What would it take for you to walk away from the most abundant time in your career? From a time that was not only full, but fun, rewarding, and productive? 

My guest this week, Christy Wright did just that - walked away from a season of immense abundance in her career, not because of difficult situations but simply because God called her out of it. She says this call was so clear she came to a point where she feared disobedience more than the uncertainty of leaving her career. She followed God into a new season of freedom and work. It's like God called Christy in for a meeting to talk about rebranding - not to change who He had created her to be, but to change her everyday look and her assignments. 

We've spent our summer talking through our unique "mom brands" and in our final week of Summer of Mentorship we're hitting on something that will happen to each of us as moms at one point or many - the need to rebrand. To leave behind what worked and was right for that specific time to embrace what God is saying is right for now. Ecclesiastes reminds us there is rhythm and seasons to life and we will walk through transitions in our work and home life. Christy encourages us to courageously cling to God's voice in those times and not let the fear of uncertainty keep us from the rebranding God is walking us through.. 

Discussion Questions:

• What stood out to you from the episode? 
• What current roles help shape your days? 
• Are you ok with you when you take away what you do? Or, how easily can you separate out who you are from what you do? 
• Have you gone through a “rebranding” as a mom? Either because of change in circumstance or because your routines weren’t serving you, or for another reason. What was difficult about that time? What was beneficial in that transition?
• Spend the last 10 minutes of your group time in silence praying and listening and ask God, “Is there anything I need to be freed from?”

Connect with Christy Wright: 

• Website:  https://www.christy-wright.com/ 
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OfficialChristyWright 
• Instagram:  @ChristyBWright

Links Mentioned:  

• Take Back Your Time : The Guilt-Free Guide to Life Balance by Christy Wright 
• How to Stop Losing Your Sh*t with Your Kids: A Practical Guide to Becoming a Calmer, Happier Parent by Carla Naumburg, PhD

Related Episodes:

• Manage Your Life With Guilt-Free Confidence :: Christy Wright [Ep 192]

Featured Sponsors: 

• Thrive Market. Join Thrive Market today and get $80 eighty dollars in free groceries! Go to ThriveMarket.com/DMA.

• Athletic Greens. Get a FREE 1 year supply of immune-supporting Vitamin D AND 5 FREE travel packs with your first purchase. Visit athleticgreens.com/DMA. 

• Indeed. Now with Indeed, businesses only pay for quality applications matching the sponsored job description. Visit Indeed.com/DMA to start hiring now.

Does your life look exactly like you want it to? All too often we come across what seems like the life that we want on someone else’s Instagram. You can dismiss those as the “highlight reels”, that is what they are, but sometimes the girl next door has what you want. What do you do then? How do you prep your kids for when they don’t get invited or when they feel like someone else has it better than them? 

My guest this week, Karen Ehman, says, “Go find your old self.” 

She’s not leading us on an existential journey into the past, but to those around us that need the love of Christ. She encourages us in a powerful way that when we are discouraged by someone who has it “better” than us to find someone who has it “worse” than us, not so we can feel good about something, but because there is a person who needs the love of Christ. 

We’re taking time this summer (as usual) to be mentored by some experienced moms and benefit from their wisdom. I’m asking them about their “mom brands” and the unique families and assignments God has given them to help us embrace the specific and unique spot God has given each of us. 

Discussion Questions:

• What stood out to you in this episode? Why? 
• Who is your “old self”? What was a particularly difficult time God brought you through that you could use as a connection point to love someone else? 
• When have you felt loved or seen by someone else in the midst of a difficult situation? 
• Thinking about Karen’s mom and how hard she has to work as a single mom, where in your life are you having to work hard? Which of your God-given assignments is either physically, or mentally, or spiritually challenging? Spend some time praying for these situations with your group. 
• When you think about loving others by inviting them into your life what limitations come to mind? 
• Who is a necessary person you can love tangibly this month? Brainstorm ideas with your group about simple ways to show Christ’s love.

Connect with Karen Ehman: 

• Website:  https://karenehman.com/ 
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OfficialKarenEhman 
• Instagram:  @karenehman 
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLbA_nXZ6HAhLGUL6KNhzRw 

Links Mentioned:  

• Make Their Day: 101 Simple, Powerful Ways to Love Others Well by Karen Ehman

Related Episodes:

• Changing the World for One :: Tara Clapper [Ep 70] 
• Ridiculous Faith :: Shelene Bryan [Ep 116]

Featured Sponsors: 

• StitchFix: Sign up today at Stitchfix.com/DMA to get $20 off your first purchase. 

• HelloFresh: Go to HelloFresh.com/dma16 and use the code: dma16 for 16 free meals across 7 boxes AND 3 free gifts. 

• Thrive Causemetics: You can get 15% off your first order when you visit thrivecausemetics.com/DMA. 

Creating Family Culture :: Amber O’Neal Johnston [SOM Wk 4]

You are creating a culture for your family, right now, whether or not you’re aware of it or intentional in it. Your words and actions reveal the functional values you have for your family. Is yours a culture of fun and laughter? Grace and second chances? Integrity and grit? It could be all of those and more, or something simpler - it is unique to your family! Whatever it is, if it isn’t intentionally cultivated it will be like a garden filled with weeds - growing, but haphazard.

My guest this week is Amber O’Neal Johnston and one of the values that drives her family’s culture is that her kids would know they are seen and valued at home and in the world. And that other people are just as valuable too.  This, along with other values, drives the decisions they make about how they interact with the world around them, right down to the restaurants they eat at.  She challenges us to not only cultivate a family culture, but to grow as moms and people along the way. Her book, A Place to Belong: Celebrating Diversity and Kinship in the Home and Beyond is available now.

We’re taking time this summer (as usual) to be mentored by some experienced moms and benefit from their wisdom. I’m asking them about their “mom brands” and the unique families and assignments God has given them to help us embrace the specific and unique spot God has given each of us. 

Discussion Questions:

• What stood out to you from this episode? 
• What practices or resources have you used to expose your kids to other cultures? 
• Where has God called you to speak out in love when you’d prefer to remain silent? Spend time praying with your group for these circumstances.
• What is one value that you want to emphasize in your home? 
• Amber shared that she had to release her need to impress other moms in order for her kids to flourish - what expectation or ideal do you need to let go of so that your kids can flourish?
• How would being secure and confident in your family culture change your relationships with other moms or families? 

Connect with Amber Johnston: 

• Website:  https://heritagemom.com/ 
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeritageMomBlog 
• Instagram:  @heritagemomblog
• Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/HeritageMomBlog/_created/ 

Links Mentioned:  

• A Place to Belong: Celebrating Diversity and Kinship in the Home and Beyond by Amber O’Neal Johnston 

• Things To Do List from the Heritage Mom Website

Related Episodes:

• Finding Yourself in Motherhood :: Amber O’Neal Johnston [Ep 310]

Featured Sponsors: 

• Athena Club. Get 20% off your first order at AthenaClub.com with promo code DMA.

• Rothy’s. Your new favorite shoes are waiting. Fet $20 off your first purchase at rothys.com/DMA. 

• Fabric. Protect your family with term life insurance now, in just 10 minutes. Apply today at MeetFabric.com/DMA.

“I don't have time for the things that God has not called me to.”

My guest this week, Shontell Brewer, wisely speaks those words. She is a wife and mom of 5. She’s written a book on parenting and still things haven’t always gone the way she’s planned or wanted. But she has learned where to lean in and wait on the Lord. She’s learned that to be intentional as a mom or wife or teacher she’s got to cut out the “keeping up” with others, whether on social media or the mom down the street. And she’s learned that God hasn’t finished writing the story. Even if she can’t see to the end of all God’s workings in her kid’s lives, knowing His word and taking time to commune with Him have given her a firm foundation to stand on. 

We’re taking time this summer (as usual) to be mentored by some experienced moms and benefit from their wisdom. I’m asking them about their “mom brands” and the unique families and assignments God has given them to help us embrace the specific and unique spot God has given each of us. 

Discussion Questions:

• What stood out to you from the episode?
• Shontell encourages us to get on the same level as the person across from us to grow intentionality in our relationships - be it a spouse or child or friend. What relationship in your life needs this sort of attention? How can you meet that person right where they are? 
• How has God gifted you? Do you know? 
• Have you thought through what you want for your children, or what the goal of your parenting is? Keeping the tiny humans alive is big work, so no shame at all if you haven’t! If we’re working towards intentionality as moms, thinking through this question can help us cut activities or practices we don’t need and to make space for ones we do.  
• How do you measure your success as a parent? 
• What situation or circumstance would benefit from you processing with God before processing with a friend? Set aside time to do that this week. 

Connect with Shontell Brewer: 

• Website:  http://shontellbrewer.com/ 
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shontell.brewer 
• Instagram:  @shontellbrewer
• Twitter: @shontellbrewer

Links Mentioned:  

• Missionary Mom: Embracing the Mission Field Right Under Your Roof By Shontell Brewer 
• Cru’s Spiritual Gifts Assessment
• More info on Spiritual Gifts

Related Episodes:

• Parenting Small :: Shontell Brewer [Ep 140]

Featured Sponsors: 

• Hello Fresh. Get up to 16 free meals and 3 free gifts at HelloFresh.com/DMA16
• Caraway Home. Non-Toxic cookware made modern. Visit Carawayhome.com/DMA to take advantage of a limited-time offer for 10% off your next purchase. 
• Gladskin. Visit gladskin.com/DMA and get 15% off plus free shipping on your first order.