Sunshine in My Nest

There is truly nothing harder for me than to accept help and rest when there's still so much to be done. Today Sarah and I have a light-hearted conversation about a hard topic. We talk about what it looks like to come to the end of ourselves, what God says about rest, and how we can apply humility to receive help. I hope our stories make you feel seen, and that you will remember in your wearin...

Kids will automatically have heroes. Maybe you look at the things your child is admiring and it makes you cringe. Today Hunter and I talk about the purpose of telling our kids the stories of Christian heroes who have gone before. Specifically, we talk about the life of Amy Carmichael. I'd be so curious to know if you already knew about her before this episode or if she is new to you! You can f...

Often we imagine spiritual disciplines to be rigorous and slightly unpleasant. But what if we reshaped how we come to know God better. Today Caroline and I talk about the way that music and the Psalms can help us meditate on truths of God's word in a way that ministers to our soul when we are feeling exhausted, anxious, or just want remember him in our everyday life. You can find Caroline Cobb...

Do you want your kids to love to read, but you're stuck in the zone where it's a fight all the time. Today Whitney and I discuss how we are raising kids that love to read. Whitney spoke twice on this topic at two separate conferences, as well as building a brand around reading. She has though through this topic well and has some amazing advice on it! You can find Whitney Newby here on Inst...

Are you the kind of person that has 7 "best" friends? Or maybe you don't have close friends, but you want to move some people you like to the next level. This chat with Laura is excellent to giving words to friendship. She lists 10 different kinds she has had over a lifetime. The thing I loved about thinking of it this way is you don't have to pick a "best" friend, but...

We tend to teach kids as if they are simple, and it often causes them to be bored. What if we taught them with the assumption that they are intelligent and can make connections? Today I'm interviewed by my friend Kaytra. We chat about how I got involved in children's ministry, and how the way I see teaching kids about God has changed over the years. My goal then was to get them "saved...

Our lives are loud and a new notification always reminds us of something we are missing. How do we remember God when he isn't something that yells for attention or pings our phone? Katie Westenberg encourages us to focus on what truly matters and gives us tools to remember God. We think that distractions are new but she reminds us that our struggles are connected to people through time and tha...

Have you ever wished the church looked more like it will in Heaven? Every nation, tribe, and tongue worshiping together in peace unified with Christ as the one they love. Today Brytni and I talk about some practical things we as believers can do to help hear one another better. We also talk about how to have these hard conversations with our kids and why it isn't enough to be "colorblind&...

The things that come our of our mouths are hard to control. Teaching our kids how to control what comes out of theirs feels impossible. So what can we do about lying and whining? Do we ignore it and hope for the best? Today Ginger addresses the heart issues behind lying and whining and helps give some practical steps on what to do. You can find Ginger Hubbard and her books on her website . You can...

If you're like me you feel like there aren't enough hours in the day to get it all done. It's so easy to lay awake stressing about everything we have to get done, or to stay up until 1 am working on everything we missed during the day! Today Crystal Paine is teaching me the methods she uses to get what she needs to do done in the number of hours she has in the day. You can find Crystal...

Do you find yourself overwhelmed with bustle and noise in life? It can be so hard to put the first things first. Today Courtney Tracy and I talk about how to keep God's Word front and center in the middle of the busyness of life. Courtney is a young mom and a lifestyle influencer. She talks about how she balances everything she does while maintaining her relationship with Jesus! You can find C...

Do you wonder if what you're doing now will make the teen years easier or harder? Today Kristen Hatton and I talk about how your parenting now impacts what life looks like when your kids are teens. If you already have a teen this grace-filled approach will be sure to encourage you and lift you up. Nothing is wasted and it's never "too late". You can find Kristen Hatton at Redempt...

If you're married, don't skip this episode! The words we all use can either build up or tear down singles in the church! Deborah Smith shares with us today what her service to the body of Christ has looked like as a single woman. She shares things that tear down single women in the church, and words and thoughts that can build them up and encourage them. More than anything she points us to...

We all have days when we need a good cup of tea and a friend to share our burdens. Our kids have that need too. Sally talks to us today about how to create relationship-building rituals in your home so that you have built friendship and trust with your children into their teen years and adulthood. She reminds us of the way Jesus made disciples and the way he calls us to make disciples even in our...

Do you have a dream that God gave you but it's been sitting on a shelf gathering dust. Today Rebecca and I talk about how to take the first steps of faith to make those callings active in your life. If you have some time come over and tell me about what you want to do, it helps to say it out loud sometime. You can find Rebecca George's  HERE  and her book " Do the Thing ".  You c...

Did you know humans had limits even in the Garden of Eden? Chris and I talk about what it looks like to embrace our limits as beautiful even when they don't feel that way. Coupled with delighting in God Christine will help walk us through practically how to keep growing even when you struggle with chronic illness, small kids, caring for elderly parents, and more.  You can find Christine Gordo...

Heidi was diagnosed with cancer at 23, as she walked through the worst-case scenario she found a hope-filled response to the questions of doubt that plagued her. Heidi reminds us that when we walk straight into the heart of God’s Word we will experience His peace, find confidence in His good plans, and be set free to meet the future we were made for. You can find Heidi on Instagram and her book "...

Some of us adore staying at home. Some of us have kids that do and we just don't understand that. Today Caroline and I talk about the deeper picture that home is for Christians. Our houses are important to us, but it's more than just cleaning, and cooking. In them we find, even in the brokenness, we find glimpses of home lost and home that will come again.  You can find Caroline Saunder's HER...

Have you thought about starting a podcast, a YouTube channel, writing a book, or becoming a photographer, but it seemed out of reach in this stage of life? Often as women, we feel apologetic about choosing to take time to create things. What if instead of taking us from our families we looked at these opportunities to serve them even better and with more joy? Today Ashlee Gadd and I talk about wha...

Understanding the trinity seems like an impossible task for even adults. How in the world do we break that down for kids? Today Quina walks us through how she has done that in her children's book series. We also discuss the beauty of the trinity, what we have been learning about it, and why examining it is so important. Quina also tells how she got into spoken word poetry and her testimony! Overal...

In order to retain faith our kids have to understand where they fit into the Bible's story, but also to understand how the hard things of the Bible make sense for a modern world. Today Ryan Coatney walks us thought how to teach kids the Bible's themes and the way they rest on Genesis!! You can find Saga of the Seed Ryan's book on Genesis HERE and his Cross-Formed Kids Curriculum HERE You can find...

Do you feel at a loss when it comes to teaching your kids to pray? Today I chat with Joanna Kimbrel who works for the Gospel Coalition. We talk about how to teach our kids about sin and salvation, how to pray, and what to tell them when we don't know an answer to their theological questions! I think if you are trying to raise Christian kids you'll be blessed by this conversation!  You can fin...

Loneliness is the new pandemic. More than ever before we are iscolating ourselves from others even in the church. It's easy to see the job of welcoming as only one for pastors or staff, but we are all called to welcome others! Join Jen and I as we discuss how we've done this in our homes, hearts, and lives! You can find Jen on Instagram and her new book "Welcome" HERE You can find Elizabeth: Writi...

If you've had a miscarriage, or are walking through one with a friend who has had a miscarriage this conversation with Jenny will be encouraging. We cover what it's like to be pregnant after a miscarriage. Things you should say to someone who has miscarried. Things you should never say to someone who has miscarried. We also talk about things to help honor the loss of a baby.  You can find Jen...

Do you wake up dreading every day or excited to be part of your family and life? Leslie tells us step by step how to identify what your ideal family life is going to look like, and how to create that for yourself. Be sure to grab a pad of paper at the end because the questions she has you ask yourself are going to have you wanting to write them down!!  You can find Leslie Martino and her spea...