Moms Take Ten

The noise. The mess. The sibling arguments. The meltdowns. The moments when parenting looks nothing like we hoped it would.

What does it mean to be content in the middle of it all?

After a back injury and surgery left me facing some frustrating limitations, I began reflecting on my own struggle with contentment. In Philippians 4, Paul shares that he has learned to be content in all circumstances. But how do we live that out in the everyday challenges of motherhood?

In this episode of Moms Take Ten, I'm exploring what biblical contentment really means, how it can shape our responses to our children, and why contentment doesn't require us to love our circumstances—only to trust the One who sustains us through them.

Join me for ten minutes of encouragement as we learn to find contentment, even in the chaos.

Verses Referenced:

• Philippians 4:11-13, 19
• Acts 16:25

Article Referenced:

Vo, Duyen, and Kelly-Ann Allen. 2025. "A Different Kind of Happiness: The Quiet Power of Contentment." Psychology Today. November 20, 2025. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/sense-of-belonging/202511/a-different-kind-of-happiness-the-quiet-power-of-contentment.

Lyssa is a Connected Families Certified Parent Coach offering small groups for moms, individual parent coaching, and workshops. To learn more, head to https://www.lyssastoyko.com/

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What happens when God calls you back to something you thought you'd never do again? Daniela Coats, founder of With Siblings, grew up as a biological child in a foster family and was certain she wouldn't foster as an adult. But God had other plans.

In this episode of our Foster Care and Adoption series, Daniela shares how God changed her heart, the unexpected challenges her family has faced, and how she's learned to recognize God's presence and faithfulness even in the darkest moments. She also offers encouragement for families considering foster care or adoption while raising children already in their home.

Whether you're walking through a difficult season of parenting or wondering what God might be inviting your family into, this conversation is a reminder that we are never walking alone.

Daniela is a self-identified "bio kid." Her parents fostered when she was a child, and eventually adopted her youngest sibling. Having grown up in a home that fostered and adopted, Daniela was a temporary sibling to many children. Now, Daniela and her husband have children through adoption and birth. Daniela is the founder of With Siblings and currently serves as a therapist at Be Still Counseling and Consulting in Texas. She wrote The Day Lily Turned (un)Invisible to give voice to the feelings and experiences of the all-too-often invisible family member in foster/adopt families - bio kids.

Lyssa is a Connected Families Certified Parent Coach offering small groups for moms, individual parent coaching, and workshops. To learn more, head to https://www.lyssastoyko.com/

Help other mamas find encouragement through Moms Take Ten by rating and reviewing this show. Thank you for your time!

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Conflict, mistakes, and hurt feelings are inevitable in family relationships, but they don't have to be the end of the story.

In this episode of our Parenting Practicals series, I'm joined by Connected Families Certified Parent Coach Corinne Downe to talk about rupture and repair and why learning to make things right is so important for our families.

Together, we explore how moments of repair can build resilience, strengthen relationships, and create opportunities for healing. We also share practical ways to slow down, care for our bodies, and help our children navigate conflict with siblings and others rather than simply fixing things for them.

Whether it's between parents and children, siblings, or other family members, conflict is a normal part of relationships. And learning to work through it can actually bring us closer together.

Join us for an encouraging conversation about embracing the messiness of family relationships and discovering the beauty of repair.

Corinne Downe is a certified parent coach with Connected Families who loves helping parents move from chaos to connection (with a few laughs along the way!). Proud of her strong Latin heritage, Corinne brings warmth, empathy, and a deep appreciation for family culture into every coaching session. She's fluent in Spanish and passionate about serving both English- and Spanish-speaking families with grace-filled, practical tools that really work to unite the family. Whether navigating toddler tantrums or teen drama, she meets parents with encouragement, honesty, and hope. Connect with her via email.

Lyssa is a Connected Families Certified Parent Coach offering small groups for moms, individual parent coaching, and workshops. To learn more, head to https://www.lyssastoyko.com/

Help other mamas find encouragement through Moms Take Ten by rating and reviewing this show. Thank you for your time!

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Family isn't always defined by blood, and loving someone deeply often means learning when to let go.

In this episode of our Moms in the Bible series, I'm joined by Noreen McDonald to take a closer look at Naomi, a woman whose story is often overshadowed by Ruth's. Through incredible loss and unexpected circumstances, Naomi welcomed others into her family, loved them as her own, and trusted God with their futures.

Drawing from her own experience as an adoptive mom of two grown children, Noreen shares how God brings families together in unexpected ways and how motherhood continually invites us to love deeply while loosening our grip. Together, we reflect on the beauty of family that extends beyond biology, the challenges of releasing our children into God's care, and the faithfulness of God through every season.

Whether your family has grown through birth, foster care, adoption, or relationships God has placed in your life, this conversation is an invitation to see His hand in the people He's brought together. Join us as we discover how Naomi's story encourages us to embrace the family God has given us, love them wholeheartedly, and trust Him with the parts of their stories we cannot control.

Lyssa is a Connected Families Certified Parent Coach offering small groups for moms, individual parent coaching, and workshops. To learn more, head to https://www.lyssastoyko.com/

Help other mamas find encouragement through Moms Take Ten by rating and reviewing this show. Thank you for your time!

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Image from John Heseltine / Pam Masco / FreeBibleimages.org.

Mama, when was the last time you sat quietly with Jesus? No to-do lists, no distractions, no pressure to accomplish anything. Just time with Him.

When motherhood leaves us weary, discouraged, or overwhelmed, Hebrews 12:1–3 invites us to lift our eyes from our circumstances and fix them on Jesus.

In this unique episode of Moms Take Ten, we're slowing down and making space to do just that. Through a guided, Lectio Divina-style reflection on Hebrews 12, you'll have an opportunity to listen to Scripture, reflect, pray, and simply sit in God's presence.

Whether you're listening in a quiet room, driving to school pickup, or folding another load of laundry, this time is for you. Come as you are, take a few minutes with Jesus, and be reminded of the One who strengthens us so we do not grow weary and lose heart.

The passage is read from the NIV Bible.

Lyssa is a Connected Families Certified Parent Coach offering small groups for moms, individual parent coaching, and workshops. To learn more, head to https://www.lyssastoyko.com/

Help other mamas find encouragement through Moms Take Ten by rating and reviewing this show. Thank you for your time!

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Follow on Facebook and Insta @lyssastoyko Email at [email protected]

What happens when God leads your family into foster care—and then the journey looks nothing like you expected?

In this episode of our Foster Care & Adoption series, Nina Buttermore shares how God led her family to say yes to foster care, the long wait to become licensed, and the roller coaster that followed. Through unexpected twists, hard moments, and plenty of uncertainty, God has been teaching Nina to release the control she never really had, trust Him with what she cannot see, and lean into the community He has placed around her.

Whether you're in the foster care and adoption world yourself or simply navigating a season that looks different than you imagined, Nina's story is a beautiful reminder that God is trustworthy—even when we don't know what comes next.

Nina Buttermore lives in southeastern Connecticut with her husband, children, and a number of pets. They have been a foster family for about two years and have enjoyed coming alongside the families and kiddos they've met along the way. Nina loves Jesus, her local church, and a bowl of ice cream regardless of the temperature outside.

Lyssa is a Connected Families Certified Parent Coach offering small groups for moms, individual parent coaching, and workshops. To learn more, head to https://www.lyssastoyko.com/

Help other mamas find encouragement through Moms Take Ten by rating and reviewing this show. Thank you for your time!

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Follow on Facebook and Insta @lyssastoyko Email at [email protected]

What if parenting wasn't primarily about getting our kids to behave—but about shaping the messages they believe about themselves, about us, and about God?

In this episode of Parenting Practicals, I'm joined by fellow Connected Families Certified Parent Coach Laura Way to go back to the basics and walk through the Connected Families Framework. This framework guides all of our Parenting Practicals conversations, so whether you're new to the series or have been listening for a while, this episode will help you understand what's behind the tools and strategies we share.

Together, we unpack the four core messages we want our children to experience through our parenting: You are safe with me. You are loved no matter what. You are called and capable. You are responsible.

We talk about looking beneath behavior, recognizing the strengths that may be showing up "sideways," coaching our kids before correcting them, and approaching correction as an opportunity for restoration rather than punishment. And perhaps most importantly, we remember that these aren't just messages we offer our children—they reflect the way our compassionate Heavenly Father meets us, too.

If you're longing for parenting that builds trust, connection, purpose, skills, and wisdom—not perfect behavior—this conversation is a great place to start.

Connected Families is a ministry providing biblically grounded, research-informed help for everyday parenting. Learn more about them and their parenting framework at https://connectedfamilies.org/

Laura Way is hanging onto Jesus for dear life as a 'sensitive & intense' mom parenting two neurodivergent girls. She loves working as Content Manager at Connected Families, because she gets to think and write about the Framework—even while she works! After living overseas in China for 7 years, she and her husband live in Orlando, Florida, with their vibrant girls, silly standard poole, and backyard hens.

Lyssa is a Connected Families Certified Parent Coach offering small groups for moms, individual parent coaching, and workshops. To learn more, head to https://www.lyssastoyko.com/

Help other mamas find encouragement through Moms Take Ten by rating and reviewing this show. Thank you for your time!

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Are you familiar with the story of Mary and Martha? Of all the women in Scripture, Martha may be one of the easiest for moms to relate to. We know what it's like to work hard, carry responsibilities, care for everyone around us—and sometimes feel unseen or unsupported in the process.

In this episode of Moms in the Bible, Kathy Tuan-MacLean and Tara Edelschick join me to talk about how Martha's story challenged them both, particularly when it comes to resentment. But Martha's story offers more than conviction. It also gives us a beautiful glimpse of how Jesus responds when our frustration spills over and our emotions come pouring out.

If you want to hear more from Kathy and Tara, listen to their previous episode with Moms Take Ten! Kathy and Tara have published two Bible studies for moms that I highly recommend! Check out their newest book is Moms on the Way: Following Jesus Through the Challenges of Motherhood.

Kathy Tuan-MacLean (PhD, Northwestern) serves as faculty ministry national director for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, where she invites and resources faculty to follow Jesus together. She's a mother of three adult children and an overly anxious labradoodle. Since joining InterVarsity in 1990, she has led numerous students and faculty in Bible study, spiritual formation, and leadership development. She is also a spiritual director who has led marriage ministry and women's retreats. In herchurch, you can find her occasionally preaching, often teaching, serving as an elder, and regularly cooking for and hosting gatherings.

Tara Edelschick (EdD, Harvard) is a teacher, writer, mother of three, and grandmother. For three decades, she has worked as an educator, teaching public high school students in New York, graduate students at Harvard's School of Education, homeschoolers in Massachusetts, and incarcerated men taking college courses through the Emerson Prison Initiative. In her church, you can find her speaking at a women's conference or marriage retreat, teaching Sunday school, gathering mothers for prayer andBible study, or leading retreats for families.

Lyssa is a Connected Families Certified Parent Coach offering small groups for moms, individual parent coaching, and workshops. To learn more, head to https://www.lyssastoyko.com/

Help other mamas find encouragement through Moms Take Ten by rating and reviewing this show. Thank you for your time!

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Image from John Heseltine / Pam Masco / FreeBibleimages.org.

Welcome back to another season of Moms Take Ten!

In this episode of Parenting in Scripture, I have the privilege of sharing, with permission, an excerpt from my friend Emily Lawson's book, Held to Heal: Receiving the Same Trust-Based Care We Offer Our Children. In the chapter "Lasting Inner Peace," Emily encourages us to anchor ourselves in the words and promises of Scripture in the midst of the busyness and chaos of everyday life—even when we don't have the quiet time with God we wish we had.

If you've ever felt like meaningful time with God is hard to find in the middle of motherhood, I hope this episode reminds you that his Word can meet you right where you are.

Learn more about Emily by listening to her previous episode on Moms Take Ten, checking out her books on Amazon, or connecting with her on Instagram @emilyannelawson

In this final episode of the season, Moms Take Ten closes out the Parenting Practical series by stepping into the complex and often overwhelming topic of childhood aggression. Host Lyssa Stoyko is joined by Connected Families Certified Parent Coach Julie Maas for an honest, hope-filled conversation that many moms quietly need.

Together, they move beyond surface-level behaviors to explore what's really happening beneath the outbursts—reminding moms that aggression is often a signal of deeper needs like fear, frustration, overstimulation, or disconnection. With practical wisdom and gospel-centered encouragement, they help parents shift from simply reacting to behavior toward responding with curiosity, empathy, and self-awareness.

Julie shares tangible tools for those heated moments—how to regulate your own responses, prioritize safety when needed, and lean into connection through calm presence, empathy, and even playfulness. The conversation also highlights the importance of repair: what it looks like to reconnect after things escalate, model humility, and guide children toward growth without shame.

Most importantly, this episode reminds moms that even in the hardest parenting moments, God is at work—not only in their children, but in their own hearts. With grace and truth, Lyssa and Julie paint a picture of parenting that values relationship over perfection and sees every meltdown as an opportunity for deeper connection.

If you've ever felt isolated, overwhelmed, or unsure how to handle aggression in your home, this conversation offers both practical help and lasting hope.

Guest Bio: Hi! My name is Julie Maas. After saying "Yes" to Jesus to move to Belize as a missionary in 2008-2018, our family was never the same. Since we have become parents, we've grown in having biological, foster and adopted children and experience with traumas, abuse, ADHD, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, self harm, and how to best serve our family with sensory needs and intense behaviors. Because I have learned, failed, and read so much over the years, the Lord has taught me abundantly. I want to serve other families with encouragement, grace-filled truth, practical suggestions, equipping and a listening ear in crisis. I am an RN, American Holistic Nurses Association (AHNA) Board Certified Nurse Coach, and Connected Families Certified Parent Coach. Connect with Julie here.

Lyssa is a Connected Families Certified Parent Coach offering small groups for moms, individual parent coaching, and workshops. To learn more, head to https://www.lyssastoyko.com/

Help other mamas find encouragement through Moms Take Ten by rating and reviewing this show. Thank you for your time!

Want to say hello?

Follow on Facebook and Insta @lyssastoyko Email at [email protected]