

My Southern Godmother
Jena Dunay & Debbie French
My Southern Godmother is a cross-generational, faith-based podcast designed to help you navigate the ups and downs of life. Hosted by Debbie French (70-something) and Jena Dunay (30-something).We'll learn what it looks like to walk with Jesus through all seasons of life - from those that have lived it. So if you’re feeling discouraged in this season. Or you’re looking for some encouragement. Or just some inspiration to re-engage your faith.You’ve come to the right place. Welcome to My Southern Godmother.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Aug 13, 2025 • 34min
30. The Funniest Scripture (Debbie's Version)
What if the best years of your life are still ahead of you?This week on My Southern Godmother, Debbie shares a story (and a hilarious but powerful scripture from Joshua) that completely shifted her perspective when she thought God might be “finished” with her. We talk about:How to recognize when you’re in a preparation seasonWhy your gifts never age - even if your body doesThe difference between being “put out to pasture” and stepping into new purposeWhat it means to take new territory in your life and faithIf you’ve been feeling like your time has passed, this episode will remind you: God’s not done with you yet. There’s much more territory to take.QUESTION OF THE WEEK: Where in your life might God be inviting you to step back in and take new territory?--Encouraged by this episode? Help us spread the My Southern Godmother message:✅ Leave a review and subscribe📤 Share this episode with a friend👩👧 Share it with the Women’s Director at your church📬 Email us at mysoutherngodmother@gmail.com - tell us your God stories or what stood out to you in this episode!

Aug 6, 2025 • 33min
29. The Secret to Contentment (Even in Hard Seasons)
Ever wondered how Paul could say, “I’ve learned to be content in all circumstances”… while sitting in prison?This week on My Southern Godmother, Debbie and I dig into what true biblical contentment really means....and how it’s not the same as complacency. We share:The big difference between contentment and complacencyWhy our wants can quietly steal our joyA story about a professional athlete learning to see his blessings differentlyPractical steps to cultivate peace no matter your circumstancesIf you’ve been longing for “more” and finding yourself restless, this conversation might just be the reset your heart needs.QUESTION OF THE WEEK: Where in your life do you feel discontent—and what might God be inviting you to learn in that place?----Encouraged by this episode? Help us spread the My Southern Godmother message:✅ Leave a review and subscribe📤 Share this episode with a friend👩👧 Share it with the Women’s Director at your church📬 Email us at mysoutherngodmother@gmail.com - tell us your God stories or what stood out to you in this episode!

Jul 30, 2025 • 35min
REPLAY: Listen if You're Feeling Anxious
To be honest friends, Debbie and I had some scheduling issues and couldn't get out our new episode in time this week.BUT! We wanted to reshare one of our most popular episodes from the past year. This episode is rich with advice, scripture, and a great analogy about a cruise ship. I needed to hear this message again. We'll be back next week with a brand spankin' new episode for you!-Are you encouraged by these episodes? Here's how you can help us spread the My Southern Godmother message:Leave us a review and make sure you subscribe!Share with a friendFollow us on Instagram @mysoutherngodmotherShare with the Women's Director at your churchShoot us an email at mysoutherngodmother@gmail.com - we'd love to hear your God stories!

Jul 23, 2025 • 34min
28. What To Do With Unanswered Prayers
Have you ever felt like your prayers were just… bouncing off the ceiling?Same.This week on My Southern Godmother, Debbie and I dive into the real talk of unanswered prayers: How we wrestle with them, what they reveal about our trust, and what it means to pray even when we don’t see results.We talk about:The season I spent begging God for a husband (and what finally shifted)Why “I’m living in answered prayers” might just be our next piece of merchThe teenager prayer trap we all fall intoA practical 5-minute prayer challenge that could change your lifeIf you’ve ever felt like God was silent, this episode is for you.✨ Challenge of the Week: Take 5 minutes to pray—without asking for anything. Just praise. Just thanks. Just time with Him.Try it. Then email us or DM @mysoutherngodmother and tell us how it went. We’d love to hear from you.

Jul 16, 2025 • 32min
27. How to Share the Gospel with Friends (Without it Being Awkward)
Have you ever wanted to tell someone about Jesus but didn’t know how to start?You’re not alone. I didn’t grow up knowing how to share my faith. I worried about saying the wrong thing… offending someone… or messing it up completely.But this week on My Southern Godmother, Debbie shares one of the most beautiful stories I’ve ever heard (literally sobbed during this convo!) about a young woman she met in Ghana and how a simple invitation changed everything.We talk about:The woman at the well and what she teaches us about evangelismHow to share your faith without a script or pressureWhy your story is the most powerful testimony you haveThe lie that you have to “close the deal”And how my toddler reminded me what it means to simply say, “Come and see”QUESTION OF THE WEEK: Who’s on your heart this week and how could you share Jesus with them?And if someone came to mind as you listened, email us at mysoutherngodmother.com so we can pray for them by name.-----Encouraged by this episode? Help us spread the My Southern Godmother message:✅ Leave a review and subscribe📤 Share this episode with a friend who’s feeling weary👩👧 Share it with the Women’s Director at your church📬 Email us at mysoutherngodmother@gmail.com - tell us your God stories or what stood out to you in this episode!

Jul 9, 2025 • 32min
26. Listen If You've Ever Hated Your Body
When I was in college, I thought about my body constantly.Am I pretty enough? Skinny enough? Worthy enough?For over a decade, I let those questions define how I saw myself and how I showed up in the world. The scale became my mirror. Control became my coping. And the voice in my head was one I’d never speak to my daughter.But God didn’t leave me there.This week on My Southern Godmother, Debbie and I have a tender and honest conversation about body image, control, and identity: how the world shapes us, and how Jesus restores us.In this episode:How body shame showed up in my story - and how God met me in the middle of itWhy Debbie never struggled with this (and what we can learn from that)What Psalm 139 really means when it says you’re “fearfully and wonderfully made”The moment I realized I’d never say to my daughter the things I used to say to myselfWhy this struggle can be the “good girl’s addiction” - and what to do about itQUESTION OF THE WEEK: What are the things you’re saying to yourself that you’d never say to someone you love?-----Encouraged by this episode? Help us spread the My Southern Godmother message:✅ Leave a review and subscribe📤 Share this episode with a friend who’s feeling weary👩👧 Share it with the Women’s Director at your church📬 Email us at mysoutherngodmother@gmail.com - tell us your God stories or what stood out to you in this episode!

Jul 2, 2025 • 32min
25. Yikes! Do I REALLY Need to Submit to My Husband?
Honestly, I hate the word submission. So I asked Debbie about it.In this week’s episode of My Southern Godmother, Debbie and I get into it. What does biblical submission actually look like in a healthy marriage? How does mutual respect play into it? And - most important of all - what does the Bible say about our submission to Christ?In this episode:The story of how Debbie didn’t budge - and what God revealed through itWhy submission doesn’t mean control or silenceWhat mutual submission in a Christian marriage looks like....And what it doesn'tThe one question Debbie’s friend asked her husband that I’ll never forgetHow growing up shaped the way I think about respect (and what I want to pass on to my kids)QUESTION OF THE WEEK: Are you submitting to your spouse - and more importantly, are you submitting to Christ?Please note: There are nuances around this topic and we understand people may be coming from various backgrounds and situations. Take care while listening.-----Encouraged by this episode? Help us spread the My Southern Godmother message:✅ Leave a review and subscribe📤 Share this episode with a friend who’s feeling weary👩👧 Share it with the Women’s Director at your church📬 Email us at mysoutherngodmother@gmail.com - tell us your God stories or what stood out to you in this episode!

Jun 25, 2025 • 31min
24. How to Forgive People Who Never Say Sorry
There’s a verse in Matthew that hit me like a ton of bricks:“But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matthew 6:15)I had to ask Debbie if that was really in the Bible. Spoiler: it is. 😳This week on My Southern Godmother, we’re talking about forgiveness: the kind that feels impossible, the kind you want to avoid, and the kind that sets you free. Debbie shares a powerful story about someone she genuinely struggled to love, and how God broke through in the most unexpected way. And I share how some of my dreams (yes, literal dreams) revealed unforgiveness I didn’t even realize I was still holding onto.In this episode:Why forgiveness isn’t just spiritualThe unexpected way bitterness shows up in your everyday lifeA moment in Debbie’s car that changed everythingHow to forgive someone who never said “I’m sorry”Why letting go doesn’t mean pretending it didn’t hurtQUESTION OF THE WEEK: Who do you need to forgive?-----Encouraged by this episode? Help us spread the My Southern Godmother message:✅ Leave a review and subscribe📤 Share this episode with a friend who’s feeling weary👩👧 Share it with the Women’s Director at your church📬 Email us at mysoutherngodmother@gmail.com—tell us your God stories or what stood out to you in this episode!

Jun 18, 2025 • 37min
23. The Most Embarrassing Way I’ve Judged Someone (And What It Taught Me)
I’m not proud of it - but I’ve judged people for things I had no business judging.And wouldn’t you know… it came right back around. 😬This week on My Southern Godmother, Debbie and I talk about the kind of judgment Jesus warns us about - the kind that says more about us than the person we’re criticizing. We dig into a verse I thought I understood…until God used a house project, a newborn, and a very humbling moment to show me otherwise.In this episode:The verse that hit Debbie differently after 30+ years of faithThe story of how I judged a stranger… and then found myself in their shoesWhat to do when your reaction is bigger than the offenseHow to check your own heart before checking someone else’s behaviorQUESTION OF THE WEEK: Has there ever been a time you judged someone and then found yourself in the same situation?----Encouraged by this episode? Help us spread the My Southern Godmother message:✅ Leave a review and subscribe📤 Share this episode with a friend who’s feeling weary👩👧 Share it with the Women’s Director at your church📬 Email us at mysoutherngodmother@gmail.com—tell us your God stories or what stood out to you in this episode!

Jun 11, 2025 • 33min
22. Listen If Someone's Comment from Years Ago Still Stings
We’ve all had something said to us that stuck.Sometimes it was life-giving.Other times? It became a label we’ve carried for years.This week on My Southern Godmother, Jena and Debbie talk about the power of words - how they shape our identity, influence our parenting, and reveal what’s in our hearts.In this episode:A bedtime story gone sideways (and the words that brought it back)The comment that made Jena question who she really wasWhat Jesus’ question - “Do you want to be healed?” - means for us todayWhy our words to kids matter more than we thinkHow to speak life when you’re exhausted and overstretchedDebbie and Jena talk about potential merch!QUESTION OF THE WEEK: How are you storing up God's word in your heart?---Encouraged by this episode? Help us spread the My Southern Godmother message:✅ Leave a review and subscribe 📤 Share this episode with a friend who’s feeling weary 👩👧 Share it with the Women’s Director at your church 📬 Email us at mysoutherngodmother@gmail.com—tell us your God stories or what stood out to you in this episode!