Don't Mom Alone Podcast

Tara-Leigh Cobble, a full-time minister and creator of a chronological Bible reading plan, shares her inspiring journey of reading through the entire Bible. She discusses the struggles many face with difficult passages and emphasizes the importance of leaning into those challenges for growth. Tara-Leigh also highlights the transformative power of regular scripture reading and offers practical tips for families to engage with the Bible, underscoring the importance of community and mentorship in spiritual exploration.

Sissy Goff is one of our favorite counselors to have on the show and she’s back with us to talk about her new guide for helping teen girls with worry and anxiety. But beyond that she offers hope and help for all of us as we experience hard emotions in the midst of this pandemic. We talk about strategies for working through worry and anxiety for different ages and stages of kids and for us as moms. And Sissy reminds us to trust our instincts when it comes to helping our kids.  “You are not alone. And as a mom, your gut is your superpower. You are so intuitive and trust your gut on what's going on with your kids and, and have a few people that you trust a lot that you can talk to. Definitely talk about it because anxiety left untreated only gets worse. I'm seeing so much more in the pandemic that it's spilling over into depression.” She also reminds us that asking for help is a brave and often necessary step for helping our kids learn practical ways to fight back when worries come up. Connect with Sissy:  Website: raisingboysandgirls.com Podcast: raisingboysandgirls.com/listen  Facebook: facebook.com/raisingboysandgirls  Instagram: @raisingboysandgirls Links Mentioned:   BOOK: Brave: A Teen Girl's Guide to Beating Worry and Anxiety Ep 141: Raising Girls :: Sissy Goff  Ep 160: Emotional Milestones :: Sissy Goff & David Thomas Bonus Ep: Raising Worry-Free Girls :: Sissy Goff Feelings Chart BOOK Raising Worry-Free Girls Featured Sponsors:  Uncommon Goods--get 15% off at uncommongoods.com/dma FabFitFun--get $10 off your first box using code: DMA10 at fabfitfun.com

Amber O’Neal describes herself as a homeschooling mama using Charlotte Mason principles in an atmosphere where “Charlotte Mason wears an afro.” She joins me to talk about how she unexpectedly found she loved homeschooling and working to help her kids love themselves and others. “The Holy Spirit is the supreme educator and the Holy Spirit will speak directly and work directly with our children just as he does through us. And that was a total reframe for me because it gave me a lot of freedom and released a lot of pressure for me when I realized that I'm actually not the supreme educator, I am a guide and I'm going to come alongside my child and that my job is not to teach in the traditional sense of teaching, but more to act as a guide.” Amber shares why she’s creating resources for her children and others to share books and history from people of color and the journey she’s been on with her children as she encourages them to embrace their skin color and cultural history.   And her resources and the Charlotte Mason principles aren’t just for homeschooling mamas. She has book lists of great things to read with your children to give them a more holistic view on black history, poetry and culture.  Connect with Amber:  Website: https://heritagemom.com  Facebook: facebook.com/HeritageMomBlog  Instagram:  @heritagemomblog  Links Mentioned:   Amber’s Heritage Packs and more Book Recommendations from Amber About Charlotte Mason Featured Sponsors:  Acorn TV --try it for FREE for 30 days acorn.tv use code: DMA Function of Beauty-- get 20% off first order at functionofbeauty.com/DMA.

Harville Hendrix, PhD and his wife Helen Hunt, PhD have been helping couples for years as therapists, authors and speakers. They are on a mission to share the concepts of safe conversations with the world. They join me to share how their method can help us have more effective in-depth conversations with our spouse and children. This works every time. It works with parents, with children and couples. It is something that we now know scientifically that if you mirror another person back accurately and with warmth and no judgment, something will happen inside of them. Something marvelous. They model a safe conversation for us and offer a lot of encouragement and hope for couples who are struggling and how “Conflict is future growth waiting to happen.” Harville and Helen have an amazing offer for DMA listeners. Use code DMA on their site at safeconversations.com to get 50% off your choice of SC Essentials or the Ultimate Couples Bundle, both courses will receive free tickets to a live workshop of your choice, a $196 value. Connect with Harville & Helen:  Website:  https://harvilleandhelen.com  Facebook: facebook.com/harvilleandhelen  Instagram:  @harvilleandhelen  Links Mentioned:   Safe Conversations courses: https://safeconversations.com Featured Sponsors: BetterHelp-- visit betterhelp.com/DMA to get 10% off your first month of professional therapy. Warby Parker--Try 5 pairs of glasses at home for free. Go to warbyparker.com/DMA.

Our kids begin to feel and respond to shame as early as 15 to 18 months of age. Those early moments can begin a lifelong struggle with feeling unworthy, inadequate and unlovable. Shame also disintegrates us (separating our thinking brain from our feeling brain) and isolates us from others.  My guest is Dr. Curt Thompson, a psychiatrist and expert on the effects of shame and how to find freedom from the lifelong negative messages that come after us and our family. “One of the things that we notice about shame is that because we are immobilized and we are hiding, shame does not actually ever allow us to move toward God. This is why we have to have someone come and find us. This is why when our children are experiencing shame, we have to go and find them. This is why it's important for us as parents to have others who are coming to find us.” YES! Moms don’t let moms sit in shame. We can choose to seek out others when they are stuck in the shame cycle. Who are your 2 or 3 moms that will help you tell your story more truly?  Dr. Thompson walks us through some practical ways to build in memories and physical reminders to work against shame in the future for both ourselves and others. And throughout our conversation he points back to how God doesn’t leave us to deal with shame alone. “The beautiful thing is Jesus isn’t worried about our kids. He's not worried about your mothering. He's delighted. He knows how hard this work is and he knows that we will do it imperfectly. Even when we have our worst moments in which we foist to shame upon our kids or when our kids experience shame against everything that we're doing to try to combat it, God is saying: ‘I'm not worried. I never run out of options.’” Connect with Dr. Thompson:  Website:  https://curtthompsonmd.com  Facebook: https://curtthompsonmd.com/  Instagram: @curt_thompson_md  Links Mentioned:   BOOK: The Soul of Shame  BOOK: Anatomy of the Soul Featured Sponsors: Pretty Litter-- Get 20% off your first order at prettylitter.com with promo code: DMA  Thrive Market -- Orders of $49 or more ship free. Get 25% off your first order and a FREE gift at thrivemarket.com/DMA.

I love Kirk’s realistic approach to parenting. He understands what your home dynamics are like. And gives practical tips. After listening to today’s episode you will have at least three different “tricks” to apply. Most of all, I’m thankful for the new perspective he has given me. Kirk helped me recognize how emotionally invested I was in my boys’ behavior and freed me from the need to regulate their behavior for them. The last couple days I’ve enjoyed the boys more. I’m also less tense and frustrated when we are out in public. In fact, I may need to go back and listen to this episode more than once, so it sticks! This episode originally aired in May of 2015 Kirk came back on the show multiple times. Check out additional episodes here. What we chat about: Kirk’s realization that he needed to focus on his own behavior and stop trying to fix his son’s strong-willed behavior. The switch he made from training 1500 kids in his home to training parents to calm themselves. The one thing you can do today to de-escalate a tense situation in your home. How to calmly handle your child’s meltdown I can only control one person in life, and that’s me. How motion changes emotion–helping little ones calm down b/c they don’t know how to “think” their way out. What to do in the middle of Target aisle 3 when your child freaks out Handling a tantruming child when his siblings are fighting and another needs help with homework and dinner is cooking (Heather’s daily 5 pm reality). If you don’t care enough about yourself, to take care of yourself physically, emotionally, spiritually. . .why would anyone else care? How sometimes parents want good behavior so badly, they are too invested in it and give children too much control. How to be an impartial giver of wisdom. Write down your emotional triggers & do the opposite of what you normally do. Connect with Kirk: Site :: Twitter :: Facebook :: Podcast Links Mentioned: CDs/DVDs 888-506-1871–Toll Free Number for Frustrated Parents Become a DMA Insider! Join me and Bruce in 2021 to discuss StrengthsFinder! How it impacts your marriage, parenting and career. You're invited! 

This episode originally aired in Nov 2016 Today’s guest is Christy Nockels, Dove award winning musician and mom to three children. In 2006 she made the God-led choice to step away from the music industry, for a time, to pour into her family. In 2016 she released the solo Christmas album, “The Thrill of Hope”. With a blend of classic Christmas carols and original pieces, she has crafted a beautiful addition to our Christmas music collections. In this episode you’ll hear the inspiration behind the songs, “Amaryllis” and “Wrap This One Up”. . .both stories gave me goosebumps. I won’t think of the Bethlehem shepherds the same way again. And the winter blooming amaryllis reminds us the hope Jesus brought . . . Our King has come, He’s with us now & He’s making all things new again. That’s the thrill of hope. What we chat about: How motherhood takes you from peaceful quiet times to sock-and-underwear prayers The secret of simple scripture and open dialogue with God Christy’s new album “The Thrill of Hope”- her first Christmas album! The message of the amaryllis for those with heavy hearts in the Christmas season How “wrapped in swaddling clothes” may have meant much more to the shepherds Christy’s song on the new album that makes her listeners “ugly cry” Links Mentioned: Psalm 37:4-7 “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” The Glorious in the Mundane podcast “The Thrill of Hope” available on Christy’s site or Amazon** Ellie Holcomb PDF of “Amaryllis” lyrics I made. . . You are invited to become a DMA Insider! Join us over here and get bonus content. Including live Mentor Moment Q&As. In 2021 Bruce and I will lead Insiders through a StrengthsFinder Series. Learn the 101s of StrengthsFinder. And how knowing your Strengths impacts your marriage, parenting and career.  Merry Christmas!

This is episode originally aired in Nov of 2015.  Our copy is duct-taped and well-loved. . . My oldest son beamed telling me how he’s read the whole Bible in a couple weeks. . . It’s sold almost 2 million copies. . . Children (and adults) have been wooed by the story of their Great Rescuer. Of His ‘Never-Stopping, Never Giving Up, Unbreaking, Always and Forever Love.’ And now “The Jesus Storybook Bible” is even more accessible. This week’s podcast guest, author Sally Lloyd-Jones, chats with me about her newest project. . . Same great content, new design, new title. . .for a new audience. “The Story of God’s Love for You” is now available. For the person you never would have thought to give a children’s Bible. The person who needs to hear: “It’s not about rules, so keeping them God will love us. Or heroes we’re supposed to copy so God will love us. It’s about a God who loved us before we even knew Him. A God who will move heaven and earth to be with His children.” –Sally Lloyd-Jones In this episode, Sally shares a little of her background and the inspiration behind “The Jesus Storybook Bible”. We also spend time talking about how God uses stories to reach our hearts. Sally knows how to speak grace and the gospel message. Her words will feel like a deep cleansing breath. Her books are daily reminders of grace. The grace we long to show ourselves and our children. Connect with Sally: Story of God’s Love for You :: Site :: Facebook :: Instagram Join our DMA Community:  Become a DMA Insider. In 2021 Bruce and I will lead the community through a StrengthsFinder Series. Learn the 101 of StrengthsFinder. How knowing your strengths helps your marriage, parenting and career. 

"We can feel isolated – that’s real, but we can’t stay there. We have the entire trinity on our side, the Father loving us fiercely and making a good plan, the Holy Spirit interceding on our behalf, our coheir Christ interceding and making a way for us. Don’t believe the lie that it’s all on your shoulders, and it’s all up to you and you have no clue where to go or what to do.  He is a very big God, and what’s better – He is incredibly near." --Jess Connolly, A Naptime Diary This is an edited, republished episode from April 2015.  In this episode Jess openly shares about her bouts with depression. She offers three “helps” for the gal struggling to have hope. I nodded with agreement at everything she says.  Especially the clinging to intimacy with God part. The praying out loud, walking around your house reading Scripture part. Cuz motherhood is no joke. There is an invisible battle raging all around us. We aren’t alone. Like Jess said we have the entire trinity on our side. Connect with Jess here: https://jessconnolly.com/ **Starting in 2021 Don't Mom Alone Insiders in our Patreon Community will begin a "StrengthsFinder Series". Learn the 101 of StrengthsFinder, how it impacts your marriage and parenting and get direction for your life pursuits. Go to Patreon.com/DontMomAlone to learn more. **

Between the pandemic and uncertainty of this last year and all the pressure of the upcoming holiday season, there is a lot of potential for conflict. My friend and mentor Lynn Hoffman is here with some timely advice on how to engage in this inevitable conflict in a healthy way. We talk about doing some inner work when you feel hurt by someone or see conflict on the horizon and Lynn shares some stories of how examining her own heart and feelings have made all the difference in her own relationships.  “It’s about recognizing that I'm a limited human being and I have a limited amount of emotional capacity. It is not infinite. So it's my responsibility. Not somebody else's to pull back and spend some time with the Lord.To do some inner work to really figure out, okay, what's going on with me and what do I need at this moment?” Whether you find yourself in new, hard places of stress and conflict or fear the constant repeating of old woundings when interacting with family, this episode is for you.  Questions to ask yourself in conflict: What happened? What do I think about this situation and person? What did I want (expect)? How do I feel (now and any related past feelings) Links Mentioned:   EP 129: Recovery For Life :: Lynn Hoffman Lynn’s Book: Steps Into God's Grace: Spiritual Formation through God’s Word and the 12 Steps of Recovery EP 250: Setting Healthy Boundaries with Family :: Dr. John Townsend Featured Sponsors:  Hello Bello -- Get 25% off your diaper bundle order. Plus get 15% off any add-ons. Go to hellobello.com/DMA Skylight Frames-- Get $10 off your purchase of a Skylight Frame. Go to: Skylight.com and enter the code DMA Ancestry -- Get an Ancestry gift today with their special Holiday pricing. Ancestry.com/DMA