Be Love. Do Good. with Kristi Hayes

Today I talk to Becky Leach, a writer, author, artist, and a survivor of sexual assault. Becky just released one of the most vulnerable and brave books called: THE PIVOT: Believing God When You Really, Really, Don’t Want To.   We talk about the secret she held in for over 30 years, what happened when she finally told her truth, and how God came alongside her in her most difficult circumstances. Sh...

Today I have on the podcast author Anjuli Paschall and she teaches us how to stay awake to what really matters. Many times, we are looking for the next big thing before we feel successful, happy, fulfilled. Anjuli reminds us to stay awake to small moments that mean everything, and to not miss what’s right in front of us. She gives us practical ways we can do this daily.   Grab Anjuli’s book Get to...

This week I am diving into the ways we have identified our kiddo’s God-given passions and talents and how they can creatively serve and love others with them. Our kids are very different and the way they serve others is also very different.   I have a kiddo who is extroverted and one who is more shy around others, loving others looks different for them.   Being curious about our kids and helping t...

One of the quotes that has stayed with me after this interview is “You don’t need to wait for a desired outcome before you start healing.” Lisa Appelo tells her story of how her life was turned upside down after a shocking tragedy upended their family. She shares with us the details of her grief, the messy in between of healing, and how God put her life back together again when she thought it was...

This is the second part of my interview with Jason Ramos. If you haven’t heard the first part take a listen here.    Jason’s story is filled with brokenness, trauma, abuse, drugs, and prison, and how God completely transformed his life.    Sometimes we think there are some people who will never change, or they are too far gone. Many of us have loved ones we have given up on or felt like they were...

This is part 1 of my 2 part interview with Jason Ramos. This week I am sharing a story of complete transformation. And it’s too unbelievable to just do one part, so we broke it into 2.   Jason’s story is filled with brokenness, trauma, abuse, drugs, and prison, and how God completely transformed his life.    Sometimes we think there are some people who will never change, or they are too far gone....

How many times do we ask the question or get asked “How are you?”   And the response is, “I am just so busy!” I understand as parents, employees, caretakers it can feel like life will never slow down.   Many times, we go through life rushing from responsibility to responsibility and we miss the most important things right in front of us. PEOPLE.  I know, if I have packed my schedule and create no...

Bring some tissues to this episode!  Today I interviewed Randy Hartley who is the father portrayed in the movie and the book Beautifully Broken. It’s about three fathers who fight to save their families, their lives becoming intertwined in an unlikely journey across the globe where they learn the healing power of forgiveness and reconciliation.   Y’all, if this wasn’t a true story you would never...

Have you ever had a kid wake up cranky, be unhappy about the breakfast you woke up early to make, and you still keep a calm and sweet attitude? That’s a hard pass for me. Griping and complaining from others can ruin my mood quickly. How many times do we let someone else; our kids, our spouse, our friends dictate the way we feel, the way we view ourselves?   Jess puts me through a little life coach...

I read a book recently called Habits of the Household: Practicing the Story of God in Everyday Family Rhythms. A publicist had reached out to see if we wanted to have the author on the podcast and she sent me a copy of the book. You need to know that I truly research everyone on our show, and read their stuff to see if they will be valuable to our audience.  I do this because I want to give our li...

There is a quote I have been mulling over for some time. “We can’t expect our kids to have a heart for others if we never show them the needs of others”.   As parents we all want our kids to care and love others. We want them to care about the needs of the world, but we as parents also have to show them. Sometimes this can feel overwhelming because there are so many needs and we feel like we have...

I have had Dr. Flanagan on several times, because his words of wisdom and his therapist’s heart are always something that is perfect when I am struggling with a certain area in life. Kelly is a therapist and the author of two amazing books: Loveable and True Companions.    How do we expect our kids to live life with open hearts and love toward others if we aren’t  modeling this daily. Whether it i...

Have you ever been in a season of brokenness? Maybe you are in the depths of that season right now. Today I am speaking with Toni Collier, gifted communicator, author, founder of Broken Crayons Still Color .   Toni shares her own story of brokenness with us and inspires us that even in the hardest of times we can stay hopeful. Toni shares with us her past of leaving an abusive marriage, finding wa...

Steve is one of my favorite guests on the show, not just because he has a British accent, but because he is full of wisdom and advice for how parents can lead their kids.    Steve is a guru of leadership and an expert in personalities. He is the co-founder of Giant Worldwide a global leadership consulting company, and he has co-authored several books,  The 5 voices is the one we dive into today.  ...

I don’t know about you but most families these days are BUSY. Whether it is our family or others I talk to, our life consists of carpooling, sports’ schedules, homework, late dinners, and full time working. Your life might look similar or a different busy if you are in the throes of toddler days of nap times, and schedules.    No matter what I hear from others all the time, how do we make quality...

I don’t know about you, but this year has been full of things that can create anxiety in ourselves and our kids. Maybe for the first time you have experienced anxiety or are starting to see your kids feel anxious and need help.    Dr. Chinwe is a therapist who specializes in anxiety in adolescents and teens. She has also co-authored the book Seen: Healing Despair and Anxiety in Kids and Teens thro...

The age old question for almost every parent is, “How do we find work/life balance?   Is there even such a thing? Many times, it feels like if we just balanced it all we would have a full, complete, and happy life. But sometimes that balance feels like a big unicorn in the sky, something completely unattainable.    If you are a parent who continues to struggle with this, Somer and Michelle are her...

Happy New Year! Today we are talking about how to create healthy habits as a family. What does it look like to be an example to your kids when it comes to moving our bodies and eating healthy? How do we help get our families on board?   This podcast is all about simple steps to help our families make healthy habits. We will talk about nutrition, moving our bodies, mindsets, and how as parents we c...

All of us want our kids to stand up to injustices in our world. As Christians we are to love others, come alongside one another, and help each other understand our God given worth and dignity. Fighting Racism should be something we want to dive into head first and do everything in our power to make sure this is not happening on our watch.     Today we are talking about how to fight racism, with Je...

It’s the New Year, and for many it means goal setting, and reviewing the past year. So many of us make individual missions and goals for the year, but have you ever thought about getting together with your family and making a mission?   This podcast is a step by step on how to make a FAMILY MISSION!    What do you want your family to be known for?  What attributes do you want others to say when de...

Do you need some advice before you head to the holidays with family? Worried about what contentious subjects that might be breached as you are passing the mashed potatoes? From politics, to vaccines, to racism, families run the gamut on where they stand. I have heard from people all over the country who are already anxious to be with family who might think differently than them. How do we handle c...

Today I have probably my favorite guest ever, my 10-year-old daughter Carter Mae. We talk about her favorite Christmas traditions, what Jesus means to her, and why this season is so special. There is something magical about seeing Christmas through our kids’ eyes. It brings a whole new perspective and joy to the season. Don’t miss the end where we talk about the hope of the season even when this t...

Today's podcast is on fire. My guest Bri Stensrud calls us to action to be a family who truly welcomes others. What does a Christlike welcome look like? Bri Stensrud is the Director of Women of Welcome, she is a human dignity advocate and her passion is to equip others to engage more consistently and tangibly in holistic human dignity issues. We talk about her work with refugees, the border crisis...

I don’t know about you but sometimes around the holidays I dream of simplicity. My stress starts to take over when I know I have forgotten a gift or my kids bring me a list of 1038208378 random gifts they DON’T NEED.   It was wearing me out, and I wanted to get our family back to focusing on the real meaning of Christmas. One for my sanity, and two so my kids could practice what it looked like to...

We are so lucky to have Mary Beth Chapman on the show today. Mary Beth is a mother to 6 kiddos with her husband, singer/songwriter Steven Curtis Chapman and are adoptive parents of 3 from China.    Mary Beth is an author of the book, Choosing to See: A Journey of Struggle and Hope. Her book details the tragedy of losing their youngest adoptive child and the hope that God brings them in the darkest...