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"Often, motherhood is when we need God the most and yet have the least amount of time to spend with Him. But just as we desire to love and meet the needs of our children, so our Heavenly Father longs to do the same for us. Too often our time limitations and the guilt that comes with them, keep us from his arms and his transforming power. But the truth is, God knows the seasons of your life and sees your heart" (Emily Assell).

On today's episode, Emily Assell, author of the children's board book When It Hurts: Comforting Promises for Hard Times and the devotional book Wherever You Are: Devotions and Declarations for Moms, opens a beautiful conversation about the hard yet joyous work of mothering.

Emily's story contains so much strength. Her heart and passion for God shine through this conversation and enliven the need to know God's Word and follow His Truth.

Read more about Emily and her passions: Generation Claimed

Order your very own copy of Emily's newest book(s): When It Hurts and Wherever You Are

Read more about Emily's publishing journey: My Writing Journey

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Begin Your Heartlifter's Journey:

1. Visit and subscribe to Heartlift Central on Substack. This is our new online coaching center and meeting place for Heartlifters worldwide.
2. Download the "Overcoming Hurtful Words" Study Guide PDF: BECOMING EMOTIONALLY HEALTHY
3. Meet me on Instagram: @janellrardon
4. Leave a review and rate the podcast: WRITE A REVIEW
5. Learn more about my books and work: Janell Rardon
6. Make a tax-deductible donation through Heartlift International

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Something is stirring in the hearts of women across generations. That quiet voice urging us toward purpose beyond ourselves—toward becoming maternal presences in a world desperately needing wisdom, nurturing, and light.

In this soul-stirring conversation, Leslie Means (founder of Her View From Home and author of "So God Made a Grandma") joins Janell to unpack what happens when women fully embrace their capacity to nurture those in their spheres of influence. Leslie's journey from Nebraska farm girl to creator of a platform reaching millions of women reveals the mysterious way divine whispers guide us when we're brave enough to listen.

"I just felt something else," Leslie shares, recounting the moment she left her broadcast journalism career despite its outward success. Through financial uncertainty, a third pregnancy, and moments of questioning, she followed what she describes as a "gut feeling"—that internal knowing that something more awaited. What emerged was a platform where thousands of women's stories have found a home, including one that literally saved a reader's life.

The conversation takes a powerful turn when Leslie emotionally acknowledges what grounds her work: "I know that God loves me...if it all fails and goes away, I will be okay." This foundation of secure attachment—something Janell notes many women never experienced in their formative years—becomes the launching pad for authentic service rather than validation-seeking.

Whether you're a grandmother, mother, or woman seeking to understand your unique influence, this episode illuminates the extraordinary impact of maternal presence. Through stories of intergenerational influence, Holocaust survival accounts preserved through storytelling, and research confirming women's unique role in family systems, a compelling invitation emerges: What would happen if women fully grasped their value and stepped confidently into their calling?

As Janell powerfully concludes, "Watch out when women grasp that truth that they're loved, because a remarkable revolution will happen in all the right ways."

Visit Leslie's community home: Her View From Home

Order Leslie's books: So God Made a Mother and So God Made a Grandmother

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Begin Your Heartlifter's Journey:

1. Visit and subscribe to Heartlift Central on Substack. This is our new online coaching center and meeting place for Heartlifters worldwide.
2. Download the "Overcoming Hurtful Words" Study Guide PDF: BECOMING EMOTIONALLY HEALTHY
3. Meet me on Instagram: @janellrardon
4. Leave a review and rate the podcast: WRITE A REVIEW
5. Learn more about my books and work: Janell Rardon
6. Make a tax-deductible donation through Heartlift International

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Sandra Glahn's journey begins with eight failed pregnancies and a devastating question: If motherhood is a woman's highest calling, what was her purpose? Raised in a culture where women were expected to channel all spiritual gifts into raising children, her infertility triggered not just personal grief but a profound spiritual identity crisis.

This compelling conversation explores how Sandra's quest for answers led her from stay-at-home aspirations to earning a PhD in theological studies. When she knelt before God, questioning whether pursuing seminary education was pushing beyond her proper role as a woman, she received an unexpected answer through Jesus' words about Mary choosing "what is better" over domestic duties.

Sandra's groundbreaking research on Artemis of the Ephesians provides crucial historical context for understanding Paul's instructions about women in 1 Timothy. Unlike previous scholars who dismissed Artemis connections when they couldn't establish her as a fertility goddess, Sandra discovered other aspects of Artemis worship that illuminate why Paul wrote what he did about women being "saved through childbearing."

This episode offers healing for women whose lives haven't followed traditional paths, validating their worth beyond reproductive capacity. It reframes motherhood as a spiritual influence that can transform communities and advance God's kingdom regardless of biological connection. Sandra's story is powerful evidence that God's plans for our lives sometimes exceed our limited dreams.

Order Sandra's new book: Nobody's Mother

Visit Sandra's website: Dr. Sandra Glahn

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Begin Your Heartlifter's Journey:

1. Visit and subscribe to Heartlift Central on Substack. This is our new online coaching center and meeting place for Heartlifters worldwide.
2. Download the "Overcoming Hurtful Words" Study Guide PDF: BECOMING EMOTIONALLY HEALTHY
3. Meet me on Instagram: @janellrardon
4. Leave a review and rate the podcast: WRITE A REVIEW
5. Learn more about my books and work: Janell Rardon
6. Make a tax-deductible donation through Heartlift International

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Dr. Sandra Glahn shatters misconceptions about the goddess Artemis of Ephesus and reveals how cultural context transforms our understanding of biblical passages about women's roles in the church and family.

• Artemis was not a fertility goddess but actually "nobody's mother" – a virgin huntress who was known for killing women and children.
• Artemis worship dominated Ephesus during Paul's ministry there, influencing the spiritual climate he addressed in letters like 1 Timothy.
• Paul's instructions in 1 Timothy address false teachings circulating in house churches, potentially connected to Artemis worship.
• Paul never directly attacked Artemis by name but presented Jesus as better – a wise approach for engaging culture.
• Women were created to multiply, mother, and rule – but multiplication isn't limited to biological reproduction.
• The Genesis command to "be fruitful and multiply" is never repeated in the New Testament; instead, we're commanded to multiply disciples.
• Women like Lydia, Priscilla, and Phoebe were key church leaders without mentioning children.
• Deborah "arose a mother to Israel," showing mothering as a broader concept of spiritual nurture and leadership.

Order Sandra's new book: Nobody's Mother

Visit Sandra's website: Dr. Sandra Glahn

Support the show

Begin Your Heartlifter's Journey:

1. Visit and subscribe to Heartlift Central on Substack. This is our new online coaching center and meeting place for Heartlifters worldwide.
2. Download the "Overcoming Hurtful Words" Study Guide PDF: BECOMING EMOTIONALLY HEALTHY
3. Meet me on Instagram: @janellrardon
4. Leave a review and rate the podcast: WRITE A REVIEW
5. Learn more about my books and work: Janell Rardon
6. Make a tax-deductible donation through Heartlift International

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Through personal stories and theological insights, New Testament Scholar and author Sandra Glahn challenges traditional views of motherhood and explores how maternal presence can be expressed beyond biological childbearing. Her journey through multiple pregnancy losses led to profound questions about women's purpose that ultimately expanded her understanding of female calling in both family and faith communities. In this three-part series, Sandra and I talk about:

• Sandra's story of growing up expecting motherhood to be her highest calling.
• The identity crisis caused by experiencing eight failed pregnancies.
• How the cultural ideal of stay-at-home mothering shaped women's understanding of purpose.
• The theological journey that led Sandra to seminary against conventional expectations.
• Jesus' words about Mary "choosing what is better" as validation for women's theological pursuits.
• Examination of 1 Timothy 2:15 about women being "saved through childbearing."
• The connection between the Artemis cult in Ephesus and Paul's teaching about women.
• Recognition that both men and women are given spiritual gifts to benefit the entire body of Christ.
• Expanding our understanding of "mothering" beyond biological definitions.

Join us to explore how reframing maternal influence can unleash women's power in homes, churches, and the world.

Order Sandra's new book: Nobody's Mother

Visit Sandra's website: Dr. Sandra Glahn

Support the show

Begin Your Heartlifter's Journey:

1. Visit and subscribe to Heartlift Central on Substack. This is our new online coaching center and meeting place for Heartlifters worldwide.
2. Download the "Overcoming Hurtful Words" Study Guide PDF: BECOMING EMOTIONALLY HEALTHY
3. Meet me on Instagram: @janellrardon
4. Leave a review and rate the podcast: WRITE A REVIEW
5. Learn more about my books and work: Janell Rardon
6. Make a tax-deductible donation through Heartlift International

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Dr. Kevin Chapman shares biblical principles for mastering our emotions through cognitive behavioral therapy techniques that align with God's Word. His robust approach shows how we can transform our emotional responses by understanding the true purpose of emotions and learning to respond to them in healthier ways.

• Emotions aren't our problem – our responses to them create distress.
• The "Emotional Seal" framework: Situation, Emotion, After, Later helps identify emotional patterns.
• Emotional avoidance (suppressing feelings) brings temporary relief but worsens emotions long-term.
• Seven "being skills" form the foundation of emotional mastery, starting with being present.
• Kingdom questions help challenge negative thought patterns with biblical truth.
• Luke 21:19 reveals we are meant to "possess" (master) our souls.
• Neuroticism is a tendency to experience intense negative emotions that can be overcome.
• Mastering emotions requires consistent practice, not just management.
• Understanding the difference between living in the "kingdom of feelings" vs. God's kingdom.
• Genetic predispositions from the Fall can be transformed through intentional reprogramming.

To learn more about mastering your emotions through biblical principles, find Dr. Kevin Chapman's book "Mastering Our Emotions: Biblical Principles for Emotional Health" wherever books are sold.

Be sure to watch Dr. Kevin's show on YouTube: The Sound Mind Show

Support the show

Begin Your Heartlifter's Journey:

1. Visit and subscribe to Heartlift Central on Substack. This is our new online coaching center and meeting place for Heartlifters worldwide.
2. Download the "Overcoming Hurtful Words" Study Guide PDF: BECOMING EMOTIONALLY HEALTHY
3. Meet me on Instagram: @janellrardon
4. Leave a review and rate the podcast: WRITE A REVIEW
5. Learn more about my books and work: Janell Rardon
6. Make a tax-deductible donation through Heartlift International

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What if your very life depended on rest? For author and Master Naturalist, Eryn Lynum, diagnosed with Addison's disease at just 14 years old, this isn't a philosophical question—it's reality. With adrenal glands that no longer function, Erin's body can't produce the stress hormone cortisol, making overwhelming stress potentially fatal. Yet from this sobering reality emerged profound wisdom about God's gift of rest that might transform how you view your rhythms of work and rejuvenation.

Looking back at her teenage diagnosis before departing on a two-month mission trip to Ethiopia (her first time on a plane!), Erin shares how her parents' faith-filled response modeled trust in God's provision. Their first question to the doctor wasn't about limitations but possibilities: "Can she still go to Africa?" This foundation of faithful trust would later inform her approach to rest not as restriction but liberation.

Three years ago, Erin and her husband—overworked, running three businesses while homeschooling four children—made the countercultural decision to embrace true Sabbath practice from Friday evening to Saturday evening. The results were stunning. Not only did their family life deepen, but her husband's struggling one-man business grew exponentially, now employing nine people with revenue increased by 500%—all while maintaining their commitment to rest. This paradox challenges our productivity-obsessed mindset: What if rest fuels our most meaningful work?

Erin draws powerful parallels from nature, especially the hummingbird—a creature whose wings beat 70 times per second yet survives through "torpor," a state of deep, restorative stillness. Similarly, she suggests implementing "Selah pauses" throughout our days—intentional moments of reflection that restore our perspective and energy. Perhaps most profound is her insight that "want and discontentment are often the drivers of hustle and hurry," revealing how contentment becomes the foundation for true rest.

Join us for this heartlifting conversation that reframes rest not as something earned after productivity but as the vital foundation upon which all meaningful work should be built. Looking for practical wisdom on implementing restful rhythms in your family life? You won't want to miss Erin's forthcoming book, "The Nature of Rest: What the Bible and Creation Teach Us About Sabbath Living," which will be released on May 13th—just in time for Mother's Day.

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Support the show

Begin Your Heartlifter's Journey:

1. Visit and subscribe to Heartlift Central on Substack. This is our new online coaching center and meeting place for Heartlifters worldwide.
2. Download the "Overcoming Hurtful Words" Study Guide PDF: BECOMING EMOTIONALLY HEALTHY
3. Meet me on Instagram: @janellrardon
4. Leave a review and rate the podcast: WRITE A REVIEW
5. Learn more about my books and work: Janell Rardon
6. Make a tax-deductible donation through Heartlift International

Janell welcomes Aundi Kolber, a Licensed Professional Counselor and author, to explore how the flow of strength helps us move beyond trauma to true flourishing. Aundi reminds us "that seeing resurrection is no small thing."

• Aundi explains the "window of tolerance" – the optimal zone where we can feel emotions without being overwhelmed.
• Trauma can narrow our window of tolerance, making us feel unsafe even when we're secure.
• The "flow of strength" moves us from situational survival responses to integrated strength that combines fierceness with tenderness.
• Our nervous systems need "metabolization" to process difficult experiences into long-term memory rather than fragmented triggers.
• Practical grounding techniques help orient us to present safety when we feel activated by past trauma.
• Practicing simple awareness techniques, such as "I am aware of the light coming through my room," helps regulate our nervous system.
• True strength is "the capacity to meet life's challenges," not suppressing emotions or white-knuckling through difficulty.
• "We work FROM love, not FOR love" – our value doesn't come from how well we heal.
• Self-compassion practices might need to start with small steps if safety feels threatening after prolonged trauma.

Explore more through Aundi's books "Try Softer," "Strong Like Water," and "Take What You Need: Soft Words for Hard Days." Order them here.

Watch Aundi as she describes what it means "to try softer." Aundi on YouTube.

Support the show

Begin Your Heartlifter's Journey:

1. Visit and subscribe to Heartlift Central on Substack. This is our new online coaching center and meeting place for Heartlifters worldwide.
2. Download the "Overcoming Hurtful Words" Study Guide PDF: BECOMING EMOTIONALLY HEALTHY
3. Meet me on Instagram: @janellrardon
4. Leave a review and rate the podcast: WRITE A REVIEW
5. Learn more about my books and work: Janell Rardon
6. Make a tax-deductible donation through Heartlift International