The Better Mom with Ruth Schwenk - Ep 51
Constantly Under Construction with Donna Harris
Release Date: 11/01/2018
CUC 078 Being Led By the Spirit with Kathryn Maack
Constantly Under Construction with Donna Harris
Kathryn Maack talks about the work of the Holy Spirit in her life. She has seen the spirit lead her and equip her in every circumstance. And you won’t want to miss the last half of our conversation where she shares how a homeless boy’s life was changed dramatically because of her willingness to hear and obey the Holy Spirit’s leading. She co-wrote the book Whole as a way to acknowledge all of our being - our entire selves - before God….with our head and our heart, in truth and in spirit, in being and in doing, and in the identification of being both sinner and saint so that we may bear...
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Restoration House featuring Kennesha Buycks
Constantly Under Construction with Donna Harris
If you feel like you are wrestling with comparison, the pain of brokenness in your life, or needing inspiration for how to cultivate a kingdom minded home, you’ll find encouragement in this episode. Kennesha Buycks lays out all the pain points that have pointed her back to restoration in Jesus. This also birthed the social space and newly released book, Restoration House. Kennesha desires to pull your heart and your home toward God’s peace and toward a welcoming of the Holy Spirit. We get vulnerable pretty fast in this episode and cover topics like numbing pain with alcohol,...
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Sister, Walk in Truth featuring Chrystan Ferrell
Constantly Under Construction with Donna Harris
My friend Chrystan Ferrell walks us through her journey of coming to Christ. Like the real moment, not the outside circle moment where you know who Jesus is and you know about scripture. The REAL life-changing relationship with Jesus was birthed in Chrystan’s life after lots of chasing after fun that ended in destruction. She talks about the struggle as a single parent and I love how she defines the brokenness of sin yet the blessing that God continues to place in her life. Chrystan poured her heart into the book Sister, Walk in Truth because she believes there’s a tangible hope you can...
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How the FOG was Lifted with Lindsey Hale
Constantly Under Construction with Donna Harris
Episode 75: If you struggle to understand where you are in life and why, Lindsey’s story can point you to God’s sovereign plan and his perfect timing that’s bigger than all of us. My guest and new true friend Lindsey Hale talks about a time in her life where what looked like a blessing to most of the world, was a surprising point of grief and surrender of self. After 13 years of raising her kids, Lindsey unexpectedly found herself pregnant again creating a gap of 9 years between her last baby and this new one.We talk candidly about what it looks like when life becomes unexpected and God...
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Hello Courageous - Finding Courage from the brokenness Sexual Abuse and Dysfunctional Thinking featuring Melissa Scott
Constantly Under Construction with Donna Harris
Your gonna tap into your own personal reason to be courageous today. Melissa Scott has had a tumultuous life. From horrific sexual abuse as a child to a cycle of repeated abuse in relationships, Melissa hit rock bottom, seeking more for her life. Even though she was able to see healthy relationships and witness to God’s power around her, Melissa felt very much on the outside of the ability to achieve an actual and real relationship with Jesus. You’ll be encouraged to hear how she found healing moments through true forgiveness, therapy, and crying out to Jesus in her car. ...
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Overcoming a Critical Spirit featuring Shannon Kay McCoy
Constantly Under Construction with Donna Harris
In Episode 73, we talk candidly about 4 ways a critical spirit can take root in your everyday life. In fact, I share a few of my own struggles in my marriage and in my actions where I wrestle with a spirit of criticism. Shannon Kay McCoy is a biblical counselor and new friend and helps us walk through this spirit of criticism that we can easily fall into or rationalize. This important conversation also evolved into trying to define terms like self-love & self-care. We were both seeking to pin down where self-love could be Bibilcal and where is it outright sin. I was so glad...
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Hello Courageous featuring Melissa Scott
Constantly Under Construction with Donna Harris
Your gonna tap into your own personal reason to be courageous today. Melissa Scott has had a tumultuous life. From horrific sexual abuse as a child to a cycle of repeated abuse in relationships, Melissa hit rock bottom, seeking more for her life. Even though she was able to see healthy relationships and witness to God’s power around her, Melissa felt very much on the outside of the ability to achieve an actual and real relationship with Jesus. You’ll be encouraged to hear how she found healing moments through true forgiveness, therapy, and crying out to Jesus in her car. ...
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I Make a Horrible God featuring Jenna Barbosa
Constantly Under Construction with Donna Harris
Episode 72 is all about freedom from our hangups. If it’s food or relationships, Jenna Barbosa has a lot of wisdom to offer on the issue. We talk about Jenna’s personal brokenness and how is continually gaining freedom from hurts from her past, relationships that she tried to use to replace God, and using food as an idol. Feel comforted and encouraged as you listen to Jenna introduce herself as a women that is content and the hope that she can bring to you, no matter your situation. I really loved the thoughts she had on the difference between being a victim and having a...
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Dismantling Legalism, Therapy, and False Self with Joey Monteleone
Constantly Under Construction with Donna Harris
Friends, episode 71 will give you freedom in questioning your faith and choosing self-help as self-care. My guest Joey Monteleone is a podcast pal that has a story of freedom from religion into relationship. I hope you’ll find inspiration in Joey’s story and be encouraged to walk forward in the truth that God cares more about your heart than your appearance. We talk about Joey’s background in the Plymouth Brethren Church and while denomination isn’t the point of his story, it points to the strictness, the legality of religion and how he found freedom in his heart...
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Become Free from Emotional Baggage - The Baggage Handler featuring David Rawlings
Constantly Under Construction with Donna Harris
Episode #70 will help you see that lessons in life are often obtained by self-awareness and grace with your situation. David Rawlings speaks with me today about baggage. He wrote a modern day parable called The Baggage Handler, a story that captivates you because we all know the pain of having a mis-hap with baggage at the airport. The story is built around three different travelers, on individual journeys, who realize they have picked up the wrong suitcase at the airport. They meet an interesting character, The Baggage Handler, who shows them there is more in their baggage than...
info_outlineRuth Schwenk and I talk about all things motherhood. She is so fiercely connected with moms of all seasons of life that throughout her ministry, The Better Mom, Ruth shows us Christ's desire for our role in motherhood. The Better Mom Devotional will assure you: No matter what you're going through, you will find purpose, will have focus, and are complete in Him.
Parenting is a lifelong journey and yet the pinnacle of parenting files by so quickly.
We talk about grieving the seasons of childhood as they end. Who wants their babies to grow up? It's easy to be tearful of the end of a phase in life but Ruth takes joy in the next season. She shares how she gets excited for the next new adventure her kids will take on, (even if it's a little unnerving actually to have a child in the house that can drive!).
Parenting older children is a totally different scenario when it comes to personal accountability. and how all the We've been teaching our kids about their behavior as they are also now aware of our own behavior. There's so much more at stake once our kids are watching and understanding our shortcomings.
Ruth says it's so good for kids to see us mess up. We're not going to be perfect. But in a Constantly Under Construction theme, we are ALWAYS needing to say sorry for our mistakes, we are always becoming better by becoming more like Jesus.
Ruth and I discuss our identity when it comes to our role or our professional work. Her perspective was changed once she realized that her mission was motherhood. We when push that idea of mission into any sort of work, it totally changes why we do what we do.
Ruth encourages us to embrace the current season, whatever it may be. Her most practical advice was to encourage us that a season is just that, a season. It won't be forever, good or bad, so take the most positive parts of those sessions and find the joy in the present moment. The pressure is there to "be great". But at the end of the day, it's a simple act of obedience. Doing the simple acts of parenting, without worrying if it's approved by someone else, but just pleasing the Lord in your parenting.
Ruth gives me a peek into what that looks like when parenting bigger kids. Her first act of obedience is spending time with the Lord. As simple as it sounds, it's not always easy and can affect the day.
Her second act of obedience is just showing up for her kids. Even when she's tired, even when the to-do list is overwhelming, Ruth makes space in her day and her heart to invest in her children's lives. Now that her children are older, she finds that she needs to be even more intentional to connect with her children. For the times that might seem mundane or don't seem to be fruitful Ruth highlights that these times really matter.
Throughout all the seasons of parenting, there's opportunity for God to do some of His greatest work in you!
In time with prayer and scripture, you can be sure to see amazing changes in your role as a mom and in your relationships with your family.
Ruth is passionate about all things family.
Check out her books on marriage and parenting.
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