Greatest Fear Becomes Reality

Fear is something many single and widowed moms quietly carry, especially after loss or trauma. In this episode, Laurie Apon shares personal insight and biblical truth to address the lie that fear causes painful outcomes. Through Scripture, testimony, and encouragement, this conversation reminds listeners that God is sovereign, fear does not override His will, and nothing in your story has taken Him by surprise. You will be encouraged to release shame, confront fear with truth, and trust God’s presence and grace even when what you feared has come to pass.

Key Takeaways

• Fear does not create reality or override God’s sovereignty.

• When feared outcomes happen, they are not your fault and are not evidence of failure or lack of faith.

• Scripture clarifies that God allows trials, but fear itself is a tool the enemy uses to add shame.

• God may use fear as preparation, not permission, and He remains present through every season.

• Forgiveness is essential for healing and freedom, even when the pain is ongoing and complex.

Scripture Referenced

• Job 3:25

• Proverbs 29:25

• Ecclesiastes 11:4

• Psalm 56:3

• 2 Timothy 1:7

• John 21:20–22

Connect with Perspective Ministries

To learn more about encouragement and biblical resources for widows and families raising fatherless children, visit Perspective Ministries. You can listen to past podcast episodes, find hope-filled teaching, and connect with Christ-centered support through Hope Gatherings. Follow Perspective Ministries on social media for continued encouragement and updates.

Spiritual warfare is a daily reality for every believer, especially for moms raising children with an absent dad. This episode helps you understand who the enemy is, recognize his tactics, and stand firm in biblical truth. You will be encouraged to rely on God’s strength, guard your thoughts, and remain connected to a Christ-centered community as you walk this journey.

Key Takeaways

• Be aware of the enemy’s schemes and do not give him unnecessary influence or a foothold.

• Know and speak God’s Word to combat lies, fear, discouragement, and doubt.

• Guard against isolation and stay connected to Christ-centered community.

• • Choose forgiveness, humility, and peace as spiritual acts of obedience.

  Other Resources Mentioned

• • Fervent by Priscilla Shirer

  • Hope Gatherings for widows (link referenced in the episode)

    Connect with Perspective Ministries
    To learn more about resources for widows and families raising fatherless children, visit Perspective Ministries. You can listen to past podcast episodes, find encouragement, and connect with Christ-centered support through Hope Gatherings. You can also follow Perspective Ministries on social media for ongoing encouragement and updates.

  
  

In this heartfelt conversation, Lori talks with David Welch, a husband of 42 years, father of four, and grandfather of nine, who shares his powerful story of growing up without a dad. At just eight years old, David lost his father unexpectedly and was raised by a single mother who carried the weight of providing, nurturing, and grieving alone. His journey beautifully testifies to how God pursued him, guided his steps, and became the Father he never had.

David’s story, featured in Absent Dad, Present Father, offers hope to single moms raising sons and daughters without an earthly dad. His experiences remind us that God is present in the pain, faithful through the years, and intentional in bringing godly mentors at just the right time.

Key Takeaways

1. God is faithful, even in the absence of a father From early childhood through adulthood, David experienced God’s steady presence, even before he came to faith. Looking back, he sees how the Lord redirected his path countless times and gently drew him toward salvation.

2. The role of a faithful mother matters David’s mother worked tirelessly and carried immense responsibility alone. Though he didn’t fully appreciate her sacrifices as a boy, he now sees the courage and strength it took for her to raise him with love and moral grounding.

3. Mentorship comes in God’s timing For years, David lacked a male role model—but God provided one later through his father-in-law, a gentle pastor who modeled what it means to be a husband and father. Moms, this is a reminder: God knows the right mentors for your children and will bring them at just the right time.

4. For moms with rebellious or wandering children David’s encouragement to mothers: Do not lose hope. Even when your son or daughter seems far from God, He is still working. The same God who pursued David is pursuing your child. Keep praying, keep pointing them to Jesus, and trust Him to write their story.

Encouragement for the Listener

If you’re walking this journey alone, take heart. You are not forgotten. God sees your faithfulness, and one day your children will see it too. Your story, and theirs, is still being written by a loving Father who is faithful through every season.

Resources Mentioned

• Book: Absent Dad, Present Father: Testimonies of God’s Faithfulness to Fatherless Children

• David Welch’s Blog: The Scarred Oak Redemption | David Welch | Substack

https//davidwelch.substack.com

Connect with Perspective Ministries: PerspectiveMinistries.org Follow on Instagram @perspectiveministries

The start of a new year often brings both relief after the holidays and a desire for a fresh beginning. In this episode, mothers are encouraged to make God’s Word a foundation in their home by intentionally teaching the Bible to their children.

You do not need to be a Bible expert or have a perfect routine. This episode offers simple ways to begin learning Scripture together and trusting God to bring forth fruit from the seeds planted.

Key Takeaways

• What Scripture Says About God’s Word

• Guidance on how to instill God’s Word into the hearts of your children

• Suggested Scripture for memorization

• An overview of how to teach the Bible to your children from preschool to the teenage years

Trusted Resources

• The Big Picture Bible

• Happy Hymnody

• The New City Catechism: 52 Questions and Answers for Our Hearts and Minds

• Old Story New

• The Ology: Ancient Truths, Ever New (The Kid's Theology Series) by Marty Machowski
• WonderFull: Ancient Psalms Ever New (The Kid's Theology Series) by Marty Machowski
• The Bible Recap for Kids: A 365-Day Guide Through the Bible for Young Readers Ages 8-12 by Tara-Leigh Cobble

If you would like additional encouragement and resources for raising fatherless children, we would love to connect with you. Visit perspectiveministries.org for more podcast episodes, Bible-based resources, and information on Hope Gatherings in your area.

As the year comes to a close, Lori invites single and widowed mothers to pause, reflect, andremember God's faithfulness. Whether this New Year’s Eve is quiet, heavy, hopeful, or filledwith questions, Lori shares encouragement from Scripture, from her home, and from the ministryGod has built through Perspective Ministries.In this tender episode, she reflects on angels, shepherds, and the Christmas story—then followsMary’s example of “treasuring and pondering” all that God has done. Lori offers simplereflection questions for moms and children, shares her family’s “Year at a Glance” tradition, andopens her own heart about her word of the year, her family updates, ministry milestones, andGod’s continued goodness.Four Practical Takeaways1. Pause and remember God’s faithfulness.2. Reflect as a family using simple questions.3. Notice God’s care in your personal story.4. Look ahead with hope, trusting God’s gentle leading.Connect with Lori and Perspective Ministries● Website: perspectiveministries.org● Email: lori@perspectiveministries.org● Subscribe on YouTube and your favorite podcast platform● Share this episode with a mom who may be entering the new year with sorrow, hope, or both.

On Christmas Eve, Lori invites single and widowed moms into the heart of the Christmas story—the Lamb of God who came near. While Christmas Eve is often portrayed as peaceful and serene, many moms raising children with an absent dad experience a night filled with pain, tears, and last–minute responsibilities. Lori offers compassion, biblical truth, and practical encouragement for mothers navigating Christmas with both hope and heartache.Tracing the Lamb of God through Scripture, from Genesis to the Gospels, Lori shows how Jesus has always been God’s plan of rescue and redemption. She reminds moms that Emmanuel, God with us, meets them in the loneliness and the sorrow, offering His presence, protection, and peace.In this episode, Lori shares:- Honest reflections from her own Christmas Eves as a widowed mom - How Jesus, the Lamb of God, appears throughout Scripture:-- Genesis 22 and God’s provision of the ram-- Exodus 12 and the Passover lamb-- Isaiah 53 and the prophecy of the suffering servant- The beauty of Emmanuel—God with us—in sorrow, uncertainty, and in the absence of an earthly dad- Encouragement for single and widowed moms facing fresh grief during the holidaysKey Takeaways:1. Jesus has always been the Lamb of God.2. God comes near to the humble and hurting.3. Emmanuel means you are not alone.4. Your children can experience the hope of Christmas in simple, meaningful ways.Connect with Lori and Perspective MinistriesWebsite: perspectiveministries.orgEmail: lori@perspectiveministries.orgSubscribe to YouTube and your favorite podcast platform!Share this episode with a mom spending Christmas Eve in the quiet ache of what is missing.

As Christmas approaches and the days grow full and emotional, Lori invites single and widowed moms to look at a tender part of the Christmas story—the shepherds. These quiet, ordinary men were the first to hear the news that Jesus, the Savior, had come. Their story offers comfort for mothers raising children without an earthly dad, reminding us that God is our faithful Shepherd who watches, protects, provides, and gently leads those who have young.In this episode, Lori shares from Scripture, from her 26 years of widowhood, and from her heart as a mom who raised eight fatherless children. She highlights the shepherds’ role in the Christmas story and offers six practical ways God shepherds single and widowed mothers today.Key Takeaways:1. The shepherds reveal God’s heart for the overlooked and overwhelmed. He sees single and widowed moms who feel unnoticed and promises to be their Shepherd, watching over their families.2. God gently leads mothers who have young. He guides you one step at a time, equips you with wisdom, and holds you when you feel weak.3. Six comforting ways God shepherds moms raising children with an absent dad.4. Encouragement for mothers in fresh grief who are facing Christmas with tears and questions.Scriptures Mentioned:Isaiah 30:15, 40:11Psalm 68:5Proverbs 27:23Luke 2:8–20John 10:11Hebrews 13:20–21Connect with Lori and Perspective MinistriesWebsite: perspectiveministries.orgEmail: lori@perspectiveministries.orgSubscribe to YouTube and your favorite podcast platformShare this episode with another mom who needs to know she is not alone this Christmas

Single and widowed moms often hear well–meaning phrases like, “Your daddy is now your guardian angel.” In this episode, Lori gently unpacks what Scripture really says about angels, clarifies common misunderstandings, and offers comforting, hope–filled truth you can share with your children.

Key Takeaways for Moms:

1. Do our loved ones become angels when they die?

2. Angels in Scripture

3. Angels in our lives today

4. How to teach our children about angels

Scriptures Mentioned:

Psalm 34:7, 91

Matthew 18:10, 22:30

Luke 2:8–20, 20:35–36

2 Corinthians 5:8

Hebrews 1:14

Revelation 5:11–12; 7:11–12

Connect with Lori and Perspective Ministries:

Website: perspectiveministries.orgEmail: lori@perspectiveministries.org

Subscribe to the Raising Fatherless Kids podcast and YouTube channel, and share this episode with a mom who is wondering how to talk with her children about angels and their loved ones in heaven.