Unlikely Housewives: Real Talk For Worn Out Christian Women

Is Protecting Your Peace Making You Lonely?

You needed space. But somewhere along the way, did protecting your peace turn into carrying everything alone?

Sometimes we pull back because life is heavy. Other times, we stay withdrawn because letting people see the unfinished story feels harder than handling it ourselves. We can love Jesus, trust His goodness, and still struggle to admit we’re lonely, disappointed, grieving—or unsure how to ask for what we need.

This week, writer and mom Rachel Grace Vick joins Tori and Tracy for an honest conversation about the difference betw...

You can love the life you have and still miss the woman you used to be.

Your body feels different. Your kids need you differently. Friendships that once felt effortless now take six weeks of planning—and sometimes still don’t happen. Somewhere in the middle of it all, you start wondering: Is this just getting older, or am I losing myself?

In this week’s Unspoken conversation, Tracy and Tori get honest about the changes that don’t always feel comfortable admitting out loud—especially when you feel pressure to be grateful, stay strong, and trust...

It’s not the laundry. It’s feeling like you have to notice it, remember it, and ask—then wondering why the person you love most doesn’t seem to see what you’re carrying.

You love your husband. But you can love him and still feel lonely, frustrated, or tired of having the same conversation. Those feelings can be hard to admit, especially when you feel pressure to be a patient, gracious Christian wife who shouldn’t need to ask for more.

This week we welcome Dr. Ricky Arenson for an honest, humor-filled conversation about the mi...

What if your self-care routine is not actually caring for you?

What if it is quietly becoming another job—another list to manage, another set of rules to follow, another place to spend money, and another way to feel like you are falling behind?

Christian women often feel pressure to hide how exhausted they really are. We can say “I’m fine,” keep showing up, take care of everyone else, and still privately wonder why we are so tired—even while trying to do all the “right” things.

Drink more water. Eat more protein. Take...

How to Stop Rescuing Your Kids Without Feeling Like a Bad Mom
An Unspoken conversation with parenting educator Jody Hill

What if the hardest part of letting your child struggle is not their discomfort—but what it makes you believe about yourself as a mom?

When your child gets a bad grade, misses a deadline, loses playing time, has friendship drama, or simply has to face a consequence, it can activate the thought Christian women often feel pressure to hide:

“If I were a better mom, I would have...

You say "I'm fine" so often you almost believe it.

But behind those two words is a woman carrying anger she renamed "being direct," sadness she buried under a packed calendar, and fear she disguised as "just being prepared." And if you're a Christian woman, the pressure to keep it together is even heavier — because nice Christian women aren't supposed to be angry, jealous, or overwhelmed. We're supposed to trust the Lord and be grateful.

So we pray the polished prayer. "Thank you, Lord, I'm so grateful." While inside we're thinking: Why did that fall th...

What if the fear you keep trying to hide is not proof that your faith is failing?

In this week’s Unspoken conversation, we sit down with author, former cardiac nurse, and cancer survivor Jenna Schutt to talk about the things many Christian women feel pressure to keep quiet: anxiety, fear, mom guilt, exhaustion, disappointment, and the ache of trying to look “fine” when life feels anything but.

After being diagnosed at 30 with a rare, incurable bone-marrow disease—while raising two boys in diapers—Jenna learned that knowing the right Bible verses is not always...

“I’m fine” is often the quickest answer—and sometimes the heaviest one.

Because behind “fine” can be the grief you cannot explain, the resentment you feel guilty admitting, the endless mental list you cannot turn off, the fear you are holding for your children, or the pressure to keep everyone else okay.

In our first episode of our Unspoken season, we are talking about the things Christian women often feel pressure to hide: the overwhelm, the sadness, the anxiety, the loneliness, the questions, and the emotions that do not seem “faithful enough” to say out loud...

What if “I’m fine” is not the truth?

Maybe you are not lazy. Maybe you are not failing. Maybe you are not ungrateful for the life God has given you.

Maybe you are simply carrying more than you were meant to carry alone.

Here’s a snapshot of our new Unspoken season, where we are naming the things Christian women often feel pressure to hide: the emotional exhaustion beneath the full calendar, the quiet doubt behind the faithful smile, the fear of rejection, and the relentless pressure to be enough as a mom...

You can look like you’re holding it all together and still be running on empty.

For so many Christian women, the pressure to be grateful, capable, selfless, and strong can make it hard to admit what’s really happening beneath the surface: the exhaustion, hormone chaos, stress, extra weight, painful symptoms, coping habits, and the quiet fear that your body is failing you.

In this honest conversation, Dr. Tabatha—a triple board-certified physician, faith-based women’s health expert, speaker, and bestselling author—invites us to stop faking fine and start bringing our whole selves to God. Sh...

Stay in Touch 

In this year-end episode, we look back on a full season of podcasting, real life, and all the chaos that comes with Maycember. We talk honestly about motherhood, faith, friendship, serving others, and what it looks like to keep showing up when life feels full.

From housework and prayer to joy, relationships, and the unexpected ways God uses hard seasons, this conversation is equal parts funny, honest, and encouraging. It’s a reminder that even in the busiest months, God is still working and still faithful.

What We Talk About Why May...

This episode is a meaningful reminder that wellness is not just physical — it is spiritual, emotional, and deeply personal. If you’ve ever struggled with emotional eating, burnout, or feeling spiritually empty, this conversation will encourage you to look beneath the surface and pursue lasting healing.

In this episode, we talk about:

JT Tapias’ powerful journey from Colombia to the United States.How trauma, survival, and identity shaped his early life.The connection between emotional pain and unhealthy eating patterns.Why diets often fail when the heart is still hurting.The story behind the Empty Your Bucket...

AI is everywhere now, and for many Christian parents, that reality comes with both opportunities and concerns. In this episode, we talk honestly about how kids are interacting with AI, why it matters for their faith and critical thinking, and how parents can help guide them with wisdom, curiosity, and biblical truth.

We also discuss the growing challenge of AI in everyday life, from voice assistants and homework help to social media algorithms and AI-generated “friends.” While AI can be a helpful tool, it should never replace real relationship, real research, or discernment rooted in Scripture.

If...

What if the key to raising confident girls starts before puberty does? In this episode, Annie Wolf, creator of Girls Club, shares why early conversations about body changes, anatomy, and puberty can help girls feel prepared, supported, and proud of their growing bodies. Tracy and Tori talk honestly about the awkwardness many parents feel, why silence can create more confusion, and how families can begin these conversations in a natural, healthy way.

Annie shares how her background as an elementary school teacher led her to create a safe, encouraging space where girls can learn about their bodies...

In this episode, we sit down with Pat Domangue to talk about what it really looks like to grow closer to Jesus when life feels full, busy, and overwhelming. Pat shares her powerful testimony of coming to know the Lord at age 30 after walking through deep brokenness, and how God has used His Word to transform her identity, her healing, and her calling.

We talk about what it means to move from simply consuming Bible teaching to truly applying God’s Word in everyday life, especially in the middle of motherhood, ministry, and ordinary responsibilities. Pat also sh...

Terri Hitt is an experienced mom of four, a longtime mentor to women, and the author of The Good Mom Trap. After raising children in two different generations and walking through adoption, grief, and God’s refining process, Terry now helps moms break free from the pressure of “good” parenting and focus on raising children with eternal purpose.

In this conversation, Terri opens up about:

Why the desire to be a “good mom” can become a trap. The difference between parenting behavior and parenting the heart. How faith changes the way we approach motherhood. Why Christ-centered parenting...

Ever notice you can binge Christian reels, podcasts, and sermons for hours… and still feel spiritually empty when you finally put your phone down? This episode is a real-talk conversation about Christian content overload, how even “good” content can become your new noise, and what it looks like to return to time with the Creator instead of living on a steady diet of content creators.

We share our own stories of:

Following countless Christian influencers, pastors, and worship accounts Binging sermons and Christian podcasts while calling it “time with God” Letting quiet time become an aesthetic or perform...

How do we help our kids stay rooted in their faith when their textbooks, teachers, and TikTok feeds all seem to say, “Science has replaced God”?

In this conversation, we sit down with Doug Ell—MIT grad, former atheist, lawyer, and self-proclaimed ultra-nerd—who spent decades studying molecular biology, physics, and the human genome, only to discover that the evidence points powerfully toward a Creator, not away from Him. He shares how reading dense grad-level science texts on airplanes slowly dismantled his atheism and led him to Jesus through logic, data, and wonder at the “code of life” writ...

Hey housewives! We are getting real (and ridiculous) in this laugh-out-loud episode of The Unlikely Housewives, confessing the petty things that drive Christian moms batty—from dishwasher disasters to toilet paper tragedies. It's unfiltered therapy, reminding us God loves (and laughs at) our flaws while we sanctify slowly.

Episode Highlights

Pull up a chair amid the shoe piles and dive into these relatable rants:

Dishwasher loading drama: Tetris pros vs. straw-in-lid purists, plus basement dishwashers that hide Tupperware forever. Toilet paper wars: Over vs. under, and the horror of rolls just set on top (or...

In this episode, we sit down with decluttering pioneer Barbara Hemphill to unpack the real reason your home keeps getting & staying messy—clutter is delayed decisions, not a mom-fail. You’ll learn how emotional and spiritual clutter show up as piles on your counters, why organizing containers aren’t the solution, and how to make small, grace-filled choices that actually stick. If you feel like you’re constantly cleaning and never caught up, this conversation will give you permission, perspective, and a practical starting point.

What You’ll Hear in This Episode How Barbara’s simple idea that “clutter is pos...

We are so excited to welcome our guest, Michelle Spottifora, founder of Faithful Workouts. She blends faith, fitness, and food to empower women in strengthening bodies and faith. Topics include biblical wellness, body image victories, and habits for energy.

Michelle Spottifora inspires many women via Christian workouts, retreats, and programs transforming lives through scripture and community. Her path: 1980s fitness without faith, then motherhood/church sparked conviction to infuse Jesus into her classes. 

Key Topics

Faith-fitness fusion: ABCs—Ask God (James 4:2), Believe (Mark 9:23), Check motives (1 Peter 5:7). Momentum starters: 5-min songs, routines, alarms, cues like sho...

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 i...

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-ho...

‘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...

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...

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...

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 thei...

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 sn...

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 goo...

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 tha...

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 t...

In this cozy season finale, Tracy and Tori take listeners back to where it all began—recording from the sauna that sparked the Unlikely Housewives podcast four years ago. Between the sweat, the laughter, and some real talk, they look back on a year marked by big transitions, parenting milestones, travel, and learning to stay obedient when life feels completely unsettled.

Tracy shares the story of her family’s unexpected move: downsizing, letting go of the pool and the “dream house,” and discovering that less house and more time can actually be the greatest gift. Tori opens up about...

What happens when your world is literally turned upside down? In this deeply moving episode, the Unlikely Housewives sit down with Lara to hear her incredible story of navigating chronic vertigo. For three years, Lara was mostly bedridden, her life derailed by a condition that resisted over 150 different therapies.

Join us for a raw and honest conversation about wrestling with faith when healing doesn't come, questioning the promises of God, and ultimately finding a profound peace that transcends physical circumstances. Lara shares how she moved from desperation to acceptance, offering a powerful perspective on what it means...

In this episode of the Unlikely Housewives, Tracy and Tori sit down with award‑winning author and Exodus Women’s Retreats founder, Robin Gerblick, to talk about her journey from multiple abortions, broken relationships, and deep spiritual lostness to encountering Jesus in a supernatural “five senses” moment by a river. Robin shares how God met her in her most desperate plea for help, rewrote the trajectory of her life, and led her into a 32‑year Christ‑centered marriage, late‑in‑life motherhood through adoption at 48, and a calling to minister to other women through her book, Giving Up Grace: A Spiritual Rebr...

In this heartfelt and transformative episode, Tracy and Tori, your favorite Unlikely Housewives, sit down with Heather Day—author, ministry leader, and marketing expert—to discuss her book Money and Spirit: Surrendering Our Finances to the Work of the Holy Spirit. Heather shares her personal journey of financial struggles, the weight of debt, and how a prayer in an Applebee's parking lot led to a life-changing shift in her family's approach to money.

This isn’t your typical financial advice episode. Heather dives deep into the spiritual roots of financial decisions, exploring how the fruits of the Spirit...

Chapters

(00:00) - Understanding Shame and Overcoming It

(10:33) - Breaking Free From Overwhelming Shame

(16:09) - The Destructive Power of Shame

(29:52) - Navigating the Layers of Shame

(37:10) - Navigating Parenting Through Shame

(44:03) - Empowering All Housewives With Confidence

Podcast Summary

Imagine a world where shame no longer dictates your life. Join us as we peel back the the intricate layers of shame and its impact on identity, alongside the brilliant Dr. Zoe Shaw, licensed psychotherapist and author of "Stronger in the Difficult Places." With her unique blend of insights...

Chapters

(06:18) - Bringing Hope and Humor to Motherhood

(19:59) - Unwavering Faith in God's Timing

(20:24) - 26-Year Journey to Publishing Dream

(25:13) - Empowering Women in Pregnancy Centers

(28:45) - The Power of Books and Podcasting

(36:11) - Pursuing Dreams

Podcast Summary

Ever find yourself laughing at life's little mishaps, like realizing your shoes don't match just as you're about to step out the door? Our guest, Jennifer Bosma, sure has, and she's here to remind us how laughter can be a powerful ally in navigating the unpredictable landscape of motherhood...

Chapters (00:41) - Standing by Her Man (05:28) - From Incarceration to Marriage (14:41) - Prison, Redemption, and Relapse (28:55) - Facing Addiction and Surrendering Control (36:37) - Empowering Women Through Coaching and Faith (47:01) - Navigating Addiction and Finding Healing Podcast Summary

How can vulnerability and grace transform our most challenging relationships? Join us as we explore this question through the incredible journey of Jennifer Shook, an inner healing mentor and Christian life coach. Jennifer's story is a testament to finding hope and healing amidst the trials of addiction, betrayal, and family crises. She shares her experiences of standing by her husband, Scotty, during...