Fighting For Joy

Little did I know when I started this podcast that one of the most commented on topics would be perfectionism. If you haven’t had a chance to listen to the episodes I’ve done on this topic you’ll have to check out Episode #35 (with my cousin Sara) and Episodes #57 and #58 (with my husband Eric). Each time we have talked about perfectionism I’ve gotten so much feedback about how helpful these conve...

Today I get to introduce you to a new friend of mine. She’s a grief sister, which is a phrase I sometimes use for other women who have also experienced a painful loss. Very often there is a quick connection that happens when I meet other people who are walking a similar path - and this held true with my guest today, Angie Hanson. A few weeks ago we met for coffee and as we began to share our stori...

Yep, you read that right! Today I'm releasing an episode on menopause. And, even better, I convinced my hubby to have this conversation with me! I wanted to address this topic because it's been an area in my life recently that HAS affected my joy, more than I thought it would - and I know the same is true for so many of you because it's become a frequent topic of conversation within all of my frie...

The question I’ve been hearing a lot this week has been, “What are you doing for Mother’s Day?” For many of us, in fact probably most of us, Mother’s Day is a “both/and” day that holds a wide range of emotions. Celebration AND tears. Joy AND sadness. It’s definitely become another conflicting day for me in grief. My son Jackson, the one who made me a mom 26 years ago, has been in heaven now for al...

Today I’m really grateful for the willingness of my local friend Jen Poulas to come on the show and talk through some of the difficult things that she has had to walk through in life, specifically fighting, and thankfully beating cancer…not just once, but twice! Almost everyone has been affected by cancer one way or another. The treatments, the isolation, the fear, and the physical changes that of...

I think we all have people in our life who inspire us, challenge us, and teach us - people who bring so much good stuff to the table when you get together that you can’t help but be all ears and just want to soak it all in. Becky Novacek is one of those people in my life. Every time we are able to connect, I learn. I leave feeling inspired and encouraged. You might recognize Becky because she's be...

Today’s episode is with Brooke Kyes, a local teacher and a new mom who said YES to coming on the podcast to have a vulnerable but very important conversation about her postpartum experience. I’ve known Brooke for many years because she and her husband Nathan were longtime, and very good friends of our son Jackson, who passed away almost 10 years ago in June of 2013. They did all kinds of things to...

Liz Gnagy and I met when she was a college student and I was a young mom with a house full of little ones - I think our kids were 8, 7, 5, & 4, or something like that. Now, I'm an empty nester and SHE is the busy, young mom! I've loved staying connected with her over the years and admire the ways that she has grown in her faith and keeps fighting for joy. I know she will bring a perspective th...

Today I’m excited to bring you Part 2 of my husband Eric sharing about the progress that he has made and continues to make against perfectionism. I wanted to release these episodes at the beginning of the new year as I think its a great time to evaluate some things in our lives. What’s been working? What hasn’t? What needs to change? Yes, I’m one of those people who gets excited about the intentio...

Happy New Year! It's intentional that the first episode I am releasing in 2023 is about perfectionism because I know many of you continue to struggle with it, and chances are it stole some of your joy this holiday season. I would love to give you some hope as you head into a new year! Back on Season 3 (episode #35), I had my cousin Sara Waddel on the podcast to talk about her battle with perfectio...

I have an amazing guest to introduce you to today (AND side note, you’ll also get to hear her sing. A first for the podcast!). On this episode my friend Anna Gallatin shares about how she found hope and fought for joy after the dream that she had for her family fell apart. You’ll be encouraged as you listen to the ways that God has restored her joy and continues to redeem her situation. A lot of o...

Today I am excited to welcome back a very special guest, my little brother Dwight (his first episode was #9 in Season 1 of the podcast). Dwight has a hard story but we have seen God work through it in powerful ways - and the life that Dwight has now is a beautiful testimony of God’s grace and mercy. Almost everyone is affected by addiction in some way, so our hope is that talking about it again to...

“What a wonderful God we have—He is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the source of every mercy, and the One who so wonderfully comforts and strengthens us in our hardships and trials. And why does He do this? SO THAT when others are troubled, needing our sympathy and encouragement, we can pass on to them this same help and comfort God has given us. You can be sure that the more we undergo suff...

Remember last fall when I hosted a LIVE podcast event in my backyard (Episode #43 if you missed it)?!?! Well, I’m excited to share that I was able to host one again this fall...Fighting for Joy Live #2! I look at an evening like this as an extension of the podcast and a part of what I'm building within the Fighting for Joy Ministry as a whole. For years I had been dreaming about gathering a big gr...

Well, I can hardly believe it, but today I am kicking off Season 5! Thank you for listening. I hear over and over that the podcast continues to help people fight for joy in all kinds of difficult circumstances. I never dreamed the podcast would reach as many people as it has - and yet, I know that people are desperate for hope. I'M desperate for hope!! The brokenness of this world can bring such d...

This is such a special episode! It's a conversation with my daughter Justine about her difficult health journey and how hard she has had to fight for joy. After many years of struggling with confusing and painful symptoms, she was eventually diagnosed with celiac disease. This diagnosis was hard AND freeing...both! Listen in as she shares about the ways that she has begun to CELEBRATE celiac by tu...

On the last episode, Eric and I talked through some tender and candid reflections on what would’ve been our son Jackson’s 25th birthday. Every April 12th without him here is painful (we have endured 9 of them now), but as we shared on that episode, his 25th birthday felt especially hard for me. So as the date on the calendar was approaching, I began working on a social media post to share, not jus...

Last month Jackson would’ve turned 25. Every April 12th without our boy here is painful (we’ve endured 9 of them now) but his 25th birthday felt especially tender. On this episode, Eric and I candidly talk through some of the ways we processed this milestone birthday. Often these “set apart” days bring unique challenges and extra heartache for those in grief. This one certainly did for us. Here is...

On the episode today, Eric and I have a conversation about one of the tools that we use almost every day in our fight for joy: staying active with physical activity. Although it was a consistent part of our lives before Jackson died, it has become even more important and helpful these past 8 1/2 years. Listen in as share some of the ways that it has helped us to process our sadness and keep moving...

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God….for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.” Exodus 20:8-11 What are your thoughts as you read these verses? Have you learn...

Last week I shared a social media post about friendship in grief. We had just been out for dinner with our friends, Jay and Jodi Nemec, and I was reflecting on the thoughtful (and costly) ways they have walked by our side since Jackson died. I sat down to write a quick sentence or two, and 20 minutes later, a few paragraphs had poured out!! My first thought was to just send it to them and stick wi...

Today Eric and I talk through one of our FAVORITE topics…parenting!! The joys and struggles of raising our 4 children is something that we have spent countless hours talking through together and praying over, many times through tears. Although we haven't fully transitioned out of full-time parenting (we still have a senior at home), we are at a stage where we can hopefully offer some helpful thoug...

Today I am adding a bonus episode to go along with the FFJL (Fighting for Joy Live) episode that I released last week. Most podcast listening is done individually - but creating and hosting a live event this fall brought people together to listen to the conversation at the same time and connect with one another around the theme of fighting for joy! On this episode you’ll get to hear a little bit f...

Today I’m excited to bring you a really fun episode! A different kind of episode that stemmed from a dream that God has been planting in my heart for years…a vision of gathering women in our home to build relationships, connect friends with other friends, and be encouraged around the truths of God’s Word as we share about His faithful work in our lives. After our big move last year, everything cam...

I believed from the start of our grief journey that our faith would allow us to fight for joy in the midst of our sorrow. But happiness? Laughter? It sure didn't seem possible, or even appropriate, for a long time. But today we share a little bit about how laughter HAS returned, even though our grief continues. And, because of all of the tears and darker days, our laughter feels especially sweet n...