Gems of Motherhood

Latest Episodes:

The Titus 2 Woman : Growing in Motherhood :: Trina Lozano [EP28] Dec 14, 2020

Show notes

In this podcast episode, we will be talking about the Titus 2:4 woman. “Let the older women teach the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.” Trina Lozano shares that the only thing that separates women who are 25 and women who are 55 is essentially age and experience.

“Regardless of your age, if you’re a mom of a toddler, you’re a mom of a toddler. The principle of older teaching the younger doesn’t necessarily have to be an age thing, but a stage thing."

Trina has an amazing legacy. She shares about her life mission to bridge the gap between younger and older moms.

“Because with every single child, we, moms have to learn all over again because every child is different.”

Titus 2:4 is a mandate for all of us to take heart, learn, apply and pay forward to our friends and family. Paying forward to others involves coaching and mentoring others to help them in their journeys, providing them with necessary counsel and ultimately lead to acquiring wisdom.

“You don’t want to just google how to discipline your kids. You need to follow someone that you admire how they discipline because you have seen the fruit in their own children.”

What we chat about

Being the Titus woman

The Home Experience

Parenting advise

Importance of seeking mentorship

Being a Mother and an Artist :: Sara Groves [EP27] Dec 07, 2020

Show notes

God has gifted us differently and diversely. In this podcast episode, Sara Groves shares about her experience being mom while having a blossoming career as a Christian artist. Motherhood is hard enough outside the public eye, but when you’re in a fishbowl for eyes to see keeping all the pieces together is a challenge.

“We are finite. We had to think about our life globally. And it helped us be together on the road. What’s yes here, it’s a no somewhere else I would have a massive mom guilt but I had to accept that God’s normal for me is something different”

Sara brings all her creativity into her home as a mom giving them vocational weight. She shares that it’s beneficial for moms to carve time out for themselves to pursue their calling, so that the family can experience a beautiful symphony. Each part in our house moving together in a melodious rhythm. Such a thing is marvelous, glorious and God breathed.

“Caregiving in general tends to be undervalued because we’re not receiving a paycheck for it. I was encouraged to give vocational weight to things that was not vocational.”

She shares about translating her artistic abilities to her children. Even though she can’t control what it looked like for her children, she always supports and encourages her children in their artistic abilities.

It's good to model for our children’s life when they see us do the things God has gifted us to do

What we chat about

The role of motherhood as an artist

Creative process

Inspiring and translating artistic abilities to her children

Encouraging her children in developing their artistic abilities

Connect with Sara

WEBSITE: Sara Groves, Art House North

INSTAGRAM: Sara Groves, Art House North

FACEBOOK: Sara Groves, Art House North

YOUTUBE: Sara Groves

Being a Shining Light as a Working Mom :: Jena Holliday [EP26] Nov 30, 2020

Show notes

Being a light in the midst of darkness is not easy these days. And it’s not easy juggling between work and motherhood while trying to be light in this dark world.

In this podcast episode, my guest Jena Holliday shares her personal story of how she was discouraged by a teacher from pursuing her dream of being an artist as a young girl. Yet, God intervened.

“As I became a mother, God started to be remind me of things He had placed in my heart years before… As I walked in faith, people encouraged me to pursue my dreams.”

Jena shares about her struggles juggling motherhood and work as the seasons changed and her kids changed.

“Being flexible is super helpful as it comes to managing priorities as well as trying to be a good parent.”

One thing that Jena held with her over the years, is the importance of her uniqueness and who God created her to be. Her mom has always affirmed her and her siblings even though they were all different. Her mom’s instructions gave her confidence, and in turn, has helped her to shed light through her illustrations, especially to her children.

What we chat about

Juggling work and motherhood

Working remote with children

Affirming and speaking life over her children

Being a shining light in the community

How to teach children to let their light shine

Healing the Wounds from the Past :: Marlaina Centeno [EP25] Nov 23, 2020

Show notes

In this week’s episode, we’ll focus on why certain frustrations and emotions just don’t make any sense. Irritability, impatience, anger… are perhaps indicators of unresolved issues or trauma from childhood. And if irritability, impatience and anger persists at almost irrational rates, then maybe there’s something more to it.

“We’re allowed to go through impatience and irritability on the small stuff but if you can’t really identify and feel like it’s an over reaction, so maybe there’s something more there.”

Marlaina shares how some of these wounds can surface in our lives. She addresses three things that can cause wounds to surface.

“You gotta slow down enough to acknowledge the pain especially moms of little ones.”

Marlaina also talks about her personal story of past wounds. She admonishes us if pain exists we should acknowledge it and tell our story to bring holistic healing. This is a crucial step to healing in our life journey.

“When you’re on the healing journey, there may be still things that cause strong emotions to come up.”

What we chat about

Identifying wounds of the past

Effects of wounding

How does hurt translate to raising children

Addressing the wounds

Equipping selves to live a healthy life

Connect with Marlaina

WEBSITE: Whole Hearted Women

INSTAGRAM: Whole Hearted Women

LINKEDIN: Marlaina Centeno

Fully Restored :: Lorraine Varela [EP24] Nov 16, 2020

Show notes

In this podcast episode, we’ll be talking about a topic which is hardly discussed because it is too taboo… abortion. We’ll be looking specifically at what it means to be fully restored whether you’ve had an abortion or are considering making such a tragic decision. Even if this episode doesn’t resonate with many of you, I encourage you to listen because Lorraine clearly explains her personal life mission to set women free from despair, bondage and shame.

Lorraine shares since starting her ministry she has come across hundreds of women who have kept their abortion a secret because of fear of being shamed or labeled. Christian churches are great at a lot of things, yet when it comes to abortion it has horribly failed to become Jesus’ hands and feet.

“Many women don’t even realize the numerous ways that abortion affects their daily lives. The Lord wants to uncover shame, reveal the ways their lives have been affected”

She shares different examples of the effects of abortion and how certain women suffer relationship problems due to an inability to connect and maintain intimacy.

“The cutting and severing of the ties through abortion affect relationships.”

God gives us so many promises in scriptures, and its imperative that we ask God to show us who we are. This isn’t only true for individuals who have suffer through an abortion, it applies to every mom. Lorraine suggests women sit quietly to ask God why He loves us, who we are in Him and for to connect with our true identities.

“Some underlying emotions that women may not realize are denial. There’s also the difficulty of relationship, pent up anger and not understanding the source of anger and body issues… it’s very insidious how the enemy has used the anti-life spirit to affect all areas of life”

What we chat about

The effects of abortion

Identifying and addressing the hurt of brokenness

Healing journey

Different emotions for those who have undergone abortion

The power of journalling

Taking steps to be fully restored

Connect with Lorraine

WEBSITE: Inspiring Faith

FACEBOOK: Lorraine Varela

INSTAGRAM: Lorraine Varela

LINKEDIN: Lorraine Varela

YOUTUBE: Inspiring Faith International

The Power of An Unrealized Dream :: Allyson Reneau [EP23] Nov 09, 2020

Show notes

In today’s podcast, we have Allyson Reneau, who is a mother of 11 children and managed to pursue her dream of going to Harvard University in her 50s. That is, Allyson was a stay-at-home-mom for many years with dreams of attending her “ideal college.” Although she was out of school for many years raising her family, she never gave up on her dreams.

“Sometimes God puts us in an uncomfortable position for us to seek Him. I hit bottom in my life in my late 40s… I felt stuck, I wanted to make an impact in this world and leave a legacy for my children.”

Her story is inspirational. While she was an only child who planned to have two children at most, God had a different plan. Allyson shares that her expanding family came with its challenges and obstacles, yet she quickly learned to adapt to the big family lifestyle. This process was only possible, she shares, because of her deep faith in Jesus.

“My faith in Jesus and what He speaks to our heart, I believe is true. I never doubted when He spoke to me about going to Harvard.”

Allyson candidly shares that, although she had matriculated in Harvard she didn’t think she was smart enough and was almost embarrassed to be there. However, through all the challenges and obstacles, she believed in God’s promises to bring her the victory.

What we chat about

Faith in God

Stay emotionally and physically healthy

Identify the things that discourage you

Connect with Allyson

WEBSITE: Allyson Reneau

FACEBOOK: Allyson Reneau

INSTAGRAM: Allyson Reneau

Confidently Raise Kids Free of Worry and Anxiety :: Tracey Mitchell [EP22] Nov 02, 2020

Show notes

It’s so easy to fall into the worry trap, especially when you’re a first time mom. Tracey Mitchell shares that instead of worrying, moms should focus more on the emotional, social and physical health of their children through open communication.

“I think one way to be intentional is to ask children what they want to do as far as goal setting… let their goals be theirs and not just things that we stick and attached to them”

If you’re a control freak and you can’t stop worrying, Tracey admonishes us that the best thing moms can do is to check in with other moms to get a clearer perspective of what may be unnecessarily bothering us. Our worries are sometimes amplified by our desires to be GREAT moms while comparing ourselves to Instagram moms, yet freedom comes from knowing your struggles and realizing your great attributes, values and worth — that’s perspective.

“Our worries rarely come true. Prevent the things that we can, be careful and be watchful and don’t fall in the trap of micro-worriers.”

Tracey shares that we must routinely retreat and engage in self care to reset our perspective. It goes without saying that the more relax we are, the more we’re able to deal with the stresses of motherhood.

“The journey is just as important as the destination because it’s not always about reaching the goal.”

What we chat about

Ways to stay free from worry and anxiety

Seeking other mom validation

The importance of play

Raising children to be bold and confident

Connects with Tracey

WEBSITE: Tracey Mitchell

FACEBOOK: Tracey Mitchell

INSTAGRAM: Tracey Mitchell

Teaching Children About Purity :: Jackie Kendall [EP21] Oct 26, 2020

Show notes

Teaching our children purity is one of the most important roles we can play in parenting. Jackie Kendall shares that children can stay pure even in a sex saturated society which is out of control by starting early. Teaching children about purity at an early age helps to train them to confront wrong thinking around sex and sexuality.

“You can’t export into your child’s life what you have not paid the price to import into your own soul”

We need to put a wallpaper up and teach our children the foundational truths as a guide to pursuing purity, commitment, patience, and more. Our body is the Holy Spirit’s temple.

“Purity impacts you long before marriage and impacts you long after marriage… Immorality is the only sin against the body”

Regardless where we come from, if your heart desires purity, God will keep and use it. Jackie shares that if we want to raise the IQ of our children’s souls and prepare their hearts, read the Bible to them daily. The more you read to your child, the more their hearts are being soiled.

“The moment you can read the Bible to your baby, you’re shaping their heart to hear a call to purity.”

What we chat about:

The importance of purity

The book, “Lady in Waiting”

Preparing children at a young age

Pursuing and celebrate purity

No Bozos stories

How Sexual Intimacy in Marriage Affects Your Children :: Robyn McKelvy [EP20] Oct 19, 2020

Show notes

Yes, we’re going there and it’s juicy! Motherhood is exhausting and the last thing you want to think, talk or do is that. But I also know you love your husband and they come first before our children.

In this podcast, Robyn Mckelvy shares the truth about God’s design for sexual intimacy in marriage. A mom of seventeen children and author of S.O.S Sick of Sex tells all about how the power of sexual intimacy can transform a marriage.

“Sexual intimacy is nothing but an outpouring of the love a husband and wife have for one another. That is the reason why sexual intimacy is important and affect our children”

If we truly understand sexual intimacy, then we also can understand intimacy with God inside and out.

“There’s a direct correlation between the intimacy, commitment and connectedness that you have with your husband. And that is the foundations that our kids lives are built on.”

Robyn shares that it is vitally important for children to have an early bedtime and late wake up time to make time for our husbands. Moms must reserve this time rather than put it in the back burner. Making this concerted effort to reserve time for relationship building and ultimately ourselves furthers our commitment to our marital vows.

“Ultimately, this marathon we call marriage is something that in the end, we want to make sure that God had been glorified in it.”

What we chat about

The importance of sexual intimacy in marriage

Ways to establish healthy sexual intimacy within marriage

Encouragement for moms who feel overwhelm

Considering his needs before ours

Connect with Robyn

WEBSITE: Robyn McKelvy

FACEBOOK: Robyn McKelvy

INSTAGRAM: Robyn McKelvy

LINKEDIN: Robyn McKelvy

Talking About Sex with Children :: Mo Isom Aiken [EP19] Oct 12, 2020

Show notes

In this podcast, Mo Isom Aiken shares about the importance of sex, and sexuality. Many times people are confused or scared to navigate the conversation of sex and sexuality with their children. However, this is a conversation, that God wants to speak to us about too.

“We as women, mothers, and daughters of the Most High, must allow Him to minister, heal and cultivate conversations about sex within our own hearts first.”

Sex is an act of worship when it’s used in the right context. It is also used as a weapon against the enemy. God’s text is full of this truth from Genesis to Revelation.

“Sex is an invention and a gift from God.”

God desires us as parents to lead our children in the way that they should go. Also, to speak of His ways and His decrees. That simply means it is a non-negotiable; we must have this conversation regardless of how uncomfortable it may be.

Children are being exposed to things at a young age, like pornography and we need to stand in the gap for them. Mo shares about her experiences of sharing about sexuality to her daughter and their reactions.

“God created sex as a beautiful gift between a husband and a wife. And how that prophesies this beautiful intimacy that we’re invited into between he as the bridegroom and we as His bride.”

We can begin to share with our children early in their lives to create hearts that are responsive to God’s identity in their lives, including His wondrous design. Mo reminds us that we should share with our children the truth of sex and sexuality so that they understand that it is more than a physical act and is rather about intimacy.

What we chat about

Mo’s story

Sex and sexuality

Sex as a loss narrative in the Christian family

When to talk to your children about sex

Purity culture

Basic lessons to help our children understand God’s design for sex

Function and purpose of sex

Worldview that lies behind the huge cultural shifts and how it affects children

Connect with Mo

WEBSITE: Mo Isom

FACEBOOK: Mo Isom