The Durenda Wilson Podcast

Why Waiting On God Is Never A Waste Of Time (Podcast 21)

Are you waiting on God for any area of your life...something in your marriage, with your kids, friends?  Maybe it's a job or a move? We are typically not very good at waiting, but often God calls us to do just that.  It can be frustrating and discouraging.  It can even take a toll on our faith.  So why in the world would God require us to do it? Is it just a waste of time?   What good might He have in all of it? (all references in the podcast are listed on my blog(durendawilson.com) associated with this episode)

Hope For The Overwhelmed Mom (Podcast 20)

Overwhelmed. Every mom experiences it.  Most of us experience it on a daily basis. It can feel pretty gross. It can steal our joy. It can rob our peace.  It seems to just be a part of life.  As Believing moms, we know deep down inside that God may have something better for us in all of it, but what could that possibly be?  Listen in and be encouraged!

Peace Through Tragedy (Podcast 19)

My friend Terrie and her family were on their way home from a family trip. A quick stop at the rest area would prove to be life-changing.  Terrie's husband, Greg, was shot in the back and ultimately paralyzed from the waist down. I had the opportunity to sit down with Terrie and have her share the story from that night and how she experienced God in the midst of a crisis.
When we recorded this, Terrie and Greg were just days away from testifying in the trial that would hopefully bring one of the perpetrators to justice. As of today, they are still sitting through court proceedings, so prayers would be much appreciated. (Scriptures and links to Terrie's website and books are on associated post at my blog, durendawilson.com)

Navigating Technology And Screen Time With Our Kids (Podcast 18)

Navigating technology and screen time with our kids is one of our biggest challenges as parents.  We are moving into what is called the "Smart Technology" age and quite frankly, it's intimidating!  Technology and screen time have been my arch nemesis for years.  I've prayed through and done the best I can, but I think we all could use some clarification, direction, and a plan!

Help is on the way!

Today I am talking with Leah Nieman who has been speaking for the past 8 years to parents, homeschooling groups, and teens about technology, social media, and parenting. She is going to share with us some ideas on how we can raise kids with a healthy perspective of technology and social media. I think you will be inspired and encouraged!
(All resources mentioned are the blog post associated with this episode...durendawilson.com)

Homeschooling Boys: How to Encourage Ownership (Podcast 17)

One of the keys in homeschooling boys is moving them from a place of dependency to a place of ownership.  If our boys OWN what they are doing, we won't be needing to push or cajole.  In fact, it may be all we can do to keep up with them!  The conquering spirit of boys is quite the sight to behold and it's an exciting, powerful thing to be a part of!

What exactly is ownership?  Tim Elmore describes it like this:

Ownership is the antithesis of entitlement.

It’s the idea that my life is my own, which entails both freedom and responsibility:

…For the decisions I make.

…For the challenges I face.

…For the money I spend or save.

…For the people I choose to hang around.

…For the future I prepare for.

…For the mistakes I make.

Today I'm sharing ways we can encourage our boys to OWN both their life and their education.  College isn't for everyone and is, in fact, becoming less and less relevant.  I'm sharing some great alternatives.  These suggestions aren't an exhaustive list, but they will hopefully give you hope and a vision for something that may be a better fit for your boys! (There are links to the resources I share in the podcast on this post at my blog)

Homeschooling - What Our Boys Really Need Pt.2 (Podcast 16)

In this podcast, I'm talking more about our boys and what they really need!  We will be focusing specifically on Jr.High/High School ages.  There are lots of practical ideas, but more than anything, I want you, as moms, to be encouraged.

They say the mom's heart is the child's classroom and this is why I often spend time speaking to that.   If your hearts are thriving, your children and your homeschooling will be thriving as well!  God's principles are timeless and hold true across the board, but the method to walk in obedience to those principles can vary from family to family.

Please listen in, I think you are going find that God has, in fact, been speaking to your heart about your boys. My prayer is that this podcast will give help give you the courage to move forward in faith for their hearts and yours! (Resources mentioned in the podcast are listed on the post on my blog durendawilson.com)

Homeschooling Boys: What They Really Need Pt. 1 (Podcast 15)

Today I'm talking about homeschooling boys:  what they really need, understanding some of the ways that they tend to be wired and specifically what we have done as we homeschooled our 5 boys who are now 22, 20, 19, 17, and 13.

Raising boys can be challenging.  Homeschooling them can bring the best mom/teacher to her knees (or tears), but OH the joy of boys!  I love our boys to the moon and back, but part of being able to enjoy our homeschooling journey required me to give up some of my ideal thoughts about what it was supposed to look like.  I had to decide whether I was going to insist that they measure up to what I felt like and now know are ridiculous and unnatural expectations or if I was going to encourage them to be everything that GOD made them to be!  It was one of the best decisions I ever made (more than once over the years) and I would do it all over again!
(All sources mentioned are on my blog at durendawilson.com)

The Distinctiveness of Boys (Podcast 14)

Our culture wants to blur the line between boys and girls, but just about any mom can tell you that there IS a difference.  There are sliding scales of differences, but still, differences.

Instead of denying these unique qualities, it's important to recognize and APPRECIATE them.  We have a Creator who is intentional and very innovative in the ways that He knit us together.  As moms, we have an opportunity to not only help direct the amazing qualities that boys possess, but also to help them find confidence in who God has called them to be.

The Art of Manliness (website mentioned)

Homeschooling is About Freedom (Podcast 13)

Not one of us is in the EXACT same situation as someone else. We live in certain cultures, sub cultures, have different backgrounds, different children, are in different seasons of life, and so much more! It makes sense that each our homeschooling journeys would have a different flavor as well!
In this podcast, our grown daughters and I will be talking about homeschooling confidently from WHERE YOU ARE!  God has very intentionally placed each of us in our specific circumstances and He has a plan and a purpose in how that affects our homeschooling experience!

The girls and I will share what our homeschooling looked like because of our specific set of boundaries.
You'll get my perspective AND theirs because I believe it's important for you to see how our imperfect homeschooling experience was perfect for US...and yours will be too!
Let your friends know about it so they can listen as well and get ready to find FREEDOM in your homeschooling!
(Song at the end: Casting Crowns, Here's My Heart Lord)

Schoolhouse Rocked (Podcast 12)

This week's podcast is a must listen!  I'm talking to my friend, Yvette!  She and her husband and girls are traveling the country filming a documentary on homeschooling that will help debunk the myths that often surround what we are doing at home with our kids! It will be a great encouragement to those who already homeschool, show those who are considering it, just how doable it is AND reveal to the naysayers what a legitimate option it really is!

I believe this film will transform our culture's view of homeschooling and encourage so many more Christian families to step out in faith and begin their homeschooling journey as well.  It will also be very helpful for homeschooling families to pass on to the people in their lives who give them grief over their choice to home educate.  I like to call it "educating the non-home educator"! (It's also a great reminder of why we are homeschooling!)