Southern Sisters Podcast

Episode 53: Navigating Big Feelings

Nurturing kids feels different now... and if you’ve been sensing that shift, you’re not alone.
In this episode of Southern Sisters, we’re talking about big feelings. The ones our kids are carrying, the ones we’re navigating as adults, and the courage it takes to hold space for both. We were so excited to welcome Dom Montoya as our special guest today to talk all things mental and emotion health of children. Drawing from her back ground as a middle school teacher for the last 6 years, we talk about everything from changing family dynamics to social media pressures to the emotional weight kids carry at younger ages than ever before, this conversation is honest, timely, and deeply needed.
We talk about what emotional health really looks like in children (hint: it’s not the absence of emotion), why validating feelings matters more than fixing them, and how creating safe spaces at home helps our kids learn, grow, and connect. We also reflect on how routines, consistency, and open communication give kids a sense of security in a world that often feels overwhelming.
Throughout the episode, we come back to sisterhood and faith, because parenting was never meant to be done in isolation. We share practical ways to support our children’s emotional development while also giving ourselves grace as we learn alongside them. Being a brave mom doesn’t mean having all the answers; it means showing up, listening well, and modeling what it looks like to feel deeply and trust God in the process.
If you’ve ever worried you’re saying the wrong thing… if you’ve felt overwhelmed by your child’s emotions… or if you just need reassurance that you’re not alone in this season… this episode is for you.
💛 Episode Highlights
Why motherhood feels different in today’s world
How technology and culture impact children’s emotional health
The importance of validating feelings instead of dismissing them
What it means to create safe spaces for kids to express emotions
Why routines and consistency help children feel secure
How faith can anchor families through emotional struggles
The power of sisterhood in navigating motherhood
🔊 Sound Bites
“Big feelings aren’t a parenting failure.”
“Our kids don’t need fixing — they need to feel seen.”
“You don’t have to do this alone.”
Have you seen Meggan’s Book? You can find a copy on Amazon here: Building Everyday Faith through GRIT and Grace
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We love hearing from you! Share your thoughts, stories, or just say hi:
📸 Instagram: @southernsisterspodcast
🌐 Website: www.thesouthernsisterhood.com
✉️ Email: southernsisterspodcast@gmail.com
🎧 Listen & Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube wherever you tune in!
Want to be part of the conversation? Send us your questions or stories—we may feature you in a future episode! Submissions forms are on the website. 
 

Episode 52: Small Changes, Big Impact

As we step into a new year, it’s easy to feel the pressure to become a brand-new version of ourselves: new habits, new goals, new energy, new everything. But in this episode of Southern Sisters, Meggan offers a gentler (and honestly, more sustainable) invitation: what if growth isn’t about becoming someone new, but caring better for who you already are?
This conversation is all about the power of small changes. The kind that don’t feel flashy or Instagram-worthy, but quietly change everything over time. Meggan shares why slow growth is still real growth, and how tiny, consistent shifts in our habits, mindset, and home environment can have a bigger impact than we think.
Drawing inspiration from Florence Nightingale, we talk about how meaningful change often starts with simple, practical adjustments — better light, fresh air, order, care — not dramatic overhauls. The same is true in our own lives. When we tend to the small things with faithfulness, trust begins to grow — trust in ourselves, trust in the process, and trust that God is working even when progress feels slow.
This episode is a reminder that you don’t need to rise to the level of your goals — you need systems, rhythms, and habits that support the life you’re already living. Every baby step counts. Every small act of care matters. And you are not behind.
Episode Highlights
Why growth doesn’t require becoming someone new
How small habits quietly compound over time
What Florence Nightingale teaches us about practical change
Why your home environment affects your energy and mindset
The power of consistency over intensity
How faithfulness in small things creates a rooted life
Why slow progress is still progress — and worth celebrating
Sound Bites
“Small habits compound over time.”
“Slow growth is still growth.”
“Every little baby step counts.”
Reflection Question
What is one small change I can make this week to care better for who I already am?
We love hearing from you! Share your thoughts, stories, or just say hi:
📸 Instagram: @southernsisterspodcast
🌐 Website: www.thesouthernsisterhood.com
✉️ Email: southernsisterspodcast@gmail.com
🎧 Listen & Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube wherever you tune in!
Want to be part of the conversation? Send us your questions or stories—we may feature you in a future episode! Submissions forms are on the website. 

Episode 51: Dear 2026: I'm learning to Carry it All, without having to carry it ALONE! (with Cortney)

In this episode, Cortney reflects on one of her greatest accomplishments of 2025: learning how to hold responsibility and rest at the same time. Her letter to 2026 is about healthier rhythms, releasing burnout, and understanding that strength doesn’t require exhaustion.
 
She shares what it looks like to lead, serve, and show up fully, without losing herself in the process. This conversation gently challenges the belief that rest must be earned and reminds us that sustainable growth comes from balance, support, and grace.
 
If you’ve ever felt like everything depends on you, this episode will encourage you to pause, breathe, and remember that you don’t have to carry it all alone.
 
Want a copy of Meggan’s Book? You can find it here: https://a.co/d/4ODmWbF
 
We love hearing from you! Share your thoughts, stories, or just say hi:
📸 Instagram: @southernsisterspodcast
🌐 Website: www.thesouthernsisterhood.com
✉️ Email: southernsisterspodcast@gmail.com
🎧 Listen & Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube wherever you tune in!
 
Want to be part of the conversation? Send us your questions or stories—we may feature you in a future episode! Submissions forms are on the website. 

Episode 50: Dear 2026: I'm saying YES anyways! (with Evey)

This episode is Evey’s brave and vulnerable letter to 2026 — one rooted in courage, growth, and learning to live beyond anxiety. She opens up about what it looks like to stop letting fear have the final say and begin saying yes to opportunities, experiences, and growth even when anxiety is present.
Evey shares how learning to manage anxious thoughts has changed the way she approaches life, relationships, and herself. This conversation isn’t about eliminating fear, it’s about moving forward with it and choosing bravery anyway.
If anxiety has ever kept you from saying yes, this episode will feel deeply validating and quietly empowering.
Want a copy of Meggan’s Book? You can find it here: https://a.co/d/4ODmWbF
We love hearing from you! Share your thoughts, stories, or just say hi:
📸 Instagram: @southernsisterspodcast
🌐 Website: www.thesouthernsisterhood.com
✉️ Email: southernsisterspodcast@gmail.com
🎧 Listen & Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube wherever you tune in!
Want to be part of the conversation? Send us your questions or stories—we may feature you in a future episode! Submissions forms are on the website. 

Episode 49: Dear 2026: I'm finding Strength in the Unknown (with Meggan)

In this episode, Meggan reflects on one of the biggest lessons of 2025: the unexpected strength that comes from the unknown. This letter to 2026 is about releasing fear, embracing uncertainty, and learning that growth often happens when the path isn’t clearly marked.
Meggan shares how not knowing what’s ahead has stretched her faith, reshaped her perspective, and revealed just how much peace can exist without certainty. It’s an honest conversation about living in the in-between and choosing courage over control.
If you’re navigating a season where clarity feels out of reach, this episode will remind you that God often does His best work in the unknown.
Want a copy of Meggan’s Book? You can find it here: https://a.co/d/4ODmWbF
We love hearing from you! Share your thoughts, stories, or just say hi:
📸 Instagram: @southernsisterspodcast
🌐 Website: www.thesouthernsisterhood.com
✉️ Email: southernsisterspodcast@gmail.com
🎧 Listen & Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube wherever you tune in!
Want to be part of the conversation? Send us your questions or stories—we may feature you in a future episode! Submissions forms are on the website. 

Episode 48: Dear 2026: I'm Trusting God with What's Next (with Lindsay)

This episode is Lindsay’s heartfelt letter to 2026: a reflection rooted in faith, surrender, and quiet confidence. As she looks back on what she’s learned and forward to what’s ahead, Lindsay shares what it really means to trust God when the future feels unknown.
She talks honestly about releasing control, letting go of timelines, and choosing peace over pressure. This conversation is a reminder that trust isn’t passive, it’s an active decision to believe that God is already working, even when we can’t see the full picture yet.
If you’re standing on the edge of something new and wondering what comes next, this episode will feel like a deep breath and a gentle nudge to keep trusting.
Want a copy of Meggan’s Book? You can find it here: https://a.co/d/4ODmWbF
We love hearing from you! Share your thoughts, stories, or just say hi:
📸 Instagram: @southernsisterspodcast
🌐 Website: www.thesouthernsisterhood.com
✉️ Email: southernsisterspodcast@gmail.com
🎧 Listen & Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube wherever you tune in!
Want to be part of the conversation? Send us your questions or stories—we may feature you in a future episode! Submissions forms are on the websit

Episode 47: Merry Christmas, Memories and Making the Magic

Episode 47: Merry Christmas, Memories & Making the Magic
This week feels extra special — because we’re switching things up.Evey is graciously sitting this one out, and our brother Josh is in for a Christmas episode that is equal parts laugh-out-loud memories and meaningful reflection.
We’re talking all things family Christmases: the traditions that stuck, the chaos that made us laugh later, and the moments we didn’t realize were shaping us while we were living them.
Somehow, between the stories and the sibling banter, we land on something deeper:being the magic maker.
Not the Pinterest-perfect kind.The kind that shows up.The kind that creates safety, joy, and connection — even when things aren’t perfect.
This episode is lighthearted, nostalgic, and full of warmth — and yes, we may or may not end it by singing “Carol of the Bells” together. You’ve been warned.
If you’re in the middle of the holiday hustle, this one is your reminder that the magic isn’t something you buy — it’s something you build.
WHAT WE TALK ABOUT
Swapping sisters for brothers (and how that went 😅)
Favorite and forgotten Christmas family memories
Why the smallest moments often become the most meaningful
What it really means to be the magic maker
Letting go of perfection and choosing presence
Ending the episode with a little Christmas music chaos 🎶
TAKEAWAY
You don’t have to recreate someone else’s holiday traditions to make this season special.The magic is already in you — in your presence, your laughter, and your willingness to show up.
We love hearing from you! Share your thoughts, stories, or just say hi:
📸 Instagram: @southernsisterspodcast
🌐 Website: www.thesouthernsisterhood.com
✉️ Email: southernsisterspodcast@gmail.com
🎧 Listen & Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube wherever you tune in!
Want to be part of the conversation? Send us your questions or stories—we may feature you in a future episode! Submissions forms are on the website. 

Episode 46: Change the Story, Change Your Life

In this week’s episode of Southern Sisters, we’re talking about parenting, perspective, and the stories we tell ourselves — the ones that quietly shape how we see our kids, our choices, and ourselves.
 
We start light (because we always do) with Christmas movies and cozy memories, but quickly move into deeper waters: mom guilt, setting boundaries without overexplaining, and the internal narratives that can either weigh us down or help us grow. We talk honestly about how parenting decisions evolve, why every child is different, and why guilt often shows up even when we’re doing our very best.
 
This episode is a reminder that perception often becomes our truth — especially in motherhood. When we believe the story that we’re failing, falling behind, or getting it wrong, it affects our emotions, our confidence, and our relationships. But when we pause and rewrite that story with grace, clarity, and faith, everything begins to shift.
 
We also talk about the power of community support — why isolation makes parenting harder than it needs to be, and how sisterhood helps us see ourselves more clearly. Because sometimes we don’t need a solution… we just need someone to remind us we’re not broken.
 
As we look ahead to 2026, this conversation invites you to reflect on the narratives you’re carrying forward — and which ones you’re ready to release. Growth doesn’t come from perfection; it comes from honesty, support, and choosing a healthier mindset one day at a time.
 
Episode Highlights
Why parenting without guilt is a journey, not a destination
How explaining decisions helps children accept boundaries
The impact of personal narratives on mindset and emotional well-being
Why mom guilt can become a catalyst for positive change
The importance of recognizing that every child is different
How gratitude and perspective can shift our emotional state
Why community support matters more than we admit
The power of rewriting our story for healing and growth
Guess what? Meggan wrote a book. You can grab your copy here: Building Everyday Faith through GRIT and Grace
 
We love hearing from you! Share your thoughts, stories, or just say hi:
📸 Instagram: @southernsisterspodcast
🌐 Website: www.thesouthernsisterhood.com
✉️ Email: southernsisterspodcast@gmail.com
🎧 Listen & Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube wherever you tune in!
Want to be part of the conversation? Send us your questions or stories—we may feature you in a future episode! Submissions forms are on the website. 
 
#SouthernSistersPodcast#MomGuilt#GraceOverGuilt#ParentingWithGrace#MotherhoodJourney#RewritingTheStory#MindsetMatters#YouAreNotBroken#FaithAndMotherhood#RealLifeParenting#IntentionalParenting#WomenSupportingWomen#SisterSupport#PersonalGrowthJourney#CommunityMatters

Episode 45: Holding On to Hope: Holiday Chaos, Universal Memories & Real-Life Grace

This week on Southern Sisters, we’re talking about hope — the kind that feels fragile, holy, hard, and necessary all at the same time. Between the rollercoasters of Universal Studios (literal and emotional), the pressures of the holiday season, and the everyday work of parenting and relationships, we realized something: hope is beautiful… but it’s also work.
 
We open up about the moments that surprised us on our family trip, the way small memories can anchor big feelings, and how hope shows up even when life feels messy or overwhelming. 
 
We also talk about what it looks like to simplify Christmas traditions (because Pinterest is not the Boss of us), how to release control without spiraling, and why the “waiting” part of hope might be the hardest part, but also the holiest.
 
This episode feels like a deep breath in the middle of December: a reminder that hope is not a personality trait or a mood… it’s a commandment, a lifeline, and a way God pulls us gently toward Him when we feel like giving up.
 
If you need encouragement this week, or if the holiday expectations are crushing your chest a little, or if you’re just trying to keep your kids alive and your sanity intact, come sit with us. You’re in good company.
 
💛 Episode Highlights
Why hope feels fragile — and how to nourish it
The unexpected heart lessons from our Universal trip
How holiday pressures steal joy (and what to do about it)
Why simplifying traditions can strengthen your home
The spiritual challenge of waiting in hope
Letting go of control and letting God rewrite the moment
How family memories become anchors we don’t even know we need
Why hope and vulnerability always walk together
Recognizing what truly matters in the holiday season
 
Guess what? Meggan wrote a book. You can grab your copy here: Building Everyday Faith through GRIT and Grace
 
We love hearing from you! Share your thoughts, stories, or just say hi:
📸 Instagram: @southernsisterspodcast
🌐 Website: www.thesouthernsisterhood.com
✉️ Email: southernsisterspodcast@gmail.com
🎧 Listen & Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube wherever you tune in!
 
Want to be part of the conversation? Send us your questions or stories—we may feature you in a future episode! Submissions forms are on the website. 
 
#SouthernSistersPodcast #HopeInTheHolidays #FaithInRealLife #HolidayStress #WomenOfFaith #FamilyMemories #FaithPodcast #IntentionalLiving #ChristianWomen #RealAndRelatable #MomLifeUnfiltered #ChoosingHope #LettingGoAndLettingGod #HolidaysWithHeart #UniversalStudiosTrip #ParentingWithGrace #FaithOverFear #PersonalGrowthJourney

Episode 44: Tis the Season for Rest - The Power in the Pause

Finding Rest, Choosing Peace, and Slowing Down With Intention
If you are looking for Meggan’s new book, you can find it here: Building Everyday Faith Through GRIT and Grace
Rest sounds simple… until you actually try to do it.
In this episode of Southern Sisters, we’re talking about the one thing we all admit we need — but somehow keep pushing to the bottom of the list: rest.
 
We open up about why slowing down feels so hard, the responsibilities we carry, and the expectations (sometimes our own!) that keep us from truly relaxing. We share stories from our own lives — the funny moments, the honest confessions, and the times when the only thing we could do was choose peace over perfection.
 
We also dive into the beautiful connection between rest, family, and faith — how slowing down helps create the moments our kids remember, the memories that matter, and the resilience we need to get through the holiday season and beyond.
 
This is an episode about letting go of control, refusing burnout, and remembering that rest is not a reward… it’s a rhythm God built into our lives on purpose.
 
Episode Highlights
Why rest matters for mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being
The barriers that keep us from slowing down (hint: expectations + responsibility)
How family bonding creates lasting memories we don’t want to miss
Real-life examples of self-care — from massages to delegating tasks
The freedom that comes from letting go of control
How rest builds resilience and strengthens our faith
Why peace is a daily choice, not a circumstance
What God might be inviting you to release, pause, or soften
 
Sound Bites
“I have trouble relaxing.”
“Letting go of control is freeing.”
“You need to take care of yourself.”
 
Scripture to Anchor the Episode (KJV)
Matthew 11:28 — “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
 
We love hearing from you! Share your thoughts, stories, or just say hi:
📸 Instagram: @southernsisterspodcast
🌐 Website: www.thesouthernsisterhood.com
✉️ Email: southernsisterspodcast@gmail.com
🎧 Listen & Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube wherever you tune in!
 
Want to be part of the conversation? Send us your questions or stories—we may feature you in a future episode! Submissions forms are on the website.