Gracenotes Podcast

What if worship isn’t just something we do on Sundays—but something that reshapes every moment of our day? In this episode, Grace sits down with author and speaker Emily Jensen to talk about her new booklet on worship and how it transforms ordinary motherhood into meaningful devotion. From busy mornings and school drop-offs to the deeper questions of why we do what we do, Emily invites us to see w...

🔖 Topics Covered: Sarah’s journey through chronic illness and motherhood Parenting children with neurological and health challenges How suffering shaped her children’s compassion and faith The heart behind Jesus Will Meet You There What Jesus’ interactions in the Gospels reveal about weakness Helpful vs. unhelpful ways to comfort someone who is suffering Why listening matters more than having the...

Episode Title: Seven Habits of Resistance — Discerning Cultural Lies & Living the Way of Jesus Guest: Elizabeth Woodson — Founder of The Woodson Institute Episode Summary: Elizabeth shares about her new book on the Seven Lies of Culture and the Seven Habits of Resistance , offering practical spiritual practices that help believers resist cultural narratives and live rooted in Christ, they also dis...

Postpartum is a difficult season, Cradled is a resource to support new moms. Grace chats with Annie Vanderheiden, the former Risen Motherhood editor about 8 postpartum tasks. feeding changing sleeping soothing washing nurturing praying anticipating -Ordinary moments can point women back to Jesus and remind them that “As moms care for children, He cares for moms.” -Annie’s personal struggles with p...

Vickie Gaynier: From Addiction and Despair to Portraying Heroes of the Faith. Vickie shares her powerful testimony of overcoming years of drug use and despair. She recounts her transformative experience of accepting Jesus Christ while in a mental ward. She now uses her acting talent to portray women of faith, such as Corrie ten Boom and Fanny Crosby, bringing their stories to life and inspiring ot...

Aimee Joseph author of 'Made to Rest, True Peace in a World that Never Stops.' Aimee is a mother of three and wife to a pastor. She shares her insights on biblical rest derived from her own experiences and the process of raising three boys. She emphasizes the significance of spiritual rest, being grounded in a Christ-centered life, as opposed to self-centered cultural solutions for restlessness. A...

What does it take to build long-lasting, Christ-centered friendships in a world full of busyness & loneliness? In this episode, I sit down with Bailey T. Hurley , author of Together Is a Beautiful Place , to chat about the joys and challenges of friendship. Bailey shares her own story of navigating seasons of friendship drought, the cost and beauty of prioritizing relationships, and how biblical p...

Today’s guest is Cara Ray , author of The Pursuit of Holy Leisure: Enjoying God in Everyday Places . Cara is a writer, Bible teacher, and the founder of The Writer’s Bloc Community and Podcast , a space created to help Christian women grow in both the art and heart of writing. Once a self-described “quiet time checkbox checker,” Cara now writes to help believers slow down, savor Scripture, and pur...

Grace Thomas chats with author Kristen Wetherell about practical ways to prioritize prayer along with... -Staying the course when motherhood feels discouraging -How chronic illness and suffering shaped Kristen’s dependence on God -Prayer shifting from duty to desire -Teaching children to pray in simple, tangible ways -Common misconceptions about prayer -How prayer reveals the true condition of our...

Grace Thomas talks with Mary Eschen, host of Parenting Decoded , about raising independent kids, managing screen time, & building strong parent-child connections. Introduction: Meet Mary Eschen, Parenting Expert and Host of Parenting Decoded Mary’s Parenting Journey: From Helicopter Mom to Love and Logic Coach Screen Time and Technology: Practical Tips for Today’s Kids: tools like Bark.com. Buildi...

What do you do when you doubt your purpose and calling? When you have big goals and don’t know what to do? Kelly’s book Purposefooled answers these questions with scripture and timely insights. Book Quotes “We were made for nothing less than the infinitely glorious, breathtakingly beautiful person of God Himself.” “I am no longer the main character in my own life.” “True greatness exists only in t...

Abbey Wedgeworth , creator of the beloved Training Young Hearts series and the devotional Held shares practical tools for raising kiddos. Together they explore how the gospel shapes everyday parenting. Abbey shares honest highs and lows of motherhood, the beauty of raising three boys, and the importance of helping children see that Jesus was a child too—one who always used His hands, words, and he...

Grace interviews Blair Linne, the author of ' Made to Tremble: How Anxiety Became the Best Thing That Ever Happened to My Faith.' Blair shares her journey from dealing with severe anxiety and panic attacks to finding deep dependence on God. Throughout the conversation, she discusses the challenges of balancing motherhood, homeschooling, and moving to a new city while managing anxiety. Blair emphas...

Rooted in the Word: A Conversation with Gretchen Saffles of Well-Watered Woman In this episode of Grace Notes , I had the joy of sitting down with Gretchen Saffles , founder of Well-Watered Women and author of The Well-Watered Woman , Word Before World , and Sweeter Than Honey . We talk about the highs and lows of motherhood, simplifying life during busy seasons, and what it means to stay rooted i...

🔖 Shownotes: Hunter Beless—Bible teacher, children’s book author, and founder of Journeywomen Ministries . Hunter shares about the highs and lows of motherhood, the heart behind her newest children’s book Jesus Loves You More , and how parents can point their children to the unshakable love of Christ. Together we talk about: Highlighting and celebrating God’s work in your children The story behin...

Topics Covered * Why is prayer valuable? * If prayer’s so valuable, why don’t we do it more often? * What does prayer look like practically? Verses on Prayer * Psalm 138:8 “ The Lord will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy and loving-kindness, O Lord, endure forever–forsake not the works of Your own hands.” * Colossians 4:2 “ Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” * Joh...

We talk about: ✨ Ways families can cultivate a heart for prayer.✨ Jenny’s personal experiences overseas and lessons on hospitality, holiness, and cross-cultural love.✨ Practical resources & ideas. Resources Mentioned: Jenny’s Book! Around the World with Kate & Mack – a colorful kids’ resource from Wycliffe Bible Translators that helps families learn about Bible translation and pray for the nati...

What does it take to build long-lasting, Christ-centered friendships in a world full of busyness & loneliness? In this episode, I sit down with Bailey T. Hurley , author of Together Is a Beautiful Place , to chat about the joys and challenges of friendship. Bailey shares her own story of navigating seasons of friendship drought, the cost and beauty of prioritizing relationships, and how biblical p...

1/4 women experience a miscarriage. What can we do to support them? Brittany Allen is the author of Lost Gifts: Miscarriage, Grief, and the God of All Comfort and is currently working on her second book, Free to Weep . She shares her testimony of coming to Christ after a difficult childhood, walking through three miscarriages in one year , and discovering the comfort of God in the midst of sufferi...

Portia Collins shares her motherhood journey, the heart behind her new Galatians study, and how God has taught her about true identity and freedom in Christ. From battling performance-driven faith to learning it’s “Christ alone,” Portia unpacks practical Bible study techniques, spiritual lessons from Paul’s letter, and encouragement for women longing to rest in the finished work of Jesus. Checkout...

Singer-songwriter and author Ellie Holcomb joins Gracenotes to talk about the highs and lows of motherhood, the stories behind her beloved children’s books, and the heart behind her music. Ellie shares: The bittersweet joys of parenting a middle schooler, tween, and first grader. How her daughter’s question—“Who sang the first song?”—sparked her journey into writing children’s books. Walking throu...

🎧 Grace Thomas talks with author, speaker, and former Revive Our Hearts ministry leader Erin Davis about the beauty and challenges of family life. Erin shares candidly about the highs and lows of motherhood, raising boys with intention, and walking through difficult seasons like her mother’s battle with Alzheimer’s and estrangement in her own family. Together, they discuss Erin’s new Bible study...

📖 Glenna Marshall discusses her newest book on Psalm 139, Known and Loved . She shares how this powerful psalm reshaped her understanding of God’s love—moving from a belief that His love must be earned to the freeing truth that it is steadfast and personal. Together, they dive into themes of God’s delight in His children , overcoming shame, and how suffering and chronic pain can actually deepen o...

Grace Thomas chats with author and literary agent Jen Babakhan to talk about navigating life’s unexpected detours with grace and faith. Jen shares the story behind her book— Detoured , leaving her professional career to become a stay-at-home mom. Together, they explore the tension between ambition and surrender, the identity shifts that come with motherhood, and how God meets us in seasons of unce...

🎙 A Conversation with Laura Wifler on Beauty, Identity, and Raising Kids in a Digital World In this episode of Gracenotes , Laura Wifler —co-founder of Risen Motherhood , author of Any Time, Any Place, Any Prayer , discusses her forthcoming children’s book Your Worth Never Waivers . Together, they dive into a deeply needed conversation about helping children understand their God-given worth in a c...