Leading Girls

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Kay Wills Wyma is a blogger, author, vodcaster and mother of five. Using raw and real stories Kay’s latest book, Not the Boss of Us: Putting Overwhelmed in its Place in a Do-All, Be-All World contemplates being overwhelmed by Truth with all its hope and peace and joy rather than life’s pressures, stress & circumstances. Through it and her previous books, I’m Happy for You (Sort of … not really) and Cleaning House, Kay has appeared on Canada’s The Social, the TODAY Show, CNN, The New York Times, Focus on the Family, Family Life and more. Before becoming a stay-at-home mom, she held positions at the White House, the Staubach Company, and Bank of America. Kay lives in the Dallas area with her husband, Jon, and their family.

In this episode, we discuss the topic of OVERWHELMED.

What if you could take the negative nature of being overwhelmed and diffuse it or, better yet, flip it to good and be overwhelmed by Truth instead? Kay chats with us about her latest book Not the Boss of Us: Putting Overwhelmed in Its Place in a Do-All, Be-All World and what can happen when we call out what overwhelms us and literally re-purpose it for good.

Links Mentioned:

• Kay’s Site and New Book – Not The Boss of Us
• Say Something Show – Chat with Wynter, Melanie Shankle’s Show
• Kay’s favorite family game – Rat Tat Cat
• Her favorite verse is below!

 

Isaiah 43:1-4

But now, this is what the Lord says—
    he who created you, Jacob,
    he who formed you, Israel:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
    I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
² When you pass through the waters,
    I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
    they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
    you will not be burned;
    the flames will not set you ablaze.
³ For I am the Lord your God,
    the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I give Egypt for your ransom,
    Cush^[a] and Seba in your stead.
⁴ Since you are precious and honored in my sight,
    and because I love you,

(Image Source)

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Mo Isom is a New York Times bestselling author, a nationally sought-after speaker, and a zealous voice rising up for her generation. Formerly, Mo was an was an All-American goalkeeper for the Louisiana State University soccer team, as well as the first female to train with and tryout for an SEC men’s football team. After enduring a tremendous amount of adversity – including battling an eating disorder, overcoming the suicide of her father, struggling with promiscuity, and surviving a horrific car accident— she encountered the love and mercy of Jesus.

She is now a Holy Spirit-filled daughter of God who isn’t afraid to speak bold, raw, courageous Truth to a generation being crushed under the weight of their sin, their circumstances and the lies of the enemy. She has been featured in Sports Illustrated and appeared on Ellen, ESPN, CBS, The 700 Club, and countless other platforms. Isom speaks nationally and internationally on a variety of faith-based topics, and facilitates a faith-centered blog that has garnered millions of views to date. 

Her first book, Wreck My Life: Journeying from Broken to Bold, was a New York Times Bestseller and her second book, Sex, Jesus, and the Conversations the Church Forgot, released March 2018 and has already reached tens of thousands around the globe. Isom and her husband, Jeremiah, live in Atlanta with their two daughters, Auden and Asher.

In this episode, we discuss tough topics that we typically don’t discuss in church including:

• Sexual shame and why the church stays silent
• How we can talk to our daughters about our past
• The danger of going unresolved and without healing and trying to raise daughters from that place
• How to find redemption and forgiveness – so we can freely talk to our girls
• Health & Nutrition & Eating disorders – how we all have these struggles and how we have to wrestle through it ourselves in order to help our girls from a place of healing
• The struggle we have as moms – do we avoid the topic in fear of causing eating issues or do we address it? This fear silences us which is the worst option.

 

Favorite quotes:

“The enemy doesn’t have to do much work – when we are willing to tear down our own bodies.”

“It  is our call and responsibility to cultivate the communication  – know ourselves and healing – so we can speak with gentle love and grace and truth.”

“We are relentless dismantlers of our own self worth.”

“Are you a thermostat or a thermometer?”

Links:

• Mo’s site
• Mo’s books
• Mo’s AMAZING KICK at LSU

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Lynn Cowell is a Proverbs 31 speaker and the author of several books, written for women of all ages. Her newest Bible study for girls ages 8 – 12 is Brave Beauty: Finding the Fearless You and for women Make Your Move: Finding Unshakeable Confidence Despite Your Fears and Failures. Lynn calls home North Carolina, where she and her husband, Greg and the occasional backyard deer are adjusting to life as empty nesters. Along with their three adult children, the Cowells love hiking, rafting and anything combining chocolate and peanut butter.

In this episode we discuss:

• How to help our girls build a foundation of confidence/identity that lasts.
• How to pass on what we are learning about God to our girls – as it happens
• Encouragement that we can be insecure and growing while our girls are growing
• Start with yourself! Start with working on you!
• Lynn gives very practical examples of what helped her girls and their confidence in real ways
• Warning from Lynn – not to expect so much from them – remember their age
• How to help them through narcissistic years

Favorite quotes of the episode:

• “You don’t have to have the spotlight on you – because you have the spotlight in you!” SHARE THAT! LOVE THAT!!!
• “Becoming what other people want them to be – vs becoming who they already are.”
•  “It’s not up to us to catch everything, it’s up to us to stay connected to the spirit.”

Scripture Mentioned:

• But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. Luke 2:19
• If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. James 1:5
• Let the king be enthralled by your beauty; honor him, for he is your lord. Psalm 45:11

Links Mentioned:

• Lynn’s site
• Lynn’s  freebies for tweens
• Lynn’s books
• Studies or books to consider for a getaway trip around coming of age or the talks – Option 1 and Option 2 recommended by Lynn.

 

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Dearest friends,

It it with the utmost love and deepest sorrow that I post this episode. NEVER in one million years did I dream I would ever be saying these words – that my friend Wynter has died. That she has gone to be with Jesus at 38 – very suddenly. I recorded this intro in one take and if you’ll just offer me some grace. Some days I can’t stop crying. Some days I don’t cry at all. So, I kind of fumble through this episode with no tears and more business, but I was shaking behind the mic. Grief is so weird. I know so many of you have walked your own roads like this. Thank you for all your amazing messages.

Through these previously recorded episodes, my hope and prayer is to honor God and carry on  Wynter’s legacy while continuing our vision for this podcast. It was always supposed to be a place that encouraged and equipped us moms of girls. Jonathan gave his full support to share these final ones with you. So you’ll hear the short term plan in this episode … and I’ll be praying on the long term plan.

Most of all, please in prayer for her four precious angel girls and her husband Jonathan.

If you didn’t see the funeral service, please go watch here on Oaks Church Facebook page.

If you want to follow For Girls Like You, you’ll see updates from Jonathan there as he is able.

If you want to see more about how their family is grieving and processing, this video is SO POWERFUL.

Here is one of her LAST MESSAGES she gave to moms, let it encourage you. It was her prayer for all of us.

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Wendy Henderson has been married to her amazing husband Jeff for 21 years.  Jeff is the pastor of Gwinnett Church, a campus of North Point Ministries.  They have two children, their daughter Jesse and son Cole.  Jesse just finished her Freshman year at Samford University and Cole is finishing his Junior year of high school.  Wendy has been a stay-at-home mom for almost 19 years now and has learned a lot along the way.  What she hasn’t learned from real life parenting experiences, she sought out through mentors and reflecting on the parenting of her own parents and Jeff’s parents.  Wendy is a self proclaimed Karaoke icon, who loves coffee shops, traveling when she can and time with friends and family.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Creating memories and milestones through their significant birthdays
• How not to get caught up in making their birthdays about us moms vs creating fun for the girls and letting them be in on the planning
• Getting to know your daughter and her personality and celebrating her in the way that she’d enjoy most
• Being intentional with the mentors and voices in their lives and giving them a chance to speak affirmation over them on these special occcasions
• Ways to help your daughter find community and friends
• When is being involved too much? The difference in guiding our kids through problems not around them.

Thank you Wendy for your wisdom and friendship! You are a huge inspiration for me and what’s happening with Treasured Girlz. Thank you for being a behind the scenes, steady, dedicated mom that keeps her eye on what’s most important. You are so loved. – Courtney

Links Mentioned:

• Champion Tribes – A group-based experience giving fathers a plan to raise their middle school sons into men of character  
• Treasured Girlz – community Wendy helped Courtney dream up –  she did Circle of Friends years ago with her daughter Jesse (inspired by Sharon Mankin)
• Connect with Wendy? She prefers a low profile. You can follow her husband Jeff over on Instagram or Champion Tribes or see what their family is doing at Gwinnett Church

Sponsor For July: Funoogles

When Ella-Jane opened her eyes that morning, something had changed. The glasses she loved so much had grown too familiar. Why couldn’t she have something of her own creation? She wished for eyewear that would match her style and mood every single day.

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Today, Ella-Jane lives happily in New York with her father, her older sister and brother, and her mother, Jessica Darcy, the creator and president of Funoogles.

Coupon code: “leading girls”,  20% for the month of July on Funoogles.com

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