Although I wrote this talk for moms of young children, this episode is a reminder that God’s plans and timing have purpose no matter your life stage. If you feel disconnected from your dream, you’re not alone. Just because it’s not today doesn’t mean it’s not EVER. Instead, think of motherhood as an opportunity to use your strengths to keep those muscles strong. Finally, ask the Father to help you stay open to cultivating wonder, curiosity, and creativity through the power of the Holy Spirit!
199 || How to Keep Perspective When You Don't See the Fruit of Your Dream || Katy McCown
Sometimes God’s timing does not make sense in our limited perspective. Katy McCown always knew she was called to write but she didn’t expect God to give the green light when she was eight months pregnant with her sixth child. Today she is president of She Laughs Ministries, a writer for Proverbs 31 Ministries, and a national speaker. Through all life’s uncertainties and surprises, Katy has learned some things about “living sure” even when the future is not.
193 || Do You Believe God Will Do Great Things Through Your Dream? || Blythe Daniel
What’s your relationship like with your mom? Blythe Daniel and her mom wrote a book together to support restoration and healing in mother/daughter relationships. Theirs is one of the many resources Blythe has shepherded onto bookshelves around the world in fulfilling her mission as a literary evangelist. Part of pursuing this dream for Blythe has been remembering God’s faithfulness and His limitless nature; her story reminds us that this is true for His role in our dreams as well.
188 || Mama, You Have Permission to Pursue Your Dreams || Amanda Bennett
Motherhood can be all-consuming, especially if you’re in that stage of caring for small children. Amanda Bennett of the Gotcha Mama Podcast shares about her difficult transition as a first-time mom and how that experience motivated her dream of supporting new moms who may be struggling alone like she was. Her message is one of grace and freedom in Christ as well as resisting the temptation to make everything perfect before you begin to pursue your dream.
155 || Being the Woman God Created You to Be || Stephanie Pletka
Stephanie Pletka’s superpower is encouraging other women. She desires to support the busy, overwhelmed mom who feels held hostage by other people’s expectations of her. In this final interview of Season Seven, I hope you’ll laugh at Stephanie’s honest storytelling, be encouraged by her grace-filled presence, throw off all the ridiculous expectations and give yourself permission to be the woman God created you to be.
144 || When Little Details are Blocking Your Dream || Lauren Stengele
When you’re just starting out, the small but intimidating details can halt progress toward your dream. Lauren Stengele fell in love with the Spanish language as a child, made a vow to learn it and teach it to her children, and eventually built a business called Bilingual Together to serve other families wanting to homeschool in two languages. She shares her struggles with the little details, a difficult conversation with her husband that almost ended the dream, and how it finally came to life.
128 || How to Be a Mother and Follow Your God-Shaped Dream || Lesley Pyle
Lesley Pyle’s dream was born out of a desire to stay home after the birth of her first baby. In 2007, she founded HireMyMom.com to help professional women find flexible, legitimate, home-based work. Her story teaches us the value of not waiting until you have it all figured out. She shares how she learned along the way and how passion made up for expertise she didn’t have at the start. Let Lesley encourage you to release the mom guilt and get out of your comfort zone to pursue your God-shaped dream.
121 || Listening to Your Feelings Can Sabotage Your Dream || Laura Harris
If you have a dream, don’t be surprised when discouragement shows up and threatens to destroy it. In this episode writer, mama, and former silent-struggler Laura Harris shares her vulnerable story about the night on the bathroom floor when she realized that she was on the verge of depression and could no longer hide it. You’ll learn how God brought her through it, used this difficulty to open her eyes to a greater purpose, and the steps you can take if you ever find yourself in a similar situation.
117 || Breakthrough Lessons for Staying Focused on Your Dream || Laurel Smith
Creative business owner Laurel Smith dreamt about making jewelry 14 years ago, before she possessed the knowledge or tools to do so. That dream is now a reality in Laurel Denise, but its God-given purpose didn’t become clear until years later. Laurel’s story reminds us that understanding your purpose and calling takes time. She also shares her secret of learning to focus her time and energy so she could pursue jewelry making as well as her passion and calling of motherhood.
108 || How God Uses Brokenness to Shape Your Dream || April Matt
This week, April Matt reveals the value of asking good questions and listening well as you consider your dream because you might uncover something you never considered. You’ll hear why your dream is worth pursuing, even when it gets hard, you have bad days, or you feel like quitting. Finally, April teaches us the importance of partnering with people who have the skills you lack and who can help you see when you’re working from your own strength instead of resting in the Lord’s.
104 || How Your Dreams Draw You Closer to God || Merritt Onsa
In this episode, you’ll learn some real-life tips to find time for your dream, even as a busy mom/entrepreneur/wife, etc. You will be inspired to believe in the value of your dream not only for the dream itself but also for the ways it will draw you closer to the Father as you take risks, leave your comfort zone and do scary things to pursue it. We talk about letting go of mom-guilt and discovering the benefits to your kids as you take time for the dream God has placed on your heart.
103 || How God Uses the Things We Least Expect to Bless Us || Amy Wright
In this episode, Amy Wright, creator of The Big Family Home blog, talks about the shame she has battled in her dream to write and encourage other moms. Our conversation is a reminder that God doesn’t want us to live in shame or guilt. She and I commiserate on how easily we fall into the belief that everyone else is “doing this better than me.” This episode is a reminder that you are not the only one struggling and that whatever the struggle, whether in motherhood or your dream, it doesn’t define you.
082 || Letting God Lead Your Dreams || Sarah Beth Marr
Author Sarah Beth Marr talks about her experience of dreaming with God and her process of writing her book of the same name. She offers perspective on dreams that unfold slowly. She encourages us to look for the “little jewels of direction” and “divine sparks” from God to help us uncover our dreams. She also shares about where our feelings of restless might come from as well as how you can dream with grace, take the pressure off and just make a dent in the dream you feel like God’s given you.
081 || Mining Your Story for the Dream God's Given You || Beth Bruno
071 || Finding Space for Your Dreams, Even With a House Full of Kids || Lara Veve
Lara Veve oversees the Women’s Community at Flatirons Community Church in Lafayette, Colorado. In this interview, she talks about the big dreams she had as a child and how those plans got upset by life’s circumstances. She shares about her fears that make her want to live “inside the box.” She also offers an important reminder that we need to pay attention to the things that make our heart beat a little faster because that’s often where God has planted our dreams.
069 || How To Prioritize Your Kids AND Your Dream || Rebekah Scott
Rebekah Scott has loved sewing since she was four years old, kneeling next to her mom and begging to cut some scraps of fabrics to create something on her own. She started Rebekah Scott Designs in 2003 because she wanted to have children and be able to stay at home to raise them by her side--and she wanted to help others do the same. She loves what she has grown over these years through her business, and her four little ones continue to inspire her, put smiles on her heart, and remind her of the reason behind it all.
068 || How Even Busy Moms Can Find Time for Their Dream || Meredith King
In this episode, Meredith King talks about how things changed in the pursuit of her dream once she had kids—and the ways she’s learned to draw boundaries that are good for her and her family. She gives a name to that voice in our heads that tells us we’re not enough or shouldn’t be pursuing this dream, and she talks about how she fights back by inviting “truth-tellers” into the conversation. Plus, she’s got some awesome tips for success around providing dinner for her family and making time for prayer and bible study in the midst of an already busy life.
060 || Because There's Room For You Too || Laura Crawford
Laura Crawford is a new wife, a new mom, and a gluten-free chef, living in Colorado Springs. She’s the blogger and creator of Clean Chef, Messy Mom. When people ask her about that title, the answer is simple—it encompasses the fullness of what she aims for in her writing >> clean eating, even when life is messy.
She’s on a mission to inspire others to crave a healthy lifestyle—from food, to fitness, to marriage, to finances, to fun. Although she would claim that most of her culinary training came from her mother’s kitchen, she learned the art of technique, flavor, and tone, and how to use the science of cooking and baking to come up with the perfect recipe at Escoffier School of Culinary Arts.
Laura’s hope is that she can help other mamas embrace authenticity and find creative ways to stay healthy in all aspects of their lives even when self-care seems impossible.
056 || How to Start Before You Have It All Figured Out || Ashley Carroll
Ashley Carroll blogs at Todayseden.com and is the host and creator of the Today’s Eden podcast. She’s a mother of two, a mom-tribe encourager and a podcast junkie. She started her own podcast because life can be hard and we need each other! Her goal is to combat the feelings of isolation that social media perpetuates and, instead, talk about the hard stuff, point us back to community, and remind us that “it really does take a village.” Ashely is the real-deal, and she and her guests discuss the good, the bad and the intimate aspects of womanhood and motherhood.
Devoted Dreamers: 35 - Alexandra Kuykendall: Writer | Speaker | Encourager of Women
Alexandra Kuykendall spends her days driving to multiple schools, figuring out what to feed her people and searching for a better solution to the laundry dilemma. Author of Loving My Actual Life: An Experiment in Relishing What’s Right in Front of Me and The Artist’s Daughter: A Memoir, Alex is co-hostess of The Open Door Sisterhood Podcast. A trusted voice in mothering circles, Alex speaks to women around the world about issues of parenting, faith and identity. She lives in the shadows of downtown Denver with her husband Derek and their four daughters.