The Perfectionist's Guide to Mothering with Andrea Fortenberry
By Andrea Fortenberry
The Perfectionist's Guide to Mothering with Andrea FortenberryApr 21, 2021
E99: Happy Mother's Day
Happy Mother's Day and welcome to Episode 99 of The Perfectionist's Guide to Mothering! Today I have the pleasure of sharing my friend, Colleen Engle, and her words with you. Grab a tissue because you're likely going to need it!
E98: Battling Burnout
Welcome to Episode 98 of The Perfectionist’s Guide to Mothering! Today we're talking about battling burnout.
Some of the resources I mention in this episode include:
- Maycember by The Holderness Family
- It Wasn't Roaring, It Was Weeping by Lisa-Jo Baker*
- Out of the Ordinary Podcast
Just a reminder that you can connect with me via:
*Affiliate Link
E97: She Believed He Could, So She Did
Welcome to Episode 97 of The Perfectionist’s Guide to Mothering! Today I’m chatting with my friend Becky Beresford. Becky lives in North Carolina and is happily outnumbered by her husband and three wonderful boys. She is an author, speaker, and coach with a master's certificate in Spiritual Formation and Discipleship from Moody Theological Seminary. Becky loves encouraging God’s daughters to embrace Christ-centered empowerment through the truth found in the gospel. Some of the resources we mention in this episode include:
- Becky's new book, She Believed He Could, So She Did*
- The Pause App
You can connect with Becky via:
- Her Website: beckyberesford.com
- Instagram: @becky.beresford
- Facebook: facebook.com/beckyberesfordauthor
Just a reminder that you can connect with me via:
- Instagram @andreafortenberry
- My website
- Subscribe to my free monthlyish magazine, Restore.
*Affiliate Link
E96: Choosing Contentment
Welcome to Episode 96 of The Perfectionist’s Guide to Mothering! Today we're talking about contentment.
Some of the resources I mention in this episode include:
- Philippians 4:11-13
- Girls with Swords by Lisa Bevere*
- The MomCo Leader Podcast
- The Next Right Thing by Emily P. Freeman*
- The Next Right Thing Podcast
Just a reminder that you can connect with me via:
- Instagram @andreafortenberry
- My website
- Subscribe to my free monthly magazine, Restore.
*Affiliate Link
E95: Living a Life Full of Faith
Welcome to Episode 95 of The Perfectionist’s Guide to Mothering! Today I’m chatting with my friend Megan Wright. Megan believes that her assignment from God is to help women find confidence in Christ. Her exuberant passion for scripture has brought the Bible to life in a fresh way for audiences across the country. She boldly teaches how to experience life transformation through real talk for real women.
Megan is a speaker, a popular author on the YouVersion Bible app, a full-time seminary student, and a Bible teacher at her local church. We chat about her latest You Version plan: Full of It! Living a Life FULL of Faith.
You can connect with Megan via:
As always, you can connect with me via:
E94: Daily Acts of Gratitude
Welcome to Episode 94 of The Perfectionist’s Guide to Mothering! Today I’m chatting with Kendra Roehl and Julie Fisk. Kendra and Julie are Central Minnesota authors and collectively, they are mom to seven kids between the ages of 10-32. They believe in the immense power of authentic community and of intentionally living one’s faith out loud through kindness and friendship.
They have several published books, including the One Year Daily Acts of Kindness devotional, One Year Daily Acts of Friendship: 365 Days to Finding, Keeping, and Loving Your Friends, 100 Daily Acts of Friendship for Girls: A Devotional, One Good Word A Day and their newest, the One Year Daily Acts of Gratitude.*
Some of the resources we mention in this episode include:
- Susie Larson
- Heaven by Randy Alcorn*
- N.T. Wright on YouTube
- You Bet Your Garden Podcast
- Cooks Illustrated Pancake Recipe
You can connect with Kendra and Julie via:
Just a reminder that you can connect with me via:
*Affiliate Link
E93: Perfection Versus Progress
Just a reminder that my application for interns is still open until January 31st, just a few more days! Head to andreafortenberry.com/intern
Some of the resources I mention in this episode:
- Power Sheets
- Erin Condren Monthly Planner
- Winnie's Great War by Lindsay Mattick*
Just a reminder that you can connect with me via:
Instagram @andreafortenberry
Subscribe to my free monthly magazine, Restore.
*Affiliate Link
E92: Fit for the Call
Welcome to Episode 92 of The Perfectionist’s Guide to Mothering! Today I’m replaying an episode from last year with my friend Sarah Martin.
Just a reminder that my application for interns is still open! Head to andreafortenberry.com/intern
Sarah Martin is a wife, mom, author, and a Certified FASTer Way Health & Wellness Coach. She is passionate about gathering purpose-driven women and coaching you in health and wellness to love God heart, soul, mind, and strength to be fit for the call He has on your life. Some of the resources we mention in this episode include: The YouVersion Bible App
The Last Dance ESPN Documentary Reduce Insulated Tumbler* Sarah's book, Higher Pursuits: Positioning Yourself for Everyday Revival* You can connect with Sarah via: Instagram: @sarahmartinvibrantlife Her website Just a reminder that you can connect with me via: Instagram @andreafortenberry My website Subscribe to my free monthly magazine, Restore. New issues come out the first Friday of every month. *Affiliate Link
E91: End-of-Year Q&A
Welcome to Episode 91 of The Perfectionist’s Guide to Mothering! Today I’m answering your questions!
Here are links to some of the resources I mention:
- The MomCo by MOPS International
- Citrus Pear
- My application for interns
- My Insider Team Facebook Group
- My amazing agent, Barb Roose
- Toastmasters International
- E67: Start Slowly
- The MomCo Leader Podcast
- Subscribe to Restore Magazine
Just a reminder that you can connect with me via:
E90: The Perfectionist's Guide to the Holidays - Part 2
Welcome to Episode 90 of The Perfectionist's Guide to Mothering! I'm continuing the conversation all about the holidays with my friend, Jennifer Iverson. Find her at jenniferiverson.com and on Instagram @ivymamma.
In this episode we dive into the practical: activities and traditions, gift giving, budgeting and saving money, food, and some of our favorite holiday hacks.
Don't forget that my application for interns is open now through December 31st! You can find all the details and the application at andreafortenberry.com/intern.
Some of the resources Jennifer and I mention in this episode include:
- Advent cards: I've searched and can't find the pin or the file on my computer. :( I'll keep looking and will update when I find it.
- Board Games: Qwirkle, Azul, Pass the Pigs, Throw Throw Burrito, Killer Bunnies*
- Kiwi Co. Subscriptions*
- Soundtracks by Jon Acuff*
- Your New Playlist: The Student's Guide to Tapping into the Power of Mindset by John Acuff with L.E. Acuff and McRae Acuff*
- Domino Masters Show
*Affiliate Links
E89: The Perfectionist's Guide to the Holidays - Part 1
Welcome to Episode 89 of The Perfectionist’s Guide to Mothering! We are officially in the Christmas season and it’s such an exciting time of the year!
To help you for your holidays, I’m replaying two of my most popular episodes, Part 1 and 2 of The Perfectionist’s Guide to the Holidays that I recorded with my friend, Jennifer Iverson. Find her at jenniferiverson.com and on Instagram @ivymamma. In this episode, I also mention that I'm accepting applications for interns for 2024! You can find all the details at andreafortenberry.com/intern. The deadline is December 31st.
Just a reminder that you can connect with me via:
E88: Learning to Do Less so God Can Do More
Welcome to Episode 88 of The Perfectionist’s Guide to Mothering! Today I’m sharing my conversation with Jodi Kinasewitz. Jodi is a previous guest of the podcast, you can check our conversation on Navigating Mental Health Issues in Episode 31.
She is the author of Soulful Surrender: Learning to Do Less So God Can Do More*, which we chat about in this episode. We also talk about how to stop striving and hustling through our days, and how to to slow down to enjoy the holidays.
Some of the resources we mention include:
- Called Creatives
- Thrivers by Michele Borba, Ed.D.*
- "All the Light We Cannot See" on Netflix
You can connect with Jodi on:
Just a reminder that you can connect with me via:
Subscribe to my monthly magazine, Restore. Issues will hit your inbox the first Friday of every month.
*Affiliate Link
E87: The Importance of Play
Welcome to Episode 87 of The Perfectionist’s Guide to Mothering! Today I’m sharing my conversation with Laura Haver, author of Play Together: Games & Activities for the Whole Family to Boost Creativity, Connection & Mindfulness.*
Laura Haver is obsessed with uncovering the secrets of how to live an unstoppable and joyful life. She is a mom, life coach, author, speaker and athlete. She has helped hundreds of individuals to experience more play, adventure, growth and inspiration in their lives and businesses. She has been featured on the Today Show, CBS, Fox, Parents and more. Laura holds a master’s degree in International Communication and has been coaching for over 25 years in leadership, life design and tennis.
Some of the resources we mention in this episode include:
- Play Together: Games & Activities for the Whole Family to Boost Creativity, Connection & Mindfulness.*
- Growing Up in Public: Coming of Age in a Digital World by Dr. Devorah Heitner*
- The Calm App
You can connect with Laura via:
Just a reminder that you can connect with me via:
- My website: andreafortenberry
- Instagram: @andreafortenberry
Subscribe to my monthlyish magazine,Restore here.
*Affiliate Link
E86: How to Move Past Limiting Beliefs
Welcome to Episode 86 of The Perfectionist’s Guide to Mothering! Today I want to talk to you about something I’ve been hearing about lately: limiting beliefs.
In this episode we talk about:
- What are limiting beliefs?
- What are your limiting beliefs?
- How changing your limiting beliefs can change your life
Resources I mention in this episode include:
- The Global Leadership Summit
- Soundtracks by Jon Acuff*
- On Writing Well by William Zinsser*
- "1,000 Names" by Phil Wickham
- The Microdelivery Vitamin C Resurfacing Peek Kit by Philosophy*
- The MomCo by MOPS International
Just a reminder that you can connect with me via:
Subscribe to my monthlyish magazine, Restore. Yay for happy email!
*Affiliate Link
E85: Strategies for the Sports Mom
Welcome to Episode 85 of The Perfectionist's Guide to Mothering! I'm so excited to be chatting with my very funny friend, Noelle Rhodes, all about strategies for the sports mom. We are both moms of kids in sports and have some insight and tips to help you if you are a sports mom or if you become one in the future.
In case you don’t know her, Noelle Rhodes is a comedian, a pastor, and a previous guest of the podcast. We chatted all about Trusting God’s Timing in Episode 28 and she was also on Episode 65, Five Loaves and Two Fish. Some of the resources we mention in the episode include:
- Voxer
- doTERRA Purify essential oil for stinky sports equipment.
- Gear you need: visit my Amazon store* where I have links for the wagon that saves my life, stadium chairs for bleachers, a canopy for outdoor shade, a first-aid kid, and instant ice packs.
You can connect with Noelle on:
Just a reminder that you can connect with me via:
Subscribe to my monthly magazine, Restore. Issues will hit your inbox the first Friday of every month. Yay for happy email!
*Affiliate Link
E84: Digital Detox - A Tech Reset for Kids
Welcome to Episode 84 of The Perfectionist’s Guide to Mothering! Today I’m sharing my conversation with Molly DeFrank, author of Digital Detox: The Two Week Tech Reset for Kids.* Molly is a mom to six children, three boys and three girls, ages six to thirteen. She spends most of her time telling them to put on their shoes. She helps parents get back in the driver’s seat to better navigate the stress of screen time in the home.
We chat all about her book and I share my experience with our family's digital detox we implemented over the summer.
You can connect with Molly via:
- Her website, where she has some amazing goodies that complement her book: mollydefrank.com
- Instagram: @mollydefrank
Just a reminder that you can connect with me via:
Subscribe to my monthly magazine, Restore. Issues will hit your inbox the first Friday of every month.
*Affiliate Link
E83: A Teacher's Wisdom
Welcome to Episode 83 of The Perfectionist’s Guide to Mothering! I am so excited to share this episode. I had the privilege of interviewing my high school biology teacher, Rick Cole.
We talk about what moms can do (and stop doing) to help their kids' educational journey, how we can love and support teachers, and much more! He offers such great wisdom and insight.
Some of the resources we mention in this episode include:
· Hawaii by James A. Michener*
· John Grisham Novels
You can connect with Mr. Cole via email: rtcoleclan at msn.com
Just a reminder that you can connect with me via:
Subscribe to my monthly magazine, Restore. Issues will hit your inbox the first Friday of every month.
*Affiliate Link
E82: Remaining You While Raising Them
Welcome to Episode 82 of The Perfectionist's Guide to Mothering! Today I'm so excited to welcome my mentor and friend, Alli Worthington, back to the podcast. (You can listen to Episode 9: Standing Strong with Alli here.)
This time, we're chatting all about her new book, Remaining You While Raising Them.* We talk about how modern motherhood is broken, mom guilt, the greatest gift a mom can give her kids, and more.
Some of the resources we mention in this episode include:
- Remaining You While Raising Them*
- Happier Hour by Cassie Holmes, PhD*
- Epionce Daily Shield Tinted SPF 50 Moisturizer*
You can connect with Alli through:
- alliworthington.com, where you can take her "What's Your Superpower?" Quiz
- Instagram @alliworthington
- The Alli Worthington Show
Just a reminder that you can connect with me via:
Subscribe to my monthly magazine, Restore. Issues will hit your inbox the first Friday of every month.
*Affiliate Link
E81: Body & Soul Summer Series - The Cure for Mom Overwhelm
Welcome to Episode 81 of The Perfectionist’s Guide to Mothering! This is the last episode of our Body & Soul Summer Series. It's been fun to chat through topics to help us as moms, body and soul.
Today I'm talking about mom overwhelm: why we feel it and the cure for it from Psalm 23.
Some of the resources I mention in this episode include:
- Psalm 23:1-4 NASB
- 2 Corinthians 9:8
- God Knows by Lisa Whittle*
- The Hard Good by Lisa Whittle*
- Called Creatives*
- The Craig Groeschel Leadership Podcast
- Lead Like It Matters by Craig Groeschel*
- The Grove Collaborative*: Get a free gift set with my link.
- Kitch Satin Sleep Scrunchies
Just a reminder that you can connect with me via:
Subscribe to my monthly magazine, Restore. Issues will hit your inbox the first Friday of every month.
*Affiliate Link
E80: Body & Soul Summer Series - Pelvic Floor Health
Welcome to Episode 80 of The Perfectionist’s Guide to Mothering! Right now we’re right in the middle of our Body & Soul Summer Series and today’s episode is about the body, particularly pelvic floor health. I think we’ve all heard of the pelvic floor, but maybe aren’t sure what it is or how to take care of it. That’s why I invited Dr. Kate Palmer to join us on the podcast.
She is a Doctor of Physical Therapy specializing in women’s health, specifically pregnancy, postpartum, dancers, and pelvic health, and wellness. She believes in a holistic, whole-body approach to treating musculoskeletal issues.
We chat about what the pelvic floor is, why it's important for us to pay attention to these muscles, and much more!
Some of the resources we mention in this episode:
You can connect with Dr. Kate via:
Just a reminder that you can connect with me via:
Subscribe to my monthly magazine, Restore. Issues will hit your inbox the first Friday of every month.
*Affiliate Link
E79: Body & Soul Summer Series - Finding True Rest
Welcome to Episode 79 of The Perfectionist’s Guide to Mothering! Today I’m chatting with Sarah Hauser. She is a writer, speaker, mom of four, and a very loud rescue dog. She is the author of All Who Are Weary: Finding True Rest by Letting Go of the Burdens You Were Never Meant to Carry.*
We chat about some of the soul-crushing burdens Sarah mentions in her book, one of which is perfectionism. We also chat about how unpacking the things we carry can help us be better moms and how we can let go of our burdens to carry something better instead.
Some of the resources we mention include:
- Bearing God's Name by Carmen Joy Imes*
- Bearing God's Image by Carmen Joy Imes*
- Kendra Adachi, The Lazy Genius
- Focus on the Family: Counseling
- Biblical Hope Counseling: Arizona
- Living Hope Counseling: Arizona
You can connect with Sarah via:
Just a reminder that you can connect with me via:
*Affiliate Link
E78: Body & Soul Summer Series - Fit for the Call
E77: Body & Soul Summer Series - Spending Time with God
Welcome to Episode 77 of The Perfectionist’s Guide to Mothering! Right now we’re currently in our Body & Soul Summer series and I’m excited to share the conversation I had with my friend Courtney Lowman about spending time with God.
Courtney is a wife, mom, speaker and podcast host. Because she believes that everyone has an absolute need for discipleship and mentorship, Courtney created The Journey of Ruth Discipleship Podcast where episodes reflect her mission to help women Love Jesus, Read His Work, and Reach Others. Alongside serving her global audience, Courtney enjoys living out her mission closer to home as a volunteer alongside her husband in their church’s college ministry, as a speaker, and as a discipler of young women.
Some of the resources we mention in this episode include:
- Wake Up Light for Kids*
- So Much More: Creating Space for God (Lectio Divina and Scripture Meditation) Podcast
- Lectio 365 App
- The Bible Journal for Busy Women
- Jesus Calling for Kids by Sarah Young*
- Indescribable: 100 Devotions for Kids About God and Science by Louie Giglio*
- The Gospel Comes with a Housekey by Rosaria Butterfield*
- Smart Money Happy Hour
- Courtney's Favorite Milk Frother*
- Growing Slow by Jennifer Dukes Lee*
You can connect with Courtney via:
Just a reminder that you can connect with me via:
Subscribe to my free monthly magazine, Restore. New issues come out the first Friday of every month.
*Affiliate Link
E76: Body & Soul Summer Series - How to Build Body Confidence
Welcome to Episode 76 of The Perfectionist’s Guide to Mothering! This episode is kicking off our Body and Soul Summer Series!
Today I’m talking with my friend, writer, and speaker, Jessica Carey about body confidence. Jess Carey is a wife and mother of two teenagers, who has moved more than eight times across more than 11,000 miles in the past decade, including a stint internationally. From acting in New York to running a business overseas, she has consistently sailed into the unknown. She is open, honest, and vulnerable in her writing and her speaking. She gives her audience permission to dream again, to forgive the past, and hope to launch into a bright new future.
Some of the resources we mention in this episode include:
- I Mom So Hard: I Swimsuit Season So Hard
- Buzz Feed: Photoshopping Real Women Into Cover Model
- Try Softer by Aundi Kolber*
- Tarte Shape Tape Concealer
- Tarte Pressed Setting Powder
You can connect with Jess via:
- Her website: jessicacarey.co, where she has a Five Quick Habits to Build Body Confidence video series
- Instagram @jess_careyaz
Just a reminder that you can connect with me via:
Subscribe to my free monthly magazine, Restore. New issues come out the first Friday of every month.
*Affiliate Link
E75: How to Survive Maycember
Welcome to Episode 75 of the Perfectionist’s Guide to Mothering! Also, happy May! It’s a new month and a busy one for most of us, as the school year is winding down. This means lots of extra things for our kids and us by default: concerts, recitals, school projects, field trips, class parties, teacher appreciation, and more! It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all there is going on. But I don’t want us to feel overwhelmed, I want us to take some time now on the front end of the month to help our future selves. Let's not just survive this month, let's thrive!
A few of the resources I recommend in this episode include:
- Restore Magazine: May 2022 Issue with Mother's Day Gift Ideas
- Episode 4 with Amy Carney
- Dangerous Prayers by Craig Groeschel*
- Call the Midwife
- YouVersion Bible App
- Greenlight App: Earn $30 when you sign up for Greenlight with this link. With the money app and debit card for kids and teens, you can send your kids money instantly, assign chores, and teach them to earn, save, and invest.*
- Sign up for Restore Magazine here. New issues will hit your inbox on the first Friday of every month. Yay for happy email!
Just a reminder that you can connect with me via:
E74: On Becoming
Welcome to Episode 74 of The Perfectionist’s Guide to Mothering! In this episode, I talk about hitting the milestone of 10k downloads. Thank you so much!
I also chat about becoming, discouragement, waiting, and what to do when we feel disappointed.
Here are some of my questions for you:
- What did you enjoy doing as a child? What made you happy?
- How has God used those things in your journey to becoming? What dots can you connect from your life now that you couldn’t see as you lived through them?
- What are you waiting for? How can you grow your roots down deep in this waiting season?
Some of the resources I mention include:
- “Nobody wants to show you the hours and hours of becoming. They’d rather show the highlight of what they’ve become.” - Angela Duckworth
- Galatians 6:9: “Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we don’t give up.”
- Zechariah 4:10: “Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin.”
- Psalm 1:1-3 says, “How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers, But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night, And he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season, And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers.”
- “Don’t waste the waiting. A waiting season isn’t a wasted season if you continue to seek and push into God.” - Pastor Craig Groeschel
- Marmee by Sarah Miller*
- Next Level Chef and Farmer Wants a Wife
- Jireh by Elevation Worship & Maverick City Music
- Calendly
- Episode 20, Rest for Weary Moms, of The Perfectionist's Guide to Mothering
- Julie and Julia
Just a reminder that you can connect with me via:
You can support this podcast financially by clicking here.
*Affiliate Link
E73: The Pace of Grace
Welcome to Episode 73 of The Perfectionist’s Guide to Mothering! Today I’m talking with my friend, Rebecca George.
Rebecca is the founder of Radical Radiance® - a podcast community where listeners are equipped to blend what they love with the Jesus who makes them shine. She is a podcaster, speaker, and author whose greatest joy in life is discipling others to pursue their passions in a way that builds the Kingdom. In her free time, you can find her running outside, writing, or trying a new recipe with Garth Brooks playing in the background.
In this episode, we talk about the inspiration for Rebecca's new book, Do the Thing: Gospel-Centered Goals, Gumption, and Grace for the Go-Getter Girl*, striving, how to say no, and the pace of grace.
Some of the resources we mention include:
You can connect with Rebecca via:
Just a reminder that you can connect with me via:
You can support this podcast financially by clicking here. *Affiliate Link
E72: Hot Date Night
Welcome to Episode 72 of The Perfectionist’s Guide to Mothering! Today I’m talking with my amazing friend, Jackie Kelley. Jackie is a stay-at-home mom to two wild boys based in Arizona. She is a self-proclaimed “maker” who loves to dream big. She has served with her local MOPS chapter for five years and has a passion for young moms and young families.
Along with her husband of eight years, she is on a mission to show the world that having intentional fun with your spouse is possible regardless of what season of life you are in.
We chat all about Hot Date Night: the why, the rules, and how you can implement hot date night into your marriage today.
Some of the resources we mention include:
You can connect with Jackie via:
You can support this podcast financially by clicking here.
*Affiliate Link
E71: Untangling Faith
Welcome to Episode 71 of The Perfectionist’s Guide to Mothering!
Today I’m talking with the very funny and insightful, Amberly Neese. Amberly is a popular speaker/teacher, comedian, author, and all-around encourager dedicated to helping you become the joyful person you were created to be.
Amberly is a featured speaker for the Aspire Women’s Events and the main host and female comedian for Marriage Date Night, two popular Christian events that tour nationally.
She and her husband have two adult children and live in Prescott, Arizona, where they enjoy the great outdoors, the Food Network, and all things Star Wars. She is also a previous guest of the podcast in Episode 50, What I Wish I’d Thought Of.
In this episode, we chat about untangling our faith, holy uncertainty, and how our struggles and questions about faith can actually draw us closer to God.
Some of the resources we mention include:
- Amberly's new Bible study, Untangling Faith, which releases April 18th. When you pre-order you get amazing bonuses!
- Jeremiah 29:13
- 1 Peter 5:10
- James 1:2-5
- Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers*
- Google Calendar
- Miss Jessie's Hair Products
You can connect with Amberly via:
- Her website: amberlyneese.com
- Her free newsletter: amberlyneese.com/join
- Instagram @amberlyneese_comedian
*Affiliate Link
E70: How to be a Time-Saving Mom
Welcome to Episode 70 of The Perfectionist’s Guide to Mothering! Today I’m talking with the amazing Crystal Paine.
Crystal is the founder of MoneySavingMom.com, host of The Crystal Paine Show podcast, and a New York Times bestselling author. Her desire is to help women across the globe live with more joy, purpose, and intention in their everyday lives. She lives with her husband and six kids in the Nashville, Tennessee, area, where she is actively involved in her local church.
Her biggest passions are helping women understand how the gospel can radically transform their lives, raising awareness for foster care, going on adventures with her family (locally, domestically, and internationally), finding great deals at the grocery store, having heartfelt conversations, and trying to read too many books at one time!
We chat all about her new book, The Time-Saving Mom, which releases on March 7th.* In this episode shares her four-step system, her time-blocked to-do list, and many other great time-saving tips!
Some of the resources we mention include:
- Off the Clock by Laura Vanderkam*
- 168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think by Laura Vanderkam*
- Mind Your Mindset by Meghan Hyatt Miller and Michael Hyatt*
- Soundtracks by John Acuff*
- Libby App
- Hoopla App
- The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson*
- Clean Angel Miraculous Cleaner*
- Nothing to Prove by Jennie Allen*
You can connect with Crystal through:
- Her website: moneysavingmom.com
- Her podcast: The Crystal Paine Show
- Instagram: @themoneysavingmom
- The new book: The Time-Saving Mom
*Affiliate Link
E69: How to Handle Decision Fatigue
Welcome to Episode 69 of The Perfectionist’s Guide to Mothering! Today I’m talking with my friend and MOPS coworker, Kelli Jordan.
Kelli Jordan is a mom, grandma, mentor and MOPS International staffer living in the Kansas City area. She loves a good story, especially the stories of real people doing good things in the world every single day. She is committed to helping others find and share the hope of Jesus and embrace the good all around them. Read more from her at kellijordan.blog.
In this episode, we talk all about decision fatigue. As moms, we make so many decisions daily! Kelli shares these amazing tips and much more on how to handle decision fatigue:
- Make your most important decisions earlier in the day
- Set up some routines
- Simplify
- Focus on momentum
- Know when it’s time to stop
- Set a deadline
Some of the resources we mention:
- God Has a Name by John Mark Comer*
- The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer*
- Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus*
- Air Fryer Toaster Oven Combo*
E68: Start Small
Welcome to Episode 68 of The Perfectionist’s Guide to Mothering!
Today I’m talking with my friend, Lain Ehmann. Lain is a radio show host, journalist, best-selling author, and consultant. Her superpower is creating clarity from confusion and helping her clients get their voices heard in a noisy world. A sought-after public speaker and coach, Lain loves leading retreats, facilitating masterminds, and bringing women together who want to change the world one conversation at a time.
She is the mom of three amazing kids and lives with her husband and family in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Some of the resources we mention in this episode include:
- Lain's book, Start Small: Tiny Shifts to Boost Your Relationships, Simplify Your Day, and Life a Happier Life*
- The True Vine by Andrew Murray*
- Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader Documentary
- Scribd*: Use Lain's link to get two months free
- Subscribe to my digital magazine, Restore
- Support the podcast here
- Send me an email or DM me on Instagram
You can connect with Lain through:
E67: Start Slowly
Welcome to Episode 67 of The Perfectionist’s Guide to Mothering!
In this episode, I share how and why we can start this year out slowly. In a world that’s focused on hustle and going harder, starting slowly is very counter-cultural, but I think it’s the pace our souls were designed for.
Here are some of the resources I mention in this episode:
- Matthew 11:28-30 MSG
- Episode 20 of The Perfectionist's Guide to Mothering: Rest for Weary Moms
- Growing Slow by Jennifer Dukes Lee*
- Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott*
- Soundtracks by Jon Acuff*
- Citrus Pear
- Subscribe to my digital magazine, Restore
- Support the podcast here
- Send me an email or DM me on Instagram
*Affiliate Link
E66: Fan the Flame
Now that December is almost over and Christmas has passed, you might find yourself feeling burned out and a little weary.
This message my dear friend Ginger Ciminello gave at Restore: Soul Care for Moms, is the perfect thing for us to hear as we recover from the activities of the holiday season.
Ginger is a dear friend, she’s a speaker, author and a previous guest of the podcast. You can find our previous conversation about Remembering God’s Faithfulness in Episode 7.
Last thing: If your church is interested in bringing Restore: Soul Care for Moms to your church in 2023, let me know! I can produce the event at virtually cost to your organization.
Contact me here:
E65: Five Loaves and Two Fish
Welcome to Episode 65 of The Perfectionist’s Guide to Mothering!
In our last episode I shared the replay of my message from Restore: Soul Care for Moms 2022 with you. Today I’m going to share the replay of my friend Noelle’s message. Although it was recorded in June, I think her message is so poignant for us as moms in the Christmas season.
If case you don’t know her, Noelle Rhodes is a comedian, a pastor, and a previous guest of the podcast. We chatted all about Trusting God’s Timing in Episode 28. She is truly one of my favorite people on Instagram, so go find her! Be prepared to laugh and be encouraged by my very funny friend, Noelle Rhodes.
E64: What to Do When You're Distracted, Worried, and Upset
Welcome to Episode 64 of The Perfectionist’s Guide to Mothering!
I’m excited to share today’s episode with you, it is a recording of the message that I gave this summer at an event I host annually, Restore: Soul Care for Moms.
If your church is interested in bringing Restore: Soul Care for Moms to your church in 2023, let me know! I can produce the event at virtually cost to your organization.
Contact me here:
E63: Life Can Be Good Again
Welcome to Episode 63 of The Perfectionist’s Guide to Mothering!
Today I’m talking with Lisa Appelo. Lisa Appelo is a speaker inspiring women to cultivate faith in life’s storms and author of Life Can Be Good Again: Putting Your World Back Together After It All Falls Apart. When life shatters and you're navigating a life you didn't sign up for, Lisa provides compassionate, Biblical insight to help you find your footing, process raw emotion, and anchor your threadbare hope to see you won’t merely survive this, but that life can be good again.
A former litigating attorney, Lisa is passionate about rich Bible teaching. She writes at the popular site LisaAppelo.com, founded a team of writers at hopeingrief.com, administers the Facebook group Widow Mama Collective, and serves on the Executive Team for COMPEL with Proverbs31Ministries. As a single mom of seven, Lisa’s days are filled with parenting, ministry, and long walks to justify lots of dark chocolate.
In this episode, we talk about Lisa's story of loss, what has helped her and her family grieve, how we can help others going through grief, and how we can find hope that life will be good again despite our circumstances.
You can connect with Lisa through:
E62: The Perfectionist's Guide to the Holidays - Part 2
Welcome to Episode 62 of The Perfectionist's Guide to Mothering! I'm continuing the conversation all about the holidays with my friend and MOPS coworker, Jennifer Iverson.
Jennifer Iverson is a speaker, wife, mom and efficiency expert. With over 20 years of experience, Jennifer loves helping women develop as leaders and accomplish their goals. She believes that communication is the key that unlocks healthy relationships and that anything can be accomplished with a good cup of coffee. Jennifer is mom to six children, now ages 16-26, and truly does organize closets for fun. Find her at jenniferiverson.com and on Instagram @ivymamma.
In this episode we dive into the practical: activities and traditions, gift giving, budgeting and saving money, food, and some of our favorite holiday hacks.
Some of the resources we mention include:
- Advent cards: I've searched and can't find the pin or the file on my computer. :( I'll keep looking and will update when I find it.
- Board Games: Qwirkle, Azul, Pass the Pigs, Throw Throw Burrito, Killer Bunnies*
- Kiwi Co. Subscriptions*
- Soundtracks by Jon Acuff*
- Your New Playlist: The Student's Guide to Tapping into the Power of Mindset by John Acuff with L.E. Acuff and McRae Acuff*
- Domino Masters Show
*Affiliate Links
E61: The Perfectionist's Guide to the Holidays - Part 1
Welcome to Episode 61 of The Perfectionist's Guide to Mothering! Today I’m chatting with my friend and MOPS coworker, Jennifer Iverson.
Jennifer Iverson is a speaker, wife, mom and efficiency expert. With over 20 years of experience, Jennifer loves helping women develop as leaders and accomplish their goals. She believes that communication is the key that unlocks healthy relationships and that anything can be accomplished with a good cup of coffee. Jennifer is mom to six children, now ages 16-26, and truly does organize closets for fun. Find her at jenniferiverson.com and on Instagram @ivymamma.
We chat about holiday expectations, travel, balancing family plans, grief, boundaries, and more! Be sure to tune in for our next episode where we share practical tips, tricks, and hacks for the upcoming holiday season.
E60: Blended and Redeemed
Welcome to Episode 60 of The Perfectionist’s Guide to Mothering!
Today I’m talking with Scott and Vanessa Martindale. The Martindales founded Blended Kingdom Families (BKF) in 2020 with a passionate desire to equip and encourage blended families and married couples as well as to help the local church cultivate community among blended families. Through faith and radical obedience, Scott and Vanessa have partnered with God to better equip the local church to reach blended families. BKF exists to break the generational cycle of divorce by equipping marriages and uniting blended families with the truth of God’s Word.
In this episode we chat about their story of being a blended family, how we can come alongside and support blended families, some of their best tips for a thriving marriage and family, and more!
Some of the resources we mention include:
- Blended Kingdom Families Website
- Blended Kingdom Families Podcast
- BKF Podcast Episode with Andrea Fortenberry
- Blended and Redeemed
- The Creative Marriage by Ed and Lisa Young*
- Victory in Spiritual Warfare by Tony Evans*
- The Craig Groeschel Leadership Podcast
*Affiliate Link
E59: How to Follow God's Will
Welcome to Episode 59 of The Perfectionist’s Guide to Mothering!
Today I’m talking with Brittany Ann, who is a repeat guest of the podcast. If you want to hear our previous episode, it’s Episode 18.
Brittany Ann is an ECPA bestselling author of Fall in Love with God’s Word* and Follow God’s Will* and the founder of EquippingGodlyWomen.com, a popular Christian-living website dedicated to helping busy Christian moms find practical ways to go "all in" in faith and family. Her work has been featured on CBN, The Christian Post, Crosswalk, and more.
In this episode we talk about if God has a specific plan for your life, common myths we have about God's will, the checklist mentality, and more.
Some of the resources we mention include:
You can connect with Brittany Ann through EquippingGodlyWomen.com
*Affiliate Link
E58: Friendship Q & A - Summer Series Part 8
Welcome to Episode 58, aka Part 8 of The Perfectionist’s Guide to Friendship. Today we’re wrapping up our summer series. It has been so fun to focus on friendship these past few months!
We’ve been soliciting your input and questions on social media and today we share your thoughts about this series, a story, and answer your questions. Thank you to everyone who connected with us and helped us with content for this episode!
Although this series is over, we’d still love to continue the conversation with you! Send us a DM on Instagram @andreafortenberry and @staceymorgan2000.
We'd also love for you to share this episode with your friends and rate and review the podcast wherever you listen. Our hope is that you take what you learned this summer and go out and invest in yourself and in your friendships.
~xoxo
E57: Setting Our Kids Up for Friendship Success - Summer Series Part 7
Welcome to Episode 57, aka Part 7 of The Perfectionist's Guide to Friendship! In this episode, we chat about how to help our kids navigate friendships and how to set them up for success. We talk about how to discern when to jump in a friendship struggle and when to step back. We talk about the importance of sharing our friendship stories and how a lot of what they learn about friendship is caught, not just taught.
We'd love to continue the conversation with you! Send us a DM on Instagram with your friendship questions and quandaries you want us to talk about this summer. Find me @andreafortenberry and @staceymorgan2000.
We'd also love for you to share this episode with your friends! We hope our episodes will be a conversation starter and a catalyst for you to develop and deepen friendships.
E56: Friendship Lifecycles - Summer Series Part 6
Welcome to Episode 56, aka Part 6 of The Perfectionist's Guide to Friendship! In this episode, we chat about friendship lifecycles and seasons. We talk about how to revive a friendship and how it's important to grieve when a friendship dies.
We mention The Four Seasons of Marriage book by Dr. Gary Chapman.
We'd love to continue the conversation with you! Send us a DM on Instagram with your friendship questions and quandaries you want us to talk about this summer. Find me @andreafortenberry and @staceymorgan2000.
We'd also love for you to share this episode with your friends! We hope our episodes will be a conversation starter and a catalyst for you to develop and deepen friendships.
E55: When Friendship Hurts - Summer Series Part 5
Welcome to Episode 55 of The Perfectionist's Guide to Mothering, aka Part 5 of our Summer Series, The Perfectionist's Guide to Friendship. Today we're chatting about when friendship hurts. As much as we'd like to ignore this topic, the truth is that we're all sinful, broken people and sometimes we will hurt our friends or they will hurt us. We talk about: some healthy things we can do when we face friendship hurt, the friendship bus, how to handle conflict, and more.
In this episode, we mention:
- Proverbs 27:6
We'd love to continue the conversation with you! Send us a DM on Instagram with your friendship questions and quandaries you want us to talk about this summer. Find me @andreafortenberry and @staceymorgan2000.
We'd also love for you to share this episode with your friends! We hope our episodes will be a conversation starter and a catalyst for you to develop and deepen friendships.
E54: Vulnerability in Friendship - Summer Series Part 4
Welcome to Episode 54 of The Perfectionist's Guide to Mothering, aka Part 4 of our Summer Friendship Series!
Today we're chatting about vulnerability in friendships. We discuss what vulnerability is and how vulnerability helps our friendships grow. As usual, we also tell some personal stories to help us think about vulnerability and friendship in a new way.
Some homework from this episode is to think about which friend you can be vulnerable about and what will you be vulnerable about?
We'd love to continue the conversation with you! Send us a DM on Instagram with your friendship questions and quandaries you want us to talk about this summer. Find me @andreafortenberry and @staceymorgan2000.
We'd also love for you to share this episode with your friends! We hope our episodes will be a conversation starter and a catalyst for you to develop and deepen friendships.
E53: How to Make Friends as An Adult Woman - Summer Series Part 3
Welcome to Episode 53 of The Perfectionist's Guide to Mothering, aka Part 3 of The Perfectionist's Guide to Friendship! Today we're talking about how to make friends as an adult woman. This is one of those things that isn't as simple as it seems.
We chat about why it's so hard, how many close friends someone should have, and our best suggestions for how to go out and make friends.
We'd love to continue the conversation with you! Send us a DM on Instagram with your friendship questions and quandaries you want us to talk about this summer. Find me @andreafortenberry and @staceymorgan2000.
We'd also love for you to share this episode with your friends! We hope our episodes will be a conversation starter and a catalyst for you to develop and deepen friendships.
E52: Friendship Myths - Summer Series Part 2
Welcome to Episode 52 of The Perfectionist's Guide to Mothering, aka part 2 of our summer series!
Today we talk about five friendship myths women struggle with:
- That friends should be easy to find
- That friendships should last forever
- That they will naturally get deeper with just time
- That good friends will never cause you pain
- That friendship is easy to maintain
We'd love to continue the conversation with you! Send us a DM on Instagram with your friendship questions and quandaries you want us to talk about this summer. Find me @andreafortenberry and @staceymorgan2000.
We'd also love for you to share this episode with your friends! We hope our episodes will be a conversation starter and a catalyst for you to develop and deepen friendships.
E51: Summer Friendship Series - Part 1
Welcome to Episode 51 of The Perfectionist's Guide to Mothering! Today we're starting something new! We're kicking off a summer series all about friendship and my friend, Stacey Morgan, is joining me!
In this episode, we chat about:
- Why a mothering podcast is spending the summer talking about friendship
- Why we need friends
- Some of our not-so-great friendship origin stories
We'd love to continue the conversation with you! Send us a DM on Instagram with your friendship questions and quandaries you want us to talk about this summer. Find me @andreafortenberry and @staceymorgan2000.
We'd also love for you to share this episode with your friends! We hope our episodes will be a conversation starter and a catalyst for you to develop and deepen friendships.
We also mention in this episode that we work for MOPS, one of the greatest places a mom can make friends. Find a group near you here.
Also, my event, Restore: Soul Care for Moms, is coming up on June 21st in Arizona! I'd love to see you there! Get your tickets here.
E50: What I Wish I'd Thought Of
Welcome to Episode 50 of The Perfectionist’s Guide to Mothering!
Before we dive into today’s conversation, I want to let you know about two things:
1. May 20th is the second birthday of the podcast! As a quick birthday gift, could you hop over to Apple Podcasts and rate and review the podcast? It means so much and will help more moms be able to find it.
2. Just a reminder that Restore: Soul Care for Moms is coming to Arizona on Tuesday, June 21st at Rock Point Church, 6:30-9 PM. Tickets are on sale now, link is in the show notes. I really hope to see you there!
Now, on to today’s episode:
Today I’m talking with Amberly Neese. I met Amberly earlier this year at an event here in Arizona and she’s amazing. Amberly Neese is a popular speaker/teacher, comedian, author, and all-around encourager dedicated to helping you become the joyful person you were created to be.
Amberly is a featured speaker for the Aspire Women’s Events and the main host and female comedian for Marriage Date Night, two popular Christian events that tour nationally. She is the author of The Belonging Project: Finding Your Tribe and Learning to Thrive*, Common Ground: Loving Others Despite Our Differences*, and The Friendship Initiative: Connecting and Loving Like Jesus.*
She and her husband have two teenagers and live in Prescott, Arizona, where they enjoy the great outdoors, the Food Network, and all things Star Wars.
Some of the resources we mention include:
- Deva Curl
- Hero on a Mission by Donald Miller*
- The Bible Binge Podcast
- Atlas of the Heart by Brene Brown*
- M*A*S*H
- The Lazy Genius by Kendra Adachi*
You can connect with Amberly via:
- Her website: amberlyneese.com
- Her free newsletter: amberlyneese.com/join
- Instagram @amberlyneese_comedian
*Affiliate Link