My guest this week is Teresa Swanstrom Anderson, an author, speaker, podcast host, Bible teacher and entrepreneur. She is obsessed with the concept of living lighter, while helping overwhelmed women learn how to slow down with Scripture as well as with life. Teresa lives with her husband and six children and has written more than four Bible studies. Today we’re talking all about parenting, and it went in a direction I wasn’t expecting. 2:45 – Teresa 101 She got married to a guy who she initially thought was a big douche, but it turns out he’s awesome. Teresa never thought she wanted children, but she changed her heart after consulting God and now has six kids. She felt like the Lord was saying to her, “What life are you after? The life of busyness and hustle and bustle or a slower paced, more intentional life?” 12:34 – The Bible is not boring People say the Old Testament is so boring, but Teresa says, “Have you actually read it? It’s so full of drama.” 16:40 – Kids or no kids? Teresa didn’t want kids initially because she viewed families as TV versions full of problems and stress. She babysat four times and had some terrible experiences. 22:24 – Adoption dreams After having two biological children, Teresa and her husband wanted a girl and an older boy. They now have six children. 35:32 – Adoption difficulties You should consider the birth order of your biological and adoptive children. Sometimes you have to have hard conversations with people who say things about your adopted children. Teresa corrects people when they ask how many children she has and how many she adopted. They are all her children, she says. 1:00:14 – Get to know you Last thing that made her laugh? One of Teresa’s sons can impersonate her husband really well. How does she choose joy? She likes the saying “Take joy” instead of “Choose joy.” FEATURED QUOTES I felt like the Lord was saying to me, “What life are you after? The life of busyness and hustle and bustle or a slower paced, more intentional life?” I didn’t know what the Lord was calling me to, but I knew pretty quickly what he was not calling me to. People say the Old Testament is so boring, but I’m like, “Have you actually read it? It’s so full of drama.” https://heyitsteresa.com/bible-studies