Welcome to the Love Where You Are podcast! 

In today’s episode I am joined with Brittany Ann. 

Brittany Ann is an author, speaker, and founder of EquippingGodlyWomen.com, a popular Christian-living website dedicated to helping women be “all in” in faith and family. Brittany is married to an incredible godly husband, and together they have three adorably energetic little ones.

In today’s conversation, Somer and Brittany talk about how to follow God’s Will when life is out of our control and it feels like we keep making mistakes. The world is so loud and that is a problem when we can’t hear God’s voice through the chaos.  Brittany dives into the three common myths behind God’s will for us, encourages us to spend time in God’s word and in prayer, and a reminder that doing life with people can be the most impactful spiritual care you can provide. As parents we are the first and best example to our kids, so we need to show them the peace that comes from trusting God with our lives.

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

You can connect with Brittany  through Facebook, YouTube, and her website. 

You can also order her new book! 

 

FAVORITE TAKE-AWAYS:

 -When the world is loud, maybe we need to take a step back and look at how much time we're spending on social media, letting the world's loudness enter our life. How much time do we spend in prayer and in the Word verses scrolling on instagram?

-We are the first and best example for our kids when it comes to faith. What kind of an example are we leading? 

-When you are asked who was the greatest spiritual rolemodel and influence for you, how would you answer? Was it an influencer or celebrity, or was it someone in your life? 

REMEMBER:

-You can't ruin God's plan for your life. 

-You can ask for people's opinions when it comes to a big decision but the most important person to ask is God. 

-All callings, whether its staying at home or working a career, can glorify God. There is no one shoe fits all. 

 

SCRIPTURE: 

Romans 11:29 

Eph 2:10 

Connect with Somer! 

Stay connected to Somer and the Love Where You Are podcast through her Facebook & Instagram! Now, go love where you are and live on mission for Jesus today. 

Welcome to the Love Where You Are podcast! 

In today’s episode I am joined by Leslie Means.

Leslie Means is founder and owner of the popular website Her View From Home, which features heartfelt contributor stories on motherhood, marriage, faith, and grief. She is a former news anchor, weekly columnist, and has published several short stories. She is married to a very patient man named Kyle, and together they have three fantastic kids: Ella, Grace, and Keithan. When she’s not sharing too much personal information online or in the newspaper, you’ll find her somewhere in Nebraska spending time with family and friends.

In this episode, Somer and Leslie talk about the importance for Christian moms to understand their value in the role they have been given, balancing the juggling act of motherhood, giving grace as we continue to grow and develop as women and as moms what the biggest message Christian moms need to hear right now.

Whether you are waiting to become a mom, right in the thick of motherhood or watching your babies grow and begin their own journeys, today’s conversation has something to encourage and challenge you. 

Thank you for being here today.

Now, let's dive into the conversation! 

You can connect with Leslie through Facebook, Instagram, and the Her View Website!

You can also order her new book! 

 

FAVORITE TAKE-AWAYS:

*God is writing your story and you don't get a bird's eye view, but it is incredible when you look back and see how God worked over the years 

 *Why do we question our ability to be a mom? God invented the family before He invented the Church! He made you right for this job. 

*Be honest with your kids. Set healthy boundaries. Be involved. 

 

REMEMBER:

*Learn how to discern God's voice and trust Him to move in the unexpected directions He leads you

*We're trying to juggle it all but you don't have to. You can lean on one another. 

*Knowing how to balance: when to say no and when to say yes. 

*Don't wish away time. Embrace your season with your child, whether they're babies or teens! Soak in the moments. 

 

Connect with Somer! 

Stay connected to Somer and the Love Where You Are podcast through her Facebook & Instagram! Now, go love where you are and live on mission for Jesus today. 

 

Welcome to the Love Where You Are podcast! 

In today’s episode I am joined with Steph Thurl.

Steph Thurling is Executive Director of Christian Parenting and host of The Christian Parenting Podcast.

Steph has her master’s in youth, family, and culture from Fuller Theological Seminary and has a background in youth and children’s ministry. She is co-author of Raising Prayerful Kids, a book that shares easy, life-giving, and fun ways to teach kids to pray. She loves helping families grow closer to each other and to God through meaningful experiences and conversations. Steph is a frequent speaker at churches and mom groups and is known for her relatable stories, practical ideas, and gentle encouragement.

In this episode, Somer and Steph discussed: 

*The most common struggles Christian parents face today

*Ways to make prayer fun for your kids

*How to keep a relationship with Christ at the center of your daily rhythms of life

*And the key to slowing down and enjoying each moment with your children despite the busyness all around you

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

You can listen to her podcast, visit her website, or connect through Instagram 

 

FAVORITE TAKE-AWAYS:

*School and church are not responsible for your child's faith. It all begins at home. 

*"Never go to the hardware store alone" (the idea that you can bring your kids with you running errands, spending quality time and building memories even in the mundane tasks)

*The truth is we do not know what we're doing but you can still be confident because God knows you're right for this job. 

REMEMBER:

*Your kids are kids. Meet them where they're at! (If they're really little, they might not want to sit still longer than five minutes.)

*Make prayer or spirituality part of your everyday moments. (Like on the drive home from school or on a walk to the park)

*If you're not intentional with your kids, someone else will be. 

Connect with Somer! 

Stay connected to Somer and the Love Where You Are podcast through her Facebook & Instagram! Now, go love where you are and live on mission for Jesus today. 

Welcome to the Love Where You Are podcast! 

In today’s episode I am joined with Rebecca George.

Rebecca is passionate about helping you discover your giftings and talents to be used for the Kingdom in big ways.

Rebecca and I discuss the questions to ask as you seek to discover your calling, the value system we place on the things God calls us to do, what hinders us from doing the thing and the importance of understanding our identity so we can discover what God has for us in this season.

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

You can connect with Rebecca through Instagram  and listen to her podcast! 

You can also order her new book! 

 

FAVORITE TAKE-AWAYS:

3 Questions to Ask to help you identify your “Thing” - 

*What matters to you - what  makes your heart come alive - what do you feel that God has naturally gifted you with and wired you to do?

*What matters to God - the spreading of the gospel 

*What matters to other people - what are some practical needs that I see in the world and how might that connect with the natural gifts and talents God has given me?

 

What hinders us from ‘doing the thing?’

*Comparison

*Doubt

*Insecurity

*Having a right perspective about the character of God

 

 

REMEMBER:

*There are seasons of enduring in our calling - taking one step after another in a God-ward direction

Nobody else this side of heaven was called to be my husband’s wife. 

Nobody else was called to be my children’s Mama.

*God is so faithful to give us spiritual eyes to see where we are and who we are and what He wants us to do.

*You do not have to be in vocational ministry to be in ministry

SCRIPTURE: 

Philippians 4:8 - what if we take this scripture and lay it up against our thought lives?

 

Connect with Somer! 

Stay connected to Somer and the Love Where You Are podcast through her Facebook & Instagram! Now, go love where you are and live on mission for Jesus today.

Welcome to the Love Where You Are podcast! 

Do you feel like you're spinning your wheels, chasing your tail, putting out fires all day long, and going to bed feeling exhausted and overwhelmed? If you can relate, today’s episode is for you! 

Bestselling author, founder of a widely popular enterprise, top podcast host—and busy mom of six—Crystal Paine should be exhausted. Or at least overwhelmed. But she’s not. In fact, she’s thriving and today she is here to share her best advice to help you do the same! 

Somer and Crystal discussed her practical 4 step system to help you stay sane in the full seasons of motherhood, why hustling harder is not the answer and what questions to ask when  you are struggling with your season.

Crystal Paine is the founder of MoneySavingMom.com, host of The Crystal Paine Show podcast, and a New York Times bestselling author. She has reached millions with practical advice that has changed families for the better. As a bestselling author, founder of a widely popular enterprise, top podcast host—and busy mom of six—Crystal Paine should be exhausted. Or at least overwhelmed. But she’s not. In fact, she’s thriving. Crystal is passionate about sharing the strategies and guiding principles she lives by to maximize her time and energy while balancing many responsibilities, staying sane, living meaningfully, and loving life - and today she is here to share these principles with you.

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

You can connect with Crystal through Facebook, Instagram, and her website. 

You can also order her new book! 

 

FAVORITE TAKE-AWAYS:

 -Crystal's practical 4 Steps:

*Pray

*Prioritize

*Plan 

*Prep

- "I try to never use the word ‘busy’ because I feel like it has a negative connotation of ‘I’m a victim of my life’"

-If my kids see me upset, they think its because of them and I never want that to happen. I want them to see me living and joyful and happy life, loving the job of being their mom. Burn-out is not good for us or our kids!

REMEMBER:

-I cannot do all of this in my own strength or I’m going to feel stressed and exhausted. I am not enough but HE is enough. I need Jesus each and every moment of each and every day.

-If we feel like our worth comes from our work, we are constantly not going to be measuring up.

But if our worth is coming from Jesus…we don’t have to do more, be more or try harder to attain His love. 

-Simplify the areas of your life where you can simplify: examples like choice fatigue in clothes and food. 

 

Connect with Somer! 

Stay connected to Somer and the Love Where You Are podcast through her Facebook & Instagram! Now, go love where you are and live on mission for Jesus today. 

 

Welcome to the Love Where You Are podcast! 

In today’s episode I am joined by Nicki Koziarz. Nicki Koziarz is a bestselling author of several books and Bible studies as well as a speaker with Proverbs 31 Ministries. Nicki speaks nationally at conferences, retreats and meetings and is the host of the Lessons from the Farm podcast. A Bible teacher at heart, Nicki inspires others to become the best version of who God created them to be.

In this episode, Nicki and I discuss the seasons of life and how to navigate all the feelings behind it. There are transitions in life, ones we invite in and ones that just happen! That means it is important to know what is within our control and what's in God's. Nicki and I talk about how to find the words to describe what we're feeling, how to embrace it, and be present where God has us.

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

You can connect with Nicki through Instagram and her website. 

You can also order her new book! Or take her quiz! 

Would you like to win a FREE copy of Nicki's new book?

Click HERE to enter!

FAVORITE TAKE-AWAYS:

*Our bodies give us signs and symptoms when something is wrong with our bodies - the soul also gives clues when something is wrong

*One of Nicki's favorite questions: "How’s your soul?" 

*God is developing our character in these places to match the calling He has given us as wives, moms and women of God

 

REMEMBER:

*Research tells us that we experience transitions in life every 12-18 months

*“God, help me to be the Mom they need, not the Mom they want.”

*The scriptures promise that when we go to God and ask Him for wisdom, He will give it to us

 

Connect with Somer! 

Stay connected to Somer and the Love Where You Are podcast through her Facebook & Instagram! Now, go love where you are and live on mission for Jesus today. 

 

Welcome to the Love Where You Are podcast! 

In today’s episode I am joined with Jenny Randle and Brayden Brookshier. 

Brayden and Jenny each married a sibling of the Randle family, making them brother in law and sister in law but they are also kindred spirits in the world of theology, nerding out over all things God. They geeked out over theology so much that they wrote a book together called Flash Theology: A Visual Guide to Knowing and Enjoying God

Brayden is on the Teaching Team at Newbreak Church, San Diego, is host of the "Adventures in Theology" podcast and is Professor of Biblical Greek at Horizon University.

Jenny is an author and award winning editor who has dedicated herself to ministry and is currently working on her master’s in theology at Asbury Theological Seminary. 

In today’s conversation, Jenny, Brayden and I talk about destigmatizing that big word: theology. Theology can sound like something just for pastors and professors. Theology, however, simply means the study of God and as Christians we should be studying God! Jenny and Brayden help break down the ideas of what theology is, making it more accessible and relatable, and how to incorporate it into our daily lives and with our kids.

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

You can connect with Jenny through instagram and her website. 

You can connect with Brayden through instragram and his podcast. 

You can buy their new book on Amazon! 

 

FAVORITE TAKE-AWAYS:

*There seems to be a vague age parents think their kids will reach when they become "ready" for theological stuff. Instead, we should be encouraging and empowering our kids through open questions and discussion about who God is and helping them form their understanding of Him for themselves. We have to trust God with our kids and trust our kids with God. 

*Bible illiteracy is a growing problem among Christians and non-Christians. Brayden sees this with a positive outlook, as an opportunity to help train people in the right mindset as opposed to re-training an old, flawed minset about who God is. 

*Where are we getting our theology? Church, friends, social media? We have to vet all these thoughts and opinions through Scripture. 

 

REMEMBER:

*Jesus looked at the heart of the matter. It is good to have head knowledge about God, but it is as equally important to have heart experiences with God. 

*Brayden says: Share as you grow, share as you go. Share and talk about God with your family, kids, friends, even though you're still learning. We are all still learning! We will never "arrive" at the finish line till we see God face to face, and that means we will always be growing and learning. 

*It is okay to admit you don't know the answer. It is okay to learn another person's beliefs and see where they're coming from. Search for the answers and love people where they're at. 

 

Connect with Somer! 

Stay connected to Somer and the Love Where You Are podcast through her Facebook & Instagram! Now, go love where you are and live on mission for Jesus today.

Welcome to the Love Where You Are podcast! 

In today’s episode I am joined with Rhonda Stoppe.

Rhonda Stoppe is an author and speaker dedicated to helping women live life with no regrets. She has over 30 years experience as a mom, mentor, and pastor’s wife, and her most recent book is Moms Raising Sons to be Men.                                       

In this episode, Rhonda and I talk about exactly that, how to raise our sons to become godly men. We live in a culture that is increasingly blurring the lines of what it means to be a man or woman and it’s more important than ever to raise our kids in God’s truth for their identity. It is especially important to raise young men who will become the future good husbands and fathers and hopefully model Christ.  

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

You can connect with Rhonda through Facebook, Instagram, and her website.

You can also listen to her podcast and you can also order her new book! 

 

FAVORITE TAKE-AWAYS:

 *As your son grows into a young man, they are going to want to be treated differently. Men desire respect, which can be hard to give a teen under your roof. It is a process to navigate to develop a healthy relationship between you and the young man in your home. 

*It's okay to talk about the women's side of the "birds and the bees" with your son! Or anything regarding sex. Make it less awkward and more comfortable, less taboo, so your son can come to you willingly with his questions and you can give the answers instead of friends or the internet. 

*"Boys will be boys" is not an excuse for your son to watch pornography. In the digital age, it is not only everywhere but it is increasingly more extreme in its depravity (homosexual, beastiality, etc). We must teach our sons (and daughters) the importance of healthy sexuality, what it is, what it means in our relationships, and why God designed it for us. 

 

REMEMBER:

*Be the home where your son brings his friends over! Host all of the kids! People are more important than possessions. They may destroy the carpet or break a vase but they are more valuable. 

*Even if your son has wandered, this does not make you a bad mom. Our kids will make mistakes but we must always have the door open for them. 

 

Connect with Somer! 

Stay connected to Somer and the Love Where You Are podcast through her Facebook & Instagram! Now, go love where you are and live on mission for Jesus today.

Welcome to the Love Where You Are podcast! 

In today’s episode I am joined with Billie Jauss.

Billie Jauss is the wife of a professional baseball coach and mom of three young men, she is now an empty nester who is hard at work in writing and podcasting. Billie has a new book titled “Distraction Detox” which helps us recognize our own spiritual jetlag and create a plan for health and closeness with Jesus.                                                

In this episode, Billie and I talk about hitting the pause button on our busy mama lives, making a priority list, and how we can creatively bring Jesus into our lives, no matter what season of life we’re in.

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

You can connect with Billie through Facebook, Instagram, and her website. 

You can also order her new book! 

 

FAVORITE TAKE-AWAYS:

*My external distracts were not as powerful as my internal distractions. 

*I was my biggest bully. Telling myself: "I'm not good enough" "I don't belong" or "I'm not a good mom" I brought myself down and limited myself. 

*Guilty of right-hand syndrome: always raising my hand and saying "yes" to something 

*We can suffer from "spiritual jetlag" when we are too busy and distracted. 

 *There are creative ways to connect with Jesus no matter your season of life! 

 

REMEMBER:

*When we are physically, emotionally and spiritually drained, we can't hear the Lord. 

*We need to pause. You will never reach a point where you have time to pause. You just need to pause. 

*Make a priority list. Here's what Billie's looks like:

1. Jesus
2. Husband
3. Kids

 

Connect with Somer! 

Stay connected to Somer and the Love Where You Are podcast through her Facebook & Instagram! Now, go love where you are and live on mission for Jesus today.

In today’s episode I am joined with Monica Swanson.

Monica and her family live in Hawaii, where she has raised and homeschooled her four boys, three now in college and one twelve year old who loves to golf. Monica also has her own podcast, aptly named the Monica Swanson podcast, and recently published her book “Amazing Kids: Bringing Up Kids Who Love God, Like Their Family and Do the Dishes Without Being Asked”.                    

In today’s conversation, Monica and I look at the ways to raise amazing kids and what that means. As a parent, we may ask ourselves “are we doing this thing right?” as guilt and shame boil beneath the surface. Monica comments on the healthy balance we need to have, learning to hear from the Holy Spirit to know when we need to put in more work or to know when we are doing just fine. There’s a tendency to lean upon rules and the “do not”s of life, but Monica shares a fun and exciting perspective, leaning on a natural process, one with fewer formulas, and parenting towards instead of against. 

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

You can connect with Monica through Facebook, Instagram, and her website. 

You can also order her new book! Or her other amazing book about raising boys. 

 

FAVORITE TAKE-AWAYS:

*When we want our kids to be "amazing" what are we expecting or hoping for? Amazing means a pleasant surprise and full of wonder. Our kids should be full of pleasant surprises and wonder! They should also be rich in character and love God, that is amazing. We should care less about their future career choices or doing well in sports, and more about being this kind of "amazing".
This takes less stress off us and them!

*If we want to be proud sending these kids into the world, then we must be intentional and focused in our parenting. Do we need to involve them in every after school club and activity, or spend more dinners at home as a family at the table? 

*It is much easier to depend on rules and parenting against the world, all of the "do not" do's. But it is far more rewarding though harder to lean on a natural process, trusting God with our hearts, and parent towards what we can do. (example: getting outside and doing activities instead of just saying no to screentime) 

 

REMEMBER:

*There is a healthy pressure which comes from the Holy Spirit, a healthy conviction. Differing the healthy conviction from an unhealthy insecurity takes discernment, a discernment which comes from knowing what God says. We can only know what God says when we spend time with Him both in prayer and in the Word. 

*Our kids will know if our hearts are not in it. They can see the differences between our words and our actions or if they align. 

*Be present in this season of parenthood. The time will go by so fast and you will miss the beautiful moments if you're too busy wishing for the next season. The moments you will look back on and miss are not the Instagram moments. 

SCRIPTURE: 

Galations 6:9

Connect with Somer! 

Stay connected to Somer and the Love Where You Are podcast through her Facebook & Instagram! Now, go love where you are and live on mission for Jesus today.