Episode 69

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Published on:

30th Jan 2025

#69. A Vision for Motherhood: Author GraceAnna Castleberry Affirms the Irreplaceable Value of a Mother

Are you feeling weary with the continual serving of motherhood? We understand, yet we want you to know how honored the Lord is by the way you care for your children! We sat down with author GraceAnna Castleberry to affirm Scripture's message that Christian mothers are irreplaceable in the lives of their children. "You aren't babysitting," GraceAnna declares. "No one can do what you do."

There is also an encourage word for women looking for their husbands to lead more spiritually, a testimony of God's faithfulness during a difficult season of suffering, and a call to disciple our sons and daughters differently.

A Vision for Motherhood By GraceAnna Castleberry

Scriptures Referenced:

Psalm 127

Genesis 2:18-25

Psalm 144:12

1 Timothy 2:15

1 Peter 3:1-6

Hebrews 2:1

Genesis 3:16

Isaiah 12:2-3

Transcript
Stephanie:

They're the joyful agains our children shout on the swings, the

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exhausting agains of cooking and laundry,

and the difficult agains of discipline.

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So much of what we do

as mothers is on repeat.

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So what if we woke up with clarity,

knowing which agains we were called

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to, and went to bed believing we

are faithful in what matters most?

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We believe God's Word is

the key to untangle from the

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confusion and overwhelm we feel.

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Let's look up together to embrace a

motherhood full of freedom and joy.

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Welcome back to the again, podcast

where we encourage you, that the

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things you do over and over as

a mother, truly matter to God.

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This is brought to you

by entrusted ministries.

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And I'm your host, Stephanie Hickox.

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I had the delight of sitting down

with grace, Anna Castleberry, and

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she is truly a like-minded mama.

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This is the same gray Santa.

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I sat down with the November

to discuss her amazing advent

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resource manger and danger.

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But this time we discussed her

new book, a vision for motherhood.

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Gray Santa is a pastor's wife from

North Carolina and she loves her savior.

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She's humble and yet

has such a pure heart.

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She has so much wisdom and

encouragement, but she remains

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truly relatable as she shares it.

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And the Lord led her to write a study,

entitled a vision for motherhood.

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To not only bless the moms in her

church, but to bless all moms looking

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for direction and clarity in her calling.

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She believes that when we truly understand

the value and the worth of a mother.

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That it will help us to embrace

all that motherhood entails.

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If you've been around here long enough,

you know, that we couldn't agree more.

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The highlights of this

interview for me were threefold.

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I'd have to say first when grace,

Anna shared a verse depicting the

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differences between boys and girls

that I'd never meditated on before.

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I truly appreciated

her expounding upon it.

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Next she shared about a season

of very painful suffering.

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She experienced as a mother

and how the Lord met her in it.

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And lastly, I was encouraged

when she spoke to moms who

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may not have the support.

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Of spiritual leadership from their

husband and their home and what they're

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called to do in these situations.

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It was an authentic yet

sanctifying response.

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On a ministry note, I'm excited

to announce that our Bible study

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curriculum get the word out is going

to be live on the website this week.

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If you're looking for a way to

enrich your devotional life, I highly

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recommend this amazing resource.

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That's ideal for.

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Men women, individuals or groups.

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Head to entrusted ministries.com

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to get all the details.

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And now let's get to that interview

with grace, Anna Castleberry.

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Stephanie: It makes me

think about Psalm 127.

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Unless the Lord builds the

house, they labor in vain.

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Who builds it?

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Unless the Lord watches over the city,

the watchman stays awake in vain.

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That is actually the theme verse of

entrusted, but I heard you say it on a

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podcast recently talking about the Lord

building our foundation for our families.

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And then later in the Psalm, of course, it

says that children are heritage from the

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Lord and the fruit of the womb, a reward.

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As we celebrate Christmas or whatever

we're doing to remember that children

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are a blessing from Him and they

require a lot of work and a lot

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of faithfulness, but to keep that

perspective of thank you Lord for this

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gift may I just serve in gratitude.

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That could lead us into another

beautiful project that the Lord has

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led you in and giving mothers a vision

for their diligence, for all that they

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do and for it being unto the Lord.

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Can you tell us about your most

recent book that you wrote?

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GraceAnna: Yeah, so it's

called A Vision for Motherhood.

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I wrote it before my son Truman was

born which was good that I did it then.

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And I

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first taught it to the

women of our church.

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So that really helped me

get this project done.

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I will typically always choose

to fold a load of laundry versus

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sit down and write something.

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So I'm really thankful that

I was able to complete that.

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It took me over a year to

write, but I really feel like.

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It's been, what I have clung to

since I became a mother 13 years ago.

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And it's not, Hey, this is a study

of all the stuff I know about

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being a mom that you should follow.

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It is the vision that I am clinging to.

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It's.

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What has gotten me through the really

challenging days of mothering and

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it's what continues to get me through

It's just these truths that God's Word

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teaches us about motherhood and you

do it on your own as a Bible study

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or in a small group With other women.

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So it's, a Bible study, but it has,

chapters that unpack the lesson

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and then homework and discussion

questions and things like that.

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But I'm so thankful that through just

many prayers, many people helping me,

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my husband, that this project came to

be, and it's been really, Amazing to

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see the fruit that has come from it.

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I just recently got a message

from a woman saying that one of

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her friends came to know the Lord

through this, because as we all know,

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motherhood drives us to our knees.

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And I think many women to realize, wow

have known about the gospel, but maybe I

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actually, haven't embraced it for myself.

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So yeah, vision for motherhood.

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That's a little bit about, what it is.

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Grace Anna.

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That is so encouraging that again,

just like major danger, you produced

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something to minister and Edify

the church and disciple, and then

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the Lord uses it to evangelize.

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GraceAnna: YEah, I know it

keeps coming back to that,

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That's so beautiful.

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Absolutely resonate with what

you said about folding the

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laundry over writing a chapter.

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It's very hard to not do

what's right in front of you.

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And to focus on other goals, but how

sweet that the Lord led you to do that

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before you would be thrown into the

busy-ness of having another baby and that

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it was so needed for your church, your

faithfulness, and that is so commendable.

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GraceAnna: Yes, the

Lord's timing was perfect.

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What did that season look for

you practically, if I may ask,

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were you writing in the early

mornings or late, late nights?

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GraceAnna: It was early mornings for me.

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I can't think at night.

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So it was early mornings and then

some Fridays, that's Grant's day off.

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He would give me that, but

yeah, that was early time.

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And I would try to write

for an hour or two.

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And it's amazing if you're just diligent.

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And you just keep doing that day

after day, what you can accomplish.

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And I'm reminding that of myself as

I'm saying that, cause I'm working on

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something else that's been a little bit

put on the back burner, but it was good.

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And, whenever you're writing something

that is rooted in scripture, I feel you're

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always the one who is growing the most.

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And so I think I'm incredibly

thankful for the ways that I have

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grown through the word of God

and for the opportunity to do it.

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And is it correct that you were

gardening when the Lord gave

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you the title for this new book?

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GraceAnna: Gardening is a

very nice way to put it.

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I was pulling up weeds

and picking up sticks.

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In my mind, I was gardening,

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Stephanie: oh, that's

how I roll too, yeah,

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GraceAnna: Good to grow.

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But it is true.

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Grant and I were working out in the

yard and Again, going back to that

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pastor's wife thing, because my

pastor's wife, women are often asking

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me questions and I was getting a

lot of questions about mothering and

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new believers, even asking questions

like, why should I even have children?

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Why, and I remember just saying to Grant,

women need a vision for motherhood.

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And when I was saying that, I wasn't

just talking about having children, That

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certainly is first and foremost, what we

think about in terms of being a mother and

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something that God calls us to if we're

married and are able to have children,

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but so much beyond that of women, older

women, single women women who aren't

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able to have their own children, having

a vision for what biblical motherhood is.

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Is, and that's really pouring into

the next generation, whether it's the

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children God gives us or the ones that

he calls us to minister to in the church.

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And so I just said that to him outside.

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And then remember thinking like,

okay, if I were to teach this to my

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women, I think that's what I would

call it is a vision for motherhood.

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And I was pregnant with Truman.

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And I remember calling my mom and

saying, mom I feel like I need to

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teach this to the women in my church,

but I don't think I can do it.

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I just, I feel like we're

too busy, I'm homeschooling.

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And she just said, Hey, teach it

at the beginning of the summer.

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Like you can write it now, teach

it at the beginning of the summer.

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Just do four weeks.

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Like you don't have to

do a really long thing.

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And she said, but.

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She just said, you know what?

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If God's put that on your

heart, like just do it.

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And my mom is typically the one to tell

me like, Graciana, you're too busy.

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You need to focus on your husband.

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Don't get grandiose ideas,

like just stay focused.

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And when she told me that, and

then Grant also said Graciana, I

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think our women need to hear this.

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It was just that confirmation to do it.

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We called it a vision for motherhood

and that's how it started.

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And Yeah, I was able to teach

that to the women that summer.

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And then before I had Truman, I

was able to write it into chapters.

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So that was a little bit of the process.

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That's so inspiring.

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Then you got to see that it really

resonated with the women in your

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church and that it created a greater

passion for them to pour into the

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things that make an eternal difference.

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This podcast is called again,

because I feel that's what

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we're called to do as mothers.

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We do things again and again.

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But we want to focus on the against

God calls us to, and we want to know

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that what we're doing is building

something eternal and focusing on that.

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And so grateful that you were able to help

redeem that for the women in your church.

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Would you just walk us?

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Through these four key principles.

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That you believe?

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Are necessary for having

a vision for motherhood.

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Stephanie: Yeah, so it's hard

to write something concise

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on a topic that's so large,

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but,

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the four kind of key chapters that I

decided to focus on was the biblical

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vision for marriage, because As

we're thinking about being mothers,

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that is where it all begins is the

relationship with your husband.

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And obviously there's women who are

in situations, maybe they had a child

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before they were married or their

husband left them, but it's still

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important, regardless of your season

of life, to understand how God designed

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the family and that he designed.

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Designed motherhood to be lived

out in the context of marriage.

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And so I hit that first, a

biblical vision for marriage.

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And in that chapter I also unpack,

of course, it's your relationship

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with the Lord is first and foremost,

and that's your foundation.

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And of course, marriage,

is so under attack now.

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So it's hard to just jump

into mothering and children if

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you don't tackle that first.

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And so many women have told me how much

that meant to them that there was a

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chapter dedicated to that because as we

all know, so often our children can slip

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into the place that our husband should be.

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And so that's the first chapter and

then a biblical vision for children.

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And that's just unpacking,

what does the world tell us?

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What is the message that the

world is giving us about children?

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And so often that is that they are burdens

and that they are not blessings and what

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a scripture say that they are blessings.

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And so I kind of address in that chapter,

what the world is telling us versus what

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God's word teaches us about children.

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And then it gets a little

bit more practical.

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And There's practical elements to all of

them, but I felt like I needed to really

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lay that foundation and then a biblical

vision for sons and daughters is the

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third chapter and just recognizing that.

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Our sons and daughters are different.

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So much of what we teach them is the same.

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So much should be the same.

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But there's also going to be ways

that we mother them differently

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and recognizing those differences.

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And then the last chapter is a

biblical vision for discipleship.

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And just, what does that look like?

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I'm not just changing diapers.

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I'm not just babysitting.

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Goodness, no, we're not babysitting.

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Nope.

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Not anybody can fulfill the

job that we are called to.

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And I think at the heart of mothering,

biblical motherhood, this is so much of

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the lie that, that feminism has given

us is that anybody can do your job.

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Anybody can do that.

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Whereas God's word teaches

us, no, like we are called as

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mothers to disciple our children.

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And nobody can do that job the way that.

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We can, and it's going to look

different in terms of each one

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of us are unique before the Lord.

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But there's going to be similarities

as we live out scripture.

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And that's the last chapter is just

really unpacking that discipleship

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aspect and on what that looks

like in our homes and families.

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So I know there's probably so much

more that I probably could have

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touched on but hopefully that.

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Those four chapters will give women

just a comprehensive feel of what

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God's word teaches on motherhood.

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I love that, as I think about entrusted,

there's so many threads that are very

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similar in the way that as Betsy was

studying the word that God led her,

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and it's neat to see how Mm hmm.

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God is very faithful to bring

clarity through his word.

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And we can look at it and say, this is

a huge book, but really those themes of

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what God's calling mothers to really will,

as you study his word, become so clear.

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Can you give a little example, perhaps

of what you found it looks like to

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parents, sons and daughters differently?

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I feel like for myself, I had

three boys and then a little girl.

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And.

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Even though my boys are all

very different, it just was so

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evident that having a little

girl, how different she is.

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It was very dramatic for me to

see those differences from if

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my boys got hurt, it was, ow!

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Mom that hurt, and then my daughter at

one year old, Mom, I fell on the second

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step and I hit my shin as I was coming

down and it really hurt and looking,

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and just so verbose and expressive.

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And I knew the whole story

without asking a question.

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But my little boys, when I started to

ask questions, they're like, I'm fine.

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And they wanted to get up

again and run off to play.

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Those dramatic differences

present themselves so early.

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How have you seen that in motherhood

and how has that guided pointing your

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children to the Lord in different ways?

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GraceAnna: Oh my goodness.

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They truly do come out so young.

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I mentioned our youngest is 16

months and I was taking him through,

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I think it was five below a few

weeks ago and he started squirming.

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I was holding him

squirming and whining and.

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Making this funny noise going vroom.

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And I realized he was reaching

for, there was a rack of race cars

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and he was screaming and reaching

and saying vroom for those cars.

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And it's just so true.

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It's, I did not teach him, that you

should want to play with the cars instead

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of the pink, squishamellas over here.

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It's just.

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He's just hardwired to be a boy.

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And I think we begin to see

those differences early on.

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And I think it's important for us

as mothers to know, as I mentioned

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before, that we're raising our

children to launch, to leave us, to

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begin their own homes and families.

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And so we have to think.

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Long term not just have this short

view but have this long view of

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mothering and I think that long view

just Parenthetically is what gets us

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through the really hard days is because

we're looking forward and we have to

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keep that perspective All the time.

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I love that your podcast is called again

because we have to keep coming back

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to these things again and again But I

think as we think about raising sons and

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daughters, it's, we need to be thinking

about, okay, who am I trying to raise?

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What is their future going to be like?

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And we see all throughout scripture,

obviously begins in Genesis with

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God's creation of Adam and Eve.

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We see in the actual creation of man and

woman that he creates them differently.

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The man is out of dust.

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And then The woman is interestingly

created out of Adam's side.

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I always think it's interesting

that she wasn't created like out

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of Adam's eyelashes or rose petals.

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She's created out of something strong

and sturdy, a sturdy material, but she

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is created from the man, from his side,

not to be over him, not to be under him,

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but to be his indispensable partner.

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You can unpack all of that and

look at the design, that God

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had given Adam the command.

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He had given him, he was the covenant head

and then he had created Eve as his helper,

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as his Azar or Azar, however you say that.

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And yeah, she was his helper suitable.

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His helper Comparable to him.

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And I think going back to Genesis

and then seeing all throughout

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scripture that God calls men to be the

spiritual leaders of their family, to

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be pastors and elders in the church.

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That's consistently seen throughout

scripture that men are to be the

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spiritual heads and women are

called to support and be leaders.

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Strong helpers, nurturers.

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You see that repeatedly.

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You can even think about World War

II and the example of, the men going

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out on the battlefield and the women

fulfilling roles, whether it was in

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factories or nurses and coming alongside.

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So we see this design and how

God created us differently.

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And so as I think about raising

my sons and my daughters, what

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are the things that I want to.

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Keep in mind, and I do think about even

how you were talking about your son

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getting hurt and it just being like

out, but God is going to call him to,

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possibly be a leader of a family one

day and to lead and in different ways.

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And so really encouraging them to be

those leaders and to stand for truth and

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to not be afraid to do what is right.

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I think about.

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Purity, when you study the qualifications

for elders, I think self control is

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listed a couple of times for men of just

having self control with their eyes.

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Something that is funny, but

a quick story about my sons

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two of my sons are nine and five and Grant

has been teaching them, to look away if

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a woman is dressed in modestly, just look

at their face or look away and Charles

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was this past summer at our public pool.

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And, a girl who was wearing.

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My boys call them bouquinis.

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I don't know why, but a girl was wearing

a bouquini, and she was doing a dive,

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and she kept saying Charles, look at me.

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And well, Charles didn't know what

to do because he thought, I'm not

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supposed to look at her because

she's not, she's wearing a bouquini,

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but I don't know what to do.

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So he put his hand over his face and

opened up his fingers over one eye.

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I can't, show it on the podcast,

but it was like looking through

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his eyes so he could look at

her, but wasn't looking at her.

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But the point is we're trying to

instill in our boys, these character

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qualities, that God's going to call

them to as leaders of their homes.

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And then for my daughters is.

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Again, there's so many things the same.

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They need to be godly.

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They need to be brave.

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They need to be strong.

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But they also need to come along and

embrace being nurturers and life givers.

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And I see my daughters doing that,

whether it's, reading to their

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little brother or one of my daughters

loves to put flowers on the table.

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And so I'm thinking through like ways.

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That I can cultivate, those

character qualities In their lives.

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And Psalm 144, 12 is a verse that I

unpack in the study, but it says, may

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our sons in their youth be like plants

full grown in our daughters, like

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corner pillars cut for the structure of

a palace, and I just talk about those

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differences that visual that the psalmist

gives us that metaphor of a son being

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like an Oak tree and a daughter being.

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Like a pillar in a palace.

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And so often those, so often columns

now might just be ornamental, but

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in ancient times, they were truly

holding the structure together.

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And so as women.

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We are called as to be godly and

our godliness as we embrace God's

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calling for our lives truly holds our

families in our churches together.

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We really are the glue,

that keeps it together.

363

:

And when you lose godly womanhood,

everything crumbles and oh my goodness,

364

:

how much have we been seeing that,

Stephanie, in our, Yeah, so much.

365

:

So I could go on about that, but

I think it takes some intentional

366

:

thinking in terms of how we do it.

367

:

And I unpack a lot of practical

ways, but I think keeping

368

:

that long view is important.

369

:

Stephanie: Oh, that was beautiful.

370

:

I really do think we're almost getting

trepidatious of embracing biblical

371

:

roles

372

:

GraceAnna: Oh my

373

:

Stephanie: the culture is

attacking them so much.

374

:

I even had a moment this weekend,

I was dropping my boys off for a

375

:

birthday party and I started, I just

asked a woman there, I said, Oh, how

376

:

does your son know the birthday boy?

377

:

And she said, Oh, they used

to go to school together.

378

:

And she said, What school

do your kids go to?

379

:

And I said I homeschool.

380

:

And it just led on a trail.

381

:

She, I, she knew that

I worked in ministry.

382

:

And then she said, Oh, I just got

off the phone with my sister who

383

:

is getting a degree in psychology.

384

:

And she's really straying from the faith.

385

:

Her sister was saying that the Bible

is all about women serving men.

386

:

And I was able to say, Do you know

that the word for helper that is used

387

:

for Eve to be a helper is actually

every other time it's God helping us.

388

:

Clearly this is an honored role.

389

:

It is about helping him do something

that he could not do without us.

390

:

And what an honor that is.

391

:

And if the Lord would help us

as women to accomplish what

392

:

we need to do, or as humans.

393

:

Then really serving is such a blessing

and Christ modeled that for us.

394

:

GraceAnna: Yes.

395

:

Stephanie: We can be honored to come

alongside and enable people and to

396

:

do something, just be that strong

helper and strong support for them.

397

:

GraceAnna: Yes.

398

:

Stephanie: so twisted.

399

:

GraceAnna: I'm glad that you brought

that up because, even in our own minds,

400

:

sometimes as Christian women, we can

think like, why do I have to fold

401

:

like another shirt for my husband?

402

:

Or like, why can't he put his

dirty thing in the hamper and said

403

:

he throws it right next to him?

404

:

Or we begin like playing

these narratives in our minds.

405

:

First, that's just sinful that

we wouldn't want to serve the

406

:

people God has put in our homes.

407

:

So we have to confess that.

408

:

But I think we always have

to keep in perspective that

409

:

everything we do is for the Lord.

410

:

And ultimately, yes, we're there to

serve our husband and our children

411

:

if God's given those, them to us,

but it should be for the Lord.

412

:

And when we keep him as our chief

motivation, that changes things.

413

:

And sometimes, my daughter came home

from so my oldest two girls go to

414

:

Amazing.

415

:

It's called Academy 31.

416

:

It's for girls and they focus on biblical

womanhood in addition to subjects.

417

:

Whenever I describe the school,

Grant also always says to me, they

418

:

do do regular subjects but she came

home telling me in Bible class, she

419

:

had learned about the motivation

principle and the motivation principle.

420

:

Is that whatever your motivation

is, affects how you do something

421

:

and affects your attitude.

422

:

And then it also affects whether

or not it brings glory to God.

423

:

And so we were just talking about

that and wow, I was convicted just

424

:

hearing that just so often my own

motivations are not to glorify the Lord.

425

:

And if my motivation It should be to

serve my family, but if that is always

426

:

the highest end of my motivation

when they're not thankful and which

427

:

typically they don't, they're not

usually noticing unless it's not done.

428

:

Stephanie: All right.

429

:

GraceAnna: But if that's my highest

end, then I am going to just be

430

:

not a very happy woman a lot.

431

:

Sometimes I will be but I won't.

432

:

Stephanie: Oh, that's such a good word.

433

:

And I love, anyone listening to you

speak would believe, we can see that you

434

:

have such a pure hearted desire to serve

the Lord and that you're continually

435

:

seeking Him to renew that, but I just

appreciate your humility in saying that.

436

:

It's a battle.

437

:

It is a battle to not feel

justified for someone to serve

438

:

you or feel entitled in moments.

439

:

How come it always has to be me?

440

:

So thank you

441

:

it.

442

:

Yeah, we're all wrestling with it, right?

443

:

GraceAnna: Yes.

444

:

Yes.

445

:

I just, I wish I, that's my heart's

desire is that I will always be

446

:

going back to the word of God and I

think that's the Christian life is

447

:

that God's word is convicting us.

448

:

It's getting into those areas that we

don't, that we're not honoring him.

449

:

Stephanie: Can I have you share about

a struggle that you've experienced

450

:

in motherhood, and specifically

how the Lord met you in that?

451

:

GraceAnna: It's hard to choose, just

thinking about, there's so many struggles.

452

:

I just mentioned that struggle about my

motivation so often not being what it

453

:

should be to glorify and honor the Lord.

454

:

I think the first thing that probably

comes to mind is Grant and I have

455

:

five children, but we also lost

three children to miscarriage.

456

:

And one miscarriage I was pretty

far into the second trimester.

457

:

And so that one was really hard because,

you get through the first trimester,

458

:

you think you're good you get.

459

:

Almost halfway through the

second trimester and you're

460

:

really just feeling great.

461

:

And we lost a little girl.

462

:

We named her Rose.

463

:

And when we lost her, I

delivered her at the hospital.

464

:

We buried her and I was introduced to

this new community of grieving moms who

465

:

had miscarried a little further on than

typical all the way up to stillborn.

466

:

And I was, added into some groups

from online, from the hospital, and

467

:

then connected with some other women.

468

:

And it's a hard place to be.

469

:

So many women just so heartbroken,

and I was so heartbroken

470

:

at that time in my life.

471

:

And what really got me through

and continues to get me through

472

:

as a mom is God's sovereignty.

473

:

We launched together.

474

:

That is, we started talking with

the podcast about manger and danger,

475

:

But just that God is sovereign

and that he is over my life.

476

:

He has the hairs on my head

numbered not a sparrow falls to

477

:

the ground without his notice.

478

:

But so often I think we can think

God's over like other people's

479

:

lives, but he really doesn't

see what's going on in my life.

480

:

And in that time, Of my life, I

really had to live out that God

481

:

had called our daughter home.

482

:

It wasn't my fault.

483

:

I think I blame myself, so often

when something happens as moms,

484

:

we think, what did I do wrong?

485

:

What I should have rested more.

486

:

I should have done this.

487

:

I should have done that.

488

:

And just resting in the fact

that God called our daughter home

489

:

and that he was sovereign and

he was over my life as a mother.

490

:

He called me to be a mother.

491

:

He gave me the kids he

wanted me to mother.

492

:

He gave me the children

that he wanted me to raise.

493

:

Really Not just got me through that

time, but really reinvigorated me

494

:

as a mom and knowing that he had

given me this task and this calling

495

:

to raise these particular children.

496

:

And so I think as so often is true, it's

in our loss and it's in our trials that

497

:

we, Have to believe the promises of God.

498

:

And when we do something

amazing happens, we grow.

499

:

It's that first Timothy 2 15,

500

:

The main theme is that we as women

are sanctified when we embrace

501

:

all that encompasses mothering and

womanhood that we are sanctified.

502

:

Yeah, that was a real hard time

in my life, but a time that

503

:

Really met me and ministered to

me and continues to shape me.

504

:

It's something that, I still think about

and yeah, that's what came to mind.

505

:

Stephanie: Great, and I'm so sorry for the

pain of that, but also thankful for the

506

:

ways the Lord redeemed it in your heart.

507

:

And I think it feels As we do all of

these things on a day to day basis,

508

:

whether it's carrying the child

through pregnancy or nursing them

509

:

or feeding them, it feels that their

safety is dependent upon us often.

510

:

And to be able to be faithful in

all of those things, but to still

511

:

have that reliance upon, Lord, I

know that I have no control here.

512

:

That, This child's days are numbered

already and to continue to be faithful

513

:

and to trust the Lord amidst that

uncertainty, it really takes such

514

:

a trust in the goodness of God.

515

:

And we know that scripture says without

faith, we cannot please God without

516

:

knowing that he's a rewarder of those

who seek him, we can't please him.

517

:

But that can be a really scary place that

I think every mom needs to come to of.

518

:

Whether I did my best and, Lord, what

happened, or just realizing how little

519

:

control we have amidst all of this effort.

520

:

And so I think that, that really

does speak to what you're saying,

521

:

the motivation of our heart.

522

:

What am I doing this for?

523

:

Is it for your glory, Lord,

and your kingdom, and will

524

:

I can trust you regardless?

525

:

But I am so sorry.

526

:

I can't imagine.

527

:

That would be so painful.

528

:

GraceAnna: Thank you so much, and I

just, I know many of the women who are

529

:

listening have walked through all sorts

of difficult things, trials that relate

530

:

to motherhood, trials that do not.

531

:

So what just a powerful reminder from

you, Stephanie, too, of we are in control.

532

:

We want to be, and sometimes

we think, if we worry about

533

:

this just a little bit more.

534

:

It'll get better or we'll have control.

535

:

It really is just a releasing of

our children back to the Lord of

536

:

where we're going to be faithful

to the best of our abilities.

537

:

We're going to do, we're

going to be focused.

538

:

And I think this is why, like we do need

to constantly again and again, be going to

539

:

God's word, being reminded of the truth.

540

:

Older women need to be

speaking into our lives.

541

:

We need to be that older

women to other women.

542

:

Because.

543

:

I don't want to drift, like Hebrews

talks about, don't drift away.

544

:

And that drift comes from neglect.

545

:

And but we strive for those things.

546

:

We hold fast to the faithful word,

but we know that God is in control.

547

:

And when we get to that point, it's so

freeing and it brings joy into our lives.

548

:

Stephanie: Oh, absolutely.

549

:

I really love that you began your

book sharing that a godly marriage

550

:

is the foundation of the family

and that we need that perspective

551

:

regardless of what our situation is.

552

:

And I love that you said.

553

:

Even if a woman is raising a child

without a husband to know how God

554

:

designed the family, then she can press

into filling that gap, perhaps through

555

:

the church or through other godly men.

556

:

But what encouragement would you offer

to the woman who's really longing for

557

:

her husband to lead more spiritually

and to guide the family, but he's

558

:

insecure about his role or just

unwilling to embrace that God given role?

559

:

GraceAnna: Yes.

560

:

I would just encourage her

to go back to the word.

561

:

I think that's where we always find our

encouragement and I'm so thankful that

562

:

we have 1 Peter 3 and I immediately

think of those first six verses in

563

:

1 Peter 3 and I love this passage of

scripture because It's not, Hey, let

564

:

me encourage all the wives out there

who have the ideal marriages and the

565

:

ideal circumstances, what you're to do.

566

:

No, it's actually, this word

is for the women whose husbands

567

:

don't know the word and first.

568

:

He talks about then being

submissive to your own husbands.

569

:

And of course, submission is a topic

for another day, but as much as

570

:

we're able in the Lord to honor our

husbands and submit to him, we should.

571

:

And then it says that even

if some do not obey the word.

572

:

They, without a word, may be won

by the conduct of their wives.

573

:

And so we're reminded that our

actions speak louder than our words

574

:

in this type of situation, that so

much of what we don't say has an

575

:

impact, the more than what we do say.

576

:

And I think all of us as women, whether

we have a amazing godly husband or We

577

:

have a husband who doesn't know the Lord.

578

:

We can be tempted to Tell them what

to do and to think that they should

579

:

be doing more the reason we do that

is because of the curse Genesis, 3 16

580

:

your desire shall be for your husband.

581

:

He shall rule over you The

sin has just messed it all up.

582

:

And so we have to remember

that's our tendency But that

583

:

we are to, focus on the inward.

584

:

That's what first Peter three, he

goes, don't let your adornment be

585

:

merely outward, but instead, we have to

focus on being godly women ourselves.

586

:

That incorruptible beauty of

a gentle and quiet spirit.

587

:

So I would say, you can't change

your husband and what if he never

588

:

changes, you have to be a godly woman.

589

:

And then.

590

:

He goes on to talk about, for in

this manner in former times, the holy

591

:

women who trusted in God also adorned

themselves, being submissive to their

592

:

own husbands as Sarah obeyed Abraham,

calling him Lord, whose daughters

593

:

you are, if you do good and do not

and are not afraid with any terror.

594

:

I'm reading from the New King James here.

595

:

Have several translations, but this is

the one that was closest on the desk.

596

:

I love the the LSB and the NASB say

and do not fear anything that is

597

:

frightening because it is fright.

598

:

It can be frightening at times to

just worry about the future or your

599

:

relationship with your husband.

600

:

Peter says, you are Sarah's daughters.

601

:

If you obey these truths, if you pray for

your husband, if you focus on your your

602

:

own godliness and give your husband to

the Lord God will do a work Lord willing

603

:

in your husband's life, but you are a

courageous woman if you do these things.

604

:

And I think about Sarah because I could,

I don't think I could do what she did.

605

:

She left everything she knew and she

went and lived in a tent and, she

606

:

did these really challenging things

and she was a brave and courageous.

607

:

And so I would say think about that,

think about being in God's sight

608

:

and in the sight of your children,

a courageous woman by not trying to

609

:

rule over your husband and change him.

610

:

Obviously I'm not talking

about not having heart to heart

611

:

conversations that we need to have.

612

:

You should be a team and you should

be having those conversations and

613

:

we should be obviously helping

one another with sin issues.

614

:

We know our temptation as women

is to go beyond that so often.

615

:

That would be my encouragement is to

trust that God is able and to never give

616

:

up hope that God, can do great things,

but to try not to control what you can't

617

:

control, what we talked about before,

but really stay rooted in his word.

618

:

And when I counsel women, I

say, Hey, memorize this passage.

619

:

I, my elders, wives, and

myself and our staff wives

620

:

have all memorized this passage

621

:

because it's so rich and it's so

what we need to be reminded of.

622

:

Stephanie: Amen.

623

:

Oh, that was such a good, encouraging

response to make sure that our

624

:

hearts are right before the Lord.

625

:

I find such encouragement

that Peter writes this.

626

:

Peter is one of the most impulsive

characters in scripture, and then

627

:

the Holy Spirit comes and gives him

that self control and refines him.

628

:

And now he's asking women to win

over their husbands without a word.

629

:

It's so unlike the Peter

that we saw in the Gospels.

630

:

I, and I love that he puts the example

of Christ before those verses, that Jesus

631

:

submitted to authority, that he put to

silence the ignorance of foolish people.

632

:

But it says, for this is the

will of God, that you should

633

:

do good even while suffering.

634

:

And I love that.

635

:

Even in those difficult times,

when we trust God's goodness to

636

:

overcome when the Holy Spirit is

working in us, I think it is such a

637

:

hopeful passage and that submission

really shows our trust in the Lord.

638

:

Regardless of our situation that

we can say, God, I believe you

639

:

can turn this for good, but I'm

not going to return evil for evil.

640

:

I am going to seek peace and pursue it.

641

:

And then it, and then at the end,

it talks about too, for the eyes

642

:

of the Lord are on the righteous

and his ears open to their prayer.

643

:

And knowing if we Are trusting

ourselves to the Lord that

644

:

he is hearing those prayers.

645

:

And we know we're praying for a good

thing when we're asking for the Lord

646

:

to sanctify and grow and strengthen

our husbands to lead our families.

647

:

So trusting in him for that.

648

:

I love that you pointed out the

do not fear anything that is

649

:

frightening because it can be scary.

650

:

And it really does go back to

that trust in his sovereignty.

651

:

As you said.

652

:

Yes.

653

:

GraceAnna: so glad you ended with

that of just it's really that trust

654

:

in the Lord more over everything

and I think that is how godly

655

:

women operate and should operate.

656

:

It's how I want to operate is Trusting

in the Lord trusting in his sovereignty.

657

:

This is The husband, he gave me,

this, entrusting in those things.

658

:

It's amazing how that produces

that gentle and quiet spirit in our

659

:

lives, because we're not striving

and fighting against it, but we're,

660

:

humbly saying, Lord, you are able,

and I'm going to give this to you.

661

:

Stephanie: Yes, and he is so trustworthy

and I'm thankful for all the ways

662

:

that he's proved that to you and the

fruit that's produced in your heart

663

:

makes you think of a verse in Isaiah

that says the Lord is my salvation.

664

:

The Lord has become my salvation.

665

:

I will draw water from wells

of salvation and think about.

666

:

How exciting it is to share with others

and say, God has been so faithful to me.

667

:

You can trust him.

668

:

You can trust him with your children.

669

:

You can trust him with your family.

670

:

I really am so grateful for your

time, Grace Anna, to share with us.

671

:

How the Lord is working in your

family and your faithfulness to even

672

:

to be faithful in motherhood but

to also be producing things that

673

:

are blessing the body of Christ.

674

:

Thank you for all of your diligence and

your steadfastness to serve the Lord

675

:

GraceAnna: thank you so much.

676

:

And Stephanie, it's just been

a joy to talk with you today.

677

:

I'm so encouraged after our time

together and I'm thankful for this

678

:

ministry and just know that I'm going

to be praying for this ministry.

679

:

I'm excited just to continue

to take part in it from afar.

680

:

And thank you again for having me.

681

:

Stephanie: We know you're busy,

Mama, so we are truly grateful you

682

:

joined us for this episode of Again.

683

:

If you're looking for more information

about building your home on the

684

:

foundation of Jesus Christ, head to www.

685

:

EntrustedMinistries.

686

:

com to learn more about our study for

moms, Entrusted with a Child's Heart.

687

:

This scripture saturated study

has blessed families around the

688

:

world, and we want it for you, too.

689

:

Before you go, I want to pray

this benediction over you

690

:

from 2 Thessalonians 1, 11 12.

691

:

We're rooting for you.

692

:

To this end, we always pray for you,

that our God may make you worthy of His

693

:

calling, and may fulfill every resolve

for good, and every work of faith by

694

:

His power, so that the name of our Lord

Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in

695

:

Him, according to the grace of our God.

696

:

And the Lord Jesus Christ.

697

:

Amen.

698

:

Until we meet again.

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Show artwork for The Again Podcast on Christian Motherhood: What Moms Do Over and Over Matters to God

About the Podcast

The Again Podcast on Christian Motherhood: What Moms Do Over and Over Matters to God
Biblical Motherhood/Christian Parenting
So much of what we do as mothers is on repeat. Join us to redeem this repetition and untangle from the confusion and overwhelm of parenting. We'll follow the Agains in the Bible to focus on the things that matter most. Let's look up together to embrace a motherhood full of freedom and joy! This podcast is sponsored by Entrusted Ministries.

About your host

Profile picture for Stephanie Hickox

Stephanie Hickox

Stephanie has always delighted in God’s Word and in sharing it with others. Whether it is equipping mothers and leaders through Entrusted with a Child’s Heart, inspiring students when teaching at homeschool co-ops or children’s ministry, or homeschooling her own children, Stephanie’s life mission is to encourage others to follow faithfully and joyfully after Jesus—especially if they hold her favorite job title: mom.

Betsy Corning wrote Entrusted with a Child’s Heart in 1999 in response to the needs she saw in families as she and David counseled young parents just a few years behind them. Entrusted has been taught in hundreds of churches nationwide, been translated into several foreign languages, and has made its way around the world. More recently, Betsy received her Masters in Biblical Studies from The Master’s University and is developing a new Bible Study program called Get the Word Out. Her passion for God’s Word, discipleship, and teaching biblical principles as they apply to family life has remained strong to this day. One of the greatest blessings in Betsy’s life are her three grown children, their spouses, and ten grandchildren that keep her constantly in touch with every age and stage.

Jen Freckman Is an incredible wealth of wisdom. She will tell you a natural remedy for just about anything! She is also a voracious reader and she is just overflowing with quotes and guidance that she's encountered through reading and being faithful. She delights in her children and is a devoted mother. She is also an amazingly creative problem solver! Her solutions to manage her home and guide her children are inspiring.

Emily Deyo is such a treasure. She is an incredible encourager and servant-hearted woman. When she has the mic in front of her, so much value comes out! She is a wordsmith and her heart consistently beats for how she can encourage and serve others. She is a truly loving and attentive mother.

Join Betsy, Emily, Jen, and Stephanie as they share the wisdom only Scripture and on-the-job training can provide to help untangle the joyful calling of motherhood.