The Home and Hearth Podcast

The Home and Hearth podcast is the weekly show that is all about edifying, equipping, and encouraging women in their journey of Biblical womanhood. If there is an issue that pertains to a woman's life, you will find it discussed here! We'll be covering everything from topics pertaining to marriage, motherhood, homemaking, and the Christian walk, to issues of health and fitness, infertility, adoption, chronic illness, and current event issues in the church and culture. It is my prayer that you will find an episode here which speaks directly to what you are going through right at this very moment and that you will receive the encouragement you need for your daily life.

212: Giving Thanks in All Things with Rebekah Hargraves (Solo Episode #48) 11/23/2023

211: Adoption, the Pro-Life Movement, and the Body of Christ with Herbie Newell 11/16/2023

211: Adoption, the Pro-Life Movement, and the Body of Christ with Herbie Newell Herbie Newell is the President and Executive Director of , an organization that is an adoption, orphan care, and foster care ministry. His passion with this organization is to see the Church be equipped to manifest the gospel to orphans, vulnerable children, and vulnerable women. This ministry exists to see the Church carry out their God-given mission in the gospel of justice and caring for the widow and the orphan, the stranger, the alien, the ones in need. This mission has been given to the Church, and it is the Church that is to do this work. With November being National Adoption Month, our prayer is that you would come away from this episode with your heart stirred on this topic of adoption. What We Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~Info about , the largest evangelical adoption agency in the country ~The gospel-motivation for the work going on at LifeLine ~How Herbie came to be the President of LifeLine, what led him to first become involved in this work, and what his daily work looks like; why he is passionate about this topic ~The importance of seeking the Spirit on what we personally are called to do in this area ~What being truly pro-life actually is - and how just demanding that there be a birth is not what all we are called to as the Church; the importance of us stepping up and helping these mamas and babies in need ~The importance of advocating for life inside as well as outside the womb ~The problem with being busy and becoming nearsighted, losing sight of what God is actually calling us to do with our days ~The purpose of our lives as believers as not being one of comfort and ease, but of mission ~The call to deny ourselves and pick up our cross so that we can serve others well ~What the state of adoption is in this country and around the world; the number of orphans currently in this world who need a home ~The increase in abortion that we are actually seeing post Roe v. Wade and the reality that conservative states were not even prepared for the overturning; the work the church still has to do ~Laws, practices, etc. that are leading to this orphan crisis here and around the world; what we as believers can do about this crisis whether or not we adopt ourselves ~The infinite wisdom of God’s design for the family and the world at large ~Herbie’s insider analysis of where the defense of life movement is, what is coming down the pike, and what part adoption plays in all of this; adoption as a pro-life option ~Talking about abundant life and having a pro-woman stance as a pro-life advocate ~Ways in which the church is dropping the ball in these areas; what we can do to be the hands and feet of Christ; how to make a difference in these areas ~Understanding that having a pro-life stance does not begin at the political or federal level; it starts in your home, with your family, and in your community ~How people can become involved with LifeLine Children’s Services ~Being faithful with what is in front of us and the importance of just doing the next right thing ~And more! Head to for full shownotes. /episode/index/show/homeandhearthpodcast/id/28664148

210: "Why Did Jesus Come?" with Rebekah Hargraves 11/09/2023

209: Every Season Sacred with Kayla Craig 10/05/2023

209: Every Season Sacred with Kayla Craig is a pastor's wife, mom of 4, writer, podcaster, and author, most recently of the new book, . Today she returns to the show to share about her new book and to encourage parents in the beauty of liturgical parenting. What We Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~Kayla’s new book, ; what led her to write it, and what readers can expect ~The meaningful aspect of the four seasons, and why they are important in our lives; the impact they have on us ~The importance of cultivating a slower, more contemplative lifestyle ~How the writing experience was the same and how it was different between Kayla’s two books ~The practicality of this book regardless of what season of life you are in or what you are going through ~Kayla’s heart to nourish parents’ souls in a contemplative way in and through this book; why this was important for Kayla to do ~How a contemplative lifesyle is so helpful for parents and childcare givers ~Bringing our kids into a more contemplative style of life ~Living loved; the importance of a parent’s soul being nourished so that they can then nurture their child well ~Making space to explore the world with care and compassion and why this is so important ~Exemplifying Christ’s love and compassion for people to our children and allowing that to impact how we show up in the world ~The power of “caught, not taught” ~The power of liturgical rhythms in our parenting ~Making your faith your own and the journey of unlearning false things you were taught ~Untangling Christ from Christianese and reconstructing your walk with the Lord and understanding of truth; how and why this has been important for Kayla; the importance of this kind of journey ~The importance of reading Scripture for yourself ~The importance of raising our kids to be critical thinkers and having the freedom to ask questions and express doubts ~And more! Full shownotes at www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast /episode/index/show/homeandhearthpodcast/id/28232525

208: Living Whole with Kathryn Maack 09/07/2023

208: Living Whole with Kathryn Maack is a wife, mom, co-founder of the ministry , and co-author of the fantastic book, . On this episode she edifies and encourages us with the truth that we are to approach God wholly and with every aspect of ourselves, as opposed to living segmented lives. This is an important episode that you will not want to miss! What We Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~Kathryn's new book, , what readers can expect from it, and what led Kathryn and her co-author Aaron Williams to write it ~The importance of coming to God with all of ourselves and not holding back any aspect of ourselves ~Why we actually are not striving for balance in our walk with God, but actually should purpose to come to God with all aspects of ourselves - fully spirit and fully truth, fully mind and fully heart, etc., not 50/50 in these areas ~Why it’s important to come to the Lord in spirit and in truth and with our minds and also our hearts, what happens when we lean too heavily in one direction or the other ~Where true spiritual growth actually comes from ~How coming to God with all of who we are deepens our relationship with Him ~Advice for how heart people or mind people and spirit or truth people can learn to also come to God with the other part of themselves, as well ~The importance of learning from people who are different from us; the virtue of being teachable ~Understanding that with spirit and truth, you cannot have one without the other ~The importance of identifying which way you lean so that you know where you need to grow ~How fear plays into these extremes ~The importance of both being and doing and why we need both ~Jesus’ example of not neglecting to care for people but also not neglecting to go off alone to spend time with the Father ~Experiencing God in His fullness and all He has to offer us as we’re in relationship with Him ~Sinners, saints, and understanding what your actual identity in Christ is now ~The importance of agreeing with God about who we are ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast /episode/index/show/homeandhearthpodcast/id/27974607

207: "What is Love?" with Rebekah Hargraves (Solo Episode #46) 08/24/2023

206: Tired of Trying with Ashley Morgan Jackson 08/11/2023

206: Tired of Trying with Ashley Morgan Jackson is a wife, mom, social media coordinator for , and author of the brand new book, . She comes on the show today to share with us on the concept of wrestling with God in the hard times and all that He can bring from the wrestle. What We Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~Ashley’s new book, ., what led her to write it, and what readers can expect ~When you get to the point of having tried everything that you can think of with nothing working; the concept of then wrestling with God and holding on to Him throughout that entire process ~Learning so much more about the Lord and growing in our relationship with Him through the hard times ~How our wrestle and struggle becomes our ministry to others ~God as the One sure foundation when we have nothing else to hold on to ~Understanding that there are some lessons we can only learn in and through the wrestle with God - and why it is so harmful to believe that it is wrong to wrestle with God ~How the wrestle shows how God is the One holding on to us every step of the way ~Grace and love as what you need to save you as well as what you need to change you; the motivator that grace and love are ~Trusting God and waiting on Him in the hard seasons; what Ashley has learned about this and how she has been able to come to the point of believing that God only does things well and with great love - even when it doesn’t look or feel like it ~How shame pushes us away from God rather than being something that can change us positively ~How well Jesus understands the pain of a “no” ~Letting God love you in the midst of pain, rather than pushing Him away ~God’s tender, caring heart towards the brokenhearted ~Understanding that true intimacy and performance cannot co-exist and what this means for our walk with the Lord and our relationship with Him ~The important difference between relationship and religion ~Understanding that what we think leads to our actions and what we do leads to patterns of behavior; the importance of taking thoughts captive; how to do that ~How my and Ashley’s lives have been changed through our taking thoughts captive ~The importance of being faithful in even just the smallest of ways, bit by bit ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast /episode/index/show/homeandhearthpodcast/id/27718047

205: Refuting False Gospels with Rebekah Hargraves (Solo Episode #45) 08/04/2023

205: Refuting False Gospels with Rebekah Hargraves (Solo Episode #45) On today’s solo show, we are addressing the topic of 7 different false gospels that are alive and well in our day that we need to refute with the actual gospel as found in Scripture. I hope you will walk away from this conversation feeling well equipped to know, discern, live out, and proclaim truth. What I Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~The book of Galatians and what it reveals to us concerning the issue of teaching or believing a false gospel ~7 common false gospels we need to refute and how they differ from the true gospel of the Bible: *the prosperity gospel (in all its forms, including the version taught in purity culture) *progressive "Christianity" *legalism *believing that the gospel is just good news for your eternity and not also concerned with your here and now everyday life *believing that the gospel and Christian nationalism are compatible *believing that the gospel does not have implications for the social sphere and your call to be the hands and feet of Christ *believing that the gospel just has vertical implications (for your relationship with God) and not horizontal implications as well (for your relationships with your fellow image bearers) ~the false gospel nature of racism and sexism ~the "social gospel" aspect of the biblical gospel ~legalism as *the* false gospel the book of Galatians is concerned with - and why this fact shows that it is problematic for us to think, as many do today, that refuting a "false gospel" is just about refuting the false gospel of progressive Christianity alone (as if this were the only false gospel out there) ~the issue with the saying "just preach the gospel" - and how that reveals there are hints of a false gospel present ~the problem with defending slavery by saying that at least slaves were taught about Christianity (and how, if you were an enslaver, you were actually proclaiming a false gospel) ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast /episode/index/show/homeandhearthpodcast/id/27653652

204: Women, Ministry, and the Kingdom of God with Sarah Jane Ho 07/26/2023

204: Women, Ministry, and the Kingdom of God with Sarah Jane Ho is a wife, mom of 5, pastor, and mental health therapist. She leads the Nations of Change Church in Pakistan via Zoom, and has a heart that is passionate about women understanding God's heart for His daughters. We pray you'll come away from this episode built up and encouraged by this truth. What We Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~How the church in Pakistan came about ~How important it is to walk by the Spirit and how we shortchange ourselves and miss out when we are not in close relationship with the Holy Spirit and hearing His voice and heeding His direction ~How the Nations of Change Church in Pakistan is set up logistically ~The importance of God-nudges and how sometimes people won’t understand what God is calling us to - because He hasn’t called them to it ~The issue of hierarchy in our churches and how damaging it can be to our relationships in the Body; what 1 Timothy 2 is actually teaching about women teaching men and the cultural and historical context behind that passage ~The problem with reading and interpreting Scripture through western eyes ~Joining both complementarians and egalitarians together around the good news of the gospel and working together to reduce the subjugation and mistreatment of women in the church ~Studying Scripture by keeping in mind context, culture, and content ~How Sarah’s position as associate pastor and pastoring women has helped women to understand how God truly views them and the heart He has for them ~Sarah’s upcoming church ministry, Our Place, a church for the marginalized and those who would not step into a typical church building ~Comparing our modern-day American church culture with the culture of the early church ~Answering the naysayers who might think that Sarah’s plate is too full for her to be able to minister well to her own family; how her work has blessed and shaped her family ~How raising our children in a serving house can inspire them to be people who serve; why it’s important to model for your children the kind of adults you want them to be and what you want them to think is normal as a believer building the Kingdom ~The monthly theology dates Sarah has with her daughter; the impact of these ~The importance of our being able to think critically for ourselves and interpret Scripture and hear from God on our own with the Spirit’s help ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast /episode/index/show/homeandhearthpodcast/id/27575706

203: Living in the Power of the Spirit with Rebekah Hargraves (Solo Episode #43) 07/23/2023

202: Overcoming Spiritual Starvation with Amy Seiffert 07/14/2023

202: Overcoming Spiritual Starvation with Amy Seiffert is a wife, mom of 3, speaker, Bible teacher, and author, most recently, of the new book “ Our prayer is that you would come away from this episode edified and encouraged in your Christian walk. What We Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~Amy’s new book, what led her to write it, and what readers can expect ~The spiritual diet change we need and how so much of what we are turning to is actually starving us ~The issue of our phones and how they are thieves ~The importance of slowness, stillness, and quiet ~Clearing the noise and distractions in order to hear the voice of God ~The problem of Christian Nationalism and the problem with replacing King Jesus with a president ~Understanding that our identity must foremost be as a citizen of Heaven, not an American ~Understanding that the hatred of anger of man does not build the kingdom of God ~Using our vote for the benefit and wellbeing of our fellow image bearers ~Laying down the idol of our rights and instead building the Kingdom of God ~Racism that still exists in this country ~Our call to be our brother’s keeper and to care for the interests of others, and what this means for the issue of racism ~The power of listening to the stories and experiences of people of color ~What justice looks like in the Bible ~The problem with the “just preach the gospel” message and how it is incomplete; the horizontal implications of the gospel ~The blame game and our need for confession ~Shalom’s meaning of wholeness and integration ~The fact that we are starved for becoming; becoming the process of learning and growing and changing; the importance of being teachable and willing to change and grow as the Spirit leads ~The importance of majoring on the majors ~Breaking out of legalism, patriarchy, sexism, racism, etc. in order to see the kingdom as God does ~Understanding God’s posture towards you ~And more! For full shownotes, head to /episode/index/show/homeandhearthpodcast/id/27468753

201: How to Love the LGBTQIA+ Community Well with Rebekah Hargraves (Solo Episode #43) 07/07/2023

201: How to Love the LGBTQIA+ Community Well with Rebekah Hargraves (Solo Episode #43) On today’s solo show, we are tackling the topic of how we as believers can love well those image bearers who are a part of the LGBTQIA+ community. My prayer is that you would come away from today's episode equipped to be the hands and feet of Christ in this area as you seek to fulfill the Great Commission. What I Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~Understanding that just because "Pride Month" is now over does not mean that we as believers should now shelve this topic until June of next year ~The 4 important steps of loving these people well: *Starting with love itself - this has to be first *Speak the truth in love *Remember that salvation comes first and sanctification follows after *Show compassion, care, and concern for any mental, physical, emotional, or spiritual issues they are facing as a result of their lifestyle ~Understanding that the idea that "the most loving thing you can do is speak the truth " is a cop-out and is direct disobedience to God if you are not actually speaking the truth in love ~Understanding that in order to truly love these people as we are called to, we must actually feel love and care in our hearts for them, and they have to be able to tangibly feel that love when we interact with them ~Real-life examples of believers who are doing this really well; how living this way is known to bear the fruit of bringing people to Christ in ways that dishonor and rudeness cannot ~The work God has done in my own heart in this area ~The importance of speaking the truth when the time is right and when you have the relationship currency for that truth to take root ~The importance of remembering that salvation comes first and sanctification follows after - why we mustn't put the cart before the horse ~Showing care and compassion for people as Jesus did for those who were as sheep without a shepherd ~The truth of why Sodom was actually destroyed - and why referring to those in the LGBTQIA+ community is not only unloving and unfruitful, but it is also unbiblical ~Who the real Sodomites are according to Ezekiel 16:49 - hint: you may have to look in the mirror ~Remembering that the sin of homosexuality is on the same list - in Romans 1 - as the sin of being disobedient to one's parents; what this means for how we treat people in the LGBTQIA+ community ~The sin of dishonoring and disrespecting fellow image bearers of God ~Jesus' example of doing life together with all kinds of people; the impact this had ~How wrong theology carries bad consequences ~The importance of truth ~The importance of remembering that it is our *gentleness* that is to be known to all ~1 Corinthians 13 as our definition of love and understanding of what love is ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast /episode/index/show/homeandhearthpodcast/id/27402321

HandH 200: Women on Mission with Mischelle Manis 07/01/2023

HandH 200: Women on Mission with Mischelle Manis Mischelle Manis works for Reaching Souls International, an organization which supports national, indigenous missionaries, and as the director of women’s ministries with the organization, she is passionate about equipping and encouraging women to understand God's heart for them. We pray you'll come away from this episode encouraged and fired up for how you, too, can advance the Kingdom right where you are. ~What Reaching Souls International does ~How efficient and affective it is to train indigenous missionaries to serve in their own countries, as opposed to just sending American missionaries overseas to them ~What Mischelle’s day-to-day work looks like and how she comes alongside these female indigenous missionaries and serves them ~How sitting with missionaries from foreign countries reveals just how much you have in common, even despite the language barrier; why understanding these similarities is so important ~How Mischelle came to be in this position with Reaching Souls International ~Women and their unique giftings ~How it came to be that women were added as national missionaries in Reaching Souls International ~Mischelle’s experience of losing a son to suicide and how the Lord got her through that ~The truth that Jesus understands pain, grief, and loss and has compassion for us when we walk through it ~The peace that comes with knowing that the Lord understands the “why”s behind what we walk through ~How what we go through equips us to serve others ~God’s tender heart for His daughters and helping them to understand their importance in the kingdom of God ~What Hannah’s story reveals about the heart of God towards His daughters ~Ways that women and children can reach others in ways men can’t; why understanding this is important when it comes to the Great Commission ~The truth that women were the last at the cross and the first at the tomb; what this points to ~Understanding that women were not left out when the Lord handed out spiritual gifts; why this is important to remember ~How people can become involved with Reaching Souls International ~And more! For full shownotes, head to /episode/index/show/homeandhearthpodcast/id/27342105

146: Success in Motherhood (Lies Moms Believe Series #8) with Rebekah Hargraves (Solo Episode 22) 06/21/2023

199: Incarceration, Marriage, and God's Redemption with Fox and Rob Richardson 06/13/2023

199: Incarceration, Marriage, and God's Redemption with Fox and Rob Richardson experienced being separated by incarceration for 21 years. They come on the podcast today to share about their experience, what God did in the midst of it, and how we as the Church are to be the hands and feet of Christ in the face of injustice and oppression. May you come away from this episode inspired to make a difference. WHAT WE CHAT ABOUT ON THIS EPISODE: ~Fox and Rob’s documentary, , and book, and what you can expect from them; what led them to produce these resources ~How Fox and Rob met, and what their journey of marriage has been like ~What led to the day when the Richardsons robbed a bank; the desperation that resulted in this decision ~How being incarcerated for 21 years for the offense of robbing a bank reveals the injustice within the criminal justice system, the problem of mass incarceration, and the racism which does still exist in the justice system ~The importance of listening to other peoples’ stories and experiences ~Stories from Scripture of affliction and how God saw people through ~How our hard seasons take us from knowing “about” God to truly knowing God Himself ~God’s sovereignty and sufficiency even in our hard seasons ~The importance of understanding that we cannot afford to take our eyes off God ~Trusting the process as we remember that God is sufficient ~The slavery that exists in the criminal justice system ~How leaving prison is like going from slavery to sharecropping ~The modern day taxation without representation that is faced by the victims of mass incarceration ~Rich Family Ministries and the Richardson’s family mission to be free and free others ~Seeking to better America and make it what it can be; seeking alternatives to mass incarceration ~The role of God’s people to say “not on my watch” when injustice and oppression exist ~What we as everyday lay people can do to seek to make a difference in the system ~The power of bearing witness, being in proximity, and looking injustice in the face so that your heart and spirit will be quickened and you will seek to be used of God to be of service in that area ~Rob’s experience in what is known as “America’s Bloodiest Penitentiary” and what enabled him to get through with strength ~What this journey was like for Fox having to solo parent, homeschool, provide for her family, and support and encourage her husband during this 21 year journey ~Tapping into the strength God gives us ~And much more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast /episode/index/show/homeandhearthpodcast/id/27141231

198: Being "Woke" and Pursuing Truth with Rebekah Hargraves (Solo Episode #42) 05/24/2023

198: Being "Woke" and Pursuing Truth with Rebekah Hargraves (Solo Episode #42) On today’s solo show, we are tackling the topic of "wokeness" and the importance of pursuing truth as a Christian. My perspective on these topics may just surprise you a bit, and will hopefully give you something to mull over this week! What I Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~The importance of truth for a Christian; the priority we are given to pursue truth ~The apostle John and how he was very passionate about truth ~How Jesus describing Himself as being THE truth in John 14:6 shows us just how important pursuing and knowing truth is ~Understanding that the truth sets us free (John 8:32): -from sin -from lies -from injustice ~The fact that it is the Spirit’s express job to lead us into all truth (John 16:13) ~The importance of us as believers being focused on theological truth in a day in age of relativism and a repackaging of age-old lies about Christ and the nature of salvation (Ephesians 6:14) ~The importance of us as believers being focused on societal truth and understanding what the reality is as to the injustices that exist in this world ~Understanding that because we are specifically tasked with the task of being the hands and feet of Christ and ambassadors of a God Who hates injustice, is a God of righteousness and justice, who is for the oppressed, and whose gospel is good news for the poor, etc., we are to be about the work of getting to the bottom of what the truth is regarding what our fellow image bearers are facing in this world on a daily basis ~The truth that if we are willing to turn a blind eye and a deaf ear to claims of injustice and happy to merely label people who are given to fighting injustice as being “woke” we have a problem and are rendered incapable of fulling carrying out our mission in this world ~The original definition of "woke" and where that word came from; what it does and does not mean; how conservatives have redefined it and thereby been able to use it as a weapon ~Helpful Instagram posts that are enlightening in these areas ~Passages of Scripture that repeatedly point to the importance of truth ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast /episode/index/show/homeandhearthpodcast/id/26940204

197: Finding Joy in Life's Hardest Seasons with Kristen Rosener 05/03/2023

RE-RELEASE - 111: Patriotism and the Christian with Rebekah Hargraves (Solo Episode 5) 04/26/2023

RE-RELEASE - 111: Patriotism and the Christian with Rebekah Hargraves (Solo Episode 5) For today's solo podcast episode I am actually re-releasing the fifth solo podcast I ever recorded. As we are quickly approaching yet another big election year (how are we here again already?), I felt it important to talk again today on the topic of patriotism and the Christian. On today’s show we chat a bit about nationalism, the nationalization of Christianity, and what a believer’s role is regarding patriotism. May you find this episode helpful as you prayerfully begin to think through how to use your vote next year. What She Chats about in Today’s Episode: ~The emotionally-charged election year we find ourselves in ~What patriotism does and does not mean for us as Christians: *Patriotism and being patriotic do not mean that we never call out our nation’s problems. (think of God’s example with us and our example with our children where if we love someone, we will point out their shortcomings in an attempt to call them up to greatness) *Patriotism and being patriotic do mean that we want what is best for our country. And it is righteousness that exalts a nation. *Being patriotic does not mean we seek to set up a theocracy in America *Being patriotic does not mean that we can allow America or the preservation of America as we know it to become our idol ~The full meaning of the Hebrew word “tsedaqah” translated “righteousness” in Proverbs 14:34 ~Our call (Acts 5:29) to obey God rather than man, while also respecting His institution of government (Romans 13) ~The reality that this country is not our home and was never meant to feel like it; our identity as but pilgrims passing through ~What we have seen around the world and down through history regarding the direct correlation between a loss of freedom and an increase in persecution and a subsequent increase in strong and deepened faith among believers ~Our roles as good citizens and the importance for each of us to individually walk by the Spirit ~The importance of not binding the conscience of our fellow believers; giving the Holy Spirit room to work ~And more! For full shownotes, head to /episode/index/show/homeandhearthpodcast/id/26664468

196: God’s Heart for Mothers with Leslie Means 04/21/2023

195: Unshakable Peace in the Midst of Chaos with Katie Davis Majors 04/07/2023

195: Unshakable Peace in the Midst of Chaos with Katie Davis Majors is a wife, adoptive and bio mom, New York Times Bestselling Author, founder of , and author of the brand new book, ““. Our prayer is that you would come away from this episode feeling equipped and encouraged to walk in God's peace no matter what chaos life brings. WHAT WE CHAT ABOUT ON THIS EPISODE: ~Katie’s newest book, , what led her to write it, and what readers can expect ~What it looks like to live in the peace Jesus promised us in an increasingly chaotic world, when we don’t feel it at first ~A powerful story from Katie’s own life that taught her that God sees the big picture we can’t see and is looking out for us in ways we can’t fathom ~How nearsighted our perspective is in this life, and how different God’s is ~Going beyond just intellectually knowing that He sees us or will keep us safe to actually walking and living as if we know it is true ~Keeping our eyes on God’s unchanging character as opposed to our life circumstances ~Understanding that surrendering every part of our lives to God’s loving hands is a safe thing to do ~Attachment parenting and what this practice shows us for our relationship with God ~A helpful practice for when you’re beginning to feel anxious ~Refusing to clean things up and fix them on our own before coming to Him with them; bringing all our raw and messy straight to Him for Him to care for them ~Understanding that if we just stuff our worries, they are all still there, they are just hidden (and why that doesn’t help!) ~The fact that we cannot see the face of God if we do not sometimes wrestle with Him over things; why it’s ok to ask God questions (as the Psalmist does repeatedly!) and how our faith is built when we do ~Remembering that God will not drop anything we give to Him, but instead can be trusted with all of it ~The faith-builder it is to be in hard places and be forced to trust God with them ~God’s presence as better in the first place than our understanding the reasons for what it happening in our lives and what is going on behind the scenes ~God Himself as the gift ~Several practical, relevant practices that equip and help us to live in God’s peace - rest, lament, being in the Word, prayer, community, service, and more ~The growing, healing power of lament (and why it is ok and good to bring our hurts and laments to God) ~How it is possible and ok for sadness and praise to exist at the same time ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast /episode/index/show/homeandhearthpodcast/id/26473224

194: How to Raise Your Littles in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord with Rebekah Hargraves (Solo Episode #41) 03/30/2023

194: How to Raise Your Littles in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord with Rebekah Hargraves (Solo Episode #41) On today’s solo show, we are tackling the topic of how to raise your littles in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. My prayer is that you'll come away from this episode feeling equipped and encouraged, knowing that raising your littles in this way does not have to be complicated. What I Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~Ephesians 6:4 and what is interesting about the word "nurture" coming before the word "admonition" ~The crucial foundation of nurture and why our training of our children in theology and right living must first come from a place of humility, tenderness, care, patience, gentleness, slowness, and nurture ~What we can learn from bamboo about the importance of having a strong foundation and why it is ok when our training takes a while ~The negative impact that raising children up legalistically, overly strictly, or in a domineering way can have on children ~How raising our children up in the tender nurture of the Lord gives them a more accurate picture of who their Heavenly Father is ~How failing to raise your children first in the nurture of the Lord can lead to your provoking them to wrath ~What raising our children up in the admonition of the Lord can look like practically on an everyday basis (as we're shown in Deuteronomy 6:6-7) ~Why the theological training of our children need not be complicated and instead can and should be simple - thereby showing them how applicable, relevant, and practical God's Word is to every aspect of our everyday lives ~The importance of refusing to overly shelter our children but to instead prepare them well for real life in age appropriate ways ~Why we want to raise our children not to be mere yes-men, but to instead be able to think for themselves, be critical thinkers, and interpret God's Word for themselves, applying it to every situation in life ~Equipping our children to have a faith of their own rather than piggy backing off ours, so that when we are one day not here, they will still be able to stand firm ~Practical books, media, practices, and other resources to aid you in your parenting and raising your children in the admonition of the Lord ~The power and importance of having lots of gospel conversations with your kids (and examples of some of the types of conversations we regularly have in our home) ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast /episode/index/show/homeandhearthpodcast/id/26397375

193: How the Gospel Puts an End to Shame with Jasmine Holmes 03/23/2023

192: The Gospel, Social Justice, and Kingdom Living Now with Rebekah Hargraves (Solo Episode #40) 03/15/2023

192: The Gospel, Social Justice, and Kingdom Living Now with Rebekah Hargraves (Solo Episode #40) On today’s solo show, we are tackling the topics of what the gospel is, social justice, and the importance of kingdom living now. I hope you come away from this episode edified, encouraged, and fired up to live out your God-given call to be the hands and feet of Jesus every day of your life. What I Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~Asking (and answering!) the question, "What is the gospel?"; understanding that, at its foundation, it is first and foremost about our eternal salvation, but that it does not end there ~The vertical AND horizontal implications of the gospel ~Why "Just preach the gospel" is an incomplete message (and why we have to stop being inconsistent with when we do and do not issue forth that call!) ~Understanding that the gospel has direct implications for how we live and how we love and serve our fellow image bearers ~The topic of "social justice", some of the baggage that commonly surrounds that term, and breaking it down to understand what it means ~The reality that "social righteousness" (John Wesley's term of choice) predates anything socialistic or communistic from Marx or Lenin (which is often the reason people don't like the term "social justice") and therefore is something important for us to keep in mind ~The importance of not handing over the keys to the kingdom or dropping the ball and giving the world the mission the church has of making sure we are not neglecting our duties to feed the hungry, welcome the stranger, set free the captive, help the oppressed, care for the poor, visit the imprisoned, etc. ~What James says the "evidence of true religion is" ~Jesus' words regarding the gospel being "good news for the poor" and what this tells us ~Isaiah 58 and what this passage tells us about the nature of the gospel ~The reason Jesus gives for why the sheep and goats will be separated at the end of time - the answer may surprise you! ~Our mission to be the hands and feet of Christ ~The "social gospel" as an outflow of the gospel itself ~The importance of love and why Paul says it is the most important thing ~The importance of kingdom living now, and if something is not appropriate in heaven, it is not appropriate now ~The gospel's goal of restoring all that was lost in the Garden ~And more! For full shownotes, head to /episode/index/show/homeandhearthpodcast/id/26240202

191: Handling the Unexpected with Patricia Heaton and David Hunt 03/01/2023

RE-RELEASE: 096: The Plague of the Mommy Wars with Rebekah Hargraves (Solo Episode 3) 02/25/2023

RE-RELEASE: 096: The Plague of the Mommy Wars with Rebekah Hargraves (Solo Episode 3) Today I am re-releasing the third solo podcast episode I ever recorded, this one on the topic of the mommy wars. This is a topic I have and shared about on , as well, so I'm excited to be sharing about this topic again on this podcast! What She Chats about in Today's Episode: ~Defining the term "mommy wars" and covering a bit of its history ~How the mommy wars show up in our current culture ~8 problems with the mommy wars - 8 main ways in which they are doing damage in the church: *They are causing us to major on the minors, only to forget what is really important. *They are causing us to forget what the Word of God actually has to say on the topic of mothering (see Proverbs 22:6, Ephesians 6:4, Titus 2:4-5, Deuteronomy 6:6-7) as we're so focused on things of lesser importance. *They are destroying the Titus 2 model and its outreach (see Titus 2:3-5). *They are causing us to ignore (and even blaspheme!) the gospel. *They are hindering us from being able to walk by the Spirit and to walk by faith (see James 1:5, Isaiah 30:21, Psalm 139, and Galatians 5:16-18,22-23). *They are causing division and leading to our losing out on encouraging friendship and valuable fellowship (see Genesis 2:18, Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, Romans 14). *They are leading to our losing our salt and light and to our becoming poor examples of Christ (Matthew 5:13-16, John 13:34-35, 1 Corinthians 5:20, Colossians 3:12, 4:6, Ephesians 4:29, Romans 12:18). *They are burdening us with unnecessary and unbiblical expectations. ~How the enemy is using the mommy wars to keep our noses on the internet and social media rather than in Scripture ~1 Timothy 4:8's response to the mommy wars ~How the mommy wars have led to a subconscious misunderstanding of the gospel as we look to our mothering choices to provide us with our righteousness, perfection, and good standing before God ~The issues of the mommy wars as being issues of secondary importance and why we have no right to judge other mamas in these areas ~Viewing mommy wars topics in light of Romans 14 ~Romans 14 and why I do not publicly share our family's choices regarding things like vaccination ~Assuming the best of other mamas, realizing that every mama comes to the decision they make with a desire for what is best for their children ~The wisdom of the world vs. the wisdom of God ~The long list of expectations we as moms have on our shoulders as to what "good moms" do vs. the very short list God has for us ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast /episode/index/show/homeandhearthpodcast/id/26039370

190: Navigating Contemplative Spiritual Practices with Celia Miller 02/16/2023

190: Navigating Contemplative Spiritual Practices with Celia Miller Celia Miller is a wife, writer, blogger, author, , and follower of Christ who is passionate helping equip others to slow down, seek still moments, and behold God's presence with them in the everyday. She comes on the show today to answer the question, "Are contemplative spiritual disciplines New Age?", and to equip us to grow in our walks with the Lord. I think you'll find this episode to be very helpful, encouraging, and edifying. What We Chat About on This Episode: ~Tackling the question, "Are contemplative spiritual practices New Age?"; my own personal experience with this concept ~The call the Lord has had on both of our lives to quiet, stillness, slowness, and contemplation; what that journey has been like ~Why these contemplative practices mean so much to Celia and how they have impacted her walk with the Lord ~The invitation the Lord issues for us to a life of communion and relationship with Him rather than just going through the motions or checking a box ~Bringing God with us into every moment of every day rather than just relegating our time with Him to our morning quiet time ~The practices of contemplative prayer, breath prayer, and centering prayer; what they are, examples of each, and the whole point of them ~The practice of daily or weekly examen, what that is, and the impact it has had on our lives ~The long thread contemplative prayer has through church history ~The importance of discernment and the differences between these contemplative Christian practices and what the New Age teaches and presents ~How these practices can aid you in your understanding of God's love for you ~The concept of "emptying your mind" and whether or not that is Biblical; the importance of filling our minds with God's truth and His goodness ~The practice of lectio divina, what it is, and the long thread of lectio divina in church history; the importance of slowing down in your Bible reading and not just rushing through the text ~Emphasizing the importance of the Holy Spirit and His work in our lives; understanding that it is not our striving, but rather the work of the Spirit of God that grows and changes us ~What "spiritual formation" refers to; what that is ~The ability to rest in our belovedness before the Father ~The beauty of the contemplative way for those of us who are prone to noise, hurry, busyness, and a wrong attaching of our identity to what we do or accomplish ~The differences between Christian spiritual practices and New Age spiritual practices ~Resting in the presence of the Lord and hearing His still, small voice ~Scripture passages that talk about being still before the Lord and casting all our cares on Him; the spiritual impact of doing so, and why the enemy doesn't want us to ~The gift of the Holy Spirit; understanding that Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit to companion us ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast /episode/index/show/homeandhearthpodcast/id/25948200

189: Busting Myths About Women in the Bible with Rebekah Hargraves (Solo Episode #39) 02/09/2023

189: Busting Myths About Women in the Bible with Rebekah Hargraves (Solo Episode #39) On today’s solo show, we tackling some common myths surrounding women in the Bible. My prayer is that you would come away from this episode feeling encouraged and better equipped in your ability to study, understand, and interpret the Bible for yourself, to allow Scripture to interpret Scripture, and to delight in God's design for and view of women. What I Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~5 common myths surrounding women in the Bible (and what the Bible actually says!): *Bathsheba seduced David and was guilty of adultery *The woman at the well was a serial divorcee and likely guilty of adultery *Deborah's leadership of Israel was a blight on their nation's history and a curse on Israel *Women are more likely to be deceived than men *Women do not teach men in Scripture (and are not supposed to) ~The impossibility of Bathsheba seducing David (Hint: It has to do with the Levitical practice of bathing in a mikveh) ~The forceful language in Scripture (and blame placed solely at the feet of David!) that points to Bathsheba being the victim of rape ~Why it is impossible that the woman at the well had been an intentional serial divorcee ~The crucial importance of growing in your understanding of the historical and cultural context of the Bible if you're going to interpret Scripture accurately ~The common misinterpretation of Isaiah 3:12, and how we know Deborah was not a curse on Israel ~Understanding, from Scriptural evidence, that Deborah was not God's "plan B" ~The words of Paul and James and how they both refute the idea that women are more easily deceived than men; other problematic issues with this myth ~What the entire book of Proverbs has to teach us about the folly of believing women are more easily deceived than men ~The prophetess Huldah and why God's treatment of her is so eye-opening and helpful for our understanding of how God views women teaching men Scriptural truth ~Why the story of Priscilla, Aquila, and Apollos is such an interesting one ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast /episode/index/show/homeandhearthpodcast/id/25875843

188: Embracing Who You are Now in Christ with Scarlet Hiltibidal 02/01/2023

RE-RELEASED - 089: Bible Study 101 with Rebekah Hargraves (Solo Podcast 2) 01/26/2023

RE-RELEASED - 089: Bible Study 101 with Rebekah Hargraves (Solo Podcast 2) On today’s solo show, we are re-releasing my talk on the topic of “Bible Study 101”. Though this is a re-release of an episode originally recorded three years ago, it seems timely again as we are feeling fearful in these times and needing to grow in our knowledge of the Bible and our ability to study it. May you come away from this episode feeling encouraged and equipped in your ability to study, understand, and interpret the Bible for yourself. What She Chats about in Today’s Episode: ~*How* to study the Bible, and then moving on into *when* to study the Bible (help for the busy woman who finds it hard to make time for the Word) ~5 Bible Study tips for beginners: *Pick a user-friendly Bible translation *Choose a Reading Plan for where to begin (see my Bible Reading Plan article below, however, for some necessary caveats to this!) *Find a good Bible study or Bible study method *Learn to reflect on what you are reading *Take advantage of the many free study resources at your disposal ~Different Bible translations, and what the differences are between word-for-word translations and thought-for-thought (or dynamic equivalent) translations ~The Bible translation I personally would recommend that is an “optimal equivalence” translation ~What the Holy Spirit has clearly called me, personally, to do in my personal Bible study time ~Free online resources and websites for Bible study ~Great books of the Bible to begin with if you are a new believer ~Bible study methods: *SOAP method Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer *Inductive Bible Study Method ~Great guided Bible study book recommendations ~Practical tips for how to be in the Word as a busy woman ~Meeting with God all throughout the day in relationship with Him, as opposed to relegating time with Him to a business meeting in the morning ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast /episode/index/show/homeandhearthpodcast/id/25736430

187: Crafting a Life That Serves Mama Well with Rachel Norman 01/20/2023

187: Crafting a Life That Serves Mama Well with Rachel Norman Rachel Norman is a wife, mom of 5, certified baby and toddler sleep coach, blogger at and author of the new book, . She has a passion to help moms be ok, to be able to uncomplicate family life and go back to the basics. Today on the show she encourages and inspires us to craft lives that serve us and our families well. What We Chat About On This Episode ~Rachel’s new book, , what led her to write it, and what readers can expect ~Erecting boundaries for ourselves so that we can guard our hearts and be ok ~How having boundaries for ourselves and taking care of ourselves is actually really good for our kids, too ~Rachel’s own experience of how the way she was living truly was killing her ~How not having appropriate boundaries as a mom leads to our growing anxious, hurried, harried, and as mere shells of ourselves ~Understanding that our struggles are common, and we are not alone ~The importance of slowing down and assessing how you’re feeling and why and what can be done about it ~The problem that can come with putting ourselves as moms into certain camps - crunchy parenting, gentle parenting, positive parenting, etc. ~The problems that can arise with the modern-day concept of “positive” parenting ~The problem with raising our kids (even subconsciously) to think that it isn’t normal to have feelings, express grief, or cry ~The importance of being kind and gentle while also remembering that saying no and having boundaries are important and good for our children’s well-being as the grow up ~Having a big-picture perspective in our parenting ~The benefit of having conversations and seeking to reach the heart of our children as opposed to just slapping a consequence on a behavior ~The problem of toxic positivity ~Normalizing having emotions as moms and children ~Actually making choices to cultivate, form, and organize lives that serve us well and bring us joy ~Taking things off our plates that are bringing inappropriate busyness into our lives ~The importance of stepping back and asking ourselves what our worldview is and assessing whether or not our current family rhythms and routines are honoring that worldview ~Words of advice and help to the mom who is on the other end of the spectrum and has a vice grip of control ~The heavy burden too many mamas have of believing that everything is either their fault or their responsibility; remembering that it is not our burden to bear to be God to our family ~How being too busy is a tool of the enemy to distract us from what is most important ~The warning sign it is if you’re being triggered by the pushback that comes with standards and discipline in your home ~Being freed from feeling like you are the victim of your children ~How not living in the present leads to our being depressed and anxious; what this means for us and our phone addictions ~Advice for how to get started with crafting new rhythms and routines and letting go of the busyness and overwhelm ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast /episode/index/show/homeandhearthpodcast/id/25664505

The Home and Hearth Podcast

TOPICS