Rooted Homemaking

🌿Wondering what it would look like to have rhythms that help you run your home (rather than it running you)? Learn more about the Rooted Rhythms Method: https://laurenmefford.com/rooted-rhythms-method

In this episode, I'm sharing the unexpected key I've found to a truly peaceful home, plus three practical, God-honoring ways you can start walking it out this week.

CONNECT WITH THE HOST

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LaurenMefford/videos

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenmichellemefford/

Website/Contact Us_:http://www.laurenmefford.com

✨ Wondering what it would look like to have rhythms that help you run your home instead of it running you? Come join us inside the Rooted Homemakers Collective, my membership where I walk you through exactly how. → https://laurenmefford.com/rooted-homemakers

In this episode, Lauren and her husband Jeremy get real about health and wellness in their own home and what they've lived and watched work. Lauren, a nurse practitioner, shares the dramatic story of a hormone crash in her mid-twenties that left her at menopausal estrogen levels despite an active lifestyle, and what brought healing.

From there, they talk through their family's brutal sick seasons, the whole-food supplements that turned things around for their kids' immunity, and Lauren's own recovery after a string of miscarriages.

The conversation also covers soil depletion, food as medicine, and a few biblical parallels that reshaped how they think about nutrition. They close out talking about staying active as a family — not through motivation, but through systems and an environment that makes movement the default.

— CHAPTERS —

0:00 — Why We're Talking About Health and Wellness Today

2:11 — Do Your Daily Choices Actually Support Your Goals?

5:01 — The Hormone Crash That Changed Everything in Lauren's Twenties

7:06 — Nutrition Changed the Course of Her Life

13:20 — Why Today's Produce Isn't as Nutritious as It Used to Be

15:43 — Breaking the Cycle of Endless Sick Seasons

22:30 — The 90-Day Challenge

29:09 — Is Food Really Medicine?

41:44 — A Case for Prioritizing Nutrition

49:50 — Building an Active Family Life (Without Relying on Motivation)

— RESOURCES MENTIONED —

• Kid's vitamins:
• Immunity: https://beta.neolife.com/rootedvitality/en-US/shop/product/vita-gard?sku=3125
• Daily: https://beta.neolife.com/rootedvitality/en-US/shop/product/vita-squares?sku=3122
• Rooted Home health & wellness resource page mentioned in the episode —https://laurenmefford.com/wellness-general-health
• Kids' bodyweight workout playlist for the kiddos— https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZeBwGx-VLPsJ6Ucsov3lYJ24xTCiB_Bz

— CONNECT WITH THE HOSTS —

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LaurenMefford/videos Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenmichellemefford/ Website/Contact Us: http://www.laurenmefford.com

A quick heads up: we're NeoLife promoters, so we may earn a small commission if you order through us. I only share what we use ourselves. This is our experience, not medical advice.

✨ Wondering what it would look like to have rhythms that help you run your home instead of it running you? Come join us inside the Rooted Homemakers Collective, my membership where I walk you through exactly how. → https://laurenmefford.com/rooted-homemakers

In this episode of the Rooted Home podcast, Lauren sits down with Nancy Wilson, author of Future Women. Nancy came to faith in college, married Doug, and helped start Logos School back in the early days of the classical Christian movement, all while raising three children. Her family now includes eighteen grandchildren and a growing handful of great-grandchildren, so she has gotten to see, up close, what the Lord does with a life of simple, day-to-day faithfulness.

Together they talk about parenting with joy rather than drudgery, and why being lighthearted in the day to day is something many of us have to practice. Nancy shares how she and Doug worked to raise daughters who were secure and confident, capable of shouldering the real work of running a home. She also makes the case that a solid education and a high view of homemaking were never meant to compete. As she puts it, teaching a daughter to think is one of the best things a mother can hand down. It's a warm and honest conversation with a lot of practical wisdom for any mom raising her children in the Lord.

Chapter titles:

00:57 — From Military Base to Born Again: Nancy's Story

04:40 — How One Offhand Comment Started a Christian School

10:29 — Parenting With Joy Instead of Drudgery

16:25 — Learning to Laugh When the Milk Spills

22:20 — The Book Nancy Almost Didn't Write

30:26 — "Get To," Not "Got To": Raising Capable Daughters

35:42 — Should You Pay Your Kids to Do Chores?

38:42 — Why a Homemaker Still Needs a Real Education

40:39 — The No-Security-Blanket Rule That Raised Confident Girls

51:10 — Raising Daughters Strong Enough to Bear Weight

— RESOURCES MENTIONED —

Future Women by Nancy Wilson (Canon Press): https://canonpress.com/products/future-women

Listen to the Femina podcast by Nancy Wilson: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/femina/id1513264253

Future Men by Doug Wilson: https://amzn.to/3TwICqY

Why Children Matter by Doug Wilson: https://amzn.to/4fyCRBH

Five Aspects of Woman by Barbara Mouser: https://www.fiveaspects.com/bible-studies/five-aspects-of-woman

— CONNECT WITH THE HOST —

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LaurenMefford/videos

Website/Contact Us: http://www.laurenmefford.com

✨ Wondering what it would look like to build realistic rhythms that help you run your home instead of it running you? Come join us inside the Rooted Homemakers Collective, my membership where I walk you through exactly how. → https://laurenmefford.com/rooted-homemakers

In this episode, I sit down with author and Wife School creator Tilly Dillehay to talk about marriage, motherhood, and faith. Tilly shares how her parents' divorce and remarriage shaped her heart for marriages worth enjoying, why gratitude changes the whole feel of a home, and how calling sin what it is becomes the doorway to real freedom. A warm, honest conversation full of practical wisdom for women who want to grow & have a flourishing, God-honoring marriage.

Chapters:

02:04 Tilly's Background and Writing Journey

05:09 How She Writes Books With Four Kids at Home

08:03 What Wife School Teaches Christian Women

11:09 The Divorce That Sparked Her Passion for Marriage

14:04 The Marriage Mistake Many Wives Don't Know They're Making

16:53 How to Inspire Your Husband to Lead (Without Nagging)

19:54 The Power of Gratitude in Marriage

23:54 The Perspective Shift That Softens How You See Him

26:37 Love and Respect: The Two Currencies of Marriage

30:31 When to Trust Him With the High-Stakes Decisions

38:53 The Feminine Vices Hiding Behind Feminine Virtues

47:50 The Freedom of Finally Calling Sin What It Is

— RESOURCES MENTIONED —

✨ My Dear Hemlock by Tilly Dillehay (her spinoff of The Screwtape Letters): https://amzn.to/4pkRoV6

✨ Seeing Green by Tilly Dillehay (on envy): https://amzn.to/4f6Smzv

✨ Broken Bread by Tilly Dillehay (on the relationship with food): https://amzn.to/3Rbd7Su

✨ The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis: https://amzn.to/4vfjZw9

✨ Tilly's Website, where you can find Wife School among other resources: https://www.tillydillehay.com/

✨ Watch her hilarious Ma Ingles reel on Instagram, and follow her there: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DUg0HjgDwcr/

CONNECT WITH THE HOST—

Youtube: Lauren Mefford, PhD, FNP-BC

Instagram: Lauren Mefford, PhD, FNP-BC (@laurenmichellemefford) • Instagram profile

Website/Contact Us: http://www.laurenmefford.com

✨ Wondering what it would look like to build realistic rhythms that help you run your home instead of it running you? Come join us inside the Rooted Homemakers Collective, my membership where I walk you through exactly how. → https://laurenmefford.com/rooted-homemakers

In this episode of The Rooted Home Podcast, Jeremy and Lauren Mefford have an honest conversation about something a lot of families are wrestling with — screens. This is not a "we went cold turkey and it was fine" story. These are just two people, with very different screen histories, talking about what it actually looks like to raise six kids who know how to play, be bored, and live in the present without constantly reaching for a device.

Together, they dig into why screens aren't neutral tools — why they're far closer to cigarettes than to hammers — and how the dopamine cycle of scrolling quietly robs families of the ability to enjoy the slow, the mundane, and the real. They also get honest about the spiritual layer underneath it all: how discontentment quietly grows when we're always consuming and never creating.

But this episode is less about fear and more about freedom. Jeremy and Lauren share what intentional screen stewardship actually looks like in a home with six kids: family-only screen time, books in every room, long hours of outdoor play, and children who go outside and build things in the woods because nobody handed them an iPad. They also talk about the hope — that brains can be retrained, attention spans can be rebuilt, and the life God put in front of us is meant to be enjoyed.

— RESOURCES MENTIONED —

✨ C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory — referenced ("mud pies in the slums"): The Weight of Glory

— CONNECT WITH THE HOSTS —

YouTube: Lauren Mefford, PhD, FNP-BC

Instagram: Lauren Mefford, PhD, FNP-BC (@laurenmichellemefford) • Instagram profile

Website/Contact Us: http://www.laurenmefford.com

TIMESTAMPS

00:59 Understanding Screen Addiction

04:16 Personal Experiences with Screens

07:14 The Impact of Screens on Children

10:08 Screens as Tools vs. Addictions

13:01 The Importance of Enjoying the Mundane

16:17 The Dangers of Constant Stimulation

19:06 Training Children for a Healthy Relationship with Screens

22:00 Practical Tips for Reducing Screen Time

25:15 Fostering Creativity and Imagination

28:06 The Role of Parents in Managing Screen Time

31:15 Embracing Life Beyond Screens

✨ Wondering what it would look like to build realistic rhythms that help you run your home instead of it running you? Come join us inside the Rooted Homemakers Collective, my membership where I walk you through exactly how. → https://laurenmefford.com/rooted-homemakers

What does it actually look like to steward your time well — without burning out, without hustle culture creeping in, and without losing sight of what actually matters? In this episode, Jeremy and Lauren sit down with Reagan Rose, founder of Redeeming Productivity, for a rich conversation about biblical productivity, building good habits, and what it means to be fruitful — not just busy.

Reagan has been teaching personal productivity through a biblical worldview for over ten years, and the parallels between his work and Lauren's approach to homemaking make for a conversation you'll want to listen to more than once.

CONNECT WITH REAGAN ROSE

Reagan runs the ministry Redeeming Productivity, where he teaches personal productivity through a biblical lens. He is the author of Redeeming Productivity and hosts a podcast and membership community by the same name. He lives in southeast Michigan with his wife Kim and their three children.

Find Reagan at: http://redeemingproductivity.com

Read Redeeming Productivity by Reagan Rose: https://amzn.to/3QAlxCD

Become a Member of the Redeeming Productivity Academy: https://redeemingproductivity.com/academy/

— CONNECT WITH THE HOSTS —

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LaurenMefford/videos

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenmichellemefford/

Website: http://www.laurenmefford.com

TIMESTAMPS:

✨ Struggling to build rhythms that actually work in your home? My free masterclass shows you how to create simple routines that are rooted in biblical priorities and actually work. Watch it here: https://www.laurenmefford.com/free-training ---------------------------------------- What does it actually look like to steward your time well — without burning out, without hustle culture creeping in, and without losing sight of what actually matters? In this episode, Jeremy and Lauren sit down with Reagan Rose, founder of Redeeming Productivity, for a rich conversation about biblical productivity, building good habits, and what it means to be fruitful — not just busy. Reagan has been teaching personal productivity through a biblical worldview for over ten years, and the parallels between his work and Lauren's approach to homemaking make for a conversation you'll want to listen to more than once. CONNECT WITH REAGAN ROSE Reagan runs the ministry Redeeming Productivity, where he teaches personal productivity through a biblical lens. He is the author of Redeeming Productivity and hosts a podcast and membership community by the same name. He lives in southeast Michigan with his wife Kim and their three children. Find Reagan at: http://redeemingproductivity.com Read Redeeming Productivity by Reagan Rose: https://amzn.to/3QAlxCD Become a Member of the Redeeming Productivity Academy: https://redeemingproductivity.com/academy/ ---------------------------------------- — CONNECT WITH THE HOSTS — YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LaurenMefford/videos Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenmichellemefford/ Website: http://www.laurenmefford.com TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 – Welcome + meet Reagan Rose of Redeeming Productivity

03:05 – What does the Bible say about time management? (It starts with stewardship)

10:47 – Why adding more habits backfires, and what to do instead

17:46 – The simple quarterly check-in that keeps your priorities from drifting

21:17 – How to stay faithful with your time when you’re completely exhausted

25:30 – Reagan’s POWER morning routine for Christians, explained

36:01 – Building habits in hard seasons: postpartum, burnout, and running on empty

43:25 – Is rest productive? A biblical view of rest

51:26 – Being flexible vs. avoiding the work: how to tell the difference

58:44 – Do this before you hand your kids a chore chart

1:06:30 – Why discipline is the key to freedom, not a burden

✨ Wondering what it would look like to build realistic rhythms that help you run your home instead of it running you? Come join us inside the Rooted Homemakers Collective, my membership where I walk you through exactly how. → https://laurenmefford.com/rooted-homemakers

Discover how Elisha and Katie Voetberg balance building a strong family culture with pursuing entrepreneurial ventures, all rooted in faith and intentional living. They share practical insights on family traditions, managing flexible schedules, and creating a legacy through music, homeschooling, and more.

—CONNECT WITH KATIE & ELISHA—

• Check out Voetberg Music Academy: https://www.voetbergmusicacademy.com/courses?affiliate_code=29079a
• Listen to their podcast: Now That We’re a Family https://www.nowthatwereafamily.com/podcast
• Substack: https://elishaandkatievoetberg.substack.com/
• Magazine: https://www.nowthatwereafamily.com/Magazine

—TIMESTAMPS —

02:00 - Going smartphone-free 6 years ago (and writing a book about it)

04:30 - What growing up in a family of 10+ kids actually looked like

10:00 - Practical tips for homeschooling and family teamwork

12:34 - Why we stopped trying to do ALL the activities with our kids

16:00 - Choosing entrepreneurship after watching our own parents do it

21:02 - What "flexible schedule" really looks like with 6 kids at home

26:43 - The importance of focusing and avoiding burnout

30:23 - Watching our kids fall in love with music (fiddle, piano + more)

32:26 - The advice we'd give any couple wanting business + big family

42:25 - "Begin with the end in mind" - the question we wish we'd asked sooner

44:19 - Cultivating joy and margin within a busy family life

48:25 - Counting the cost before you build & living intentionally

—CONNECT WITH THE HOSTS —

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LaurenMefford/videos

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenmichellemefford/

Website/Contact Us:http://www.laurenmefford.com

✨ Wondering what it would look like to build realistic rhythms that help you run your home instead of it running you? Come join us inside the Rooted Homemakers Collective, my membership where I walk you through exactly how. → https://laurenmefford.com/rooted-homemakers

In this episode, we explore how Christians can best respond to cultural challenges and godless influences by staying rooted in Christ. We emphasize the importance of humility, discernment, and biblical faithfulness in navigating societal issues while maintaining a Christ-centered perspective.

— TIMESTAMPS —

02:14 - The Trap of Dancing to the Culture's Tune (And How to Stop)

04:23 - What Happens When "Standing for Truth" Becomes Your Identity

08:25 - Real Church Examples of Getting It Wrong (In Both Directions)

13:43 - How to Address Hard Cultural Issues From the Pulpit Without Losing Your Footing

14:47 - The Difference Between Christ-Like Strength and Just Being Harsh

18:35 - Walking by the Spirit When the Culture Pulls Hard

22:30 - Why Virtues Aren't Actually in Tension (In Christ)

24:26 - The Subtle Pride of Feeling Like You've Finally Figured It Out

25:19 - The Trad Wife Pendulum: When the Overcorrection Becomes Another Law

28:07 - Walking in Freedom Instead of Trading One Yoke for Another

28:59 - Final Encouragement: Follow Christ, Stay Rooted, Enjoy Your Coffee

CONNECT WITH THE HOSTS —

Youtube: Lauren Mefford, PhD, FNP-BC

Instagram: Lauren Mefford, PhD, FNP-BC (@laurenmichellemefford) • Instagram profile

Website/Contact Us_:http://www.laurenmefford.com

✨ Wondering what it would look like to build realistic rhythms that help you run your home instead of it running you? Come join us inside the Rooted Homemakers Collective, my membership where I walk you through exactly how. → https://laurenmefford.com/rooted-homemakers

— SHOW NOTES —

In this Q&A episode, Jeremy and Lauren answer some of the most common questions they've received from listeners — covering mom guilt, their faith background, how they manage finances as a family, how Lauren studies the Bible and teaches scripture to the kids, and practical tips for keeping the home going in the thick of a newborn season. It's a candid, encouraging conversation straight from the trenches of real family life.

— RESOURCES MENTIONED —

✨ GET 50% OFF THE CORE PLAN YOUR FIRST YEAR with Monarch budgeting software: https://monarch.com/referral/t6wahuoizr?r_source=copy

✨ Simply Charlotte Mason scripture memory system: https://simplycharlottemason.com/timesavers/memorysys/

✨ I Belong to God: A Catechism for Covenant Children By Richard Lusk: https://amzn.to/4unNAE6

✨ Ploductivity by Doug Wilson: https://amzn.to/4dGVTDI

— CONNECT WITH THE HOSTS —

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LaurenMefford/videos

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenmichellemefford/

Website: http://www.laurenmefford.com

✨ Check out our podcast: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube

✨ Learn how our family went from being run down and sick to more energetic and healthier: https://www.laurenmefford.com/wellness

✨ Amazon storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/laurenmeffordphdfnp-bc

If this episode was helpful, we would love it if you'd leave a review and rate us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify — it really helps more families find this content. Thank you so much for being here. 🌿

TIMESTAMPS

✨ Wondering what it would look like to build realistic rhythms that help you run your home instead of it running you? Come join us inside the Rooted Homemakers Collective, my membership where I walk you through exactly how. → https://laurenmefford.com/rooted-homemakers

Sheri Renno has been homeschooling for 16 years, has 10 kids ages 3 to 21, and came in as a former public school teacher convinced she had to meet every standard. This conversation is full of the kind of perspective that only comes from being in it for the long haul — and it's exactly what most of us need in the thick of the little years.

We talked about her daily rhythm, how she uses checklists without being married to them, why she treats chores as part of the curriculum, when kids' interests start to surface, and why protecting family-first isn't just a value — it's something you have to actively fight for.

CHAPTERS

00:15 Meet Sheri — Homeschooling Mom of 10 for 16 Years

00:30 How She Started (And What She'd Do Differently)

01:01 Why She Created a YouTube Channel to Help Other Moms

02:21 The Charlotte Mason Approach — What It Actually Looks Like

02:51 Living Books, Narration, and Why She Ditched the Standards Mindset

04:15 The One Thing She Focuses on Instead of Grade Levels

07:19 How Her Kids Built Real Businesses From Home Skills

11:10 The Age When Everything Shifts — and What to Watch For

16:29 What a School Day Actually Looks Like With 10 Kids

20:04 The Four-Part Rhythm That Holds Their Day Together

21:14 Why Chores Are Part of the Curriculum, Not an Obstacle to It

23:03 How She Manages Independent Work Across Every Age

36:29 The Checklist System That Keeps Things Moving Without the Pressure

50:21 What "Family First" Actually Means With Homeschool

52:18 Where to Find Sheri + Her New Course for Homeschool Moms

CONNECT WITH SHERI

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@OurLifeHomeschooling

Blog: http://ourlifehomeschooling.com

Her Free Homeschooling Masterclass: https://ourlifehomeschooling.com/the-home-education-breakthrough-sign-up/

CONNECT WITH THE HOST

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LaurenMefford/videos

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenmichellemefford/

Website/Contact Us: http://www.laurenmefford.com