When Dad has to work late (again) and the kids’ bedtimes are still hours away, is there a gracious response to give? Although long days might leave a wife stuck in cycles of comparison with other families and even anger, God hasn't left her without hope and help. No matter the income-producing work balance between mom and dad, it can feel challenging to navigate family life alongside work responsibilities. In this episode, Emily and Laura look at the ways we can honor our husbands through busy work seasons, inflexible schedules, travel, and missed expectations. When our hope is rooted in Christ, we can trust that even when our husband’s meeting runs long or he’s called into work on a Saturday morning, God is our sure foundation and our greatest help.

*This show is intended to address the typical strains of balancing work and parenting within the context of healthy Christian marriages. If you’re in a marriage that is experiencing these tensions within the context of unconfessed sin or neglect, we encourage you to reach out to a trusted mentor, pastor, or counselor for help.

Parenting alongside your husband can sometimes feel awkward and bumpy. We want to be intentional, but it can seem like we have wildly different styles and strategies than our spouses! In this episode, Emily and Laura dive into the topic of marital unity. Even though we have different upbringings, personalities, strengths, and weaknesses, God has joined us in marriage for his mission. He designed for us to do it together! Through Christ, we can have humility, forgive one another, refocus on our mission, and live in unity with our husbands as we parent together.

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.

Regular date nights are a joy. We love getting out of the house and away from the kids!  But does a flourishing God-honoring marriage require this regular habit? If you and your husband are in an overwhelming season and you’re not “succeeding” at date night, this one’s for you. In this episode, Emily and Laura dig into a different perspective on the “modern date night.” Instead of putting our hope in a single night out with our husbands, God teaches us to cherish and serve one another daily. Date nights aren’t a guarantee, but God’s covenant-keeping grace is, and he can sustain our marriage, even when we don’t get a date night.

Parenting alongside your husband can sometimes feel overwhelming. We want to be intentional, but it can seem like we have wildly different plans than our spouses! In this episode, Emily and Laura give a nod to Valentine’s Day by diving into a marriage topic: unity with our husbands. Even though we have differences, God has joined us in marriage for his mission in our homes and has equipped us to do it together. Through Christ’s perfect record, we can humbly forgive one another, refocus on our mission, and live in unity with our husbands every day.

Moms celebrate Father’s Day with a variety of feelings. Some are incredibly grateful for their husband’s leadership, hands-on help, sacrificial love, and wisdom with child-rearing. But others feel the pain of disappointment, and aren’t sure how to reconcile their expectations with their reality. In this episode, Emily and Laura interview Jerrad Lopes, host of the weekly DadTired podcast and founder of the non-profit ministry, aimed at pointing men to Jesus. Jerrad tackles some of the most frequently-asked-questions Risen Motherhood receives about supporting husbands spiritually, with “from his perspective” insights and practical ideas. Because of Christ’s example, moms are free to love and support Dad, right where he’s at.

When Dad has to work late (again) and mom feels like she's soldiering on with the children, is there a gracious response to give? Although the long days might leave a wife stuck in cycles of comparison with other families and even anger, God hasn't left her without hope and help. In this episode, Emily interviews Laura, who shares a bit of her experience as a mom whose husband works long hours. Whether your own husband just misses the occasional dinner, or travels for months at time, you're not going to want to miss the wisdom she shares! The gospel turns "fairness" on it's head, and offers wives a better way forward - where her husband (or his job) isn't the enemy, and all her needs are met in Christ.

Without even noticing, we can let the daily dish piles, weighty to-do lists, and urgent needs of little children push our husbands far into the background. While this might not cause immediate harm, in the long-term, giving our husbands the "leftovers" can lead to distance and damage. In this episode, Emily and Laura discuss the the importance of keeping our marriages in the forefront of our minds, and give some simple ideas for blessing our husbands. A healthy marriage is an opportunity to love our children well, and to model the very faith we hope to pass along.

So you read the parenting articles, brushed-up on the books, and did the research to approach a parenting issue intentionally. But, your plans quickly seemed to flop when you realized you were on a totally different page than your husband. How can mom be proactive and make a plan, while honoring, respecting, involving, and coming alongside her husband too? In this episode, Emily and Laura discuss the easy miscommunication traps we can fall into as parents, and share ideas for getting back on the same team. Mom and dad have the same ultimate goal: to pass along the gospel to the next generation, training up their children in the Lord.

God has given so much responsibility to Dads to lead and invest in their family's faith. As a wife and a mom, we can and should come alongside them in this task, offering our gifts, talents, skills, intelligence and creativity to help them thrive in this calling. But how does that look practically? In today's episode, Emily and Laura talk about how a wife can help and equip her husband to lead the family spiritually. Not through manipulation, nagging, eye-rolling, or shaming; but by believing the best in him and being his biggest supporter.

In this episode Emily and Laura discuss common issues and challenges that moms face in marriage, including encouragement for investing in our most important earthly relationship.  Whether through date nights, physical touch, or just staying on the same team, a thriving marriage glorifies God (and blesses your children).