All Episodes

February 17, 2025 15 mins

Send Sherry a Text Message

Mama, you were never meant to do this alone! In today’s episode of It’s A Single Mom Thing, we’re getting real about why every single mom needs a village—not just to survive but to THRIVE.

💡 Here’s what we’re covering:
✅ The hard truth about doing it all solo (and why it’s not the flex you think it is)
✅ The red flags 🚩 of toxic “support” systems
✅ How to find the right tribe—without settling for less
Jesus had a crew—so why are you still flying solo? 🤔
✅ A journal prompt to help you start building your support system TODAY!

📖 Biblical Truth: Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 – “Two are better than one… If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.”

Your breakthrough is waiting on the other side of community. Let’s build your village together!

Support the show

It's a Single Mom Thing, Not the Single Thing That Stops You!

Mark as Played
Transcript

Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to it's a Single Mom Thing, the show for
single moms by single moms.
This is Sherri, your host, andI am happy you are here today.
Remember it's a single momthing and not the single thing
that stops you.

Speaker 2 (00:15):
So, mamas, let's get real.
Being a single parent, it is awhole job, and trying to do it
alone, well, that's like tryingto juggle flaming swords while
blindfolded.
Possible, maybe?
A hot mess waiting to happen.
Oh, absolutely.
In today's episode it's goingto be a little shorter than our
usual deep dives, but, trust me,the message is just as powerful

(00:38):
.
So buckle up, because we'recutting straight to the point.
You see, god didn't design usto do life alone, and when
you're a single mom, yourvillage is more than just a nice
to have.
It's a survival necessity.
Forgive me, I got a little coldso I said that funny necessity.
But let's be real.
Where do you even find yourpeople?

(01:00):
How do you build a tribe thatactually supports you, your
powwow and doesn't just drainyou?
Welcome to another episode ofit's a Single Mom Thing.
So in this episode, ladies, weare going to be talking about
why single moms need a group ofvillage peeps and what happens
when you don't have one.

(01:21):
The difference betweencommunity and chaos.
Finding the right peeps, whereto meet your tribe, even if you,
girl, are an introvert.
How to nurture healthyrelationships that support, not
drain you and, finally, howfaith connects you to the right
people at the right time.
So, girls, roll up your sleeves.

(01:43):
We have a lot of work to do.
Grab your Thriving 25 journaland let's get busy.
So why does every single momneed a village?
Well, the hard truth is tryingto do this alone, if you haven't
figured it out already, willleave you burnt out, overwhelmed
and isolated.
Been there, done that.

(02:04):
Like me, have you had a fewpeople around you that were
close to you, that hurt you?
And well, you figured.
Why should I let anybody elseget close to me again?
I'm not about to get hurt.
Well, what happens when wedon't have a village?
Well, number one we ain't goingto have any emotional support.
You girl, like me, are going tobe carrying every burden alone.

(02:25):
Well, I used to, and, let's behonest, your toddler isn't
exactly the best therapist.
Two no practical help.
Well, now you are the sole cook, chauffeur, tutor, nurse and
financial provider, and thoseare just a few of the things
that happen in a 24-hour day.
Number three no accountability.

(02:45):
Who's there to encourage you,check in on you and call you
higher girl?
Number four mom, guilt onsteroids.
You feel like you're failingwhen the girl you might just be
exhausted.
See, listen, sis.
Single parenting, you know, isalready hard Doing it without

(03:06):
support.
That's survival mode, notthriving mode.
And we don't want to live oneflush away going down the toilet
bowl, do we?
We want to flourish.
So here is keeping it real.
Even Jesus had a motley crew.
You see, jesus didn't do lifealone.
He had his 12 disciples,because even the savior of the

(03:28):
world knew community mattered.
Ever thought about that?
He says in his word you willhave trouble.
In John 16, 33, he says that.
So why would you want to goalone, girl, if Jesus himself
built a village?
What makes you think you can dothis mom, life solo mio.

(03:48):
And here's a scriptural truthdrop.
And we will find that inEcclesiastes 4, 9 through 10.
And it says two are better thanone.
If either of them falls down,one can help the other up.
Them falls down, one can helpthe other up.
You see, a village lifts youwhen you're weak, celebrates you

(04:15):
when you'll win and reminds youyou are never alone.
I remember when I was goingthrough my single mom thing, I
had this neighbor friend whomade what she called miracle
soup when the solo mamas nearbywere down with the sickness.
Oh, I could use some of that.
Now, on the flip side.
When life happened to her andit did often as she was raising
three teenage girls there wassomeone always there to take her
girls shopping when she neededa break, or a woman to walk and

(04:38):
talk the nearby bridge with her.
So are you still convinced, orthink you don't need a village?
Well, let's check out some factshere.
Studies show that single momswith strong support networks
report higher levels ofhappiness, low stress and better
mental health.
Moms who have a strong faithcommunity are more resilient,

(04:59):
have better coping strategiesand feel less isolated.
And well, guess what?
Your kids benefit too Childrenwith strong community support,
such as mentors, friends orchurch families.
Well, they are also moreconfident, emotionally secure
and better equipped for thefuture.
How about that Translation?

(05:21):
A healthy, supported mom equalsa thriving child.
Your village isn't just for you,girl, it's for them too.
And everybody knows.
When mama's happy, what?
Say it with me real loud inyour car Everybody's happy,
right?
You see you, mama.

(05:41):
You set the tone and the groansfor your familia.
So here's where you're going toget your journal out.
Don't forget to date it, andacross the top of the page I
want you to write this whatareas of my life feel the
hardest right now, and who couldI reach out to for support?

(06:01):
All right, now that we know whyyou need a village, let's talk
about something just asimportant, and that's finding
the right people, because,listen, not everyone deserves a
seat at your table.
So before we uncover who shouldget an invitation to your
dinner table, let's firstdiscover who should not.
The red flags and cracks insupport systems that drain you

(06:25):
instead of helping you.
Number one you do not want toinvite the drama magnet, and
that's a person who's always inchaos, never uplifting, and
somehow their problems alwaysbecome yours.
Number two the taker.
Well, that person only comesaround when they need something,
but disappear when you needhelp.

(06:45):
I've been there.
Number three the gossip girl.
Oh, she talks about everyone,so you know she's talking about
you too, boo.
And number four the energyvampire.
You feel drained, notencouraged, after every
conversation with her.
Funny how that happens.
And what number am I on?
Am I on four or five, I don'tknow.

(07:06):
It is the fake helper and shepretends to care but secretly
enjoys seeing you struggle.
Oh, don't want her at my table.
So does anyone listening havesome of these peeps in their
life?
If so you need to pull out thechair from under your table and
have them go eat somewhere else.
But then who should you welcomeas a guest at your table?

(07:27):
Well, here's who needs a seatat your table, and that would be
the encourager she speaks lifeover you when you're struggling.
The helper she shows up when youneed a real practical help.
The truth teller Well, sheloves you enough to be honest.
And, girl, you need to love herback, even when she tells you

(07:47):
the truth which may hurt.
And the prayer warrior who, man, I love me.
The prayer warrior because shecovers you and your kids and
faith.
And, lastly, the other personyou want at your dinner table is
the accountability partner.
And this person, this girl, isgoing to challenge you to grow,
not settle like dust.
So here is another scripturedrop, and we're going to find

(08:08):
that in Proverbs 27, 17.
As iron sharpens iron, so oneperson sharpens another, like I
like to say, just like knives atyour dinner table.
So, mama, your peace isprecious and well, your kids are
watching.
So, who you let in your life,well, you probably should choose
wisely, and I'm going to takethat a little step further.

(08:32):
You see their future and yourfuture will thank you, and what
I mean by that is that your kidswill one day be teens who
learned both your good and someof your bad habits and choices.
So, said differently, what youdo today will shape their
tomorrow.
So be sure you're certain ofwhat potential future you want

(08:54):
to show up.
That's just a little pro tipfrom me to you, and I hope you
got what I'm putting down.
You see, because you, yourfamily, you deserve a village
that lifts you all up and notweighs you down.
Now, ok, hope you didn't putthat journal away.
You need to keep that bookright back out, because here we
go, we have some more work to doand this journal prompt.

(09:16):
I want you to write on the nextpage, across the top, who in my
life pours into me and whodrains me, and also keep going.
How can I be more intentionalabout choosing my tribe Next up?
After that, when you're donewith that, follow me back here
and we're going to dive intowhere to find the right people

(09:37):
because, let's be honest, makingnew friends as an adult, well,
it is not as easy as it was whenwe were kids on the playground.
So here are some places to findsupport and community.
May I suggest church groupsthat's women's ministry single
moms groups, bible studies.
Find a faith-filled circle thatspeaks life over you.

(09:58):
Online communities, facebookgroups, kind of like.
It's a single mom thing withShepherd's Village, where you
can connect with moms, walk inthe same journey.
Local nonprofits putting a plugin again for us, shepherd's
Village and other localorganizations that offer
resources, support and, ofcourse, sisterhood Mom meetups.

(10:19):
That might be playdates,homeschool groups and local
mom-friendly events.
Volunteering, again, that'sserving someone other than
yourself, which is a great wayto build meaningful,
faith-centered friendships.
Moms from your kid's school andactivities Strike up
conversations with fellow momsat drop-offs, sport events or
PTA meetings.

(10:40):
And, lastly, support groups.
With a caution here Whileconnecting with others facing
similar challenges can behelpful, be mindful Just because
someone understands yourstruggle doesn't mean they have
habits that will help you heal.
So choose wisely is my cautionfor you.
Listen, sometimes your villageisn't handed to you.

(11:01):
You have to step out and buildit and sometimes pray for it.
Well, a lot of times pray forit all the time and, yes, that
might mean getting out of yourcomfort zone.
But, girl, listen, yourbreakthrough is often on the
other side of community.
So jot this question down inyour journal.
Where can I take a step thisweek to connect with other moms?

(11:25):
And that's definitely somethingthat you could be praying about
with Jesus and maybe evenrecord something that he might
suggest in your quiet time.
Nurturing and strengthening yourvillage All right, you found
your people.
Now what?
Well, a strong village doesn'tjust happen.
It's built with intention andcare.
So how to cultivate a thrivingsupport system so you don't

(11:46):
develop cracks in your ownpipeline of support?
So, girl, listen, you need tobe a giver, not just a taker.
Show up for others the way youwant them to show up for you.
Set healthy boundaries.
Protect your peace by beingclear on what you can give and
what you can't give.
Stay connected.
A good village needs consistentcheck-ins.

(12:07):
Don't ghost your people whenlife gets busy or you find a
boyfriend.
Pray for your people.
A faith-filled village is onethat prays together and stands
in the gap for each other.
Invest in deep, meaningfulrelationships, not the surface
level friendships, which arenice, but well, when life gets
messy, you want the ones thatyou built, connections that can

(12:28):
handle the real and raw moments.
And here's our last scripturedrop for the day, and that's
Galatians 6.2.
Carry each other's burdens andin this way you will fulfill the
law of Christ.
So in our last journal promptof the day, I want you to
reflect on how can I show up forsomeone in my village this week

(12:51):
?
What intentional step can I taketo strengthen my support system
?
Remember, mama, a strongvillage isn't just about finding
the right people, it's aboutbeing the right person too.
Let's build a community thatloves, uplifts and grows
together.
So, as I close, I want to leaveyou with these final thoughts

(13:12):
and a call to action for yourweek ahead.
And here's the bottom line anda friendly reminder that I'm
going to repeat again you werenever meant to do this alone.
Building your village, it isn'tjust about finding the right
people, it's about being theright person too, and you want
to surround yourself with thosewho will sharpen, strengthen and
support you, and you want to bethat for someone else.

(13:35):
So, as our quick recap, youneed a village.
Well, because isolation isn'tstrength, it's survival mode,
and we chose thrive mode this 25year.
Choose wisely.
Not everyone deserves access toyour life.
Your tribe, it's out there, butyou have to step out and find

(13:56):
them.
Strong villages, well, they'rebuilt on faith, friendships and
showing up.
So here is my call to action.
If you haven't joined the it's aSingle Mom Thing Facebook group
, I don't know why you haven't,but you need to go there.
It's a place for connection,encouragement and faith-filled
community.
If you live in the Tampa Bay,well why are you not at a seat

(14:18):
at our table?
Come to our next.
It's a Single Mom Thing class.
Register at shepherdsvillagecom.
Forward slash classes.
Need prayer?
Call our 24-hour prayer line at855-822-PRAY.
Never miss an episode and anopportunity to do community with

(14:38):
me.
Like my solo mama who sent me ashout-out taking my voice with
her on her road trip this week.
Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts, spotify or iHeart Radio.
Ladies, it's time to stopsurviving and start thriving.
Your village it is waiting foryou Now.
You need to go find it.
Have a wonderful week andremember it's a single mom thing

(15:00):
and not the single thing thatstops you.

Speaker 1 (15:03):
Thanks for listening to.
It's a Single Mom Thing.
I hope you enjoyed our timetogether.
If you have more questions onhow to have a relationship with
Jesus or need prayer, visit usat wwwshepherdsvillagecom.
Backslash prayer.
For more information andresources, check out our show
notes.
Advertise With Us

Popular Podcasts

On Purpose with Jay Shetty

On Purpose with Jay Shetty

I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!

The Breakfast Club

The Breakfast Club

The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy And Charlamagne Tha God!

The Joe Rogan Experience

The Joe Rogan Experience

The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.

Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.