Love Your People Well | A Therapist’s Tips For Christian Mom Life, Marriage Help, And Family Relationships

Episode 146 // How do you handle parenting conflict? When you’re on totally different pages about how to handle a situation with your kids… is it even possible to stay on the same page?    In today’s episode, I’ll share 5 communication strategies to help you navigate parenting conflict. It is definitely possible to be a strong parenting team, even when you disagree! And these communication strateg...

Episode 145 // Do you want to have more fun in your marriage?   Intimacy is a really important part of a healthy and happy marriage. But is it a FUN part of your marriage? Do you look forward to your time in the bedroom together… or sometimes wish that part of your marriage could get a boost?   As a Christian marriage counselor (and a wife!) I know how important it is to enjoy the intimacy in your...

Episode 144 // Ever feel totally overwhelmed?   We all do! And these 4 quick TIPS will help you manage it well, so you can stay connected with your people and move forward. No more freezing up. No more outburst of emotion. Try these 4 tips and see how you feel.   Ready? Let’s dive in.   hugs & blessings,  Jess   * * * * *    Love Your People Well is all about helping you ENJOY Christian family...

Episode 143 // It is so frustrating to have a great plan, to do all the right things, and yet watch things unravel in a different direction.    Your marriage. Your kids. Your health. Your work.    When things just aren’t on track and they’re starting to go south, what do you do? How are we supposed to think about these situations? Where is God in all of it?   He’s right there with you, friend. Let...

Episode 142 // Loneliness. Discouragement. Hopelessness. There are so many hard emotions that moms deal with!   But, my friend, you do not have to deal with them alone.    Today, we’ll dive into gospel hope for our darkest moments, along with 5 practical things we can do when these emotions threaten to overwhelm us. Managing hard emotions is a key to ENJOYING the family life that God has given us....

Episode 141 // Want more JOY in your journey of motherhood?  We've been looking at some of the hard emotions of motherhood recently, and this week we're tackling stress. But today's topic is actually really helpful for EVERY hard emotion we face.   Today, we're looking at JOY. If you want to parent joyfully, you're in the right place today. If you're struggling with anger, anxiety, depression, str...

Episode 140 // Feeling stressed? Struggling with some burnout? You are not alone.  Parenting is HARD WORK. Between the kids, the house, the bills, your marriage, your work: it’s a lot. And one of the keys to managing the stress and enjoying the hard journey is... boundaries.  Eek. I know. Boundaries. It’s a word that brings up a lot of emotions. But today, it’s a word that will bring hope to your...

Episode 139 // Nobody loves stress. But everybody deals with it.  So how could we go through a series on hard mom emotions and not talk about stress??! If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the messy house, cranky kids, or things just aren’t going right, today’s episode is for you. I’ll share 9 tips that help me through stressful seasons of life, along with some real-life examples so you know you’re no...

Episode 138 // Friday Faith Followup   Christians have to deal with anger, just like everyone else. But thanks to the Holy Spirit in our lives, we have exactly the right help for dealing with it!   When you’re struggling with anger as a Christian mom, you’re probably also going to struggle with some other mom emotions: mom guilt, mom burnout, mom stress. Anger weighs on our souls and it weakens ou...

Episode 137 // Anger can be such an overwhelming emotion.    And if you ever find yourself crying out to God for helping, asking yourself “how do I control my anger?!?!” or wondering why you’re still struggling with this emotion… my friend, you are not alone.    So many Christian families struggle with managing anger. It’s awkward to talk about, hurtful to our family relationships, and we just wan...

Episode 136 // Friday Faith Followup   Do you want to give your kids your full attention? Connect with your husband even on a busy day? To enjoy the small moments of family life together?   I know I do! And I know that when my brain gets stuck on overdrive, it’s really, really difficult to enjoy life.   Sometimes, it’s just hard to turn our brains off! There are so many things to think about, worr...

Episode 135 // Negative thinking is so common, so tricky, and so hard to stop!    It’s also so hurtful to your goal of enjoying family life.    If you ever find yourself stuck in a pattern of negative thinking, or notice that a negative thought is making you feel depressed, anxious, angry, or stressed - this episode is for you.    Today, I’m sharing the 5-step process that I use in the counseling...

Episode 134 // Friday Faith Followup   Yes, Christian moms struggle with anxiety. And you can't fully enjoy family life if you’re stuck in a place of worry. It just isn’t possible! Anxiety sucks the joy from everything we try to do.    So let’s deal with it. We’ve looked recently at practical action steps that we can take to deal with anxiety as Christians. But God promises SO MUCH MORE than just...

Episode 133 // Anxiety is such a hard emotion.    So many moms struggle with worry, fear, and anxiety. We almost start to think that it’s normal, because it’s just so common.    But God has a better way. And as you learn to manage anxiety when it pops up, you’ll find more peace and joy in your daily life - and your family relationships will grow so much deeper.    Today, we’re doing a deep dive in...

Episode 132 // Friday Faith Followup   When you’re struggling with sadness and wondering how to control depression, it can feel like God is completely absent.    My friend, He is not absent. He’s right there with you.    Today, we’ll take a look at 5 of the BEST Bible verses for depression. When you’re in the middle of busy mom life and you’re trying to do All-The-Things for your Christian family,...

Episode 131 // Emotions are hard.    Sadness and depression are a reality for SO MANY Christian moms. And these hard emotions can make it really difficult to enjoy family life.    So join me today to deep dive into these emotions. Ever wonder how to get past a season of sadness in your life? Find yourself questioning if God is really there for you as you try to figure out how to control depression...

Episode 130 // Friday Faith Followup   Did you know that there is a reason you are struggling with out of control emotions? In fact, there might be a few reasons. And the best part is - you can do something about it.    Today, we’ll take a look at 10 reasons why your emotions are out of control. What’s going on? Do these feelings even make sense?   Dive in with me to be reminded that you are not a...

Episode 129 // Do you ever feel like your emotions are a bit out of control?   Most of us feel this way from time to time… or, let’s be honest, maybe every day. Family life takes a lot of energy. Things never go as planned. Relationships take work.    But your emotional self control actually has a BIG impact on all of that hard work!   Your marriage, motherhood, and every part of family life is im...

Friends, this quick bonus episode is your invitation to JOIN US in our 30 Day Self Care Challenge!  I'll share a few details about the Challenge, along with some reminders about the value of self care. I know you're busy... you're a mom. Of course you're busy! But I also know that YOU MATTER and taking a small bit of time every day to take care of yourself not only makes you feel better but it hon...

Episode 128 // Summertime in the Psalms Series   Maybe I’m crazy for closing out our summertime series with a look at depression… But it’s a part of the psalms, it’s a part of many moms’ lives, and it has a huge impact on Christian family life.    So let’s go there.    In today’s episode, we are walking together through Psalms 42-43, trying to find the right perspective between the joy we have in...

Episode 127 // Summertime in the Psalms Series   If you want to enjoy Christian family life, Psalm 127 is where you need to start. This wonderful psalm gives us such encouragement for building a biblical home! In only 5 short verses, this psalm helps us clarify our perspective on family and home life and shows us how to best approach our family relationships.   This is a short psalm, but so powerf...

How do you celebrate your birthday? Sure, I like cake and presents. But my favorite part of my own birthday is the reminder to take time and reflect. As another year passes, it is humbling and helpful to reflect on what God has been doing and give him praise for the years so far.  So join me today to give thanks to God and reflect a bit on 40 years of life... hitting 40 with 4 littles under 4 at h...

Episode 126 // Summertime in the Psalms Series   Prayer is your connection with God. It is central to the life of a Christian - and also to the life of a Christian family!   But what should that time look like? How do you call out to God together? Does it really matter to make time for prayer as a family?   Let’s go there, friend. We’re continuing our Summertime in the Psalms series today with a d...

I love birthdays.  There is something so special about celebrating someone in a BIG WAY - and I am excited to celebrate with you this year for my birthday! In fact, this year is a big one. A milestone. Yes, in just a few days, I'm turning the big 4-0! So for a birthday GIVEAWAY celebration, we're highlighting the 4's over here! (I mean, I am going to be 4-0 with 4 little ones under age 4... I coul...

Episode 125 // Summertime in the Psalms series   What are your priorities, mama?   Okay, I know you’re going to say that your priorities are faith, family, and a few other good things. That’s awesome.    But would your daily decisions show me that these are your priorities? If I looked at your weekly screen time, your bank account, or your family calendar, what might I think your Christian family...