Episode Transcript
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Paula Behrens (00:00):
Hey friend, have
you ever found yourself standing
in the middle of your livingroom?
Toys scattered everywhere, alittle one tugging on your leg
and another crying in the nextroom, thinking to yourself am I
even doing this right?
Or maybe for you it looks alittle different.
You're a grandmother nowstepping back into the world of
little ones as you help, babysit, guide or support your
(00:21):
grandkids and you quietly wonderdo I still know what I'm doing?
Am I the influence they need?
Well, we're going to addressthose questions in just a moment
.
But first funny story.
When I first began my seminarywork while serving two church
congregations full-time,everyone assumed I had my daily
devotional time perfectlyorganized.
(00:43):
But, truth be told, there weremornings I could barely find
five minutes to catch my breath,let alone dive into deep
reflection.
One day, as I rushed out thedoor with mismatched shoes, I
realized that even in my chaosthere was a lesson.
Embracing God's grace andself-forgiveness, I realized
that true success in mydevotional life requires
(01:05):
prioritizing my spiritualpractices.
Are you finding it challengingto maintain your spiritual
practices or yearning for a morepeaceful, God-aligned day?
I'm Paula and I've been theretoo.
Balancing spiritual habits witha busy life can be difficult.
I longed for a deeperconnection with God but
struggled with consistency.
(01:25):
Then I found the perfectapproach.
If you seek simple ways todeepen your connection with God,
this podcast is for you.
Please take a moment to followthe show, leave a review and
share with your friends who needa little biblical encouragement
today.
You want to grow closer to God.
But let's be honest your daysare full, your mind is busy and
(01:49):
your devotional routine feelsmore like a struggle than a
sanctuary.
That's exactly why I createdthe Aroma of Christ Coaching
Hour.
This one-on-one session isdesigned to make deepening your
relationship with God simple,peaceful and personal.
No pressure, no overwhelm, justa guided, spirit-led approach
to help you reset and reconnectwith Jesus in a way that truly
(02:10):
fits your life.
You won't leave empty-handedeither.
You'll walk away witheverything you need to continue
your journey, including aprintable devotional planning
and tracking guide to help youstay consistent, a beautiful
gospel reading plan that walksyou through the life of Jesus, a
downloadable prayer journal toreflect, process and pray
intentionally, and practicalguidance on how to use essential
(02:31):
oils to quiet your mind andinvite peace into your spiritual
practices.
You don't need fancy tools orhours of free time.
You just need a doable plan andsomeone to help you make it
real.
So let's make your devotionallife easy, meaningful and
refreshingly Christ-centered.
It's time to simplify yourspiritual life so you can savor
it again.
(02:52):
Book your Aroma of Christcoaching hour today at
paulabehrens.
com/ coaching.
That's Paula BehrensB-E-H-R-E-N-S .
com/ coaching (no spaces).
Look for a link in the shownotes.
All right, grab your Bible,dust off your journal and cozy
(03:13):
up to your favorite beverage andlet's dive in.
Whether you're a mom in thethick of raising small children
or a grandmother who's helpingnurture and guide them,
uncertainty in parenting is real.
The pressure s to do everythingright can weigh heavy.
Parenting and grandparenting isholy work, but it is also hard
(03:34):
work and the doubts can feeloverwhelming at times.
Today, we're going to sittogether in that space of
uncertainty and bring God's wordinto it, because, while none of
us are perfect moms orgrandmothers, God has given us
the encouragement, wisdom andreassurance we need in scripture
.
He sees us in our unique roles.
(03:55):
He knows the exact stage oflife we're in right now, whether
it's chasing toddlers,navigating teenagers or pouring
wisdom into our grown kids andtheir little ones, and he
promises to meet us there.
As we walk through this episode, I'll share specific Bible
verses that can anchor moms andgrandmothers when the questions
start swirling.
My prayer is that these truthswill not only comfort you but
(04:19):
also equip you, so you cancontinue to pour into the
children God has entrusted toyour care, whether they call you
mom or grandma.
Motherhood often comes withpressure to have it all figured
out, right?
Maybe you scroll throughInstagram and you see polished
photos of smiling children inmatching outfits, neatly packed
lunches and Bible time thatlooks serene.
(04:41):
Then you look at your ownreality, your toddler threw the
Cheerios across the room, yourpreschooler refused to put on
his shoes and your patiencesnapped before 8 am.
Grand- motherhood, thoughfilled with joy, comes with its
own version of uncertainty.
Maybe you're stepping intobabysit often and you wonder if
(05:01):
you still have the energy orpatience you once did.
Maybe you find yourselfparenting your grandchildren
more than you expected due tolife circumstances and you ask
yourself can I do this again?
Or maybe you simply long to bea godly influence without
overstepping boundaries withyour adult children.
In both roles, that gap betweenexpectation and reality is
(05:23):
where uncertainty creeps in.
Moms may wonder am I the onlyone struggling like this?
Grandmothers may ask am Ireally making a difference?
But here's the truth.
God never asked moms orgrandmothers to parent out of
their own strength or to meet acertain standard of perfection.
He calls us to walk with him,to lean on him and to pass down
(05:46):
faith through his grace, and hisword is packed with promises
for moments like these.
Isaiah, chapter 40, verse 11,says: He tends his flock like a
shepherd.
He gathers the lambs in hisarms and carries him close to
his heart.
He gently leads those that haveyoung.
What a beautiful image, Godhimself, the Good Shepherd,
(06:09):
holding our children andgrandchildren close to his heart
.
But notice the last part, hegently leads those that have
young.
Had you thought about thatbefore?
That includes moms caring forlittle ones day and night, and
grandmothers who are helpingwith young ones or guiding adult
children in how they raisetheir families.
When you feel overwhelmed orunsure, when you don't know the
(06:32):
next step, this verse is yourreminder that you are not
leading alone.
God is going before you and hisleadership isn't harsh, it's
gentle.
He understands your load, yourresponsibilities and the
emotional weight of caring forchildren in different stages of
life.
Mom, he knows the sleeplessnights and the tantrums.
(06:53):
Grandma, he knows the prayersyou whisper over your
grandchildren, the tug betweenwanting to help and wanting to
give space, and the times youwonder if you're doing enough.
He promises to gently lead youstep by step.
Proverbs, chapter 22, verse 6tells us: Start children off on
(07:13):
the way they should go, and evenwhen they are old, they will
not turn from it.
For moms, this often looks likemodeling faith in the everyday,
praying with little ones beforebed, singing worship songs in
the car, teaching them to saythank you, Jesus, for their food
.
Those little seeds matter.
For grandmothers, this versereminds you that your influence
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continues, even when you're notthe one doing the day-to-day
parenting.
Your words, your prayers, yourexamples still plant seeds of
faith.
I've seen this in my own family.
As a mom of three, I know theweight of shaping young hearts.
But as a grandmother of six,ages 11 to 26, I've also seen
the joy of watching those seedssprout in the next generation.
(07:56):
Sometimes it's the faith of agrandmother that steadies a
grandchild through teenage yearsor early adulthood.
This verse doesn't promiseperfection or guaranteed
outcomes, but it highlights thelasting impact of the foundation
we lay.
Moms and grandmas, yourfaith-filled influence will not
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be wasted.
Weary moms and grandmas, thisone is for you.
Jesus says in Matthew, chapter11, verses 28 through 30, Come
to me all you who are weary andburdened, and I will give you
rest, for I am gentle and humblein heart, and you will find
rest for your souls.
The truth is that smallchildren can wear you out,
(08:39):
whether you're in your 20s orbeyond your 60s, sleepless
nights, long days, emotional upsand downs they all take a toll.
And, grandmothers, sometimesthe weariness comes not from
physical demands but from caringconcerns for your children and
grandchildren in prayer.
The burden of love can be heavy, but Jesus doesn't ask us to
(09:00):
carry these loads alone.
He invites us to come to him totrade our striving for his rest
.
Moms, that might meanwhispering a prayer in the
middle of the chaos.
Grandma, it might mean handingover the deep worries you carry
for your grandkids.
Either way, his yoke is easyand his burden is light.
(09:20):
Now you may feel stuck in themonotony of diapers, laundry and
bedtime routines, or you mayfeel like your influence isn't
noticed or that your prayers gounheard.
But Paul reminds us (09:30):
Let us not
grow weary in doing good, for
at the proper time we will reapa harvest if we do not give up
(Galatians 6 (09:39):
9).
Paul reminds us that all ofthis sowing has a purpose.
Seeds planted in faith do bearfruit, even if you can't see it
yet.
Every bedtime story, everywhispered prayer, every act of
patience, it matters.
For grandmothers, every sharedmemory of God's faithfulness,
(10:00):
every word of encouragement,every prayer for protection and
wisdom, that matters too.
You're planting for a harvestthat may bloom years down the
road.
Finally, James, chapter one,verse 5, reminds us: If any of
you lacks wisdom, you should askGod, who gives generously to
all, without finding fault, andit will be given to you.
(10:24):
Moms, you face a hundreddecisions every day how to
discipline, what to allow, howto balance structure with grace.
And grandmas, you facedecisions too when to step in,
when to hold back, how tosupport your children as parents
while also being a trustedguide to your grandkids.
We all need wisdom, and Goddelights to give it.
He doesn't criticize us for notknowing.
(10:44):
Instead, he invites us to cometo him confident that he will
provide exactly what we need ineach unique situation.
As we walked through theseverses today, I hope you've
noticed the thread woven througheach one.
God doesn't expect moms orgrandmas to be perfect.
He doesn't demand that we haveall the answers.
(11:05):
Instead, he offers his presence, his wisdom, his rest and his
gentle leadership.
Isaiah reminds us, He gentlyleads mothers and grandmothers
with young children.
Proverbs calls us to lay afoundation of faith, trusting
God with the outcome.
Matthew invites us to rest inJesus when we're weary.
Galatians encourages us to notgive up because our faithfulness
(11:28):
is sowing seeds.
And James assures us wisdom isjust a prayer away.
Parenting and grandparentingare seasons of both exhaustion
and wonder.
You're shaping lives while Godis shaping you.
And through it all, his word isyour anchor.
So the next time uncertaintyrises up, remember you are not
(11:50):
leading alone.
The Shepherd is guiding you,Christ is carrying your burdens,
the Spirit is giving you wisdomand God's word is lighting your
path.
Okay, before we close, I want toleave you with an encouragement
from my own heart.
As a mom of three andgrandmother of six, I know both
sides of this journey.
I've lived through the longnights of raising kids and now
(12:12):
walk the sweet, sometimeschallenging season of being a
grandmother, and through it all,I've seen the faithfulness of
God.
You are enough for yourchildren and grandchildren, not
because you have it all together, but because God chose you
specifically for them.
Out of all the women in theworld, God entrusted those
(12:33):
little ones to you and hedoesn't make mistakes.
So take a deep breath, rest inhis promises and when
uncertainty creeps in, open hisword and let it fill you with
strength and peace.
You are not walking thisjourney alone.
You are living on purpose inChrist, as a mom, as a
grandmother and as a beloveddaughter of God.
(12:57):
Let us pray.
Heavenly Father, thank you foryour word that speaks to both
mothers and grandmothers.
Thank you for reminding us thatwe don't walk this road alone.
Help us to cling to yourpromises, to find rest in your
presence and to live withconfidence in Christ.
May our children andgrandchildren see your love
(13:19):
through us.
In Jesus' name, we pray Amen.
If you're craving a devotionalrhythm that actually works in
your busy life, I'd love toinvite you to the Aroma of
Christ Coaching Hour plus PeaceReset.
In this one-on-one session,I'll walk alongside you as we
craft a simple, sustainabledevotional practice that works
(13:40):
in the real flow of your day,not an idolized version of life,
but your life as it truly is.
And as a special bonus, you'llalso experience the Peace Reset,
a gentle, spirit-led processthat helps release the lingering
burden of a past memory oranything else that's been
holding you back from fullystepping into your calling as a
(14:01):
mom or grandmother.
It's a powerful way to let goof what weighs heavy on your
heart so you can move forward infreedom and peace.
This is more than just coaching.
It's a time to breathe, toanchor yourself in Christ and to
walk away with a devotionalrhythm that feels life-giving.
You can reserve your place nowat paula behrens.
(14:23):
com/ coaching.
That's Paula BehrensB-E-H-R-E-N-S .
com/ coaching (no spaces).
Book your session now while thePeace RESET is still on the
tableThank you for tuning in today
and remember, just like settingbiblical boundaries, it's okay
to say no to things that don'tserve you well, like that third
(14:44):
piece of cake at the churchpotluck.
If you were blessed by thisepisode, be sure to share it
with a friend and leave a reviewso that we can reach even more
women like you.
Check the show notes for allthe links.
Join us next time as wecontinue to discover how to live
on purpose in Christ.
Until then, keep leaning intohim and walking in his wisdom.
(15:05):
See you next time.