Ditching Perfection

Here is the episode so many of you requested... a conversation about adult friendships. Finding and maintaining friends can be really hard. The truth is, many of us are lonely, isolated, and not sure how to make friends when we are juggling work, families, and paying the bills. So, my friend, Elise Snowden is here to 1) normalize the fact that adulting and friendship can be challenging, 2) share s...

Several years ago, Cherie asked Joy to be her mentor, not just for a season, but for LIFE. The consistency, intentionality, and vulnerability that these two cultivate is inspiring and encouraging. Everyone needs someone who is investing in them, and everyone needs to be investing in someone else. Mentoring matters. Cherie Reiter is an avid God-chaser, wife to Chris, mom to four kids, and co-pastor...

We are kicking off our relationships series today, "In This Together," with a darling mother-daughter duo... Sandy and McKenna Kipp! We chat about how they navigated through the almost-always-challenging middle school years, how intentional time together during Covid deepened their friendship, and how they prepared for McKenna to go away to college. Whether you are a teenager or young adult at hom...

Going it alone is really tempting, right? We want to prove ourselves, show that we're capable, and not appear weak... but in today's conversation with my new friend, Danielle Zapchenk, she and I are chatting about why inviting others in can truly transform us and those around us. Danielle is a mom, wife, speaker, ministry leader, and the host of two podcasts:  The Parable Podcast  &  T...

Today, we are diving into a back-to-school conversation with my dear friend, Jamie Lubiens, who is an extraordinary and dedicated educator. We talk all about the challenges and joys of being a teacher… especially in the last few years! Jamie also shares with us a bit about her family’s adoption stories, how she is learning to deal with people pleasing in healthy ways, and… you have to wait until t...

This is the LAST episode of Jesus Q&A. It has been such a transformative series for me. I hope it has been for you too. We are finishing our series hearing the first words of the resurrected Jesus documented in the Gospel of John... and His words come as a question full of empathy, compassion, and understanding. Jesus meets Mary right in the middle of her deep emotions and empowers her to be t...

It is often easier to go along with the crowd than it is to stop and listen. Listening takes intentionality. It means carving out time and space to hear someone’s perspective. It means setting aside our desire to be heard so that we can truly understand someone else’s story. In our cultural moment, we are quick to “cancel” people who have different perspectives, beliefs, opinions, and backgrounds…...

There is a lot of conflict, division, and violence in the world right now. It is easy for us to get swept in the finger pointing, us vs. them narratives. It is easy for us to view others as threats and want to do anything we can to secure and protect ourselves. But if we are going to be a part of the restoration story that God is writing in the world, we are invited to follow in the footsteps of t...

It is easy to get our wants and needs mixed up. We say we need a coffee to get us through the mid-afternoon slump... We say we need a new pair of shoes before the school year, but are those true needs? In Luke 22:35-38, Jesus' question reminds us that sometimes the stuff we want can actually get in the way of what we truly need.

We have just walked through an exciting month so we want to share some fun behind-the-scenes stories from NYC, Disney World, and CIY camps... along with some fun family stories. We have lived so many answered prayers and moments of celebration, so we want to invite you into the party! 

Is it hard for you to accept help from others? In John 13, when Jesus was washing the disciples’ feet, Peter was like, “No way, man.” He may have been ashamed of his grit and grime, or he may have felt like he had the right answer… I shouldn’t let Jesus wash my feet! But Jesus said, “Unless I wash you, you have no part of me.” Jesus’ actions and His words remind us that - Being connected to Jesus...

Jesus asks this question of the skeptical Pharisees, “If one of you has a child or an ox that falls into a well on the Sabbath day, will you not immediately pull it out?” And they don’t have anything to say to this question. When it becomes personal, they would obviously act. They wouldn’t let a rule inhibit them from saving someone they loved or an animal that was connected to their well-being. S...

When we elevate ourselves, rather than elevate Christ, it is actually a sign of shaky trust. Underneath self-preservation and self-promotion is a distrust that God will care for us, guide us, and give us a purposeful life. God wants what is best for us. When Jesus calls us to deny ourselves, it is because the most peaceful, purposeful life is found when we depend first on Jesus rather than ourselv...

In Mark 8:29, Jesus asks Peter: “Who do you say that I am?” Who do you say that Jesus is? Is Jesus your friend? Is He your comforter? Or is Jesus someone who seems far away and distant? Jesus cares about what we think and how our experiences have shaped our understanding of who He is. Sometimes the pain or the brokenness of our stories can alter the way we see Jesus… and He isn’t offended by that....

In this passage, we read 8 questions! WOW! That’s a lot. Some of them are rhetorical, and some Jesus pauses for the disciples’ response. Why did Jesus ask so many questions? And why did He specifically ask them to recall the amount of leftovers in the miraculous feedings? Jesus was asking the disciples questions to help them remember… because remembering helps bring clarity in times of confusion. ...

Sometimes, we hear stories of people getting healed when they were at the end of their rope and had lost hope that they’d be healed… and God healed them! We’ve also heard many stories, and probably have been disappointed and hurt personally because we’ve known people who were full of faith that they’d be healed, and they weren't. Maybe we even prayed with full confidence saying, “Yes, Lord, I beli...

I am intimidated by a lot of things, to be honest. After watching the news, I used to tell my husband, “I just want to move off the grid and live like Laura Ingalls Wilder in Little House on the Prairie.” But as I’ve felt that, Jesus whispers to me, “Don’t let fear and intimidation be your boss.” Fear and intimidation are natural responses, but as one of my fav podcasters, Annie F. Downs says, “Em...

Jesus isn’t shaken by what shakes us. This doesn’t mean He doesn’t care. Oh, He certainly cares about us, but when storms come, His confidence and peace are totally secure.  When Jesus asks, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” I think He is reminding the disciples, and us today, to follow His lead. Where is Jesus in the storm? What is Jesus’ posture? Instead of fixing our eyes on...

Jesus asks, "Do you see this woman?" because He realizes that our perspectives and perceptions shape how we interact with the world. God is inviting us to see others and ourselves not by what we’ve done or not done, but by who we are… beloved children of God. We’re all seated at the same table. I'd love to connect with you on Instagram ⁠@carlycommunicates⁠. If there is ever any way that I can link...

Today, we're talking about disappointment, so I am sharing my most cringey dating story EVER. It was the worst Valentine's Day ever...  We’ve all been disappointed, had our feelings hurt, or been crushed when people have not kept their word. Sometimes, then, we project our past hurt onto Jesus, closing ourselves off from vulnerability and trust. We set our expectations of Jesus too low, because we...

Shame shouldn’t hold a megaphone in our lives. Yes, we all deal with shame from time to time, but hiddenness only makes the voice of shame louder.  So, Jesus’ questions invite us to take off our masks and address the plank in our eye. We are safe to be vulnerable with Jesus. Jesus doesn’t invite us to talk about mess because He wants to shame us. Jesus wants to free us, clear our vision, and take...

Vulnerability alert: In my experience, worry is often perpetuated by my desire for self-preservation, safety, and control. I want to flourish so desperately that my worry actually robs me of peace, joy, whimsy, and hope. In Matthew 6:27, Jesus asks the question, "Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?" This question, and the surrounding words of Jesus from this se...

There are so many things that cause us to not feel valued. We question our value if we don’t get the promotion at work, don’t get into the top choice college, miss a catch at a game, lose our temper with our kids, don’t see a number go down on the scale, or if we see on social media that our friends hung out last weekend and we weren’t invited. But Jesus' question in Matthew 6:25-26 invites us...

It is tempting to play the inferiority / superiority game, or to point fingers at people who are “lesser than,” but in asking the questions in Matt. 5:44 & 46, Jesus is reminding us that we ALL need help in loving our enemies. It isn’t something that we can do on our own. No matter who we are, we need God’s love to flow through us so that we no longer dehumanize or minimize someone, but we see...

It is easy for us to feel disqualified. Like the thirsty woman at the well in John 4, it is easy for us to feel like we have nothing to offer. We may cling to the words that people have said about us, or hold tightly feelings of rejection, abandonment, or betrayal. The experiences we’ve had or the pain we carry may make us feel like we have no value to offer to others… but Jesus says, “I see you,...