Hey sweet friend, 

This is a very special episode of Love Where You Are for a few reasons. One reason is because this audio is from when I spoke at the Shiloh Women's Christmas Conference just last month, "Making Spirits Brighter." I shared a message of leadership and delegation, coming from a story of Moses that deeply resonated with me and I feel like it's something many of us moms deal with... 

We get so busy juggling all the things and adding stuff to our plate, that we can often lose sight of what God is truly calling us to: the holy work of motherhood. And when we are juggling all the things, we are so suspectible to the temptations and distractions of the enemy, and that pulls us from that holy focus. 

It was not long after sharing this message, a message that I needed in my own life, that I realized what God was calling me to do. 

Right now, I am shifting my focus and energy to the Called to Love podcast here on Christian Parenting, where I specifically answer your questions about adoption and foster care. If you have enjoyed Love Where You Are, you will most likely enjoy Called to Love. It's still me, Somer, just with a new and specific purpose and mission to serve those walking the beautiful and broken journey of adoption or foster care. I would love it if you joined us for those deep conversations, friend. 

And thank you for suporting me with Love Where You Are. It has been a beautiful chapter that draws to a close, but I am excited for what God has in store.

I hope this message from the Shiloh conference impacts you just as it has impacted me. God bless! 

Just for stopping by, here is your FREE downloadable resource from Somer, “The 2023 Proverbs 31 Woman.” 

You can connect with Somer through her Facebook & Instagram!

Click here to learn more about the Called to Love podcast. 

Love Where You Are is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be visit http://www.ChristianParenting.org

Welcome to the Love Where You Are podcast! Just for stopping by, here is your FREE downloadable resource from Somer, "The 2023 Proverbs 31 Woman." 

You can connect with Somer through her Facebook & Instagram!

In this episode, she is joined with today's guest, Laura Smith. 

Laura is a Jesus Lover, best-selling author, speaker, wife & mom of four. She is passionate about equipping families with a better understanding of mental health and scripture, and has a new book titled "5 Minute Devotions for Teens: A Guide to God and Mental Health"  In this conversation, Somer and Laura discuss practical ways for us busy moms to take care of our bodies, minds, and spirits so we can better glorify God in all that we do…  

You can also connect with Laura on Instagram.  

Thank you for being here today. Now, let's dive into the conversation! 

Love Where You Are is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be visit www.ChristianParenting.org

In today’s episode Somer and Kelly discuss how easy it is to become purposefooled. Even before the rise of social media which has exponentially impacted this problem, humans have sought after glory for themselves and the extraordinary, as Kelly describes with the Tower of Babal story. We often seek to make ourselves the saviors, the heroes, of the story, instead of giving everything to God. We will run ourselves ragged, wheels constantly spinning, doing all the things, because the mundane and ordinary don't feel like enough. God is meant to be our purpose in life, not the titles we possess or the activities we do. 

Thanks for coming to the Love Where You Are podcast! Just for stopping by, here is your FREE downloadable resource from Somer, “The 2023 Proverbs 31 Woman.” 

You can connect with Somer through her Facebook & Instagram!

Kelly Needham is a busy mom of five kiddos, wife to Jimmy Needham, and author to several books. Click here to buy Purposefooled and click here to follow her on Instagram. 

Thank you for being here today. Now, let’s dive into the conversation! 

Love Where You Are is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be visit http://www.ChristianParenting.org

 

In today’s episode Somer and Ann discuss courage as we enter a new year full of uncertainity when it comes to our economy, politics, and the culture war. Ann gigves us seven practical tips for courage, examples of courageous people from the Bible, and reminds us that sometimes God calls us to something even if we "aren't ready." 

Scripture reference: 2nd Timothy 1:7

Notable moments: 

-God does not give us a spirit of fear. 

-God carries us through life's hardships and traumas. 

-Living in fear can be comfortable if it's all you've ever known.

 

Thanks for coming to the Love Where You Are podcast! Just for stopping by, here is your FREE downloadable resource from Somer, “The 2023 Proverbs 31 Woman.” 

You can connect with Somer through her Facebook & Instagram!

Ann White is passionate about creating resources to help women build their relationship with God. It drives her to create such things as the first female-voiced audio Bible. The female voice is important to her mission, which has reached behind bars as well as in church pews. “One thing in working with at-risk women, it’s important to use gender-specific treatment. You don’t put a woman who may have been traumatized by a man with a male counselor or a male-voiced program.” "Courage for Life" is only the beginning as Ann works with Tyndale House Publishers on a “Women’s Study Bible.” “We should be sharing God and his word, teaching other people, and inspiring life change. Everyone needs a daily dose of God-given Courage For Life!” says Ann.

Thank you for being here today. Now, let’s dive into the conversation! 

Love Where You Are is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be visit http://www.ChristianParenting.org

 

In this episode Somer and special guest Jennifer Dukes Lee discuss the power of journaling and being honest with God.

Despite the fact that we KNOW cognitively that God KNOWS everything and we can't keep secrets from Him, there is something that prevents us from opening up that dialogue with Him and being vulnerable... And yet in that vulnerability, we can deepen our relationship and connection to Him, and it also impacts us as mothers. 

Notable moments the conversation: 

-"Holiness in the holy mess" 

-We can miss out on intimacy with God if we keep our distance. 

-If you don't process things properly with the Lord, you may end up taking out all the pent up emotion and internal conflict onto your kids or those close to you. 

Thanks for listening to the Love Where You Are podcast! Just for stopping by, here is your FREE downloadable resource from Somer, “The 2023 Proverbs 31 Woman.” 

You can connect with Somer through her Facebook & Instagram!

Jennifer Dukes Lee is a prolific author and calls herself a "storyteller and grace-dweller." Her recent book, "Stuff I'd Only Tell God: A Guided Journal of Courageous Honesty, Obsessive Truth-Telling, and Beautifully Ruthless Self-Discovery" is the catalyst for today's conversation and available wherever you find your books. You can also connect with Jennifer on Instagram on her personal account or the account specific to this book, and Facebook.  

Thank you for being here today. Now, let’s dive into the conversation! 

Love Where You Are is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be visit http://www.ChristianParenting.org

Christmas is around the corner and while we look forward to gathering with family and friends, there can be opportunity for conflict. Tension in the air and anticipated conflicts are stressful and difficult to navigate. This week Somer and award winning singer and songwriter and author, Mike Donehey discuss ways of approaching conflict, what our true mission is as Christians, and how to get the fork out of our blender. Wait...what?!

Thanks for listening to the Love Where You Are podcast! Just for stopping by, here is your FREE downloadable resource from Somer, “The 2023 Proverbs 31 Woman.” 

You can connect with Somer through her Facebook & Instagram!

Mike Donehey is a singer, songwriter and author. Mike was a part of the Christian Tenth Avenue North but has recently gone into a solo career, and wrote a book titled "Grace in the Gray: A More Loving Way to Disagree" which launches today's conversation. 

Thank you for being here today. Now, let's dive into the conversation! 

Love Where You Are is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be visit www.ChristianParenting.org

 

In today's episode Somer and Anthony discuss the ways God grows us in our seasons of life, the need for pause, prayer as our greatest weapon against the enemy, and how our dreams are glimpses of God's plan for us... 

Notable moments the conversation: 

"Preach the gospel at all times and if necessary, use words." - Saint Francis of Assisi

"You can’t give what you can’t have” - Latin phrase 

Anthony points out that your dreams and desires are not the same as God’s plan for your life, but they are clues from God as to where He wants you to be and your purpose. God rarely gives us straight answers but glimpses of the road ahead, a divine GPS, so we can seek Him and draw nearer in unity with Him. 

Somer notes we are often building our own kingdoms instead of focusing on building God's kingdom. 

Thanks for coming to the Love Where You Are podcast! Just for stopping by, here is your FREE downloadable resource from Somer, "The 2023 Proverbs 31 Woman." 

You can connect with Somer through her Facebook & Instagram!

Anthony DeStefano is the bestselling author of over twenty-five Christian books for adults and children. His books have been published in eighteen different countries and twelve different languages and have been endorsed by The National Day of Prayer committee as well as many prom-inent religious leaders and mainstream celebrities. "Greenlee is Growing" is his latest children's book and the catalyst for today's topic. 

Thank you for being here today. Now, let's dive into the conversation! 

Love Where You Are is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be visit www.ChristianParenting.org

In today's episode Somer and Douglas discuss what a liturgery is, why it is important, and how we can intentionally worship God and draw nearer to Him in the everyday moments of our lives--from vacuuming and doing dishes to the car line, all the work we do as moms is holy work. 

Welcome to the Love Where You Are podcast! Just for stopping by, here is your FREE downloadable resource from Somer, "The 2023 Proverbs 31 Woman." 

You can connect with Somer through her Facebook & Instagram!

Douglas McKelvey. is an author, song lyricist, scriptwriter, and video director. He has penned more than 350 lyrics recorded by artists such as Switchfoot, Kenny Rogers, Sanctus Real, and Jason Gray.

Douglas has a third installment of his liturgy series titled "Every Moment Holy" which includes work from himself and a diverse range of writers, artists, poets, songwriters, pastors, and illustrators to bring you something for the everyday holy moments. 

Thank you for being here today. Now, let's dive into the conversation! 

Love Where You Are is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be visit www.ChristianParenting.org

Welcome to the Love Where You Are podcast! Just for stopping by, here is your FREE downloadable resource from Somer, "The 2023 Proverbs 31 Woman." 

You can connect with Somer through her Facebook & Instagram!

In this episode, she is joined with today's guest, Brooke McGlothlin. 

Brooke is the Founder of Million Praying Moms, Host of the Million Praying Moms podcast, and author of six books, three of which hit the ECPA bestseller list. Brooke recently released Everyday Prayers for Peace, and Praying Mom: Making Prayer the First and Best Response to Motherhood which speak to the power of a life partnered with God in prayer and they sparked this conversation.  

Somer and Brooke discuss the need for patience and God’s grace in our parenting, how God uses our motherhood journeys to mature us, and how prayer shouldn’t be a last resort but our first response in moments of crisis… 

Thank you for being here today. Now, let's dive into the conversation! 

Love Where You Are is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be visit www.ChristianParenting.org

 

Welcome to the Love Where You Are podcast! Just for stopping by, here is your FREE downloadable resource from Somer, "The 2023 Proverbs 31 Woman." 

You can connect with Somer through her Facebook & Instagram!

In this episode, she is joined with today's guest, Bethany Kimsey.  

Bethany is a warrior mama to eight kiddos as well as a writer and speaker. She testifies that God radically changed her messy motherhood from weary, anxious, and frantic to peaceful, joyful, and triumphant. Her new devotional, "A Warrior Mama's Prayer Journal" sparked the topic for this open and honest conversation in this episode. 

Somer and Bethany talk about the battles we fight as moms, the use of prayer in our lives to help win those battles, and the many different seasons we go through as parents, and how we don’t need to fix things, most of the time we just need to bring it to God who cares about our everyday parenting…

Love Where You Are is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be visit www.ChristianParenting.org