Out of the Ordinary

This is the story of the labels people pin to us - to our bodies or our lives, or our families or our homes - and that we sometimes start to believe must be true. This is the story of starting to say that we will not be accepting those labels today, thank you very much.  Today Christie and Lisa-Jo each share stories about labels they had unknowingly accepted about themselves since they were teenag...

This is the story of the secret shame we all carry about our houses. And the one thing that can free you from it. This is a story about Christie's house Maplehurst being adrift in a sea of mud and construction and the pungent smell of mushroom farms nearby. And what Lisa-Jo's daughter said to change how Christie sees/smells her house. There is nothing like the power of seeing your home and...

This is the story of a Jasmine-scented South African summer night. This is a story about disappointment in God, and this is a conversation about the dreams that do NOT come true. Christie and Lisa-Jo recorded this episode the week of Christie's twenty-second wedding anniversary. They marveled over the long years of their friendship, and all the dreams-come-true they have witnessed in each othe...

We know friendship isn't always easy. Today we are identifying an issue we all face but as always, there's no prescription. Picking friendships back up after a hiatus isn't always easy.  Not all of us live around family and we need friends to fill the gaps. Even some of us have family close by and guess what? We still need friends. You'll leave today feeling seen and full of grace...

What do you need today? Today we chat about reclaiming space in our souls. There's rest that can come from order in our homes or offices but also rest that can come from order in your soul. Lisa-Jo's husband gave her a simple response that helped her soul last week and we know it'll help your soul too! If you feel like you're going to work or your everyday hustle and going to die,...

Motivation matters and Christie and Lisa-Jo are giving you a shot of it today. Quick and painless! Lisa-Jo and Christie are keeping us company as we struggle with the clutter that has ensued through this year or two or three. Don't worry because we have guilt-free solutions. We're given revolutionizing yet simple tips today to gain peace in our space. It's just what we all need at this...

Lisa-Jo and Christie give us an invitation to declutter our souls. Whether you're finishing something or in the middle or very beginning, you need the grace and perspective of this episode!  When we finish a hard thing, even when we finish it well, it doesn't always feel how we want it to feel.  Sometimes when we make it across a minefield, we might not feel delighted but just exhausted. F...

If you're feeling forgotten or unseen, this episode will encourage you. Christie fascinates us with her travels and all the unique details we can only learn from her perspective.  How did the Good Shepherd connect the dots for Christie and her husband in their time in England? Christie encourages our souls as she finds emblems of connection with broken pieces. We may just have little pieces ri...

Who else is so tired? How can we find rest?  Not everything in the past three years has been lost. We have to find out where it's hiding. Sometimes God invites us outside our rhythm and when we get intentional, we see God showing up. So much has happened for all of us in the past three years.  Some of that is the disconnection of the body and our souls have been scattered. Christie shares abou...

What does it mean to live and not just survive?  We're eternal creatures with souls.  Christie says that our soul is the life of the body. Lisa-Jo asks, "How can we rest without checking out?"  Step outside of your normal rhythms.  What does rest look like when we turn to the Lord?  What extra burdens are we putting on ourselves. If you feel like you're dying, we have some helpful...

Does anyone have complicated feelings about motherhood, whether it's your own mother or being a mother? Did you know Lisa-Jo hadn't always dreamed of being a mom? Lisa-Jo's first book is on motherhood, Surprised by Motherhood: Everything I never Expected about Being a Mom . Lisa-Jo reads a letter she wrote to her mom that she hasn't read in a decade. May you be blessed by this raw,...

Anyone need a Mother's Gift idea? Christie's newest book:  A Home in Bloom: Four Enchanted Seasons With Flowers  is a perfect gift idea for yourself and the women in your circle.  Want to know how to find fresh ideas? Need inspiration to write? Christie and Lisa-Jo lead you through the Director's Cut version behind the scenes of how Christie wrote her newest book.  It will inspire, enc...

Lisa-Jo and Christie talk about everything from carpool to tea time and everything in between as they help us grow a daily life that matters. At the end of the day, we don't make things grow.  So much of ordinary life is receiving growth from God. External measures are not necessary for growth. It really is the internal restructuring of our souls that brings the deepest growth. Gardners can ch...

What gift can Lisa-Jo give to her neighborhood? What about you? You can borrow Lisa-Jo's dad's advice and his three non-negotiables in life.  Do you agree with him?  Let's get back to the basics.  His advice is a balm for our bodies and souls. We're made for significance. Our design is a reminder that we aren't built to work 24/7. Every little bit of care for ourselves counts f...

What gift can Lisa-Jo give to her neighborhood? What about you? Christie has her new book, A Home in Bloom: Four Enchanted Seasons With Flowers , that we can purchase today! It's an enchanted book for anyone! You don't have to be a gardener to be blessed by this magical way of feeling seen, no matter the weeds in your life or yard. There's no shame here! Christie lets us know, "Per...

The Lover of our souls has been in the midst of our humanity. The Lord loves our listeners. So much will be evident to you in this episode!! To step into conversation with Christie, is to step inside her garden. God has created us to steward living things. Christie's new book (releases April 11!): A Home in Bloom: Four Enchanted Seasons With Flowers Explore Christie's newest book at www.ah...

Christie and Lisa-Jo are taking you behind the scenes today of the pod. Do we make money on the pod? Have you ever wanted to start a podcast? We share a little of what's involved. Also, if your yard or your heart feels a little sad, growth comes slow, don't give up hope! Remember how far you've come. Spring will burst forth...it's coming! Trees can anchor us. Did you know what the...

How much do you love coffee or wine? Lisa-Jo and Christie are having are riding the sluggard, struggle bus during Lent sometimes and they have helpful nuggets of truth to share with us.   In our self-care culture, it's easy to let our sinful nature take us right back to ourselves rather than the cross.  There's a difference in self-care that's life giving for those around us and there&...

What makes your daily life rich? Practicing gratitude as a discipline is the vibe for today.  Lisa-Jo and Christie have a list that you will appreciate. You'll leave feeling lighter and happier as you smile and laugh along! Please tag us with your tiny happy things in your life right now.  Anyone else struggling with your Lent sacrifice like Lisa-Jo? Jesus is here to be her comfort and also yo...

Object lesson today is we don't need to white knuckle life. Have you gotten something wrong this week?  Wherever you are in your life, we can all relate to the days when we can't move forward as planned. You think it's going to get nice and it doesn't. Can you believe what happened in Lisa-Jo's kitchen? Baking with love versus science makes for a funny contrast. A moment is sup...

Christie has a rare, special guest. They talk about how nothing ever stays the same.  Building something good takes time and thoughtfulness, which involves their home at Maplehurst. They recap the past decade and what's to come while giving tips to us all, no matter our stage of life. Our place can have an awakened spiritual life! Rest is needed in the process.  Where is an area that you'r...

Did you know this new word that Christie learned from Lisa-Jo today? You're safe in this conversational space. Wait until you're cozy and alone to listen today as we go deep and possibly dark for a bit. When we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we don't walk alone and God walked through the valley first.  Today we acknowledge the reality of death.  Scripture doesn't h...

What did Christie say to shock Lisa-Jo? No one knew this fact about her husband.  "How do you recognize "enough" when you have it?"  In the second half of life Lisa-Jo and Christie ponder how we let go of the season of hunger to settle for what's right in front of us.  This season is more settled with a deeper and targeted work without a hungry need to consume everything.  It&#...

How did a podcast comment show Lisa-Jo and Christie's blindspot?  Creativity gets more deep and less wide with age. No matter your season, this episode is here to encourage you.  Don't let the anxiety of finding the "one right road" stress you out. The end goal isn't to be the best version of you but you're part of something bigger, it's part of joining God in His Kingd...

Why did Lisa-Jo say she feels like a grandmother?  As we get older, does the settlement in our age mean we're less creative? If we feel tired does that mean we're past the most creative season in our lives?  Lisa-Jo and Christie dig into the facts that we're made in the image of our Creator. Our limits may adjust and our spectrum of change may be different but there's more freedom...