Deconstructing Mamas

In this week’s episode, we dive straight into the heart of fear-based parenting — where it comes from, how it still shows up, and how we begin to choose something different. We ask ourselves the questions we wish someone had asked us years ago:

• What were we taught — explicitly or implicitly — about what made someone a “godly” or “good” parent?
• How did those teachings shape how we viewed our kids — and how responsible we felt for ...

If you’ve ever stepped away from high-control religion, you know there’s a cost. Sometimes it’s obvious—the loss of community, relationships, or even belonging in your own family. 

Other times, it’s invisible—the quiet grief of realizing the certainty you once clung to has slipped away, leaving you feeling untethered.

This week on the podcast, we’re digging into that cost—naming the wounds, telling the truth about what we’ve carried,...

Welcome to Season Eight!

This is the beginning of the final season of our podcast!

This week, the two of us are chatting through these questions:

1. What’s one word or image that comes to mind when you think about this podcast’s beginning?

2. What was the ache or question we were carrying that made us want to start this show?

3. Can you remember a moment early on when you thought, “Yes, this matters”?

4. Wha...

Our episode this week is with our own Lizz Enns Petters, mom of two, author and podcast hostess.

Our conversation is full of laughter, seriousness and our decision to have permission to explore our faith, along with Lizz's latest accomplishment of being published in a new children's Bible called God's Stories as Told by God's Children.

We chat through these questions:

1. You recently contributed to the Bi...

“There's a misconception that once you leave religion, you magically learn everything you missed about relationships and sex” - The Sexvangelicals

Our episode this week is with Jeremiah Gibson and Julia Postema, sex and relationship therapists, coaching and podcast hosts specializing in recovery from high-control religion as it relates to relationships and sexual intimacy.

Our conversation is full of candor, ...

''Without women we don’t have Jesus. We don’t have Christianity. We don’t have any of it.” (Claire K. McKeever-Burgett)

Our episode this week is with Claire K. McKeever-Burgett, mom of two and author of Blessed are the Women: Naming and Reclaiming Women's Stories from the Gospels.

Our conversation is full of wisdom, both fierce and tender, and the reclamation of the divine feminine in all her forms. 

'''Diligent study is precisely what got us here." Jamin Coller

Our episode this week is with Jamin Coller, dad of six, podcaster and author of Dear Evangelicals.

Our conversation is passionate, funny and so very eye-opening.

We chat through these questions:

1.  Your book, Dear Evangelicals, frames deconstruction not as rebellion, but as a painful act of integrity after "stumbling ...

'''Our job as parents is not to make other people comfortable with how we raise our kids, Our job is to make sure our kids grow up in a family where they’re comfortable being exactly who they are.'' Shelly Robinson

Our episode this week is with Rachel Pinto-Martin, founder of Self Love, Healthy Boundaries Coaching, mom of two, former Mormon and fierce Queer ally and advocate.

On this episode, we tal...

"Where did we ever get the notion that in order for children to behave better, they first have to feel worse?" 

Our episode this week is with Wendy Snyder, founder of Fresh Start Family, mom of two teens, podcaster and certified positive (or as she likes to call it), powerful parenting coach.

On this episode, we talk with Wendy about what it means to be an empowered parent and how can we parent out of compassionat...

"In the end, Jesus proved that forgiveness is more powerful than punches and kicks.  And in the end, love wins over hate." - Jared Neusch and Connor Shram in their book: Jesus vs. the Bad Guys

Our episode this week is with two dads, one a corn hole champion and Biblical scholar (Dr. Jared Neusch) and the other a comedian and change-maker (Connor Shram), both authors of a new book perfect for this time of year, Jesus Vs. th...

You don’t have to the answers to why Jesus died to talk about Easter with your kids. (Sarah Swartzendruber)

Our episode this week is with our resident Children's Pastor, childhood development expert, mom to two and Bible scholar, Sarah Swartzendruber.

On this episode, we talk with Sarah about reimagining the Easter story by diving into atonement theories and practical ways we can talk about it with our littles, middles...

The worst thing we ever did is pretend God isn’t the easiest thing in this Universe available to every soul in every breath. (Chelan Harkin)

Our episode this week is with Chelan Harkin, mama to two and mystical poet extraordinaire.

On this episode, we talk with Chelan about growing up in the Baha'i faith, the courage it takes to question what you've been told all your life, how our faith can align with our soul an...

With regard to the question, “Do you believe in God?” I do not care much about your answer. But if I were to ask the last five people with whom you’ve interacted if you were kind, about those answers I care very much. (Rabbi Brian Zachary Mayer)

Our episode this week is with Rabbi Brian Zachary Mayer, dad, author of the brilliant book, Highly Unorthodox Gospel, (also known as HUG), French Horn player and our very first Rabbi.

Doubt is another word for imagination. (Liz Charlotte Grant)

Our episode this week is with Liz Charlotte Grant, mom, author of the new brilliant book, Knock at the Sky: Seeking God in Genesis After Losing Faith in the Bible, artist and lover of the Bible.

On this episode, we talk with Liz about all things related to seeking God through Scripture even as our faith continues to evolve. 

We chat through these question...

What we're learning is that God is comfortable with questions. In fact, our questions are often where God want to meet us. (Erin Hicks Moon)

Our episode this week is with Erin Hicks Moon, mom, author of the new brilliant book, I've Got Questions, Zac Efron apologist (it's a thing y'all), and self-proclaimed Bible-nerd.

On this episode, we talk with Erin about all things related to questioning, and why it...

"Purity culture presents a false dichotomy: restraint or chaos.  The real alternative?  Sexual empowerment - the freedom to experience intimacy on your own meaningful terms." (Joshua Harris)

Our episode this week is with Joshua Harris, former pastor and the author of I Kissed Dating Goodbye, released at the height of purity culture, and currently on an highly sacred, evolving spiritual path. Here's where he finds hims...

"When our faith shifts, sometimes stories that once felt magical like Christmas feel complicated. We can still feel empowered by the magical parts of the story while leaving room for age appropriate theology and curiosity with the story." (Sarah Swartzendruber)

Our episode this week is with Sarah Swartzendruber, Sarah is a mama, pastor, kid's faith curriculum creator (Zippee) and cohort leader for Parenting After Deco...

"I’m writing the story Bible I wish to see in the world. Not just for my daughter, not just for girls, but for all kids. Because when it comes to the love of God, everyone belongs.” Mariko Clark

Our episode this week is with the author and illustrator of the new and wildly popular children's Bible story book, The Book of Belonging, Mariko Clark and Rachel Eleanor. Their passion to provide a resource for kids (and their par...

"We never had certainty we just thought we did. We convinced ourselves we could absolutely be sure. Now we know the truth and the next step is to find peace in that uncertainty and maybe even be happy about it, to have patience with everything unresolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves." Marla Taviano in her new book “Whole” (with a nod to words by Rilke) 

Our episode this week is with Marla Taviano,...