The Well-Being | Christian Motherhood, Wellness, and SAHM's with a Calling

Everyone keeps saying, “Motherhood takes a village.”

Okay... but what if you don’t have one?

Maybe you don’t have family nearby. You moved somewhere new. You haven’t found your people yet. You see other moms with close-knit groups doing life together and wonder how they even got there. Maybe you’ve joined the mom group or Bible study, but you still feel like the new girl. Or you’re home thinking, I would LOVE friendships like that. I just don’t know how to get from here to there.

This episode is for you.

I’m sitting down with my friend Sage for Part 1 of a two-part conversation about what it actually takes to make mom friends and build a village as an adult—because deep adult friendships usually don’t just fall into our laps.

Sometimes building community means showing up when you’re tired. Going back even when the first few times feel awkward. Inviting someone instead of wondering why nobody invited you. Hosting when your house is a mess. Letting friendships develop slowly instead of deciding after one coffee date whether you’ve found your people.

And yes, sometimes adult friendships require inconvenience.

We get really practical about:

• How to make mom friends when you don’t already have a community
• What to do when you’re new to a city, church, Bible study, or mom group
• Why you have to keep showing up before you feel like you belong
• Going from acquaintances to deeper friendships
• Personally inviting another mom instead of waiting to be invited
• Hosting when your house is messy and your kids are chaotic
• Why consistency matters when building adult friendships
• Giving new friendships enough time to grow
• Serving the women around you instead of only asking, “Who’s showing up for me?”
• Building Christian community that goes deeper than playdates

You don’t need 15 best friends by next Tuesday. Start with one invitation. One Bible study. One playdate. One mom at church you actually ask to coffee. And then go back.

Because the only way to stop being the new girl is to come back.

And we’re not done. In Part 2, Sage and I go even deeper into what it takes to KEEP these friendships once you find them—being less easily offended, assuming the best of your friends, having hard conversations, handling hurt and disappointment, and looking at friendship through a biblical lens.

If you’ve been searching for how to make mom friends, how to make friends as an adult, Christian mom groups, Christian female friendships, stay-at-home mom community, making friends after moving, loneliness in motherhood, finding mom friends, building a mom village, or how to build deeper friendships as a mom, start here.

Maybe the village you’re waiting for is one you’re supposed to help build.

FIND BIBLES & BABIES 🤍Treasure Valley / Boise moms:
Bibles & Babies Boise

Find or start Bibles & Babies community where you live:
Bibles & Babies Hub

FREE WEEKLY ORGANIZER FOR CHRISTIAN SAHMs 🗓️

Trying to make room for your faith, marriage, kids, home, health, community AND the things God has put on your heart? My free Weekly Organizer helps you give those priorities an actual place in your week instead of trying to do everything every day.

Download the FREE Weekly Organizer

HOME BIRTH IN A HOSPITAL PLANNER 🏡Planning a hospital birth but hoping for a more natural, informed experience? This planner helps you understand your options, know what questions to ask, and prepare for the birth you want.

Get the Home Birth in a Hospital Planner

CONNECT WITH ME 🌿

Instagram — @nikiwolfewellness

If this episode made you think of the mom you’ve been saying “We should get together sometime!” to for six months... send it to her.

Then actually put something on the calendar. 😂

That might be exactly how the village starts.

This episode is not my opinion on the Lindsay Clancy case. I’m not weighing in on guilt or innocence, defending what happened, or trying to determine what was happening in her mind.

I’m talking to a completely different woman: the mom who has experienced postpartum anxiety, postpartum OCD, intrusive thoughts, postpartum depression, or another postpartum mental health struggle—and hearing about this trial is making her question her own past.

Maybe your postpartum was two years ago. Maybe five. You did the therapy. You got through the darkest part. You finally started trusting yourself and your brain again. Maybe you and your husband have even started talking about having another baby.

And now you're hearing about this trial, reading the comments, comparing symptoms, researching postpartum psychosis, replaying thoughts you haven't thought about in years and wondering:

What if my intrusive thoughts meant something more? What if I was closer to losing control than I realized? What if it happens again? What if it's worse next time? What if having another baby isn't responsible?

That is who this episode is for.

I'm sharing my own history with severe intrusive thoughts before motherhood, postpartum anxiety and OCD after my second baby, and the fear of not being able to trust my own brain. We talk about postpartum intrusive thoughts, postpartum OCD vs. postpartum psychosis, harm OCD, fear of losing control, rumination, reassurance seeking, checking, researching, ERP therapy, and why consuming trial coverage can become especially difficult for an OCD brain.

And if another baby has been on your heart, we're going there too.

I'm walking through how I would prepare for postpartum differently after experiencing severe postpartum mental health symptoms: building your professional team while you're well, talking through your previous postpartum with your husband, identifying early warning signs, protecting sleep, creating a postpartum mental health plan, building your village, involving your church community, and knowing ahead of time when you're going to ask for help.

Because one of the biggest things I want you to take from this episode is this:

Your previous postpartum is information. It is not prophecy.

You don't have to pretend it didn't happen. But you also don't have to use your darkest season—or someone else's story—to predict your future.

And please hear this: you do not need to become dangerous before you deserve help. If intrusive thoughts, postpartum anxiety, depression, OCD symptoms, or anything happening in your mind is frightening you or affecting how you function, tell someone qualified to help you. Speaking up early is protective.

IMPORTANT: This episode shares my personal experience and is for education and encouragement. It is not a substitute for individualized medical or mental health care. If you believe you may act on thoughts of harming yourself or someone else, cannot maintain safety, or are losing contact with reality, seek emergency medical care immediately.

🏡 HOME BIRTH IN A HOSPITAL PLANNER

Planning a hospital birth but hoping for a more natural, informed experience? My Home Birth in a Hospital Planner helps you understand your options, ask better questions and prepare for the birth you want.

https://www.nikiwolfe.com/planner

💛 EQUIP PROTEIN

Equip Protein is one of the simple ways I add more protein into my day as a busy mom. I love the simple ingredients and how easy it is to keep on hand.

Shop through my affiliate link:
https://www.equipfoods.com/WOLFE

🌿 CONNECT WITH ME

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

Website:
https://www.nikiwolfe.com

If you know a mom who has experienced postpartum anxiety, postpartum OCD, intrusive thoughts, harm OCD, postpartum depression, or another difficult postpartum mental health experience and the Lindsay Clancy trial is bringing those fears back up, send her this episode. She does not need to sit alone with those thoughts at 2 a.m.

LINKS + RESOURCES

If you’re wondering how to help your husband with anxiety, panic attacks, overthinking, or constant “what if” thoughts, this episode is for you. We’re talking about anxiety in men, why it can be so hard for men to ask for help, and how to support your husband without making him feel weak, pressured, or like you’re trying to fix him.

And if you’re the husband she sent this episode to, this conversation is for you too.

After someone close to me experienced a severe panic attack, I was reminded how different debilitating anxiety is from everyday stress or worry. You can have a good life. You can love your wife and kids. You can be successful, capable, strong in your faith, and the guy everyone else depends on—and still think, Why can’t I get control of this? What if something is actually wrong with me? What if this gets worse? What if I never feel like myself again?

I’ve lived through severe anxiety, panic attacks, intrusive thoughts, and the exhausting cycle of getting reassurance only for my brain to immediately come up with another, “Yeah, but what if…”

In this episode, we’re talking about what actually helps.

We’ll unpack rumination and anxiety, why trying to solve every scary thought can keep you stuck, and the simple “bookshelf” technique I use when my brain wants to analyze the same fear over and over. We’ll talk about movement and exercise during intense anxiety, getting professional help, and why discussing anxiety medication with your doctor doesn’t have to mean you’re weak or that you failed.

We’re also talking directly to the wife supporting a husband with anxiety. How much reassurance should you give? What helps during an anxiety spiral? When can reassurance actually feed the cycle? How can you lower the pressure during a hard season without becoming responsible for your husband’s mental health?

And because faith is a huge part of this conversation, we’ll talk about Christian anxiety, anxiety and faith, and Bible verses for anxiety, specifically 2 Timothy 1:7 and Philippians 4:8. Struggling with anxiety does not automatically mean you aren’t trusting God enough. Faith, therapy, professional support, movement, and medication when appropriate do not have to compete with one another.

In this episode:

• How to help your husband with anxiety and panic attacks

• Anxiety in men, men’s mental health, and the shame around asking for help

• Severe anxiety, overthinking, intrusive thoughts, and constant “what ifs”

• How to interrupt rumination and reassurance-seeking

• The “bookshelf” technique for repetitive anxious thoughts

• Movement and exercise during intense anxiety

• Anxiety medication and removing shame around getting help

• How to support a spouse with anxiety without becoming their therapist

• Christian help for anxiety and trusting God when you still feel afraid

• 2 Timothy 1:7 and Philippians 4:8 for anxiety

You don’t have to solve your entire life tonight. You just need to take the next right step.

Anxiety doesn’t make you weak. But you also don’t have to prove you’re strong by suffering alone.

Important: This episode shares personal experience and general education and is not a substitute for medical or mental health care. If you are thinking about suicide, intend to harm yourself, have made a plan, or do not believe you can keep yourself safe, tell someone immediately and seek emergency professional help.

If you've wanted to start teaching your little kids the Bible but you're thinking... how in the world do I actually do Bible study with a 3-year-old? 😂 Come sit with us for five minutes.

Emma and I opened up to 2 Timothy 1:7 and talked about fear, courage, bravery, and what we can do when something feels scary.

This verse became incredibly important to me during a season when I was struggling deeply with fear, and now I get to start planting these same words in my daughter's heart.

And yes, she gets distracted. She draws. She tells me she's not afraid of anything. 😂 We talk about jumping into the pool. There are apparently volcanoes involved.

It's not a perfectly planned kids Bible lesson. It's just a mom, her 3-year-old, and a few minutes in God's Word.

If you're a Christian mom who wants to start teaching your toddler or preschooler Scripture, I hope this shows you how simple it can be. Pick one Bible verse. Talk about what it means. Give them an example they understand. Ask a few questions. Pray together.

That's it.

Today we're reading 2 Timothy 1:7 and talking about what the Bible teaches us about fear, courage, power, love, and a sound mind.

Maybe grab your little one and do this mini Bible study right alongside us. 🤍

A quick note before you listen: This episode discusses postpartum intrusive thoughts, postpartum anxiety, OCD, and suicidal thoughts. It is my personal story and the things that helped me heal. If you are experiencing more than unwanted intrusive thoughts—if you have a plan to harm yourself, your baby, or someone else, or you don't feel like you can keep yourself or your baby safe—please stop listening and seek immediate help. Tell your spouse, a trusted family member, your OB, or go to your nearest emergency department. You deserve immediate support, and you don't have to carry this alone.

If you recently had a baby and you're having scary, unwanted thoughts that make you question yourself as a mom... I want you to know you're not alone.

Maybe you've been searching things like postpartum intrusive thoughts, postpartum anxiety, postpartum OCD, or postpartum mental health because you're terrified by what's happening in your own mind. Maybe you're wondering if you're losing your mind, if you're a bad mom, or why you can't stop thinking thoughts you don't even want to have.

I've been there.

In this episode, I'm sharing my own experience with postpartum intrusive thoughts, postpartum anxiety, and OCD after having my second baby. This isn't a polished story—it's the conversation I wish someone had with me when I was convinced I'd never feel like myself again.

I'm also sharing the things that slowly moved the needle for me. There wasn't one magic fix. Healing came through a combination of small steps that, over time, helped me breathe again. We talk about medication (something I never thought I'd recommend), swimming, therapy, Scripture, safe people, supplements, and preparing ahead if you know you're prone to anxiety or OCD.

In this episode, we'll talk about:

• My experience with postpartum intrusive thoughts and postpartum OCD
• The difference between intrusive thoughts and who you really are
• Why postpartum anxiety and OCD can feel so isolating
• Why I decided to start medication as a very "crunchy" mom
• The surprising therapy that changed everything for me: swimming
• Bible verses that anchored me during some of my darkest days
• Practical ways to prepare for postpartum if you've struggled with anxiety, OCD, or depression before
• The biggest lie I believed, and what I wish every new mom knew

If you're in the thick of postpartum anxiety, postpartum OCD, postpartum intrusive thoughts, or you're simply feeling like yourself slipping away after having a baby, my prayer is that this episode helps you take one deep breath and reminds you that healing is possible.

You don't have to carry this alone.

Resources Mentioned

🎧 Underwater Headphones I Use
These are the headphones I mentioned in the episode. I use them while swimming to listen to worship music and podcasts.

https://amzn.to/4hQBxeX

📖 2 Timothy 1:7

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."

📖 Philippians 4:8

"Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable... think about these things."

Did you become a stay-at-home mom thinking life would finally slow down... but somehow it feels like you're busier than ever?

You love being home with your kids. You wouldn't trade it for anything.

But between the laundry, the meals, the mental load, the constant interruptions, trying to spend time with God, love your husband well, keep up with the house, maybe even pursue a business or ministry... it can feel like you're failing at all of it.

I've been there.

After leaving corporate America and becoming a stay-at-home mom, there were so many things I wish another mom would've pulled me aside and told me. Not how to fold laundry better or make Pinterest-worthy lunches. The stuff that actually would've made this transition easier.

In this episode, we're talking about things like:

• Why it's okay if becoming a stay-at-home mom doesn't feel natural right away.
• The conversation every husband and wife should have before resentment starts building.
• The mindset shift that completely changed how I think about caring for our home.
• Why trying to prioritize everything every day leaves you feeling behind.
• How simple weekly rhythms can take so much off your mental load.
• Why your calling didn't disappear when you became a mom.
• How to protect the little pockets of time you do have.
• Why finding community takes intention—and why it's worth it.

If you're in your first year as a stay-at-home mom—or honestly, you've been home for years and still feel like you're constantly reacting instead of leading your week—I really think this episode will encourage you.

♡ FREE WEEKLY ORGANIZER

One of the biggest changes I made was giving every priority a place in my week instead of trying to juggle everything every single day.

That's exactly why I created my free Weekly Organizer for Christian stay-at-home moms.

Download it here:
https://thewellsteadco.myflodesk.com/weeklyorganizer

Then come back and listen to Episode 49, where I'll walk you through it step by step so you can build a weekly rhythm that actually works for your season of motherhood.

🏡 HOME BIRTH IN A HOSPITAL PLANNER

If you're planning a hospital birth but hoping for a more natural, informed experience, you can grab my planner here:
https://www.nikiwolfe.com/planner

💛 EQUIP PROTEIN

One of the easiest ways I hit my protein goals as a busy mom is with Equip Protein. It's made with simple, real-food ingredients and has become a staple in our home.

Shop through my affiliate link:
https://www.equipfoods.com/WOLFE

🌿 CONNECT WITH ME

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

Website:
https://www.nikiwolfe.com

🤍 If this episode encouraged you, would you leave a rating and review? It helps more Christian moms find the show and reminds me I'm not talking to myself every week.

Maybe you just found blood when you weren't expecting it.

Maybe you're refreshing your patient portal every few minutes, waiting for your HCG results to come back. Maybe your doctor told you to "wait and see," and those three words feel impossible. Or maybe you've just been told you're miscarrying, and your heart is carrying a grief you never imagined.

First, I'm so sorry.

This episode is for you.

My friend Sage had just found out she was pregnant. A few days later, she started bleeding. We recorded this conversation before either of us knew what Monday would bring. Before the lab results. Before the answers. Before we knew how this story would end.

We didn't have advice to give. We didn't try to explain why God allows suffering. We simply opened our Bibles together and held onto what we knew was true when everything else felt uncertain.

If you're walking through the fear of miscarriage, waiting for answers, grieving a pregnancy loss, or simply wondering how you're supposed to trust God when your heart feels like it's breaking, we hope this conversation helps you feel a little less alone.

• How to trust God when you don't know what's coming next

• What to do when fear and worst-case scenarios take over your mind

• Why it's okay to bring your grief, anger, and questions to God

• Finding peace one day—and sometimes one moment—at a time

• The comfort of Christian friendship during painful seasons

• Holding onto God's character when your circumstances don't make sense

• Matthew 6:25–34 — Jesus' invitation to trust Him with today.

• Philippians 4:6–8 — Replacing anxiety with prayer and fixing our minds on what is true.

• Proverbs 3:5–8 — Trusting God's understanding over our own.

• Psalm 34:18 — The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.

• James 1:2–4 — Finding endurance in seasons of testing.

• 2 Timothy 1:7 — God has not given us a spirit of fear.

• Ecclesiastes 3 — There is a time for every season under heaven.

Whether you're listening from a parking lot after an ultrasound, lying awake in bed waiting for morning, or quietly grieving a loss that very few people know about, we hope this episode reminds you of one simple truth:

You do not have to carry this alone.

And whatever tomorrow brings, God will still be with you in it.

In this episode, we talk about:Bible passages we read together:

Download Our FREE Weekly Organizer

Ready to stop carrying your entire week around in your head?

Download our free Weekly Organizer and fill it out alongside this episode:

https://thewellsteadco.myflodesk.com/weeklyorganizer

If you're a Christian stay-at-home mom who's constantly feeling behind, overwhelmed, or wondering where your time went, this episode is for you.

Today, we're not just talking about time management—we're actually building your week together.

In this guided workshop, you'll walk through our Weekly Organizer step by step to identify your priorities, organize your recurring responsibilities, create a weekly rhythm, and make room for what matters most.

Instead of trying to remember everything or hoping you'll "find time" for your faith, your health, your family, or your calling, you'll leave this episode with a practical plan you can actually follow.

Because information doesn't change our lives.

Implementation does.

• How to create a weekly rhythm as a Christian stay-at-home mom
• The seven pillars we use at The Wellstead Co. to steward what God has entrusted to us
• How to identify what's creating the most friction in your life
• How to organize your recurring responsibilities without feeling overwhelmed
• Why naming your days can reduce decision fatigue
• How to build a realistic weekly schedule that includes margin
• The simple Friction Check we use before every new week
• Practical time management for Christian moms who want to steward their home and calling well

Whether you're raising little ones full-time, building a business during nap time, serving in your church, or simply craving more peace and intention in your week, this episode will help you stop spinning your wheels and start moving forward.

📥 Download Our Free Weekly Organizer
https://thewellsteadco.myflodesk.com/weeklyorganizer

📱 Follow The Wellstead Co.
https://www.instagram.com/thewellsteadco

📱 Follow Niki
https://www.instagram.com/nikiwolfewellness

If this episode encouraged you, would you take a minute to leave a rating and review? It helps more Christian stay-at-home moms discover the show.

And if you know another mom who feels overwhelmed by everything she's trying to juggle, send this episode her way. We hope it gives her the practical tools to build a weekly rhythm that helps her steward her home, her family, and her calling with more peace and intention.

In this episode, we'll cover:Resources Mentioned

If you've ever stared into the fridge at 5 p.m. wondering what's for dinner, forgotten an ingredient at the grocery store, or felt like you're constantly making decisions from the moment you wake up until your head hits the pillow... this episode is for you.

In today's conversation, I'm sitting down with another stay-at-home mom who's intentionally built simple systems that have dramatically reduced the mental load in her home. We're talking practical meal planning, grocery shopping, grocery pickup, buying in bulk, creating simple family routines, and finding ways to make everyday life feel just a little lighter.

These aren't complicated productivity hacks or unrealistic homemaking routines. They're simple, practical systems you can start implementing this week to reduce decision fatigue, save time, and create more margin for what matters most.

In this episode, we cover:
• A simple weekly meal planning system that actually feels manageable
• How grocery pickup can save both time and money
• Buying meat, eggs, and household essentials in bulk
• Ways to simplify grocery shopping with young kids
• Easy homemaking systems that reduce decision fatigue
• How small systems create more margin for your marriage, your kids, and your home
• Where to start if you're feeling overwhelmed

My hope is that you don't walk away thinking you need to overhaul your entire home. Instead, I hope you identify just one area of friction and leave with a practical system you can put in place today. Small changes compound over time, and sometimes the simplest systems make the biggest difference.

RESOURCES MENTIONED

🥩 Local Beef:
Look for a local farm in your area that offers quarter or half beef shares.

🫙 Refill Stores:
Search "refill store near me" to find shops that offer refillable household products.

CONNECT

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

Free Home Birth in a Hospital Planner:
https://www.nikiwolfe.com/planner

SUPPORT THE SHOW

If this episode encouraged you, would you take 30 seconds to leave a rating and review? It helps more Christian stay-at-home moms discover the show and allows us to keep creating practical conversations like this.

Do you ever feel like your brain never shuts off?

You're constantly remembering what needs to happen next. The laundry. The groceries. The birthday gift you forgot to order. The diaper bag. Dinner. Appointments. The TV is on in the background, your kids are asking you questions every 30 seconds, and by the end of the day, you're mentally exhausted before you've even thought about working out.

Then you finally get an hour to yourself... and the last thing your nervous system needs is another loud, high-intensity workout.

If you're an overwhelmed stay-at-home mom trying to improve your health but you're already running on empty, this episode is for you.

Today we're talking about why I believe swimming is one of the most underrated workouts for moms—not because it burns the most calories, but because it supports your mental health, nervous system, physical health, and even your faith.

In this episode, you'll learn:
• Why modern motherhood leaves so many moms feeling overstimulated and burned out
• The connection between your nervous system, mental load, and exercise
• Why swimming helps calm anxiety and quiet a busy mind
• How rhythmic breathing and reduced stimulation help your body recover
• Why swimming has become one of my favorite ways to pray, think, and process
• The physical benefits of swimming, even if you've never considered yourself "a swimmer"

If you're looking for a sustainable workout that helps you become a healthier, calmer, and more present mom, I hope this episode gives you a new perspective—and maybe even inspires your next trip to the pool.

I put together everything I personally use so you don't have to spend hours researching gear. None of this has to be expensive—I actually buy the budget-friendly versions of almost everything.

♡ FAVORITE SWIM GEAR

🎧 Underwater Headphones (my favorite thing I own)⁠https://amzn.to/4fNLuZf⁠

👙 Bathing Suit⁠https://amzn.to/4ftrWIi⁠

🥽 Goggles⁠https://amzn.to/4fnR3w5⁠

🏊 Swim Cap⁠https://amzn.to/3TewDOO⁠

🧴 Shower Caddy (this hangs on the shower head and keeps everything organized)⁠https://amzn.to/3R5SA1Z⁠

🎒 Pool Bag⁠https://amzn.to/4yzjyQc⁠

💛 EQUIP Protein

One of the easiest ways I support my protein intake as a busy mom is with Equip Protein. I use it almost every day because it's made with simple ingredients, tastes great, and actually keeps me full.

Shop through my affiliate link:
https://www.equipfoods.com/WOLFE

🤍 CONNECT WITH ME

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

Website:
https://www.nikiwolfe.com