Gracenotes Podcast

Today’s guest is Cara Ray, author of The Pursuit of Holy Leisure: Enjoying God in Everyday Places. Cara is a writer, Bible teacher, and the founder of The Writer’s Bloc Community and Podcast, a space created to help Christian women grow in both the art and heart of writing.

Once a self-described “quiet time checkbox checker,” Cara now writes to help believers slow down, savor Scripture, and pursue what she calls holy leisure—a soul at rest in God, even amid busy, demanding lives.

Her work has been featured on Desiring God, Gospel-Centered Discipleship, and the YouVersion Bible App.

Find more here.

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Grace Thomas chats with author Kristen Wetherell about practical ways to prioritize prayer along with...

-Staying the course when motherhood feels discouraging

-How chronic illness and suffering shaped Kristen’s dependence on God

-Prayer shifting from duty to desire

-Teaching children to pray in simple, tangible ways

-Common misconceptions about prayer

-How prayer reveals the true condition of our hearts

Find more here: https://biyaya1.substack.com

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Grace Thomas talks with Mary Eschen, host of Parenting Decoded, about raising independent kids, managing screen time, & building strong parent-child connections.

Introduction: Meet Mary Eschen, Parenting Expert and Host of Parenting Decoded

Mary’s Parenting Journey: From Helicopter Mom to Love and Logic Coach

Screen Time and Technology: Practical Tips for Today’s Kids: tools like Bark.com.

Building Human Connection: One-on-One Time with Your Child

Resources and Tools: Podcasts & lectures

Closing Prayer and Reflection: Applying God’s Guidance in Parenting

Podcast: www.parentingdecoded.com

Gracenotes: https://biyaya1.substack.com/

Help other parents discover Grace Notes! Leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform, and share this episode featuring Mary Eschen’s practical parenting advice.

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What do you do when you doubt your purpose and calling? When you have big goals and don’t know what to do? Kelly’s book Purposefooled answers these questions with scripture and timely insights.

Book Quotes

“We were made for nothing less than the infinitely glorious, breathtakingly beautiful person of God Himself.”

“I am no longer the main character in my own life.”

“True greatness exists only in the triune God—the Father, the Son, and the Spirit.”

“The call for the Christian isn’t ‘follow your dreams’; it’s ‘follow Christ.’”

Links

Kelly’s Book

YouTube Channel

Spotify

Instagram

Find more on Substack: https://substack.com/@gracen0tes?utm_source=user-menu

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Abbey Wedgeworth, creator of the beloved Training Young Hearts series and the devotional Held shares practical tools for raising kiddos. Together they explore how the gospel shapes everyday parenting.

Abbey shares honest highs and lows of motherhood, the beauty of raising three boys, and the importance of helping children see that Jesus was a child too—one who always used His hands, words, and heart for good.

She also explains her idea of training refrains—simple, repeatable phrases that replace frustration with gospel truth—and offers encouragement for moms.

Find more on Substack.

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Grace interviews Blair Linne, the author of 'Made to Tremble: How Anxiety Became the Best Thing That Ever Happened to My Faith.' Blair shares her journey from dealing with severe anxiety and panic attacks to finding deep dependence on God.

Throughout the conversation, she discusses the challenges of balancing motherhood, homeschooling, and moving to a new city while managing anxiety. Blair emphasizes the importance of community support, faith in God, and practical tools for managing anxiety.

She also talks about her family's ministry on family worship and how they've incorporated these practices into their daily lives. The episode concludes with a prayer for women facing similar struggles and information on how to connect with Blair and her work.

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

00:49 Motherhood and Holiday Season Challenges

01:59 Blair's Story: From Philadelphia to Panic Attacks

05:25 The Journey Through Anxiety

07:41 Support Systems and Community Help

14:04 Family Worship and Ministry

17:52 Practical Tools and Final Thoughts

24:07 Closing Prayer and Contact Information

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Rooted in the Word: A Conversation with Gretchen Saffles of Well-Watered Woman

In this episode of Grace Notes, I had the joy of sitting down with Gretchen Saffles, founder of Well-Watered Women and author of The Well-Watered Woman, Word Before World, and Sweeter Than Honey. We talk about the highs and lows of motherhood, simplifying life during busy seasons, and what it means to stay rooted in God’s Word when life's overwhelming.

Gretchen shares practical wisdom on studying Scripture in every season. We also dive into how social media can shape our theology—and how to renew our minds with truth.

Find more here: https://substack.com/@gracen0tes/posts

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🔖 Shownotes:

Hunter Beless—Bible teacher, children’s book author, and founder of Journeywomen Ministries.

Hunter shares about the highs and lows of motherhood, the heart behind her newest children’s book Jesus Loves You More, and how parents can point their children to the unshakable love of Christ.

Together we talk about:

Highlighting and celebrating God’s work in your children

The story behind Journeywomen Ministries and Hunter’s writing journey

The inspiration for Jesus Loves You More and its gospel-centered message

How to help kids grasp the difference between human love and God’s perfect love

Practical encouragement for pointing children toward lasting truths when life feels hard

Order Here

Listen on Apple Podcasts

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Topics Covered

* Why is prayer valuable?

* If prayer’s so valuable, why don’t we do it more often?

* What does prayer look like practically?

Verses on Prayer

* Psalm 138:8 “The Lord will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy and loving-kindness, O Lord, endure forever–forsake not the works of Your own hands.”

* Colossians 4:2 “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”

* John 15:5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

I’d love to hear your prayer goals or requests. Let me know your thoughts in the comments, or private message me. Thanks for listening!

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We talk about:✨ Ways families can cultivate a heart for prayer.✨ Jenny’s personal experiences overseas and lessons on hospitality, holiness, and cross-cultural love.✨ Practical resources & ideas.

Resources Mentioned:

Jenny’s Book!

Around the World with Kate & Mack – a colorful kids’ resource from Wycliffe Bible Translators that helps families learn about Bible translation and pray for the nations.

Around the World: Letters from Children Across Nations – from The Daily Grace Company, a family-friendly book with stories, cultural insights, and prayer prompts.

Joshua Project – sign up for daily emails highlighting an unreached people group with prayer points: joshuaproject.net

Jenny’s Blog – free guides, prayer prompts, and activities for families to pray for unreached people groups and learn about world religions.

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