mephibosheth’s nurse (who only has one verse!), Rizpah, and of course Mary. While she doesn’t necessarily feel that all of the mothers are “exactly like her,” she has been amazed at what we can learn through their experiences. It has become clear that the people and stories of the Bible are intentionally put there by God, no matter how short or obscure they seem, and that we have a lot that we can learn from them, especially the women of the Bible.

Sharon is a podcaster, filmmaker, radio host, and Bible teacher whose passion is to help other women better understand the Master Storyteller and all that he has done for us.

Luke 2:19 – But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.

Resources:
Website: www.sharonwilharm.com
Podcast: All God’s Women
Instagram: @sharon_wilharm
Facebook: @sharonwilharmpodcasthost

Secret Confessions of a Mom Who Wants to Quit

August 9, 2021 by Jenna 1 Comment

Bridge of the Faithful

Secret Confessions of a Mom Who Wants to Quit

00:00 / 54:21

Motherhood is hard. I definitely am not able to “enjoy every moment” that many people lovingly offer as advice to moms with children at home. Actually, the more I dig deeper into motherhood, the more I realize how much of a battleground it truly is. Satan hates motherhood, and sadly, a lot of times he is successful at getting me to hate it as well. I have found it to be incredibly freeing to discuss this openly, to admit my faults in hopes that others can relate and feel less alone (and selfishly, so that I feel less alone as well). The more I’ve shared, the more I realize how trapped so many of us mamas are in the lies: that motherhood is too hard; that we are alone; that we’ve messed up too much for redemption; that we don’t deserve rest; that God doesn’t care about the unique struggles that we are facing as parents. I recorded this episode in the middle of one of my deepest, darkest moments as a mom. I didn’t know what God was doing, or even where He was. I felt (and still often do) lost, confused, betrayed, much like the Israelites at the Red Sea and the Disciples during Jesus’ nap on the turbulent boat. I found myself, like them, asking “God, don’t you care?!”

And then I remembered all of the work I’ve done for this podcast over the past 3 years. God never leaves ashes and pain as the ending of the story. So this episode is a raw, honest, unscripted confession of many of the things I’ve battled as a mother. In the end, like all of the amazing stories of God’s faithfulness, He showed me that He is indeed working. The seeds I’m sowing now in tears will be harvested someday with songs of joy.

Psalm 126:5-6 – Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy. They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest.

Transitional Motherhood with Meg Glesener

June 28, 2021 by Jenna No Comments

Bridge of the Faithful

Transitional Motherhood with Meg Glesener

00:00 / 33:00

With eight children ranging from teenagers to parents themselves, Meg is no stranger to the bittersweet and beautiful transitions through motherhood. Throughout her entire journey, she has tried to not lose sight of the fact that God gave her these children to prepare them for adulthood, which means eventually they leave (which is a good thing!). Meg encourages finding accountability, prayer, and mentor groups to help you get through the rough spots and remember you are not alone in this motherhood journey. She discusses the transitions that range from setting all of the rules and providing everything for your children, all while teaching them to set boundaries and help them set up their own rules as they enter adulthood. The biggest thing she’s learned however in her entire motherhood path is that while her job as a mom is important, her most important job is being a child of God.

Jude 1:24 – To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy

Resources:
Podcast Website: www.lettersfromhomepodcast.com
Moms in Prayer

Identity and Idols in Motherhood with Merritt Onsa

June 14, 2021 by Jenna No Comments

Bridge of the Faithful

Identity and Idols in Motherhood with Merritt Onsa

00:00 / 43:11

Related Episodes: Marriage Marriage the Priority in Motherhood with Glori Winder, Being a Special Mom of Special Needs Kids with Julie Holmquist, Surviving as a Single Mom with Annie Quinnell, Restoring Joy in Motherhood with Winfree Brisley, The No Judgment Zone: Honest Motherhood with Becky Kopitzke, Anchored Motherhood with Tina Smith, The Fight for Relationships, J esus: The Rest in our Busy, Identity: What You’re Not, Identity: Unveiled

Merritt Onsa’s journey to motherhood was unconventional. After bouts of infertility, she and her husband decided to pursue embryo adoption (check out an episode here on this as well). Like many mothers who have been through infertility, she entered this part of her life with expectations and hopes of how motherhood would look. Of course, it hasn’t quite gone that way. Like all women, and especially moms, she has learned that she needs to work on finding her true identity as well as identify her idols in motherhood. God has been so gracious in that and reminded her that she doesn’t have to measure her motherhood by anyone else’s. God has His own plan for hers and yours.

Merritt is passionate about helping women find their God-shaped dreams. Please note: she does not say God SIZED but God SHAPED. That includes finding our identity, God’s purpose in our lives, and help give us the tools to achieve them. Merritt believes in you and loves to remind you that God promises to finish the work that He began in us. Look below for her resources!

Zephaniah 3:17 – The Lord your God is with you,
    the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you;
    in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
    but will rejoice over you with singing.

Resources:
Website: https://www.merrittonsa.com/
Podcast: The Devoted Dreamers Podcast
Facebook: @merritonsa
Instagram: @merrittjo

Making Marriage the Priority in Motherhood with Glori Winders

May 31, 2021 by Jenna No Comments

Bridge of the Faithful

Making Marriage the Priority in Motherhood with Glori Winders

00:00 / 42:36

It’s always easy to get distracted by our motherhood with all of the needs, expectations, and time that our children take. For those of us that are married with children though, we need to make sure that we are keeping our husbands above our children (even though this may not be the easiest or most popular opinion). Glori Winders is no stranger to the struggle of juggling marriage with her motherhood. After the real estate crash in 2008, Glori and Tim Winders went from having everything to almost losing all of it. However, because marriage was always the highest on their priority list, they were able to build tools and a strong foundation for God to work with even in this stressful time. Glori shares some of these tactics as well as her own struggles in her motherhood journey, reminding us that God truly does love us and care about us, and loves to lavish His blessings on us.

Psalms 23, The “Glorified” version:

You are my shepherd and friend. With you as my friend, there is nothing that I could possibly lack.

You invite me to sit down with you in the green grass and rest beside the rippling brook which is a place of complete peace and fulfillment. There we can talk and you can teach and advise me in the right paths to take.

You give me right thoughts and help to ease my mind. You love me so completely that past hurts don’t even have an effect on me. They pale in comparison. You help me to drop all burdens and weights into the brook that carries them away from me forever.

Even when I am not at the brook with you and I must walk through life, you are still beside me. Protecting me, guiding me and, carrying me when needed. So, I have not one thing to fear.

Your love and protection is a continual feast for me. I can see your love’s effect on my life on a daily basis as you lavish your goodness on me. I am marked by your favor on my life that even my enemies can see and know that I am yours.

Because you have chosen to honor me by flooding my life with your anointing, my cup brims over with blessings onto all those around me. I am blessed to be a blessing.

Your goodness and mercy hunt me down and take me over because your word over my life can not return void. And, most importantly I have an honored place in your family & kingdom for now and eternity.

Resources:
Instagram: @the31woman
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/liveglorified
Website: https://liveglorified.com/

Surviving as a Single Mom with Annie Quinnell

April 19, 2021 by Jenna No Comments

Bridge of the Faithful

Surviving as a Single Mom with Annie Quinnell

00:00 / 28:07

Relate Episodes: Restoring Joy in Motherhood with Winfree Brisley, The No Judgment Zone: Honest Motherhood with Becky Kopitzke, Anchored Motherhood with Tina Smith, The Fight for Relationships , J esus: The Rest in our Busy , Identity: What You’re Not , Identity: Unveiled

Annie had what she thought was a good life: married with two beautiful girls, until one day “a bomb went off” in her soul. After her husband left, Annie struggled with trying to adjust to life as a single mom. Her biggest torments were juggling time (in attempts to do the tasks of two people) and financial issues. While part of her longed to feel valued and loved by another man, she learned that you can’t get your value from a person, you have to get it from within, knowing who you are in Christ. After surviving through the teen years, learning how to do things one step at a time, her daughter suggested how she had a lot to give in terms of helping other single moms get through. That conversation ignited her passion to mentor other single moms, to make sure they truly believe that they don’t have to do this alone. All of her wisdom comes from the God who gave her the gift of children, and her heart’s desire is to honor God with the gifts He gave her.

Romans 8:28 – And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Resources:
Website: www.themamamentor.com
Podcast: The Unstoppable Solo Mom
Facebook: The Mama Mentor

Success with Goals in Motherhood with Cara Harvey

March 22, 2021 by Jenna No Comments

Bridge of the Faithful

Success with Goals in Motherhood with Cara Harvey

00:00 / 45:30

Cara Harvey has not always had a great foundation in her life. From struggling with ideas of suicide and longing for that “peace that surpasses all understanding,” she finally found true hope in Jesus. Her life has never been the same since.

Cara’s business, A Purpose Driven Mom, started after leaps of faith and job losses. Just when she was starting to wonder what God was doing, He showed up in big ways. Starting this business, and all-around new way of life, started when she had to get out of the “woe is me” mindset to “You’ve got to do something with this!” mindset. Starting with small, manageable, but impactful goals, she helps you build up new habits and accountability to get you to a level of mothering that we often only dream of. All of this is great, but it is still incredibly important to give yourself grace and realistic expectations!

Cara has gone from thinking things like “I just don’t even know what I find fun anymore” to being able to truly work in the things that matter most to her, all while keeping up with the dishes (most of the time). She is passionate that “we set up the framework for what our kids think being a mom is like. It may be that we’re bitter, grumpy, and always sacrificing with joy; that we haven’t found our voice. We need to make sure we’re not teaching that to our kids.” Cara has found her voice, and she absolutely will help you find yours again as well, even in the messy middle of motherhood.

Proverbs 3:5&6 – Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight

Resources:
Website: www.apurposedrivenmom.com
Podcast: A Purpose Driven Mom
Instagram: @apurposedrivenmom
Facebook: A Purpose Driven Mom

Restoring Joy in Motherhood with Winfree Brisley

February 22, 2021 by Jenna No Comments

Bridge of the Faithful

Restoring Joy in Motherhood with Winfree Brisley

00:00 / 29:28

Winfree Brisley is the editor for www.risenmotherhood.com , a resource dedicated to equip and encourage moms through the hard journey of motherhood. Winfree is no stranger to motherhood struggles. To be honest, her biggest battle is dying to herself in order to serve her family, because that’s the example Jesus gave on how to lead. She has found immense peace in the fact that we are promised that we don’t have to do it alone! As a performance based mom who had an incredibly difficult newborn stage, she knew she needed to redefine and restore joy in her life. How does she define it now? Joy is more of a recognition of God and goodness, satisfaction in Him; not on circumstances like how well her kids behave or having expectations met. Even when God’s answer to her prayers were the exact opposite of what she asked for, He still proved His faithfulness, and that His answers are never wrong.

2 Corinthians 9:8 – And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

Resources:
Website: Risen Motherhood
Instagram: @risenmotherhood

Page 1 of 212 »

Building Deep Roots with Little habits with Christie Thomas

Raising Kids in a New Generation with Bethany Adkins

Discovering Wisdom from the Moms of the Bible with Sharon Wilharm

Secret Confessions of a Mom Who Wants to Quit

Transitional Motherhood with Meg Glesener

Identity and Idols in Motherhood with Merritt Onsa

Making Marriage the Priority in Motherhood with Glori Winders

Surviving as a Single Mom with Annie Quinnell

Success with Goals in Motherhood with Cara Harvey

Restoring Joy in Motherhood with Winfree Brisley

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