The Messy Table with Jenn Jewell

Mamas! (Biological! Adoptive! Foster!) Grandmothers! Aunts! Teachers! Pastors! Mentors! Babysitters! Basically, if you interact with kids, LISTEN UP. Julie Richard , the humble and hilarious mastermind behind the ministry Fearless Mom , is joining Cindy Beall and me for a chat at The Messy Table . In this episode (number 50, y’all!), Julie is sharing her perspective on raising children, as w...

How does someone survive unspeakable loss? How does a marriage push through impossible pain? How can a person still find hope in the face of their worst nightmare? Levi + Jennie Lusko, founders and pastors of Fresh Life Church, are all too familiar with tragedy—losing their five-year-old daughter, Lenya, to a fatal asthma attack just a few days before Christmas in 2012. Yet their faith is shocking...

Who else could use a fresh perspective on this chilly day in January?! I know I could. Today at The Messy Table, Kat Robinson and I are chatting with the wise and charming Germaine Mowery. Germaine is a homeschooling mama of five who, with her husband Monty, has been living and serving in Asia for nearly two decades. In this episode, Germaine is unveiling what home + hospitality has meant for her...

Have you found yourself overwhelmed by heavy disappointment, heartbreaking betrayal, or excruciating loss? Have you quietly wondered if God is still good? If so, you're not alone. Today's guest at The Messy Table is bestselling author and president of Proverbs 31 Ministries, Lysa TerKeurst. In this episode, Lysa is chatting with Amy Groeschel and I about writing her latest book from real life in t...

Haaaaaaappy New Year, friends! We're running into 2019 with guns a'blazing as we kickoff a brand new season and episode at The Messy Table—an ordinary space for real women, imperfect stories, and the God who's at work in our mess. My guest today is Kara-Kae James—a sweet friend from those good ol' college days at Oklahoma State University (Go Pokes)! She's the Executive Director of Thrive Moms, a...

How do you respond to stress? Do you jump into "busy mode," retreat in isolation, scream at the top of your lungs, or keep calm and carry on? Today at The Messy Table, Cindy Beall and I are chatting with the lovely Tiffany Cooper. Tiffany is a pastor's wife, mama of four, and co-founder of People's Church with her hubby, Herbert Cooper. In this episode, Tiffany's sharing how she's responded both p...

Well, Thanksgiving is officially over and the Christmas season is here! But as my wise friend, Andra Pinkston, points out on today's episode at The Messy Table: "We spend the next month overspending, overeating, and overcommitting ourselves—then we expect to fix it all in January." But, instead, what if we put ourselves on the offensive vs. the defensive? What if we prepare our hearts + minds to c...

No need for coffee today, friends—our favorite Aussie is in the house! When Christine Caine was recently in town, pouring wisdom into our Life. Church staff + spouses, as well as speaking to our entire church, Amy Groeschel and I got to steal her away for a face-to-face chat at The Messy Table. Y'ALL. If you want some tools to help you LIVE UNASHAMED from guilt + condemnation, if you want permissi...

Some goodbyes are expected and necessary, while others are abrupt and excruciating. At one point or another, we've all faced goodbye—to a season, relationship, or dream. In this soul-piercing episode at The Messy Table Podcast, Rachel Leslie is sharing her perspective on embracing goodbye. Goodbye to a fabricated perfection and filtered dreams. Goodbye to striving for God's approval instead of bas...

There's just something about honest conversation and real-life stories that gets into our souls, exposes an inner courage, and spurs us on toward hope. And today's episode with Meryl George is no exception! Meryl is the wife of Alan George (our favorite Church Online pastor), a biological + adoptive mama of three, an intricate part of of our Operations Team at Life. Church, an avid foodie, and sim...

Life can disappoint us. People can hurt us. Health can abandon us. The unknown can scare us. Waiting can annoy us. Striving can discourage us. Perfection can paralyze us. But there's an anchor for our souls that never fails. Lauren Chandler is a pastor's wife, mom of three, author, song writer, horse lover, and worship leader who is no stranger to unexpected storms or overwhelming waves. From faci...

Have you ever made plans in your head, but they didn't play out as you hoped? Have you ever been defined by the world's labels or even your own mistakes—instead of by God? Y'all, Jillian Zavacky has BEEN THERE and is vulnerably sharing her story with us today at The Messy Table! Jillian is the LifeGroups/LifeMissions Project Leader at one of our Life. Church locations, as well as a kitty mama, bol...

Anyone else like being in control? I know I do! But what happens when life spirals out of your grasp and you're left with more questions than answers? What happens when the rubber meets the road—when your faith smashes into your reality? Today, Cindy Beall and I are chatting with our friend, Nicole Knox, who's weathered many seasons of illness and unknown. Yet she still clings to hope. There's muc...

I have been anxiously awaiting this episode, y'all! Not only are we kicking off the fall semester at The Messy Table Podcast, but this conversation is particularly special to me because Robin Wall was MY mentor growing up, as well as an example + resource for me still today. Robin is the wife of Chris Wall, mama to three nearly-grown kids, an elementary music teacher (hello, Teacher of the Year!),...

Welcome to The Messy Table! An ordinary space for real women, imperfect stories, and the God who's at work in our mess. Today's guest for Episode 36 is the brave and beautiful Anita Wyatt—wife to one, mom of 6, lover of the outdoors, and a woman who's not afraid to join God in the greatest mission on earth. Anita and her husband Wayne have not only adopted a precious boy from Ukraine with special...

What would it take to actually renew your mind? What kind of mind shift has the power to yield massive results—even restore a marriage? If you're facing the impossible or ready to throw in the towel, my friend Mary Kuti has BEEN THERE. Mary is wife to her worship-pastor husband, Chris, and mama to two handsome boys + one brand spankin' new baby girl who just made her grand debut last week. Togethe...

You guys! Today's episode at The Messy Table is straight FIRE. Lisa Bevere is chatting with Amy Groeschel and I about how God is using her past and present messes for His glory, plus her latest book, Adamant: Finding Truth in a Universe of Opinions. "When I have an encounter with Jesus, I have an encounter with Truth." —Lisa Bevere Lisa is the wife of John Bevere, mama to four grown boys, co-found...

In honor of Father's Day (and for the first time ever), we're getting a MAN'S PERSPECTIVE at The Messy Table! Derek Jewell is a husband, dad, pastor, friend, outdoorsman... and he happens to be mine. We're talking all things Marriage + Parenting, plus the daring adventure of following Christ. I might be biased, but this is possibly my favorite episode ever. This one's not just for the ladies, so h...

That's right, friends. A new episode is LIVE at The Messy Table Podcast! Today's guest is powerhouse Sharon Hester—a mama of three, pastor's wife, math teacher, and an advocate for others, especially those being overlooked or outcast because of racial injustice. "He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with yo...

We're continuing the Mother's Day Week party by virtually high-fiving all of you AMAZING MAMAS out there—bio moms, adoptive moms, foster moms, step moms, mamas of babies here on earth and mamas of babies in heaven. Aunts, sisters, mentors, care-takers, and those who "mother" others in your life... WE CELEBRATE YOU! We wish every woman who pours herself out all the solitude, pedicures, and coffee i...

Y'all. It's officially May, finally feeling like spring, AND Podcast Day! TRIPLE JACKPOT. Today, my friend Jess Penick is bringing down the house over at The Messy Table Podcast as she shares what's even better than time management, tips for conquering the addictive habits that keep us from thriving, and a life-changing secret for unlocking humility. "God paid a high price for you, so don’t be ens...

Welcome to The Messy Table! An ordinary space for real women, imperfect stories, and the God who's at work in our mess. Today, Amy Groeschel and I are chatting with my friend and her daughter, the amazing Mandy Meehan. Mandy was a youth pastor at Life. Church and nearing her wedding day when she suddenly became very sick. Days turned into weeks and months; doctors couldn't figure out what was wron...

Welcome to The Messy Table! An ordinary space for real women, imperfect stories, and the God who's at work in our mess. Today's guest is my sweet friend—the beautiful, the wise, the contagiously joyful—Trish Helsel. Trish is the Executive Women’s Director for Kanakuk Kamps, as well as a mama of three adults, mentor to countless girls + women all over the globe, and a personal inspiration to me. We...

Have you ever felt like you're JUST NOT ENOUGH? Not enough of a wife, mom, friend, leader, girlboss, homemaker, Christ-follower, fill-in-the-blank... Today at The Messy Table, Cindy Beall (from Episode 11!) is co-hosting with me as we chat with the amazing Lori Wilhite. In this episode, Lori vulnerably shares her own journey from insecurity to victory, as well as what it's like leading Central Chu...

Welcome to The Messy Table! An imperfect space for real women, imperfect stories, and the God who's at work in our mess. And guess what? Today's episode with my good friend, Tina LaTurno, is no different. "Your past will never not be your past, but you can choose your future." Tina and her sweet family have been in the face of suffering throughout the past several years, as her husband Charlie has...