Gather Moms

If we want insight into teens, who better to ask than a high school teacher?! They see it ALL. We loved having Kelly Cavin on this episode as she tells us all about what she sees in her high school classroom. She shares with us what this generation is really good at, where they need the most help and how we, as their moms and adults in their life, can VALUE them.

Kelly does such a good job of enjoying teens, valuing what they have to say and how they think, and teaches us how to do the same.

“I’ve come to a frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom. It’s my personal approach that creates the climate. It’s my daily mood that makes the weather. As a teacher, I possess a tremendous power to make a child’s life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated and a child humanized or dehumanized.”

― Haim Ginott

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Bro! Teenagers. This season of their lives can feel like riding a rollercoaster. They’re also making so many steps toward becoming their adult self like getting their first job, driving and working to make grades that will serve their future well. They are becoming who they will be as adults. As their moms, we want to be their safe place. We want to cheer them on, offer appropriate boundaries and offer coaching at the right times. We’re discussing all of those things in this episode!

Here’s what we hope to remember while raising teens:

• Loosen your control (1 Cor 3:5-9)
• Be a safe place (Hebrews 4:14-16)
• Get help (Proverbs 15:22)

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First podcast of 2024! We want to ask the question, “What’s a mom to do in the new year?” Our special guest, Shawna Richardson, cofounder of First Things First Ministries, helps us answer that. She and her husband, David, love to help people spend wisely, be generous, and manage their time for the glory of God. Shawna is also a mom of 4 and homeschools. Well, she calls it hybrid school, because some days they attend classes with other students and teachers. It’s the best of both worlds for their family!

Starting a new year can be overwhelming with all the hype around picking a word and resolutions. Sometimes, as a mom, you just want to continue creating healthy habits and rhythms for your family. Shawna helps us do just that! She encourages us to pick just one thing to focus our mind and energy. There are too many good things out here to tackle them all at once. Ask God to reveal what is most needed for you and your family.

Some of the things we discussed today are:

• Do find your filter, don’t say yes to every good thing.
• Do celebrate your limitations, don’t use comparison as a measure of success.
• Do stay awake, don’t get distracted.

Shawna’s list includes ‘7 Do’s and Don’ts for your Time and Money in the New Year’ and you can find the rest here!

You can also find more of Shawna’s resources at www.shawnasullivan.com and on social media @shawnasullivan where she often posts ideas and short videos to encourage you in being an intentional mom. Thank you, Shawna, for your practical wisdom on making realistic changes for 2024!

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When I (Rebecca) was young, I remember my dad reading us the Christmas story from the book of Luke but I also remember him reading us another great Christmas classic called The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson. Today I share an excerpt from it that makes me laugh but also reminds me of the first to hear the news of Jesus’ birth...the shepherds.

I have heard mixed reviews on this group of people. Some say they are outcasts and rejected by society. It was a dirty job tending sheep, spending your days and nights out in the fields and always on the lookout for predators. But then you see God use the metaphor of a ‘shepherd’ throughout scripture. In fact, some of the great heroes of the Bible were shepherds – Moses and King David. There were female shepherdesses too – Rachel (wife of Jacob) and Zipporah (Moses’ wife). There are more than 90 references to a shepherd in the OT and another 23 in the New Testament.

I’m asking all the questions of this amazing moment in history found in Luke 2:8-20.

• How many angels were there in the sky?
• Could there have been thousands upon thousands?
• The light must have been blinding – did it light up the sky so much that Mary and Joseph saw it?
• I wonder if not only the shepherds, but other townspeople heard the praise of the angels? It must have been loud!

Why shepherds?

• Billy Graham says he believes that God chose to announce Christ’s arrival to shepherds in order to show His great love for everyone.
• Alfred Edersheim said God had a divine purpose announcing Christ’s coming to shepherds first because they were caring for the sheep used in sacrifice at the temple. Another sacrificial lamb would come from this town and he would take away the sins of the world.
• I believe God saw their humble state and knew they would receive the news with joy and trust. They had nothing to bring, they were poor and dirty. They believed what the angel said and went, without questions. They shared with everyone they met...no overthinking or social fear. They were the kindest first visitors to welcome infant Jesus and his parents.

We may feel like shepherds sometimes. Working day and night without much praise or acknowledgement. Leading sheep...I mean, kids, to food and water and keeping them safe from harm. We are tired of doing the same thing day after day and wonder if there is more to life for us. God has a special message just for you because what you do and who you are matters to God. He loves you so much, MAMA.

Isaiah 40:11, “He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.”

Join us for Advent! Find LOOKING FOR JESUS on Gather Moms Patreon. Each day, we’ll release a short episode to help focus our eyes and hearts on Jesus this Christmas season.

ADVENT ON GATHER MOMS PATREON

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We’ve all heard the analogy of how important it is to put your own oxygen mask on before you help someone else but, for moms, that feels so counterintuitive. When the people around us need us, we show up and give and serve and help which is a good and beautiful thing but can also lead to burn out and break down. Conversations around self-care have come a long way and women are doing a better job of prioritizing their health, which we APPLAUD. However, so many of the things we are looking to for self-care end fall short of giving us the real restoration we are longing for. So, while we need to take care of our bodies, we also need to make sure we are caring for our souls. Soul-care, more than self-care, promises to meet our deepest needs better than any mani/pedi. When we look to Jesus and quiet our souls before him, we find he restores us in abundance.

Join us HERE for GOOD DAY, GATHER!! When you join at the $10 level, you get a cute, iced-drink koozie. When you join at the $20 level, you get a koozie for you AND a friend!

We’ll kick off our month of Good Day Gather challenges on Monday, 5/6. Each week, we will focus on small habits that can help make our days better. On Patreon, we’ll post a podcast recording with a Monday Motivation and you will get the Good Day, Gather Calendar with a checklist to keep you on track.

Don’t miss our last meeting of our ONLINE GATHER GROUP on Thurs, 5/2 at 7 PM CST. Go to Gather Moms Patreon to join.

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Connect with Us:

Gather Moms: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook

Kate Henderson: Instagram | Facebook

Rebecca Bradford: Instagram | Facebook

Email: [email protected]