In this episode, I reflect on the importance of family meals through the lens of Orthodox Christianity. The dinner table is not just a place where we eat. It can become a place of prayer, gratitude, and spiritual transformation, especially for our children.

I share why family meals matter spiritually, how the Orthodox practice of praying before and after meals shapes a child’s (and even adult’s) awareness of God, and why this helps build our faith in the ordinary moments. For many families, the dinner table may be the only time during the day when God is acknowledged or prayer is practiced together.

I also speak honestly about our own family meals journey. We did not always prioritize eating together, but over time we began to implement family meals with more intention. I share what changed for us and offer practical tips for making family meals more realistic and meaningful, even in busy seasons.

If this episode resonated with you, please like, subscribe, and share it with another family who may be encouraged.

Always remember to keep Christ first. He is the way, the truth, and the life. ☦️

#FamilyMeals #OrthodoxChristianity #MealtimePrayer #FaithAndFamily #ChristianParenting #PrayerAtHome #FamilyTraditions #OrthodoxFaith #SpiritualParenting #ParentingWithFaith #FamilyTime #RaisingKidsInFaith #FaithInDailyLife #FamilySpirituality #ThatOrthodoxMama 

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 – Introduction

07:17 – Family Meals and My Upbringing

10:00 – Benefits of Family Meals for Children and Parents

16:42 – Why We Pray Over Our Food as Orthodox Christians

18:06 – Being Present in Your Prayer

21:43 – What to Pray at Mealtime

23:40 – Practical Tips for Implementing Family Meals

RESOURCES:

Prayers At Mealtime: https://www.goarch.org/-/prayers-at-mealtime

Praying Before Meals (Everyday Orthodoxy - Holy Trinity Orthodox Church, Grand Rapids Michigan): https://youtu.be/RzOKD0wZSV4?si=zyIR3esgCx3vf7AQ

Benefits of Family Meals - Family Dinner Project: https://thefamilydinnerproject.org/about-us/benefits-of-family-dinners/

Family Meal Tips from the AAP: https://www.healthychildren.org/English/family-life/family-dynamics/Pages/family-meals-eat-together-thrive-together.aspx

What did your Spotify Wrapped summary look like this year? It’s always fascinating to see not just how much music we listen to, but the kinds of songs and themes that fill our playlists.

I absolutely love and adore our Orthodox liturgical music, it is truly one of the most beautiful gifts of our Church and pillar of our services!

But day to day, I (and I think most of us) listen to other genres of music. And the reality is that secular music has shifted. Lyrics have become more explicit, themes more harmful, and so much of it quietly pulls our hearts away from Christ. 

In this episode, I share how I slowly started to listen to contemporary Christian music, the artists who have uplifted me, and how this simple change has brought more peace into my daily life. I also dive into how secular music shapes our minds more than we think. And yes… I made you a playlist! 🎧

MY FEEL GOOD CHRISTIAN MUSIC PLAYLIST: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3jo4OuvkK35Plf56L5E9hv?si=9x4IFuoYRyqz29Jfm_24KA&pi=qSXPXdWlQDeXi

Please like, subscribe, comment, and share this episode with a friend!

Always remember to keep Christ first. He is the way, the truth, and the life. ☦️

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 – Introduction

01:54 – Rise of Contemporary Christian Music

02:51 – My Music Background & Orthodox Liturgical Music

04:13– How I Started Listening to Christian Music

06:12 – How Music Themes Shape Us Subconsciously

08:10 – Five Reasons to Listen to Christian Music

11:05 – Thoughts on Television Themes

13:18 – My Favorite Christian Artists

16:45 – Playlist Details

RESOURCES

Some of my favorite artists include:

✅ Forrest Frank – indie pop, feel-good

✅ Hulvey – Christian rap, introspective

✅ Lecrae – hip hop, faith-driven

✅ Brandon Lake – worship rock, raw

✅ CAIN – country pop, joyful

✅ Tauren Wells – pop, inspirational

✅ Elevation Rhythm – EDM-pop, vibrant

✅ Josiah Queen – acoustic, storytelling

✅ Maverick City – gospel collective, raw

✅ Phil Wickham – modern, emotional

✅ Jordan Feliz – pop soul, upbeat

✅ Terrian – R&B, soulful

✅ Jamie MacDonald – soulful, pop

In this Thanksgiving episode, you’ll get to meet my husband, someone I am deeply grateful for!

Together we talk about gratitude as a spiritual discipline, the moments we struggle with it, and the small, everyday practices that help us stay rooted in thankfulness.

We also explore how gratitude looks in different seasons of life, including the challenging ones, and how it can reshape the way we see God, ourselves, and the world.

And most importantly, I want to say how grateful I am for you, our listeners. Thank you for being here!

Please like, subscribe, comment, and share this episode with a friend!

Always remember to keep Christ first. He is the Way, the truth, and the life. ☦️

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 – Introduction

00:55 – Gratitude & Thankfulness as a Pillar of Our Faith

03:10 – Gratitude as a Spiritual Discipline

07:10 – Finding Gratitude in Challenging Times

12:20 – What Scripture Teaches About Gratitude

13:29 – Gratitude and the Brain

14:59 – Why One Day a Year Isn’t Enough to Thank God

15:45 – God Is Not a Vending Machine

17:37 – Praying Out of Fear

21:07 – Thanksgiving in All Circumstances

24:27 – Gratitude for the People Around Us

RESOURCES

The Three Stages of the Spiritual Life - Patristic Nectar App - Lecture 9 - Gratitude

The Discipline of Gratitude - Father Luke Veronis - Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America 

The Orthodox Faith - Volume IV - Spirituality - The Virtues - Gratitude - Orthodox Church in America

A Deeper Level of Thanksgiving - Orthodox Christian Fellowship - OCF

The Neuroscience of Gratitude & Its Effects on the Brain

The Science of Gratitude - Mindful

I was honored to have the opportunity to interview Father Flavianos Katerinakis of St. Paul Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Hempstead, NY for this very special video.

In this episode, Father speaks about losing both of his parents and how that impacted his path toward the priesthood.

He also touches upon grief and faith, discerning God’s presence during tough times, and how St. Nektarios shaped much of his journey.

I was greatly moved by his words and I know you will be too.

A sincere thank you to Father and St. Paul’s for welcoming me into their church to film this video.

Like, subscribe, comment and share this episode with a friend! 🙏

Always remember that He is the way, the truth and the life ☦️

TIMESTAMPS:

00:20: Introduction

02:13: Iconography in St. Paul Greek Orthodox Cathedral

03:05: Father’s Upbringing

03:17: Father’s Comments on Inspiring Young Men to Pursue the Priesthood

04:24: Father’s Journey to the Priesthood

05:20: Comments on Grief and Faith

07:07: Discerning God’s Presence In Challenging Times

08:17: Reflections on St. Nektarios

Welcome to the first episode of That Orthodox Mama’s Show!

In this episode, Stefani shares some of her background as a Greek Orthodox Christian so you can get to know her.

She then speaks about the importance of praying to the Saints and tells a personal story about Saint Nicholas.

Please like and subscribe to the channel, your support is beyond appreciated!

Always remember that He is the way, the truth and the life ☦️

TIMESTAMPS

• ​00:00 Introduction
• ​01:30 My Background
• ​07:46 My Saint Nicholas Story
• ​11:33 Life of Saint Nicholas
• ​18:22 Can we pray to the Saints?
• ​22:52 Why do we venerate the Saints?

RESOURCES

• ​⁠Feast of our Father Among the Saints, Nicholas, the Wonderworker and Archbishop of Myra - Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America⁠
• ​⁠Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia - Orthodox Church in America⁠
• ​⁠The Saints of the Orthodox Church - Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America⁠
• ​⁠https://www.saintjohnchurch.org/orthodox-pray-saints/⁠