M Is for Mama Podcast

Today's episode is a little different, but it's what I felt the Lord nudging me to say as I've received a number of panicked DMs asking for encouragement and reassurance in the midst of the uncertain and even tragic circumstances that so many around the world are enduring. Remember, friends, that we were never called to either a) bury our heads in the sand and pretend that suffering doesn't exist OR b) immerse ourselves only in doom and gloom and forget that we have hope in the Lord and an obligation to keep loving God and loving our neighbor. Also, prayer is powerful. I hope this episode brings you fresh perspective and vision! Bible References: Ecclesiastes 1:9 Matthew 24:12 Matthew 25 Philippians 1:21 Matthew 24:6-13 Ephesians 6:10-18 Galatians 6:9 John 16:33 Philippians 2:3-4 Jeremiah 24:15 Psalm 119:105 James 5:16 Matthew 18:20 1 Thessalonians 5:17 Links: ⁠⁠⁠M Is for Mama⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Penny Reward System⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Leave a Review for the M is for Mama Show⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Paint & Prose⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pre-Order Hard Is Not the Same Thing as Bad⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠M Is For Mama Chore Guide⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠M Is For Mama Meal Plan Sign-Up⁠ Find Abbie at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook

Shaun and I got the incredible opportunity to visit a "bucket list" locale "for my birthday" (I really did have a birthday while there, but it was mostly just a fun excuse to take a trip during a gorgeous time of year). It was one of the most enjoyable and relaxing trips that I can remember in recent years, and the scenery was beyond beautiful. (Special thanks to my nice parents for staying with our kids and keeping everything running smoothly at home.) I had so many requests for a trip recap + itinery + places we ate that I decided to ask Shaun to join me for a chat about all things Banff (or at least all things Banff that we experienced), and he said yes! We hope you enjoy and get some inspiration for trips of your own (whether to Banff or not). Restaurants mentioned: Jerusalem Shawarma Farm and Fire Brazen Sky Bistro Bare Bistro Links: ⁠⁠M Is for Mama⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Penny Reward System⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Leave a Review for the M is for Mama Show⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Paint & Prose⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Pre-Order Hard Is Not the Same Thing as Bad⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠M Is For Mama Chore Guide⁠⁠⁠ M Is For Mama Meal Plan Sign-Up Find Abbie at: ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Facebook

Friends! This episode was so fun to record. My friend, Emily Morrow (AKA: Really Very Crunchy) drove all the way from Kentucky with her family to stay with us for a weekend to celebrate at my Hard Is Not the Same Thing as Bad book launch party. While she was here, we sat down to chat about all things internet fame (hers, not mine), DMs, the origin of her account, finding and making lasting friendships, motherhood, Emily’s new book, and so much more.  Is she really very crunchy? Does she mouth tape? What was she really thinking when I slathered her son in lavender oil after he got into his first ever bed of fire ants? (Ugh, Texas, c’mon!)  You’ll never know until you listen! Find Emily on Instagram at @reallyverycrunchy (she also posts to Youtube and Tiktok under the same name).  You can also pre-order her new book here! Bible References: 1 Peter 4:8 Philippians 2:3 Ephesians 4:2 Matthew 21:9 Luke 23:21 Ecclesiastes 1:9 Links: ⁠⁠M Is for Mama⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Penny Reward System⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Leave a Review for the M is for Mama Show⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Paint & Prose⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Pre-Order Hard Is Not the Same Thing as Bad⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠M Is For Mama Chore Guide⁠⁠⁠ M Is For Mama Meal Plan Sign-Up Find Abbie at: ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Facebook

If you’ve ever wondered how someone else “does it all,” I’ve got a spoiler alert for you: They don’t. No one does (definitely me included).  Plus, I truly believe there’s a better question we could be asking (that I share in this episode). And I chat about the Lord’s provision for help that has enabled me to do more in this season (without feeling like such a Lone Ranger) than I have in the past.  Yes, there are some people that have more on their plate than others, and there are some seasons that allow for less/more capacity. But as long as we are more concerned with the Lord’s will and His perfect timing than with any desire to replicate someone else’s “system,” we can be truly content in the “good works that He has prepared in advance for us.”  Be encouraged that, as you seek the Lord, He has you right where you need to be, doing exactly the right tasks you should be doing.  Bible References: Colossians 3:23 Philippians 4:12-13 Romans 12:15 2 Corinthians 2:19 Psalm 28:7 Links: ⁠⁠M Is for Mama⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Penny Reward System⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Leave a Review for the M is for Mama Show⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Paint & Prose⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Pre-Order Hard Is Not the Same Thing as Bad⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠M Is For Mama Chore Guide⁠⁠⁠ M Is For Mama Meal Plan Sign-Up Find Abbie at: ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Facebook

Ever been less-than-pleased with the body you see in the mirror? I've been there (in some ways, am still there at the moment). I would wager that, between pregnancy body changes, unrealistic cultural beauty standards (hello, air-brushing), and a tendency to be overly critical of our appearances, most of us women can relate to wishing we could tweak a thing or two about the way we look. But is that how God views us? If we look to Scripture, we quickly discover that, rather than swinging to one extreme or the other of either self-indulgence or vain self-obsession, we are to "offer our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God." (Romans 12:1) In other words, it's way less about how we look (a lesson I am constantly learning/relearning as my body ages) and way more about how we love God and love others with the resources (including the body) He's given us. I am still a work in progress in every area, including this one, but, as always, I'm so grateful the Lord is so gracious not to leave us where He finds us. Bible References: Psalm 139:14 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 1 Corinthians 10:31 Ephesians 4:23 2 Corinthians 10:5 Philippians 4:11-13 Colossians 3:17 Philippians 4:7 Links: ⁠⁠M Is for Mama⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Penny Reward System⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Leave a Review for the M is for Mama Show⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Paint & Prose⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Pre-Order Hard Is Not the Same Thing as Bad⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠M Is For Mama Chore Guide⁠⁠⁠ M Is For Mama Meal Plan Sign-Up Find Abbie at: ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Facebook

If hard is not the same thing as bad, does that then mean all hard things are good? NOPE. In this episode, we chat about when hard really is bad, how the Lord can still teach us and shape us through those things, and when to “abandon” the hard because God is clearly offering a different path forward.  Also, a super exciting update from our family that perfectly exemplifies the Lord’s gracious provision in the midst of the challenging aftermath of our downstairs house flooding.  Pssttt…I also have a chapter about this in Hard Is Not the Same Thing as Bad.  For our video audience, we apologize, but there is no video this week. Also the audio is a bit rougher than usual, we’ll be back to usual programming next week! Bible References: Romans 5:3-5 Isaiah 65:17 Romans 8:28 John 3:16 Romans 6:23 Links: ⁠⁠M Is for Mama⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Penny Reward System⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Leave a Review for the M is for Mama Show⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Paint & Prose⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Pre-Order Hard Is Not the Same Thing as Bad⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠M Is For Mama Chore Guide⁠⁠⁠ M Is For Mama Meal Plan Sign-Up Find Abbie at: ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Facebook

In a therapy-centric culture, it can be hard to differentiate between biblical truth and secular psychology (some aspects of which are at complete odds with each other). Anytime I speak to the importance of addressing this phenomenon from a biblical perspective, I get one of two responses: 1. “Thank you for speaking up,” or 2. “Please don’t talk about this. You’ll keep people from getting the help they need.” So, which is it? Is it possible to question the “everybody needs therapy” narrative and examine it in the light of Scripture without hindering those who really do need professional counseling? To help answer that question, I invited my friend, Amy Waters, who is a Bible-Believing professional counselor and owner of her own wellness practice called Living Well, on the show to discuss things like the overuse of the Three Ts (therapy, triggers, and trauma), what it looks like to shine the light of Capital T Truth on them, and how we can discern if we need therapy or just need to find better community.  I love her compassionate, measured, and, above all, biblical approach to this topic, and I think everyone who listens to this conversation will benefit greatly from the back-and-forth between two women who love the Lord first and really want to see women (and everyone else!) thrive in their God-given callings, however that can best be achieved in a biblical way.  P.S. I mention in this episode that Hard Is Not the Same Thing as Bad comes out next week, BUT, that’s actually THIS week. It released yesterday, and is available just about everywhere books are sold! Bible References: Colossians 3:17 2 Peter 1:3 John 11:38-44 Proverbs 27:6  James 3:16 Matthew 12:34 Isaiah 28:27-29 Proverbs 25:2 Deuteronomy 31:6 Hebrew 6:19 Matthew 24:13 Romans 5:4 1 Corinthians 3:19 Romans 12:15 Psalm 34:8 Links: ⁠⁠M Is for Mama⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Penny Reward System⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Leave a Review for the M is for Mama Show⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Paint & Prose⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Pre-Order Hard Is Not the Same Thing as Bad⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠M Is For Mama Chore Guide⁠⁠⁠ Find Abbie at: ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Facebook

Goodness gracious, friends! If you want to have a challenging week, have the audacity to publish a book called Hard Is Not the Same Thing as Bad. I can't tell you how many people have said, "It sure does seem like you're under spiritual attack right now, Abbie," and I suppose I have to agree, since the Bible clearly says that our fight is not against flesh and blood but against the spiritual realm. Still, the Lord has been so gracious to provide moments of respite and opportunities to recognize his mercies in the midst of the hard of back pain and scary episodes with wasp stings, and major publishing mess-ups, and, yes, an entire downstairs flooding so badly we are now living in a gutted kitchen. Even though some will call it "toxic positivity," I'm declaring my gratitude that the Lord has given our family a peace that truly passes all understanding through our current inconvenient, and sometimes frustrating, living situation. Be encouraged, friends. The Lord has not forgotten you in the midst of your struggles. He has a plan and a purpose for even this. Bible References: Ephesians 6:2 Ephesians 4:15 Philippians 4:7 Psalm 27:13 Matthew 10:30 Hebrews 13:5 Links: ⁠⁠M Is for Mama⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Penny Reward System⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Leave a Review for the M is for Mama Show⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Paint & Prose⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Pre-Order Hard Is Not the Same Thing as Bad⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠M Is For Mama Chore Guide⁠⁠⁠ Find Abbie at: ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Facebook

Today, we're wrapping up Our Grand European Adventure recaps! This one's a bit of grab bag as I share some of the challenges (expected and otherwise), joys, and a few tips and tricks sprinkled in. Let's just say toddler twins were a handful...often literally. And we knew they would be. But it's impossible to truly plan for the level of emotional extremes you'll experience when you've got a pair of jetlagged toddlers. But the high moments far outweighed the hard ones, and I make sure to share a few core memories I'll never forget. (Oh, and the town I couldn't remember that some said we should have gone to instead of Pisa is Sienna!) Enjoy, friends! Also, be sure to check out the fantastic (hand-drawn! affordable!) educational printables from my sponsor, Arrows and Applesauce. She has resources for everything from Bible to geography to early letters and numbers and so much more! Links: ⁠M Is for Mama⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Penny Reward System⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Leave a Review for the M is for Mama Show⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Paint & Prose⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Pre-Order Hard Is Not the Same Thing as Bad⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠M Is For Mama Chore Guide⁠ Flanders Family's Free Flight to Europe Europe Trip Backpacks: Tobiq + Ebags (Adult) + Ebags (Junior) Normandy 16th Century Castle AirBnB Find Abbie at: ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Facebook

Have I got a treat for you, friends! I talked Shaun into coming on today to share with us some tips and tricks for how to plan a trip like this. Most of his input is the first half of the episode, but he was gracious to hang around for the second half as well, and we had a blast reminiscing and sharing some of our anecdotes, packing tips, ticket-booking hacks, and more! I hope you'll find this episode both entertaining and informative. But sure to let Shaun know in the reviews how much you loved having his input into this episode so we can convince him to come back again soon! Links: ⁠M Is for Mama⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Penny Reward System⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Leave a Review for the M is for Mama Show⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Paint & Prose⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Pre-Order Hard Is Not the Same Thing as Bad⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠M Is For Mama Chore Guide⁠ Flanders Family's Free Flight to Europe Europe Trip Backpacks: Tobiq + Ebags (Adult) + Ebags (Junior) Normandy 16th Century Castle AirBnB Find Abbie at: ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Facebook