Don't Mom Alone Podcast

It’s not all sunshine and roses in marriage, even when both you and your husband follow Jesus. My guests today share about one of the most painful possibilities in a marriage —infidelity.

My friend Jae tells her story of learning her husband had an affair and the work God did in both of their lives to restore their marriage. Licensed professional counselor Cheryl Scruggs shares about her infidelity, divorce, and eventual re-marriage, along with a lot of practical advice and scriptures she learned in the seven years she was separated from her husband.

The main takeaway? HOPE. There is hope for your marriage. It’s not easy, because we’re all sinners, but God can heal and restore us when we surrender it all to him.

For all of us in marriage, I think it’s important that we are paying attention. In John 10:10 it says that the thief comes kill, steal and destroy, but I have come to give you life and life abundantly. God wants us to have a great marriage, not easy, not perfect. But it’s really understanding we’re both sinners and how are we going to walk this walk together in this relationship as a sinner married to a sinner. 

**If you are in a relationship where you or your children have been physically abused, please contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or http://www.thehotline.org.

What we chat about:

  • Cheryl Scruggs and Jae share their marriage stories.
  • Discovering God’s plans for marriage.
  • Hope for restoration in marriage even after an affair.
  • How do you know if God is asking you to stay in a marriage?
  • Trusting God with your spouse and being open to what he wants to teach you and show you.
  • Understanding our role as a wife God has called you to be.
  • Recognizing the situations where it’s necessary to leave a marriage (physical safety, lifestyle of infidelity).
  • It takes time for healing in marriage.
  • Physical intimacy throughout marriage conflicts.
  • Balancing advice from friends and family with what God wants for your marriage.
  • Biblical roles in marriage.

Scriptures Mentioned:

    • Eph. 3:20 – Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us
    • Matthew 19:26 – Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
    • Deuteronomy 8:1-10 – Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land the Lord promised on oath to your ancestors. Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands… For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land. [read full passage]
    • John 10:10 – The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

Links Mentioned:

Direct download: GCMCherylShruggsJaeEp195.mp3
Category:marriage -- posted at: 12:30am CDT

We know that God’s word is living and active. Today’s guest Jodie Berndt takes us through using Bible verses as prayers that can powerfully influence your children’s lives.

There is so much encouragement in this episode for standing on the truth of God’s word and relying on scripture to help shape your children, teens and adult children. Of course, we as moms can’t help but be changed when we hide his word in our hearts and pray them over our family.

We know that he is a loving God who knows our needs and our kids’ needs better than we know them. So when we lift our children to him and surrender them, he’s going to do for them what he knows they need. It might not be necessarily in the timing or the ways that he would’ve ordained, but in Isaiah 55 it says that his ways are higher and better than our ways. When we come to believe that, it can really bring peace to our lives.

What we chat about:

  • Using God’s word for prayers is powerful.
  • There isn’t a need we’ll face in parenting that God hasn’t provided for in his word.
  • Specific scriptures to pray for your child’s salvation
  • Asking God what we can nurture and pray for in each child’s unique giftings
  • God will accomplish the changes in your child’s character. Our job is to partner with him.
  • Praying against fear and for protection
  • Asking God to shape your children into good friends
  • Processing popular media with your kids and discussing how it aligns or doesn’t align with a Godly world view
  • The power of having others pray for your kids in community
  • When prayers aren’t answered the way we want, God is still writing their stories.
  • Free resources available at https://jodieberndt.com/resources

Scriptures Mentioned:

  • Ephesians 4:29 – Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
  • John 15:7 – If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
  • Psalm 121:7-8 – The Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
  • Acts 26:18 –  Open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.
  • 2 Corinthians 5:17 –  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:[a] The old has gone, the new is here!
  • Colossians 3:12 – Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
  • Philippians 2:13 – for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.
  • Psalm 91:11 – For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;
  • Proverbs 17:17 – Shape my child into a friend who loves at all times
  • Proverbs 27:17 – As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.
  • Proverbs 16:28 – A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends.

Links Mentioned:

Direct download: GCMJodieBerdtEp194.mp3
Category:motherhood -- posted at: 12:30am CDT

After 15 years of marriage, Jenn Jett experienced the pain of divorce. But in that place of brokenness, she felt peace that God would redeem and heal her as she said, “Yes” to him. 

Listen as she shares her story about how the Lord pursued her, fought for her and surprised her more than she expected with his redeeming love.

The Lord called me to himself and said, ‘Your hope does not need to be in the success of your marriage, it needs to be in me.’ We are so motivated by measures of success and we can look at our circumstances and either feel great or responsible and shameful.

What we chat about:

  • Jenn’s story of brokeness and pain in marriage and divorce
  • Redefining redemption from God’s perspective
  • Marriage and motherhood can become idols
  • Saying Yes to the things of God can take us on an adventure
  • The importance of community and friends as we process lies we’re believing
  • The power of prayer and learning not to hold back in prayer
  • Healing and restoration is possible even after what feels like a catastrophe
  • The Lord pursues and fights for us through multiple ways
  • Scripture: Isaiah 61 & 62
  • Finding our identity in Christ is so key before we have a hard life situation

31 Days for Prayer for the Dreamer and Doer“** 

Links Mentioned:

Direct download: GCMJennJettEp193.mp3
Category:healing -- posted at: 12:30am CDT

Get ready for a huge pep talk from one of today’s biggest business personalities, Christy Wright. She shares some of her story and a whole lot of encouragement for women whether you own a business or not.

If you struggle with guilt for taking time for yourself or prioritizing your time and saying no, Christy gives wisdom and practical advice to help you reframe your situation and move forward with confidence and kindness.

What we chat about:

  • Christy’s story of growing up with a single working mom who owned a business.
  • Letting go of mom guilt and looking at time away from our kids as healthy and necessary.
  • One of the most powerful things you can show your kids is how you take care of yourself.
  • Never say anything about yourself that you don’t want your kids to say about themselves.
  • Getting on the same page with your spouse about taking time away.
  • Decision making paradigm shift and protecting your time.
  • How to say “no” with confidence and kindness.
  • Prioritizing your time around your goals, family and what you enjoy.
  • An honest ‘no’ is better than a dishonest ‘yes’.
  • The imposter syndrome and how it impacts women and high achievers.
  • Take the first step even when you are fearful and it will start momentum to do even bigger things.
  • Making baby steps to move out of a “stuck” place.

Questions to ask to help identify your strengths: 

  1. What do you enjoy?
  2. What is effortless for you?
  3. Where do you excel in relation to others?
  4. What do others encourage in you?
  5. What gives you energy?

“Business Boutique”**:

Links Mentioned:

Direct download: GCMChristyWrightEp192.mp3
Category:entrepeneurship -- posted at: 12:30am CDT

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