The Warrior Mama Podcast

Welcome back to the kitchen table. This week Bethany invites you to sit down with her and her three daughters, Kendall, Abby Grace, and Anna Claire. For the next few weeks, Bethany sits down with her girls to discuss how moms and daughters can interact and how the gospel plays into their relationship.

They visit how different temperaments, struggles, world experiences, and scenarios play a vital role. Bethany hopes this is a time where you as a mom can understand a bit more clarity on how you can partner and walk with God as he engages and guides your children on their journey. 

Bethany and her daughters discuss five concepts that will guide their conversations throughout the next few weeks. The girls share how they struggled, combatted, and persevered.

• Identity: Understanding where you find identity and where you are tempted to find an identity. 
• Comparison: What does it look like? How does it motivate and blind you?
• Perfectionism: How does it play into your mindset. 
• Surrender: How important it truly is. 
• An Active Army: The idea of being actively engaged in a faith walk with the lord. 

The girls share ways that their parents helped them throughout their journey with Christ and how honesty, presence, consistency, and a strong support system can put them on their path with Jesus. 

Head to Bethany's website to share comments, questions or to drop a quick note. You can also subscribe to her newsletters for encouragement, free resources, new content, and more. She is always available to chat, listen, or guide you in the direction that you need. 

You can also find Bethany on Facebook and Instagram @bethanykimsey to share some of your favorite moments or maybe some of your most difficult moments of motherhood.

Welcome back to the kitchen table. This week Bethany invites you to sit back with a cup of coffee, to relax a bit, and listen as she shares the story that realigned her heart, offering her peace, understanding, and commitment to God's plan in developing a solid root system for her children. 

Bethany shares a personal story of an oak shrub, a Bradford pear tree, and a strong storm helped shift her into a moment of truth and understanding that God develops a solid root system in her children. He taught her that her timing and wish for fast fruit is not his plan but to accept and walk with him. He has instead invited her into his to plan a growth system that is strong, long-lasting, and rooted in him. He is working to raise oaks of righteousness in our children that are so strong that it cannot be uprooted. 

But, as parents who are walking with Jesus, we can hold tight to his hand and his word, continue to be a student of your child, be an ambassador of reconciliation, and trust in his growing root system. Although we may not always see his work, he is pursuing our children on his time because he is committed to each one of them. 

Bethany encourages you to read Psalm 1 and Jeremiah 17 if her story resonates with you. 

Head to Bethany's website to share comments, questions or to drop a quick note. You can also subscribe to her newsletters for encouragement, free resources, new content, and more. She is always available to chat, listen, or guide you in the direction that you need. 

You can also find Bethany on Facebook and Instagram @bethanykimsey to share some of your favorite moments or maybe some of your most difficult moments of motherhood.

Welcome back to the kitchen table. Bethany is so excited to have you join her on the podcast this week as she talks about the overwhelming stress of disciplining your children in a way that not only provides you with confidence but grace, too. 

Bethany shares the importance of understanding that Jesus has died for your sin and to compel this understanding onto your children. We must act as ambassadors of reconciliation so that our children understand that Jesus has come to set you free. As parents, there is a lot of pressure to raise successful, and perfect children but that isn’t what Jesus is asking of us. Instead he reminds us that law was put in place to point us to jesus. 

He is asking that you teach your child about Christ’s love. We have rules in our home not to create the perfect child nor for them to live up to but instead as a roadway to Jesus. When you change your expectation to accept that rules will be broken you begin to become an ambassador of reconciliation. 

You can instill this in your home by asking your child these questions

• What does this display about your heart?
• What can you and Jesus do to change your heart?

You walk with your kids and meet them with compassion when rules are broken and remind them they cannot measure up to Christ but instead this is his invitation to walk with him. 

Head to Bethany's website to share comments, questions or to drop a quick note. You can also subscribe to her newsletters for encouragement, free resources, new content, and more. She is always available to chat, listen, or guide you in the direction that you need. 

You can also find Bethany on Facebook and Instagram @bethanykimsey to share some of your favorite moments or maybe some of your most difficult moments of motherhood.

Welcome back to the kitchen table. This week Bethany is talking all about intentionally parenting our kids when we reach a point of feeling overwhelmed. She dives into the importance of genuinely learning about our children and becoming a student individually. And how to shift our mindset into learning about their needs, strengths, weaknesses, and personalities and the way it ultimately changes the goal of parenting. 

God has uniquely created each of our children, and he reminds us that we cannot parent them with a one-size-fits-all approach. Parenting perfectly is an unrealistic expectation of ourselves, but when parenting surrendered to God, we can parent in a way that is unified with the One who does parent perfectly. 

Bethany guides us with concrete examples to focus on to help aid you as you learn to parent your children intentionally. To make informed and conscious parenting decisions, we must understand how our children take in the world. 

• What are your child's drives? What pleases or frustrates them?
• At what speed do they move through life? Fast-paced vs. slow-paced.
• How do they communicate?
• What are their sin areas? Where do you see your child struggling the most? 
• What has changed? Better or worse? 
• Where are they spiritually?
• How do they view themselves physically?

Bethany reminds us that we must let go of the driver's seat. This is where God is. Sit with him and ask him to show you the things about your child that you don't know or the things you need to see. You walking with God is the best solution for parenting your children. 

Head to Bethany's website to share comments, questions or to drop a quick note. You can also subscribe to her newsletters for encouragement, free resources, new content, and more. She is always available to chat, listen, or guide you in the direction that you need. 

You can also find Bethany on Facebook and Instagram @bethanykimsey to share some of your favorite moments or maybe some of your most difficult moments of motherhood.

Welcome back to the kitchen table. This week, Bethany addresses the question, how can I be intentional with my kids when I feel burnt out? Many moms probably feel this way, and you want to teach, have meaningful conversations, and plan fun activities. But, by the end of the day, you feel defeated, burnt out, and you don’t have the energy. Bethany is walking in the same shoes, but she gives guidance, encouragement, and scripture to help you find a middle ground. 

When we let the Holy Spirit tend to us, it begins to reframe our minds to be set on the gospel. God is the only one who can fill us when we feel defeated and overwhelmed in motherhood. 

Bethany shares how she must see, hear, and constantly be reminded of the truth that Jesus says. She engages with the five truths when she reaches feelings of overwhelm, anger, or resentment. 

The Five Truths When Life Feels Crazy

• God Chose You- Matthew 11:28-29
• God Engages and Listens- Psalm 116: 1-2 & Psalm 66:19
• God Leads and Equips You- Isaiah 42:16 & Isaiah 40:11
• God Has Compassion on You- Psalm 103: 13-14
• God Brings Peace- Psalm 62: 1-2 & 1 Peter 1:2 
•  

In moments of mess, God has compassion for you. He longs to help you and will be your peace. 

Head to Bethany’s website to share comments, questions or to drop a quick note. You can also subscribe to her newsletters for encouragement, free resources, new content, and more. 

You can also find Bethany on Facebook and Instagram @bethanykimsey to share some of your favorite moments or maybe some of your most difficult moments of motherhood. 

Welcome back to the kitchen table. This week Bethany sits down with Rachel Fahrenbach, where they share their struggles, stories, and triumphs on the lie of comparison. 

All women compare themselves to a standard, whether it is to other women, an internal measurement, or how we were raised. Rachel provides truth and a lens on how resting with God can bring you peace, clarity, and contentment. 

Rachel and Bethany remind us there is no true standard that God puts us to, and he gave us our children for a reason. And, to remind yourself that what your life looks like on the outside to others is not a reflection of what goes on behind your walls or who you are as a person, mother, or spouse. 

Rachel discusses the importance of Sabbath, sitting with Christ each week across from one another to unfold and reflect on the week. This space is different from prayer time, Bible study, or Sunday morning worship. This is dedicated time where you sit in your thoughts, experiences, and moments for him to speak truth into your life. This is a place of abounding grace, not condemnation. What others think or say does not define you; what God says about you explains you. This dedicated time can help bring you peace when you feel the attack of lies from the enemy.

If you are interested in learning more about Rachel, you can find her bio below:

Rachel Fahrenbach is the author of Rest & Reflect, a guided journal that helps you implement a rhythm of rest and reflection in your week through the practice of Sabbath. Her desire to see moms reclaim a deep joy and stabilizing piece in their weeks by actively choosing to rest. To support them in this choice, Rachel offers encouragement and resources for implementing a Sabbath practice at https://rachelfahrenbach.com. Rachel and her husband live in the Chicagoland area with their three kiddos.

Head to Bethany’s website to share comments, questions or to drop a quick note. You can also subscribe to her newsletters for encouragement, free resources, new content, and more. 

You can also find Bethany on Facebook and Instagram @bethanykimsey to share some of your favorite moments or maybe some of your most difficult moments of motherhood. She has created journal pages to help you identify the lies you’re hearing and change your thinking. You can grab them right here. 

Welcome back to the kitchen table. This week Bethany tackles the last lie of the series, comparison. Comparing our lives to others causes us to feel that we do not measure up in one way or another. The enemy does his very best to convince us to feel defeated, discouraged, and inadequate in different aspects of your life. But, God invites us to anchor tightly in his word to declare the truth. 

Romans 3: 21-24, 28 explains how God freely makes us right in his sight through his grace. Bethany shares how Titus 3: 4-7 has been one of her favorite scriptures and how there is not a single act of work that you can do to make God save you anymore than he already has.. These two passages declare that God doesn’t love us because of our performance or the work we do. He loves us, period. 

Many of us were conditioned to believe that love and success are contingent on performance alone, leading us to compare our lives to others leaving us feeling inadequate. But, never one did God say that our value is based on how our children turn out. God is instead reaching out his hand with a sacred invitation to parent our children surrendered to him. 

What matters is that you are walking with God in his glory while he guides and leads you to make wise decisions. 

Head to Bethany’s website to share anything you would like for her to answer. You can also subscribe to her newsletters for encouragement, free resources, new content, and more. 

You can also find Bethany on Facebook and Instagram @bethanykimsey to share some of your favorite moments or maybe some of your most difficult moments of motherhood. She has created journal pages to help you identify the lies you’re hearing and change your thinking. You can grab them right here. 

Welcome back to the kitchen table. This week Bethany is joined by two of her closest friends Caroline Collie and Kristy Wallace as they share their stories, experiences, and battles with the lie of falling behind and missing out. They provide insight and perspective on how they have battled this lie with profound advice on how to keep moving forward.  

As with all of the other lies we have spoken about, the enemy ultimately has us asking ourselves the same three questions. 

Did God really say that?Is God really good?Is God for you? 

The enemy attacks you, sending you into discontentment, and he leads you to believe that God made a mistake when he chose you as the mother of your children. It’s important to recognize these lies as they begin to creep in, anchor yourself in his word, and remember the ways he has been good in the past. 

If you are interested in learning more about Kristy and Caroline, you can check out their bios below.

Kristy Wallace is an occupational therapist, wife, and mother. Kristy has seen the importance of resilience as we navigate all the things life throws our way.  Through her writing and speaking, Kristy invites women to consider how we can partner with the work God is doing to transform our thinking, wellness, relationships, and sense of meaning and purpose. The resilience that is rooted in the good news of Jesus is the anchor we need in these challenging times. You can find her on Instagram and Facebook @KristyPWallace. 

Caroline Collie is a homeschooling Mom with four kids born on three different continents. She is married to her South African Hero Hubs, loves Jesus and dark chocolate (in that order), and writes, speaks, and creates resources to help people find deeper, more meaningful relationships with God and each other by focusing on better communication. 

Caroline’s weekly email will encourage you with a funny story, a simple thought, and a powerful Scripture, each chosen to help you pause, take a deep breath, and make one small change that will improve your communication with God and the people you care about. You can find her free crisis ebook and sign up for her weekly love notes here. 

Head to Bethany’s website to share anything you would like for her to answer. You can also subscribe to her newsletters for encouragement, free resources, new content, and more.

 You can also find Bethany on Facebook and Instagram @bethanykimsey to share some of your favorite moments or maybe some of your most difficult moments of motherhood. She has created journal pages to help you identify the lies you’re hearing and change your thinking. You can grab them right here.

Welcome back to the kitchen table. This week Bethany dives into the lie of missing out or the feeling that you are falling behind. In this episode, she talks about how the enemy preys on our minds, causing us to compare ourselves and long for something different in life. 

Whether you stay home with your children, home-school, or work full time, this lie often makes you feel you aren’t measuring up and begins to cause us to feel discontent with our current season of life. Bethany shares how she ties herself to the gospel, creating a sturdy foundation. This foundation has equipped her to focus on God and to combat the enemy and his lies. 

The gospel reminds us to hold steady and to set our minds on the things above.  It doesn’t mean you won’t have feelings of envy or inadequacy. But understanding the gospel helps us surrender to God, and with that, we can repent and be content in our holy calling. 

Colossians 3:1-4, are the pivotal verses that are the foundation for Bethany’s walk with Jesus. Bethany’s ability to root herself in these verses has aided in shifting to set her mind on the things above. 

Head to https://bethanykimsey.com to share anything you would like for her answer. You can also subscribe to Bethany’s newsletter for encouragement, free resources, new content, and more.

You can also find Bethany on Facebook and Instagram @bethanykimsey to share some of your favorite moments or maybe some of your most difficult moments of motherhood. 

Bethany has created journal pages to help you identify the lies you’re hearing and change your thinking. You can grab them right here.

Welcome back to the kitchen table. This week Bethany is joined by dear friend Pamela Henkelman to talk more deeply into the lie that we are messing up our kids. 

The enemy creeps into our lives with lies that begin to shape how we view ourselves as mothers, and we start to believe that we have failed our children. Pamela shares her lens on parenting adult children and how although her children are grown, she still falls ill to these lies. 

Bethany and Pamela talk about how anchoring yourself in his truth helps us to feel confident. And, instead, we can pour out our fears into God, knowing that he is walking by our side. These lies are not a one-time thing but standing in God’s truth can help us refute the enemy as the lies surface.. 

Our child’s journey is not our journey, and when we parent surrender to God and trust that he is committed to both ourselves and our children, it guides us towards peace. We can trust God, and the great plans he has for our children. Through prayer, we can partner with God in the work he is doing for our children. 

Pamela is an enthusiastic encourager with a passion to speak, write, and coach.  She believes all of life flows from our intimacy with God. She helps weary Christian women build a deep bond with God and understand His love.

Pamela’s favorite way to connect with her readers is through her monthly Be[Loved] Notes newsletter and her weekly blogs.  If you’d like to receive some love in your inbox, hop on over to her website, https://www.pamelahenkelman.com and sign up for the good stuff.  She also has a Library of Free Resources for her email friends, including her 5-Day devotional: Five Encouragements to Increase Your Intimacy With God.

She  also has a private FB Group for women called Be[Loved] Community

https://www.facebook.com/groups/belovedcommunitywithpamelahenkelman

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

Self-study course, Draw Near Beloved: Six Growth Mindsets to Deepen Your Faith https://www.pamelahenkelman.com/draw-near-beloved

You can also find Bethany on Facebook and Instagram @bethanykimsey to share some of your favorite moments or maybe some of your most difficult moments of motherhood.

Don’t forget to grab the journal pages to help you identify the lies you’re hearing and change your thinking. https://view.flodesk.com/pages/60d0e421cfb7978901ae2e93.