Meet Stephanie Karr, a college faculty member teaching pharmacology & toxicology, as well as a visionary author and product developer of Christian-focused books and keepsakes that center around a lamb named "Iam". The name came to Stephanie in a moment of divine providence and she later learned that Iam is Hebrew for "He will be" or "He is" and this reinforced the name of her main character, an adorable lamb that undertakes adventures that lead him (and the reader) closer to Christ's teachings.
During our time together, we talk about Stephanie's marriage that was first founded in Christian friendship and then grew to welcome two daughters and a pair of identical twin boys. We talk through Stephanie's walk with faith through her pregnancies and her desire to help lead more individuals and families into a positive, Christ-focused relationship. Her desire is that her Iam the Lamb keepsake gifts and books will be enjoyed by families year-after-year to establish tradition and create special memories for each season.
Stephanie's latest book which focuses on Iam the Lamb's adventures during Advent showcases the many symbols and their meanings during the season leading up to Christmas. It can be paired with the plush lamb and next year, a beautiful wooden Advent calendar will also be available for sale to round out the offering.
Stephanie's future projects include seeing both of her twin boys off to college in 2026 and expanding her product line to include baby clothing and keepsakes.
Join us as to kick off our second season where we meet Kelly Bamm who is living proof of the power of prayer, intention, and healing. Making tough choices goverened by prayer and faith has always been part of Kelly's journey. Whether it was deciding to divorce while pregnant with her third child, or giving a chance to a new love and marriage, Kelly has always trusted God's plan. Having the courage to blend families, Kelly and her husband went on to have children together never expecting to receive the bounty of blessings that continued to arrive (including twins!). The unexpected twists and turns of Kelly's life also included finding out that she had a rare form of cancer that had a very low chance for survival. When her doctor told her to get her life in order, her mama bear gene kicked in and she knew she needed more than months--she needed multiple more years to be able to shepherd her 11 children! Through prayer, purpose-driven pursuit of holistic healthcare, and a strong family, Kelly brings her story to us with humor, candor, and grace.
Join us as we hear from financial services legend, Joe Jordan, about the power of mothers and how much the world needs us now. From Joe's powerful personal testimony about his mother to his work that he continues to do at a breakneck speed and on a global basis, Joe shares his wisdom. Joe is an internationally recognized speaker and author of "Living a Life of Significance". Joe's deep Catholic faith, his love of sports, and his genuine passion have created an unbelievable career and countless accolades including being inducted into the Fordham University Athletic Hall of Fame, the NYAC/Winged Foot Rugby Hall of Fame, the Financial Hall of Fame, the Insured Retirement Institute Hall of Fame, and the Mount St. Michael Academy Hall of Fame. You can find his book on Amazon and his work at JosephJordan.com.
Meet Karla and Kai-mother and son who have a heartwarming story about navigating the world of having a split home, where God fits in, how the mother and father relationship differ, and what miracles can happen when you constantly pray for everyone to be their highest self. Kai, an incredibly articulate rising junior at Hope College and his faithful and loyal mother, Karla, proud employee of Honda discuss the ebbs and flows of their relationship which evidences their enduring bond and deep love and respect for one another.
Meet Bear Davis and his mom, Roni. Born Kenneth, Roni would sing "Winnie the Pooh" to her baby, but replace the Winnie with Kenny. The Kenny part never stuck, but the Bear did! The beloved baby of the family, Bear was brought up with the freedom to play outside all day and loved sports of all kinds. Roni's down-to-earth spirit is refreshing and her zest for life is uplifting. Who would have thought that this nice woman was the creator and perpetrator of the Spooky House game? It's snippets of mothering like this that give you insight into how much fun boys can be and how much laughter is a key element in forming a close relationship in adulthood. Thanks Bear and Roni for allowing the world to get to know you and your very special family on this month's episode of the Boy Mom Podcast.
Meet Joe and Frank Anderson, identical twins and coming in at #5 and #6 in birth order to a family of ten children. While Frank reigns supreme as the older brother, Joe is a mere minutes younger and just as big of a personality as Frank. The two talk about their upbringing by mom Norene Karnes who was an incredibly dynamic woman who lived life out loud and taught her children to do the same.
The touching tribute to their mom includes the twins talking about how their mother taught them to love and how much her example translated into how they conduct themselves as husbands and father. Whether Norene was making clothes for them, carting one of the 7 boys off to yet another trip to the ER, or washing endless amounts of laundry, Norene never complained and was steadfast in her commitment to embrace joy in everything she did.
Not only did she have ten kids, but Norene also wrote for the local newspaper in Medina, Ohio, decided to go back to school to earn her nursing degree while battling breast cancer, and later decided to enroll in clown school. She used humor and hard work to express herself, but regularly relaxed through a regimen of hot tea and cross-stitch.
Frank and Joe are hilarious--the joy that they have for life and love for each other is infectious. How they discuss their own relationships as husbands and fathers is heartwarming and is exactly what a mother would want to hear from her grown son's hearts, minds, and mouths. Norene, of all of your accomplishments, your lasting legacy of love is seen in your children. (Trooping them to church and bringing the rosary to wrestling matches probably also contributed to your formula of success that launched your own decade of children into the world.)
I have always thought that Mary must have had a tremendously great sense of humor to put up with Jesus' antics and I can only think at the conclusion of this episode that Norene and our Queen Mother are sitting together in heaven wiping their eyes from laughing so hard.
Velma and Delvin put the JOY in Joyce! This dynamic mother and son are pure joy to meet and get to know through this month's podcast where we focus on the unique relationship that comprise the bond between a mother and her son. Whether talking about Delvin's foretelling as being quick as a rabbit, or talking through the standards that she set for her household, Velma is approachable, down-to-earth, and matter-of-fact. Delvin clearly basks in his mother's love and reflects it right back at her by telling her that her money's no good and he is forever grateful for the sacrifices that she made in raising him right and providing an incredible example of what it means to work hard with gratitude. Pure feel good entertainment that gives everyone hope that strong relationships are possible through love and dedication.
Meet mom Gen and son Cole. Gen was born and raised in Westerville, Ohio and now lives in New Albany where she is the VP Branch Manager at First Community Mortgage. Cole is also born and raised in the greater Columbus area and is a public-to-private-to-public school student-athlete who attended St. Paul Catholic School for his last year of elementary, St. Francis DeSales High School, and is now finishing up his master's degree and collegiate football career at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia.
Gen's candor about finding herself pregnant during her early college years while on a volleyball scholarship and coming home to raise her first son with the help of her supportive family provides a backdrop as to the love and joy that she chooses to live in every day as a mom. Gen is down-to-earth and matter-of-fact about the difference of being a boy mom with raising her daughter.
Cole is the son that is every mother's dream now that he's 24! While rambunctious as a boy and still with a huge appetite, Cole was an avid athlete growing up playing football, baseball, and wrestling until scholarship offers began to roll in and Cole had to start choosing his path. A standout in wrestling and football for the Stallions, Cole Potts has always been a local fan favorite and beloved by Tom
Cole had a dozen college scholarship offers to play football, but ultimately chose to join the Dukes as #66 on the O-line where he has had an illustrious career breaking several school records. Cole graduated with a degree in sports management and was able to continue to play while working on his master's degree in HR. Cole is currently training for a spot at the pro level in football.
This episode includes advice to moms with young sons, helpful tips on how much milk athletes can drink on a daily basis, and a very heartfelt segment when we talk about the important role of both prayer and mother-son communication.
Want more time with Gen? Find her on Facebook and to hear more from Cole, you can listen to his segment on the JMU Sound Off podcast.