In part two of our conversation on anger, Laurie and I discuss God's heart for us. He is not put off by our emotions. Instead, he invites us to bring them before him and allow him to guide us through them. Our episodes on the Moms in the Bible like, Hagar, Naomi and Hannah can attest to that. And in the moments where we feel the anger rising, we can give ourselves the freedom to take some space and regulate ourselves with him before responding directly to the situation in front of us.

Listen to part one here.

Get in touch with Laurie at https://connectedfamilies.org/listings/laurie-shaffer/

Learn more about Connected Families at https://connectedfamilies.org/

Help other mamas find encouragement through Moms Take Ten by rating and reviewing this show. That would be a blessing to both them and me. Thank you for your time!

Interested in parent coaching or to learn more about me, head to https://www.lyssastoyko.com/

Want to say hello?

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

Have you had moments in your parenting journey where you are caught off guard by your own anger? I know I have, and so has my guest today. Laurie Shaffer, a fellow Connected Families certified parent coach, joins me for a conversation about facing our anger, seeking God in it, and what we can do to navigate those moments. There is so much to cover here that we made it a two-part conversation so be sure to listen next week as well!

Get in touch with Laurie at https://connectedfamilies.org/listings/laurie-shaffer/

Learn more about Connected Families at https://connectedfamilies.org/

Help other mamas find encouragement through Moms Take Ten by rating and reviewing this show. That would be a blessing to both them and me. Thank you for your time!

Interested in parent coaching or to learn more about me, head to https://www.lyssastoyko.com/

Want to say hello?

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

In today's episode, we look at the second part of two stories--The Widow Zarephath found in 1 Kings 17 and The Shunammite Woman found in 2 Kings 4. Both mamas had seen blessing in their lives and both suddenly found themselves facing the death of their only son. Their grief raised questions like "Why did this happen?!" We all have asked that question when hard things, painful things happen in our lives. As we study the women's stories in the context of the Scriptures we are reminded of God's presence with us in the hard even as he makes a way forward for us. And we are encouraged that God is bigger than any situation that we face. Nothing is too far gone or too hard for him to work in. Instead of giving up and losing heart, he calls us to come boldly before his throne.

Listen to part 1 of their stories:

• The Widow Zarephath
• The Shunammite Woman

Scripture referenced:

• 1 Kings 17:8-24
• 2 Kings 4:8-37
• Hebrew 4:15-16
• John 11:1-44
• Romans 8:26

Help other mamas find encouragement through Moms Take Ten by rating and reviewing this show. That would be a blessing to both them and me. Thank you for your time!

Interested in parent coaching or to learn more about me, head to https://www.lyssastoyko.com/

Want to say hello?

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

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

Mary's experience of Christmas was very different from ours. Yet hers impacts ours so deeply. Not just on the 25th but everyday of our lives. Her son was Immanuel. He was God with her and now he is God with us. In the bustle of the holidays and the busyness of our lives, let us remember what Immanuel means for us today. Merry Christmas!

Song: He Has Come For Us (God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen) performed by Meredith Andrews

Help other mamas find encouragement through Moms Take Ten by rating and reviewing this show. That would be a blessing to both them and me. Thank you for your time!

Interested in parent coaching or to learn more about me, head to https://www.lyssastoyko.com/

Want to say hello?

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

After Mary was visited by the angel Gabriel and told she would be having a son, she headed out to see her cousin. Elizabeth, the angel had said, was miraculously pregnant in her old age. It was this pregnancy that the angel pointed to to encourage Mary to believe. In this episode, we look at how Mary's time with Elizabeth impacted her and brought about the beautiful prayer song that we now refer to as The Magnificat.

This episode was originally aired in December 2022. Be encouraged as you listen to it again!

Help other mamas find encouragement through Moms Take Ten by rating and reviewing this show. That would be such a blessing to them and to me! Thank you for your time!

Interested in parent coaching or to learn more about me, head to https://www.lyssastoyko.com/

Want to say hello?

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

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

For the rest of December, we are going to look at the stories of two mamas very closely related to Christmas--Elizabeth and Mary. Somehow, as we have gone through the Moms in the Bible series, we have never done an episode on Elizabeth! She is one of my favorites. Her life is a testimony of God's goodness, faithfulness and power to Mary, and to us today.

Help other mamas find encouragement through Moms Take Ten by rating and reviewing this show. That would be such a blessing to me and to them. Thank you for taking the time!

Interested in parent coaching or to learn more about me, head to https://www.lyssastoyko.com/

Want to say hello?

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

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

Adoption is joy and grief, loss and gain. Every member of the adoption triad experiences it differently, and even experiences it differently in different seasons of their life. My guests today, Lisa C. Qualls and Jodi Jackson Tucker, can attest to this. Lisa is a birth, adoptive, and former foster mom. Jodi is an adoptive mom. In their own lives, and in their ministry to other adoptive parents, they are journeying the complexity that adoption is. And through it all, they have found the goodness of God and the healing he brings. Join us as Lisa and Jodi share what's on their heart for you mamas listening.

Get to know Lisa and Jodi more!

For Lisa, visit lisacqualls.com and on instagram @lisacqualls

For Jodi, visit https://secondmothers.org/ and on instagram @secondmothers or @jodijacksontucker

Buy their book, Healing for Every Heart in Adoption, on Amazon!

Interested in parent coaching or to learn more about me, head to https://www.lyssastoyko.com/

Want to say hello?

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

Help other mamas find encouragement through Moms Take Ten by rating and reviewing this show. Thanks!

Did you know that discipline can be playful? That doesn't mean we aren't taking it seriously or we are letting our children "get away" with their misbehavior. Amanda Erickson, of Flourishing Homes and Families, says that playfulness actually engages our children in the way they learn best which makes our discipline more effective. Rather than entering into a power struggle, we can build connection and guide them towards different behavior in the moment and for the future. Amanda shares forms of playfulness that have worked well for her and discusses what to do when this seems too hard to do. This is a conversation you don't want to miss!

Learn more about Amanda and David and their new book, The Flourishing Family, at their website or follow them on instagram @flourishinghomesandfamilies

Interested in parent coaching or to learn more about me, head to https://www.lyssastoyko.com/

Want to say hello?

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

Help other mamas find encouragement through Moms Take Ten by rating and reviewing this show. Thanks!

Have you ever faced a need that seemed so great and you wondered how it would ever be met? What did you do? Where did you turn? For two women in Scripture, they sought the help of a prophet of God. In both situations, it was through their faith-filled actions that the answer came. Be encouraged by their stories to not fear what God calls you to but to join him in the work he wants to do in and through you.

Interested in parent coaching or to learn more about me, head to https://www.lyssastoyko.com/

Want to say hello?

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

Help other mamas find encouragement through Moms Take Ten by rating and reviewing this show. Thanks!

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

Have you ever hurt others out of your own hurt? Or harmed those who were supposed to protect? I think all of us who are honest about our parenting, or life in general, would say yes to both of those questions. We've yelled, spoken harshly, shamed, criticized, missed an opportunity to comfort or help through a struggle... In this episode, I share how the Lord gently spoke those questions to me when I was tempted to judge another for their actions. All of us have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. The amazing thing is that when we do hurt or harm our children in those ways, we can repent before the Lord and them, and work to bring reconciliation in our relationship.

References:

Lamentations commentary by Samuel Saldivar. Read at https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/commentary/lamentations/

Connected Families and Jim Jackson, one of the founders. Learn more at https://connectedfamilies.org/

Interested in parent coaching or to learn more about me, head to https://www.lyssastoyko.com/

Want to say hello?

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

Help other mamas find encouragement through Moms Take Ten by rating and reviewing this show. Thanks!