Girls Talking Life

Do you need a reminder that hoping in Jesus is an active practice? Advent is a time of expectant hope, and it's an invitation to increase our focus on our Savior in preparation for the celebration of Christmas. While part of hoping is waiting, we don't wait passively. My guest, Jen Ludwig, and I are talking all about holding on to the hope we have in Jesus and intentionally embracing Advent this s...

Are you grieving a loss? You likely are. We experience loss every day. Sometimes, it's smaller, like moving away from a friend or a city you loved, and sometimes, it's extremely significant, like the death of a family member. But through it all, we can be looking for God's glory. And when we search for it, we will see it. My guest, Dorina Lazo Gilmore-Young, is sharing her personal story of loss a...

Do you want more of Jesus? Do you desire a deeper life with God? The depth of intimacy is determined by you. God has already restored the relationship by sending Jesus. He is already pursuing us. It's up to us to intentionally pursue Him. Jeannie Cunnion, today's guest and author of Closer to God , says "we will not grow closer to Him on accident." So how do we deepen our relationship with God? Li...

A discussion about engaging in the political conversation, making biblical-based decisions and practically preparing to go to the polls. MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE vote411.org CONNECT WITH GIRLS TALKING LIFE Get the GTL Newsletter | Instagram | Website

Are the one-size-fits-all parenting techniques falling short for your family? Maybe it's time to parent using the Enneagram as your guide. Beth McCord, also known as Your Enneagram Coach, joins me to help us use the Enneagram to better understand ourselves first, and then better understand how God uniquely created our kids. You'll hear us talk about… becoming a self-aware mom how and when we can d...

Do you feel defeated when it comes to parenting or do you parent with a victory mindset? I'm talking with Victoria Riollano about how to equip ourselves to fight for our families, as our kids get ready to go back to school and every day. It starts with us. But today's show isn't just for moms. It's for any woman in a position to fight for the kids they love. You'll hear us talk about… defeated thi...

Have you ever wondered how to actually follow Jesus in your real life? Do you know if you're following Christ or following the culture? Does discipleship sound way too hard? Yolanda Solomon, author of Discipleship as Holy Collaboration: Helping Others Follow Jesus in Real Life, is on the show today to help us answer some of these questions. You'll hear us talk about… Following Jesus without being...

What are you consuming? What are you filling up on? Is it adding to your anxiety? We are revisiting a popular episode from the series Overcoming Anxiety .  Amy Seiffert joins me for a conversation about nourishing ourselves with the things our souls need to be fulfilled. You'll hear us talk about… Spiritual junk food we're consuming Amy's story of overwhelm and her new book  Starved Techniques to...

Are you ready to shift into a slower gear? Let's take advantage of this season and create some intentional rhythms that allow us to slow down, and connect with God and with people. My friend Jodi Grubbs is on the show gently guiding us into slower living and sharing some practices to help us be unhurried. You'll hear us talk about… Creating slow-living rhythms for summer Slowing down to deepen fri...

Do you have a heart for healing and restoration? Confronting systemic racism feels overwhelming, but you and I can help dismantle it one small step at a time. Latasha Morrison, founder of Be the Bridge, is on the show today sharing a little of her story and walking us through why this should be a priority, especially in the life of a believer, and what we can do to make a difference. You'll hear u...

When was the last time you experienced authentic connection? It's becoming more and more rare as our country faces an epidemic of loneliness. But it doesn't have to be that way. There is power in authentic connection and you have the ability to create it. Nancy Lindgren in on the show today to tell us how. She has over 35 years of mentoring experience and she's sharing how simple it can be to come...

Welcome to another Girls Talking Life Extra.   It's not a full show, just a short chat with a past guest to let you know what she's up to now. I'm talking with Sarah E. Westfall. Sarah joined me way, way back on episode 17 where she shared her story of motherhood and heartbreak and seeking God's goodness. She was also my guest host for the Summer of Friendship in 2022 where she talked about barrie...

We've all experienced a friendship breakup. Maybe you were able to reconcile, maybe you're in the middle of friendship turmoil right now, or maybe your friendship has distinctly ended. Relationships are hard and not all of them are for the long haul which is why I'm so grate to my guest, Elizabeth Laing Thompson, for walking us through what to do when a friendship falls apart. You'll hear us talk...

Welcome to a Girls Talking Life Extra. It's not a full show, just a short chat – usually with a past guest – but today I'm introducing you to a new friend. New to the show that is! You may be familiar with Myquillyn Smith, also known as "The Nester." She is the New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Welcome Home and Cozy Minimalist Home. For the past 15 years, she has been en...

Do you feel intimidated when it comes to opening your Bible? Do you read your Bible but feel like you don't get much out of it? Do you need something to freshen up your current Bible-studying routine? My guest today is the lovely Portia Collins, a Christian Bible teacher, writer, and podcaster with a passion for sharing God's Word. But it hasn't always been that way. Portia shares her story of str...

Are you going through a big change right now? Or maybe lots of little ones? Change is inevitable and even good change can be hard. Author Andi Andrew joins me to chat about how we show amid of the changes we face, how it's okay to grieve the losses, show gratitude for what's next, and how through the transition we can grow to be more like Christ. You'll hear us talk about… The grief of letting go...

How do you interact with people who are different than you? If someone has different beliefs or political associations, do you automatically dismiss them? What if your actions of friendship could save the world? Author and speaker Carrie Stephens is on the show talking about the power of a diverse community, how we can move toward people who are different than us, and how we show up in the world a...

How well do you know the people who live close to you? How well do you love them? Jesus tells us to love our neighbor as ourselves, but how do we actually do that? Missional neighboring advocate Twyla Franz is on the show today helping us get closer to Jesus and grow deep, missional friendships with our neighbors. You'll hear us talk about… What missional living is What it means to be visible and...

As you begin to settle into 2024 are you wondering how to make the most of this year? How to make the most of your life? As you look at your goals and intentions for the year are they pointing you toward your purpose or are they all about performance? Shawna Sullivan joins me to chat about how we can view our lives through a new lens, not living for achievements and accolades but taking small, pra...

Do you feel prompted to be in God's word more or in a different way this year? I have two ideas for you. The beginning of the year, for most of us, is a time to reflect on the past year and plan for the year to come. I have several categories I try to take inventory in. Areas like my marriage, parenting, health, friendships, money, and one is always spiritual growth. What am I going to do this yea...

Here we are at the beginning of the Advent season. The hustle and bustle of December has started. It's layered with excitement, anticipation, and stress. Every year I ask myself how can I make sure this Christmas is all about celebrating our Savior. My guest today is going to point us right to Him. Author and Bible teacher, Ocieanna Fleiss, joins me to talk about her Advent devotional,  Awaiting t...

What negative beliefs have you internalized about sex? Do you think of intimacy as a good gift from God? For much of human history, intimacy has been a place of pain and brokenness, an area where we have lacked discipleship. So I would be remiss not to include this topic in our Strengthen Your Marriage series. Francie Winslow is on the show today and she's letting us in on her healing journey when...

Marriages are not perfect. We're two imperfect people. We're bound to hurt each other. But we don't have to respond the way the world tells us to with spite, unforgiveness, or cancelation. We are continuing in our Strengthen Your Marriage series with a conversation on forgiveness and healing. Stephanie Broersma lived a charmed life…until the day she discovered a deleted conversation between her hu...

Next up in our marriage series, we are focusing on communication. How we interact with our husbands will either build our marriages up or tear them down. But honest, humble communication isn't easy. Today, I'm talking with Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Heather Bjur. She helps us understand why we might react the way we do, how humility can change our relationships, how our thoughts shape...

We are starting a series today that focuses on strengthening our marriages. Where better to start than at the foundation? What we build our lives and our marriages on matters. Alli Patterson, author and pastor, joins me to share her story of building her marriage on things she thought were good only to discover that following the standards of the world is like building your house on the sand. But...