Gems of Motherhood

Keeping up with friends when you become a mom and building new friendships with mom friends are vitally important. Friendships are worth investing in and they are a key part of what helps moms walk this journey successfully.

Sarah Kurtenbach the founder of an online ministry for millennial women called moveHER, which emphasizes building up female leaders in faith. She is married to the love of her life and they have a 20-month old son. Sarah shares honestly what worked for her, what didn’t and why it’s so important to have friendships as a mom.

“I believe and feel women are in need of two core things. Number one, we are in desperate need of more Jesus in our life. And the second thing is we are desperate for other women. Like we need each other to survive life.”

Sarah talks candidly about using words to affirm other moms and how much affirmations can bring life to each other. Words are powerful! When used rightfully words can change perspectives, correct wrong actions and build new character. So, moms be quick to listen, but even quicker to encourage.

“Be really emphatic to each other. Sometimes when you're out of the season, it may be hard to relate to the person in the season that’s behind you but we can't let that happen... we have to remember those seasons so we can help others”

What we chat about:

Build each other up

Affirming other moms

Be there for other moms and help support them

Things that could ruin a friendship

CONNECT WITH SARAH

WEBSITE: moveher.co

INSTAGRAM: @sarahkurtenbach

HASHTAG: #moveHER

FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/sakurtenbach

LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahkurtenbach/

YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYGcmVXV6KXZlurf8Bqe4yg

Other links:

HotMess Moms: https://www.facebook.com/hmmoms/

Most parents would agree that leaving a legacy for their children is important. But many stumble along life trying to figure how to do.

Women of Faith speaker Thelma Wells aka Mama T shares about leaving a legacy. Mama T is no stranger to the stage, having presented to over a million people in her career and speaking along side Zig Ziglar, Max Lucado, the late Rosa Parks, Kay Arthur, June Hunt, Serita Jakes and of course, her Women of Faith porch pals.

"Teaching them to love, I know sometimes it’s hard to love. But look at yourself, do you want to be love and how do you want to be really love?"

Mama T shares her wisdom about leaving a legacy, which she learned from her great grandmother, great grandfather and grandfather, with us. Her great-grandmother, great grandfather and grandfather were used by God mightily to set the tone for the rest of her life. They taught her the fear of God, to speak the truth, to be kind and to be gentle. Creating a vast appreciation for God’s love, she started praying for her own children when they were in her belly that they would be knowledgable about Jesus, to accept Him. And each of them have accepted Him and that’s the greatest legacy.

Mama T’s own spiritual journey, however, led her to experience and learn the worth of forgiveness. A crash course on forgiveness played a crucial role in her life and left no room for her carrying around grudges which had unknowingly shackled her. Her children saw God’s grace working in their mother’s life, and realized in her conduct, how you don’t have to carry the hatchet; you can bury it.

This is an episode you don’t want to miss.

Meet Mama T

Known as "Mama T," Thelma Wells is a feisty 75 year old who has been featured in D Magazine, Southern Living, The Dallas Business Journal, The Dallas Morning News, Significant Living and many more publications and TV shows including Dr. Phil, The Joanie Show, Life Today and the 700 Club.

Traveling to 20+ conferences a year as a speaker, she's sought after by corporations, women’s groups and governmental entities. In 2016, she spoke for Women of Faith on the Final “LOVED” tour -- traveling to 22 cities and reaching a half a million women. Her passion is to tell everyone that they can “BEE” their best in Christ. A mission she’s carried out for 40 years.

Connect with Mama T

WEBSITE: https://www.thelmawells.com/

INSTAGRAM: @thelma.wells

YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/user/ThelmaWells

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/ThelmaWells.AWomanofGodMinistries/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/thelmaw

In this podcast, Mo Isom Aiken shares about the importance of sex, and sexuality. Many times people are confused or scared to navigate the conversation of sex and sexuality with their children. However, this is a conversation, that God wants to speak to us about too.

“We as women, mothers, and daughters of the Most High, must allow Him to minister, heal and cultivate conversations about sex within our own hearts first.”

Sex is an act of worship when it’s used in the right context. It is also used as a weapon against the enemy. God’s text is full of this truth from Genesis to Revelation.

“Sex is an invention and a gift from God.”

God desires us as parents to lead our children in the way that they should go. Also, to speak of His ways and His decrees. That simply means it is a non-negotiable; we must have this conversation regardless of how uncomfortable it may be.

Children are being exposed to things at a young age, like pornography and we need to stand in the gap for them. Mo shares about her experiences of sharing about sexuality to her daughter and their reactions.

“God created sex as a beautiful gift between a husband and a wife. And how that prophesies this beautiful intimacy that we’re invited into between he as the bridegroom and we as His bride.”

We can begin to share with our children early in their lives to create hearts that are responsive to God’s identity in their lives, including His wondrous design. Mo reminds us that we should share with our children the truth of sex and sexuality so that they understand that it is more than a physical act and is rather about intimacy.

What we chat about

Mo’s story

Sex and sexuality

Sex as a loss narrative in the Christian family

When to talk to your children about sex

Purity culture

Basic lessons to help our children understand God’s design for sex

Function and purpose of sex

Worldview that lies behind the huge cultural shifts and how it affects children

Connect with Mo

WEBSITE: Mo Isom

FACEBOOK: Mo Isom

YOUTUBE: Mo Isom

TWITTER: Mo isom

Losing a baby to a miscarriage or late in the pregnancy is heartbreaking. Imagine experiencing that this type of loss multiple times. In this podcast episode, Kariss shares about her trust in God’s perfect plan for her life despite experiencing three miscarriages. God’s grace is evident in her story.

Kariss Fariss is energetic, honest, and a fun-loving “girl-next-door.” As the eldest grandchild of Dr. Tony and Lois Evans, Kariss has been surrounded by the word of God her entire life.

“I know that if this is not the time for me to be having a baby, and that God has something better in store....”

All three of her miscarriages were devastating, but different. During one of her pregnancies, she went through an extreme anxiety feeling like she was going to die at childbirth. However, God brought her through it and taught her what she needed to learn from it.

“I just had extreme anxiety and I’m usually not a person with anxiety... but for some reason I just had the feeling that I was going to die at childbirth.”

Although Kariss didn’t go through an emotional loss due to her miscarriages, she did go through a period where she did not want to get pregnant, just wanted to bank on her own plans and thought the doors were closed on future pregnancies. But of course, God had different plans. Kariss had two children and is expecting a third rainbow child. This is what God had wanted for her and her family to go through before experiencing the fruitfulness of His promises.

What we chat about:

Praying through your pregnancy and proclaiming God’s promises over her life

Look for what is trying to do and focus more on His plans

To be attached to Christ for all things

Connect with Kariss:

WEBSITE: http://www.karissfarris.com/

INSTAGRAM: @karissfarris

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/karissfarris/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/karissfarris

YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjVLDhlwJh8cIQtaIb8fRhQ

Books Mentioned:

Supernatural Childbirth

Praying Through Your Pregnancy

Praying for Your Unborn Child (Not Mentioned but Recommended)

Five times in the Bible God talks about taking two people and making them one flesh. In this week’s podcast, Noline Wakefield shares about How Your Marriage Affects Your Children.

Noline has been married to the love of her life, Neil, for 47 years. Together they have 3 children and 17 grandchildren. They have travelled the United States putting on marriage seminars as well as building up leaders. Currently, they pastor at Crossroads Church in France.

In Malachi 2, God reveals His heart for families,“But not one has done so who has a remnant of the Spirit. And what did that one do while he was seeking a godly offspring? Take heed then to your spirit, and let no one deal treacherously against the wife of your youth.”

"That’s what God intended in marriage, because He wanted us to become one, husband and wife, because he was seeking Godly offspring... When you concentrate on your one flesh relationship, its like your kids see a stability there.”

Unity starts with a husband and wife walking humbly with each other, and in turn, investing liberally in building up their relationship.

Noline challenges couples that, “even if you feel like you’ve married the wrong person, God can still take you and make you one flesh and give you a good marriage if you allow him the opportunity to do so... We may have done the choosing but God does the joining. No marriage is impossible, don’t give up on your marriage.” Because we have a choice, we can choose to trust God to build, restore and prioritize our marriages in order to see the fruit in our children.

What we chat about:

The importance of unity in a marriage

The importance of focusing on your spouse

Why marriage before children

The role of a mother and father

Praying for your spouse and children

Connect with Noline

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/noliner