![Don't Mom Alone Podcast - Making Friends Who Really Know You :: Mentor Series Wk 4 [Ep 583]](https://audioboom.com/i/39842989.avif)
Making Friends Who Really Know You :: Mentor Series Wk 4 [Ep 583]
Don't Mom Alone Podcast
07/27/26
•39m
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Have you ever felt lonely in a season where you actually had people around you?
I know I have.
After having my fourth child, I found myself feeling incredibly overwhelmed. I had people in my life, but I realized I wasn't truly letting them in. I wasn't being honest about what was hard, where I was struggling, or what I really needed. After experiencing a panic attack, I found myself in counseling and on a journey toward finding deeper, more meaningful connections.
In this week’s Coffee with Heather mentor series, I want to talk about community in motherhood because I know how hard it can be. As moms, we are constantly pouring out—meeting our kids' needs, managing schedules, and caring for everyone around us. Sometimes friendship gets pushed to the side because we simply don't have the energy left.
But the truth is, we were never meant to do motherhood alone.
In this conversation, I share:
- Why making and maintaining friendships can feel so difficult as a mom.
- How we can unintentionally keep people at a distance.
- The insecurity that can come when we see groups of moms who already seem connected.
- How vulnerability helps us move from surface-level relationships into real connection, and how to practically do that.
- Practical ways to start building community, even in a busy season.
I also share an interview with Jada Edwards about the importance of remembering that our kids don't need a perfect mom—they need the mom God created us to be. We can trust Him with the gaps and allow Him to bring people into our lives who can speak truth, love, and encouragement into our children.
God often provides a village in ways we don't expect. Sometimes we just have to be willing to ask Him to show us who those people are and take the first step toward connection.
Connect with Melanie Shankle:
- Website: Big Mama – the big mama blog
- Facebook: Melanie Shankle -The Big Mama Blog
- Website: Jada Edwards
- Instagram: Jada A Edwards (@jada_edwards)
- You are Qualified in Christ :: Jada Edwards [Ep 248]
- Generational Healing: Becoming the Mom You Needed :: Melanie Shankle [Ep 508]
- Navigating Friendship :: Melanie Shankle [Ep 273]
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Previous Episode
Have you ever had one hard parenting moment and immediately thought, "I'm such a bad mom"? I know I have. It's amazing how quickly we can go from, "Today was hard," to believing something is wrong with us instead of recognizing we simply had a difficult moment.
In this week's Coffee with Heather mentor series, we're talking about one of the most important relationships we have—the relationship with ourselves. As moms, we're often so quick to extend grace to our kids, our spouses, and our friends, yet we're incredibly harsh with the woman staring back at us in the mirror. We hold ourselves to impossible standards, compare ourselves to what we see online, and believe the lie that we're supposed to have motherhood figured out.
In this conversation, I want to encourage you to begin recognizing the difference between conviction, condemnation, and shame. We'll talk about why self-compassion isn't self-pity, how to quiet your inner critic, and how to replace the lies we believe with the truth of God's Word. Motherhood was never meant to be lived under the weight of perfection. God isn't asking you to be a perfect mom—He's inviting you to faithfully walk with Him, receive His grace, and extend that same grace to yourself.
If you've been carrying around mom guilt, feeling like you're constantly falling short, or wondering if you're enough, I hope this conversation reminds you that your identity isn't found in one parenting moment. It's found in Christ. There is no perfect formula for raising kids, but there is a faithful God who redeems our mistakes, transforms our hearts, and walks with us through every season of motherhood.
Connect with Kim Fredrickson:
- Facebook: The Self-Compassion Club
- Instagram: Kim Fredrickson (@kimfredrickson)
- Website: Jada Edwards
- Instagram: Jada A Edwards (@jada_edwards)
- Give Yourself a Break: By Kim Fredrickson
- Give Your Kids a Break: By Kim Fredrickson
- Don't Mom Alone: By Heather MacFadyen
- You are Qualified in Christ :: Jada Edwards [Ep 248]
- Quiet Your Inner Critic and Practice Self-Compassion :: Kim Fredrickson
- Remaining You While Raising Them :: Alli Worthington [Ep 420]
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Next Episode
Have you ever reached the end of the day and felt like you had absolutely nothing left to give?
Maybe it was the question, "What's for dinner?" that pushed you over the edge. Maybe it was another toddler tantrum, another sleepless night, a teenager's attitude, caring for aging parents, or simply feeling touched out after pouring into everyone else all day.
If that's you, I want you to hear this: There is nothing wrong with you. God is not surprised that you feel overwhelmed.
One of the biggest lies we believe as moms is that good moms don't get overwhelmed. Somewhere along the way, we begin acting as though we're supposed to be limitless. But only God is limitless.
I share an episode from Kat Lee that has stayed with me. As a young mom, she found herself sitting in her van in the garage, overwhelmed and in tears. She cried out to God, expecting Him to change her circumstances, but instead He gently invited her to begin preparing her heart before the day ever began. His invitation wasn't about checking off another spiritual discipline or becoming a "better Christian." It was simply an invitation to spend a few quiet moments remembering who He is, reading a few verses, praying for her children, and asking Him to help her become a conduit of His grace throughout the day.
Jesus invites us to return to Him again and again throughout the day. He is the source of Living Water that never runs dry. Whether you're feeling emptied by toddlers, teenagers, aging parents, anxiety, work, or simply the weight of everyday motherhood, His grace is still available. The goal isn't to become a mom who never runs out of energy or patience. The goal is to become a mom who knows where to go when she does.
Connect with Kat Lee:
- Website: InspiredToAction.com - Inspiration for Motherhood
- Instagram: Hello Mornings with Kat Lee (@hellomornings)
- Don't Mom Alone: By Heather MacFadyen
- Hello Mornings - We help you build a consistent morning routine.
- The Mom Game Changer :: Kat Lee {Ep 41}
- Don’t Mom Alone (#GCMLive Event) :: Kat Lee and Wynter Pitts [Ep 185]
- Healthy Habit Building :: Kat Lee [Ep 300]
Featured Sponsors:
Hiya Health: We've worked out a special deal with Hiya. Receive 50% off your first order on any of their products. To claim this deal you must go to hiyahealth.com/DMA. This deal is not available on their regular website. Get your kids the full-body support they deserve.
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