Bookish Talks with Lia

In today’s episode, I’m joined by Annie VanderHeiden, author of Cradled: Christ's Care for Postpartum Moms. We’re talking about the realities of new motherhood—the identity shifts, the physical exhaustion, and the quiet moments where you might wonder who you even are anymore.Annie shares from her own postpartum journey and reminds us that Christ meets us right in the middle of it all. Through the ordinary, repetitive tasks of caring for a baby, we can begin to see the extraordinary care of Christ for us.In This Episode, We Talk About:Why Annie felt led to write CradledThe emotional and spiritual challenges of postpartumIdentity struggles in new motherhoodHow everyday tasks like feeding and soothing can point us to ChristWhat it really looks like to “look to Jesus” in exhausting momentsPractical ways the church and community can support postpartum momsAbout Annie:Annie VanderHeiden is the former editor of Risen Motherhood and now spends her days freelance writing and editing, serving in her local church, and caring for her two little ones. She lives in the Pacific Northwest, where she enjoys long walks, drizzly days, and a good mug of matcha. Annie is passionate about encouraging moms with the truth of the gospel in everyday motherhood.Connect with Annie:Get a copy of Cradled: Christ’s Care for Postpartum Moms by Annie VanderHeidenInstagram: @anniekvanderheidenWebsite: https://www.annievanderheiden.comConnect with Lia: Bookstagram: ⁠@liarossreads⁠Instagram: ⁠@bookishtalkspodcast⁠Resources Mentioned In Today’s Episode:Big Bible Stories for Little Hearts Yoto Cards

In this episode, I’m joined by author and Bible teacher Sharonda Cooper. We spend time getting to know her and hearing more about her parenting journey as a mom who has launched two kids. Sharonda shares from her own experiences in motherhood, offering both encouragement and perspective for whatever season you may be in.We also talk about her 5-week devotional, Wisdom for Parenting, and how it helps moms apply biblical wisdom to the everyday challenges of motherhood while rooting their identity in Christ. This conversation includes practical moments as we walk through real questions of parenting, while keeping our focus on the deeper work God is doing in us as mothers.In this episode, we cover:Sharonda’s motherhood journey and what it looked like raising and launching her childrenThe heart behind Wisdom for ParentingApplying biblical wisdom in everyday parenting momentsEncouragement for moms in different seasonsRooting your identity in Christ in the midst of motherhoodAbout Sharonda:Sharonda Cooper is an author and Bible teacher who serves as a content coordinator for women’s initiatives at The Gospel Coalition. She is also a fitness trainer and holds two engineering degrees from MIT. Sharonda is currently pursuing her MDiv in apologetics and philosophy from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. She lives in Texas with her husband and has two adult children.Connect with Sharonda:Instagram: @sharondaecooperGet the book:Wisdom for ParentingEvangelism Connect with Lia: Bookstagram: ⁠@liarossreads⁠Instagram: ⁠@bookishtalkspodcast⁠