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Feeling like a frazzled, coffee-reheating, “I’ve got this” mom who’s actually barely holding it together? You’re not alone. Welcome to Unlikely Housewives — the Christian mom podcast where two real women (and moms) trade people-pleasing for freedom, self-care for soul-care, and “the hustle” for a life of purpose.
Tracy and Tori are Christian moms who met after moving their families across the country and realized they were both faking it, lonely, and tired of comparison. We’re recovering people-pleasers and straight shooters who believe God calls the unlikely — and that you were made for more than just surviving motherhood, marriage, and the daily grind.
On this show, we talk real about:
- Christian parenting with purpose (and the mess that comes with it)
- Marriage, faith, and the hard conversations no one wants to have
- Women’s health, emotional baggage, and ditching cultural lies
- How to stop pretending and start living with hope as a Christian mom
If you’re a busy, isolated Christian mom looking for encouragement, laughter, and a reminder that you’re not alone — this is your tribe. Pull up those high-waisted yoga pants, tighten your top knot, reheat your coffee (again), and let’s rise together in faith, motherhood, and marriage.
Want to be a guest on Unlikely Housewives? Send Tori Shirah a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/unlikelyhousewives
Episodes
Tuesday Oct 17, 2023
Tuesday Oct 17, 2023
“If a child is old enough to love, they are old enough to grieve.”
“Our grief is an equal measure to our love.”
Have you ever thought about your children’s behaviors being affected by grief or loss? Loss of a friendship, a bad grade on a test, a loss of a pet, a big move, a family miscarriage, parents divorcing, or the loss of a loved one…these are all things that can truly bother a child yet they don’t have the words or tools to vocalize. In this episode, Valerie Rhodes does an incredible job of giving us some tools and shining some light on ways to cope with grief.
Valerie Rhodes is a grief counselor, author, speaker, workshop instructor, and Christian Grief Counseling, LLC owner. She earned her BA in Management of Human Resources from MidAmerica Nazarene University in Kansas. All continuing education focuses on dying, death, grief, loss, and disaster, with hope for recovery, rescue, and restoration.
As a long-term cancer survivor and then caregiver for a cancer survivor, Valerie has continued to serve others with chronic illness and death-related issues. She offers grief support workshops and teaches skills and tools to help others cope with their personal grief and losses. With her biblical worldview and as a trained member of the Overland Park, KS, FEMA Community Emergency Response Team, she specializes in helping others deal with diverse grief and disaster.
When our children are dealing with so many things at once, it feels like their whole world is falling apart. But can we learn to ask the right questions and help them get to the answer of “what is really bothering them the most?”
You can find Valerie here https://valeriestevensrhodes.com/
Or you can email her at christiangriefcounseling@gmail.com
White Rose Charity Ball: Tickets Here
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Hosted by Tori Shirah and Tracy Stine
Contact us ➡️ UnlikelyJoCo@gmail.com
Tuesday Oct 10, 2023
Tuesday Oct 10, 2023
Ladies, are you wondering what is happening to your body? Are you noticing more changes and possibly more cellulite than you ever expected? Have you started seeing and feeling the physical, mental and emotional changes of your body aging? Some women are okay with hearing that it’s just part of life, yet for others, they want answers…not just the quick fix either, getting to the root issues, and Michelle and Kristie shine light on how to start getting these answers.
Fitness and nutrition experts Kristie Winter and Michelle Hutton (Owners of TwinFitness) are not only personal trainers, small group instructors, and nutritionists, but they are also former Fitness Bikini Pros! They understand the struggles you face trying to balance work, family, and self-care, as busy mothers themselves! The systems, willpower, and knowledge of the human body that led them to victory on the stage makes it possible for them to face every day with a smile, no matter how hectic their schedules get!
The twins share the two types of body shapes and the changes that occur due to specific hormonal bodies.
Estrogen dominant: carrying extra weight in hips and thighs, lower body. How can you improve your body's response to this?
- Nutrition (90% of the equation)
- High intensity cardio, plyometrics, jump squats, jump rope
- You should not spend more than 30 minutes. As we age, the stress hormone does increase as well and it could backfire on you storing body fat.
- Patience
Insulin resistant: carrying extra weight in stomach, mid section. How can you improve your body's response to this?
- If you change your diet, and focus on nutrition, you will see the results in your mid section. Getting good fats and lower carbs. Helpful tip & place to start: Count carbs and stay under 100g per day.
- Exercise: Slower pace, walk, resistance training.
- Cut back on sugars!
Michelle and Kristie started TwinFitness to empower women to be their best versions of themselves. By focusing on mothers and busy women, they can guide more women than ever to a healthier, happier lifestyle.
Your goal is their goal. They are ready to help you get the body that supports the lifestyle you want!
Join our community on Facebook and connect with us on Instagram!
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
Sunlighten Sauna Sponsor: https://get.sunlighten.com/unlikely Save up to $600!
Tuesday Oct 03, 2023
Tuesday Oct 03, 2023
We are thrilled to bring this episode to our local community listeners (and our Housewives worldwide) with the 4 school board candidates running as one slate that we, Tracy and Tori, stand behind 100% in this year's election. For our listeners not in the Blue Valley School District, be encouraged that these are parents just like us who decided to stand out and speak up and found a HUGE community because of it!
What a turn our public education has taken in the last few years, and in order to chart a path back to Blue Valley Excellence, these candidates have joined together to bring change for our families, our teachers and our schools.
Please join us in this episode to learn more about these incredibly faith-filled, family focused, and generous people who are giving of their time and resources to realign the future of our public school system in the Blue Valley School District.
Mike Huebner
Christine Vasquez
Rachel Faagutu
Trisha Hamilton
Their key priorities will be:
Academic Excellence ... Back to Basics
Classroom Excellence ... Teachers & Students
Operational Excellence ... Fiscal Prudence
Community Excellence ... Parents & Safety
You can connect with each one of the candidates and read about their values and mission here: https://bluevalleyexcellence.com/
Join our community on Facebook and connect with us on Instagram!
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
Sunlighten Sauna Sponsor: https://get.sunlighten.com/unlikely Save up to $600!
Tuesday Sep 26, 2023
Tuesday Sep 26, 2023
We have entered into some uncharted territory for our housewives in this episode. We’ve always said we’ll talk about the hard things, especially the areas in which we feel alone. Because if we feel alone, we know many of you do as well.
Do you have a hard time talking about your beliefs and true feelings around abortion? Do you feel like it’s a political topic you want to stay clear of or do you feel like it’s a biblical issue you cannot stay quiet about? You aren’t alone…even our nation's churches and pastors struggle on how much to share, but should they?
To answer these questions and more, we have invited our guest, Seth Gruber, to bring the truth to our listeners. Seth is the Founder and President of The White Rose Resistance, and host of the popular podcast "UnAborted." A nationally renowned human rights activist and sought after speaker, Seth is fighting for a world where every person has the right to be born.
Our world is slowly being destroyed, right in front of our eyes, and Seth brings awareness to a lack of knowledge which is leading to the silence. Hosea 4:6 Seth’s mission is to build Christian resistance to our worldly culture by educating Christians about the culture of death that has led us to this point.
We cannot settle for silence while Satan's favorite thing is our apathy.
“From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands.”
Acts 17:26 NIV
We are called to action and it’s time we stop being silent.
White Rose Resistance Ball
Seth preaching at Calvary Chapel Chino Hills, Senior Pastor Jack Hibbs
Books:
Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy
Forgiven and Set Free: bible study for women seeking healing after abortion
Sunlighten Sauna Sponsor: https://get.sunlighten.com/unlikely Save up to $600!
Join our community on Facebook and connect with us on Instagram!
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
Tuesday Sep 19, 2023
Tuesday Sep 19, 2023
Does your family struggle with a picky eater, a child with behavior issues, learning disabilities, big emotions, ADHD, or anxiety? Has it gotten to a point where your family needs help, even just a shift from the struggle into more of a strength-based parenting approach?
We gained a lot of wisdom and tools from all our guests, however, this specific guest blew our mama minds. Being able to have an open conversation with a parenting coach, one whose philosophy is rooted in relationships and trust, who knows and understands that parenting is the most important work we will ever do, truly blessed us and we know will bless all of our Housewives.
Jodie Maddox graduated from Central Missouri State University in 1995 with a BS in Special Education. She received a Masters Degree in School Leadership from Benedictine College in 2009. Jodie taught Special Education and has been a Principal at all grade levels, kindergarten through 12th grade. Because she has worked with students, parents and teachers at every stage of development, her scope covers the “big picture”, not just the current age or grade level. She brings a unique perspective to the coaching world. Jodie provides support to parents by asking curious questions and building a strong one-on-one relationship. She helps guide parents through the decision-making process, loaning them her experience and support. Jodie’s goal is to help parents make decisions based on what is right for their families.
Jodie’s coaching style is forward thinking: What’s the goal, where do you want to be and how can she get you there.
4 steps to her coaching style: Appreciative inquiry
- Discovery: get to know the family.
- Dream: as parents, what is our dream for our kids?
- Design: create the plan together.
- Destiny: accountability to help you live it out.
She helps empower parents to answer the questions themselves and create this new design together. If you are interested in following Jodie or working with her in the future, here is where you can find her:
jodiemaddoxicoach@gmail.com
@jodiemaddoxparentcoach
Subscribe to Jodie's Newsletter
Two websites Jodie recommended and loves for trusted reliable information about ADHD and Anxiety!
We have an Unlikely Housewives Newsletter!! You'll be the first to know when we have new episodes and get exclusive videos of our interviews! Subscribe here
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Hosted by Tori Shirah and Tracy Stine
Contact us ➡️ UnlikelyJoCo@gmail.com
Sunlighten Sauna Sponsor: https://get.sunlighten.com/unlikely Save up to $600!
Tuesday Sep 12, 2023
Tuesday Sep 12, 2023
Are you the master of wearing a mask? The one you put on to hide what’s really going on…the one who responds with “I’m great, how are you?” Or “we’re good, you?”. However, deep down that’s not what you are really thinking and feeling…living in that artificial world isn’t too comforting. So many long for authenticity but like with Caris, struggle to make their way to that point.
Listen into today’s episode to hear Caris share her tough moments of doubting her purpose and finding herself feeling breathless. She describes her anxiety as if feeling like an elephant was on her chest. Caris is super transparent in sharing that before she was diagnosed and battled on her own, she was someone who believed anxiety and depression was not real. She starved her anxiety to the point of numbing the pain. Caris pulled away from everything she possibly could in order to keep hiding from her true pain. When the darkest moments came, she felt like a burden to everyone. Please listen in to hear how God pulled her from the trenches and how He has used this in her life for His Glory!
Our guest this week, Caris Snider, is a Christian Communicator who shares the hope of God as a speaker, writer, certified life coach, and podcaster on her weekly show, Car Line Conversations. She is the author of Anxiety Elephants 31 Day Devotional and Anxiety Elephants 90 Day Devotional for Tween Boys and Girls. She has two new books that have just released. A Children’s Picture Book, There’s an Elephant on My Chest, and a book for moms titled, Car Line Mom Devotional. She shares personal experiences of overcoming depression, anxiety, fear, and shame. Caris desires to help people of all generations see their value and worth through the eyes of the Lord to grow in their faith and mental health. Caris offers inspiration to those who feel purposeless to discover their God-given calling no one else can accomplish. Caris lives with her husband, Brandon, and two daughters in Alabama.
For more information about Caris, her ministry, books, or speaking, go to: https://www.carissnider.com/
Link to all her books: Books
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Join our community on Facebook and connect with us on Instagram!
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
Tuesday Sep 05, 2023
Tuesday Sep 05, 2023
WE’RE BACK!!! We are so excited to be kicking off a new season of episodes for our housewives!
We are hitting all the heavy and hard topics and discussing some fun things too! We have loaded up our guest list with so many incredible people we can’t wait for you to meet! We are focusing this season on mental and emotional well being…of mamas, parents and our children.
Get excited to hear our episodes this fall which will include:
A Parenting Coach
An Author of anxiety books, devotions & podcaster
Fitness and women’s health coaches
Grief Counselor — focusing on loss, not just a death, but a move, a transition, the loss of a job, a divorce, and loss/failure in a kid’s world.
Sports Mentalist
Teen Anxiety
Financial Planner — Saving for college and how to set your kid up for success financially.
And more…
We are looking forward to finishing out 2023 strong with our listeners and cannot wait to see what 2024 brings for our community!
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Join our community on Facebook and connect with us on Instagram!
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
Tuesday Jun 06, 2023
Tuesday Jun 06, 2023
What a wonderful spring we had here on the Unlikely Housewives Podcast. We are so thankful to you, our listeners, for coming back weekly and sharing our podcast. We are especially grateful for the feedback when you’ve been moved yourself or led to share a specific episode to encourage a friend. Our audience has grown this spring and we are so grateful to be on the upward trend in our podcast categories.
In today’s episode we let you in on some of our own personal struggles and how we continue to seek joy. How? Because our joy is found in the Lord and with all the hard and amidst the chaos, we can still see where He shines His light!! It’s not been something we’ve always been able to do, but with practice, prayer and patience we have been able to turn our hearts up and see the blessings amongst the difficult season(s).
We will be back shortly…we promise it won’t be a long break. We’ll be adjusting to summer life and spending some time with our families then we’ll be back to more incredible guests and topics on our show!
Some of our top episodes from this spring’s season:
#36 Unmet Expectations
#37 Therapy & Vulnerability: Interview with Noreen Dupriest
#41 Loving your body through disordered eating & diet culture with Amy Reinecke
#42 Love your ONE Body Well
#47 The Roller Coaster of Women’s Health with guest, Lindsay O’Reilly
Join our community on Facebook and connect with us on Instagram!
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
Tuesday May 30, 2023
Tuesday May 30, 2023
We are so excited to introduce you to Farah Marvil! Farah is a dynamic wife, devoted mother, and ambitious entrepreneur who has dedicated her career to making a difference. With 25 years of experience from corporate America to faith-based nonprofit organizations across the US and Middle East, Farah has a wealth of knowledge to share with the world. Recently she left her position in ministry to take time to focus on family, while delving into new opportunities as a mompreneur and public figure. With an inspirational life story full of lessons learned along the way, Farah hopes to empower other women everywhere.
The Glory of God is written all over Farah’s story and life. Listen to today’s episode to hear how she grew up Muslim and came to know Christ.
If you missed Farah’s episode from last week, “Entering Motherhood after 40 and carrying multiples”, you can find it here Episode 52: Midlife Motherhood
Join our community on Facebook and connect with us on Instagram!
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
Tuesday May 23, 2023
Tuesday May 23, 2023
In today’s episode you will love hearing how Farrah met her husband in her late 30’s and became a mother after 40. We were so encouraged getting to know more about her faith walk, her weight loss journey having had gastric bypass surgery, and how she is now managing being 46 and having 3 toddlers.
Farrah has such an incredible heart and was open sharing how she struggled finding resources for women over 40 who have newly entered into motherhood. She shared that she feels as if no one talks about the physical strain of “older parenthood” after 35-40’s. It’s not going to look like what you expected with having energy like you did in your 20’s and 30’s, on top of the “getting older” exhaustion.
A common perspective she hears in the midlife mom world is “When you’re young you have the energy for kids, when you're older you have the money for it.” Farrah feels that the mentality is so different among the young moms vs midlife moms…each handles things differently between what causes you to freak out over and other things that you just don’t care to stress. She doesn’t see as much helicopter parenting and finds there is a lot of room for more grace. Must come with wisdom!
Lastly, she shares how midlife motherhood feels like a double edge sword. It is having had all the years before motherhood succeeding in your career and then waking up one morning and wondering where that woman went. It’s been a struggle as she knows that woman still exists inside her but she’s searching for what that looks like now within her heart & raising 3 toddlers.
We sure hope you’ll check back in next week when Farrah’s other episode releases where we share her family struggles, victories, coming to know the Lord and some major life triumphs.
Follow Farah at @marvil_ouslyfabu & @marvilbeautyco
Join our community on Facebook and connect with us on Instagram!
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