Creating Digital Safe Spaces :: Chris McKenna [Ep 360]

Marriage can be really hard. You start out so in love and excited but over time the daily strain of work, home, and parenting makes it challenging to connect with your spouse. Add a global pandemic and the strain is just overwhelming.  My guests Brent and Janis Sharpe are both Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists who have been married for 42 years. They are passionate about helping couples have healthy and thriving marriages even in the hardest of times.  “Most marriages are dealing with malnutrition. They're feeding everything else in their life… all the demands of children, the demands of taking care of a house, the demands of their job. And by the end of the day, they're just spent and they don't have much energy to move back towards each other. So finding little ways that we can move back towards one another and care for each other is significant.” We talk about healthy habits that we start right now to give our marriages a boost and they aren’t what you might expect. What is so encouraging about the tips they share is how simple and small these habits are and the big impact they can make. Don't miss the 90/10 lie!  Connect with Brent and Janis:  Website: brentandjanissharpe.com  Counseling Practice: lifeconnectioncounseling.com Links Mentioned:   Brent and Janis’ book: The Making of a Marriage Keeping Your Marriage Healthy While Sheltering in Place [BLOG POST] The Care and Feeding of Your Marriage [VIDEO] Featured Sponsors:  Prep Dish -- Get two weeks of meal plans for free prepdish.com/dma "Will You Be My Friend" -- new children's book by Sam McBratney and Anita Jeram featuring beloved characters Big and Little Nutbrown Hare -- found wherever books are sold. Amazon Link

5 Okt 202044min

It was such an honor for me to chat with one of my favorite authors for this episode. Max Lucado has written almost 100 books and is a pastor at Oak Hills Church in San Antonio. We talk about his new book You Are Never Alone and he shares with so much kindness and care about how we can trust in the miracle of God’s presence — yep, even in 2020.   Max knows God’s word and he combines meeting you where you with the truth of who God is in a powerful way as we talk about responding to loneliness as moms.   “I'm not saying it's going to be easy, but what if God does have a miracle? And what if God in his sovereignty can use this isolation or use this unusual circumstance to draw you closer to him and show you who he is? So rather than resist this, be open to the idea and say, Okay, Lord, I still believe you're there.”   If you are feeling weary with all this year has brought your way, this episode is the pep talk you need to reframe your perspective on God’s goodness and not give in to our emotions or feelings of hopelessness.  “The message of the miracles is you're really not by yourself. You're not alone. Your heavenly father loves you and the Lord Jesus will come to you. And the Holy Spirit will empower you. Don't give in to despair now. You may feel nothing but exhaustion, but your feelings are not a barometer of the presence of God.” Connect with Max:  Website:  maxlucado.com   Facebook: facebook.com/maxlucado  Instagram:  @maxlucado  Links Mentioned:   You Are Special (our family favorite!)** The Oak Inside the Acorn** Max’s New Book: You Are Never Alone** **Amazon affiliate links Featured Sponsors:  Will You Be My Friend -- new book by Sam McBratney (author of "Guess How Much I Love You") Available where books are sold**. Care/of -- Go to TakeCareOf.com take your 5 minute quiz. Enter code dma50 to get 50% off your first order. Sunbasket --Go to Sunbasket.com/DMA and enter code DMA to get $35 off your first order.

28 Sep 202042min

Keli Reese is a naturally joyful person and a teacher who loves children. She figured that motherhood would come naturally for her too. But, after having five children in five years she found herself in the midst of life and home with lots of littles and wondered where her joy had gone. “I had this mindset of what our home was going to be like because I'm doing this for Jesus. We're going to have this wonderful home. And when things were not looking that way, when I wasn't loving getting up early; I wasn't loving the laundry that never ended; I wasn't loving potty training; (all the things that was actually happening in my real life) I found myself sinking really deep.”  As she struggled to perform and achieve her way through motherhood and live up to the ideals she’d had before motherhood, Keli came to breaking point with God and that’s when everything changed.  “I said God, I can't do it anymore. I cannot do it. And I can just remember the love of the Lord wrapping around me. And he reminded me that no one called me to do it all. I experienced this relief in this release of God.” Connect with Keli:  Website: www.ministryinmothering.com   Facebook: facebook.com/ministryinmothering  Instagram: @ministryinmothering  Links Mentioned:   Keli’s life verses: Colossians 3:12-17 Featured Sponsors:  Ancestry Health -- Go to Ancestry.com/DMA to get your AncestryHealth kit today Thrive Market -- Go to ThriveMarket.com/DMA. Join today and you’ll get a FREE gift of your choosing, up to $24 dollars in value. BetterHelp -- Special offer for Don't Mom Alone listeners get 10% off your first month at betterhelp.com/Dma.

21 Sep 202039min

As a mom of three, Lynne Jackson struggled to maintain the order and perfection she expected to have in her life. Conflicts with her oldest son especially left her feeling defeated, angry and fearful of the future.  “The Lord was speaking to me one day about some of these beliefs that I had. And in Ephesians 4:15, it talks about speaking the truth in love. And I felt like I heard his voice say, you are not speaking the truth in love to yourself, about you and your kids. And then I went on a journey to figure out what was really true.” Lynne shares how she learned to fight back against the toxic lies she believed about herself and her kids with God’s truth.  We talk about practical ways we can take time to process our feelings with God and with others so we can let go of expectations that hurt our families and can find freedom in our identity in Christ. “The goal to have perfect kids and be a perfect mom is just a setup for anger and despair. And it's actually idolatry. The real truth that helps us let go of that chronic anger is it's my job to parent wisely. My kid's job is to learn over time, to respond wisely. And that's a process.” Connect with Lynne:  Website:  https://connectedfamilies.org   Facebook: facebook.com/ConnectedFamilies   Instagram:  @connectedfams  Links Mentioned:   Grace and Truth for Moms Online Course Discipline that Connects Fall 2020 Course --- use code "DMA" to save 15% off registration More Episodes with the Jacksons:   Ep 200 The Entitlement Fix :: Jim and Lynne Jackson Bonus Mentor Episode–Resolving Sibling Conflict :: Jim and Lynne Jackson Ep 221 Discipline 101 :: Jim and Lynne Jackson Ep 222 Connected Relationships :: Jim and Lynne Jackson  Ep 258 Helping Your Child with Sensory Processing Issues :: Lynne Jackson Featured Sponsors:  Sunbasket --get $35 off your first order at sunbasket.com/dma Acorn TV -- try it free for 30 days acorn.tv with code: dma BetterHelp --get 10% off your first month betterhelp.com/dma

14 Sep 202051min

As minister and mom of one with another child on the way, Dominique Young looked like she had it all together —  great job, great family, great ministry. But a few months into her second pregnancy she started experiencing postpartum psychosis, high anxiety and began hearing voices. The feelings she always tried to mask or hide behind helpful scriptures could not be controlled anymore, but she started to find breakthrough when she learned that her real problem was fear. “I always thought faith was easy. If I just said something and I kept moving, then God, on the back end, without my knowledge would take out all the fear. All I had to do is quote enough scripture. And what God began to show me is that he wanted me to have faith that he is God, so that I could just be human.” We talk about her experience of getting a new perspective on faith, learning to experience emotions in a healthy way, and allowing herself to rely on others more and she started her journey toward health and wholeness. Now, she helps other moms do the same with her online community of Faith Mamas. Connect with Dominique Young:  Website:  faithmamas.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/faithmamasvillage  Instagram:  @faithmamastribe  Links Mentioned:   Devotions and Bible Study Information from Faith Mamas Faith Mamas Podcast Featured Sponsors:  Featured Sponsors: BetterHelp -- get 10% off your first month -- betterhelp.com/dma PrepDish -- get two weeks free of meal plans -- prepdish.com/dma

7 Sep 202044min

Kimberly Amici wanted her family to live by a set of values and a mission. So, she sat down with her husband and wrote out her ideas and expectations. But, in the midst of their busy life raising three kids and “going with the flow,” the Amici family didn’t have a set purpose or culture and it showed. However, through a series of ongoing conversations as a family, Kimberly has been able to identify a few areas of purpose that are now a part of her family’s culture. It took having more in-depth conversations to get buy-in from kids to really identify and own their unique family culture. Now, Kimberly provides coaching and resources that help others build their best families by having these conversations, choosing a few values to focus on and making small steps towards those values each day.   “The routines that we've put in place, these small steps that we take every day is what builds culture. It's not some big campaign saying we're going to transform our lives and become this other family. It's these teeny, tiny steps along the way.” Connect with Kimberly Amici:  Website: kimberlyamici.com and buildyourbestfamily.com  Facebook: facebook.com/KimberlyAmiciBuildYourBestFamily Instagram:  @kimberlyamici Links Mentioned:   Family Retreat Packet Build Your Best Family Podcast Featured Sponsors: Sunbasket -- get $35 off your order at sunbasket.com/dma use promo code "dma" AncestryHealth -- get your genetic health kit over at Ancestry.com/DMA

31 Aug 202045min

(If you struggle with how to manage distance learning and working from home...listen to Kendra "lazy genius" that situation for me) Kendra Adachi also known as the Lazy Genius calls herself a professional permission giver. And she’s here to give us permission to be a genius about the things that matter and lazy about the things that don’t. “I've come to this place of realizing we do not need another life hack. MacGyvering together a list of hacks and inspirational quotes isn’t going to get you a life that is wholehearted and anchored in what matters to you. That's why you're tired because that doesn't work.” That sounds great, but the hard part is choosing what matters to YOU. We talk about how Kendra learned to let go of the expectations of doing everything well as a mom and how her Lazy Genius principles can help others get the same freedom. She helps me “lazy genius” my life when it comes to the constant interruptions of parenting and virtual schooling as a work-at-home mom with some solutions that are both practical and soulful. I hope this conversation is helpful to many of you as we head into a fall season full of unknowns.  My key takeaways: Make house rules that serve you and your sanity Breath prayer when you feel scattered or like everything needs your attention: Lord, open my eyes to what matters right now.  Connect with Kendra:  Website:  thelazygeniuscollective.com Facebook: facebook.com/thelazygeniuscollective Instagram: @thelazygenius Links Mentioned:   Kendra’s book The Lazy Genius Way Change Your Life Chicken The Magic of Motherhood by Ashlee Gadd Featured Sponsors:  1. Thrive Market -- go to thrivemarket.com/DMA start a risk-free membership and a get a FREE $22 gift of your choosing.  2. BetterHelp -- sign up with a licensed professional counselor online. 10% off your first month. betterhelp.com/DMA 3. Ancestry Health -- discover if you have genetic health risks by checking out ancestry.com/DMA

24 Aug 20201h 4min

When I recorded this interview in 2015 I had no idea just two years later my father would pass away. Stacey's wisdom on grief became my lifeline. This year with so many losses our hearts have experienced constant, low-level grief. On top of being quarantined, some of you may have lost loved ones. As moms, you've been unable to have time/space to grieve (or have a formal memorial service). Today’s podcast guest is my soul sister friend, Stacey Thacker. She and I have been chatting about life, Jesus and family for the many years. Stacey writes online and has authored several books (a new one releasing in just a few months--Threadbare Prayer). When we conducting this interview Stacey shared so much of what she had learned from the loss of her father. Since the interview she's experienced additional trauma and grief. Through it all she remains tethered to her faithful God. She is wise and can be trusted.   My hope is whether you are the one who has experienced loss or not, you will be encouraged that even when our worst fears are realized, God’s grace is ever present. And as Stacey points out: “He holds all things together. And all things means all things.” What we chat about: How the message of Stacey’s book, “Hope for the Weary Mom” became real How do moms grieve while handling the dailiness of motherhood What actions and words of friends comforted her the most How children grieve differently How to be available and present with a grieving friend What moments over the course of the year bring back grief How do you manage your home when one child has to be hospitalized How God holds all things together Connect with Stacey: Site :: Facebook :: Twitter :: Pinterest Links Mentioned: Releasing Oct 2020: Threadbare Prayer Hope for the Weary Mom Stacey’s posts on grief: My Journey Through Grief and Loss Nobody’s Cuter than You: A Memoir about the Beauty of Friendship**by Melanie Shankle Holding On to Hope: A Pathway through Suffering to the Heart of God**by Nancy Guthrie I Wasn’t Ready to Say Goodbye: Surviving, Coping and Healing After the Sudden Death of a Loved One   ** by Pamela Blair & Brook Noel Psalms 23 & Hosea 2 “He holds all things together.” Colossians 1:17 **Amazon affiliate links Featured Sponsor: PrepDish get two weeks of FREE meal plans if you go to http://prepdish.com/dma

10 Aug 202046min