Don't Mom Alone Podcast

Jonathan Almonte’s story shows how sponsoring a child through Compassion International (or other similar programs) can change the course of a child’s life.  However, it is the compassion of the people in his story who loved him when he fought back and wrote him letters calling out his identity and inherent worth as a child of God that may have made the biggest difference. That letter changed my life. I was believing that I was a mistake. I was believing that God was not good for me. This letter helped me to understand that God provided a woman called Jamie thousands of kilometers away in a place called Michigan celebrating Thanksgiving. This woman wrote a letter to say, I am thankful for you. You are special, you're not a mistake. As a child of a single mom in the Dominican Republic, Jonathan’s prospects were greatly limited. From a young age, he worked to earn enough money for each day’s food. The cost of getting into a school, a uniform as supplies, was nowhere near his grasp.  His mother applied for him to join the Compassion program and (after a wait) he was accepted. For the first time in his life, all of his educational, nutritional, medical, and physical needs were taken care of, and Jonathan felt believed in like he never had before.  I was selling juice on the streets. I was diving in a garbage area without hope. So this ministry for me meant my life. My life is before and after the ministry of Compassion in partnership with the local church in my community. If after listening you feel led to sponsor a child through Compassion International, I'd love to make it super easy for you. Simply text the word: "Heather" to 83393 and a child's picture will be sent to your phone. Please let me know if you do! What we chat about: * Jonathan’s childhood in the Dominican Republic and the extreme poverty he experienced* How his life changed when he was accepted into the Compassion International’s program* The people who loved Jonathan and shared Christ with him* The sponsors Jonathan had in Compassion and the importance of their letters* His hard relationship with his father and the powerful moment when he forgave him* Immigration of people from poverty-stricken nations vs empowerment of those people to stay and fight for their communities Connect with Compassion International:  * Website: www.compassion.com/dontmomalone* Facebook: facebook.com/compassionintl * Instagram: @compassion Links Mentioned:   Learn more about sponsoring a child with Compassion: www.compassion.com/dontmomalone Featured Sponsor: Phonics Museum When your child enters the Phonics Museum, a learning adventure full of games, stories, and art awaits! With a clever mix of lessons, activities, games, and sing-along songs, young learners won’t get bored at Phonics Museum. Taking a “tools of learning” approach, the app helps establish a strong foundation of reading for children through a complete commitment to a phonics approach. Join Wendy, William, Percival and Miss Biddle, the museum curator on a reading adventure as they explore the Phonics Museum, sing songs, and play games with the living artwork in the museum. It’s an experience you’ll never forget!

On the surface, Victoria (Tori) Petersen’s story doesn’t sound full of hope. Her growing up years were filled with abuse, a mom who struggled with drugs, and more than 10 foster homes with no hope of adoption. But God’s heart for Tori wasn’t death; it was life. Through a series of relationships and her own study, Tori learned about God. She experienced sacrificial love and community in the church and through her foster parents. It changed her whole future. “The encouragement, the support, and the ability to see that through their words, through God's speaking through these people and acting through these people in love showed me that I did have a future, that God did have a plan for me and that if I trusted in him, that plan would blossom into something.” After emancipating from the foster care system, Tori’s life has had more ups and downs. But, she is confident in her identity in Christ and learning more every day. Now as a mom and wife, God is redeeming her story and using it to encourage others who are a part of the foster system. “I think foster parents remembering that they are image-bearers and in those hard times to be able to humble themselves and say,’ I am weak and I'm going to call on God's strength to love this child.’ Also communicating to the child that they're made in God's image. They are loved despite any kind of behavior or any saddening event that they have been through. Identity in Christ is crucial to the relationship between foster youth and foster parents.” What we chat about: * Tori’s experience in and out of foster care and how she found hope* Her faith journey and the people who were examples of Jesus in her life* The hope she found in Jesus and learning about God as her heavenly father* Why she chose to emancipate from the foster system at 18* How she handled unexpectedly becoming a mother* Getting to the root of sin in her and her new husband’s life and why the needed the church* The paradox of the church and why we need each other even though we often wound one another* Encouragement for parents who are considering fostering* Why understanding our identity in Christ (outside of our performance and abilities) is the most important thing Connect with Tori:  * Website:  https://torisstoris.wordpress.com* Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/torihopepetersen/* Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/torihopepetersen/ Links Mentioned:   * 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey*** "Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, 'So shall your offspring be.'" Romans 4:18 **Amazon Affiliate Link Featured Sponsor: Phonics Museum When your child enters the Phonics Museum, a learning adventure full of games, stories, and art awaits! With a clever mix of lessons, activities, games, and sing-along songs, young learners won’t get bored at Phonics Museum. Taking a “tools of learning” approach, the app helps establish a strong foundation of reading for children through a complete commitment to a phonics approach. Join Wendy, William, Percival and Miss Biddle, the museum curator on a reading adventure as they explore the Phonics Museum, sing songs, and play games with the living artwork in the museum.

Foster Care Story of Hope Victoria Petersen Ep 263

Susie Davis is a mentor of mentors. She’s the author of several books and host of the Dear Daughters podcast. I’m so excited to share our conversation with you as she answers your questions about mentorship, marriage and meeting with God.  I think you deserve a mentor. I think it's God's will for your life to have an older woman that you can talk to who has wisdom for you and your specific situation. In her book and podcast, Dear Daughters, Susie seeks to bring together younger women and spiritual moms. Each of us has valuable insight for one other, but getting started with mentoring can be a hurdle. Whether you have a mentor, are a mentor or want to start, Susie shares encouragement and insight into establishing and maintaining a healthy mentor relationship. (including what not to say!) We also talk about marriage and how to love your man without losing your mind about the little things that can drive us crazy.  I think marriage is the greatest opportunity for sanctification, which is just becoming more like God. It is the one relationship that is never supposed to end. You're ‘trapped’ in it and you have to work it out with them. Talking with Susie is such a gift. She shares a wealth of wisdom from the perspective of someone who has experienced a lot of growth in her own life and marriage over the years. Grab a cup of coffee and listen in as Susie mentors us all! What we chat about: * How to find a mentor and why we need them.* Mentors are not perfect people. They are people who are just a bit ahead of you who can encourage you not to make the same mistakes they did.* What to say (and what not to say) to a potential mentor.* The difference between an evangelist, discipler and mentor.* Establishing a rhythm of mentorship and talking through expectations with your mentor.* It’s normal to be irritated by the differences in a marriage.* Marriage is the greatest opportunity for sanctification.* Working through parenting and discipline differences in marriage* Get together with a counselor. An outside person can really help your marriage.* Finding joy in day-to-day life and in the everyday tasks before us.* What to do when you are struggling to hear God Connect with Susie: * Website: https://susiedavis.org * Podcast: Dear Daughters* Facebook: facebook.com/davis.susie* Instagram:  @susiedavis Links Mentioned: * Dear Daughters: Love Letters to the Next Generation ** [BOOK]* Loving Your Man Without Losing Your Mind ** [BOOK]* Uncovered: Revealing the Secrets of a Sexy Marriage ** [BOOK] **Amazon affiliate link. Featured Sponsor: Phonics Museum When your child enters the Phonics Museum, a learning adventure full of games, stories, and art awaits! With a clever mix of lessons, activities, games, and sing-along songs, young learners won’t get bored at Phonics Museum. Taking a “tools of learning” approach, the app helps establish a strong foundation of reading for children through a complete commitment to a phonics approach. Join Wendy, William, Percival and Miss Biddle, the museum curator on a reading adventure as they explore the Phonics Museum, sing songs,

You Deserve a Mentor Susie Davis Ep 262

Racial tensions in America are as high within the church as outside of it. My guest Latasha (aka Tasha) Morrison believes Jesus followers must become the leaders in the conversation. That we must, “build a bridge” to bring justice, healing and transformation. It starts with awareness and then acknowledging the pain and brokenness. We didn't create it, but it is all of our responsibility to be a part of the solution. And no one gets an ‘out’ here. Tasha founded the organization Be the Bridge in 2016 'to encourage racial reconciliation among all ethnicities, to promote racial unity in America, and to equip others to do the same.' Now she’s written a book of the same name that comes out this week.  We talk in depth about racial healing, biblical justice and the diversity of God’s kingdom. It’s not an easy conversation, but it’s a necessary one. I pray you will listen with an open mind and heart for all God wants to do to bring unity to the body of Christ.  Every culture is an expression of who God is and not one ethnicity can represent the totality of who God is. We serve a diverse God. If you’re thinking that God looks just like you and talks just like you, remember, Jesus didn't speak English. Sometimes we need a reality check on that. Just because something is different doesn't make it wrong. What we chat about: * How Tasha became an advocate for racial reconciliation* The inherent racial lines and segregation of cities that persist from Jim Crow laws* We serve a diverse God and no one race or expression on humanity is the “right” way to be* How lamenting and crying out to God about injustice can cause God to move * Social justice vs biblical justice* Defining privilege from a historical perspective and why we can’t ask others to ignore past injustice and just “move on”* The history of racism in America pre-dates independence. The first slaves arrived 400 years ago* Be aware of the many facets of history and who is writing the history books* Don’t insulate your kids from people who are different from them* Tasha invites us to: listen, learn, lament and leverage.   Connect with Tasha: * Website: latashamorrison.com* Facebook: facebook.com/latashamorrison * Instagram: @latashamorrison and @beabridgebuilder Links mentioned: * Be the Bridge organization [WEBSITE]* The 1619 Project [WEBSITE]* Be the Bridge by Latasha Morrison [BOOK]* EP 216: Help Your Children Embrace Differences [PODCAST]* ColorFull by Dorena Williamson [BOOK]* Book List from Tasha's Website* Kid President Returns -- Part Two in Selma, AL Featured Sponsor: Phonics Museum When your child enters the Phonics Museum, a learning adventure full of games, stories, and art awaits! With a clever mix of lessons, activities, games, and sing-along songs, young learners won’t get bored at Phonics Museum.

Racial Reconciliation Starts with You Latasha Morrison Ep 261

As parents, we are keenly aware of the peaks and valleys of our kids’ emotions. Anger, sadness, excitement, and all the other feelings can make us feel like our child is on a roller coaster we’re just trying to slow down.  It’s true that we all feel highs and lows throughout our day, but we rarely talk about what it feel like when we’re “in the zone” and feeling calm and ready to go. My guest today is sharing about the window of tolerance and how to regulate ourselves and our kids to help stay in that window.  If I am dysregulated, I cannot regulate my child. So if I'm in fight or flight and I'm yelling. There's no amount of yelling that brings my child back into the window. And sometimes parents think the yelling is working, but what you're doing isn’t getting your child in the window. They're going into collapse and into a place of fear. Charissa Fry is a Licensed Professional Counselor and believer. Her passion is to come alongside those who are hurting and struggling to help them find truth, hope, healing, connection, and growth. She shares some eye-opening information and statistics to get us on the path to helping our kids build resilience and stay in that window of tolerance.  Charissa shares from a faith-perspective that we as believers are not alone. She reminds us that we can lean on God to regulate our emotions as we love on our kids and go through the hardships of life.  God himself through Jesus is the ultimate attachment figure. He is always reaching for us. He never fails to respond to our needs. He always loves us. He's never judging us and never shaming us. So to know that when we need to be co-regulated, that when I am feeling like I'm going to leave the window, I can remember the truth of who God is and I can reach out to him in prayer. What we chat about: * The window of tolerance is when our brains function well and effectively process input to make rational decisions calmly without feeling either overwhelmed or withdrawn* When we’re out of the window of tolerance, our thinking brain is not in control and we don’t register consequences * Many of us don’t live in the window of tolerance, but we’re too busy and stressed to stop and assess how we’re feeling at any given moment* Hyper-arousal, otherwise known as the fight/flight response, is often characterized by hypervigilance, feelings of anxiety and/or panic, and racing thoughts.* Hypo-arousal, or a freeze response, may cause feelings of emotional numbness, emptiness, or paralysis.* Learning how to stay in your window of tolerance builds resilience, both for us and our kids* When our kids live outside the window, they become “masters of survival” and often turn to negative coping strategies* What our children's emotions look like when we are co-regulating * Philippians 2:13 “For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” * We can lean on God to bring us to that window of tolerance and into the fruits of the spirit Connect with Charissa: * Website:  charissafry.com* Facebook: facebook.com/CharissaFryCounseling Links Mentioned:   * Window of Tolerance Infographic -- FREE resource [WEBSITE] * Regulation Pack -- FREE resource [WEBSITE]* Rosie’s Brain [BOOK] Featured Sponsor:

The Window of Tolerance Charissa Fry Ep 260

It’s a popular (and sometimes controversial) typology system that can help you understand yourself and others better, but how can we use the Enneagram in light of the gospel to help our marriages thrive?  Beth McCord of Your Enneagram Coach is here to walk us how to look at our marriages and close relationships through the lens of the Enneagram and the Gospel.  With the Enneagram, you can see that we all struggle. We all need Jesus. It's just we need it in different ways. And he makes us more like him in different ways as well. It's called the body of Christ and we reflect Christ differently. We all need to bring our uniqueness to glorify him and bless each other. We talk about how using the Enneagram can improve communication and compassion in our marriages and what to do if your spouse has no interest in learning his type. (hint: the answer isn’t to bug him about it)  Beth shares that no one pairing out of the 45 possible Enneagram matches in marriage is better than any other, but it’s our surrender to Christ that makes all the difference.  I can guarantee you there is not a combination that is better or worse. Any two types that are surrendering and depending on the grace of God through Christ’s work on the cross on our behalf will be a blessing to one another. What we chat about: * The origins of the Enneagram as a personality tool and why it matters how we use it* Learning where we need to depend on Christ more as you understand more about your Enneagram type* Using the Enneagram to help relate better in your marriage* What to do when your spouse is resistant to learning about the Enneagram * Learning about all nine types can help you have more compassion for your close relationships* Embracing the unique ways Christ made each person can help put an end to comparison* The resources Beth has for using the Enneagram within marriage Connect with Beth: * Website:  www.yourenneagramcoach.com* Facebook:  facebook.com/YourEnneagramCoach * Instagram:  @yourenneagramcoach  Links Mentioned: * Becoming Us: Using the Enneagram to Create a Thriving Gospel-Centered Marriage [BOOK]*** Ep. 232: The Enneagram and Motherhood :: Suzanne Stabile [PODCAST]* Enneagram Type Summaries from Your Enneagram Coach [WEBSITE]* FREE Marriage Assessment from Beth [WEBSITE]* Becoming Us Marriage Course [WEBSITE] Featured Sponsor: PrepDish Prep Dish meal plans were created by chef and dietician Allison Schaaf to help save you time and put home-cooked meals on the table. No meal time stress. No more answering the dreaded question, “What’s for Dinner?!”. Developed by chef and dietician Allison Schaaf, Prep Dish is a healthy, whole food based meal plan subscription service. Allison does all the planning for you- including easy-to-follow shopping lists and prep-ahead instructions so you know what to prepare and when. NOW offering KETO MEAL PLANS! Imagine…all of your meals prepped and ready to go for the entire week. We like to call this meal time bliss!

The Enneagram, Marriage and the Gospel Beth McCord Ep 259

When a child processes sensory information just a little differently than his or her peers it can mean BIG emotions, meltdowns and a huge struggle for us as parents.  Often these kids are labeled as “sensitive” or “intense” and they might cause us to avoid playdates and public places because we’re never sure what seemingly small issue will cause the next explosion.  Lynne Jackson of Connected Families joins me to uncover the mysteries behind our kids with sensory struggles and how we can help them thrive. We talk about Sensory Processing Disorder and the wide range of sensory processing symptoms.   As a mom who had two kids with sensory processing needs and as a licensed occupational therapist, Lynne encourages us to become a student of our kids and try to understand their point of view. Imagine if the volume on all your sounds and the sensations in your body was turned up and you were to trying to fall asleep, that would be really hard. Car rides and meals are often torturous. So then what are the kids doing? They're trying to cope. They're jumping down. They're complaining about the food and squirming in their seats. They're trying to do something so they feel in control. We talk about what to do if you suspect a sensory processing problem in one of your kids and where to seek help. I share my story of working through this with one of my boys and why I wish we’d gone to see a therapist sooner.  What we chat about: * Sensory processing disorders and what they look like in younger kids* 20% of kids have nervous systems that process information differently than their peers* The differences between over-sensitive and under-sensitive sensory processing * Some indicators that your child may struggle with sensory processing* Learning what helps calm down the sensory overwhelm and staying connected with them to help them regulate during stressful situations* How to learn more about sensory processing and when to seek professional help Connect with Lynne:  * Website: connectedfamilies.org* Podcast: Connected Families Podcast* Facebook: facebook.com/ConnectedFamilies* Instagram:  @connectedfams Links Mentioned:   * Solve that After-School Crabbiness [BLOG]* Viewing your child through a different lens [BLOG]* Equipping Kids to Calm [BLOG]* Sensory Processing Questionnaire [Child] [PDF]* Sensory Processing Questionnaire [Ages 12 –18] [PDF]* Sensational Kids by Lucy Jane Miller [BOOK]*** Out-of-Sync Child by Carol Stock Kranowitz [BOOK]*** STAR Institute for Sensory Processing Disorder [WEBSITE]* Similar pyramid to the one I reference in the show: https://kids-first.com.au/how-your-childs-sensory-system-sets-them-up-for-life/...

Helping Your Child with Sensory Processing Issues Lynne Jackson Ep 258

Author, blogger and podcast host Sarah Mae joins me to share her story of working through the generational bondage of alcoholism and the verbal and emotional abuse she suffered from her mother.  I remember yelling out, 'I'm going to kill myself,' and her saying, 'Go ahead, I dare you.' And that was it for me. I just bawled because I felt so unloved and so confused. In her new book The Complicated Heart, Sarah takes us into her painful past and all she experienced with her mom. She also shares the hope and victory of how God wooed her heart and changed the direction of her family forever.  Dysfunction does not have to be your legacy. It does not have to be your identity. And you do not have to pass it on to your kids. It doesn't matter if you were born into it, married into it or you created it yourself. There is always victory on the table. We just have to be willing to pick it up. Throughout our chat, Sarah is candid and encouraging. She shares openly about the abortion she had at 16 and the healing she’s experienced from bravely speaking out against the shame of past sin and accepting God’s grace as all-sufficient.  What we chat about: * How Sarah learned to love and forgive her alcoholic mother* Practical advice for daughters who are hurting from parental woundings and hope for parents who have failed* The verbal and mental abuse that Sarah endured as a teenager* Honoring Sarah’s mom’s story by including her journal entries in the book* Sarah’s path to healing and the many ways God wooed her heart * The story behind Sarah’s abortion at 16-years-old* Creating a new legacy for your family by bravely working through the places of sin and shame in your life* Wounds from your parents are valid things to grieve Connect with Sarah Mae:  * Website: www.sarahmae.com* Podcast: The Complicated Heart Podcast* Facebook: facebook.com/sarahmaewrites* Instagram: @sarahmaewrites Links Mentioned:   * The Complicated Heart: Loving Even When It Hurts [BOOK]* EP 93: I Am Restored :: Stacy Reaves [PODCAST]* Forgiven and Set Free: A Post-Abortion Bible Study for Women [BOOK] Featured Sponsor: PrepDish Prep Dish meal plans were created by chef and dietician Allison Schaaf to help save you time and put home-cooked meals on the table. No meal time stress. No more answering the dreaded question, “What’s for Dinner?!”. Developed by chef and dietician Allison Schaaf, Prep Dish is a healthy, whole food based meal plan subscription service. Allison does all the planning for you- including easy-to-follow shopping lists and prep-ahead instructions so you know what to prepare and when. NOW offering KETO MEAL PLANS! Imagine…all of your meals prepped and ready to go for the entire week. We like to call this meal time bliss! Get 1 MONTH of meal plans for $4! Go to Prepdish.com/dma.

Forgiving My Alcoholic Mother Sarah Mae Ep 257