The Faith Test: God's Timing, New Beginnings, Identity in Christ & the Meaning of Number 8 | Episode 8

The Faith Test: God's Timing, New Beginnings, Identity in Christ & the Meaning of Number 8 | Episode 8

Episode 8 Show NotesThe Faith Test, God's Timing & The Meaning of Number 8 What happens when God strips away everything you've built, everything you've depended on, and asks one question: "Would you still follow Me if I didn't give you anything else?" In this deeply vulnerable episode, Maria shares the story of what she considers the greatest faith test of her life. From a life-threatening emergency surgery while pregnant, to the closing of a ministry assignment she loved, to financial hardship, spiritual battles, and a complete identity shift, this episode explores what it means to trust Christ Jesus beyond circumstances. Maria also unpacks the biblical significance of the number 8 and why God often uses it to symbolize new beginnings, covenant identity, resurrection life, and transformation. If you're in a season of waiting, transition, uncertainty, grief, or wondering where God is, this episode is for you. * Why the number 8 represents new beginnings in Scripture * Understanding seasons and timing through God's perspective * The difference between trusting God for provision and trusting Him for who He is * Maria's emergency surgery and miraculous pregnancy testimony * Leaving behind a ministry and mission that defined an entire season of life * The grief of closed doors and unexpected endings * Spiritual warfare, perseverance, and growing stronger in faith * Discovering identity in Christ apart from accomplishments * What a true faith test looks like * Learning to live from love rather than striving * Why God may be calling His people into deeper intimacy right now * Romans 8 * Genesis 17:12 * Leviticus 12:3 * 1 Samuel 16:10–13 * Matthew 28 * Mark 16 * Luke 24 * John 20 * Matthew 5:3–10 (The Beatitudes) * Proverbs 3:12 ✨ God often begins something new after a season of completion. ✨ Your identity cannot be rooted in your accomplishments, ministry, career, or calling. ✨ Faith is tested most deeply when circumstances no longer validate what you believe. ✨ Christ Jesus is worthy of devotion because of who He is—not simply because of what He provides. ✨ The strongest faith is built in seasons where nothing seems to be working. ✨ God may be inviting you into a deeper understanding of your true identity as His daughter. 📖 Living Fearless by Jamie Winship 🎙 Teachings by Dan Mohler 📖 Romans 8 1. Is my faith rooted in who God is or primarily in what He can do for me? 2. What season might God be closing in my life? 3. Where have I attached my identity to something other than Christ? 4. What would trusting God look like in my current circumstances? 5. If God never changed my situation, would I still follow Him? If this episode encouraged you, please: * Follow Becoming Matriarch * Leave a review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts * Share this episode with a friend who may need encouragement * Connect with Maria on social media @becomingmatriarch "The fruit isn't how much money I'm making. The fruit is how much love I'm giving, how much of Christ I'm shining into the world." New beginnings. Covenant identity. Resurrection life. Unshakable faith. Because when everything else is stripped away, what remains reveals what we truly believe. In This EpisodeKey Scriptures MentionedKey TakeawaysBooks & Resources MentionedReflection QuestionsConnect With MariaMemorable QuoteEpisode Theme Connect With Maria If this episode encouraged you, I'd love to hear from you. 📧 Email: becomingmatriarch@gmail.com Share your testimony, prayer requests, questions about identity in Christ, or simply let me know how this episode impacted your life. You can also: * Follow Becoming Matriarch * Leave a review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts * Share this episode with a friend who may need encouragement I read every message and would be honored to pray with you, hear your story, and encourage you in your journey. You are deeply loved, seen by God, and never walking alone.

Scheduling With God: Values-Based Planning for Faith-Led Women, Mothers & Entrepreneurs

What if your schedule isn’t just about productivity—but about who you’re becoming? In Episode 7, Maria Indenbosch shares a faith-led, Kingdom-centered approach to scheduling—one that prioritizes values, obedience, rest, and the voice of the Holy Spirit over hustle, burnout, and worldly productivity systems. This episode is for women of faith navigating motherhood, marriage, health, business, and spiritual formation, especially those who feel torn between structure and surrender. Maria walks through real-life seasons of survival, illness, financial pressure, and radical obedience, revealing how God reshaped her relationship with time, goals, and daily rhythms. You’ll learn: * Why your schedule reveals your true values * How to align your time with God’s will—not cultural pressure * The difference between long-term, values-based scheduling and daily home rhythms * How Sabbath, rest, and seasons protect your family and legacy * What it looks like to plan with the Holy Spirit instead of forcing outcomes This is Kingdom stewardship of time. If you’re a Christian woman longing to slow down, hear God more clearly, and build a life that reflects Christ in your home, work, and relationships—this episode is for you. PRACTICAL TAKEAWAYS * Your schedule preaches what you believe * God cares deeply about how you use time * Values must come before calendars * Rest is not optional—it’s obedience * Daily rhythms shape generational faith * Maturity in Christ looks like Spirit-led flexibility Books Mentioned: * 1. Habits of the Household – Justin Whitmel Earley Practicing the Story of God in Everyday Family Rhythms 2. The One Thing – Gary Keller 3. The Bible (Passion Translation referenced) Resources: * Free Values Assessment (linked here [https://characterinc.com/valuesassessment/]) You were not created to chase time. You were created to steward it—with God. * Christian time management * Faith-based productivity * Values-based scheduling * Biblical approach to planning * Holy Spirit–led decision making * Christian motherhood rhythms * Scheduling around seasons of life * Faith and business alignment * Kingdom living for women * Spirit-led goal setting * Why scheduling reveals your true values * When productivity systems collapse * Scheduling during survival seasons * Values over performance * Long-term scheduling with God * Daily rhythms for Christian families * Spirit-led goals vs worldly hustle DAILY SCHEDULE (SPIRIT-LED, HOME-CENTERED) This is not a rigid routine. * Holy Spirit, what is Your will for my life today? * What matters most today in my home? * Who needs my presence—not my productivity? * What can wait without disobedience? * Where do You want my energy, not just my time? Morning * Gratitude + surrender prayer * Family prayer or worship (flexible timing) * Write 3–5 priorities (home + family focused) Midday * Gentle learning / homeschooling rhythms * Rest-aware productivity (no forcing) * Listening posture with God throughout tasks Late Afternoon * Quiet time for children (flexible, non-forceful) * Kitchen time as prayer time * Preparation for shared dinner Evening * Family dinner with conversation * Candle lighting + prayer * Highlights of the day + gratitude * Bedtime prayer with children Night * Release the day to God * Rest without guilt * What are my assignments for this season? * What are my family’s assignments? * What needs to be formed before anything is built? * What looks productive but is actually disobedient? * What must I release control over? 1. Clarify Core Values 2. Schedule Rest & Time Off FIRST 3. Limit Annual Goals * 5–10 Spirit-confirmed goals maximum 4. Quarterly Alignment 5. Cycle-Aware Planning * Plan energy-intensive activities around hormonal cycles * Honor the body God designed 6. Hold Everything Loosely * Outcomes belong to God * Obedience belongs to you If this episode stirred something in you— If you feel misaligned, exhausted, or pressured by the world’s version of productivity—this is your invitation to slow down and listen. You were not created to chase time. You were created to steward it—with God. Reach out for coaching, retreats, or deeper conversation. You are part of this community for a reason.

Discover how to hear God clearly through journaling with Abba. Learn practical steps, spiritual frameworks, and real conversations that deepen intimacy with Him.

In this episode of Becoming Matriarch, Maria reveals the exact process she uses to journal with Abba—how to hear God clearly, how to confirm what you’re hearing, and how journaling becomes a living archive of identity, destiny, and assignment. Learn the practical steps, the spiritual posture, and the real conversations that opened clarity in her marriage, motherhood, and business. Welcome to Becoming Matriarch—the intersection where women of faith do the work of becoming, in marriage, motherhood, and business. If you’ve ever wondered: * How do I actually hear God? * How do I know it’s Him and not just my thoughts? * How do I journal with purpose instead of venting on paper? This episode gives you the framework, the mindset, and the real, vulnerable examples from Maria’s own journal with the Lord. Maria breaks down the difference between normal journaling and spirit-led dialogue—the kind that brings clarity, identity, direction, and peace. * Habakkuk 2:2–4 — Write the vision and make it plain. * Jeremiah 33:3 — Call to Me, and I will answer you. * Jeremiah 29:11–13 — His plans, His voice, His guidance. You’ll hear how Maria learned to journal in a way that invites God to speak back, using simple but powerful questions such as: * Abba, what do You want me to know? * What do You want me to do? * Will I succeed? These questions changed the course of her calling, business, and future assignments. A step-by-step guide listeners can start immediately: * How to eliminate distractions * What spiritual posture to take * The “Three Amigos” (skepticism, judgment, criticism) * A spoken declaration to quiet the soul and invite the Spirit * Breathwork to calm the nervous system * Foundational scriptures to anchor your time * How to write without overthinking * How to ask God identity, destiny, and assignment questions Maria opens one of her actual conversations with God—raw, unfiltered, and deeply directional. From coaching, to business clarity, to her Greece retreat, to pricing, to motherhood—she shows how God responds specifically and practically. A clear, proven process from Finding Your God-Given Sweet Spot by Tom & Pam Wolf: * Confirmation through scripture * Circumstances aligning * Wise counsel * Clarity from God * Consistency with your wiring Plus Maria’s own self-check questions to avoid confusion, fear, or impatience. If you’re postpartum, juggling toddlers, in start up mode, scaling, or stretched thin—Maria gives permission: Your season determines your capacity. Five minutes counts. Gratitude counts. One question counts. No condemnation. Ever. (Romans 8:1) Your journals aren’t just notebooks—they’re: * Evidence of His voice * Strategy from heaven * Identity blueprints * Faith markers * Legacy for your children * Song of Songs * Habakkuk 2:2–4 * Jeremiah 33:3 * Jeremiah 29:11–13 * John 15:5 (TPT) * 2 Corinthians 3:18 * Romans 8:1 Books: * Finding Your God-Given Sweet Spot by Tom & Pam Wolf * Living Fearlessly by Jamie Winship Maria’s Free Guide: 👉 Download the “Journaling With Abba” Guide — Email: becomingmatriarch@gmail.com If you want guidance, breakthrough, inner healing, or to grow in spiritual clarity, marriage, family, or business—Maria would love to talk and discern if working together is a fit. Email: becomingmatriarch@gmail.com Instagram: @becomingmatriarch Truth Social: @becomingmatriarch * You can hear God clearly. * You can journal with Him directly. * You can receive identity, direction, and assignments. * You can walk in peace, clarity, and purpose—even in the chaos. * Your life transforms when you stop talking at God and start talking with Him. What You’ll Learn in This Episode1. Why Journaling Is More Than Writing2. The Biblical Foundation for Writing With God3. The Shift: Hearing God Through Questions4. Maria’s Exact Framework for Journaling With Abba5. A Real Journal Entry Shared Live6. How to Know If It’s Actually God7. Journaling Through Different Seasons of Life8. Why Journaling Becomes a Generational ArchiveScriptures MentionedResources MentionedConnect With Maria

Caring For Others – In The Work Place & Home, Servant Leadership & Motherhood | Becoming Matriarch EP 5

Episode 5 – “Caring For Others,” In this heartfelt episode, host Maria Indenbosch explores how caring for others becomes an act of worship when we follow the example of Christ. From the chaos of “Irish‑twin” infants to intentional hospitality at home and in business, she shares personal and professional insights and stories, and practical habits that transform caregiving from survival mode into joyful service. 1. Scriptural Foundation * Mark 10:45 (Passion Translation) sets the tone: true greatness lies in serving, not being served. * Ecclesiastes 3:1 reminds listeners that every season—especially the demanding “care‑giving” season—has a purpose. * 2 Corinthians 3:18 (TPT) illustrates how continual prayer transforms us into reflections of Christ’s glory. * Proverbs 18:16 underscores the strategic advantage of thoughtful gifting. 2. From Chaos to Calm * At 37 years old, the host welcomed her first child, experiencing unexpected ease. * The arrival of a second infant (a newborn plus a 16‑month‑old) triggered intense, sleepless nights, and a “tightness in the gut.” * Through persistent prayer and surrender, she moved from survival mode to a sustainable rhythm that honors husband, self, children, and others. 3. Hospitality as Worship * Letters & Encouragement – Daily handwritten notes for clients become family love‑letters, reinforcing identity and spiritual growth. * Cultural Experiences – Seasonal outings (picnics, apple picking, art classes) nurture curiosity and connection at home; similar experiential events energize teams and partners. * Cooking Classes – Shared kitchen moments build confidence in kids and foster relational depth; quarterly chef sessions do the same for staff. * Intentional Gifting – Small, meaningful tokens (custom mugs, engraved butcher blocks) embody love languages and echo Proverbs 18:16. * Blessings & Spoken Word – Weekly Sabbath blessings empower family members; quarterly corporate blessings boost morale and retention. 4. Practical Takeaways for Listeners * Create a “Relationship Care Calendar” – Schedule intentional moments (notes, outings, meals) to avoid reactive caregiving. * Adopt a “Gift‑First” Mindset – Look for everyday opportunities to surprise loved ones without waiting for a holiday. * Integrate Prayer Into Routine – Turn desperate cries into disciplined worship, mirroring the host’s transformation. 5. Calls to Action * Join the next retreat in Greece (March) – Experience immersive hospitality firsthand. * Book a coaching call – Learn how to embed “Relationship Caring for others” into your organization’s culture. * Subscribe, Like, Share – Amplify the mission to help more women become matriarchs. * Email: becomingmatriarch@gmail.com * Retreat Waiting List: Email Me Directly * Coaching & Advisory Services: Book Here [https://calendar.app.google/Xb7BKHTkBqM46zRw9] Meta Description (≈ 155 chars): Discover how caring for others becomes worship. Biblical insights, motherhood challenges, and hospitality tips for women of faith. Listen now! Keywords: caring for others, servant leadership, Christian motherhood, biblical hospitality, women of faith podcast, spiritual growth, family gifting ideas, retreat host, faith‑based coaching

Turning 40: The 4 Themes I Learned In My 30's & The 6 Ways I Now Love Myself To Show Up Best For God And His Bride.

Welcome to Becoming Matriarch—the intersection where women of faith do the work of becoming in life, leadership, and motherhood. In this episode, recorded on the eve of my 40th birthday, I get raw about what self-love really means through the lens of Christ’s love. We’ve all heard “love your neighbor as yourself,” but Yeshua raised the bar: “Love each other just as much as I have loved you.” That truth has changed everything for me as a woman, a wife, a mom, a businesswoman, and a follower of Jesus. I share the 4 moments that shaped me over the last decade—through betrayal, deep fellowship, the power of words, radical obedience, and finding my true identity in Christ. Inside, I’ll also share my 6 self-love MUSTS: 1. Intimacy skills + self-care 2. Grace in every season 3. Knowing your cycle and your rhythms 4. Physical well-being 5. Time with Abba 6. Understanding identity in Christ If you’ve ever asked, “How do I love myself without guilt or shame? How do I live out Yeshua’s commandment to love others as He loves me?”—this episode is for you. ✨ For more on menstrual cycle planning, identity, or to connect with me directly, email me at becomingmatriarch.com.