Gather Moms

By Kate Henderson, Rebecca BradfordSociety & Culture Religion & Spirituality Christianity Relationships Parenting Kids & Family

Gather Moms episodes

October 12Becoming a Mom Without a Mom: Marlene Dominguez on Mother Wounds and How God Meets You There EP: 226
Kate sits down with her dear friend Marlene Dominguez, a first generation Dominican American, wife to Manny, mom of three curly-haired boys, and co-founder of Brave Church in Washington Heights, New York City – the neighborhood she grew up in, left for ten years to serve in Fort Worth, Texas, and was called back to plant a church in. Marlene’s story is layered, beautiful, raw, and full of the grace of a God who meets us exactly where we are.
This conversation covers identity, motherhood wounds, endometriosis, postpartum anxiety, counseling, natural births, curls, cafecito y pan, and what it really means to say “this is their childhood, but it is also my motherhood”.
About Marlene:
Marlene Dominguez is a first generation Dominican American raised in Washington Heights, New York City. She and her husband Emmanuel co-lead Brave Church, a church plant in their home neighborhood. She is a mom of three boys, a speaker, and the creator behind the Instagram community @curlswithapromise where she has spent over ten years pointing women back to their identity in Christ through the lens of beauty, faith, and culture.
In This Episode:
Growing up in Washington Heights – Little Dominican Republic – and being called back to plant Brave Church
Curls with a promise and the decade-long journey of embracing her natural hair and the identity story underneath it
It is their childhood but it is also my motherhood, and why Marlene refuses to forget that
No junior Holy Spirit, raising practical adults, not children whose entire world revolves around them
Being diagnosed with endometriosis in her first month of marriage and what God spoke to her in that season
Becoming a mom without a mom, the mother wound that motherhood brought to the surface
Postpartum anxiety, EMDR therapy, and the therapist who told her what worked back then no longer serves her now
The trust fund language she and Manny use in their marriage and why it changed everything
Brave is not the absence of fear it is being a mom without a mom and doing it anyway
Connect With Marlene:
@curlswithapromise | Brave Church in Washington Heights
Connect With Us:
gathermoms.com | @gathermoms | Join our Patreon at gathermoms.com
Gather Moms: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook
Kate Henderson: Instagram | Facebook
Rebecca Bradford: Instagram | Facebook
1 hr 8 min
October 05Working Mom, New Town, No Friends Yet: Ashley Weece on Surviving the Season You’re In EP: 225
If you have ever moved somewhere new and wondered why it still does not feel like home, felt guilty for working (or for not working), or said yes to one too many things and regretted it the next morning, this episode is for you.
Kate and Rebecca sit down with Ashley Weece, mom of two boys ages four and two, who moved across the country with her husband to plant a church in Brunswick, Maine. Ashley has been a full time working mom, a mostly stay at home mom, and everything in between. She knows what it feels like to start over with no community, juggle kids and ministry, and wrestle with the guilt that comes with every choice.
This is an honest, encouraging conversation for every mom trying to find her footing in a new place, balance work and family, and stop measuring herself against a version of motherhood that does not fit her season.
About Ashley:
Ashley Weece is a wife, mom of two boys, speaker, and church planter. She grew up in Kansas, spent nine years in Kentucky, and now lives in Brunswick, Maine, where she and her husband Justin planted Ironcoast Church.
In This Episode:
Moving somewhere new with no community, and the three year rule that helped Ashley stop feeling behind
Why comparing how fast other people settle in makes it harder, and why roots take time to grow
The “better mom” myth: why Christian moms feel pressure to parent one right way
How Ashley went from “I’m definitely working” to surrendering the whole decision to God before her first baby was born
Working unhealthy hours with her first and finding a healthier rhythm with her second
The pressure of being a ministry mom and trading performance for presence
Living in a five loaves and two fish season, when you do not have enough time, sleep, or food
Limitations as a gift from God, and why wearing a bathing suit in 20 degree weather is a lot like ignoring your season
The overcommitment trap and the fear that if you say no, you will never be asked again
How Ashley decides what to say yes to, and why she caps speaking at three events a year
Letting your kids be loved by other people, and why childcare can grow their capacity to love and be loved
Mom friends with different parenting styles and why we need each other
Simple prayer rhythms with little kids: the drive to daycare and bedtime
Boy mom advice: find a mentor mom with boys, build a daily rhythm, and get them moving every day
Connect With Ashley: @ashleyweece
Ironcoast Church: https://ironcoast.church/
Connect With Us:
gathermoms.com | @gathermoms | Join our Patreon at gathermoms.com
Gather Moms: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook
Kate Henderson: Instagram | Facebook
Rebecca Bradford: Instagram | Facebook
53 min
September 28Amy Ford Was 19, Pregnant, and Had the Abortion Scheduled – Then God Had Other Plans EP: 224
Kate and Rebecca sit down with Amy Ford — founder and president of Embrace Grace, mom of four, brand new grandmother (Honey!), author, speaker, and one of the most passionate voices for women with unplanned pregnancies in the country. Amy’s story began with her own unplanned pregnancy in her teens — one of the hardest and loneliest times of her life. That season of brokenness became the fuel for everything God would build through her.
Trigger Warning: This episode contains honest discussion of unplanned pregnancy, abortion, pregnancy loss, and the emotional and spiritual weight of those experiences. We share these stories with grace, hope, and the love of Jesus — but please care for yourself as you listen.
About Amy:
Amy Ford is the co-founder and president of Embrace Grace, a non-profit organization formed for the purpose of inspiring the church and providing the tools necessary to be an emotional, practical, and spiritual support for women with unplanned pregnancies. She is an active speaker and published author based in Arlington, Texas. Embrace Grace now has over 1,200 support groups in churches across all 50 states.
In This Episode:
Amy’s personal story of getting pregnant at 19, scheduling an abortion, and what happened in that room that changed everything
The pastor who refused to marry them because they had sinned and the stunning moment of forgiveness 16 years later in front of an entire congregation
Why the abortion rate inside the church is the same as outside it and what that means for us as the church
What the abortion pill is really like — what women are not being told and why it is more traumatizing than most people realize
What pushback Amy still gets from pastors — and how she responds
Why Roe v. Wade being overturned has not solved the problem
How Embrace Grace works — plug and play curriculum, 12 weeks, front row seats to miracles
Just because a baby wasn’t planned by the mom doesn’t mean it wasn’t planned by God
What saved Amy — community and the one or two friends who stayed
Get Involved:
Check out Amy Ford’s Resources at https://www.amyford.com/
Connect With Us:
gathermoms.com | @gathermoms | Join our Patreon at gathermoms.commoms | Join our Patreon at gathermoms.com
Gather Moms: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook
Kate Henderson: Instagram | Facebook
Rebecca Bradford: Instagram | Facebook
23 min
September 21Caroline Shankle: What Your Daughter Actually Needs From You, A 22-Year-Old Tells Moms the Truth EP: 223
This episode is unlike any other this season. Instead of hearing from a seasoned mom, Kate and Rebecca sit down with someone who just lived the teenage years, and has the book to prove it.
Caroline Shankle is a 22-year-old author, Texas A&M graduate student, and daughter of bestselling author and Big Boo podcast host Melanie Shankle. She survived mean girls, soccer injuries, heartbreak, and the anxious pressure of being a teenager in the social media age, then wrote a 100-day devotional to help the next girl do the same. The Lion and the Bear is a young woman’s compassionate guidebook for defeating life’s giants by trusting God one step at a time, written from the trenches, not a distant pedestal.
This episode is a gift to every mom raising a daughter, and every daughter who just needs to know she is not alone.
In This Episode:
The breakup and Zoom call that became the origin story of Caroline’s book
The lion and the bear: how David and Goliath became her framework for hard seasons
What being a teenager in the social media age really feels like
Holding two truths: God is good, and you can still be beat down and tired
The mistake moms make trying to fix it too fast, and what teens need instead
Stay out of the boat: why getting in it with your daughter wears you down
Reading the room: why advice lands better three days later than in the moment
What not to say when your daughter is hurting, and what actually helps
Growing up with a mom on a public platform, without the pressure to be perfect
The anxious generation and why this generation is wired differently
What saved Caroline: God never wasted any of it
Caroline’s Website: https://carolineshankle.com/the-lion-and-the-bear/
Connect With Caroline: carolineshankle.com | @carolineshankle on Instagram
Connect With Us: gathermoms.com | @gathermoms | Join our Patreon at gathermoms.com
Gather Moms: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook
Kate Henderson: Instagram | Facebook
Rebecca Bradford: Instagram | Facebook
26 min
September 14Culture Is Coming for Your Kids — Amy Davison Teaches Moms How to Fight Back Without the Bubble Wrap: EP 222
This is the episode that will change how you think about every show your kids watch, every song they hear, and every conversation happening on the school bus.
Kate and Rebecca welcome back return guest Amy Davison, Vice President of Mama Bear Apologetics — one of the most trusted resources for Christian moms who want to raise kids that think critically, love biblically, and stand firm in the faith. Amy is an Air Force veteran, mom of four (18, 16, 14, and 2), and a woman who has been in the trenches of this cultural conversation long enough to know exactly what tools moms actually need.
This is not a fear-based conversation. It is a faithfulness-based one. And it is packed with some of the most practical, biblical wisdom for navigating media and culture that we have ever had on the show.
About Amy:
Amy Davison is Vice President of Mama Bear Apologetics, a ministry dedicated to equipping Christian moms to raise the next generation to think critically and stand firm in the faith. She is an Air Force veteran, a writer, and a mom of four. Find all of Mama Bear’s resources at mamabearapologetics.com.
In This Episode:
Why bubble wrap Christianity does not work — if Satan got into the garden he can get into your living room
Your living room is either a training ground or it is not — and the armor of God is not a spiritual safe space
The shift that has happened in children’s media over the last 15 years — what was a punchline on Friends is now in CoComelon
Media is not neutral — it is the most proficient form of propaganda ever created and our kids are consuming it daily
Every worldview answers the same six questions — and the ones being fed to your kids have very specific answers
The history of the sexual revolution and why it matters for what your kids are watching today
The ROAR method — Recognize the message, Offer objective discernment, Argue for a healthier approach, Reinforce with prayer and discussion
Words matter and definitions are being hijacked — buzzwords every mom needs to know how to unpack with her kids
The no-flinch rule — fix your face, mama, because if you freak out they will stop coming to you
The difference between fear and wisdom in parenting — fear panics, wisdom prepares
Teen brain development — the prefrontal cortex, the amygdala, and why boys especially need more time
What homeschool kids, private school kids, and public school kids all have in common — they are having the same conversations, just in different places
I am not responsible for my children’s choices — I am responsible for the message of the gospel
It is never too late — you are responsible for the time you have been given right now
Resources Mentioned:
Mama Bear Apologetics — mamabearapologetics.com
Mama Bear Apologetics Guide to Sexuality The ROAR Method and buzzwords blog series — all at mamabearapologetics.com
Connect With Us:
gathermoms.com | @gathermoms | Join our Patreon at gathermoms.com
Gather Moms: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook
Kate Henderson: Instagram | Facebook
Rebecca Bradford: Instagram | Facebook
27 min
September 07Millye Hale, the Grandma With 33 Years of Parenting Wisdom Moms Need to Hear: EP 221
This episode is goinIf you have ever wished you could sit down with a wise, seasoned grandma who has seen it all and lived to tell about it with joy — this episode is for you.
Kate and Rebecca sit down with Millye Hale, a mom of three grown children, grandmother of three under two, mentor mom of 33 years, founder of her own parenting ministry, and the woman who once turned a dental hygienist career into a full time calling to come alongside moms and families. Millye is the kind of woman who quotes scripture the way most people breathe — naturally, constantly, and at exactly the right moment.
This conversation is full of timeless, biblical wisdom on parenting that will make you want to pull out a notebook.
In This Episode:
What it actually means to be an intentional mom — and the image of a plant with dirt under your fingernails that will change how you see your season
Why discipline is really discipleship — and why moms keep waiting for the spanking conversation
The difference between behavior modification and going after your child’s heart
Why it is not the severity of a consequence that changes behavior in a child — it is the certainty
Never give them a taste of victory — and what happened when Millye held the line on a Noah’s Ark vest
We are not raising kids — we are rearing spiritually mature adults and the difference matters
The teaching and training rails — where parents should be spending most of their energy
The Special Spot — one of the most creative and practical parenting hacks you will ever hear
Creativity as an underrated superpower in parenting — good parents are marketers for good choices
What grandparenting actually looks like done right — filling in the gap and being a cheerleader
Perfectionism as Millye’s own fig leaf — and how the Lord dismantled it
Keep your eyes on your own paper — the phrase her mentees call her just to hear her say
What saved Millye in her own motherhood journey
Resources Mentioned:
Millye Hale’s Groundwork Study — https://millyehale.com
The Groundwork Study videos — free at https://millyehale.com
The Groundwork Study book — available on Amazon
The Collapse of Parenting: Leonard Sax
Connect With Millye:
https://millyehale.com | @millyehale on Instagram
Connect With Us:
gathermoms.com | @gathermoms | Join our Patreon at gathermoms.com
Gather Moms: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook
Kate Henderson: Instagram | Facebook
Rebecca Bradford: Instagram | Facebook
48 min
August 31Hard Is Not the Same Thing as Bad — Abbie Halberstadt, Mom of 10 Tells Us the Truth About Motherhood: EP 220
This episode is going to challenge you in the best way.
Kate and Rebecca sit down with Abbie Halberstadt — bestselling author, fitness instructor, homeschooling mama to ten kids including two sets of identical twins, and a Bible-believing Christian who desires to know God and make Him known. Abbie lives by a motto that has become a movement: hard is not the same thing as bad. And in this conversation she brings that message straight into the everyday wilderness of motherhood.
From birth stories to biblical truth, from complaining to community, this episode is packed with the kind of honest, scripture-grounded wisdom that moms in every season need to hear.
About Abbie:
Abbie Halberstadt is a writer, fitness instructor, and homeschooling mother of ten children, including two sets of identical twins. She lives by the motto that “hard is not the same thing as bad” and loves encouraging women to dig deep in the everyday trials of motherhood for the treasures of joy and growth that are there in abundance. She, her husband Shaun, and their children live in the Piney Woods of East Texas.
In This Episode:
What it actually looks like to be open to however many kids the Lord has for you — and how Abbie ended up with ten
Birth stories from a mom who has done it eight times including two sets of twins
The trend on social media that prompted Abbie to write her first book M Is for Mama — a rebellion against mediocre motherhood
Why hard is not the same thing as bad — and the scripture that backs it up
The real difference between venting and complaining — and how to know which one you are doing
Go to the throne before the phone — a phrase that will stick with you
Why your children’s outcome is not your resume — and what the Bible actually promises about parenting
What to do when you have a prodigal child and feel like God failed you
Why your family is your first community — and how to stop stepping over it looking for something else
The one thing that saved Abbie in motherhood — and why it might not be what you expect
Abbie’s Books:
M Is for Mama — A Rebellion Against Mediocre Motherhood
Hard Is Not the Same Thing as Bad
You Bet Your Stretch Marks
Find Abbie at misformama.net and @abbiehallberstadt on Instagram
Connect With Us:
gathermoms.com | @gathermoms | Join our Patreon at gathermoms.com
Gather Moms: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook
Kate Henderson: Instagram | Facebook
Rebecca Bradford: Instagram | Facebook
58 min
August 24Motherhood is Basically Survivor — And Here’s What’s Actually Saving Us: EP 219
A brand new season of Gather Moms is here and Kate and Rebecca are kicking things off with an honest conversation about the wilderness of motherhood and the things that have actually kept them going.
Using Survivor as the perfect metaphor for mom life, because both involve keeping everyone fed, making sure they sleep, and managing someone who is probably going to throw something they introduce a question they will be asking every guest this season: What is in your helicopter drop?
Beyond the spark vs. iced latte debates, they get real about what has actually saved them in motherhood. Counseling. A spouse who sees things differently. Walking. Bible study. Laughter. And a community of moms who show up when things get hard.
In This Episode:
The helicopter drop question and what it reveals about what moms actually need
The real things that have saved them — counseling, community, laughter, Bible study, and more
A preview of the incredible guests coming this season
Hebrews 12 and why it frames everything about this season
Join our Patreon for the September School Prayers series at gathermoms.com
Connect With Us:
gathermoms.com | @gathermoms |resources, curriculum, and community at GatherMoms.com
Gather Moms: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook
Kate Henderson: Instagram | Facebook
Rebecca Bradford: Instagram | Facebook
47 min
August 17What We Actually Should Be Praying for Our Kids This School Year: EP 218
We’re back, moms — and we came in hot.
Kate and Rebecca are officially back from their summer break and kicking off the new school year with the reset every mom needs before September hits. First they are sharing their best summer stories — a canceled flight in Cabo, a family road trip prank involving a very unfortunate cat, a miniature Barbie birthday gift that has to be seen to be believed, and a hospital visit that came dangerously close to fulfilling one mom’s very specific bucket list dream.
Then things get real. Because as we send our kids back into classrooms, sports teams, and friend groups this fall — the prayers we pray for them matter more than we think. Kate and Rebecca pull from an unlikely source — the book of Revelation — to challenge moms to stop praying only for the comfortable things and start praying for the things that actually shape who our kids are becoming.
In This Episode:
Kate’s flight cancellation saga in Cabo — and why you need a Spanish speaker in your travel group
The Bradford family’s San Antonio vacation and the prank that almost went too far
The most creative birthday gift Kate has ever received and why miniature things are Rebecca’s love language
The elevator baby that almost made one mom’s bucket list dream come true
Why the book of Revelation is actually the perfect back to school guide
Culture is not neutral — it has a goal for your kids and we have to know what we’re up against
Everybody’s becoming someone — the choices our kids make now create who they are
Why we need to stop praying comfortable prayers and start praying character prayers
Worship is war — what we stare at becomes bigger, so let’s stare at Jesus
The September 30 Days of Prayer challenge on Gather Moms Patreon
Resources Mentioned:
The Daily Grace Co. Revelation Bible Study
Gather Moms September School Prayers — join at gathermoms.com/Patreon starting September 1st
Connect With Us:
gathermoms.com | @gathermoms |resources, curriculum, and community at GatherMoms.com
Gather Moms: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook
Kate Henderson: Instagram | Facebook
Rebecca Bradford: Instagram | Facebook
47 min
May 25 Cool Mom Summer – Moms of Summer: EP 217
What kind of summer mom are you? In this episode, Kate and Rebecca kick off with a little nostalgia, a lively game of “pick your side,” and then dive into the summer mom types that every woman will recognize — in herself and in her friends. Whether you’re the Pool Mom, the Survival Mode Mom, or somewhere in between, this episode is your permission slip to stop trying to be someone you’re not and lean into the mom God actually made you to be.
In This Episode
Kate and Rebecca play Pick Your Side (watermelon or sweet corn? pool or beach? sunscreen or… let em burn?) before breaking down seven summer mom types — the gifts each one brings, the watch-outs to keep in mind, and the grace that covers all of it. Plus, they share an exciting new prayer initiative launching June 1 that every mom can participate in no matter what her summer looks like.
The 7 Moms of Summer
The Pool Mom Always packed, always ready. Her kids are tan by June and she has strong opinions about swim lessons. Her gift is consistency and comfort — she creates a home base her kids return to all summer long. Her watch out: intentionality still matters even when the location never changes.
The Enrichment Mom Reading logs meet tie dye in her house. The summer bridge workbooks are already ordered. Her gift is that her kids never stop growing — summer is just a more colorful version of the school year. Her watch out: not everything has to be a lesson. Sometimes a popsicle is just a popsicle.
The Experience Mom She is collecting memories and the camera roll proves it. Road trips, national parks, family reunions — she starts planning next summer before this one is over. Her gift is raising kids with wonder and a wide world. Her watch out: not every moment has to be a highlight reel. The drive there counts too.
The Home Base Mom Her house is the neighborhood hub. Fully stocked snack drawer, sprinkler in the backyard, door always open. Her gift is belonging — that open door is a ministry. Her watch out: she can start to feel like the whole summer runs through her and forget to fill her own cup.
The Structured Mom Camp is scheduled, meals are planned, the rhythm is on the fridge. She engineered her summer to not have chaos — and she is not apologizing for it. Her gift is that her kids feel safe and regulated. Her watch out: when the plan falls apart, grace and flexibility matter more than the schedule.
The Go-With-The-Flow Mom The plan happens at 9am. Sometimes 10. Some days are spontaneous magic, some days are a little feral, and she is okay with both. Her gift is raising adaptable, present kids. Her watch out: a little rhythm goes a long way — even just one loose anchor for the day.
The Survival Mode Mom She is doing her best and that is enough. There is screen time and drive-through lunches and days she just needs everyone to be okay. Her gift is love — full stop. Her watch out: if survival mode is every day all summer, it might be worth asking what she actually needs.
The Heart of the Episode
Whatever mom you are — be THAT mom. God created you with your specific personality, your disposition, your gifts, and your limits to be your kids’ mom. Not someone else’s mom. Not the mom you follow on Instagram. Theirs. That is not an accident. That is a calling.
Summer in the Psalms — Starting June 1
No matter what kind of summer mom you are, you can be a praying mom this summer. Summer’s slower mornings and longer evenings give us more margin than the school year — and we want to help you use it. Join us for Summer in the Psalms, a prayer initiative launching June 1. (Details shared in episode — stay tuned for how to participate!)t the Moms of Summer — the pool mom, the home mom, the zoo mom, the teacher mom. Which one are you? Come back and find out! Resources, curriculum, and community at GatherMoms.com
Gather Moms: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook
Kate Henderson: Instagram | Facebook
Rebecca Bradford: Instagram | Facebook
30 min

About Gather Moms

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Moms, we need each other. We need a place where we can be real, be encouraged, be inspired and find community with other moms; that’s what Gather is all about. Join us, other moms in the trenches with…