Navigating the waters of grandparent-parent relationships can be difficult. How how much candy is too much? How do you invite them into your kids’ lives? How do you talk about boundaries? In this episode, Emily and Laura welcome their parents to the show to discuss how they honor one another in their differing roles and to work together to cultivate a gracious relationship. Whether you’re navigating a new grandparent relationship with your parents and in-laws or you are the grandparent, this episode is full of laughter, wisdom, and encouragement.

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.

Have you ever noticed your child light up as they greet others at church or offer drinks to guests in your home? Those moments could be the first glimpses into your child’s natural or spiritual gifts. In this episode, Emily and Laura interview Karen Hodge about nurturing our children’s gifts in the context of community. Karen is a pastor’s wife and mom of two adult children, who serves as the Coordinator for the PCA Women’s Ministry. She’s also the R|M Board Chair and has been a faithful encourager of the Risen Motherhood ministry. As parents, we disciple our children with eternity in mind, preparing them to meet Christ. What a privilege to teach them how to use their gifts for God’s glory.

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 about the R|M pop-up shop and upcoming conferences, to things like spiritual slumps, attraction in marriage, and finding the right church for your family. We hope as you listen, you’ll see how the gospel applies to everything and how we have freedom in Christ to serve others in unique ways. 

Stretch marks, loose skin, and under-eye circles—oh my! Many moms stand a little awkwardly before the mirror, examining their postpartum bodies. We may know the world’s standard isn’t a true one, but how do we find peace with our new bodies? In this episode, Emily and Laura invite five women to share how the gospel changes their outlook on their postpartum bodies. While we’re tempted to focus on what we think our bodies should be today, the gospel reminds us that our hope isn’t in our flesh. Instead, these bodies reminds us that our hope is in Jesus alone—who willingly bore our sins, scarring his perfect body to give us life. This hope gives us grateful hearts, so we can care for and steward the body we have today as a vessel for good works.

Moms are no strangers to worry. We daily consider the possibility of danger, hurt feelings, or stressful situations. We turn hypothetical situations around in our heads, trying to find solutions, but it feels like everything is just beyond our control. And so we worry. In this episode, Emily and Laura discuss how the gospel changes our worry. As moms in a broken world, we know we’re going to ask ourselves, “What if?” and, “What then?” But what do we do when we start to dwell on those questions? We train our minds with the promises of God found in Christ. As our trust in God’s care deepens, our worry can become worship.

Oh and ps: We’re having our fall fundraiser through Friday! Instead of ordering pizza for dinner this week, consider giving $25 to help 19 women hear the gospel.

It’s easy to think of things that are more fun than doing dishes or putting shoes back where they belong. But serving in motherhood often means sacrificing what we want in order to care for those around us in service to Christ. We know we’re called to be living sacrifices, but what are we supposed to do when the “sacrifice” part is uncomfortable? In this episode, Emily and Laura examine another angle of being a living sacrifice: service. Working hard to serve others isn’t an obstacle to fun or freedom. It’s the pathway to joy in Christ.

Sometimes we serve ourselves into exhaustion, and sometimes we avoid serving to keep ourselves comfortable. Neither extreme is good. Many of us have heard that we’re called to be a living sacrifice, but what does that mean? In this episode, Emily and Laura examine one angle of being a living sacrifice: burnout. While not every mom experiences full burnout, many of us believe our work proves our worth or the world depends on us. If these lies motivate us, we’ll live as though we’re limitless until we’re unable to do anything well. But a heart abiding in Christ knows we can work faithfully and restfully within our limitations, which are for God’s glory and our good.

We see each other every week at church, but our relationships can grow into more than just a quick wave in the lobby while a toddler hangs from our knee. We’re supposed to the church body, supporting and caring for one another by God’s grace as we grow together in Christ. In this episode, the Risen Motherhood team shares how their local church communities have helped them in various seasons. The church plays a vital role in the Christian’s life, and while it’s not perfect, God uses the church to help us grow in wisdom and maturity.

Most of us have our favorite “experts” or “gurus”—the voices we turn to for tips, tricks, and how-tos. We love the ability to learn something quickly by scrolling through our social media feeds. But should Christians solely depend on the “experts” of our culture to learn how to live a faithful life? In this episode, Emily and Laura examine why we like our gurus so much. While they are often be helpful, we’re called to unconditionally follow only one expert: Jesus. In Christ, God gives us the Holy Spirit to teach and train us in wisdom according to God’s word. We can still enjoy the gurus, but we know the source of all wisdom is God alone.

Why does marriage feel so hard in the little years? After pouring your energy and brain power out for your kiddos, it’s easy to offer your spouse the leftovers. In this episode, Emily and Laura invite some very special guests on the show to talk about marriage with little ones: their husbands, Brad Jensen and Mike Wifler! Dates may look different, conversations may constantly be interrupted, and serving one another may look mundane, but the gospel can breathe new life into marriage. The gospel story reminds us of God’s faithfulness as he works in our hearts—and the joy of partnering with others in the process.

The show is back! After a summer break, we’re kicking off the season by flipping the microphone and putting Emily and Laura in the interviewee seats to discuss being women in process. In Christ we’re growing, but we’re not perfect yet. So while we truly want to obey God, we still put our hope in other things. But even in the tension, Christ offers all we need as we learn to live lives of faithful obedience. No matter where we are in the process, the gospel meets us there.