Unlikely Housewives: Real Talk For Worn Out Christian Women

Postpartum Anxiety Mistakes Christian Moms Don’t See Coming | EP 155

In this episode, we sit down with licensed professional counselor and perinatal mental health specialist Emma Donaldson, who walks alongside Christian moms in the postpartum season. She shares how becoming a mom herself shifted her from trauma work into perinatal mental health, and why so many women quietly spiral with anxiety while still loving Jesus and their babies deeply.

Emma helps us name the postpartum anxiety mistakes Christian moms don’t see coming: spiritualizing symptoms and assuming it’s “just a faith issue,” hiding intrusive thoughts out of fear of being judged or seen as unsafe, and buying into the “super-mom” myth that a good mom does it all alone with a smile. She also unpacks the massive hormonal crash after birth, the reality of baby blues versus postpartum depression, and how long hormones, breastfeeding, and sleep deprivation can keep your nervous system on high alert.

We get honest about Christian clichés like “just be grateful” or “just pray more,” how they unintentionally deepen shame, and what it looks like instead to anchor your heart in God’s character without denying your mental health. Emma shares why intrusive thoughts are far more common than most moms realize, why they don’t mean you want to hurt your baby, and how safe, faith-informed support can make your shoulders finally drop.

If you’ve ever thought, “I should be grateful, so why do I feel so anxious and crazy?” this conversation will help you see that you’re not broken, you’re not a bad Christian, and you don’t have to keep doing this alone.

Guest bio

Emma Donaldson is a licensed professional counselor and perinatal mental health specialist who supports Christian moms in pregnancy and postpartum. After years of specializing in trauma, becoming a mom revealed just how unique and intense postpartum anxiety, depression, and intrusive thoughts can be—and how often they’re minimized or spiritualized away. Emma now focuses her practice on pregnant and postpartum women and couples, offering flexible virtual counseling that fits real nap schedules and real-life chaos. She is also the founder of Joyful Mama Mental Wellness, an online space created to educate and support moms with mental-health–informed, faith-integrated care so they never have to feel like they’re “going crazy” alone.

Connect with Emma: https://www.instagram.com/joyfulmamamentalwellness/ 

Joyful Mama Mental Wellness: https://www.joyfulmamamentalwellness.com/

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💙 Support the Unlikely Housewives!  Represent with our UH Merch!
bit.ly/unlikelymerch  

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🗣️Join our community on Facebook and connect with us on Instagram! 

🎙️Want to be a guest on Unlikely Housewives? Send Tori Shirah a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/unlikelyhousewives

⭐️Write an apple review and YOUR review could be read on our next episode! 

🇺🇸Hosted by Tori Shirah and Tracy Stine

💌Contact us ➡️ UnlikelyJoCo@gmail.com

How "Doing It All" Backfires: 4 Ways Chasing More Wrecks Joy at Home | EP 154

What if God is not asking you to move into the “next big thing” but to be grounded right where you are? In this conversation, Tori and Tracy get real about identity, calling, stay-at-home motherhood, and the exhausting chase for affirmation outside the home.

For the woman who keeps asking, “Am I falling behind?” or “Shouldn’t I be doing more?”—this episode is your permission slip to breathe, be where your feet are, and trust that God has you exactly where He wants you.

In This Episode We Talk About:

• Tori’s 10-year wrestle with being a stay-at-home mom and constantly chasing “God’s will” in the next opportunity, title, or achievement.​
  
  
• Tracy’s journey of stepping away from a good, successful thing to lock in at home during a hard season and what it looked like to quiet the noise and get off social media.
  
  
• How the word “just” (as in “just a wife and mom”) sneaks into our language and steals the value of the most important roles God has given us.
  
  
• The craving for affirmation and recognition—why words of affirmation feel so good in work and ministry, and how unseen faithfulness at home still deeply matters to God.
  
  
• Letting go of guilt, comparison, and cultural pressure to “be more” and instead anchoring your identity as a daughter of the King.
  
  
• The idea of being grounded not as being stuck or stagnant, but as being anchored in trust like a boat on the waves—still moving, but held secure by Jesus.
  
  
• Seeing each season (babies, teens, moving, new church, college-bound kids) as temporary, purposeful, and part of God’s timeline, not a permanent label on your worth.​
  
  
• Gratitude for past seasons—even ones that may have come from striving or partial disobedience—and how God still used them for provision, growth, and connection.

If You’re In a Tug-of-War Season…

This episode is especially for you if:

• You feel pulled between home and hustle and wonder if you’re “wasting” your gifts at home.
  
  
• You’ve stepped away from something good (a job, business, or ministry) and are grieving, doubting, or second-guessing the decision.
  
  
• You’re struggling with comparison on social media and feeling like everyone else is “ahead” of you.
  
  
• You’re longing for peace, presence, and permission to be fully where God has you right now.

• Trusting God’s placement and timing in every season.
  
  
• Holding dreams, homes, churches, and plans with open hands.
  
  
• Remembering that nothing is wasted in God’s hands—even the seasons we’d label as striving or misaligned.
  
  

You are not “behind.” You are not “just” anything. You are loved, called, and placed on purpose right where you are today.

If this episode encouraged you, send it to a friend who is wrestling with her worth, her work, or her role at home, and remind her she doesn’t have to keep chasing the next thing to be in God’s will.

You can also share your biggest takeaway by tagging us on Instagram and telling us what “being grounded” looks like in your current season.

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💙 Support the Unlikely Housewives!  Represent with our UH Merch!
bit.ly/unlikelymerch  

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🗣️Join our community on Facebook and connect with us on Instagram! 

🎙️Want to be a guest on Unlikely Housewives? Send Tori Shirah a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/unlikelyhousewives

⭐️Write an apple review and YOUR review could be read on our next episode! 

🇺🇸Hosted by Tori Shirah and Tracy Stine

💌Contact us ➡️ UnlikelyJoCo@gmail.com

Faith Over Consumerism: How Christian Moms Can Prioritize Experiences, Not Stuff | EP 153

‘Experiences over things’ isn’t just a cute saying—it’s a radical shift in how we see our time, our money, and our calling as Christian women, wives, and moms. In this episode of The Unlikely Housewives, we unpack what it really looks like to choose memories, connection, and Kingdom impact over clutter, comparison, and consumerism. Through honest conversation, laughter, and real-life stories, we explore how prioritizing experiences can transform the atmosphere of your home, your marriage, and your motherhood.

We talk about the subtle ways our culture tells us to buy more to feel like “enough,” and how that pressure shows up in our homes, holidays, and even our parenting. Then we contrast that with God’s heart for simplicity, presence, and intentional living—choosing game nights over gadgets, road trips over random purchases, and time with Jesus over the constant chase for the next “new” thing. You’ll hear how we’re personally wrestling with these decisions in our own families, what we’ve learned the hard way, and the small shifts that are making a big difference in our peace and joy.

If you’ve ever felt guilty for saying no to more stuff, stretched thin trying to keep up with everyone else’s lifestyle, or convicted that your calendar and Amazon cart don’t match your values, this conversation is for you. We’ll share practical ideas for creating meaningful shared experiences on any budget, how to invite your husband and kids into the process, and how to anchor it all in a biblical perspective on contentment, stewardship, and “treasures in heaven.” Expect a mix of conviction and encouragement—with plenty of grace.

 

By the end of the episode, you’ll feel empowered to:

• Identify where “things” might be crowding out what matters most in your life.
  
  
• Reframe experiences as investments in your family’s spiritual and emotional legacy.
  
  
• Take simple, realistic steps toward a more intentional, Christ-centered lifestyle that values presence over possessions.

This is your gentle nudge to loosen your grip on stuff and tighten your hold on the people and moments God has placed in front of you. Tune in, share it with a friend, and then go make a memory that lasts longer than anything in your shopping cart.

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💙 Support the Unlikely Housewives!  Represent with our UH Merch!
bit.ly/unlikelymerch  

🧖‍♀️Sunlighten Sauna Sponsor: https://get.sunlighten.com/unlikely  Save up to $1700!

🗣️Join our community on Facebook and connect with us on Instagram! 

🎙️Want to be a guest on Unlikely Housewives? Send Tori Shirah a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/unlikelyhousewives

⭐️Write an apple review and YOUR review could be read on our next episode! 

🇺🇸Hosted by Tori Shirah and Tracy Stine

💌Contact us ➡️ UnlikelyJoCo@gmail.com

Unlikely Husbands: Mind Reading & Silent Treatments Fail Marriage | EP 152

This episode features hosts Tracy and Tori welcoming their husbands, Chris and Andrew, for a lively in-studio discussion on marriage communication challenges. Recorded as part of their four-year podcast journey, it offers faith-infused insights for busy housewives navigating real-life relationships.

Timestamps 

• 2:00 - Marriage mind-reading fails​
  
  
• 10:00 - Communication evolutions
  
  
• 20:00 - Silent treatments and fixes
  
  
• 30:00 - Parenting shifts and future focus​

Episode Highlights

• Chris (married 20 years to Tracy) and Andrew (nearly 18 years to Tori) share proof-of-life stories, poking fun at annual appearances and avoiding deep "skeletons in the closet."
  
  
• Couples explore failed expectations of spouses intuitively knowing needs, like car ride silences vs. podcasts, clothing choices, and casual suggestions turning into silent treatments.

Key Discussions

Communication emerges as a top marriage hurdle alongside finances and parenting.

• Husbands admit poor mind-reading; wives project their preferences but learn opposites often prevail.
  
  
• Examples include budgeting blowups (Amazon vs. grocery indulgences), suppressing frustrations leading to pettiness, and silent treatments lasting days.
  
  
• Growth over years: More confidence to address issues quickly, avoiding bitterness; leaning into logic during teen parenting tugs.

Takeaways for Listeners

Prioritize explicit talks over assumptions to prevent grudges—especially with kids nearing independence. The couples stress supporting each other against external stresses, not each other, for lasting bonds (aiming for 80+ years). Faith anchors maturity, turning obstacles into opportunities for stronger unity.

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💙 Support the Unlikely Housewives!  Represent with our UH Merch!
bit.ly/unlikelymerch  

🧖‍♀️Sunlighten Sauna Sponsor: https://get.sunlighten.com/unlikely  Save up to $1700!

🗣️Join our community on Facebook and connect with us on Instagram! 

🎙️Want to be a guest on Unlikely Housewives? Send Tori Shirah a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/unlikelyhousewives

⭐️Write an apple review and YOUR review could be read on our next episode! 

🇺🇸Hosted by Tori Shirah and Tracy Stine

💌Contact us ➡️ UnlikelyJoCo@gmail.com

TRAILER Unlikely Housewives: Real Talk for Worn-Out Christian Women

Ever feel disconnected, lonely, or like everyone else got the handbook for Christian motherhood and marriage except you? This trailer is your official permission slip to drop the act, laugh at the crazy, and admit that sometimes “quiet time” is hiding in the pantry with a snack. We’re Tori and Tracy, two “unlikely” housewives who met after moving our families across the country, bonded over being lonely and over it, and decided to create the community we were desperate to find. Here, you’ll find humor, honesty, and hope as we talk about Christian parenting, marriage, shame, emotional health, and walking with Jesus in the middle of the mess—not after you’ve folded the last load of laundry. If you’re ready to swap self-care for soul-care, drop the people-pleasing, and join a tribe that loves Jesus and also laughs at memes about reheating the same coffee three times, hit play and come join the club.

Anxiety, Insomnia & Your Faith: What to Do When You Can’t Sleep | EP 151

If you’ve ever stared at the ceiling at 2 a.m. begging God for just a few hours of sleep, this conversation is for you. We’re joined by Dr. Benjamin Long, a pediatric sleep doctor by day and seminary student by night, who specializes in the integration of theology and sleep. He shares practical, science‑backed strategies plus a biblical perspective that helps you feel seen in the dark and supported in your sleepless nights.

Dr. Long walks us through what “normal” sleep looks like from newborns to teenagers, why some people fall asleep in seconds while their spouse hears every tiny noise, and how insomnia develops over time. He also breaks down his “sleepless night rules” from his new devotional‑style Sleep Habits Journal and shows how meeting God in the middle of the night can slowly transform both your habits and your heart.

Whether you’re a mama with a newborn, a parent of a night‑owl teen, or a woman walking through hormonal insomnia, you’ll walk away with validation, language for what you’re experiencing, and simple next steps to try tonight.

In this episode we talk about

• Why heavy sleepers and light sleepers always seem to marry each other (and what might actually be going on).
• What “sleep efficiency” is and why falling asleep the second your head hits the pillow isn’t always a good sign.
• How much sleep babies, kids, and teenagers typically need in a 24‑hour period.
• When sleep training can realistically start and why there’s no one‑size‑fits‑all method for every family.
  
  
• The 3P model of insomnia (predisposing, precipitating, and perpetuating factors) and what that means for moms and teens.
• How anxiety, environment, and family history can all contribute to sleep struggles.
• The connection between cognitive behavioral therapy, spiritual formation, and what you do during a sleepless night.
• Why getting out of bed after about 15 minutes awake can reset your brain and your body.
• How God meets you in the dark when you feel isolated, exhausted, and unseen.

Dr. Long’s “Sleepless Night Rules”

Dr. Long shares five simple “sleepless night rules” from his Sleep Habits Journal that you can start using right away:

1. Cease activities before bedtime and lie down once you feel sleepy.
2. Rise from bed if you cannot fall asleep.
3. Connect with God and wait to feel sleepy.
4. Lie down again and repeat rules two and three if you still can’t fall asleep.
5. Resist sleeping in and taking naps so you don’t make insomnia worse over time.

He explains how these steps are drawn from cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia but also intentionally shaped by a Christian worldview, helping you practice self‑control, reset unhelpful patterns, and turn toward God instead of staying stuck in frustration.

Scripture & encouragement

Dr. Long reminds us that the sleepless night is often isolating, but it is not unseen. As a believer and physician, he points to the truth that God sees you in the dark, walks with you when you’re sleep‑deprived, and cares about both your mental health and spiritual formation. Each choice you make in those 2 a.m. hours is shaping the kind of person you’re becoming—and you don’t have to make those choices alone.

Connect with Dr. Benjamin Long

• https://thewholeheartedmd.com/
• The Whole Hearted MD Instagram
• Book: Sleep Habits Journal: Practices, Prayers, and Devotions to Ease Your Sleepless Nights

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💙 Support the Unlikely Housewives!  Represent with our UH Merch!
bit.ly/unlikelymerch  

🧖‍♀️Sunlighten Sauna Sponsor: https://get.sunlighten.com/unlikely  Save up to $1700!

🗣️Join our community on Facebook and connect with us on Instagram! 

🎙️Want to be a guest on Unlikely Housewives? Send Tori Shirah a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/unlikelyhousewives

⭐️Write an apple review and YOUR review could be read on our next episode! 

🇺🇸Hosted by Tori Shirah and Tracy Stine

💌Contact us ➡️ UnlikelyJoCo@gmail.com

Snacks, Homework & Holy Patience: Evenings with Kids | EP 150

Overwhelmed by the after-school chaos and the 5–9 p.m. “witching hours”? This episode is a real, funny, faith-filled chat about snacks, homework, dinner, and bedtime routines that actually help you breathe a little easier as a tired Christian mama.

Episode Summary

In this episode, Tori and Tracy get real about the after-school unraveling that happens the moment kids get in the car and how “How was your day?” always seems to get the one-word answer: “Good.” They talk through the emotional crash kids experience after a long school day, why open-ended questions help, and how something as simple as a snack and a bathroom break can completely shift the atmosphere.

They also dig into the realities of homework in the digital age, missing assignments, and the tension between giving kids downtime and still getting things done before practice and bedtime. From decision fatigue around “What’s for dinner?” to wasting leftovers and managing everyone’s preferences, they share practical tips like deciding dinner before 2 p.m. and sometimes just serving dinner at 4:30 if that’s what the day calls for.

As the conversation moves into evening rhythms, the housewives talk about simple routines that make mornings smoother: running the dishwasher at night, setting the coffee, and waking up to a clear kitchen island instead of a catch-all clutter zone. They acknowledge mom meltdowns during the 5–9 p.m. window and why swapping that glass of wine for a comforting cup of tea can help your body, mood, and sleep.

Finally, they normalize how bedtime evolves—from toddler witching hours and bath-before-dinner survival tricks to big kids who put on their own white noise or ASMR, and even the season where mom goes to bed first. With humor, honesty, and zero pretense, Tori and Tracy remind you that you’re not the only one throwing away leftovers in secret, yelling about stuff on the kitchen island, and trying to cobble together routines that actually fit your family’s real life.

Key Takeaways for Tired Mamas

• You’re not failing because your kids are cranky after school; their brains and bodies are exhausted and need a reset, not an interrogation.
  
  
• Deciding dinner early in the day and embracing “we’re eating at 4:30 tonight” can save your sanity and reduce evening chaos.
  
  
• Tiny, repeatable routines—like running the dishwasher, setting the coffee, and clearing the island—create a more peaceful launchpad for your day.​
  
  
• You can release the guilt around leftovers, uneven dinners, and imperfect routines; God sees your faithfulness in the middle of the mess.

Call to Action

If this episode made you feel a little more seen in your own 5–9 p.m. chaos, share it with a mama friend who’s texting you cry-laugh emojis from the car line. Screenshot your favorite moment, tag @unlikelyhousewives on social, and tell us: what’s one small routine you’re going to try this week to make evenings feel less crazy?

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💙 Support the Unlikely Housewives!  Represent with our UH Merch!
bit.ly/unlikelymerch  

🧖‍♀️Sunlighten Sauna Sponsor: https://get.sunlighten.com/unlikely  Save up to $1700!

🗣️Join our community on Facebook and connect with us on Instagram! 

🎙️Want to be a guest on Unlikely Housewives? Send Tori Shirah a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/unlikelyhousewives

⭐️Write an apple review and YOUR review could be read on our next episode! 

🇺🇸Hosted by Tori Shirah and Tracy Stine

💌Contact us ➡️ UnlikelyJoCo@gmail.com

The “Good Christian Girl” Mistake That Keeps You Afraid of Conflict | EP 149

What if your biggest struggle isn’t your theology, but your emotional maturity? In this raw conversation, Tracy and Tori sit down with Chaz, cofounder of Storyed, to talk about mental health, emotional discipleship, and how a secure attachment to Jesus can change the way you handle conflict, parenting, friendships, and your own thought life.

What you’ll hear in this episode

• How Chaz went from campus missionary to cofounding Storied with his wife Madison to help believers grow in mental health and emotional maturity through spiritual practices and coping skills.
• Why so many Christians are “bible nerds” with good theology but still emotionally reactive, easily offended, and struggling to stay on mission with Jesus and people.
• The difference between emotional awareness and emotional maturity—and why both matter for how you parent, love your spouse, and do life in community.
• A real talk on “helicopter parenting,” college kids still calling mom for permission, and what it actually looks like to launch kids into adulthood with healthy boundaries and responsibility.
• How the mental health crisis has collided with discipleship, leaving many believers exhausted, fearful, and unable to have hard conversations without shutting down or blowing up.
• Why so many people can’t handle disagreement, debate, or uncomfortable conversations without taking everything personally—and how a secure identity in Christ changes that.
• Chaz’s picture of the “joy tank”: how joy is different from happiness and is rooted in being delighted in by God, not in circumstances or people pleasing.
• Why arguing on social media rarely changes hearts, and how the early church actually grew through radical, embodied love and community rather than information fights.
• A powerful reminder that people may forget your words, but they will not forget how they felt with you—and why that matters for every “for the one” story you carry.

Key Takeaways for Housewives

• Your emotions are not too much for God. This episode reminds you that your relationship with Jesus is deeply personal—you can bring all of your feelings to Him instead of hiding or managing them alone.
  
  
• Emotional maturity is discipleship. Growing in emotional awareness, boundaries, and conflict skills is not “extra”; it’s part of following Jesus and loving people well.
  
  
• Joy is available right now. Joy is found in knowing you are delighted in by God, even when people misunderstand you, disagree with you, or can’t give you what you need emotionally.
  
  
• You’re not crazy for feeling worn out. The cultural climate, post-COVID kids, and nonstop online debates are real factors, and this conversation gives language and hope for what you’re sensing in your home, church, and friendships.
  
  

About Chaz and Storyed

Chaz spent over a decade in ministry, including years in college ministry with CRU at the University of Toledo, focusing on fraternity and sorority students and helping many come to know Jesus. After stepping out of full-time ministry, he and his wife Madison—a mental health counselor—launched Storyed to create emotional discipleship tools that integrate mental health, spiritual formation, and everyday life with Jesus.

Storyed exists to help believers:

• Grow in emotional maturity and self-awareness.
  
  
• Integrate therapy-informed tools with spiritual practices.
  
  
• Become healthier disciples who can love others well, handle conflict, and live on mission in their neighborhoods and churches.

Connect with Chaz: https://www.storyed.org/ and https://www.instagram.com/chazabecker/

Connect with Chaz and Storyed to explore emotional discipleship tools and resources for you or your church.

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💙 Support the Unlikely Housewives!  Represent with our UH Merch!
bit.ly/unlikelymerch  

🧖‍♀️Sunlighten Sauna Sponsor: https://get.sunlighten.com/unlikely  Save up to $1700!

🗣️Join our community on Facebook and connect with us on Instagram! 

🎙️Want to be a guest on Unlikely Housewives? Send Tori Shirah a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/unlikelyhousewives

⭐️Write an apple review and YOUR review could be read on our next episode! 

🇺🇸Hosted by Tori Shirah and Tracy Stine

💌Contact us ➡️ UnlikelyJoCo@gmail.com

The New Year Wellness Trap: Why Big Goals Make Tired Moms Feel Worse | EP 148

Feeling exhausted, overwhelmed by “New Year, New You” pressure, and not sure where to start with your health? In this episode, Tracy and Tori sit down with Esther Yunkin, a registered nurse with over 25 years of experience in emergency and holistic health, and host of the Health with Hashimoto’s podcast. Esther helps exhausted women with Hashimoto’s regain energy with simple, sustainable strategies that actually fit real mom-life.

Esther shares why you don’t need a massive overhaul or a 75-hard style challenge to feel better and why healing often starts with the most basic, ordinary habits that connect you to your body, to the earth, and to God. She also explains how stress, your nervous system, and even your breathing patterns are impacting your energy more than you realize—and gives you practical, doable steps you can start today, even if you’re listening months after January.​

In This Episode, We Talk About

• The pressure of New Year health goals, social media “fixes,” and why most big resolutions aren’t sustainable for busy moms.​
• Esther’s journey from ER nurse to holistic health practitioner and why she became passionate about prevention instead of band-aid medicine.
• What Hashimoto’s is, why so many exhausted women are being told “your labs look fine,” and the role of stress and cellular health.​
• The two main nervous system states (fight/flight vs. rest/digest) and how they affect digestion, sleep, and healing.​
• A simple diaphragmatic breathing practice you can do anytime, anywhere—and why 10 deep breaths before meals and bed can shift your whole day.
• How to use “triggers” (like buckling your seatbelt or bedtime routines) to build tiny, consistent habits that actually stick.
• Why “simple and sustainable” beats “go big or go home” when it comes to long-term wellness for mamas.

Guest Bio

Esther Yunkin is a registered nurse with over 25 years of experience in emergency medicine and holistic health. After 17 years in the ER, she became frustrated with conventional care’s band-aid approach and shifted her focus to helping exhausted women with Hashimoto’s regain their energy without overwhelm. She is the host of the Health with Hashimoto’s podcast and creator of the Holistic Hashimoto’s program, where she teaches simple, sustainable strategies for lasting wellness. Esther lives in rural Minnesota with her husband and their four boys, where they homeschool, garden, and raise flocks of chickens.​

• Connect with Esther:
  • Health with Hashimoto's Website
  • Facebook: Health with Hashimoto's Community
  • Esther RN Instagram

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💙 Support the Unlikely Housewives!  Represent with our UH Merch!
bit.ly/unlikelymerch  

🧖‍♀️Sunlighten Sauna Sponsor: https://get.sunlighten.com/unlikely  Save up to $1700!

🗣️Join our community on Facebook and connect with us on Instagram! 

🎙️Want to be a guest on Unlikely Housewives? Send Tori Shirah a message on PodMatch, here: PodMatch Host

⭐️Write an apple review and YOUR review could be read on our next episode! 

🇺🇸Hosted by Tori Shirah and Tracy Stine

💌Contact us ➡️ UnlikelyJoCo@gmail.com

Christian Motherhood: Stop These 5 "Good Mom" Habits Now | EP 147

In this New Year kickoff episode, Tracy and Tori invite you into a real conversation about change, brain fog, motherhood milestones, and what it looks like to walk into 2026 with open hands and realistic expectations. From middle school transitions and impending changes to fractions homework, menopause, and church shopping, they share candid stories and a lot of laughter to remind you that you are not walking this season alone.

Instead of asking, “What can I add to my life this year?” The Unlikely Housewives flip the script and challenge you to prayerfully consider what you might need to take away—noise, distraction, or even social media—to make room for the good things God wants to do. They also share their heart for this podcast in 2026, including a peek at their content plans, a new mother–daughter Bible study with close friends, and how community has carried them through a whirlwind of change.

In This Episode, You’ll Hear About

• The “New Year hangover” and why brain fog and last year’s hard things don’t magically disappear on January 1.​
• Parenting in a year of big milestones: fifth-grade farewells, eighth-grade farewells, seniors, middle schoolers, and the reality of counting down to an empty nest.​
• How 2025 became a year of “Change 1.0, 2.0, 3.0” for Tracy—emotionally, physically, spiritually, and even locationally—and how God used it to grow her up spiritually.​
• The idea of choosing one thing to remove this year (like Tracy stepping away from social media) so you can actually make room for new, life-giving habits.
• A hilarious but convicting cussing story (hello, Mike Tyson illustration) that leads into a conversation about intentionality and how much of our lives really are choices.
• The heart behind their new mother–daughter Bible study with a close-knit group of six moms and their girls, and how they hope to create a safe, multi-age community of faith.​
• What they’re learning while “church shopping,” the difference between seeker-friendly spaces and deeper community, and why authentic, slower-paced church community matters so much in this season.
• The Unlikely Housewives 2026 plan: recording ahead, staying consistent through May, taking a summer break, and returning in the fall—God willing.​

Key Encouragements

• You don’t have to carry everything from last year into this one; ask the Lord what needs to be laid down so you can walk lighter.
• Everything from your schedule to your words is largely a choice; small, intentional shifts can create big change over time.​
• You are not behind if your church situation or friendships are in transition—God is faithful to provide community and connection in new ways.​

Connect With Us

• Subscribe to the Unlikely Housewives so you never miss a Tuesday episode.
• Share this episode with a friend who’s feeling overwhelmed walking into the new year.
• Screenshot and tag us (or send us a message if you’re off social like Tracy!) with what you’re choosing to take away in 2026 so you can make room for more of Him.

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💙 Support the Unlikely Housewives!  Represent with our UH Merch!
bit.ly/unlikelymerch  

🧖‍♀️Sunlighten Sauna Sponsor: https://get.sunlighten.com/unlikely  Save up to $1700!

🗣️Join our community on Facebook and connect with us on Instagram! 

🎙️Want to be a guest on Unlikely Housewives? Send Tori Shirah a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/unlikelyhousewives

⭐️Write an apple review and YOUR review could be read on our next episode! 

🇺🇸Hosted by Tori Shirah and Tracy Stine

💌Contact us ➡️ UnlikelyJoCo@gmail.com