The Heidi St. John Podcast

Introducing Our Guest

Connie Albers has spent much of her adult life as a homeschool mom and mom-preneur with an outreach and ministry to homeschool parents through her leadership and as a speaker. She is a respected leader and trusted homeschool mom who understands the challenges of balancing the demands of life. Connie is a wife and mother of five homeschool graduates. Her children continued their studies at the University of Central Florida on scholarship. Four have graduated and one is a senior. She is a speaker and writer, a spokesperson, and owns ConnieAlbers.com. Her latest venture is fulfilling her desire to equip women in their calling through her Equipped To Be ministry and with her site. The Albers family lives in Winter Garden, Florida.

Related Podcasts and Posts from The Busy Mom

A Friendship that Lasts (short podcast and post) – “They last because we choose to believe the best about each other, rather than the worst. We believe the best for each other, too. If you’re struggling with a friendship today, I want to encourage you to ask the Lord to give you His eyes for your friend.”

A Little Grace Can Go a Long Way (post) – We will all do well to stop putting our desires on others and extend grace to one another. Our only audience we aim to please is God, so we need to let the rest go. 

Scriptures for Further Study

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

Proverbs 27:17

Job 16:20-21

Philippians 2:3-4

Related Resources

Friendship Redeemed: How the Gospel Changes Friendships to Something Greater by Adam Holland -Friendship Redeemed is an examination of how the gospel influenced and shaped Paul’s understanding of friendship. Pastors, students, and teachers alike—and anyone who desires to grow in their understanding of biblical friendship—will find this work to be a helpful resource, both in regards to readability and substance. Friendship Redeemed examines the topic of friendship through the lens of the metanarrative of scripture. The conclusion is that the gospel calls the Christian to a unique and counter-cultural view of friendship. This book will serve as a tool for helping believers to learn to live and think with a biblical worldview concerning the topic of friendship.

Friendship: Cultivating Relationships that Enrich Our Lives: A Study Guide by Women of Faith that uses Scripture to address issues such as: how to have fulfilling friendships with some humor and fun, building lasting and fulfilling friendships, choosing the right kinds of friends, learning to be vulnerable and honest to maximize intimacy, and how to move past the superficial to spiritually bonded friendships.

Scriptures

Matthew 6:14-15

Matthew 18:21-22

Luke 17:3-4

Ephesians 4:31-32

Resources

The Gift of Forgiveness by Charles Stanley – Charles Stanley, one of the most influential spiritual leaders of our day, shares the key to personal and even world peace in The Gift of Forgiveness. as Stanley points out that no sin is so shockingly evil it blocks God’s forgiveness nor so trivial it negates the need for God’s mercy, he shares the specifics of how to go about receiving and giving forgiveness.

The Gift of Forgiveness reflects the heart of Stanley’s teaching ministry. In this markedly helpful book, Stanley addresses such questions as how to practice a life of forgiveness in all your relationships and how to make forgiveness an ongoing, practical experience in your life.

The Truth About Forgiveness by John MacArthur – “The greatest measuring rod of love in the life of a Christian may be forgiveness, because God showed His love to us in terms of forgiveness.” ?John MacArthur

Does anyone really want to forgive? Or admit that we need forgiveness? Whether we’re giving or receiving, forgiveness is hard. It seems unfair. It feels unnatural. And as best-selling author and pastor John MacArthur demonstrates, forgiveness apart from Christ is unnatural. It is only as we understand our need, Christ’s power and example, and what it reallly means to love that we can embrace two of the most liberating acts of love: forgiving and being forgiven.

Every life is valued and every special needs child was uniquely created by God and for God's glory. Our culture does not celebrate life, but our Creator does!

Resources Mentioned in Podcast

Psalm 119:13-16 For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.  Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.

Luke 14:12 He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.

Luke 14 Website – This website displays one church’s Luke 14 Party – just one way they celebrate those we might think of as “the least of these.” They started out with 55 guests their first year and now host over 500 people with special needs over a two night event each spring.

Joni and Friends – This ministry is dedicated to extending the love and message of Jesus Christ to people who are affected by disability around the world.  Learn about all the ministries they have to offer here at their website.

Joni and Friends TV Episode Showing all About Family Retreats – Katherine’s Smile “Melissa has volunteered to serve as a Short Term Missionary (STM) at a Joni and Friends Family Retreat. At this Christ-centered camp for families who have a member with a disability, an STM is paired with each disabled camper, to assist them throughout the week. Melissa has no formal disability training – just a heart of compassion and the desire to share the love of Christ. When she is paired with nineteen year old Katherine, who is severely autistic and non-verbal, Melissa is faced with unexpected challenges. But God is at work, and hearts connect. You’ll see how His love breaks the barriers of disability. And you’ll see it best in Katherine’s smile!”

More from The Busy Mom

3 Ways to Love on a Mom of a Special Needs Child – In this podcast Melissa shares 3 very practical tips for ways you can love on a friend of yours if she’s a mom of a special needs child.

Caring for Yourself While Caring for Your Special Needs Child – “Looking back, I can see that I wasn’t making myself clear. My family and friends simply thought I needed reassurance and encouragement. They didn’t realize I was warning them that I literally. could. not. keep. going. any. longer. I tried to explain to them in words what I needed, but I couldn’t. I really couldn’t quite admit it to myself, and I certainly couldn’t figure out how to put it into words for someone else to hear. So I gave up. I quit trying to explain it to them. I hung in there…”

Things Not to Say to Moms of Special Needs Kids – “In my almost 20 years as the mom of a severely autistic daughter, I’ve been questioned, judged, accepted, ignored, loved, rejected, and just about everything in between! I’ve also learned a lot. One of the things I like to do whenever possible is help and support other moms of special needs kids.

Many of us have friends who have children with disabilities, and we just don't know how to support them. Guest Melissa Crabtree and Heidi talk about 3 practical ways to love on these moms. Listen in and see how you can help!

Resources Mentioned in Podcast

Joni and Friends TV Episode Showing all About Family Retreats – Katherine’s Smile “Melissa has volunteered to serve as a Short Term Missionary (STM) at a Joni and Friends Family Retreat. At this Christ-centered camp for families who have a member with a disability, an STM is paired with each disabled camper, to assist them throughout the week. Melissa has no formal disability training – just a heart of compassion and the desire to share the love of Christ. When she is paired with nineteen year old Katherine, who is severely autistic and non-verbal, Melissa is faced with unexpected challenges. But God is at work, and hearts connect. You’ll see how His love breaks the barriers of disability. And you’ll see it best in Katherine’s smile!”

Joni and Friends – This ministry is dedicated to extending the love and message of Jesus Christ to people who are affected by disability around the world.  Learn about all the ministries they have to offer here at their website.

John 9:1-3 “As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth.  And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.”

More from The Busy Mom

Caring for Yourself While Caring for Your Special Needs Child – “Looking back, I can see that I wasn’t making myself clear. My family and friends simply thought I needed reassurance and encouragement. They didn’t realize I was warning them that I literally. could. not. keep. going. any. longer. I tried to explain to them in words what I needed, but I couldn’t. I really couldn’t quite admit it to myself, and I certainly couldn’t figure out how to put it into words for someone else to hear. So I gave up. I quit trying to explain it to them. I hung in there…”

Things Not to Say to Moms of Special Needs Kids – “In my almost 20 years as the mom of a severely autistic daughter, I’ve been questioned, judged, accepted, ignored, loved, rejected, and just about everything in between! I’ve also learned a lot. One of the things I like to do whenever possible is help and support other moms of special needs kids. But lately, I’ve realized that a great way to help special needs moms is to share some of my own experiences with moms who don’t…”

Scriptures mentioned in Podcast 1 Corinthians 13: 4-6 Love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does … Continue reading Easily Offended or Full of Grace? →

Scriptures mentioned in Podcast

1 Corinthians 13: 4-6 Love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

1 Peter 3:9 Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.

Romans 12:21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Psalm 133:1 How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!

Homework for this Podcast

It's easy to get too busy, but it's imperative to prioritize some time to spend with The Lord.

Connie Albers has spent much of her adult life as a homeschool mom and mom-preneur with an outreach and ministry to homeschool parents through her leadership and as a speaker. She is a respected leader and trusted homeschool mom who understands the challenges of balancing the demands of life. Connie is a wife and mother of five homeschool graduates. Her children continued their studies at the University of Central Florida on scholarship. Four have graduated and one is a senior. She is a speaker and writer, a spokesperson, and owns ConnieAlbers.com. Her latest venture is fulfilling her desire to equip women in their calling through her Equipped To Be ministry and with her site. The Albers family lives in Winter Garden, Florida.

More from The Busy Mom on Meditating on the Word – “As mothers, isn’t that what we want for our children?  That they would be like those trees that are planted by streams of water. The Bible says that this person is a person who walks in step with the Holy Spirit, who delights in the law of the Lord and who meditates on it day and night.  In our culture, the word “meditate” has taken on a bad rap.  When we think of this word, if often conjures up images of “super Christians” or someone who is involved in New Age or eastern religions.  However, the Bible talks a lot about meditating on the Word. In Psalm 2, we read about delighting in the Word and meditating on it day and night…”

And here’s some encouragement on Finding Balance in a Busy Season – something you may need to do in order to be able to prioritize some time with the Lord.