All The Birthy Things

Dear Reader, Today we're in part 4 of a series on the Way of the Hearthmother, a Christ-centric and holistic framework to navigating resolution/healing as developed by Lauren Hall and as we teach within Hearthmother Journey. You can catch up on the other steps here. This week we're jumping into step 5, which is Live as Designed. Meaning, at the most fundamental level, are we living in alignment with the conditions we have been created by God to thrive within? This is stuff that can feel so...

Dear Reader, Today we're in part 4 of a series on the Way of the Hearthmother, a Christ-centric and holistic framework to navigating resolution/healing as developed by Lauren Hall and as we teach within Hearthmother Journey. You can catch up on the other steps here. This week we're jumping into step 4, which is to Engage the Body of Christ. People. Real, 3-dimensional humans who are part of the family of God, whom you trust to speak into your life. Hopefully you have some people like this in...

Dear Reader, Today we're in part 3 of a series on the Way of the Hearthmother, a Christ-centric and holistic framework to navigating resolution/healing as developed by Lauren Hall and as we teach within Hearthmother Journey. Last week we talked about the second step being to wait upon the Lord. Today I'd like to explore step 3, which is to "get curious!" As an unschooling facilitator for 6 wonderful kids, "curiosity" has become one of my focus words. I am convinced that children are born with...

Dear Reader, Today we're in part 2 of a series on the Way of the Hearthmother, a Christ-centric and holistic framework to navigating resolution/healing as developed by Lauren Hall and as we teach within Hearthmother Journey. Last week we talked about the first step being prayer and worship. Today I'd like to explore step 2, which is to wait upon the Lord. Pregnancy is, in many ways, an elongated waiting period, so this step is particularly relevant. Scripture abounds with language about...

Dear Reader, We're going to start a min-series this week, ok? It'll have 7 or 8 parts to it. We're going to walk through the steps of the Way of the Hearthmother as it pertains to pregnancy and birth!! If you aren't familiar with this Way of the Hearthmother "thing", you may first want to listen to this podcast episode (and download the corresponding freebie you'll find there). My dear friend and partner in kingdom mischief, Lauren Hall, is the one we have to thank for this treasure of a...

Hey Reader, The Lord has been really gracious with me this year, through bringing incredible and plentiful students and clients to serve. My cup is overflowing, and out of that overflow, I'm moved to be generous toward my wonderful community here! Yay! I'm delighted to unveil today that I'm running the biggest sale of the year (and perhaps the biggest one I've ever done) on my most robust and comprehensive program, Embrace Birth Journey. EBJ is one-of-a-kind online childbirth education rooted...

Dear Reader, Last time I wrote, I started sharing about the monumental shift in identity that occurs when we become mothers, and how it's sacramental in a way. If you missed it, you can catch up here. I got several email responses to that one, which is something I love, by the way. Even if I can't reply to all of them, I enjoy hearing how things land with you. Sarah M wrote to point out that the jarring deaths to self aren't unique to first babies, but may be experienced with subsequent ones...

Dear Reader, When I host sister circles at which women who have just become mothers for the first time are in attendance, one theme that comes up -- after the initial fuzzy and bleary-eyed first couple of months have passed -- is that of the identity shift and re-orientation. The identity shift in the wake of welcoming a baby into your life is profound. Maybe you've heard of it talked about as the maiden-to-mother transition. Or matrescence (there's a book by this title I keep meaning to...

Dear Reader, This newsletter will be on the short side. We've just wrapped up open enrollment for the fall cohort of Hearthmother Journey (if you're new here, that's our year-long birthkeeper training program). During that time, my energy and focus had been poured out toward those who are birth workers (or aspire to be). All the Holy Wild Birth episodes have been aimed at the birth workers for over a month also. I just wan to acknowledge that imbalance has been present, and that I haven't...

Hi Reader! Aspiring birth workers (like you!) are so often chomping at the bit to keep learning and growing and are very drawn to a thing like Hearthmother Journey... but life season, finances, and marital unity (amongst other things) play a real and very valid role in determining whether or not you can take the plunge and invest in a year-long program. It's now clear that now isn't your time for Hearthmother Journey. But we have some really great news. Or at least we hope it'll strike you as...