Motherhood comes with lots of hard things—but by God’s grace, those very things can bring fruit in our lives. In this episode, Emily and Laura interview Jani Ortlund about some of the hard things she faced as a mom of young children, like fatigue, fear, and finances. Jani is a writer, speaker, and podcast host who ministers alongside her husband, Ray. She is a mother of four and grandmother of fourteen who remembers well the challenges of the little years. In the midst of the hard, she encourages us to keep seeking the Lord, trusting that he will gently lead us.

When we say, “The gospel changes everything,” we mean everything! Even the way we think about makeup. Whether you’re a mom who loves it or hates it, wears it or doesn't, exploring our thoughts and feelings about makeup opens a window into our beliefs about beauty and identity. Join Emily and Laura in this episode for some fun conversation and gospel application as they consider how we can rightly enjoy beauty and be good stewards of our bodies, while ultimately finding our identity in Christ.

Whenever we ask the R|M community for questions, they range from lighthearted and practical to thought-provoking and theological, which makes the AUA show something special. In this one-hour episode, Emily and Laura answer listeners’ questions from how to survive motherhood without family support and how to protect children from negative influences, to how they maintain privacy for their families on social media and what their quiet time looks like. We hope as you listen, you’ll see how the gospel applies to everything and how we have freedom in Christ to serve our families in unique ways.

The Bible is the timeless word of God, but finding time to study it as a mom of young children can feel nearly impossible. Does it count as a quiet time if we’re surrounded by noisy children? How is it possible that no matter how early we wake up for Bible study, our children seem to wake up earlier? The little years bring real struggles for spending time in God’s word, but there’s hope! In this special bonus episode, Emily and Laura share a chapter from their book, Risen Motherhood: Gospel Hope for Everyday Moments, called, “The Little Years are Not the Lost Years.” In it, they offer encouragement and practical tips for spending time in God’s word and growing in our love for the gospel, even during busy seasons of motherhood.

Prayer seems like one of the most basic parts of the Christian life, but it can also be one of the most confusing. What exactly is prayer? What should we pray for? Are there things we shouldn’t pray for? How do we teach our kids to pray? In this episode, Emily and Laura discuss these questions and more with Kristie Anyabwile. Kristie shares from her wisdom and experience, encouraging us to go boldly and confidently to the Lord in prayer. We don’t have to do it perfectly, because we have a perfect Savior who is always interceding for us!

If the word “discipline” makes you feel confused, discouraged, or even defeated, you’re not alone! As our children transition from sweet, snuggly babies into tantrum-throwing toddlers, we can see that they need discipline, but knowing how to discipline is a different matter. We may wonder whether there’s a “right” way or a “Christian” way to discipline. We may even find ourselves wishing someone would just give us a cheat sheet with all the answers! In this episode, Emily shares some of her experience trying to make sense of discipline. Although there’s no clear-cut system to fix all of our discipline struggles, she helps us think about discipline through the lens of scripture and discusses seven practical things we can do when we don’t know how to discipline.

Dealing with differences can be hard. How do we engage with others who have very different life experiences, beliefs, or preferences than we do? How do we guide our children as they encounter these same challenges? In this episode, Emily and Laura invite four women to share how the truth that we’re all made in the image of God, or Imago Dei, impacts their motherhood and relationships. While it’s okay to be aware of our differences, the gospel reminds us that we’re all the same in one fundamentally important way—we’re created in the image of God. So whether we share many things in common or seemingly nothing at all, we can love our neighbors as God has loved us.  

Does all of the time, effort, and heart we put into motherhood really make a difference? When we make meals that end up on the floor, wash load after load of laundry, and discipline our children for the same behaviors day after day, it’s easy to wonder if motherhood makes an eternal impact. In this episode, Emily and Laura talk with Elyse Fitzpatrick and Eric Schumacher (authors of Worthy: Celebrating the Value of Women) about how moms matter in the redemptive story of the Bible. They help us see how God used the ordinary faithfulness of moms in scripture to lead to the birth of Jesus, and they encourage us that God is still working through moms just like us to carry out his plan of redemption in the lives of our children and beyond.

Most of us have heard it. Some of us have said it. There’s a common encouragement to moms of littles that if we “pay our dues now” or if we’re “faithful in the small things” then there will be bigger things coming later as our unseen sacrifices give way to visible fruit. In this episode, Emily and Laura unpack this idea, helping us see that while it comes from a very right desire to encourage faithfulness in following Christ, it may lead us to wrong expectations. Rather than serving the Lord looking ahead to “better” things he might give us later, we can be content in serving him now, because he has already given us the best thing in his Son.

Being a mom can feel isolating. Our children may be our constant companions, but we often long to interact with other adults, and social media can be a fun and easy way to connect. But with statistics showing that the average person spends 2.5 hours a day on social media, we’re wise to consider how it affects our ability to live out the calling of motherhood. In this episode, Emily and Laura discuss how social media is designed to draw us in and how it might influence our hearts and actions more than we may realize. They offer practical boundaries for social media use and encourage us to consider whether that use of  time is beneficial to our growth in Christ. It’s important for Christians to be present on social media, but we don’t want our presence there to come at the cost of loving God and others.

Have you ever frozen as your child loudly asks why another child is in a wheelchair? Wondered how to check in with your friend after her child receives a difficult diagnosis? Felt unsure of how to encourage a mom who feels their child’s needs might be “too much” for the church to handle? In this special round table, Emily and Laura are joined by Abigail Dodds and Katie Blackburn to discuss what it’s like to raise a child with special needs and how others can show support. Whether you’re impacted directly or indirectly by the joys and challenges of this reality, we hope this show encourages and equips you to love moms who have children with special needs.

Moving is hard. One day, you’re packing a box faster than your toddler can unpack it, and the next, you need Google maps to find the kids’ new school. Your family can feel uprooted, discouraged, exhilarated, and adventurous all on the same day. In this episode, Emily and Laura discuss the challenges of moving with littles (which overlaps with any season of transition!). While moving is hard and full of unknowns, we can be sure God has a plan, and it’s a good one. These days, months, or even years aren’t throwaway seasons. By God’s grace, they’re times of pruning and growth in our hearts, leading us to joy in Christ—not our circumstances.