Épisodes

  • What Nobody Told Jackie Castro About Year One (And What Actually Surprised Her): EP 227

    What Nobody Told Jackie Castro About Year One (And What Actually Surprised Her): EP 227
    Oct 19 2026

    This one is for every new mom in the thick of year one and every seasoned mom who needs to remember how sweet and hard it all was.

    Kate and Rebecca sit down with Jackie Castro, a familiar face from their student ministry days who has grown up, chased her dreams across the country, landed in New Hampshire, and is now a first-time mama to almost-one-year-old James. Jackie is a semi-retired singer-songwriter, social media professional, and content creator sharing new motherhood and everyday life in New England. She came into this conversation braced for the hard parts of year one — and left us all with a reminder that the joy was bigger than she ever expected.

    About Jackie:

    Jackie Castro is James’s mom, a semi-retired singer-songwriter, and content creator sharing the magic in the everyday. She grew up in Rockwall, Texas, spent time in Austin and Nashville chasing music, and now lives in New Hampshire with her husband Zach and baby boy James. Find her at @thejackiecastro on Instagram.

    In This Episode:

    • What actually surprised Jackie most about year one and it was not what she expected
    • She was braced for the hard and was not prepared for this much joy even in the middle of the night feedings
    • The changing table moment: how mom guilt hit for the first time and what she and her husband did about it
    • Is this forever? The question every new mom asks at 4am and the answer that finally gives peace
    • How becoming a mom completely changed the way Jackie sees God as a father and how she started praying bigger
    • Working in social media as a mom content creator – the healthy way to use it and when it becomes harmful
    • Isolation in a new town – working from home, finding community, and the little things that help
    • Earlier years of anxiety, depression, and chasing dreams that felt lonely and unfulfilling, and what rest actually feels like now

    Connect With Jackie:

    @thejackiecastro on Instagram

    Connect With Us:

    gathermoms.com | @gathermoms | Join our Patreon at gathermoms.comms | Join our Patreon at gathermoms.com

    Gather Moms: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook

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    21 min
  • Becoming a Mom Without a Mom: Marlene Dominguez on Mother Wounds and How God Meets You There EP: 226

    Becoming a Mom Without a Mom: Marlene Dominguez on Mother Wounds and How God Meets You There EP: 226
    Oct 12 2026

    Kate sits down with her dear friend Marlene Dominguez, a first generation Dominican American, wife to Manny, mom of three curly-haired boys, and co-founder of Brave Church in Washington Heights, New York City – the neighborhood she grew up in, left for ten years to serve in Fort Worth, Texas, and was called back to plant a church in. Marlene’s story is layered, beautiful, raw, and full of the grace of a God who meets us exactly where we are.

    This conversation covers identity, motherhood wounds, endometriosis, postpartum anxiety, counseling, natural births, curls, cafecito y pan, and what it really means to say “this is their childhood, but it is also my motherhood”.

    About Marlene:

    Marlene Dominguez is a first generation Dominican American raised in Washington Heights, New York City. She and her husband Emmanuel co-lead Brave Church, a church plant in their home neighborhood. She is a mom of three boys, a speaker, and the creator behind the Instagram community @curlswithapromise where she has spent over ten years pointing women back to their identity in Christ through the lens of beauty, faith, and culture.

    In This Episode:

    • Growing up in Washington Heights – Little Dominican Republic – and being called back to plant Brave Church
    • Curls with a promise and the decade-long journey of embracing her natural hair and the identity story underneath it
    • It is their childhood but it is also my motherhood, and why Marlene refuses to forget that
    • No junior Holy Spirit, raising practical adults, not children whose entire world revolves around them
    • Being diagnosed with endometriosis in her first month of marriage and what God spoke to her in that season
    • Becoming a mom without a mom, the mother wound that motherhood brought to the surface
    • Postpartum anxiety, EMDR therapy, and the therapist who told her what worked back then no longer serves her now
    • The trust fund language she and Manny use in their marriage and why it changed everything
    • Brave is not the absence of fear it is being a mom without a mom and doing it anyway

    Connect With Marlene:

    @curlswithapromise | Brave Church in Washington Heights

    Connect With Us:

    gathermoms.com | @gathermoms | Join our Patreon at gathermoms.com

    Gather Moms: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook

    Kate Henderson: Instagram | Facebook

    Rebecca Bradford: Instagram | Facebook
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    1 h et 8 min
  • Working Mom, New Town, No Friends Yet: Ashley Weece on Surviving the Season You’re In EP: 225

    Working Mom, New Town, No Friends Yet: Ashley Weece on Surviving the Season You’re In EP: 225
    Oct 5 2026

    If you have ever moved somewhere new and wondered why it still does not feel like home, felt guilty for working (or for not working), or said yes to one too many things and regretted it the next morning, this episode is for you.

    Kate and Rebecca sit down with Ashley Weece, mom of two boys ages four and two, who moved across the country with her husband to plant a church in Brunswick, Maine. Ashley has been a full time working mom, a mostly stay at home mom, and everything in between. She knows what it feels like to start over with no community, juggle kids and ministry, and wrestle with the guilt that comes with every choice.

    This is an honest, encouraging conversation for every mom trying to find her footing in a new place, balance work and family, and stop measuring herself against a version of motherhood that does not fit her season.

    About Ashley:

    Ashley Weece is a wife, mom of two boys, speaker, and church planter. She grew up in Kansas, spent nine years in Kentucky, and now lives in Brunswick, Maine, where she and her husband Justin planted Ironcoast Church.

    In This Episode:

    • Moving somewhere new with no community, and the three year rule that helped Ashley stop feeling behind
    • Why comparing how fast other people settle in makes it harder, and why roots take time to grow
    • The “better mom” myth: why Christian moms feel pressure to parent one right way
    • How Ashley went from “I’m definitely working” to surrendering the whole decision to God before her first baby was born
    • Working unhealthy hours with her first and finding a healthier rhythm with her second
    • The pressure of being a ministry mom and trading performance for presence
    • Living in a five loaves and two fish season, when you do not have enough time, sleep, or food
    • Limitations as a gift from God, and why wearing a bathing suit in 20 degree weather is a lot like ignoring your season
    • The overcommitment trap and the fear that if you say no, you will never be asked again
    • How Ashley decides what to say yes to, and why she caps speaking at three events a year
    • Letting your kids be loved by other people, and why childcare can grow their capacity to love and be loved
    • Mom friends with different parenting styles and why we need each other
    • Simple prayer rhythms with little kids: the drive to daycare and bedtime
    • Boy mom advice: find a mentor mom with boys, build a daily rhythm, and get them moving every day

    Connect With Ashley: @ashleyweece

    Ironcoast Church: https://ironcoast.church/

    Connect With Us:

    gathermoms.com | @gathermoms | Join our Patreon at gathermoms.com

    Gather Moms: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook

    Kate Henderson: Instagram | Facebook

    Rebecca Bradford: Instagram | Facebook
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    52 min
  • Amy Ford Was 19, Pregnant, and Had the Abortion Scheduled – Then God Had Other Plans EP: 224

    Amy Ford Was 19, Pregnant, and Had the Abortion Scheduled – Then God Had Other Plans EP: 224
    Sep 28 2026

    Kate and Rebecca sit down with Amy Ford — founder and president of Embrace Grace, mom of four, brand new grandmother (Honey!), author, speaker, and one of the most passionate voices for women with unplanned pregnancies in the country. Amy’s story began with her own unplanned pregnancy in her teens — one of the hardest and loneliest times of her life. That season of brokenness became the fuel for everything God would build through her.

    Trigger Warning: This episode contains honest discussion of unplanned pregnancy, abortion, pregnancy loss, and the emotional and spiritual weight of those experiences. We share these stories with grace, hope, and the love of Jesus — but please care for yourself as you listen.

    About Amy:

    Amy Ford is the co-founder and president of Embrace Grace, a non-profit organization formed for the purpose of inspiring the church and providing the tools necessary to be an emotional, practical, and spiritual support for women with unplanned pregnancies. She is an active speaker and published author based in Arlington, Texas. Embrace Grace now has over 1,200 support groups in churches across all 50 states.

    In This Episode:

    • Amy’s personal story of getting pregnant at 19, scheduling an abortion, and what happened in that room that changed everything
    • The pastor who refused to marry them because they had sinned and the stunning moment of forgiveness 16 years later in front of an entire congregation
    • Why the abortion rate inside the church is the same as outside it and what that means for us as the church
    • What the abortion pill is really like — what women are not being told and why it is more traumatizing than most people realize
    • What pushback Amy still gets from pastors — and how she responds
    • Why Roe v. Wade being overturned has not solved the problem
    • How Embrace Grace works — plug and play curriculum, 12 weeks, front row seats to miracles
    • Just because a baby wasn’t planned by the mom doesn’t mean it wasn’t planned by God
    • What saved Amy — community and the one or two friends who stayed

    Get Involved:

    Check out Amy Ford’s Resources at https://www.amyford.com/

    Connect With Us:

    gathermoms.com | @gathermoms | Join our Patreon at gathermoms.commoms | Join our Patreon at gathermoms.com

    Gather Moms: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook

    Kate Henderson: Instagram | Facebook

    Rebecca Bradford: Instagram | Facebook
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    23 min
  • Caroline Shankle: What Your Daughter Actually Needs From You, A 22-Year-Old Tells Moms the Truth EP: 223

    Caroline Shankle: What Your Daughter Actually Needs From You, A 22-Year-Old Tells Moms the Truth EP: 223
    Sep 21 2026

    This episode is unlike any other this season. Instead of hearing from a seasoned mom, Kate and Rebecca sit down with someone who just lived the teenage years, and has the book to prove it.

    Caroline Shankle is a 22-year-old author, Texas A&M graduate student, and daughter of bestselling author and Big Boo podcast host Melanie Shankle. She survived mean girls, soccer injuries, heartbreak, and the anxious pressure of being a teenager in the social media age, then wrote a 100-day devotional to help the next girl do the same. The Lion and the Bear is a young woman’s compassionate guidebook for defeating life’s giants by trusting God one step at a time, written from the trenches, not a distant pedestal.

    This episode is a gift to every mom raising a daughter, and every daughter who just needs to know she is not alone.

    In This Episode:

    • The breakup and Zoom call that became the origin story of Caroline’s book
    • The lion and the bear: how David and Goliath became her framework for hard seasons
    • What being a teenager in the social media age really feels like
    • Holding two truths: God is good, and you can still be beat down and tired
    • The mistake moms make trying to fix it too fast, and what teens need instead
    • Stay out of the boat: why getting in it with your daughter wears you down
    • Reading the room: why advice lands better three days later than in the moment
    • What not to say when your daughter is hurting, and what actually helps
    • Growing up with a mom on a public platform, without the pressure to be perfect
    • The anxious generation and why this generation is wired differently
    • What saved Caroline: God never wasted any of it

    Caroline’s Website: https://carolineshankle.com/the-lion-and-the-bear/

    Connect With Caroline: carolineshankle.com | @carolineshankle on Instagram

    Connect With Us: gathermoms.com | @gathermoms | Join our Patreon at gathermoms.com

    Gather Moms: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook

    Kate Henderson: Instagram | Facebook

    Rebecca Bradford: Instagram | Facebook
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    25 min
  • Culture Is Coming for Your Kids — Amy Davison Teaches Moms How to Fight Back Without the Bubble Wrap: EP 222

    Culture Is Coming for Your Kids — Amy Davison Teaches Moms How to Fight Back Without the Bubble Wrap: EP 222
    Sep 14 2026
    This is the episode that will change how you think about every show your kids watch, every song they hear, and every conversation happening on the school bus. Kate and Rebecca welcome back return guest Amy Davison, Vice President of Mama Bear Apologetics — one of the most trusted resources for Christian moms who want to raise kids that think critically, love biblically, and stand firm in the faith. Amy is an Air Force veteran, mom of four (18, 16, 14, and 2), and a woman who has been in the trenches of this cultural conversation long enough to know exactly what tools moms actually need. This is not a fear-based conversation. It is a faithfulness-based one. And it is packed with some of the most practical, biblical wisdom for navigating media and culture that we have ever had on the show. About Amy: Amy Davison is Vice President of Mama Bear Apologetics, a ministry dedicated to equipping Christian moms to raise the next generation to think critically and stand firm in the faith. She is an Air Force veteran, a writer, and a mom of four. Find all of Mama Bear’s resources at mamabearapologetics.com. In This Episode: Why bubble wrap Christianity does not work — if Satan got into the garden he can get into your living roomYour living room is either a training ground or it is not — and the armor of God is not a spiritual safe spaceThe shift that has happened in children’s media over the last 15 years — what was a punchline on Friends is now in CoComelonMedia is not neutral — it is the most proficient form of propaganda ever created and our kids are consuming it dailyEvery worldview answers the same six questions — and the ones being fed to your kids have very specific answersThe history of the sexual revolution and why it matters for what your kids are watching todayThe ROAR method — Recognize the message, Offer objective discernment, Argue for a healthier approach, Reinforce with prayer and discussionWords matter and definitions are being hijacked — buzzwords every mom needs to know how to unpack with her kidsThe no-flinch rule — fix your face, mama, because if you freak out they will stop coming to youThe difference between fear and wisdom in parenting — fear panics, wisdom preparesTeen brain development — the prefrontal cortex, the amygdala, and why boys especially need more timeWhat homeschool kids, private school kids, and public school kids all have in common — they are having the same conversations, just in different placesI am not responsible for my children’s choices — I am responsible for the message of the gospelIt is never too late — you are responsible for the time you have been given right now Resources Mentioned: Mama Bear Apologetics — mamabearapologetics.com Mama Bear Apologetics Guide to Sexuality The ROAR Method and buzzwords blog series — all at mamabearapologetics.com Connect With Us: gathermoms.com | @gathermoms | Join our Patreon at gathermoms.com Gather Moms: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook Kate Henderson: Instagram | Facebook Rebecca Bradford: Instagram | Facebook
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    26 min
  • Millye Hale, the Grandma With 33 Years of Parenting Wisdom Moms Need to Hear: EP 221

    Millye Hale, the Grandma With 33 Years of Parenting Wisdom Moms Need to Hear: EP 221
    Sep 7 2026
    This episode is goinIf you have ever wished you could sit down with a wise, seasoned grandma who has seen it all and lived to tell about it with joy — this episode is for you. Kate and Rebecca sit down with Millye Hale, a mom of three grown children, grandmother of three under two, mentor mom of 33 years, founder of her own parenting ministry, and the woman who once turned a dental hygienist career into a full time calling to come alongside moms and families. Millye is the kind of woman who quotes scripture the way most people breathe — naturally, constantly, and at exactly the right moment. This conversation is full of timeless, biblical wisdom on parenting that will make you want to pull out a notebook. In This Episode: What it actually means to be an intentional mom — and the image of a plant with dirt under your fingernails that will change how you see your seasonWhy discipline is really discipleship — and why moms keep waiting for the spanking conversationThe difference between behavior modification and going after your child’s heartWhy it is not the severity of a consequence that changes behavior in a child — it is the certaintyNever give them a taste of victory — and what happened when Millye held the line on a Noah’s Ark vestWe are not raising kids — we are rearing spiritually mature adults and the difference mattersThe teaching and training rails — where parents should be spending most of their energyThe Special Spot — one of the most creative and practical parenting hacks you will ever hearCreativity as an underrated superpower in parenting — good parents are marketers for good choicesWhat grandparenting actually looks like done right — filling in the gap and being a cheerleaderPerfectionism as Millye’s own fig leaf — and how the Lord dismantled itKeep your eyes on your own paper — the phrase her mentees call her just to hear her sayWhat saved Millye in her own motherhood journey Resources Mentioned: Millye Hale’s Groundwork Study — https://millyehale.com The Groundwork Study videos — free at https://millyehale.com The Groundwork Study book — available on Amazon The Collapse of Parenting: Leonard Sax Connect With Millye: https://millyehale.com | @millyehale on Instagram Connect With Us: gathermoms.com | @gathermoms | Join our Patreon at gathermoms.com Gather Moms: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook Kate Henderson: Instagram | Facebook Rebecca Bradford: Instagram | Facebook
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    Moins d'une minute
  • Hard Is Not the Same Thing as Bad — Abbie Halberstadt, Mom of 10 Tells Us the Truth About Motherhood: EP 220

    Hard Is Not the Same Thing as Bad — Abbie Halberstadt, Mom of 10 Tells Us the Truth About Motherhood: EP 220
    Aug 31 2026
    This episode is going to challenge you in the best way. Kate and Rebecca sit down with Abbie Halberstadt — bestselling author, fitness instructor, homeschooling mama to ten kids including two sets of identical twins, and a Bible-believing Christian who desires to know God and make Him known. Abbie lives by a motto that has become a movement: hard is not the same thing as bad. And in this conversation she brings that message straight into the everyday wilderness of motherhood. From birth stories to biblical truth, from complaining to community, this episode is packed with the kind of honest, scripture-grounded wisdom that moms in every season need to hear. About Abbie: Abbie Halberstadt is a writer, fitness instructor, and homeschooling mother of ten children, including two sets of identical twins. She lives by the motto that “hard is not the same thing as bad” and loves encouraging women to dig deep in the everyday trials of motherhood for the treasures of joy and growth that are there in abundance. She, her husband Shaun, and their children live in the Piney Woods of East Texas. In This Episode: What it actually looks like to be open to however many kids the Lord has for you — and how Abbie ended up with tenBirth stories from a mom who has done it eight times including two sets of twins The trend on social media that prompted Abbie to write her first book M Is for Mama — a rebellion against mediocre motherhoodWhy hard is not the same thing as bad — and the scripture that backs it upThe real difference between venting and complaining — and how to know which one you are doingGo to the throne before the phone — a phrase that will stick with youWhy your children’s outcome is not your resume — and what the Bible actually promises about parentingWhat to do when you have a prodigal child and feel like God failed youWhy your family is your first community — and how to stop stepping over it looking for something elseThe one thing that saved Abbie in motherhood — and why it might not be what you expect Abbie’s Books: M Is for Mama — A Rebellion Against Mediocre Motherhood Hard Is Not the Same Thing as Bad You Bet Your Stretch Marks Find Abbie at misformama.net and @abbiehallberstadt on Instagram Connect With Us: gathermoms.com | @gathermoms | Join our Patreon at gathermoms.com Gather Moms: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook Kate Henderson: Instagram | Facebook Rebecca Bradford: Instagram | Facebook
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    58 min