Western thought and male leadership frequently dominate church spaces in the U.S., and this impacts how spiritual formation is typically taught. What if spiritual formation teachings were to be thoughtfully de-westernized? What if the voices of women had been uplifted historically in the Church? What difference does this make for moms of young children? Dr. Cindy Lee, a professor, preacher, author, and spiritual director with a PhD in Practical Theology and Spiritual Formation, unpacks these questions and more on today’s episode.

Cindy and Lisa also dive into the role of intergenerational community in motherhood, collective parenting, deeper meanings of spirituality and hospitality than what we may be used to, and what we learned from the scripture passage from Episode 8A about Anna and Simeon—spiritual grandparents of sorts—who meet Jesus as an 8-day-old baby.

Follow Dr. Cindy Lee at www.findingeden.org and on Instagram @FindingEden!

Show Notes:

• More information on the Meyer’s Briggs personality types
• The Nap Ministry on Instagram: @thenapministry
• A deep dive into the idea of the motherhood of God: Showings of Julian of Norwich: A New Translation, by Mirabai Starr 
• Simeon’s Song by Porter’s Gate: this is a song about the scripture passage we meditated on about Anna and Simeon (Luke 2:23-40); it’s part of a beautiful 2021 Advent album 

Please subscribe to the SoulNourished Mama Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts, and follow us on Instagram @soulnourished_mama_podcast!

​​Today, we soak in the story of Anna and Simeon. They are two people who have very close relationships with God, who get to meet and worship Jesus as a baby and speak prophetically to Mary, Joseph, and others. At the end of the passage, we also get a small glimpse into Jesus’s early childhood.

You’re invited to rest in God’s presence through this lectio divina-style guided meditation about worship, the Holy Spirit's guidance, and Jesus’s earliest days in the world.

The passage is read by Dr. Cindy Lee, a spiritual director and author of a forthcoming book on de-westernizing spiritual formation. She'll be our guest in episode 8B, where we'll talk about this passage, "alloparents" and parenting in community, de-westernizing spiritual formation in motherhood, and more.

Find the SoulNourished Mama Podcast on Instagram @soulnourished_mama_podcast

Thank you, Mesmi, for the beautiful meditation music, and Ketsa for the theme music!

Today, Lisa and Nina Lau-Branson talk about the desperation of early motherhood and Nina’s journey into discovering the greatest gift she could give to her children—her own deep soulwork with God. As the mother of 2 grown sons, and a spiritual director, consultant, and coach, Nina has an abundance of practical wisdom to share.

In the first part of the episode, Nina shares about her journey and story of motherhood, then we explore the scripture passage from Episode 7A about the woman who boldly anoints Jesus before his death. 

The final part of this conversation is truly a treat: Nina takes a deep dive into the intersection of her cultural (Chinese-American), spiritual, and emotional stories. We talk about how our culture and emotions reside in the body, and she shares about listening to God with our whole bodies, especially in motherhood. Nina shares a beautiful, helpful framework about how each of our emotions can, if we allow, guide us towards our own preciousness, our own belovedness: the reflection of the image of God within each one of us.

• Guided meditation for breastfeeding mothers who pump 
• Books Nina referred to: The Dance of Anger by Harriet Lerner and The Language of Emotions by Karen McLaren
• Book: The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk (how trauma emerges in the body)
• Book: My Grandmother’s Hands by Resmaa Menakem (racialized trauma living in the body)
• Kids’ Book: Listening to My Body by Gabi Garcia (Teaches emotional and physical regulation for kids)

Please subscribe to the SoulNourished Mama Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts, and follow us on Instagram @soulnourished_mama_podcast!