Delighted Motherhood

All of motherhood is both hard and beautiful, but there is something uniquely intense about those first few weeks after welcoming a baby. A mother is recovering physically from bringing new life into the world while simultaneously learning how to care for a tiny, mysterious new person. It is tender. It is overwhelming. And it is often deeply exhausting. In this episode, Annie VanderHedien, author of Christ’s Care for Postpartum Moms, joins us to offer gentle encouragement for weary mothers in the thick of postpartum sleep deprivation. Together we talk about how Christ meets us in our exhaustion, how His care is especially near when we feel unseen or invisible, and how we can experience real spiritual rest—even when physical rest feels out of reach. If you are in the newborn fog, or if you love someone who is, this conversation is for you. Pre-order Annie’s book here. Annie VanderHeiden is the former editor of Risen Motherhood and now busies herself with freelance writing and editing, lay church ministry, and mothering two littles. She plants her roots in the uppermost corner of the PNW, enjoying salty sea air, drizzly days, long walks, overflowing mugs of matcha, and any thrifting opportunities she can get. Annie is the author of Cradled: Christ's Care for Postpartum Moms (P&R, 2026). Connect with her on Instagram (@anniekvanderheiden) or annievanderheiden.com.

Christian parenting is inherently missional. Rather than limiting ministry, parenting can provide a springboard for evangelism and discipleship within the home–both inside and outside our families. Far from being sidelined from ministry, parents who approach parenting with a missional mindset will find explosive opportunities to declare the glory of God.  In this episode I'll be talking to James all about how dads can easily engage with kids through nightly family worship. We will cover:  Why is it specifically important for the dad to lead in discipleship within the home. How moms can encourage dads to lead in  discipleship. Various opportunities a busy dad might have throughout the day to disciple his children. How long or short it has to be.  Why leading nightly is important.   

How do you process grief? How does your husband process grief?  Marriage is full of many good and lovely seasons. But every marriage will also experience losses. How do we process those losses in a way that brings us closer to one another and also closer to God? How is processing grief a chance to lean into God’s design for marriage? How can we work through differences in the way we grieve without bitterness or resentment? Listen in to a real and vulnerable conversation with Clarissa Abbott, mom to two little girls and husband to Ryan, who serves with YWAM in Perth, Australia.

As members of a large-ish family, my kids aren’t often the center of attention. But I want them to know that they will gave a regular time when they have my full, complete, and undivided attention.  For us, this means special monthly one-on-one coffee dates on Sunday mornings before church. Listen in for why to "date" your kids and when and how to do it.   It’s by no means a requirement, but it has been a sweet way to connect one-on-one with the four kids I adore and cherish most in the world. And I really enjoy it!   Pretty soon, I will be welcoming a fifth baby, and my youngest will also be joining the date rotation. I’m sure continuing to carve out time will require creativity—but I am committed to it.

Setting year long goals can be a helpful way to stay on track with our ideals. Listen in for a very brief discussion of how and why to track fitness, reading, and outside time goals in 2026.

Parents are in the business of training --and that should include training to serve. We train our kids not to run in the road, to put their shirt on frontwards, and to use the bathroom. During childhood these actions are challenging, but by adulthood, most of us have it figured out. We practiced these things over and over until they became ingrained and second nature. In addition to learning to brush our teeth or make breakfast, I want to teach my kids to be kind and generous. As a parent, I can’t force my children to be servant hearted—only God can change them. But He has commanded me to train them in godliness, and training comes through repeated practice. If I desire to raise servant-hearted kids, then I should give them lots of opportunities during their formative years to practice service both inside and outside the home. Listen in for a discussion of why and how to do that in practical simple ways --without adding a bunch of extra tasks to our schedules.

Several years ago, the kids and I started eating our breakfast on the front steps of our house. I had just finished reading The Art of Neighboring, in which the authors encouraged Christians to look for simple ways to be “seen” in their neighborhoods. One of the easiest ideas they shared was moving some activity from the backyard to the front yard. At first, I set up a blanket on the grass and read stories in the afternoon, but eventually, we settled into being morning “front steps people,” and it’s been a daily routine—regardless of the weather or season—for almost two years. I love being a front steps person for primarily two reasons—it is sweet outside time and it establishes our presence in our neighborhood. Obviously, there are other ways to be outside and to be visible in the neighborhood, so what do I love about this practice in particular? So glad you asked. Let me tell you all about it. Note: This practice definitely isn’t for everybody. But it is a sweet one for us. I hope hearing about what we do has inspired you to establish your own fun, special and unique daily routines. ❤️

Fall is a popular time to start thinking about thankfulness. Thankful, Grateful, Blessed is on every mug, pillow, and sweater. What’s not to love about gratefulness? Talk to a random person on the street and ask them if they think gratefulness matters and they will almost certainly say yes.  But what is thankfulness? How is Christian thankfulness distinct from secular thankfulness? Why is the object of our gratitude far more important than the expression of our gratitude?  With our own children, how do we help them think about gratitude in the context of being creatures made by a good and powerful creator? What are some ideas for helping kids to grow in gratitude practically?  Join for a conversation about gratitude with blogger, songwriter, author, and homeschool mama Allison Brost. Allison writes at her blog This Side of Perfect and recently published Grateful: 30 Days of Growing in Thankfulness with the Good Book Company. 

Is passion in marriage something we ought to desire? Where do we see a basis for pursuing romantic love in Scripture? How important is friendship to a marriage? If I am sacrificing myself for the needs of my spouse and putting him first, does it matter if he feels like my “best friend”? Why or why not? In a two part conversation our guests Jason and Casey Cashell are going to help us think through how to cultivate and stimulate deep love and connection in a sustainable and lifegiving way regardless of our season of parenting. *** Jason and Casey Cashell are homeschooling parents of four and the owners of Mayhurst Estate – a stunning historic home in Orange, Virginia that functions as a bed and breakfast. They are passionate about encouraging and strengthening families in so many ways but in particular they run a number of online courses on marriage, parenting, and hospitality from a Christian perspective. https://thecashells.com/

It’s very normal for couples to fall into patterns of living that feel more like roommates than lovers. The process of running a household –at any stage –can be very consuming.  Did you take the trash out? Did we schedule the plane tickets? Have you noticed the door hanging at an angle?  Everyday tasks can be even more consuming during the little years. Little kids require a lot of physical and mental energy and it can be common for spouses to feel disconnected from one another after dealing with the kids. In a two part conversation our guests Jason and Casey Cashell are going to help us think through how to cultivate and stimulate deep love and connection in a sustainable and lifegiving way regardless of our season of parenting. *** Jason and Casey Cashell are homeschooling parents of four and the owners of Mayhurst Estate – a stunning historic home in Orange, Virginia that functions as a bed and breakfast. They are passionate about encouraging and strengthening families in so many ways but in particular they run a number of online courses on marriage, parenting, and hospitality from a Christian perspective. https://thecashells.com/

As moms, we often have a tendency to be “all in” for our kids but then feel used up when it comes to our husbands. How does our relationship with our husband affect our kids? And why should we make a conscious effort to put the health of our marriage above the needs of the kids? Often we can get into cycles of frustration with our spouse and our words can have a tendency to spiral. What is at the root of our words? How can we begin to turn from speaking words that tear down to speaking words that build up? Why are words so powerful? If we are caring for our spouse’s physical needs, do the things we say really matter? After all, don’t actions speak louder than words? How is the gospel connected to what we say? How should we view our battle with the tongue in light of the cross?  Listen in to a life giving conversation with Heather Uhl, writer, teacher, speaker and homeschool mom to three (almost four!),  about the importance of our speech. 

Chocolate is yummy, parenting is hard. These things are self-evident. Marriage is also hard. There may be seasons when we feel bitter and frustrated --particularly if we feel like we are carrying a double parenting load.  How should we respond when we feel ourselves becoming bitter and resentful toward our husbands?  How can we come alongside our husbands and support them in their role while still being honest about our struggles? How should we think about submission during seasons when a husband may not be physically present—such as during a military deployment? Listen in as Ashley Keller, a prenatal and postnatal exercise specialist and the founder of GlowBodyPT, shares how she supports her husband in his role while resisting bitterness from a biblical perspective. *** Link to Ashley&apos;s resources (10/10 recommend!!)  https://www.glowbodypt.com/ Devoted by Tim Challies  And a beautiful article from John Piper describing his mom! <3  "And of course, the fact that she loved Daddy’s leadership had nothing to do with her incompetencies. As far as I knew, she didn’t have any. It had to do with a deep sense of fitness about the way God has choreographed the dance of manhood and womanhood in marriage. I was blessed with a front-row seat at the drama of marriage in which my mother took the Oscar for omnicompetent womanhood as a complementarian wife." https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/the-happiest-woman-i-have-ever-known

"1 Peter 3:15 says &apos;Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect&apos; Do you see the overlap here? As we live our lives and people notice the hope we have, we should be excited to share with our friends the reason for our hope – because we want what is best for our friends. But to do it with respect! And this gets to the heart of what we’re doing. To be a friend you have to be vulnerable. We are sharing our lives, the deepest most beautiful part of our lives with someone who means something to us. Why? Because we want what is best for them." Listen in to an encouraging conversation with Colleen Glisson about mom friend evangelism. 

One of the most well-known stories in the Old Testament–God commanding Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac–is also one of the most infamous.  My husband says that this passage haunts him. During law school, his classmates would reference Genesis 22:1-19 as evidence of the destability of God. How could a good God possibly command something so vile? Atheist Richard Dawkins calls it a “disgraceful story.”  But when we look at this story in light of God’s plan to save his people through the death of his son, I think we will find that it isn’t a “disgraceful story” at all. Instead, it is a grace-filled one. Genesis 22:1-19 is about fully trusting in the character, promises, and power of God even when we don’t understand what He is doing. It’s an account of faith and obedience, even when it requires belief in the miraculous. 

We know fitness matters --but exactly do we make it happen when we have so much else going on?  For me it is helpful to remain consistent, look for ways to be creative, and weave both a plan and people into my fitness goals. In this portion of the episode I&apos;ll walk through what fitness looks like for me and my kids and share some best practices that I hope will give you some ideas for ways to consistently and creatively pursue fitness too.

Although the physical benefits of running, and exercise generally, are huge, the mental, emotional, and spiritual benefits are even more compelling.  In this segment of the episode we will walk through some of the science behind why working out makes us feel good and consider how God has made us to be moving creatures.  “God made us to move and to do so vigorously. And He wired our brains to leverage vigorous movement, reward it, and reinforce it. Exercise makes happier humans, and God made humans to be happy—in Him—with bodily movement being an assistant, rather than an adversary, to Christ-exalting joy.” (Mathis, A Little Theology of Exercise) **** According to the CDC: "Physical activity can help you think, learn, problem-solve, and enjoy an emotional balance. It can improve memory and reduce anxiety or depression.Regular physical activity can also reduce your risk of cognitive decline, including dementia. One study found that cognitive decline is almost twice as common among adults who are inactive compared to those who are active. Regular physical activity can help you sleep and feel better, reduce the risk of some common cancers, and add years to your life."

Contemporary motherhood narratives are all over the place. On the one hand, it is assumed that moms can’t shower, do a serious Bible study, or go on a run and that it’s normal to want to “escape” from our kids.  On the other hand, the expectation to do it all can feel overwhelming.The internal pendulum of motherhood swings from striving to complaining and back again –sometimes in the course of an hour. How do we escape this cycle and reorient our parenting around Christ our Redeemer? 

According to the data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics only 4.1 percent of Americans attended or hosted social gatherings on a given weekend or holiday in 2023. On the one hand, the decline of parties may not seem like such a big deal. The majority of Americans feel too busy (60 percent of the general population and 74 percent of parents) –so why not just eliminate the party stress? But when we continually choose our cozy jammies over “putting ourselves out there” we suffer. God created us to thrive in communities. It isn’t good for us to be alone –as research demonstrates.  Social gatherings –which include more than one on one interactions – are key elements of human thriving and connection. Genesis to Revelation, God describes human flourishing as happening within a context of regular communal gatherings, celebrations, and parties. In this podcast we will explore why parties should be saved.  See this previous podcast for a further discussion of HOW to throw parties: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/be-countercultural-throw-parties-regularly/id1655567906?i=1000700903181

A quick addition to the conversation with Katheryn Butler. Buster&apos;s Ears Trip Him Up  Series: Good News for Little Hearts 

If you were to ask your child what gives him or her value, what would they say? The message that our kids hear from culture is that our accomplishments define our worth. Although this philosophy isn’t new, thanks to information technology kids suffer mounting pressure to base their identity on their successes. “Students today are saturated with messages about performance in their classrooms, with their peers, teachers, colleges, social media, and the larger culture,” comments Jennifer Breheny Wallace, the author of Never Enough: When Achievement Culture Becomes Toxic—and What We Can Do About It. “They are hearing messages day in and day out that they have to strive; they have to do better; and that they’re only as good as their next accomplishment.” Many Christian parents hear this and are saddened, but are there ways that we may be feeding into this same narrative without realizing it? What is our drive to succeed based in?  Is it always a bad thing? Don’t we want our kids to succeed and to work hard? How do we balance between healthy expectations and crushing ones?  Tune in for a thoughtful conversation with Kathryn Butler (MD, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons), trauma surgeon turned writer and homeschooling mom, about what is at the root of our drive for our kids to have their names on the wall.