Working Mom, New Town, No Friends Yet: Ashley Weece on Surviving the Season You’re In EP: 225

If you have ever moved somewhere new and wondered why it still does not feel like home, felt guilty for working (or for not working), or said yes to one too many things and regretted it the next morning, this episode is for you. Kate and Rebecca sit down with Ashley Weece, mom of two boys ages four and two, who moved across the country with her husband to plant a church in Brunswick, Maine. Ashley has been a full time working mom, a mostly stay at home mom, and everything in between. She knows what it feels like to start over with no community, juggle kids and ministry, and wrestle with the guilt that comes with every choice. This is an honest, encouraging conversation for every mom trying to find her footing in a new place, balance work and family, and stop measuring herself against a version of motherhood that does not fit her season. **About Ashley:** Ashley Weece is a wife, mom of two boys, speaker, and church planter. She grew up in Kansas, spent nine years in Kentucky, and now lives in Brunswick, Maine, where she and her husband Justin planted Ironcoast Church. **In This Episode:** - Moving somewhere new with no community, and the three year rule that helped Ashley stop feeling behind - Why comparing how fast other people settle in makes it harder, and why roots take time to grow - The “better mom” myth: why Christian moms feel pressure to parent one right way - How Ashley went from “I’m definitely working” to surrendering the whole decision to God before her first baby was born - Working unhealthy hours with her first and finding a healthier rhythm with her second - The pressure of being a ministry mom and trading performance for presence - Living in a five loaves and two fish season, when you do not have enough time, sleep, or food - Limitations as a gift from God, and why wearing a bathing suit in 20 degree weather is a lot like ignoring your season - The overcommitment trap and the fear that if you say no, you will never be asked again - How Ashley decides what to say yes to, and why she caps speaking at three events a year - Letting your kids be loved by other people, and why childcare can grow their capacity to love and be loved - Mom friends with different parenting styles and why we need each other - Simple prayer rhythms with little kids: the drive to daycare and bedtime - Boy mom advice: find a mentor mom with boys, build a daily rhythm, and get them moving every day **Connect With Ashley: @ashleyweece** Ironcoast Church: https://ironcoast.church/ **Connect With Us:** gathermoms.com | @gathermoms | Join our Patreon at gathermoms.com Gather Moms: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook Kate Henderson: Instagram | Facebook Rebecca Bradford: Instagram | Facebook