Dear Daughters

Understanding that we don't need as much stuff as we think we need is freeing. God has given us what we need and more than we know. Kathi used to be buried in clutter. She wouldn't let friends into her home, she wasn't doing the things she needed to do … she was living half a life. But she began to live in a new way and found freedom in a clutter-free life. Through that journey, she also learned t...

One of my favorite things over the last year on the  Dear Daughters Podcast  was listening to my guests read a letter to their younger selves. In celebration of my new book,  The Grace Guide: Live Your One Beautiful Life , I am featuring five of my favorite letters in BONUS episodes starting with the one and only, Pam Tebow. In  DD Episode 93  , Pam Tebow and I talked about the value of looking ba...

Where is God when things go terribly wrong? John Ray has been my friend for a very long time. He is the pastor of Grace Church of Northwest Arkansas in Fayetteville, a missionary and a spiritual director … and he knows firsthand about suffering. John says these four things about himself: "I'm adopted, which has been one of the forming experiences of my life." "I am married to a phenomenal introver...

What happens when you take the time to take care of yourself? What happens when you give yourself grace? This week, I interviewed five women to talk about what happens when you take time for soul care. Are you ready for their stories? Melissa Tate is a food writer who lives with her husband on their family horse and cattle ranch in Rockwall, TX. Her primary life roles include: mother, step-mom, da...

Have you given all your dreams and desires to God? He wants to do more than you can imagine.  In December of 2010, Whitney Runyon felt a stirring in her spirit that began an amazing journey for her and her husband … and for so many orphans and adoptive families. Whitney Runyon was a wedding photographer. And her husband, Nick, was an airline pilot. But after seeing the impact of photos she took of...

There is so much more good in the world than there is bad. Let's find the bright side.  Melanie Shankle thought she was too far gone. She wasn't shown the grace and mercy aspect of being a Christian, so by the time she got to college she felt like there was no hope and no going back. Then God met her in a bar in a bathroom, and he pursued her patiently and faithfully and showed her that no daughte...

We want to leave our kids with more than just memories, we want to leave them with a legacy.   Rodney and Michelle Gage have always been all about family. When their oldest was 6 or 7 years old, they had a family pow-wow to decide what their family would be all about…and they want you to know it's never too late to do that with your family, too. Rodney and Michelle are the founding and lead pastor...

What if our eyes shifted from what we need to what we already hold in our hands? Meredith McDaniel is all about experiencing the hope and peace of God here and now by looking for the manna in her life and being a "manna maker" for others. Meredith is a licensed professional counselor in Davidson, NC, and owner of her private practice Milk + Honey. She just wrote her first book,  In Want + Plenty:...

You have been given a gift and it's up to you to decide how you use it. And if you decide to use it to love on others and to be present with others, that matters. Morgan Harper Nichols has loved making art since she was five-years-old. From an early age, her parents encouraged her that she was created to create, but it took much longer to feel like she had permission to share her art with the worl...

The start of healing is embracing it is a process and experiencing God through that process. We get to participate with God in writing a new story. He is the author of all our healing. Aundi Kolber grew up walking on eggshells and white-knuckling her way through life. She never imagined as a twenty-year-old that she would be the person she is now … free, healthy, healing. Aundi is a new author and...

Your God-given identity is the truest thing about you. No matter your past, God has a new name for you. It's deeply personal and it's beautiful, better than any name you could choose for yourself. What is it?  Esther Fleece Allen hid a deep, dark, painful past and lived out so much trauma. God was the only constant in her life…so she hung on to Him and lives out her new name. Esther is an author,...

Who are you comparing yourself to and what kind of heartache is it creating in your life? Richella Parham is a spiritual mama with all kinds of hard-earned wisdom on learning how to be free from the comparison trap that wrecks so many lives.  Richella is an author, on the Board of Directors  at Renovaré and is a member of Redbud Writers Guild.  In her own words, she had these four things to say ab...

"I've done something terrible." Becky Powell faced the unthinkable on May 16, 2013, when her husband Mark called and confessed he'd done something awful. Within hours, she learned that he had taken his own life and, over a period of several years, millions of dollars from friends and colleagues. Everything she believed to be true, the very fiber of her marriage, was called into question. Within a...

Do you need some rest for your weary soul? Taking time for yourself, even a few days, can make a big difference in your life. Find the clarity you're looking for and the rest your soul craves. Reclaim your God-given vision and live your one beautiful life!⁠  Last weekend, I hosted a dozen women in my home for the very first  Soul Care Weekend . You might think, "Yes, I need rest for my soul … but...

Throughout our busy and distracted days we hear so many different voices. What would happen if we slowed down, and listened to what God is saying to us? Leighton Ford describes himself as an "artist of the soul and a friend on the journey." Leighton is an author, evangelist, mentor to emerging Christian leaders across the world, President of Leighton Ford Ministries, and in his own words, these fo...

Are there wounds or losses from your past that seem too big or too complicated to be healed? Are there difficult people in your life that continue to create drama and pain? What if healing could be possible? Sarah Mae's passion is to encourage women to walk in healing and freedom, even when the wounds are still open. Sarah Mae is a mom, teacher, author, podcaster, and in her own words, these four...

Do you feel like it's a struggle sometimes to see God in the everyday, ordinary moments? How could we be transformed if we took a breath of fresh air and lingered a little longer in the Scriptures? Ruth Chou Simons shares her journey of God's grace intersecting daily life with word and paintbrush. Ruth and her husband, Troy, are grateful parents to six boys—their greatest adventure. Ruth is a mom,...

What do you do when fatigue or discouragement creeps in your life? Or what about when anxiety hits? How do you find and sustain emotional, relational and spiritual health? An old soul with a contemporary, honest voice, Rebekah Lyons revealed some of her own battles to overcome anxiety and depression—and invites us to discover and boldly pursue own God-given purpose from a place of freedom. Rebekah...

We are called to do everything to the glory of Christ, including friendship.  Meet Kelly Needham. She's a mom, author and in her own words, these four things: "I'm a classically trained violinist  and that's how my husband and I met." "I love jigsaw puzzles." "We had a jigsaw puzzle table growing up – and I have one in my home today." "I love making Indian food." Her short online bio reads like th...

Never for a moment think that God has forgotten you.  Meet Lisa-Jo Baker. She's a mom, author and in her own words, these four things: "I am a motherless daughter. I am always on the lookout for mother nourishment." "God who loved me through the dark seasons and filled the motherly role." "I swore I would never have children and yet I am a mother to three children." "I'm originally from South Afri...

This is the 100th episode of the Dear Daughters Podcast recorded live just last week in Springdale, Arkansas. First I have to say that I'm blown away and entirely grateful to God for his ever present help on this journey. From the very start of this show, my end goal was to encourage you with helpful, practical advice on how to live a godly life. And I have to say, every guest on this show has bro...

Do you long to create a home that offers both beauty and comfort? A space that offers both respite and connection?   Meet my new friend, Kennesha Buycks.  She is the creator of  Restoration House , a home and lifestyle brand/blog that focuses on creating spaces that go beyond merely the aesthetic and focus on creating soulful, restorative aspects of home. When Kennesha is not busy being a wife to...

Meet my dad, Bob Gerrie. He is an inspiration to all who come in contact with him. People often joke about 'getting Bob-ed' by his enthusiastic, warm welcome. In celebration of Father's Day, I asked my dad to come on the podcast this week. We talk about family legacy, about what real wealth means to him, oh and of course we cry all the tears! I'm so deeply grateful to have a father like Bob Gerrie...

Over the years mentoring women, I've started to see reoccurring themes in our conversations. As well, Bailey Greenlees (my magnificent ministry assistant), has also seen these same themes while mentoring college women. Today on the podcast, Bailey and I share our three must-have conversations while mentoring women. We touch on ideas that we talk about with our dear daughters frequently, and we sha...

Parenting in today's world is always rapidly changing, so it makes me grateful to have a friend that's a parenting expert. My friend, Vicki Courtney, is speaker and an author of many books about parenting including  5 Conversations You Must Have With Your Daughter  and  5 Conversations You Must Have With Your Son.  Vicki is a wife of 31 years, a mother of 3 grown children who all have families of...