Rebekah Hargraves is the host of the Home and Hearth Podcast and on today's solo show she is covering the topic of "Bible Study 101".  Though this is a re-release of an episode originally recorded three years ago, it seems timely again as we are feeling fearful in these times and needing to grow in our knowledge of the Bible and our ability to study it. May you come away from this episode feeling encouraged and equipped in your ability to study, understand, and interpret the Bible for yourself. What She Chats about in Today's Episode: ~*How* to study the Bible, and then moving on into *when* to study the Bible (help for the busy woman who finds it hard to make time for the Word) ~5 Bible Study tips for beginners: *Pick a user-friendly Bible translation *Choose a Reading Plan for where to begin (see my Bible Reading Plan article below, however, for some necessary caveats to this!) *Find a good Bible study or Bible study method *Learn to reflect on what you are reading *Take advantage of the many free study resources at your disposal ~Different Bible translations, and what the differences are between word-for-word translations and thought-for-thought (or dynamic equivalent) translations ~The Bible translation I personally would recommend that is an "optimal equivalence" translation ~What the Holy Spirit has clearly called me, personally, to do in my personal Bible study time ~Free online resources and websites for Bible study ~Great books of the Bible to begin with if you are a new believer ~Bible study methods: *SOAP method Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer *Inductive Bible Study Method ~Great guided Bible study book recommendations ~Practical tips for how to be in the Word as a busy woman ~Meeting with God all throughout the day in relationship with Him, as opposed to relegating time with Him to a business meeting in the morning ~And more!   For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast 

Karrie Garcia is a wife, mom of 3, runs the organization Freedom Movement and is author of “Free and Fully Alive: Reclaiming the Story of Who You Were Created to Be". Her passion is to equip people to heal in their story and begin to step into their God-given calling by helping them be trauma-informed, Biblically-sound, and Spirit-filled. What We Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~Karrie’s new book, "Free and Fully Alive: Reclaiming the Story of Who You Were Created to Be", what led her to write it, and what readers can expect ~The difference between what we humanly think of as freedom and what Biblical freedom actually is ~The power of God’s presence in the midst of our pain ~The importance of going beyond just knowing right doctrine into actually knowing the heart of Jesus ~The importance and power of vulnerability ~The difference between “doing for” God and “being with” God ~Remembering that when we hide, God comes looking ~The importance of knowing and understanding who God created you to be ~The importance of rest and reflection ~Understanding that thriving comes from first acknowledging our pain before the Lord and inviting Him into it and believing that He can bring good from it ~Understanding that we cannot by-pass our pain, because our calling and purpose are able to be formed out of that pain ~Worldly grief vs. godly, biblical grief ~Realizing that repentance is actually our best friend ~The power of getting curious ~And more!   Head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast for full shownotes! 

On this week’s solo podcast episode, I am re-releasing an episode where I took to the show to talk all about New Year’s resolutions, goals, walking by the Spirit, and holding fast to the gospel in the midst of it all. What I Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~Why so many of our resolutions “fail” and why wrong theology is shooting us in the foot here ~The impact of the gospel on our guilt surrounding “failing” in our resolutions and goals ~The important first steps to take when drafting up your resolutions and goals for the year ~The importance of walking by the Spirit in the everyday moments of our lives, not even just in the big-picture times of planning for a whole year ~Our identity and why it does not come from what we accomplish ~Willingly changing course when God calls us to ~The importance of redeeming the time well – regardless of whether or not we have already “failed” in our resolutions ~Understanding that looking to yourself for the strength required to fulfill your resolutions is not enough ~And more!   For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Hannah Anderson is a wife, mom, and author of several books, most recently a children’s book entitled “The World God Made”, based on Psalm 104. We hope you come away from this episode more in awe of God than before and feeling more equipped to share the wonders of God's creation and majesty with your children. What We Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~Hannah’s new children’s book, The World God Made, what led her to write it, and what readers can expect ~The impact that the beauty of the natural world can have on us ~Inviting children out into the world to celebrate the world God made; acknowledging that that can sometimes be a scary thing to do with how wild nature is ~Hannah’s vision and hope for this book and how it can inspire wonder and curiosity about creation in children ~Advice for parents for how to cultivate in our kids a sense of wonder and curiosity about creation and God’s world ~The inherent wonder and enchantment of simple things; how being out in creation grows our imagination and sense of the wonder and majesty and bigness of our God ~Trusting the process rather than making the idea of cultivating in our children a love of nature and sense of wonder more complicated and overwhelming than it has to be ~Trusting our own wonder and how this can shape our children ~Stirring our imaginations to attune to what is around us and to be aware; the importance of slowing down and creating space to hear from God ~Attention as an important spiritual discipline ~Understanding that we can delight in and learn from nature in even the most urban of spaces; trusting God’s sovereignty of Him placing us in the space we live in ~The importance of sharing spaces and taking advantage of community spaces in nature ~Advice for parents who feel intimidated and don’t know how to take advantage of time in nature with their kids by engaging them in conversations about God ~Specific revelation vs. general revelation and why both are important ~How Hannah struck the balance in writing this book between creating a book that is engaging to young children while also keeping it faithful to the text of Psalm 104 ~Psalm 104 as an invitation to wonder and celebration ~Specific passages from Psalm 104 that became especially meaningful to Hannah as she wrote this book ~The comforting truth that God has not left creation itself but is still actively working in it and healing it ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

On today’s solo show, we are tackling the topic of Advent and, through a study of both Isaiah 9:6-7 as well as Mary's Magnificat in Luke 1, coming to understand the political nature of Advent. May this episode be enlightening and inspiring to you as we approach an election year and begin to prayerfully consider the way of the Kingdom in the political sphere. What I Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~Isaiah 9:6-7 and Mary's Magnificat in Luke 1 and how they reveal the very political nature of Advent ~The political implications of Advent and the upside down Kingdom of God it ushered in ~Understanding that the ways of the kingdom are antithetical to the ways of this world; the implications of this for our involvement in the political sphere ~The importance of understanding that if our goal is to just uphold a particular political party, we are doing politics wrong as Christians ~Walking by the Spirit in the political sphere ~Advent's emphasis on peace, justice, caring for the poor, and bringing down those in power; how this emphasis should frame and inform our political stances ~The fact that the same Hebrew word is translated in the OT as both justice and righteousness; why this is important ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Caroline Saunders is a pastor’s wife, mom of 3, and author, most recently of the new children’s books, The Story of Home and The Story of Water. She has a passion to equip and encourage parents to know how to raise their children with the truths of God's Word even in hard seasons. We pray you come away from this episode deeply encouraged and inspired. What We Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~Caroline’s two new children’s books, The Story of Water and The Story of Home, what led her to write them, and what readers can expect ~Caroline’s experience of now transitioning into writing children’s books ~How stories in Scripture surrounding the topic of water point to the truth of Jesus being Living Water ~How Scripture points to Jesus being our Home ~The power of understanding the metanarrative nature of Scripture ~Understanding that even kids can do Biblical theology and think deeply about Scriptural truth ~How Caroline’s books differ from other children’s books currently on the market; how she went about helping kids to grasp complex concepts in these two books ~The importance of not just stopping at Jesus with kids, but moving on to discussing the Holy Spirit and the early church ~How the water stories in the Bible point to God’s sovereignty ~Advice for parents who want to help their kids work through very challenging seasons but don’t know how or where to start ~The problem of denial hard times and how the Word acknowledges the existence of hard and bad things in life ~The lie that tells us as moms that we always have to be perfectly ok and have it all together all the time for our kids ~How we can help our kids understand more complex Bible topics; the importance of loving God’s Word ourselves as parents ~How to share with our kids about the love of God, especially in light of hard seasons in life ~The power of naming our sin to our children and helping our kids to understand how God deals with sin ~What Caroline hopes families take away from these books ~The power of being honest with the Lord about where we are ~What to do when you don’t want to spend time in the Word ~And more!   For full podcast shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

On today’s solo show, we are tackling the topic of giving thanks in all things - what it means, what it doesn't mean, and why it is actually what is best for you - no matter what you are going through. I hope you will come away from this episode feeling encouraged and inspired this Thanksgiving week. What I Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~1 Thessalonians 5:18 and what it does and does not mean ~The common misconception we make of thinking we are being called to give thanks *for* all things, and why it is important to understand we are actually called to give thanks *in* all things - how this is different and why that difference matters ~Understanding that our ability to give thanks in all things comes down to our knowing and believing the character of God ~Inspiring quotes on the topic of giving thanks from people in church history  ~My own experience of being able to give thanks in all things - even during my husband's deployment ~And more!   For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Herbie Newell is the President and Executive Director of LifeLine Children’s Services, an organization that is an adoption, orphan care, and foster care ministry. His passion with this organization is to see the Church be equipped to manifest the gospel to orphans, vulnerable children, and vulnerable women. This ministry exists to see the Church carry out their God-given mission in the gospel of justice and caring for the widow and the orphan, the stranger, the alien, the ones in need. This mission has been given to the Church, and it is the Church that is to do this work. With November being National Adoption Month, our prayer is that you would come away from this episode with your heart stirred on this topic of adoption. What We Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~Info about LifeLine Christian Services, the largest evangelical adoption agency in the country ~The gospel-motivation for the work going on at LifeLine ~How Herbie came to be the President of LifeLine, what led him to first become involved in this work, and what his daily work looks like; why he is passionate about this topic ~The importance of seeking the Spirit on what we personally are called to do in this area ~What being truly pro-life actually is - and how just demanding that there be a birth is not what all we are called to as the Church; the importance of us stepping up and helping these mamas and babies in need ~The importance of advocating for life inside as well as outside the womb ~The problem with being busy and becoming nearsighted, losing sight of what God is actually calling us to do with our days ~The purpose of our lives as believers as not being one of comfort and ease, but of mission ~The call to deny ourselves and pick up our cross so that we can serve others well ~What the state of adoption is in this country and around the world; the number of orphans currently in this world who need a home ~The increase in abortion that we are actually seeing post Roe v. Wade and the reality that conservative states were not even prepared for the overturning;  the work the church still has to do ~Laws, practices, etc. that are leading to this orphan crisis here and around the world; what we as believers can do about this crisis whether or not we adopt ourselves ~The infinite wisdom of God’s design for the family and the world at large ~Herbie’s insider analysis of where the defense of life movement is, what is coming down the pike, and what part adoption plays in all of this; adoption as a pro-life option ~Talking about abundant life and having a pro-woman stance as a pro-life advocate ~Ways in which the church is dropping the ball in these areas; what we can do to be the hands and feet of Christ; how to make a difference in these areas ~Understanding that having a pro-life stance does not begin at the political or federal level; it starts in your home, with your family, and in your community ~How people can become involved with LifeLine Children’s Services ~Being faithful with what is in front of us and the importance of just doing the next right thing ~And more! Head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast for full shownotes.

On today’s solo show, we are answering the question, "Why did Jesus come?"  At face value, this seems like a very open and shut, easy question to answer - after all, He came to save sinners! And that's true! But Scripture actually outlines 22 other reasons why He came, as well - in addition to 2 things that were NOT reasons why He came. In other words, the full-orbed answer presented in this episode just might surprise you! What I Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~Answering the question, "Why did Jesus come?" ~The 23 reasons that are outlined in Scripture as to why Jesus came to earth - what His full-orbed purpose actually was ~Two topics that were NOT things He came to do ~Why understanding all of this is so important ~The impact these truths have on our walk with the Lord ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com

Kayla Craig is a pastor's wife, mom of 4, writer, podcaster, and author, most recently of the new book, “Every Season Sacred: Reflections, Prayers, and Invitations to Nourish Your Soul and Nurture Your Family throughout the Year". Today she returns to the show to share about her new book and to encourage parents in the beauty of liturgical parenting. What We Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~Kayla’s new book, “Every Season Sacred: Reflections, Prayers, and Invitations to Nourish Your Soul and Nurture Your Family throughout the Year"; what led her to write it, and what readers can expect ~The meaningful aspect of the four seasons, and why they are important in our lives; the impact they have on us ~The importance of cultivating a slower, more contemplative lifestyle ~How the writing experience was the same and how it was different between Kayla’s two books ~The practicality of this book regardless of what season of life you are in or what you are going through ~Kayla’s heart to nourish parents’ souls in a contemplative way in and through this book; why this was important for Kayla to do ~How a contemplative lifesyle is so helpful for parents and childcare givers ~Bringing our kids into a more contemplative style of life ~Living loved; the importance of a parent’s soul being nourished so that they can then nurture their child well ~Making space to explore the world with care and compassion and why this is so important ~Exemplifying Christ’s love and compassion for people to our children and allowing that to impact how we show up in the world ~The power of “caught, not taught” ~The power of liturgical rhythms in our parenting ~Making your faith your own and the journey of unlearning false things you were taught ~Untangling Christ from Christianese and reconstructing your walk with the Lord and understanding of truth; how and why this has been important for Kayla; the importance of this kind of journey ~The importance of reading Scripture for yourself ~The importance of raising our kids to be critical thinkers and having the freedom to ask questions and express doubts ~And more! Full shownotes at www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Kathryn Maack is a wife, mom, co-founder of the ministry Dwellings, and co-author of the fantastic book, Whole: The Life-Changing Power of Relating to God with All of Yourself . On this episode she edifies and encourages us with the truth that we are to approach God wholly and with every aspect of ourselves, as opposed to living segmented lives. This is an important episode that you will not want to miss! What We Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~Kathryn's new book, Whole: The Life-Changing Power of Relating to God with All of Yourself, what readers can expect from it, and what led Kathryn and her co-author Aaron Williams to write it ~The importance of coming to God with all of ourselves and not holding back any aspect of ourselves ~Why we actually are not striving for balance in our walk with God, but actually should purpose to come to God with all aspects of ourselves - fully spirit and fully truth, fully mind and fully heart, etc., not 50/50 in these areas ~Why it’s important to come to the Lord in spirit and in truth and with our minds and also our hearts, what happens when we lean too heavily in one direction or the other ~Where true spiritual growth actually comes from ~How coming to God with all of who we are deepens our relationship with Him ~Advice for how heart people or mind people and spirit or truth people can learn to also come to God with the other part of themselves, as well ~The importance of learning from people who are different from us; the virtue of being teachable ~Understanding that with spirit and truth, you cannot have one without the other ~The importance of identifying which way you lean so that you know where you need to grow ~How fear plays into these extremes ~The importance of both being and doing and why we need both ~Jesus’ example of not neglecting to care for people but also not neglecting to go off alone to spend time with the Father ~Experiencing God in His fullness and all He has to offer us as we’re in relationship with Him ~Sinners, saints, and understanding what your actual identity in Christ is now ~The importance of agreeing with God about who we are ~And more!   For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

On today’s solo show, we are addressing the topic of love, the importance Scripture places on it, and how God's Word defines it. I hope you will walk away from this chat feeling well equipped to better understand and live out love in a culture and time that is very confused. What I Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~The topic of love, and why it is such an important topic for believers, especially, to grasp ~The importance of understanding the Bible's definition of love ~The extremes that are on both sides of the spectrum and seen in the church and culture at large: 1) the idea that as long as you speak truth, you are ok and it doesn't matter how you present it because that is the most loving thing you can do and 2) the idea that love means you approve of and accept everything anyone does; why these are both wrong and unbiblical ~The primary call of a Christian - to love; why it is important to understand this and how we are falling down on our job ~Love as the supreme thing ~Paul's definition of love in 1 Corinthians 13 ~How Paul's clear definition of love makes it clear that your presentation DOES matter, your motive DOES matter, and just "speaking truth" is not enough ~How Paul's clear definition of love makes it clear that loving someone does not mean you approve of and accept everything they do ~Paul's emphasis in Ephesians 4 on speaking the truth in *love* ~The importance of others being able to tangibly feel our love for them - even if and when we disagree ~A deep dive into Ephesians 4, 1 John 3, 1 John 4, John 13, and 1 Corinthians 13 ~Love and boundaries ~The sobering reality that if we do not love others, the love of God is not in us, either ~Our call to love everyone, with no exceptions ~And more! Head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast for full shownotes

Ashley Morgan Jackson is a wife, mom, social media coordinator for Proverbs 31 Ministries, and author of the brand new book, "Tired of Trying: How to Hold On to God When You’re Frustrated, Fed Up, and Feeling Forgotten". She comes on the show today to share with us on the concept of wrestling with God in the hard times and all that He can bring from the wrestle. What We Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~Ashley’s new book,  "Tired of Trying: How to Hold On to God When You’re Frustrated, Fed Up, and Feeling Forgotten"., what led her to write it, and what readers can expect ~When you get to the point of having tried everything that you can think of with nothing working; the concept of then wrestling with God and holding on to Him throughout that entire process ~Learning so much more about the Lord and growing in our relationship with Him through the hard times ~How our wrestle and struggle becomes our ministry to others ~God as the One sure foundation when we have nothing else to hold on to ~Understanding that there are some lessons we can only learn in and through the wrestle with God - and why it is so harmful to believe that it is wrong to wrestle with God ~How the wrestle shows how God is the One holding on to us every step of the way ~Grace and love as what you need to save you as well as what you need to change you; the motivator that grace and love are ~Trusting God and waiting on Him in the hard seasons; what Ashley has learned about this and how she has been able to come to the point of believing that God only does things well and with great love - even when it doesn’t look or feel like it ~How shame pushes us away from God rather than being something that can change us positively ~How well Jesus understands the pain of a “no” ~Letting God love you in the midst of pain, rather than pushing Him away ~God’s tender, caring heart towards the brokenhearted ~Understanding that true intimacy and performance cannot co-exist and what this means for our walk with the Lord and our relationship with Him ~The important difference between relationship and religion ~Understanding that what we think leads to our actions and what we do leads to patterns of behavior; the importance of taking thoughts captive; how to do that ~How my and Ashley’s lives have been changed through our taking thoughts captive ~The importance of being faithful in even just the smallest of ways, bit by bit ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

On today’s solo show, we are addressing the topic of 7 different false gospels that are alive and well in our day that we need to refute with the actual gospel as found in Scripture. I hope you will walk away from this conversation feeling well equipped to know, discern, live out, and proclaim truth. What I Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~The book of Galatians and what it reveals to us concerning the issue of teaching or believing a false gospel ~7 common false gospels we need to refute and how they differ from the true gospel of the Bible: *the prosperity gospel (in all its forms, including the version taught in purity culture) *progressive "Christianity" *legalism *believing that the gospel is just good news for your eternity and not also concerned with your here and now everyday life *believing that the gospel and Christian nationalism are compatible *believing that the gospel does not have implications for the social sphere and your call to be the hands and feet of Christ *believing that the gospel just has vertical implications (for your relationship with God) and not horizontal implications as well (for your relationships with your fellow image bearers) ~the false gospel nature of racism and sexism ~the "social gospel" aspect of the biblical gospel ~legalism as *the* false gospel the book of Galatians is concerned with - and why this fact shows that it is problematic for us to think, as many do today, that refuting a "false gospel" is just about refuting the false gospel of progressive Christianity alone (as if this were the only false gospel out there) ~the issue with the saying "just preach the gospel" - and how that reveals there are hints of a false gospel present ~the problem with defending slavery by saying that at least slaves were taught about Christianity (and how, if you were an enslaver, you were actually proclaiming a false gospel) ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Sarah Jane Ho is a wife, mom of 5, pastor, and mental health therapist. She leads the Nations of Change Church in Pakistan via Zoom, and has a heart that is passionate about women understanding God's heart for His daughters. We pray you'll come away from this episode built up and encouraged by this truth. What We Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~How the church in Pakistan came about ~How important it is to walk by the Spirit and how we shortchange ourselves and miss out when we are not in close relationship with the Holy Spirit and hearing His voice and heeding His direction ~How the Nations of Change Church in Pakistan is set up logistically ~The importance of God-nudges and how sometimes people won’t understand what God is calling us to - because He hasn’t called them to it ~The issue of hierarchy in our churches and how damaging it can be to our relationships in the Body; what 1 Timothy 2 is actually teaching about women teaching men and the cultural and historical context behind that passage ~The problem with reading and interpreting Scripture through western eyes ~Joining both complementarians and egalitarians together around the good news of the gospel and working together to reduce the subjugation and mistreatment of women in the church ~Studying Scripture by keeping in mind context, culture, and content ~How Sarah’s position as associate pastor and pastoring women has helped women to understand how God truly views them and the heart He has for them ~Sarah’s upcoming church ministry, Our Place, a church for the marginalized and those who would not step into a typical church building ~Comparing our modern-day American church culture with the culture of the early church ~Answering the naysayers who might think that Sarah’s plate is too full for her to be able to minister well to her own family; how her work has blessed and shaped her family ~How raising our children in a serving house can inspire them to be people who serve; why it’s important to model for your children the kind of adults you want them to be and what you want them to think is normal as a believer building the Kingdom ~The monthly theology dates Sarah has with her daughter; the impact of these ~The importance of our being able to think critically for ourselves and interpret Scripture and hear from God on our own with the Spirit’s help ~And more!   For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

On today’s solo show, we are tackling the topic of living in the power of the Spirit, how to do that, and the blessings and benefits we receive when we do so. What I Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~The importance of walking by the Spirit as the key to living the victorious Christian life ~What you acquire when you do: *the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) *victory over sin (Galatians 5:16-18) *help and counsel (John 14:16, 26; John 15:26; Romans 8:26-27 *comfort (John 14:26) *guidance into all truth (John 16:13) *reminders of Biblical truth (John 14:26 and 15:26) *power (Acts 1:8, Ephesians 1:20-22) *reminders of who we are in Christ and what our standing is (Galatians 4:6) *spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:7-11) *wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, and fear of the Lord (Isaiah 11:2) *confirmation that we abide in Christ (1 John 4:13) *the gift that He is (1 John 4:13 ~How, practically speaking on a day to day basis, to live in the power of the Spirit: *by being in the Word *through communing with Him in prayer *through seeking wise counsel and doing life with other believers *through actually stopping and praying for strength, power, etc. *by being still and knowing so that we can actually hear the still, small voice of God ~The fact that the Holy Spirit actually cannot fully do His job in our lives if we are not in the Word ~Understanding that seeking wise counsel and doing life with other believers is about more than just attending church ~And more!   For full podcast shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Amy Seiffert is a wife, mom of 3, speaker, Bible teacher, and author, most recently, of the new book “Starved: Why We Need a Spiritual Diet Change to Move Us from Tired, Anxious, and Overwhelmed to Fulfilled, Whole, and Free.“ Our prayer is that you would come away from this episode edified and encouraged in your Christian walk. What We Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~Amy’s new book, Starved: Why We Need a Spiritual Diet Change to Move Us from Tired, Anxious, and Overwhelmed to Fulfilled, Whole, and Free", what led her to write it, and what readers can expect ~The spiritual diet change we need and how so much of what we are turning to is actually starving us ~The issue of our phones and how they are thieves ~The importance of slowness, stillness, and quiet ~Clearing the noise and distractions in order to hear the voice of God ~The problem of Christian Nationalism and the problem with replacing King Jesus with a president ~Understanding that our identity must foremost be as a citizen of Heaven, not an American ~Understanding that the hatred of anger of man does not build the kingdom of God ~Using our vote for the benefit and wellbeing of our fellow image bearers ~Laying down the idol of our rights and instead building the Kingdom of God ~Racism that still exists in this country ~Our call to be our brother’s keeper and to care for the interests of others, and what this means for the issue of racism ~The power of listening to the stories and experiences of people of color ~What justice looks like in the Bible ~The problem with the “just preach the gospel” message and how it is incomplete; the horizontal implications of the gospel ~The blame game and our need for confession ~Shalom’s meaning of wholeness and integration ~The fact that we are starved for becoming; becoming the process of learning and growing and changing; the importance of being teachable and willing to change and grow as the Spirit leads ~The importance of majoring on the majors ~Breaking out of legalism, patriarchy, sexism, racism, etc. in order to see the kingdom as God does ~Understanding God’s posture towards you ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast 

On today’s solo show, we are tackling the topic of how we as believers can love well those image bearers who are a part of the LGBTQIA+ community. My prayer is that you would come away from today's episode equipped to be the hands and feet of Christ in this area as you seek to fulfill the Great Commission. What I Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~Understanding that just because "Pride Month" is now over does not mean that we as believers should now shelve this topic until June of next year ~The 4 important steps of loving these people well: *Starting with love itself - this has to be first *Speak the truth in love *Remember that salvation comes first and sanctification follows after *Show compassion, care, and concern for any mental, physical, emotional, or spiritual issues they are facing as a result of their lifestyle ~Understanding that the idea that "the most loving thing you can do is speak the truth " is a cop-out and is direct disobedience to God if you are not actually speaking the truth in love ~Understanding that in order to truly love these people as we are called to, we must actually feel love and care in our hearts for them, and they have to be able to tangibly feel that love when we interact with them ~Real-life examples of believers who are doing this really well; how living this way is known to bear the fruit of bringing people to Christ in ways that dishonor and rudeness cannot ~The work God has done in my own heart in this area ~The importance of speaking the truth when the time is right and when you have the relationship currency for that truth to take root ~The importance of remembering that salvation comes first and sanctification follows after - why we mustn't put the cart before the horse ~Showing care and compassion for people as Jesus did for those who were as sheep without a shepherd ~The truth of why Sodom was actually destroyed - and why referring to those in the LGBTQIA+ community is not only unloving and unfruitful, but it is also unbiblical ~Who the real Sodomites are according to Ezekiel 16:49 - hint: you may have to look in the mirror ~Remembering that the sin of homosexuality is on the same list - in Romans 1 - as the sin of being disobedient to one's parents; what this means for how we treat people in the LGBTQIA+ community ~The sin of dishonoring and disrespecting fellow image bearers of God ~Jesus' example of doing life together with all kinds of people; the impact this had ~How wrong theology carries bad consequences ~The importance of truth ~The importance of remembering that it is our *gentleness* that is to be known to all ~1 Corinthians 13 as our definition of love and understanding of what love is ~And more!   For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Mischelle Manis works for Reaching Souls International, an organization which supports national, indigenous missionaries, and as the director of women’s ministries with the organization, she is passionate about equipping and encouraging women to understand God's heart for them. We pray you'll come away from this episode encouraged and fired up for how you, too, can advance the Kingdom right where you are.   ~What Reaching Souls International does     ~How efficient and affective it is to train indigenous missionaries to serve in their own countries, as opposed to just sending American missionaries overseas to them     ~What Mischelle’s day-to-day work looks like and how she comes alongside these female indigenous missionaries and serves them     ~How sitting with missionaries from foreign countries reveals just how much you have in common, even despite the language barrier; why understanding these similarities is so important     ~How Mischelle came to be in this position with Reaching Souls International     ~Women and their unique giftings     ~How it came to be that women were added as national missionaries in Reaching Souls International     ~Mischelle’s experience of losing a son to suicide and how the Lord got her through that     ~The truth that Jesus understands pain, grief, and loss and has compassion for us when we walk through it   ~The peace that comes with knowing that the Lord understands the “why”s behind what we walk through   ~How what we go through equips us to serve others   ~God’s tender heart for His daughters and helping them to understand their importance in the kingdom of God   ~What Hannah’s story reveals about the heart of God towards His daughters   ~Ways that women and children can reach others in ways men can’t; why understanding this is important when it comes to the Great Commission   ~The truth that women were the last at the cross and the first at the tomb; what this points to   ~Understanding that women were not left out when the Lord handed out spiritual gifts; why this is important to remember     ~How people can become involved with Reaching Souls International   ~And more!   For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast 

Today’s solo podcast episode is a re-release of an episode from my podcast series based on my book, Lies Moms Believe (And How the Gospel Refutes Them) with a chat all about what success in motherhood looks like, what it is, and what it isn’t.  I hope you walk away from today’s conversation feeling encouraged. What I Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~The next 2 lies covered in my book: 21.  My success as a mom is directly tied to how my children turn out. 22. I don’t know what it means to be a mom if I only have one child. ~Why your success as a mom is not tied to how your children turn out ~What your responsibility is as a mom and what is in God’s hands to do with as He will ~Where your responsibility ends and God’s begins ~God granting the increase ~The harmful effect of the quiverfull movement on our view of moms who have only one child ~Viewing children as blessings ~Embracing our own unique life stories and circumstances ~And more!   For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast 

Fox and Rob Richardson experienced being separated by incarceration for 21 years. They come on the podcast today to share about their experience, what God did in the midst of it, and how we as the Church are to be the hands and feet of Christ in the face of injustice and oppression. May you come away from this episode inspired to make a difference. WHAT WE CHAT ABOUT ON THIS EPISODE: ~Fox and Rob’s documentary, Time, and book, Time: The Untold Story of the Love that Held Us Together When Incarceration Kept Us Apart, and what you can expect from them; what led them to produce these resources ~How Fox and Rob met, and what their journey of marriage has been like ~What led to the day when the Richardsons robbed a bank; the desperation that resulted in this decision ~How being incarcerated for 21 years for the offense of robbing a bank reveals the injustice within the criminal justice system, the problem of mass incarceration, and the racism which does still exist in the justice system ~The importance of listening to other peoples’ stories and experiences ~Stories from Scripture of affliction and how God saw people through ~How our hard seasons take us from knowing “about” God to truly knowing God Himself ~God’s sovereignty and sufficiency even in our hard seasons ~The importance of understanding that we cannot afford to take our eyes off God ~Trusting the process as we remember that God is sufficient ~The slavery that exists in the criminal justice system ~How leaving prison is like going from slavery to sharecropping ~The modern day taxation without representation that is faced by the victims of mass incarceration ~Rich Family Ministries and the Richardson’s family mission to be free and free others ~Seeking to better America and make it what it can be; seeking alternatives to mass incarceration ~The role of God’s people to say “not on my watch” when injustice and oppression exist ~What we as everyday lay people can do to seek to make a difference in the system ~The power of bearing witness, being in proximity, and looking injustice in the face so that your heart and spirit will be quickened and you will seek to be used of God to be of service in that area ~Rob’s experience in what is known as “America’s Bloodiest Penitentiary” and what enabled him to get through with strength ~What this journey was like for Fox having to solo parent, homeschool, provide for her family, and support and encourage her husband during this 21 year journey ~Tapping into the strength God gives us ~And much more!   For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

On today’s solo show, we are tackling the topic of "wokeness" and the importance of pursuing truth as a Christian. My perspective on these topics may just surprise you a bit, and will hopefully give you something to mull over this week!  What I Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~The importance of truth for a Christian; the priority we are given to pursue truth ~The apostle John and how he was very passionate about truth ~How Jesus describing Himself as being THE truth in John 14:6 shows us just how important pursuing and knowing truth is ~Understanding that the truth sets us free (John 8:32): -from sin -from lies -from injustice ~The fact that it is the Spirit’s express job to lead us into all truth (John 16:13) ~The importance of us as believers being focused on theological truth in a day in age of relativism and a repackaging of age-old lies about Christ and the nature of salvation (Ephesians 6:14) ~The importance of us as believers being focused on societal truth and understanding what the reality is as to the injustices that exist in this world ~Understanding that because we are specifically tasked with the task of being the hands and feet of Christ and ambassadors of a God Who hates injustice, is a God of righteousness and justice, who is for the oppressed, and whose gospel is good news for the poor, etc., we are to be about the work of getting to the bottom of what the truth is regarding what our fellow image bearers are facing in this world on a daily basis  ~The truth that if we are willing to turn a blind eye and a deaf ear to claims of injustice and happy to merely label people who are given to fighting injustice as being “woke” we have a problem and are rendered incapable of fulling carrying out our mission in this world ~The original definition of "woke" and where that word came from; what it does and does not mean; how conservatives have redefined it and thereby been able to use it as a weapon ~Helpful Instagram posts that are enlightening in these areas ~Passages of Scripture that repeatedly point to the importance of truth ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Kristen Rosener is a wife, working mom of 3,  and writer who recently launched an incredible book entitled  Where Joy Is: Finding Joy in the Midst of Suffering, chronicling the story of the hardest season of her life and how God saw her through. WHAT WE CHAT ABOUT ON THIS EPISODE: ~Kristen’s new book, Where Joy Is: Finding Joy in the Midst of Suffering, what led to its release, and what readers can expect ~Kristen’s backstory of how she grew up and what she was taught to believe ~Kristen’s hard journey of walking through abuse and infidelity of her first husband ~How the legalism and perfectionism in Kristen’s past did not serve her well during her season of crisis ~God’s ability to redeem the things we do not think are redeemable ~The false theology of purity culture that says that if you check all the right boxes, you will automatically be guaranteed a fairytale marriage; how purity culture is linked to the prosperity gospel ~The faith crisis Kristen faced after finding the promises of purity culture to not be true ~The problem with making ourselves like someone else in order to please others; the “spiritual disfigurement” that this is ~The problem of idolizing your marriage ~The problem with viewing divorced believers as “second-class citizens” ~How seasons of sorrow can be seasons of grace ~Understanding how a good God can allow bad things to happen ~How unsteady hearts are moved by circumstances instead of standing unwavering on what we know to be true; the importance of being led by truth, not emotion (as important as emotions are!) ~How our unbelief and wrong theology makes our hard seasons far harder ~The trustworthiness of God ~And more!   Go to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast for full shownotes.

For today's solo podcast episode I am actually re-releasing the fifth solo podcast I ever recorded. As we are quickly approaching yet another big election year (how are we here again already?), I felt it important to talk again today on the topic of patriotism and the Christian. On today’s show we chat a bit about nationalism, the nationalization of Christianity, and what a believer’s role is regarding patriotism. May you find this episode helpful as you prayerfully begin to think through how to use your vote next year. What She Chats about in Today’s Episode: ~The emotionally-charged election year we find ourselves in  ~What patriotism does and does not mean for us as Christians: *Patriotism and being patriotic do not mean that we never call out our nation’s problems. (think of God’s example with us and our example with our children where if we love someone, we will point out their shortcomings in an attempt to call them up to greatness) *Patriotism and being patriotic do mean that we want what is best for our country. And it is righteousness that exalts a nation. *Being patriotic does not mean we seek to set up a theocracy in America *Being patriotic does not mean that we can allow America or the preservation of America as we know it to become our idol ~The full meaning of the Hebrew word “tsedaqah” translated “righteousness” in Proverbs 14:34 ~Our call (Acts 5:29) to obey God rather than man, while also respecting His institution of government (Romans 13) ~The reality that this country is not our home and was never meant to feel like it; our identity as but pilgrims passing through  ~What we have seen around the world and down through history regarding the direct correlation between a loss of freedom and an increase in persecution and a subsequent increase in strong and deepened faith among believers ~Our roles as good citizens and the importance for each of us to individually walk by the Spirit  ~The importance of not binding the conscience of our fellow believers; giving the Holy Spirit room to work ~And more!   For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast 

Leslie Means is a wife,  mom of 3, columnist, former journalist, founder of Her View from Home, and also an author who recently launched an incredible book entitled So God Made a Mother, which contains nearly 100 stories and essays on all aspects of motherhood from a list of contributing writers. We hope you come away from today's episode feeling encouraged by God's heart for mothers. WHAT WE CHAT ABOUT ON THIS EPISODE: ~Leslie’s new book, So God Made a Mother, what led to its release, and what readers can expect ~The concept of God whispers, and how Leslie has experienced God’s leading through them ~Some of the topics covered through the stories of this book ~The importance of community for moms ~Our divisive culture and the need we have for a book like this one and the kind of encouraging community it will foster ~The global sense of community worldwide that all mothers can have through the threads of similarity in each mom’s experiences ~God’s tender heart for moms ~Leslie’s own motherhood journey thus far and where she sees herself on the pages of this book ~Learning and growing as a mother ~The importance of asking for help as moms and understanding that we need each other ~How Her View from Home came about; the blessing of small beginnings and watching God move ~How our busy, independent culture is harming moms an depriving them of the help, support, and community they need ~Searching for community wherever we are ~The lies of imposter syndrome, and the importance of sharing our stories ~Remembering that there is a time and a season for everything and that God’s plan and timing is best ~Honoring right priorities in the midst of work and ministry; the importance of boundaries ~And more!   For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Katie Davis Majors is a wife, adoptive and bio mom, New York Times Bestselling Author, founder of Amazima Ministries in Uganda, and author of the brand new book, “Safe All Along: Trading Our Fears and Anxieties for God’s Unshakable Peace“. Our prayer is that you would come away from this episode feeling equipped and encouraged to walk in God's peace no matter what chaos life brings. WHAT WE CHAT ABOUT ON THIS EPISODE: ~Katie’s newest book, Safe All Along: Trading Our Fears and Anxieties for God’s Unshakable Peace, what led her to write it, and what readers can expect ~What it looks like to live in the peace Jesus promised us in an increasingly chaotic world, when we don’t feel it at first ~A powerful story from Katie’s own life that taught her that God sees the big picture we can’t see and is looking out for us in ways we can’t fathom ~How nearsighted our perspective is in this life, and how different God’s is ~Going beyond just intellectually knowing that He sees us or will keep us safe to actually walking and living as if we know it is true ~Keeping our eyes on God’s unchanging character as opposed to our life circumstances ~Understanding that surrendering every part of our lives to God’s loving hands is a safe thing to do ~Attachment parenting and what this practice shows us for our relationship with God ~A helpful practice for when you’re beginning to feel anxious ~Refusing to clean things up and fix them on our own before coming to Him with them; bringing all our raw and messy straight to Him for Him to care for them ~Understanding that if we just stuff our worries, they are all still there, they are just hidden (and why that doesn’t help!) ~The fact that we cannot see the face of God if we do not sometimes wrestle with Him over things; why it’s ok to ask God questions (as the Psalmist does repeatedly!) and how our faith is built when we do ~Remembering that God will not drop anything we give to Him, but instead can be trusted with all of it ~The faith-builder it is to be in hard places and be forced to trust God with them ~God’s presence as better in the first place than our understanding the reasons for what it happening in our lives and what is going on behind the scenes ~God Himself as the gift ~Several practical, relevant practices that equip and help us to live in God’s peace - rest, lament, being in the Word, prayer, community, service, and more ~The growing, healing power of lament (and why it is ok and good to bring our hurts and laments to God) ~How it is possible and ok for sadness and praise to exist at the same time ~And more!   For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

On today’s solo show, we are tackling the topic of how to raise your littles in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. My prayer is that you'll come away from this episode feeling equipped and encouraged, knowing that raising your littles in this way does not have to be complicated. What I Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~Ephesians 6:4 and what is interesting about the word "nurture" coming before the word "admonition" ~The crucial foundation of nurture and why our training of our children in theology and right living must first come from a place of humility, tenderness, care, patience, gentleness, slowness, and nurture ~What we can learn from bamboo about the importance of having a strong foundation and why it is ok when our training takes a while ~The negative impact that raising children up legalistically, overly strictly, or in a domineering way can have on children ~How raising our children up in the tender nurture of the Lord gives them a more accurate picture of who their Heavenly Father is ~How failing to raise your children first in the nurture of the Lord can lead to your provoking them to wrath ~What raising our children up in the admonition of the Lord can look like practically on an everyday basis (as we're shown in Deuteronomy 6:6-7) ~Why the theological training of our children need not be complicated and instead can and should be simple - thereby showing them how applicable, relevant, and practical God's Word is to every aspect of our everyday lives ~The importance of refusing to overly shelter our children but to instead prepare them well for real life in age appropriate ways ~Why we want to raise our children not to be mere yes-men, but to instead be able to think for themselves, be critical thinkers, and interpret God's Word for themselves, applying it to every situation in life ~Equipping our children to have a faith of their own rather than piggy backing off ours, so that when we are one day not here, they will still be able to stand firm ~Practical books, media, practices, and other resources to aid you in your parenting and raising your children in the admonition of the Lord ~The power and importance of having lots of gospel conversations with your kids (and examples of some of the types of conversations we regularly have in our home) ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Jasmine Holmes is a wife, mom of 3, writer, teacher at heart, and author of the brand new book,  “Never Cast Out: How the Gospel Puts an End to the Story of Shame”. She comes on the show today to encourage us with the truth of how the gospel frees us from shame. WHAT WE CHAT ABOUT ON THIS EPISODE: ~Jasmine's new book, “Never Cast Out: How the Gospel Puts an End to the Story of Shame”, what led her to write it, and what readers can expect ~The impact shame has on women especially ~The wrong idea that shame is a tool that Jesus uses to whip us into shape; what the truth actually is ~The different responses we have to shame and the part shame plays in our lives ~Shame as a sub-par motivator for holiness ~The context of our call to holiness as being in light of Christ’s love for us, not in the context of shame ~The truth that Christ does not call us to shame, but to full-hearted confidence in Him ~Seeing shame as an indicator light; questions to ask yourself when you’re feeling shame ~The importance of knowing the character of God ~How shame cuts into our relationship with Christ ~Shame and how it manifests itself in moms through the issues of the mommy wars and mom guilt ~The difference between shame (worldly grief) and repentance (godly grief) ~Understanding that shame will never lead you to Christ and towards the path of reconciliation and restoration ~The difference between conviction and condemnation ~The 3 false gospels or wrong reactions we tend to respond with to the issue of shame ~Finding your way back to God after realizing that the god of shame that you believed in was not the God of the Bible ~The beautiful freedom we can find in Christ ~And more! For full shownotes head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

On today’s solo show, we are tackling the topics of what the gospel is, social justice, and the importance of kingdom living now. I hope you come away from this episode edified, encouraged, and fired up to live out your God-given call to be the hands and feet of Jesus every day of your life. What I Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~Asking (and answering!) the question, "What is the gospel?"; understanding that, at its foundation, it is first and foremost about our eternal salvation, but that it does not end there ~The vertical AND horizontal implications of the gospel ~Why "Just preach the gospel" is an incomplete message (and why we have to stop being inconsistent with when we do and do not issue forth that call!) ~Understanding that the gospel has direct implications for how we live and how we love and serve our fellow image bearers ~The topic of "social justice", some of the baggage that commonly surrounds that term, and breaking it down to understand what it means ~The reality that "social righteousness" (John Wesley's term of choice) predates anything socialistic or communistic from Marx or Lenin (which is often the reason people don't like the term "social justice") and therefore is something important for us to keep in mind ~The importance of not handing over the keys to the kingdom or dropping the ball and giving the world the mission the church has of making sure we are not neglecting our duties to feed the hungry, welcome the stranger, set free the captive, help the oppressed, care for the poor, visit the imprisoned, etc. ~What James says the "evidence of true religion is" ~Jesus' words regarding the gospel being "good news for the poor" and what this tells us ~Isaiah 58 and what this passage tells us about the nature of the gospel ~The reason Jesus gives for why the sheep and goats will be separated at the end of time - the answer may surprise you! ~Our mission to be the hands and feet of Christ ~The "social gospel" as an outflow of the gospel itself ~The importance of love and why Paul says it is the most important thing ~The importance of kingdom living now, and if something is not appropriate in heaven, it is not appropriate now ~The gospel's goal of restoring all that was lost in the Garden ~And more!   For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast 

Power duo couple Patricia Heaton and David Hunt are well known for their work in the entertainment industry, their comedic natures that will leave you in stitches, and their love for the Lord and people. They join me on the show today to share about the brand new movie they have directed and produced, Unexpected. And, of course, we also had to spend some time reminiscing about Everybody Loves Raymond, The Middle, and Mom's Night Out! We hope you come way from this episode built up, encouraged, and with joy in your heart.   What We Chat About on This Episode: ~The new movie David has directed and he and Patricia have produced, Unexpected, what led them to have this as their next project, and some of the behind-the-scenes info on how this movie came about (and also almost didn't!) ~Memories from Everybody Loves Raymond, The Middle, and Mom's Night Out ~How David and Patricia met, and a bit about their 32 years of marriage ~Their walk with Christ and how their faith impacts the work they do in the entertainment industry ~The importance of loving and treating people as the image bearers of God that they are ~The importance of perseverance and sticking to whatever you're called to do ~God's perfect timing behind the release of this movie ~The light and hope we need in this divisive culture and time ~The importance of communication in marriage and working together ~Past jobs David and Patricia have had, and what that has taught them about treating everyone the same ~Advice for those who want to get started in the entertainment industry ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Today I am re-releasing the third solo podcast episode I ever recorded, this one on the topic of  the mommy wars. This is a topic I have written about extensively and shared about on other podcasts, as well, so I'm excited to be sharing about this topic again on this podcast! What She Chats about in Today's Episode: ~Defining the term "mommy wars" and covering a bit of its history ~How the mommy wars show up in our current culture ~8 problems with the mommy wars - 8 main ways in which they are doing damage in the church: *They are causing us to major on the minors, only to forget what is really important. *They are causing us to forget what the Word of God actually has to say on the topic of mothering (see Proverbs 22:6, Ephesians 6:4, Titus 2:4-5, Deuteronomy 6:6-7) as we're so focused on things of lesser importance. *They are destroying the Titus 2 model and its outreach (see Titus 2:3-5). *They are causing us to ignore (and even blaspheme!) the gospel. *They are hindering us from being able to walk by the Spirit and to walk by faith (see James 1:5, Isaiah 30:21, Psalm 139, and Galatians 5:16-18,22-23). *They are causing division and leading to our losing out on encouraging friendship and valuable fellowship (see Genesis 2:18, Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, Romans 14). *They are leading to our losing our salt and light and to our becoming poor examples of Christ (Matthew 5:13-16, John 13:34-35, 1 Corinthians 5:20, Colossians 3:12, 4:6, Ephesians 4:29, Romans 12:18). *They are burdening us with unnecessary and unbiblical expectations. ~How the enemy is using the mommy wars to keep our noses on the internet and social media rather than in Scripture ~1 Timothy 4:8's response to the mommy wars ~How the mommy wars have led to a subconscious misunderstanding of the gospel as we look to our mothering choices to provide us with our righteousness, perfection, and good standing before God ~The issues of the mommy wars as being issues of secondary importance and why we have no right to judge other mamas in these areas ~Viewing mommy wars topics in light of Romans 14 ~Romans 14 and why I do not publicly share our family's choices regarding things like vaccination ~Assuming the best of other mamas, realizing that every mama comes to the decision they make with a desire for what is best for their children  ~The wisdom of the world vs. the wisdom of God ~The long list of expectations we as moms have on our shoulders as to what "good moms" do  vs. the very short list God has for us ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Celia Miller is a wife, writer, blogger, author,  online community leader, and follower of Christ who is passionate helping equip others to slow down, seek still moments, and behold God's presence with them in the everyday. She comes on the show today to answer the question, "Are contemplative spiritual disciplines New Age?", and to equip us to grow in our walks with the Lord. I think you'll find this episode to be very helpful, encouraging, and edifying.   What We Chat About on This Episode: ~Tackling the question, "Are contemplative spiritual practices New Age?"; my own personal experience with this concept ~The call the Lord has had on both of our lives to quiet, stillness, slowness, and contemplation; what that journey has been like ~Why these contemplative practices mean so much to Celia and how they have impacted her walk with the Lord ~The invitation the Lord issues for us to a life of communion and relationship with Him rather than just going through the motions or checking a box ~Bringing God with us into every moment of every day rather than just relegating our time with Him to our morning quiet time ~The practices of contemplative prayer, breath prayer, and centering prayer; what they are, examples of each, and the whole point of them ~The practice of daily or weekly examen, what that is, and the impact it has had on our lives ~The long thread contemplative prayer has through church history ~The importance of discernment and the differences between these contemplative Christian practices and what the New Age teaches and presents ~How these practices can aid you in your understanding of God's love for you ~The concept of "emptying your mind" and whether or not that is Biblical; the importance of filling our minds with God's truth and His goodness ~The practice of lectio divina, what it is, and the long thread of lectio divina in church history; the importance of slowing down in your Bible reading and not just rushing through the text ~Emphasizing the importance of the Holy Spirit and His work in our lives; understanding that it is not our striving, but rather the work of the Spirit of God that grows and changes us ~What "spiritual formation" refers to; what that is ~The ability to rest in our belovedness before the Father ~The beauty of the contemplative way for those of us who are prone to noise, hurry, busyness, and a wrong attaching of our identity to what we do or accomplish ~The differences between Christian spiritual practices and New Age spiritual practices ~Resting in the presence of the Lord and hearing His still, small voice ~Scripture passages that talk about being still before the Lord and casting all our cares on Him; the spiritual impact of doing so, and why the enemy doesn't want us to ~The gift of the Holy Spirit; understanding that Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit to companion us ~And more!   For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

On today’s solo show, we tackling some common myths surrounding women in the Bible. My prayer is that you would come away from this episode feeling encouraged and better equipped in your ability to study, understand, and interpret the Bible for yourself, to allow Scripture to interpret Scripture, and to delight in God's design for and view of women. What I Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~5 common myths surrounding women in the Bible (and what the Bible actually says!): *Bathsheba seduced David and was guilty of adultery *The woman at the well was a serial divorcee and likely guilty of adultery  *Deborah's leadership of Israel was a blight on their nation's history and a curse on Israel *Women are more likely to be deceived than men *Women do not teach men in Scripture (and are not supposed to)   ~The impossibility of Bathsheba seducing David (Hint: It has to do with the Levitical practice of bathing in a mikveh) ~The forceful language in Scripture (and blame placed solely at the feet of David!) that points to Bathsheba being the victim of rape ~Why it is impossible that the woman at the well had been an intentional serial divorcee  ~The crucial importance of growing in your understanding of the historical and cultural context of the Bible if you're going to interpret Scripture accurately ~The common misinterpretation of Isaiah 3:12, and how we know Deborah was not a curse on Israel ~Understanding, from Scriptural evidence, that Deborah was not God's "plan B" ~The words of Paul and James and how they both refute the idea that women are more easily deceived than men; other problematic issues with this myth ~What the entire book of Proverbs has to teach us about the folly of believing women are more easily deceived than men ~The prophetess Huldah and why God's treatment of her is so eye-opening and helpful for our understanding of how God views women teaching men Scriptural truth ~Why the story of Priscilla, Aquila, and Apollos is such an interesting one ~And more!   For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Scarlet Hiltibidal is a pastor’s wife, mom of three, and author of several books including her newest one, “You’re the Worst Person in the World: Why It's the Best News Ever that You Don't Have it Together, You Aren't Enough, and You Can't Fix It on Your Own”. She comes on the show today to share with us the good news and encouragement of the gospel and how it applies to our everyday lives.   What We Chat About on This Episode:   ~Scarlet’s new book, “You’re the Worst Person in the World: Why It's the Best News Ever that You Don't Have it Together, You Aren't Enough, and You Can't Fix It on Your Own”, what led her to write it, and what readers can expect ~Scarlet’s journey of doubt and striving to earn God’s favor ~Why it’s crucially important to know and understand that the gospel is for our everyday lives here and now ~How chasing anything ahead of Christ inevitably leads to disappointment ~The problem with chasing our own glory and idolizing platform and influence ~Understanding that we are not enough, and it isn’t about us just doing the best we can; understanding that peace with God comes from acknowledging that we are not enough on our own - but He is on our behalf ~The comfort that comes with knowing we can cease our striving ~How the gospel impacts our mothering ~The comfort which comes with knowing God can bring good out of anything that happens in our lives and even any sin we commit ~The joy and comfort that comes from being a sheep cared for by the Shepherd ~The crucial importance of opening our Bibles ~And more!   For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

On today’s solo show, we are re-releasing my talk on the topic of “Bible Study 101”.  Though this is a re-release of an episode originally recorded three years ago, it seems timely again as we are feeling fearful in these times and needing to grow in our knowledge of the Bible and our ability to study it. May you come away from this episode feeling encouraged and equipped in your ability to study, understand, and interpret the Bible for yourself. What She Chats about in Today’s Episode: ~*How* to study the Bible, and then moving on into *when* to study the Bible (help for the busy woman who finds it hard to make time for the Word) ~5 Bible Study tips for beginners: *Pick a user-friendly Bible translation *Choose a Reading Plan for where to begin (see my Bible Reading Plan article below, however, for some necessary caveats to this!) *Find a good Bible study or Bible study method *Learn to reflect on what you are reading *Take advantage of the many free study resources at your disposal ~Different Bible translations, and what the differences are between word-for-word translations and thought-for-thought (or dynamic equivalent) translations ~The Bible translation I personally would recommend that is an “optimal equivalence” translation ~What the Holy Spirit has clearly called me, personally, to do in my personal Bible study time ~Free online resources and websites for Bible study ~Great books of the Bible to begin with if you are a new believer ~Bible study methods: *SOAP method Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer *Inductive Bible Study Method ~Great guided Bible study book recommendations ~Practical tips for how to be in the Word as a busy woman ~Meeting with God all throughout the day in relationship with Him, as opposed to relegating time with Him to a business meeting in the morning ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Rachel Norman is a wife, mom of 5, certified baby and toddler sleep coach, blogger at A Mother Far From Home, and author of the new book, “If Mama Ain’t Happy: Why Minding Healthy Boundaries Is Good for Your Whole Family“. She has a passion to help moms be ok, to be able to uncomplicate family life and go back to the basics. Today on the show she encourages and inspires us to craft lives that serve us and our families well.   What We Chat About On This Episode ~Rachel’s new book, “If Mama Ain’t Happy: Why Minding Healthy Boundaries Is Good for Your Whole Family“, what led her to write it, and what readers can expect ~Erecting boundaries for ourselves so that we can guard our hearts and be ok ~How having boundaries for ourselves and taking care of ourselves is actually really good for our kids, too ~Rachel’s own experience of how the way she was living truly was killing her ~How not having appropriate boundaries as a mom leads to our growing anxious, hurried, harried, and as mere shells of ourselves ~Understanding that our struggles are common, and we are not alone ~The importance of slowing down and assessing how you’re feeling and why and what can be done about it ~The problem that can come with putting ourselves as moms into certain camps - crunchy parenting, gentle parenting, positive parenting, etc. ~The problems that can arise with the modern-day concept of “positive” parenting ~The problem with raising our kids (even subconsciously) to think that it isn’t normal to have feelings, express grief, or cry ~The importance of being kind and gentle while also remembering that saying no and having boundaries are important and good for our children’s well-being as the grow up ~Having a big-picture perspective in our parenting ~The benefit of having conversations and seeking to reach the heart of our children as opposed to just slapping a consequence on a behavior ~The problem of toxic positivity ~Normalizing having emotions as moms and children ~Actually making choices to cultivate, form, and organize lives that serve us well and bring us joy ~Taking things off our plates that are bringing inappropriate busyness into our lives ~The importance of stepping back and asking ourselves what our worldview is and assessing whether or not our current family rhythms and routines are honoring that worldview ~Words of advice and help to the mom who is on the other end of the spectrum and has a vice grip of control ~The heavy burden too many mamas have of believing that everything is either their fault or their responsibility; remembering that it is not our burden to bear to be God to our family ~How being too busy is a tool of the enemy to distract us from what is most important ~The warning sign it is if you’re being triggered by the pushback that comes with standards and discipline in your home ~Being freed from feeling like you are the victim of your children ~How not living in the present leads to our being depressed and anxious; what this means for us and our phone addictions ~Advice for how to get started with crafting new rhythms and routines and letting go of the busyness and overwhelm ~And more!   For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

  On this week’s solo podcast episode, I am re-releasing an episode where I took to the show to talk all about New Year’s resolutions, goals, walking by the Spirit, and holding fast to the gospel in the midst of it all. What I Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~Why so many of our resolutions “fail” and why wrong theology is shooting us in the foot here ~The impact of the gospel on our guilt surrounding “failing” in our resolutions and goals ~The important first steps to take when drafting up your resolutions and goals for the year ~The importance of walking by the Spirit in the everyday moments of our lives, not even just in the big-picture times of planning for a whole year ~Our identity and why it does not come from what we accomplish ~Willingly changing course when God calls us to ~The importance of redeeming the time well – regardless of whether or not we have already “failed” in our resolutions ~Understanding that looking to yourself for the strength required to fulfill your resolutions is not enough ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Lisa  Appelo is a widowed mom of 7, Bible teacher, and author of the new book, “Life Can be Good Again: Putting Your World Back Together After it Falls Apart“. She comes on the show to encourage you that, with the Lord, there is always hope and goodness to be found even through the hardest of seasons.   What we Chat About on this Episode ~Lisa’s new book, “Life Can be Good Again: Putting Your World Back Together After it Falls Apart“, what led her to write it, and what readers can expect ~How Lisa is able to have hope and joy and find abundance even in the midst of still missing her husband and grieving his loss ~Understanding that God does not serve up to us the leftovers or plan B, but instead His ordained second chapter of our lives ~Allowing God to shape us through what we are experiencing; what that journey was like for Lisa ~God’s nearness to the broken-hearted ~Prayer as plugging into our Power Source ~How practical God and walking by the Spirit truly are ~Gratitude’s secret gift and Lisa’s experience with that ~Not just seeing God’s goodness, but seeing God’s goodness for you ~How to find your footing in a heart-breakingly hard season ~The power and importance of lament ~And more!   For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

This week we are bringing to a close our solo podcast series based on my book, "Good News for a Woman's Heart: An Advent Devotional Study",  with our final podcast episode of 2022.  Today we are focusing on week 4 of the study, which centers on remembering the peace we can have in Christ for our weary hearts. What I Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~The fact that it is no accident that this very week - when the enemy most tries to steal our peace - is the very week of peace in the Advent tradition  ~Where peace ultimately comes from ~Peace...in the face of lies ~How the enemy is lying to us, making us think that the magic of Christmas depends on us ~Taking these thoughts captive to the truth of the implications of the Incarnation and the good news of the gospel ~Peace...in the face of trouble ~The trouble we have in this world, and how we can have peace no matter what our circumstances  ~Where trouble comes from (hint: it isn't God) ~Why free will is so crucial ~Why the Lord placed that infamous tree in the garden ~Peace...for the brokenhearted ~How you can have peace even in the midst of loss, trial, heartache, and unmet dreams and expectations ~How it's possible that we are actually blessed when we mourn and are poor in spirit; how I have experienced this beautiful reality myself ~What we see in Scripture about the beauty that can come in and through brokenness  ~Peace...in the face of loss ~The goodness of the Lord and the truth that all He does is ultimately good ~Peace...for the celebration ~The freedom we have to joyfully and wholeheartedly celebrate our blessings...even when life is hard for someone else; understanding that empathy, sensitivity, and care for them and celebration for us can go hand-in-hand ~How our Heavenly Father delights when we delight in our good gifts from Him ~What Christmas means for us today and every day; taking the truths and implications of Christmas with you on into the new year ~And more!

Dorena Williamson is a pastor’s wife, mom, Ever Eve stylist, and author of several childrens’ books, including the newest one, Brown Baby Jesus. She comes on the show today to help us better understand the historical and cultural context of the Christmas story - and why that context is so important. This is the second part of a two-part conversation I had with Dorena that I believe equips us all well to be the hands and feet of Christ. What We Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~Why it’s so important to understand that Jesus came to save a diverse world; the impact this has on the gospel, how we present it, and how we view others ~Our call to be heralds of God’s good news for the prostitutes, tax collectors, and sinners ~Jesus as a friend of sinners ~The importance of representation, and why it is important; addressing the question of whether or not this is divisive ~Representation as a way we can follow in Paul’s footsteps of looking to the interests of others ~Heaven as an eternal beautiful picture of God’s creativity in designing every nation, tribe, and tongue ~Seeing our cultural differences as a God-given gift ~The importance of having the Lord search our hearts and see if there be any wicked way in us ~Honoring ethnic differences as Jesus Himself did and does ~Valuing the whole person ~And more! For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

This week we are kicking off week 3 of our  brand new solo podcast series, this one based on a book I wrote a few years back entitled "Good News for a Woman's Heart: An Advent Devotional Study".   Today we are focusing on week 3 of the study, which centers on embracing the joy we can have in Christ. What I Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~This season as one that can too often being really lacking in joy for many ~They enemy's conniving ways of stealing our joy right at the time of year when we should have joy the most ~Joy brought to a barren woman - Elizabeth ~An in-depth look at Elizabeth's life and the implications of what God did for her ~God's tender, caring, empathetic heart for Elizabeth ~Joy for the outcast ~Joy for the marginalized ~God's heart for those who have been cast aside and mistreated ~Two questions to ask yourself this Advent: "Who are the outcasts in your life?"  and "What can you do to serve them?" ~Truth to remember when you are the outcast ~The importance of befriending those who do not look, act, or believe the way we do - just as Jesus did (and just as the Pharisees complained about!); understanding that this is a crucial part of our Great Commission work ~The importance of having iron-that-sharpens-iron friendships with fellow believers as well as friendships with those who need to know the love and truth of the Savior ~Jesus' heart for another marginalized woman - the woman at the well in John 4 ~Our call as Christ-followers to welcome the outcast and include the marginalized - just as He did  ~Joy for the lost  ~Our ability to have joy no matter what our circumstances are - because of Who Christ is  ~Joy for the hopeless ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Dorena Williamson is a pastor’s wife, mom, Ever Eve stylist, and author of several childrens’ books, including the newest one, Brown Baby Jesus. She comes on the show today to help us better understand the historical and cultural context of the Christmas story - and why that context is so important. What We Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~Dorena’s new book, Brown Baby Jesus, what led her to write it, and what readers can expect ~Why understanding the historical background of Scripture is important; the problem with whitewashing it ~The women included in the genealogy of Jesus ~The reality that the rich roots of our faith originated in African and Asian soil ~How the gospel impacts how we view and treat people who are different from us ~Refuting the false representation that Christianity is a “white man’s religion” ~Why it’s so impactful that it was the shepherds who received the message from the angels ~African church fathers and their contribution ~The importance of seeing people the way God does ~Understanding that Jesus and His parents were refugees at one point; why this is important to grasp and it changes how we view people ~The importance of doing a self-assessment to see if there are ways that we are are dehumanizing others ~Understanding that dehumanizing people and failing to see God’s image in them is the first step to mistreating them and excusing it away as ok ~Growing in proximity to those who are different from us; what a powerful way this is to shape our lives and give us opportunities to reflect the love of Christ ~The importance of asking ourselves why it is that we sometimes don’t want to listen to the stories of people who are different from us; the importance of being willing to topple whatever idol we may have in our hearts that is making it hard for us to do this ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

This week we are kicking off week 2 of our  brand new solo podcast series, this one based on a book I wrote a few years back entitled "Good News for a Woman's Heart: An Advent Devotional Study".   Today we are focusing on week 2 of the study, which centers on living out of the love we have in Christ. What I Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~An in-depth look at Mary's life and what we can learn from her example ~Why studying Mary's story is a great way to commemorate the Advent week of love ~How love, and not legalism, is the only thing that can motivate and lead to heart change ~Mary's background ~The amazing reality that Mary was theologically trained and knowledgeable in a culture when women typically were not; how God's kindness and grace shines forth in this reality - He was equipping her for His call on her life ~How Mary's theology was what enabled her to respond the way she did to the angel's announcement ~The comforting truth that the Lord equips and prepares us for any call He has for us  ~Mary's response ~Mary's theology ~Mary's worship ~The difference between your worship of God only ever coming from a place of what you've received from Him and worshipping God simply for Who He is  ~Becoming modern-day Marys ~What Mary's Song (Mary's Magnificat) teaches us about worship and theology  ~The importance of living loved if we want to love well ~Understanding that we can walk forward in joy, rest, and trust no matter what we are facing in this season ~And more! For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Jamie Erickson is a wife, homeschool mom of 5, founder and lead writer of The Unlikely Homeschool blog, and co-host of the Mom to Mom Podcast. Today on the show we talk about her newest book, Holy Hygge: Creating a Place for People to Gather and the Gospel to Grow. We hope you come away from this episode feeling inspired to pursue and cultivate warm coziness in your own home and serve others through your love.     What We Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~Jamie's newest book, Holy Hygge: Creating a Place for People to Gather and the Gospel to Grow, what led her to write it, and what readers can expect ~Homes as places of kingdom work and refuge in crazy times ~Cultivating our homes as offerings and shelters, places where Christ isn't just a social accessory, but really an ever-present part of our days ~Letting go of the burdensome baggage we may have in the area of hospitality ~Making hospitality a normal part of our regular lives as an outpouring of our love for others ~What hygge is and how Jamie became associated with it ~How hygge can be a powerful tool to share the love and gospel of Jesus ~The reality that Jesus first met physical needs before He met spiritual needs; how the concept of hygge enables us to do the same ~The problem with saying we "just need to preach the gospel"; our call to actually live out the gospel and its implications as the hands and feet of Jesus ~Understanding that it is ok - and glorifies God!- for us to delight in His good gifts of comfort and beauty ~Understanding that God does His best work when we rest ~What the "evening-morning" rhythm of a day in Genesis teaches us about what is best for our bodies and the practice of prioritizing rest ~Understanding the Danish culture and how they find comfort and stability in repetitive rhythms and routines ~How traditions, rhythms, and routines can strengthen family bonds and point to a God Who was, Who is, and Who always will be ~"Home" and "Place" as big themes throughout Scripture ~The power of opening up our door to others in a post-pandemic culture ~The difference between hospitality (making it about your guest) and entertaining (making it about you) ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

This week we are kicking off a brand new solo podcast series, this one based on a book I wrote a few years back entitled "Good News for a Woman's Heart: An Advent Devotional Study".   Today we are focusing on the introduction and week 1 of the study, which centers on the hope we have in Christ as seen through a study on the life stories of the five women found in the geneaology of Christ. What I Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~What to expect from this book and podcast study ~The stress and overwhelm we oftentimes feel this time of year ~The true reason for the season ~What Advent is  ~The theme of week one of Advent, hope ~The genealogy of Christ and the life stories of the 5 women we find listed there; what we can learn from their stories ~How we can have hope in the midst of terrible circumstances just as these 5 women of the Bible did ~Truth and encouragement to take with you into the holiday season ahead ~And more!   For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Alisa Childers runs an apologetics blog, podcast, and YouTube channel dedicated to helping believers grow in and better understand God's truth. Today on the show we talk about her newest book, Live Your Truth and Other Lies: Exposing Popular Deceptions That Make Us Anxious, Exhausted, and Self-Obsessed. We hope you come away from this episode feeling far better equipped to guard against the lies of the culture.     What We Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~Alisa's newest book, Live Your Truth and Other Lies: Exposing Popular Deceptions That Make Us Anxious, Exhausted, and Self-Obsessed, what led her to write it, and what readers can expect ~How these cultural lies are actually burdensome and debilitating ~God's Word as providing a much better, much more freeing answer ~Addressing the lie that God just wants us to be happy ~Teaching a good theology of suffering ~The gifts to be found in suffering; how we have experienced this ourselves ~The truth of Romans 8:28 ~Understanding self-care biblically, with a balanced perspective ~Gnosticism and a refusal to care for oneself ~How understanding who we are in Christ is the ultimate self-care ~Putting others' needs in front of our own while also taking care of ourselves ~Living for a different kingdom as a child of God ~The faith-builder it is to honor right priorities and rely on the Lord to make it all come together ~The proactive action behind the Golden Rule compared to the neutral iterations of the Golden Rule that were handed down by other teachers ~Understanding what true biblical love is and the reality that we can and should love everyone ~Being careful to course-correct according to Scripture when we are course-correcting ~And more!   For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

This is a re-release of an episode which first came out right before Friendship Matters was published. Today we share it again as a way to end our Friendship Matters podcast series.   ~~~~~ Amber Durgan and Rebekah Hargraves are joining forces on the show today to talk all about their new book releasing December 1, “Friendship Matters: Cultivating Meaningful Connections in an Isolated World.” They also answer in a series of questions sent in by readers and listeners on the topic of friendship.   What We Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~Answering the following questions that were sent in: *”What do I do if someone wants to be closer friends with me than I want to be with them?” *”How does personality play into friendship?” *”I have a friendship that is consistently draining. What should I do?” *”Should we be closer to our Christian friends than we are to our non-Christian friends?” *”My friend has recently made a decision I don’t agree with. What should I do?” *”Do you have any suggestions for maintaining long-distance friendships?” *”What do I do if I have a friend with a different worldview than mine? Is that ok?” *”How can I share the gospel without being ‘preachy’ about it?” ~The difference between being friends *with* everyone and being friendly *to* everyone; which we are actually called to ~What to expect from the book, topics we cover, etc. ~The importance of having already developed a certain depth of friendship before “going there” and addressing hard and personal topics ~The Matthew 18 Method blueprint for how to address hard situations with your friends ~The importance of asking ourselves how we are presenting the gospel to the people in our lives. ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Elizabeth Woodsen is a Bible teacher, Dallas Theological Seminary graduate, and author who is passionate about helping people learn about the rich theological truths of their faith. Today she comes on the show to talk about her new book, "Embrace Your Life: How to Find Joy When the Life You Have is not the Life You Hoped For", and how we can thrive even in the midst of life circumstances we don't want.     What We Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~Elizabeth's newest book, "Embrace Your Life: How to Find Joy When the Life You Have is not the Life You Hoped For", what led her to write it, and what readers can expect ~What this journey has been like for Elizabeth as a late-thirties single who always wanted to be married ~The new glasses we need to put on of the story of the Bible in order to change our perspective and embrace the life we have ~God's work to redeem all the hard things ~God's Word as that which keeps us steady in the midst of life circumstances which feel very unsteady ~The reality that God has a purpose for your life, no matter how you might feel or what you might think ~Understanding that our ability to experience joy is not blocked by the current circumstances of our lives ~The importance of feeling our pain and taking it before the Lord ~The power and importance of lament ~Understanding that the Lord welcomes the bigness of our emotions ~The promises of God and how we can rely on them because they are rooted in the character of God ~Understanding that our seasons of longing are not without purpose but are being used by God to grow us ~Understanding that there is always hope, no matter what situation you're currently in ~And more! For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

A few months ago, we kicked off a brand new solo podcast series based on a book I co-authored with my dear friend, Amber Durgan, entitled "Friendship Matters: Cultivating Meaningful Connections in an Isolated World".   Today we are focusing on chapter 9, the last chapter official chapter of the book and one that is all about becoming the friend you want to be. What I Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~The importance of becoming the kind of friend we want to be (and the kind of friend we want to have!) ~Steps to take towards becoming that kind of friend:  *Make a list. *Make an assessment. *Gather and put to good use any needed resources ~How to have the fruits of the Spirit cultivated in our lives ~The importance of thinking about what kind of friends we want to have and how to find such friends ~Truths to remember going forward: *God is our Provider - He will provide the friends. *God is our closest friend. *God is our greatest advisor. *God is our fiercest protector. *God is our hope and help. ~And more!   For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Becky Thompson is a wife, mama, blogger, podcaster, and author of several books including her newest, God so Close: Experience a Life Awakened by the Holy Spirit. She comes on the show today to inspire us with what it means to listen to and walk by the Spirit and how we can do that in our everyday lives.     What We Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~Becky's newest book, God so Close: Experience a Life Awakened by the Holy Spirit, what led her to write it, and what readers can expect ~How the Holy Spirit wants to draw us into a closer relationship with God ~The reality that all believers are already in relationship with the Holy Spirit but need to be made more and more aware of what they already have and tap into it more ~Understanding that there is nothing we can do for God apart from the help of God ~The concept of not just being God's hands and feet, but also His mouth and ears ~The speaking role of the Holy Spirit in our lives today ~Times in Becky's own life when she heard the prompting of the Holy Spirit and He led her to do something ~How the Holy Spirit speaks to us in order to encourage others we can reach by His strength ~Understanding that there is always more to discover, more to learn, more to experience of His infinite love ~The reality that we as believers have already heard the voice of the Holy Spirit - He is, after all who drew us to the Lord - but we may just not have realized that's Who it was ~How to begin hearing more from the Holy Spirit and knowing that is Who we heard from ~Understanding that it is the Word of God that equips us to hear from God ~Understanding that we must be hearing from the Holy Spirit and He must be speaking to us if we are to correctly understand and interpret the Word of God ~Understanding that the Holy Spirit will never say anything contrary to the Word of God, but will always draw us closer to the Lord rather than push us further away ~What it means to be filled with the Holy Spirit; understanding that what happens at the moment of salvation is just the starting point ~Understanding that our eternal life does not just begin when we die; our eternal life with Father, Son, and Holy Spirit began the day we were saved ~Understanding that God wants to move through us to impact the world around us ~ The importance of pursuing a relationship, not mere information; understanding that heart change ultimately comes from our relationship with Christ, not merely acquiring more information ~No longer allowing the enemy to steal from us what is ours as we refuse to any longer believe falsehoods about the Holy Spirit ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Amber Durgan is a wife, mama, blogger, podcaster, and co-author author of two books. Her heart is for encouraging and equipping women to build deeper relationships with Christ. Today she comes on the show to chat about the hard topic of having to move on from difficult friendships.     What We Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~The hard and hurtful friendship seasons of life and how to handle them biblically ~Moving on from harmful friendships in a way that honors the Lord and also honors the other person ~Good that the Lord can graciously bring from even something as hard as broken friendships ~The Matthew 18 Method and what it looks like in friendships ~The importance of walking through a difficult friendship season with the right spirit and attitude ~Laying the brokenness aside and not letting it consume us ~How much easier our lives would be if we got out of our own ways and actually walked by the Spirit ~What our goal should be when we are moving on from a challenging friendship ~Blessing the other person, even when we have to move on from our friendship with them ~Some of our own experiences with broken friendships and good that God has brought from them ~The importance of going back out there and initiating friendship again ~How to know when it is time to move on from a harmful friendship ~What we're missing out on when we rush too fast to the step of "moving on" ~The part forgiveness plays even when we move on ~Reconciliation and what to do when only one party wants to reconcile ~Forgiveness as a journey; walking in continual forgiveness ~How things that happen in our lives are also meant to encourage and inspire others ~Being grateful for the blessings in your life ~Holding on to hope in the midst of hard seasons ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Jessica Thompson is a wife, mom,  speaker, writer, podcaster, and author of the new devotional study, "How God Loves Us: 40 Days to Discovering His Character in the Fruit of the Spirit",  She  joins me on the podcast today to encourage you with a more thoroughly biblical understanding of the fruits of the Spirit than you may have heard taught before. I pray you will be as encouraged by this conversation as I was!   What we Chat about in This Episode ~Jessica's book, "How God Loves Us: 40 Days to Discovering His Character in the Fruit of the Spirit", what led her to write it, and what readers can expect ~Not looking at the fruit of the Spirit anymore as a list of things we need to do better, but instead looking at that list as a list of the ways that God has loved us and a list of His character qualities ~How an inner assessment of how we are or are not living out the fruits of the Spirit is not beneficial; what actually helps us grow in these fruits ~What the Holy Spirit teaches us about the goodness of Christ and the goodness of Christ to and for us specifically ~Common misconceptions in the church about the fruits of the Spirit ~How the gospel calls us to not look to ourselves, but to God; how that changes our hearts and our ability to love others ~Understanding that it is the fruit of "the Spirit", not the fruit of "trying harder" ~Why heart transformation is the key and mere behavior modification will only get us so far ~Particular fruits of the Spirit which have stood out to Jessica personally and been a balm to her soul as she has understood them as the character of God ~God as a joyful God ~The reality that how we view God will be how we parent ~Something Jessica learned herself about the character of God as she was writing this book ~And more! Head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast for full shownotes!

A few months ago, we kicked off a brand new solo podcast series based on a book I co-authored with my dear friend, Amber Durgan, entitled "Friendship Matters: Cultivating Meaningful Connections in an Isolated World".   Today we are focusing on chapter 7, a chapter that is all about boundaries and forgiveness and how to deal with friends who are guilty of the five red flags we talked about last time. For Amber's perspective on this chapter, head on over to her podcast episode tomorrow! What I Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~The "good little Christian girl syndrome" (as Sally Clarkson calls it) which makes you think you always have to be the "yes girl", that you can never stick up for yourself, and that you always must simply turn the other cheek, come what may ~Understanding the cruelness of being an enabler to someone else's bad behavior ~Jesus' teaching on the importance of turning the other cheek, and balancing that with His own example of erecting boundaries and correcting behavior when needed ~Examples in Scripture when Jesus erected boundaries in a multitude of different situations ~The Matthew 18 Method for addressing sin and erecting boundaries as needed ~Seven steps for erecting boundaries while also desiring reconciliation and restoration ~3 things to understand if you are new to the concept of boundaries ~The importance of being clear and consistent in what your boundaries are ~The crucial part forgiveness plays in all this  ~4 important things to understand about forgiveness ~Boundaries and peacemaking (not to be confused with peacekeeping!) ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Laura Booz is a wife, mom, gardener and chicken keeper, and author of the book, "Expect Something Beautiful: Finding God's Good Gifts in Motherhood". She  joins me on the podcast today to encourage you with the joy that can be found in God's good design for motherhood. May you be encouraged and find yourself better equipped to fight back against today's toxic mommy culture.   What we Chat about in This Episode ~Laura's book, "Expect Something Beautiful: Finding God's Good Gifts in Motherhood" what led her to write it, and what readers can expect ~The gifts of God's goodness, His character, and His sanctifying power that we find in motherhood ~God's perfect timing in the writing and release of this book ~Negative mommy culture in our day and how this beautiful book addresses that issue and reframes our thinking on motherhood ~The goodness of God's design and heart for motherhood ~How practical theology is for us in our motherhood ~The importance of self-control in motherhood ~Trusting God to establish the work of our hands moment by moment  ~Willingly surrendering to the Lord our time and our days and taking on the boundaries He, in His wisdom, has for our time and our families; how these boundaries have fallen to us in pleasant places; embracing that fact ~Giving ourselves the freedom of understanding that maternal love does not always come natural and we have to actually learn how to love our children well (as Titus 2 points out, we have to be *trained* in it) ~How knowing the love of God changes everything in how we are then able to love our children ~Mothering with the end in mind ~The mistake we make of resenting the natural effects of life with kids; the way God uses these very things to produce fruit in our lives ~How crucial it is to be in the Word as mamas; practical tips for how to actually do this as busy moms ~Doing what you can to make sure you are seeing clearly ~And more!   For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Rebekah Hargraves is the host of the Home and Hearth Podcast, which, up until this point, has always been an interview-style podcast. Now, however, she is branching out into recording the first of (what will hopefully be many – that’s up to the feedback she gets from you!) her solo podcasts to talk on the topic of “Navigating Difficult Friendships”. What She Chats about in Today’s Episode: ~A bit of Rebekah’s own experience with difficult friendships ~How friendship is messy as a result of our living in a fallen world; why this should not come as a surprise ~5 red flag warning signs to watch out for in your friendships: Friends who ignore your boundaries (Proverbs 25:17) Friends who are emotionally insensitive (Proverbs 25:20, 27:14, ) Friends who betray confidences (Proverbs 11:9) Friends who are given to backbiting (Proverbs 1:28) Friends who are commonly given to belittling people (Proverbs 11:12) ~The friendship example Jesus is for us ~The difference between being a backbiting friend and being a Biblical friend that is as iron that sharpens iron ~How to deal with friends who are operating out of one or more of the above five red flags ~The problem with the “good little Christian girl” syndrome ~Turning the other cheek vs. exercising boundaries ~The Matthew 18 Method (Matthew 18:15-17) ~Being enablers and idolizing your own comfort vs. seeking to erect necessary boundaries and be as iron that sharpens iron ~6 steps to take when dealing with a difficult friend: Pray (James 1:5) Point out the problem (Matthew 18:15) If necessary: Bring witnesses (Matthew 18:16) Erect Boundaries (Matthew 18:17) Continue to Pray for Reconciliation and walk by the Spirit as you do (Galatians 5:16) Proceed with caution if/when prompted by the Spirit to reconcile and restore wisely ~Our call to be ministers of reconciliation   ~And more!   For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Asheritah CiuCiu is a wife, mom, podcaster, writer, and author of the new book "Prayers of Rest: Daily Prompts to Slow Down and Hear God's Voice." She joins me on the podcast today to inspire us with the understanding that prayer is not a drudgery, it is not a task to check off the list, it is not a burden that we "have" to do, but rather is a peaceful, restful, life-giving gift to our souls. May you walk away from this episode encouraged and built up to grow in your own prayer life with the Lord!   What we Chat about in This Episode ~Asheritah's newest book, Prayers of Rest, what led her to write it, and what readers can expect ~Prayer as *the* work, the all-important foundation for everything else we do, but not viewing it as work ~Viewing prayer as rest and peace and joy ~The prayers of REST (Recite God's goodness, Express your neediness, Seek His stillness, Trust His faithfulness)  prayer model, what it is, and how  and why to follow it ~Learning how to pray by actually praying, rather than just reading about prayer ~God's still, small voice; why it's important and why we need to mute all the noise coming at us so we can hear His voice and have it change our lives ~Going to God and being gut-level honest about how we're truly feeling deep down - the importance of sharing the good, the bad, and the ugly with the Lord ~The power of knowing that we are fully known and fully loved by God ~The loving Father's willingness to again and again welcome us and renew us in the midst of our repeated struggles day by day; the impact this resting in God's presence has on how we lovingly and humbly view others ~Understanding that the Lord does not call us to hustle our way into His kingdom, but to instead take on His yoke that is easy and His burden that is light ~Dealing with distractions while you are praying ~How God uses prayer to first change us before He uses it to change the things going on around us; how this does away with that question of, "Why should I pray when God already knows everything anyway?" ~Prayerlessness as an act of unbelief; stopping this belief that prayer is our last resort ~God does know, and He wants us to bring our issues to Him first ~The gift that not only does God give us the gift of answered prayer, but that He gives us the ultimate gift of Himself ~The sweet, beautiful, restful, life-giving, soul-shaping nature of prayer ~Having prayer be a rhythm of your day; the fact that it doesn't have to be a rigid, long, drawn out thing, but can be a part of the rhythms of our days ~And more! For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

About two months ago, we kicked off a brand new solo podcast series based on a book I co-authored with my dear friend, Amber Durgan, entitled "Friendship Matters: Cultivating Meaningful Connections in an Isolated World".   Today we are focusing on chapter 5, a chapter that is all about online friendships. For Amber's perspective on this chapter, head on over to her podcast episode tomorrow! What I Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~The blessings that online friendships can be; the folly of believing them to be "less-than" ~Technology and the advent of online friendships ~How online friendships can fill a void often felt in our current culture ~The benefits of online friendships and the voids they can fill ~The downsides to online friendships and the voids they cannot fill ~How to cultivate and deepen online friendships ~Troubleshooting online friendships (i.e. - dealing with misunderstandings due to perceived tone, expectations, and more) ~How online friendships have been mightily used by God in my own personal life ~The importance of refusing to make the mistake of putting all your friendship eggs in one proverbial basket and only having online friends ~And more! For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

In light of this being "pride month", I wanted to be sure to do a re-release of an episode which first aired over 4 years ago. I pray you walk away from it built up,  edified, inspired, and encouraged.   Dr. Rosaria Butterfield joins me on the podcast today and provides us with just the wisdom and insight we so desperately need in the church today for how to address issues of a LGBTQ nature with both truth and love. Rosaria has an amazing testimony of having been in that community herself when the Lord drew her unto Himself and changed the course of her life forever. It was an honor to talk to Rosaria, and it is our prayer that you walk away from this episode today feeling equipped, encouraged, and inspired for how you, too, can reach out to folks in the LGBTQ community with the love of God and the good news of the gospel. What we Chat about in This Episode ~Rosaria's journey of going from a liberal, feminist lesbian to a Christian pastor's wife and homeschooling mom ~Rosaria's first two books, The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert: An English Professor's Journey into Christian Faith and Openness Unhindered: Further Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert on Sexual Identity and Union with Christ   ~The two extremes in the church today when it comes to how to respond to LGBTQ issues - either we err on the side of saying those issues are not sin issues or else we err on the side of being hateful towards people who are in that community ~What the proper Christian treatment is of folks in the LGBTQ community ~The importance of loving hospitality and the role it plays in mistering to folks who are LGBTQ ~The oxymoron that is "gay Christianity" ~What does and does not constitute as gender identity; the myth of sexual orientation as being a category of personhood ~How to get started, practically speaking, with a Biblical kind of hospitality ministry ~Unwanted homosexual desires in those in the church ~What it looks like to Biblically love someone from the LGBTQ community and the importance of doing so ~What Jesus would have us do when our son or daughter or another family member or friend comes out as gay or lesbian (and also what we should not do! Hint- don't disown them!) ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

About a month and a half ago we kicked off a brand new solo podcast series based on a book I co-authored with my dear friend, Amber Durgan, entitled "Friendship Matters: Cultivating Meaningful Connections in an Isolated World".   Today we are focusing on chapter 4, a chapter that is all about deepening our friendships according to Jesus' own example. For Amber's perspective on this chapter, head on over to her podcast episode tomorrow! What I Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~The 3 reasons Christian friendship is so crucial (and how Jesus Himself emulated this fact): 1. Christian friends are there to help us in times of need. 2. Christian friends edify you and are used by God in your sanctification process. 3. Christian friendship is a powerful tool for keeping your heart in close fellowship with the Lord and His ways. ~How to grow deeper in your friendships ~Growing in the all-important art of listening as the first step towards deepening your friendships; how this practice is the antidote to each of the 5 most common barriers we experience when trying to pursue friendship ~Four practical ideas for growing deeper: 1. Have regularly scheduled get-togethers (online or in person) so that you can truly be doing life together. 2. Share prayer requests, bear one another's burdens, share our sin struggles, and pray for each other. 3. Do Bible studies and book studies together and discuss. 4. Volunteer together ~Understanding what a big deal it is to grow in your friendships; how this is a non-negotiable if we want to live well and be strong ~Friendship as a "slow ripening fruit" ~Understanding that we are not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together (and why we're wrong if we think this is just talking about church attendance!) ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Today on the podcast I wanted to do a special re-release of an episode I recorded with Bethany Beal last year. With so many people facing hard trials of different kinds around the world right now, I believe the wisdom and encouragement offered to us by Bethany in this episode is just what we need to hear right about now! May you walk away encouraged.     Bethany Beal is a wife, mom, author, speaker, YouTuber, and podcaster, with a passion to reach out to women with truth and encouragement for their walk with Christ. She runs the ministry Girl Defined with her sister, Kristen Clark, and comes back on the show today to talk about their newest book, a devotional entitled Shine Bright: 60 Days to Becoming a Girl Defined by God  and to encourage us with the truth of how God's Word comforts us in the hard times.   What We Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~Bethany and Kristen's new devotional book, Shine Bright: 60 Days to Becoming a Girl Defined by God   what readers can expect, and what led them to write it ~How this devotional book differs from many others on the market today ~Topics and themes covered in the book ~The importance of context, and how this devotional book seeks to honor that ~How God's Word equips and strengthens us for the hard seasons of life; how this has been true in Bethany and Kristen's lives and how this is currently proving true in my own life right now ~The importance of looking to the Word first for answers and encouragement when going through a hard time ~Developing a plan for a daily quiet time ~Getting to know God for who He truly is, and not just what people say about Him; the way this safeguards us against so many of the issues of deconstruction in our day ~The huge importance of taking charge of your own walk with the Lord rather than relying on other people to do the work for you ~The freedom found in making much of Christ and less of us ~And more! For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

A month ago we kicked off a brand new solo podcast series based on a book I co-authored with my dear friend, Amber Durgan, entitled "Friendship Matters: Cultivating Meaningful Connections in an Isolated World".  In the first episode we covered the introduction and first chapter of the book, and in episode 2 we zeroed in on chapter 2. Today we are focusing on chapter 3, a chapter that is all about cultivating friendships - the how-tos, as well as the things which tend to stand in our way. For Amber's perspective on this chapter, head on over to her podcast episode tomorrow! What I Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~The how-tos of cultivating friendships ~The reality that our having to initiate friendship is not something to complain about or disparage - it is actually a part of our God-given mission and a way we can bear to the world the image of our initiating God ~The 5 biggest barriers to cultivating friendships: busyness/no time judgment and a lack of unity comparison and competition perfectionism a lack of vulnerability and authenticity ~The truths we need to combat these barriers and how to fight back against them ~Practical tips, tricks, and ideas for making time for and initiating friendship ~How to start going deeper with aquaintances and new friends; how to begin having more meaningful, deeper conversations ~More than 25 get-to-know you questions to ask a new friend - both fun ones and deep ones ~The comforting reality that the God Who calls us to pursue and initiate friendship has fully equipped us to do so through the wisdom and truths found in His Word ~And more! Head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast for full show notes!

I am delighted today to re-release the very first episode of the podcast, an episode that first released 5 years ago last month! In this first episode of the show I had a chat with my dear friend from church, Angela Parsley. Angela is an absolute gem. Though she has struggled with an oftentimes debilitating chronic illness for nearly half her life, she nevertheless is always seeking to serve those around her and to minister to them with the love of Christ. She truly inspires me! I know you will walk away from this conversation built up and encouraged!   What We Chat About in This Episode:   ~What Angela's chronic illness is, how long she has had it, and how it affects her daily life ~The impact her chronic illness has had on her walk with the Lord ~Lessons the Lord has taught her through her illness and particular Scriptures that have been of the most help and encouragement to her ~Advice and encouragement for folks who are struggling with chronic illnesses and dealing with the "Why Me?" question ~What the best and worst things are that we can say to folks we know who have chronic illnesses ~Ideas for how we can best serve the people around us with chronic illnesses ~The concept that we are all "walking parables" ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Two weeks ago we kicked off a brand new solo podcast series based on a book I co-authored with my dear friend, Amber Durgan, entitled "Friendship Matters: Cultivating Meaningful Connections in an Isolated World".  In that first episode we covered the introduction and first chapter of the book, while this week we're zeroing in on chapter 2. This chapter is all about friendships of the Bible, and our focus today will be on friendships of the Old Testament and what we can learn from them. For a conversation all about friendships of the New Testament, head on over to Amber's podcast episode tomorrow! What I Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~6 different friendships of the Old Testament: Ruth and Naomi David and Jonathan Elijah and Elisha Esther and Mordecai Job and his friends Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego ~Characteristics of life-giving friendships that we see in their friendships; what we can learn from these friends in the Bible ~The power and beauty of multi-generational friendships ~Close friendship as something to be prioritized and enjoyed by men, as well ~Friendship as being something that spurs you on to greatness rathe than holding you back out of jealousy or fear ~Having a commitment to friendship ~Sacrificial friendships ~The what to do (And what not to do!) that we learn from Job's friends ~The impact friendship can have on seeing people come to Christ ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Alexandra Hoover is a wife, mom, speaker, worker in church ministry, and author of the brand new book, "Eyes Up: How to Trust God's Heart by Tracing His Hand". She'll inspire you on the show today to look back at God's faithfulness in your past as a way to build your faith in the present and future.     What We Chat about in Today's Episode: ~Alexandra's new book, "Eyes Up: How to Trust God's Heart by Tracing His Hand", what led her to write it, and what readers can expect ~The importance of looking back and tracing God's hand in our past ~Asking God "Why?" and "Where were you when.....?" ~The concept of ebenezer stones and why they're so important ~Seeing God for Who He is  ~Why it's so important to keep our eyes fixed on Christ ~The balance we need to strike between wallowing in our pain and ignoring and stuffing it  ~The core lie we carry that God is not Who He says He is; how to combat this lie ~Battling our natural bent towards unbelief ~The concept of the "starting stone" ~The reality that God is always on the move in our eyes ~The false assumptions we make of God  ~The grieving stone ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Today we kick off a brand new solo podcast series, and I could not be more excited! My last solo series was based on my book, Lies Moms Believe, and this new one will be based on a book I co-authored with my dear friend, Amber Durgan, entitled "Friendship Matters: Cultivating Meaningful Connections in an Isolated World".  Let's get started! What I Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~God's design for friendship; how the need for community and fellowship is woven into our DNA and how Genesis 2:18 proves this ~The current epidemic of loneliness we're seeing now and the adverse ramifications of it  ~Loneliness as a mental health problem ~Following God's design by prioritizing and pursuing friendship  ~The reality that it not being good for man to be alone is a concept taught throughout Scripture and is a principle that goes beyond merely the topic of marriage to include the topic of friendship, as well ~God's various purposes for friendship  and the needs friendship is meant to address ~The striking similarities between Genesis 2:18 and Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 ~Jesus' example to us of how and why to pursue and initiate friendship  ~The Triune nature of God and what it means for us that God is, Himself, in community  ~Love as being one of the telltale signs of true friendship ~God's design for His body, the Church, to live in community with one another ~The implications of Ephesians 3:18-19 on friendship and its importance ~God's character and our design ~God's heart for friendship ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Victoria Duerstock is a wife, mom, speaker, and author who is passionate about home design, hospitality, and God's Word. She comes on the show today to share her passion for inspiring women to understand how they can partner with God to cultivate peace in their homes.   What We Chat about in Today's Episode: ~Victoria's new book, , what led her to write it, and what readers can expect ~Using our homes missionally ~Marriage and motherhood as huge sanctifiers for us ~The opportunity godly homes have right now to shine forth the difference Christ makes in a world that is in disarray and in desperate need of peace ~Starting points for cultivating peace in our homes ~Prayer as the most important starting point, even when it doesn't make us feel like we're accomplishing anything ~Why merely decluttering won't bring the peace to our homes that we hope or think it will; it has to all start with heart-change and the Lord bringing peace to our hearts ~Peace as a fruit of the Spirit; making the choice to walk by the Spirit in peace ~The problem with trying to appear perfect in our homes ~Refusing to allow our stuff to become more important than my people ~How the idol of instant gratification steals our peace ~The spiritual side of home decorating ~Practical tips for home decorating in a peaceful way ~Changing up how a room is used ~How to be able to declutter and yet also be able to honor items we are sentimental about ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

On today’s solo podcast episode, I am finishing out the podcast series based on my book, Lies Moms Believe (And How the Gospel Refutes Them) with a chat addressing the final 3 lies covered in the book, "The most important thing is my child's education", "Good moms do 'xyz'", and "You have to 'do' motherhood the way the culture tells you". I hope you come away from this episode with your mind transformed and your heart encouraged by the truths of the gospel! What I Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~The final 3 lies covered in my book: 30.  "The most important thing is my child's education." 31.  "Good moms do 'xyz'" 32. "You have to 'do' motherhood the way the culture tells you" ~The overemphasis (and sometimes excessive time) given to athletics and academics; why both are important, but neither is the most important aspect of childhood; what we should ultimately be giving our focus and attention to ~What Paul says about the benefits of athletics vs. the benefits of growing in godliness ~How Paul viewed his own high education ~The impact an overemphasis on athletics and academics is having on our churches specifically and on the nation at large ~The problem with looking to "experts" rather than to the Word of God ~The problem of the mommy wars ~What "good moms" actually do ~How damaging the expectations of others can be and how freeing God's Word is ~Living the life God has called us to, not the life He has called our sisters-in-Christ to ~Letting go of the "shoulds" and embracing what God has for you ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Naomi Vacaro is a wife, mama, small business owner, founder of the WholeHearted Community ministry, producer of the Quiet Time Companion Journal, and brand new author of the book, "Quiet: Creating Grace-Based Rhythms for Spending Time with Jesus" . Her prayer is that  you would come away from this episode feeling equipped and encouraged to begin cultivating a grace-based quiet time in your own life.   What We Chat about in Today's Episode: ~Naomi's new book , "Quiet: Creating Grace-Based Rhythms for Spending Time with Jesus" , what readers can expect, and what led  her to write it ~Why having a quiet time is so crucial; the impact this practice has on our lives and our ability to grow our faith roots down deep so that they can weather the storms of life ~Why having a grace-based approach to a daily quiet time is so much better than a legalistic, rigid, guilt-based approach ~The importance of actually walking in relationship with Christ ~Back and forth communication with the Lord ~The possibility there is to read the Bible and pray with wrong motives; how not to do this ~Why Satan tries to get us to either not read the Word and pray at all, or else to do so with wrong motives ~Remembering that the gospel is not for those who have it all together; how daily quiet time is an extension of this reality ~Intentional routines as necessary for a thriving relationship ~The difference between a Spirit-led quiet time and a flesh-led quiet time ~A quiet time as just one way to love, serve, and grow closer to God ~How to get started having a daily quiet time ~How to have a consistent quiet time if you're in the midst of a life transition ~And more!

On today’s solo podcast episode, I am continuing the podcast series based on my book, Lies Moms Believe (And How the Gospel Refutes Them) with a chat addressing the lies "My focus should be on rules and regulations" and "The 'experts' know better how to raise and educate my child than I do". I hope you come away from this episode with your mind transformed and your heart encouraged by the truths of the gospel! What I Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~The next lies covered in my book: 28. "My focus should be on rules and regulations." 29. "The 'experts' know better how to raise and educate my child than I do." ~The sad reality that legalistic, authoritarian, rules-focused parenting often leads to children who rebel and run away from God ~Why our goal as parents should be reaching the hearts of our children, not merely enforcing a bunch of rules ~The importance of heart transformation rather than behavior modification ~The importance of cultivating a warm, intimate, close, safe, comforting relationship with our children; how this as a foundation leads to our children being more receptive to our instructions and household rules ~The difference between sheltering your children and preparing them; why different seasons of your child's life requires different approaches - first sheltering, and then preparing ~Why our goal should not be to merely enforce a long list of rules, but to instead form our child's worldview around Scripture and its truth; helping our children grow in discernment for themselves as they get older ~How merely enforcing a long list of rules can lead to our raising whitewashed tombs ~Why merely listening to the "experts" is a mistake in your parenting ~The Ultimate Expert on your children, and how He knows them even better than we do, because He created them with the unique personality, learning style, and needs they have ~Why James 1:5 has to be our first step in acquiring the answers we need for any parenting question we could ever have ~And more! For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Sadie Robertson Huff is a wife, mama, founder of the ministry Live Original, sought-after speaker, podcaster, and author of the new book, "Who Are You Following?: Pursuing Jesus in a Social Media Obsessed World".  Our prayer is that, whether you are simply a social media consumer or a content creator, you would come away from this conversation feeling so freed and encouraged.      What We Chat about in Today's Episode: ~Sadie's new book, "Who Are You Following?: Pursuing Jesus in a Social Media Obsessed World", what readers can expect, and what led Sadie to write this book next ~How relevant Scripture is to our social media struggles ~Jesus' words to "Follow Me" and our idolization of "following" people online ~The false promise social media offers us of love, popularity, and being known, while only when we remember Christ's heart for us and walk with Him will we be truly known and truly loved ~The church's call to be a shining light on social media ~The idol of platform and the lie that you have to have a huge following in order to be a light for Christ on social media ~What influence actually is and how someone with only 10 followers could actually be more of an influencer than someone with a huge online platform ~How having the Holy Spirit alive in us leads us to having a power of influence greater than we usually realize ~How being in the Word does away with our insecurities we often have as a result of social media ~Being intentional about who we're following on social media and careful about who we are allowing to influence us ~The reality is that the nature of social media was never created for us to give us the validation, love, and acceptance we're craving - only our relationship with Christ is  ~And more!   For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

On today’s solo podcast episode, I am continuing the podcast series based on my book, Lies Moms Believe (And How the Gospel Refutes Them) with a chat addressing the lies "Children are Really Expensive" and "Children Ruin a Marriage". I hope you come away from this episode with your mind transformed and your heart encouraged by the truths of the gospel! What I Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~The next lies covered in my book: 26. "Children are Really Expensive" 27. "Children Ruin a Marriage" ~The reality that children *can* be really expensive, but are not inherently so ~The freedom we have to make choices about how our children impact our finances; being good stewards of the money entrusted to us by God ~Viewing children as a blessing and reward as opposed to a drain on our resources ~The negative message we hear from culture about the adverse impact children have on marriages ~The freedom we have to choose to prioritize our marriages even in the midst of busy seasons of parenting ~The fact that it isn't just that children don't inherently ruin marriages, but that they can, in fact, make our marriages even better ~4 specific ways in which having children can actually improve your marriage ~The way Psalm 127 and 128 present marriage and family life as a joyful, blessed, happy institution ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Durenda Wilson is a wife, homeschooling mom of 8, podcaster, and author who is passionate about seeing homeschooling moms be encouraged and equipped. She is the author of the wonderful new book, The 4 Hour School Day: How You and Your Kids Can Thrive in the Homeschool Life" , and comes on the show to encourage homeschool mamas to reorient their view of education, daily rhythms, and routines in a way that best serves them and their families. What We Chat about in Today's Episode: ~Durenda's new book, The 4 Hour School Day, what led her to write it, and what readers can expect ~Reorienting our view of what constitutes as education ~Having an unhurried approach to homeschooling ~The ability kids have to learn so much just from real life ~Keeping first things first as a homeschooling family and keeping the strength of your family itself at the forefront; the impact of strong families on the culture at large ~The importance of prioritizing nurturing and shepherding our children and how education and learning then flow from there ~Trusting the Lord's work in our kids ~The importance of a calm and secure environment to foster learning ~What this method and philosophy of homeschooling looked like in the Wilson home on a day to day basis ~Taking into account different seasons of life and different dynamics; being content where you are ~The importance of still making time as a mom to pursue learning, hobbies, and interests and provide children with an in-real-life example of being a lifelong learner ~ The problem with trying to be super mom with our kids ~Understanding that our inadequacies are not obstacles to God ~And more! For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Rebekah Hargraves is the host of the Home and Hearth Podcast and on today's solo show she is covering the topic of "Bible Study 101".  Though this is a re-release of an episode originally recorded two years ago, it seems timely again as we are feeling fearful in these times and needing to grow in our knowledge of the Bible and our ability to study it. May you come away from this episode feeling encouraged and equipped in your ability to study, understand, and interpret the Bible for yourself. What She Chats about in Today's Episode: ~*How* to study the Bible, and then moving on into *when* to study the Bible (help for the busy woman who finds it hard to make time for the Word) ~5 Bible Study tips for beginners: *Pick a user-friendly Bible translation *Choose a Reading Plan for where to begin (see my Bible Reading Plan article below, however, for some necessary caveats to this!) *Find a good Bible study or Bible study method *Learn to reflect on what you are reading *Take advantage of the many free study resources at your disposal ~Different Bible translations, and what the differences are between word-for-word translations and thought-for-thought (or dynamic equivalent) translations ~The Bible translation I personally would recommend that is an "optimal equivalence" translation ~What the Holy Spirit has clearly called me, personally, to do in my personal Bible study time ~Free online resources and websites for Bible study ~Great books of the Bible to begin with if you are a new believer ~Bible study methods: *SOAP method Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer *Inductive Bible Study Method ~Great guided Bible study book recommendations ~Practical tips for how to be in the Word as a busy woman ~Meeting with God all throughout the day in relationship with Him, as opposed to relegating time with Him to a business meeting in the morning ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Marian Jordan Ellis from This Redeemed Life is a wife, mom, author, and Bible study teacher who is passionate about helping women grow in their Bible literacy and love for God's Word.  Our prayer is that you come away from this conversation fired up about truth and your pursuit of it.   What We Chat about in Today's Episode: ~Marian's radical conversion story - how Jesus found Marian in a bar following a hard childhood and her life was changed ~Marian's Bible study on Ephesians, "For His Glory: Living as God's Masterpiece" - what to expect in it and some of the lies she tackles throughout  ~God's tenderness mixed with truth ~Why Marian is so passionate to equip women to know Jesus more deeply and live a Spirit-filled life; how she encourages women to do this ~How our ability to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and His leading is dependent on our actually spending time with the Lord ~What we learn about our identity in Christ from the truths of the gospel in Ephesians 1 ~How understanding our identity in Christ leads to our understanding the armor of God and ability to stand firm  ~How being in God's Word leads to our loving Him more and having His opinion of us matter far more than anyone else's ~Standing firm in the face of spiritual warfare ~Discernment as our greatest weapon; understanding that spiritual warfare will take us out if we do not know truth for ourselves ~The work of the Holy Spirit to make our speech and reactions gentle towards those with whom we disagree ~Busting away the myth of "my truth" ~And more!

On this week's solo podcast episode, I am taking to the show to talk all about New Year's resolutions, goals, walking by the Spirit, and holding fast to the gospel in the midst of it all. What I Chat about in Today's Episode: ~Why so many of our resolutions "fail" and why wrong theology is shooting us in the foot here ~The impact of the gospel on our guilt surrounding "failing" in our resolutions and goals ~The important first steps to take when drafting up your resolutions and goals for the year ~The importance of walking by the Spirit in the everyday moments of our lives, not even just in the big-picture times of planning for a whole year ~Our identity and why it does not come from what we accomplish ~Willingly changing course when God calls us to ~The importance of redeeming the time well - regardless of whether or not we have already "failed" in our resolutions ~Understanding that looking to yourself for the strength required to fulfill your resolutions is not enough ~And more!   For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Tama Fortner is a wife, mom, writer, and author of the new book, "Simply Christmas: A Busy Mom's Guide to Reclaiming the Peace of the Holidays". Our hope for you today is that you would walk away from this episode feeling far better equipped to cultivate a truly peaceful, joyful holiday season this year. What We Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~Tama’s new  book, "Simply Christmas: A Busy Mom's Guide to Reclaiming the Peace of the Holidays". what led her to write it, and what readers can expect ~Understanding that we as moms have the freedom to celebrate Christmas the way *we* want to, not the way Pinterest expects us to ~Some of the biggest struggles moms face this time of year and what advice Tama has for those mamas ~How to tame the calendar so we can savor the sweetness of the season ~How to tame the Christmas decor and not allow it to be a stressor; stopping the lie that we have to do "all the things" in the decorations department ~Reclaiming the sacredness of Christmas from the hustle and bustle of the season; specific ways that mean the most to Tama and which she finds most helpful in her family ~Tama's favorite ways to make the Christmas season peaceful and beautiful for her family ~And more!

On today’s solo podcast episode, I am taking to the show to share about the importance of cultivating a truly Spirit-led holiday season and how we can go about doing so. My prayer is that you would walk away from today’s talk feeling inspired and equipped to really live out the fruits of the Spirit this Christmas! What She Chats about in Today’s Episode: ~The importance of walking by the Spirit during the holiday season, and listening to the Lord rather than man ~Three steps for walking by the Spirit this Christmas: *Pray *Be in the Word *Pray some more! ~Creative and yet practical tips and ideas for how to prioritize those things which make Christmas special for your own unique family, while at the same time saying “no” to the hurry and stress; really soaking up the beauty of this season ~The crucial importance of showing your friends and family Christ-like love this Christmas – whether you see eye-to-eye with them or not: 7 tips for how to do so: *1. Assume the Biblical Position (and, no, I don’t mean the republican or pro-life position; I mean James 1:19-20). *2. Assume the best about the other person. *3. Speak with love. *4. Focus on what does unify you. *5. Understand what the holiday is and is not for. *6. Understand that it is humility, love, and kindness that changes hearts and inspires repentance – not your beating someone over the head with truth. *7. Seek to understand where the other person is coming from, and be teachable. ~How to take your eyes of Pinterest (if it’s not serving you well!) and plan for a truly lovely holiday season ~And more!   For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Jessica Hottle is a wife, author, podcast host of the show, "What's the Truth?", and passionate about helping women to find freedom from the lies that hold them back. Today she comes on the show to talk about her soon-to-release book, "Face off with Your Feelings: Break Up with the Lies of Your Past and Embrace the Truth of Your Future". Our prayer is that you come away from today's conversation encouraged, know that there is truth, hope, and freedom when it comes to handling our emotions. What We Chat about in Today's Episode: ~Jessica's new upcoming book,  "Face off with Your Feelings: Break Up with the Lies of Your Past and Embrace the Truth of Your Future", what led her to write it, and what readers can expect  ~The two extremes in the church today regarding feelings - the idea that feelings are bad and you should not feel them and the idea that feelings are the be-all, end-all; what the balanced, biblical perspective of feelings is ~The problem with just putting band aids on our feelings rather than processing them with the Lord ~Jesus' example of how to deal with our feelings ~The truth that our feelings are to point us to Christ and His truth; they serve a purpose ~Believing that not only is God good, but that He is good to us ~What our feelings reveal about our need for healing ~The importance of slowing down and giving ourselves the opportunity to feel our feelings and process them so that we might find healing ~How to create space to process our feelings with the Lord ~Jessica's 5 step process for how to manage emotions and find healing; how to easily incorporate it into your daily life ~And more!   For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

On today’s solo podcast episode, I am continuing the podcast series based on my book, Lies Moms Believe (And How the Gospel Refutes Them) with a chat addressing the lies "My Postpartum Body has to be a Certain Way" and "Children are a Nuisance and an Interruption". I hope you come away from this episode with your mind transformed and your heart encouraged by the truths of the gospel! What I Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~The next lies covered in my book: 24. "My Postpartum Body has to be a Certain Way" 25. "Children are a Nuisance and an Interruption" ~My own struggle with postpartum body image and how that resolved ~Why it's folly to think our bodies have been ruined by children  ~How the gospel can reframe our viewpoint of our bodies and our pregnancy-related scars  ~How our pregnancy-related scars can serve as a daily reminder of the scars of Christ ~Jesus' example of how to view and treat children in the midst of the busyness of life and ministry; His willingness to be "interrupted" and what this means for us and how we view our children ~Reframing our view of our time and what it is for ~And more! For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Kayla Craig is a wife, mama of 4, former journalist, and writer who just released a brand new book entitled, "To Light Their Way: A Collection of Prayers and Liturgies for Parents". She comes on the how today to encourage us with the truth of how liturgies and prayers can help us through even the hardest seasons of parenting. What we Chat about in This Episode ~Kayla's book, To Light Their Way: A Collection of Prayers and Liturgies for Parents, what led her to write it, and what readers can expect ~Experiencing all the highs, lows, struggles, and joys of parenthood; how liturgies and written prayers help equip us to know how to handle these ~Seeing the holy in the everyday moments ~The impact of the body of Christ on each of us when we find ourselves struggling ~Parenting as an outworking of the Great Commission ~Kayla's hopes for her book - how she hopes parents put it to use and how she hopes God uses it ~How God changed Kayla's own life through the writing of this book ~Timely, cultural parenting issues that Kayla was seeing which led to her discovering the need for this book ~How parenting reveals to us the love of God ~Parenting as sanctification ~How Kayla's book came to its final draft in terms of all the different topics she covers ~And more! For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Julie Plagens is a wife, mom of adult children, and author who has experienced the pain of family estrangement. That is what we will be talking about today, with our prayer being that you would walk away from this conversation encouraged to know that you are not alone and that God is not yet done with your story, as well as equipped to truly walk by the Spirit in the midst of this hard season. What we Chat about in This Episode ~Julie's book, Estranged: Finding Hope When Your Family Falls Apart, what led her to write it, and what readers can expect ~Julie's own experience of a family estrangement with her parents ~How a lack of forgiveness leads to family estrangements ~The reality that being a Christian does not automatically make you emotionally healthy ~The most common issues in our day that are leading to family estrangements ~The importance of counseling ~Addressing with truth the lies we are believing in order to re-program our minds and ways of thinking ~How Julie knew that pursuing a family estrangement was the right next step and it was time for that; advice Julie would share with anyone contemplating the same thing ~How difficult relationships and truly toxic relationships are two different things ~The importance of boundaries ~How prayer and fasting led to reconciliation in Julie's family ~The folly of thinking you can control or change your family members ~Exercising boundaries even during a reconciliation ~The difference between boundaries and revenge ~What to do and what not to do during a season of family estrangement ~And more! For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

On today’s solo podcast episode, I am continuing the podcast series based on my book, Lies Moms Believe (And How the Gospel Refutes Them) with a chat addressing the lie "I don't have time" and how it leads to our common views of friendship, creativity, marriage, and time alone with God. I hope you'll walk away from this episode encouraged and inspired by just how much time you truly do have to pursue the priorities God has in mind for you in this season. What I Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~The next lie covered in my book: 23. I don't have time. ~The implications of this lie on our view of marriage, creativity, friendship, and time with God ~Understanding what Biblical priorities are and what they are not ~The blessing it is to only have 24 hours in each day - the sovereignty and goodness of God on display here ~Practical tips for how to make time for God when you're feeling too busy for Him (and why it's important that you do!) ~Practical tips for how to make time for your husband when you're feeling too busy for him (and why it's important that you do!) ~Practical tips for how to make time for friendship when you're feeling too busy for it (and why it's important that you do!) ~Practical tips for how to make time for creativity when you're feeling too busy for it (and why it's important that you do!) ~And more! Head to www.hargraveshomeandherath.com/podcast for the full show notes.

Heather Creekmore is a wife, homeschooling mom of four, podcaster, and author of the new book, The Burden of Better: How a Comparison-Free Life Leads to Joy, Peace, and Rest. This is by far the best book I have ever read on the topic of comparison, and today Heather comes on the show to talk about the book and its overarching message: that it is the gospel alone that can actually free us from the trap of comparison. What we Chat about in This Episode ~Heather's new book, The Burden of Better: How a Comparison-Free Life Leads to Joy, Peace, and Rest, what led her to write it, and what readers can expect ~Grace as the remedy for comparison ~How comparison reveals that we do not believe in the goodness of God towards us personally ~The importance of knowing the character of God and believing it ~How the longings of our hearts, which are revealed in our comparison struggle, point to how we were made to be fulfilled in Christ ~The folly of thinking we are enough on our own, how this lie is leading to despair ~How searching for happiness, contentment, and fulfillment in anything apart from Christ will never work and never suffice ~How always looking to the next thing robs us of the here and now ~Why our acceptability can never come from how we compare to others ~How comparison leads to disunity in the church and a lack of fellowship ~Labeling comparison Biblically - as sins such as envy, jealousy, and covetousness ~How comparison dismisses God's gracious artistry ~Four kinds of grace - saving grace, sanctifying grace, growing grace, and sustaining grace; how they affect the day-to-day ~How understanding our identity in Christ changes the comparison struggle ~Hope for getting rid of comparison ~And more! For the full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

On today’s solo podcast episode, I am continuing the podcast series based on my book, Lies Moms Believe (And How the Gospel Refutes Them) with a chat all about what success in motherhood looks like, what it is, and what it isn't.  I hope you walk away from today's conversation feeling encouraged. What I Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~The next 2 lies covered in my book: 21.  My success as a mom is directly tied to how my children turn out. 22. I don't know what it means to be a mom if I only have one child. ~Why your success as a mom is not tied to how your children turn out ~What your responsibility is as a mom and what is in God's hands to do with as He will ~Where your responsibility ends and God's begins ~God granting the increase ~The harmful effect of the quiverfull movement on our view of moms who have only one child ~Viewing children as blessings ~Embracing our own unique life stories and circumstances ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Jeannie Cunnion is a wife, mom of 5 boys, writer, counselor, and author. Today we chat about her brand new book, Don't Miss Out: Daring to Believe Life is Better with the Holy Spirit, and Jeannie helps us grow in our understanding of the important work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. What we Chat about in This Episode ~Jeannie's new book, Don't Miss Out:  Daring to Believe Life is Better with the Holy Spirit, what readers can expect, and what led her to write it ~The benefits of the Holy Spirit and the things He does in our lives; how it is His job- not ours!- to produce the fruits of the Spirit in our lives ~Our common lack of understanding these days as to the work, role, and power of the Holy Spirit ~Living in the power of the Holy Spirit ~The importance of coming to a thoroughly and truly Biblical understanding of the Holy Spirit, as opposed to an extreme view where we either use and abuse Him or else become reactionary and ignore Him completely out of fear ~The problem of being afraid of the Holy Spirit ~Understanding why we need the Holy Spirit ~How the Spirit's presence within us meets our needs ~Embracing the Holy Spirit and His work within us ~Understanding that the Holy Spirit is not somehow just for the most spiritual among us, but rather He is accessible by everyone who follows Christ ~Refusing to settle for less than all of God ~What it looks like to live a Spirit-filled life; how to get there ~Growing in intimacy with God ~Welcoming and yielding to the Holy Spirit's direction ~Listening for the conviction and nudging of the Holy Spirit in our lives ~The Holy Spirit as the author and illuminator of Scripture in our lives ~Giving the Holy Spirit material to work with by being in the Word ~What the meaning behind the Greek word translated "helper" shows us about the roles and desires of the Holy Spirit - how He champions, sustains, befriends, comforts, helps, supports, and strengthens us ~The dramatic change the Holy Spirit brought about in Peter's life ~How the Holy Spirit is so much better than self-help ~And more! For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

On today’s solo podcast episode, I am continuing the podcast series based on my book, Lies Moms Believe (And How the Gospel Refutes Them) with a chat all about what we are and are not responsible for as moms, the happiness of our children, what to do when we feel like life is passing us by, and help for our mothering journey.  I hope you walk away from today's conversation feeling encouraged. What I Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~The next 3 lies covered in my book: 18.  My Life is Passing Me By 19.  I am Responsible for My Child's Happiness 20.  I can't do This Whole "Mothering Thing" ~Biblical truth and encouragement for when you feel like your life is passing you by ~The hard transition we go through when we become moms ~When you want more out of life beyond motherhood ~The reality that "the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world" ~Living out God's purpose for our lives; the abundance this brings ~What our God-given responsibilities are and are not as mothers ~Hope and help for when you feel like you just can't mother another day ~And more!   For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

June Hunt is the founder of the ministry Hope for the Heart and its new off-shoot course, Lifeline to Hope. Both ministries are dedicated to equipping believers to form a thoroughly robust and Biblical worldview on a whole host of topics including finances, mental health, suicide, depression and anxiety, relational issues, health, and so much more. In addition, June works diligently to equip lay people to be counselors to their brothers and sisters in Christ. May you walk away from this episode feeling encouraged and equipped!   What we Chat about in This Episode ~June’s ministry, Hope for the Heart, and newest project, LifeLine to Hope; what they’re all about and what led to June founding this ministries ~June’s challenging childhood and background that God was able to use to equip her for the work she does today ~Growing in Scriptural knowledge ~The importance of Christians going first and leading the charge when it comes to speaking out against and helping victims of issues such as domestic violence or sexual assault ~What Hope for the Heart stands for ~The importance of showing others just how relevant God’s Word is to each and every issue we might face ~Presenting God’s truth for today’s problems ~How to get involved and be trained as a lay counselor through LifeLine to Hope ~And more! For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

On today’s solo podcast episode, I am continuing the podcast series based on my book, Lies Moms Believe (And How the Gospel Refutes Them) with a chat all about bad days, sin struggles, messy houses...and the gospel! I hope you walk away from today's conversation feeling encouraged. What I Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~The next 3 lies covered in my book: 15. Motherhood has to be Hard (And Hard is Bad!) 16. I have to "Keep my Act Together" 17. I can't have a Clean House While Raising Children ~A robustly, thoroughly, Biblical and gospel-focused understanding of "hard"; how God uses the hard moments for our good ~Reframing our view of "hard" times in light of the good God can bring from them ~Gaining a decisive victory over the lies Satan uses to discourage us and bring us down ~The reality that motherhood is hard....but it's also good ~Why Satan tries to make us think we "have to keep our act together"; the pitfalls this leads to in the areas of friendship and community ~How "keeping our act together" leads to a weakening of our witness and a stunting of our growth ~How comparison, perfectionism, and a lack of vulnerability lead us to think we have to "keep our act together" ~How the gospel pertains to cleaning your house ~Having a balanced perspective of homemaking, understanding that we are called to steward our homes well, while also understanding that our homes will look lived in....and that's ok ~And more! For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Phylicia Masonheimer is a wife, mom of 3 littles, national bestselling author of Stop Calling Me Beautiful, speaker, podcaster, and blogger. She joins me on the Home and Hearth podcast for the third time, this time to chat all about Catholicism and how Protestants and Catholics ought to interact.    What we Chat about in This Episode ~The DM I received which led to this conversation ~Catholic theology 101 ~The beginning of the Catholic church; Peter as the first Pope ~How the legalization of Christianity by Constantine in the 300s affected and changed the church into an entity with political power; how this led to problems Luther later addressed ~The church split between the Eastern Orthodox church and the Western Roman Catholic church in 1066 ~What church history reveals about the Catholic church ~The oftentimes vitriolic discord between Catholics and Protestants today and what we should do about it ~The good (and not so good!) aspects of the Reformation ~Good that has come from the Catholic church ~The crucial importance about being honest about church history ~The Catholic church's own inside Reformation ~The importance of willingly calling sin sin - no matter what camp it is coming from ~Answering the question of whether or not there are Christians in the Catholic church ~The similarities and differences between the Catholic Church at the Council of Trent and the Catholic Church today; the implications of Vatican II in the 20th century ~How the nominal approach to Christianity which Catholics are accused of is also prevalent in the Protestant church, as well ~Similarities between certain issues in the Catholic church and certain of the same issues in the Protestant church ~How we as Protestants are too often guilty of misrepresenting what Catholics actually believe; the importance of basing our view of Catholicism on Catholic sources and resources themselves, rather than on mere hearsay ~The existence of bias in all of us ~The prejudice that can exist between Catholics and Protestants; how knowing actual church history can help us with this ~Being willing to be an honest critical thinker as opposed to running to the traps of legalism and extremism ~Our call to do good works as the hands and feet of Christ ~Being very careful what we do and do not label as a cult ~Being willing to be slow to speak, quick to listen, and quick to understand; the huge impact this can have on our interactions with people we do disagree with ~The existence of variations of belief among Catholics, just as there are among Protestants ~Bringing down straw man arguments ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

On today’s solo podcast episode, I am continuing the podcast series based on my book, Lies Moms Believe (And How the Gospel Refutes Them) with a chat all about the concept of "me-time" from a biblical perspective. What I Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~The next 2 lies covered in my book: 13. I'm Selfish if I have any "me-time". 14. I need a lot of "me-time". ~How Jesus' own example refutes both of these lies ~The reality that Jesus did not meet every need, answer every question, or heal every infirmity; in several instances He sent away the multitudes in order to spend time alone with the Father; the implications of this example for us as busy moms ~Practical ways to make me-time a reality in your life ~The importance of looking to the Lord and the living water He offers for true, lasting refreshment, as opposed to always looking to the non-lasting refreshment other pursuits bring ~Balance in all things; enjoying the good gifts the Father gives (gifts of alone time, good coffee, a favorite show, etc.) while all the while keeping first things first and ultimately finding our strength in and allegiance to Christ ~How God, throughout Scripture, prioritizes and points to the importance of rest ~Reframing our view of our children, God, and our everyday circumstances in order to keep from thinking we need as much "me-time" as we can possibly get ~God's Word specifically, and our relationship with the Lord in general, being what equips us for the long days of mothering ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Bethany Beal is a wife, mom, author, speaker, YouTuber, and podcaster, with a passion to reach out to women with truth and encouragement for their walk with Christ. She runs the ministry Girl Defined with her sister, Kristen Clark, and comes back on the show today to talk about their newest book, a devotional entitled Shine Bright: 60 Days to Becoming a Girl Defined by God  and to encourage us with the truth of how God's Word comforts us in the hard times.   What We Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~Bethany and Kristen's new devotional book, Shine Bright: 60 Days to Becoming a Girl Defined by God   what readers can expect, and what led them to write it ~How this devotional book differs from many others on the market today ~Topics and themes covered in the book ~The importance of context, and how this devotional book seeks to honor that ~How God's Word equips and strengthens us for the hard seasons of life; how this has been true in Bethany and Kristen's lives and how this is currently proving true in my own life right now ~The importance of looking to the Word first for answers and encouragement when going through a hard time ~Developing a plan for a daily quiet time ~Getting to know God for who He truly is, and not just what people say about Him; the way this safeguards us against so many of the issues of deconstruction in our day ~The huge importance of taking charge of your own walk with the Lord rather than relying on other people to do the work for you ~The freedom found in making much of Christ and less of us ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

On today's solo podcast episode, I am continuing the podcast series based on my book, Lies Moms Believe (And How the Gospel Refutes Them) with a chat all about what the good news of the gospel has to say for us when we feel like bad moms whose children would be better off with someone else. I hope you walk away from today's show feeling encouraged! What I Chat about in Today's Episode: ~The next 2 lies covered in my book: 11. My children would be better off having a different mom. 12. I am a bad mom. ~How the gospel refutes these lies ~My own personal experience with these lies ~What lie #11 reveals about our view of God and His soverignty ~Understanding that you are the best mom for your kids ~The reminder that there is none righteous and therefore aren't "perfect" moms floating around somewhere ~The reality that God is still in the redemption business and so can bring good out of any parenting mishap ~Understanding our identity in Christ; what it is and what it is not ~And more! For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Jess Connolly is a church planter’s wife, mom of 4, ministry leader, author, speaker, and a woman determined to encourage and inspire fellow women through the truths of God’s Word. I know you will be encouraged by what she has to share today! She joins me on the podcast today for the second time, this time to talk about her newest books, You are the Girl for the Job and Glory Girl. She also shares a bit about her book releasing next month that is all about a gospel-centered perspective on body image. You will walk away from this chat knowing that the God Who calls you is the God Who will equip you.   What We Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~Jess' book You are the Girl for the Job, what readers can expect from it, and what led Jess to write it ~Refusing to allow our insecurities to keep us from what God is wanting to do in our lives or cause us to miss out on how He is wanting us to live in light of the kingdom ~How insecurity is actually a form of pride and idol-worship ~Why we need to take ourselves out of the running of trying to be the hero of our stories; remembering it's not all on us - it's on Him ~Battling the idea that it is somehow automatically arrogant or prideful to actually use the gifts God has given you ~A message of Biblical encouragement for any woman who thinks her God-given call in this life is too small or seemingly mundane ~The seemingly mundane aspects of Jesus' earthly ministry and the encouragement we can glean from His example ~Jess' advice for any woman who is feeling called by God in a certain direction but wondering what her next steps should be ~Jess' new book, Glory Girl: Daring to Believe in Your Passion and God’s Purpose; what readers can expect and what led her to write it ~Jess' upcoming new book on body image, Breaking Free from Body Shame, what readers can expect, and what led her to write it; the applicability of the gospel to body image issues ~The danger the church falls into when trying to co-opt what the world teaches and try to apply it to our Christian lives ~And more! For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

On today's solo podcast episode, I am continuing the podcast series based on my book, Lies Moms Believe (And How the Gospel Refutes Them) with a chat all about perfectionism, being enough, doing it all - and what the Gospel has to say about all that! What I Chat about in Today's Episode: ~The next 3 lies covered in my book: 8. I have to be a perfect mom. 9. I have to do it all. 10. I am enough. ~How perfectionism as a goal flies in the face of the gospel ~The reality that the Lord never called us to be perfect moms, but instead called us to point our children to a perfect Savior; how this is done so well and so clearly in our worst of moments ~How our goal of being perfect distorts our children's understanding of the gospel ~The family line of Christ and what it reveals about the Lord working through imperfect people ~The reminder that Christ is still in the redemption business ~Why believing that we have to "do it all" is leading to our having a Savior complex and putting ourselves in the place of God - the only One who is truly omnipotent and omnipresent ~The enemy's clever ploy to get us to misplace our priorities ~The Proverbs 31 woman and the reality that even she didn't "do it all" ~Jesus and His example of not "doing it all" ~The story of Mary and Martha and what their example has to say to busy mamas ~Why I will never tell a fellow mom that she "is enough" ~How "I am enough" deprives us as moms of what can be our true source of supernatural strength ~The reality that "I am enough" is a mantra that flies in the face of the gospel ~The way that Christians believing that they are "enough" ends up telling the watching world that we have nothing special to offer ~Why our realizing that we are not enough on our own can actually be one of the most helpful and thoroughly encouraging things for us to remember ~Christ's strength being made perfect in our weakness ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Kat Armstrong has been emboldening women to be all-in for Jesus for twenty years as a speaker, Bible teacher, author, and podcast host. She is the author of No More Holding Back and The In-Between Place. As cofounder of The Polished Network, a nonprofit connecting and gathering working women to navigate career and explore faith, her mission is to create holy curiosity. Kat holds a master of christian education from Dallas Theological Seminary. She and her husband, Aaron, have been married for eighteen years, and live in Dallas, Texas, with their son, Caleb. They attend Dallas Bible Church, where Aaron serves as the lead pastor.  She comes back on the show today to talk about her new book, The In-Between Place: Where Jesus Changes Your Story.         What We Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~What led Kat to write her newest book, , and what readers can expect ~Developing a "holy curiosity" about God's Word and how the Holy Spirit teaches us more about the Word than we know already ~How God redeems our in-between spaces into hope-filled places ~The woman at the well's story in John 4 ~The fact that every step of your journey has purpose ~The eye-opening connections between Dinah's story in Genesis 34 and the woman at the well's story in John 4; what these connections reveal about the character of God ~Myths surrounding the woman at the well, and what, culturally and historically, is more likely to have been the truth about her and her actions ~The different outcomes in the stories of Dinah and the woman at the well, and why that is so important to grasp ~How different Jesus was from the majority of men in that patriarchal culture of the day ~Jesus' tender, compassionate care for His daughters ~The most life-changing moments with the Lord being those moments in our in-between places in life ~What the woman at the well's story shows us about the insufficiency of the self-care and self-help culture ~Jesus' sufficiency to meet all our needs ~The importance of believing we belong because Christ says we do; how to actually start believing who He says we are ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Emilie Cubino is a wife, mom, graduate student, business owner, and writer who is passionate about church history. Today she comes back on the show to continue our conversation about early church mothers (whom many of us probably don't know anything about, but should!). I hope you come away from this episode encouraged and inspired by these examples of women who did amazing things for the sake of Christ and the wellbeing of the early church!     What We Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~Saint Marcella and her impact on the early church; her amazing strength in the face of adversity ~The importance of asking ourselves if we would be willing to stand up for truth as the early church mothers did ~Meditating on the question of whether or not we are willing not only to die for our faith, but to actually live for it ~Melania the Elder and her impact on the early church; her faithfulness in the midst of seemingly mundane moments ~The beautiful uniqueness and difference seen among the women in early church history; the beautiful implications of this for us today ~Our ability to be strong in Christ, regardless of each of our individual personalities ~Living lives of faith and cultivating faithfulness right where we have been placed by God - even if that looks like working in the background or doing the same thing every single day ~And more! For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

On today's solo podcast episode, I am continuing the podcast series based on my book, Lies Moms Believe (And How the Gospel Refutes Them) with a chat all about the importance of theology in the life of a mother, mommy guilt and how the gospel does away with it, and more! What I Chat about in Today's Episode: ~The next 3 lies covered in my book: 5. Mommy guilt is just something I have to deal with. 6. It's wrong for me to go to God again and again after I fail. 7. Theology isn't for moms. ~The reality that there is no place for guilt in the life of the Christian; all guilt having been nailed to the cross once and forever ~The truth that the Lord knows we are but dust and therefore is not surprised or disappointed when we fall again and again ~The Lord's desire for us to come to Him when we do fall ~The difference between conviction (which comes from the Holy Spirit) and condemnation, shame, and guilt (which come from the enemy) ~Conviction and how it drives us to repent and draw near to God in freedom, while condemnation drives us away from God and causes us to hide in guilt, shame, and condemnation ~God's desire for us to have a heart of repentance, while at the same time knowing that we have already been forgiven for all time and already perfected in His eyes ~The existence of the mommy wars and how, often, the mommy guilt we face isn't even a result of us not measuring up to an actual standard of God, but rather to an arbitrary standard of man; the needlessness of this guilt ~The important and crucial part theology plays in the life of the mom ~The Bible as our instruction manual for parenting; how we are ill-equipped for the good work of mothering if we are not in the Word on a regular basis ~Resources, tips, and ideas for the busy mama who wants to grow in her understanding of God's Word and increase her time in it ~Romans 7-8 and the encouragement Paul's testimony brings us when we struggle with sin ~The order of events in Deuteronomy 6:6-7, and their implications for moms ~And more! For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Emilie Cubino is a wife, mom, graduate student, business owner, and writer who is passionate about church history. Today she comes on the show to introduce us to early church mothers whom many of us probably don't know anything about, but should! I hope you come away from this episode encouraged and inspired by these examples of women who did amazing things for the sake of Christ and the wellbeing of the early church!     What We Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~Legalistic views of women and what the Word actually shows about their contribution to the early church ~Thecla and her contribution to the early church ~Perpetua and her contribution to the early church ~The strength of women ~Amma Syncletica (whose biography was written by Athanasius!) and her contribution to the early church ~How history shows that, prior to the Protestant Reformation, there were no other denominations and all Christians were Catholics ~Mecrina the Younger, her brothers St. Gregory of Nyssa and St. Basil the Great, and their impact on the early church ~The concept of asceticism ~How we need to be careful to not unfairly judge our early church mothers who did things differently than we might now ~St. Paula and her impact on the early church, the direct influence she had on translating the Scripture into the Latin Vulgate alongside St. Jerome ~The huge importance of studying history, especially church history; the impact that has on our faith ~And more!   For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

 On today's solo podcast episode, I am kicking off a series based on my book, Lies Moms Believe (And How the Gospel Refutes Them) with a foundational chat on motherhood, what a woman's highest calling is, and finding our identity in Christ. What I Chat about in Today's Episode: ~The first 4 lies covered in my book: Motherhood is a woman's highest calling. Mothering is unimportant work. I'm to find my identity in motherhood. I'm to find my ultimate fulfillment in motherhood. ~What God's Word shows is a woman's true ultimate highest calling ~The importance of motherhood ~What makes motherhood so impactful: its being an outworking of our call to be Great Commission workers ~The actual definition of the word "mundane" and why no aspect of the daily work we do as moms can accurately be deemed "mundane" ~Where we are and are not to find and base our identity ~Making motherhood into an idol ~Why motherhood was never meant to be where we find our ultimate fulfillment ~And more! For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Amber Durgan is a wife, mama of two, blogger, and co-author author of two books. Her heart is for encouraging and equipping women to build deeper relationships with Christ. Today she comes on the show to talk about her experience of battling an eating disorder and offers gospel truth and encouragement for anyone going through the same thing.     What We Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~Amber's own experience of battling an eating disorder ~What led to her finding help, healing and freedom ~Advice and encouragement for anyone who knows someone battling an eating disorder ~Advice and encouragement for anyone battling an eating disorder ~What to do and not do when dealing with someone who has an eating disorder ~Why the church needs to speak up more about our bodies and how to view them ~The problem with trying to fix people ~What life is like for Amber now in terms of eating disorders ~Eating disorder stats ~How so much of this issue comes down to where we are basing our identity ~Advice for parents ~The importance of focusing on Christ ~And more! For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

On today's solo podcast episode, I am taking to the show to talk all about the common idea that only men are created by God to be financial providers. We're going to allow Scripture to interpret Scripture as we do a survey of God's Word to discover God's true design for men and women and to see what He has to say about women working to provide for their families, as well as the call to manage our homes well.  What I Chat about in Today's Episode: ~The difference between merely appreciating a God-given gift (such as our husbands providing financially for us) and making that gift into the very foundation for our understanding of the roles men and women are to take  ~God's design for men and women at the very beginning and how both men and women are tasked with the responsibility to work ~Answering the most common objections to the idea that it is not only men who are called to provide - the first being that Titus 2:5 somehow says women cannot be providers but instead always remain at home, and the second being that 1 Timothy 5:8 says that only men are to provide ~How the context of 1 Timothy 5 shows that women are called to financially provide, as well ~Specific examples of women in the Word working to provide financially for their families and others - namely, Ruth, Lydia, the Proverbs 31 woman, the women of Luke 8:3, the women in 1 Timothy 5 ~The reality that both men and women are tasked with the responsibility to manage their homes well ~And more! For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Bethany Beal is a wife, mom, author, speaker, YouTuber, and podcaster, with a passion to reach out to women with truth and encouragement for their walk with Christ. She runs the ministry Girl Defined with her sister, Kristen Clark, and comes on the show today to talk about myths and stereotypes surrounding Biblical womanhood.     What We Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~The faith-builder it has been for Bethany and Kristen to see God begin and grow their ministry ~What led Bethany and Kristen to have the passion they have which led to their being inspired to begin GirlDefined Ministries ~Some of the most prevalent lies, myths, and stereotypes about womanhood that girls and women are battling in the culture right now ~Sex and the Christian woman ~The ploy of Satan to keep our sins and struggle in the dark; the healing and growth which comes from them instead being brought into the light ~Steps to take and what to do if you are battling sexual sin or struggles ~The importance of having a mentor ~Some of the dangerous myths and stereotypes in the church regarding Biblical womanhood and the Christian walk ~The importance of waking by the Spirit in those areas where God does not outline specific black and white, hard and fast rules and standards ~Why the idea that marriage and motherhood are a woman's highest calling are actual harmful to women and to the kingdom at large ~Lessons Bethany learned during her season of singleness ~How knowing the attributes of God leads to our being able to trust in God ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

 On today's solo podcast episode, I am taking to the show to talk all about New Year's resolutions, goals, walking by the Spirit, and holding fast to the gospel in the midst of it all. What I Chat about in Today's Episode: ~Why so many of our resolutions "fail" and why wrong theology is shooting us in the foot here ~The impact of the gospel on our guilt surrounding "failing" in our resolutions and goals ~The important first steps to take when drafting up your resolutions and goals for the year ~The importance of walking by the Spirit in the everyday moments of our lives, not even just in the big-picture times of planning for a whole year ~Our identity and why it does not come from what we accomplish ~Willingly changing course when God calls us to ~The importance of redeeming the time well - regardless of whether or not we have already "failed" in our resolutions ~Understanding that looking to yourself for the strength required to fulfill your resolutions is not enough ~And more! For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Karen Stiller is a minister's wife, mom, writer, editor, and author of the new book, "The Minister's Wife: A Memoir of Faith, Doubt, Friendship, Loneliness, Forgiveness, and More". She comes on the show today to give us a glimpse into what it's like to be a pastor's wife and provides us with advice and ideas for how we can be a blessing to our own pastor's wife.     What We Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~Karen's new book, The Minister's Wife: A Memoir of Faith, Doubt, Friendship, Loneliness, Forgiveness, and More, what led her to write it, and what readers can expect ~Karen's book as a love letter to the church ~Karen's passion to really show up for her congregation; choosing to belong to your community, and the impact that that "holy habit" has upon your faith ~The trap of perfectionism and how lonely it makes your life; the adverse impact it has on your Christian walk ~Karen's own struggles with doubt and what that is like as a minister's wife; how bringing our doubt into the light can actually deepen our faith ~The ministry of admitting you don't have it all together ~Some of the hardest aspects of being a minister's wife ~How God calls the whole family to something when He calls one member of the family to it; the challenge that can be; Karen's encouragement for those situations ~How sharing our stories can help each other remember God's faithfulness ~What our pastor's wife needs the most from us as laymen in the congregation ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

On today's solo podcast episode, I am taking to the show to share about the importance of cultivating a truly Spirit-led holiday season and how we can go about doing so. My prayer is that you would walk away from today's talk feeling inspired and equipped to really live out the fruits of the Spirit this Christmas! What She Chats about in Today's Episode: ~The importance of walking by the Spirit during the holiday season, and listening to the Lord rather than man ~Three steps for walking by the Spirit this Christmas: *Pray *Be in the Word *Pray some more! ~Creative and yet practical tips and ideas for how to prioritize those things which make Christmas special for your own unique family, while at the same time saying "no" to the hurry and stress; really soaking up the beauty of this season ~The crucial importance of showing your friends and family Christ-like love this Christmas - whether you see eye-to-eye with them or not: 7 tips for how to do so: *1. Assume the Biblical Position (and, no, I don’t mean the republican or pro-life position; I mean James 1:19-20). *2. Assume the best about the other person. *3. Speak with love. *4. Focus on what does unify you. *5. Understand what the holiday is and is not for. *6. Understand that it is humility, love, and kindness that changes hearts and inspires repentance – not your beating someone over the head with truth. *7. Seek to understand where the other person is coming from, and be teachable. ~How to take your eyes of Pinterest (if it's not serving you well!) and plan for a truly lovely holiday season ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Karen Ehman is a wife, mom, best-selling author, and speaker with Proverbs 31 Ministries. Her 15th book, Reach Out, Gather In,  just released, so today that is what we are going to be talking about as Karen encourages us to live a life of welcome and hospitality.     What We Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~What led Karen to write this new devotional handbook and what readers can expect ~The difference between cultural entertaining and biblical hospitality ~What it means to live a life of welcome and take hospitality with you wherever you go; how this kind of lifestyle builds the kingdom and was even used to bring Karen into the kingdom ~Providing a place of belonging for others ~Practical first steps for how to get started getting to know your neighbors in order to build a relationship with them and share the gospel ~What a "heart drop" is, and how to listen for one ~Noticing the necessary people - your garbage man, mailman, etc., and blessing them ~The folly of thinking we don't have time to love and serve others; operating out of a sense of right and biblical priorities ~The call to put down our phones and start pouring into our real lives ~Using the holiday season as an excuse to make others' lives better ~Ministering to your "old self" - someone who is in a same hard season that you once were in ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Rebekah Hargraves is the host of the Home and Hearth Podcast, which, up until recently, has always been mostly an interview-style podcast. Now, however, she is branching out into recording the eleventh of her solo podcasts to talk about a Christian response to this year's election results. Don't let the title fool you - listen in to today's show for a most timely chat! What She Chats about in Today's Episode: ~The 5 things Christians must remember and live out both now, when things are up in the air as to who the winner of the election is, as well as over the next four years, regardless of the outcome of the election: Stand Up for What is Right and Just Trust God Armor Up Live at Peace Have a Big Picture Perspective ~Two amazing opportunities we as believers have right now:  the opportunity to  present the watching world with what it means to be unified as the body of Christ in love and grace and the opportunity to show what a firm foundation our faith actually has, a firm foundation that does not falter, even in years like this one ~And more! For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Amber Durgan and Rebekah Hargraves are joining forces on the show today to talk all about their new book releasing December 1, "Friendship Matters: Cultivating Meaningful Connections in an Isolated World." They also answer in a series of questions sent in by readers and listeners on the topic of friendship.   What We Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~Answering the following questions that were sent in: *"What do I do if someone wants to be closer friends with me than I want to be with them?" *"How does personality play into friendship?" *"I have a friendship that is consistently draining. What should I do?" *"Should we be closer to our Christian friends than we are to our non-Christian friends?" *"My friend has recently made a decision I don't agree with. What should I do?" *"Do you have any suggestions for maintaining long-distance friendships?" *"What do I do if I have a friend with a different worldview than mine? Is that ok?" *"How can I share the gospel without being 'preachy' about it?" ~The difference between being friends *with* everyone and being friendly *to* everyone; which we are actually called to ~What to expect from the book, topics we cover, etc. ~The importance of having already developed a certain depth of friendship before "going there" and addressing hard and personal topics ~The Matthew 18 Method blueprint for how to address hard situations with your friends ~The importance of asking ourselves how we are presenting the gospel to the people in our lives. ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Rebekah Hargraves is the host of the Home and Hearth Podcast, which, up until recently, has always been mostly an interview-style podcast. Now, however, she is branching out into recording the tenth of her solo podcasts to  piggy-back a bit off the topic of her last few solo shows, which have been on the topic of Biblical womanhood. Today she comes on the show to do a deep dive of 1 Timothy 2:11-15 in the hopes that what she shares today will help equip you to better understand this oftentimes confusing passage. What She Chats about in Today's Episode: ~The cultural, historical, and biblical context of 1 Timothy 2:11-15 ~What the whole canon of Scripture has to say about women teaching men ~Answering the claim that women are more easily deceived ~The problem in Corinth of women being uneducated, and how Paul sought to do away with this problem ~Understanding 1 Corinthians 14 and 1 Timothy 2 in light of 1 Corinthians 11 ~What 1 Corinthians 14 has to say that sheds a light on 1 Timothy 2 ~The problem of chaos in the churches ~The importance of allowing Scripture to interpret Scripture (and allowing Paul to interpret Paul!) ~The interesting Greek word translated "authority" in this passage, and why it's important to understand ~Shedding light on the "saved in childbirth" claim in verse 15 ~Recommended resources for further study ~And more! For full show notes, head to hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Blake Guichet is a wife, girl mom, writer, and host of The Crappy Christian Podcast. She recently took to Instagram to address the topics of Jesus, niceness, and kindness. As soon as I heard what she had to say on those issues, I knew I had to have her on the show! So, today, we are answering the question, "Was Jesus Nice?" and diving into the implications of the answer to that question on our everyday lives as Christ's ambassadors! We hope you'll walk away from this episode feeling better equipped to interact with others the way Christ would.     What We Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~Answering the questions "Was Jesus Nice?" and "Are we as believers called to be nice?" ~The difference between being kind and being nice ~Jesus' example of speaking hard truths in love, from a heart of kindness, but not always from a place of niceness ~Jesus' interactions with the Pharisees ~The difference between peacemaking and peacekeeping, and what we are called to as believers; the biblical definition of peace versus the culture's definition of peace ~Relational currency and getting to the place of being able to have hard conversations with people ~Calling out vs. calling up ~The importance of truth in love and the problem with missing either one of these important characteristics ~The difference between a biblical definition of kindness and a cultural one ~How speaking truth leads to peace ~Being willing to go to bat for the gospel ~Different personalities and how they are each uniquely equipped to build the kingdom in different ways ~Strong, aggressive terminology used throughout Scripture telling us to contend for the faith, give a defense, be strong in the face of spiritual warfare, and be equipped to stand firm ~Practical first steps for those who don't know where to start when it comes to being truly loving and kind as opposed to merely nice ~The importance of not becoming Jesus jerks or Bible bullies ~And more! For full shownotes, head to hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Rebekah Hargraves is the host of the Home and Hearth Podcast, which, up until recently, has always been mostly an interview-style podcast. Now, however, she is branching out into recording the ninth of her solo podcasts to  piggy-back a bit off the topic of her last few solo shows, which have been on the topic of Biblical womanhood. Today she comes on the show to do a survey of the Scriptures to see what God's Word has to say about women and leadership.  What She Chats about in Today's Episode: ~The reality that both men and women were given leadership responsibilities (i.e. subdue, have dominion, etc.) by God at the beginning of time ~Specific examples of women throughout Scripture being given leadership roles by God (namely, Deborah, Huldah, Priscilla, the Proverbs 31 woman, Titus 2 women, and so on) ~What the Bible actually has to say about the leadership of Deborah ~Answering those who would take Isaiah 3:12 out of context to defend the idea that female leaders are a curse ~Answering the question "Was Deborah's leadership a blight on Israel's leadership?", as some wrongly believe it was ~The "blessed alliance" and partnership between Deborah and Barak; how this beautifully illustrates how God created men and women to be partners in life ~The importance of allowing Scripture to speak for and interpret itself rather than our trying to force it into our own man-made boxes ~The problematic results which come from our taking gender stereotypes and differences too far ~The power of influence and leadership that women already automatically carry with them and the importance of asking yourself what kind of leader you will be ~Prophetesses in the Word including Joel's daughters, Phillip's daughters, Anna, Deborah, Huldah, and Miriam ~And more! For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Heather Johnson is a wife, mama, writer, speaker, and podcaster who is passionate about encouraging women with the truth of how the Lord can bring beauty from ashes. She joins me on the podcast to share her story of going through abuse, broken relationships, divorce, single parenting, and now a sweet new marriage and brand new son.   We pray you will walk away encouraged by today's show to believe in the Lord's great redemption power!     What She Chats about in Today’s Episode: ~The hardships Heather has faced over the years ~Going through life as a people-pleaser and what looking to others for love and acceptance led to in Heather's life ~Heather's abusive marriage, divorce, and subsequent 5 years of single parenting ~The waiting period that often has to be gone through before we are able to rise up out of the ashes ~The problem with codependency, and the importance of boundaries ~How Heather was able to finally come to see that the love and fulfillment she had been looking for were only able to be found in Christ ~Coming to see the truths of God's grace as true for us, too, and not just other people ~How the Lord met Heather in the midst of 5 years of single parenting; how the body of Christ showed up for her ~Truth to free you from people-pleasing ~The problem of feeling you have to justify yourself to other people ~The beautiful story of how God brought Heather to where she is today, with a new husband and new baby boy ~Words of encouragement for those who are still in that waiting period for God to finally bring beauty from ashes ~The importance of giving yourself space and time to grieve ~And more! Head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast for full show notes!

Rebekah Hargraves is the host of the Home and Hearth Podcast, which, up until recently, has always been mostly an interview-style podcast. Now, however, she is branching out into recording the eighth of her solo podcasts to  piggy-back a bit off the topic of her last solo podcast on the topic of God's beautiful "ezer" design for women, to show many examples of women living out this very design as they partnered together with both Jesus and Paul in their earthly ministries. What She Chats about in Today's Episode: ~A NT survey of how women lived as ezers alongside both Jesus and Paul ~The patriarchal myth that women are to be on the sidelines while the Great Commission is being lived out; the problem with gendering this command ~What the Bible shows us about women providing financially for Jesus' ministry ~The many cases in the Gospels of women being actively involved in Jesus' earthly ministry ~The love, compassion, respect, concern, and care Jesus regularly showed to women ~The women at Calvary and at the tomb ~The woman at the well, the first evangelist ~Mary, a student at Jesus' feet right alongside the men; Jesus' welcoming of her to that sacred place; the anti-patriarchal message behind the story of Mary and Martha ~The involvement of women in the ministry of Paul ~The women (namely Phoebe, Priscilla, Mary, Junia, Tryphena and Tryphosa, and Julia) Paul praises in Romans 16 for their involvement in his ministry, and what we can learn from what he says about each one ~Luke's words about Lydia, the first convert in Europe and the woman in whose home the church at Philippi met ~The women of Luke 8 ~Paul and Luke's praising of Priscilla and the work she did  ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Kristen LaValley is a wife, business owner, mom of 3, and writer who is passionate about the gospel and living life in light of it. She comes on the show today to help dispel some of the myths and obsessions these days surrounding conspiracy theories and equips us to reframe our approach to them in light of the good news of the gospel.  We pray you will walk away encouraged by today's show!     What She Chats about in Today’s Episode: ~Kristen's new book, No Fruitless Words: Reframing the Pursuit of Knowledge Around the Gospel, what led her to write it, and what readers can expect ~The onslaught of conspiracy theories, especially this year ~What God has been teaching Kristen about "no fruitless words" ~Defining "conspiracy theory" ~A Biblical response to conspiracy theories; what Christians are called to do with them ~How the gospel helps us to deal with these theories which can be very fear-inducing ~Jesus' example of how to respond to hard things ~The Christian call to be the hands and feet of Christ, to be salt and light; how that corresponds to what we should do if the conspiracy theories are true ~Striking a balance between an unhealthy addiction to knowledge and learning more about conspiracy theories and our call to bring God's light and truth into the world and into areas of evil ~The ways in which Scripture is being taken out of context in this conspiracy theory age ~The big difference between just posting something on social media and actually calling out darkness ~The importance of being equipped beforehand to bring light into darkness; the heaviness of this task ~The legalism bandwagon running rampant on social media today which tells you *precisely* how a believer is "supposed to" respond to the issues of the day; the importance instead of each of us as individuals walking by the Spirit ~The wisdom found in being slow to speak and to wait on the Lord for direction rather than rushing to respond to the issues of the day as quickly as possible ~How the pursuit of knowledge in 2020 can choke out the hope of the gospel in our minds ~The idol of pursuing knowledge outside of God; the problem this led to for Eve ~The problem with pursuing knowledge outside of God and neglecting true communion with God ~How we can pursue and prioritize communion with God in the midst of a year like 2020 ~Communion with God as the only thing that will actually equip us to fight darkness ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Rebekah Hargraves is the host of the Home and Hearth Podcast, which, up until recently, has always been mostly an interview-style podcast. Now, however, she is branching out into recording the seventh of her solo podcasts to talk today on the topic of God's beautiful "ezer" design for women and its implications for our understanding of Biblical womanhood.  What She Chats about in Today's Episode: ~The full definition of the Hebrew word "ezer" translated as "helper" in Genesis 2:18 ~A survey of the OT Scriptures to discover the 21 times this word is used ~The definition of the Hebrew word "azer", the root word behind "ezer" ~A survey of the OT Scriptures to discover how "azer" is used; its full definition and meaning in the Word; what this all reveals to us about God's design for women and their God-given roles and responsibilities to come alongside men, partnering with them to subdue and take dominion ~The problem with both the "I am woman, hear me roar" concept as well as the "Women are subordinate to men" concept ~The wrong understanding of the word "helper" or "helpmeet" that we can come to if we follow the culture's teachings rather than the reality of the Hebrew meaning behind that word ~The warrior-nature of ezers; the way in which this Hebrew word is also used to refer to the mighty men of valor who fought in Israel's army ~3 characteristics of a Biblical helper: *Being a helper is a position of great strength and valor (see Joshua 1:14, 10:, 1 Chronicles 5:20, 12:1, 21) *Being a helper is a position of ministry and edification (1 Kings 14:26, 1 Chronicles 12:18, Job 29:12, Psalm 28:7, Psalm 37:40, Psalm 79:9, Isaiah 41:10) *The New Testament position of Helper is what actually grows and sustains the church (see the Holy Spirit's role described in John 14:16, 26; 15:26, 16:7, 1 John 2:1) ~What the context of Genesis 2:18 (i.e. Genesis 1:27-28) reveals to us as to the mission and tasks associated with us being ezer helpers as women ~How the "ezer" role coincides with Paul's admonition to women to be "managers" and "guardians" of their homes and families  ~The Victorian (not Biblical) idea that there are to be separate spheres for the sexes ~God's 'ezer' design for women as a design that all women everywhere can live out, whether they are married or single, childless or running a house full of children, young or old ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Kat Armstrong has been emboldening women to be all-in for Jesus for twenty years as a speaker, Bible teacher, author, and podcast host. She is the author of No More Holding Back and The In-Between Place. As cofounder of The Polished Network, a nonprofit connecting and gathering working women to navigate career and explore faith, her mission is to create holy curiosity. Kat holds a master of christian education from Dallas Theological Seminary. She and her husband, Aaron, have been married for eighteen years, and live in Dallas, Texas, with their son, Caleb. They attend Dallas Bible Church, where Aaron serves as the lead pastor.  She comes on the show today to dispel some of the myths and stereotypes surrounding the topic of "Biblical womanhood" and to open our eyes to the beautiful design for men and women that is found in God's Word.  We pray you will walk away encouraged by today's show!     What She Chats about in Today’s Episode: ~Kat's book, No More Holding Back: Emboldening Women to Move Past Barriers, See Their Worth, and Serve God Everywhere , what led her to write it, and what readers can expect ~Kat's own journey through legalism and wrong stereotypes surrounding the topic of "Biblical womanhood" ~The implications of the greatest commandment on our views of men and women and their roles; the common, perhaps subconscious, assumption that loving God with your heart and soul is women's work and loving God with your mind and strength is men's work; the problem with gendering this great commandment ~Addressing the common myths that say marriage is to be our greatest joy and motherhood is to be our highest calling; the idolization and other problems these lies lead to ~The fruits of the Spirit as being our litmus test for whether or not we are living as Christ has called us to ~The ways in which Christ called, commissioned, and equipped women and how Paul praises them for partnering with him in the early church ~Asking ourselves the question: Would I allow women to take on the roles today that Jesus and Paul allowed them to take on in the early church to advance the gospel or would that go against my belief system on "Biblical womanhood"? ~Wrong views of "male leadership" and what we actually see in the Word ~The examples of Phoebe, Priscilla, Lydia, and others ~Roman household codes in the 1st century and how Paul's and Jesus' teachings in the NT reveal the revolutionary nature of the ways of Jesus and Paul said relationships should work in Christian families ~Mutual submission between all Christ-followers, one to another ~What knowing the Greek of Ephesians 5 reveals about Paul's actual teachings on submission ~The importance of knowing the cultural and historical context of the Scriptures ~Jesus' breaking down of gender barriers as shown in the book of John ~And more! For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Rebekah Hargraves is the host of the Home and Hearth Podcast, which, up until recently, has always been mostly an interview-style podcast. Now, however, she is branching out into recording the sixth of her solo podcasts to talk today on the topic of the most important thing for Christians to remember this election year.  What She Chats about in Today's Episode: ~A post ("The Most Important Thing for Christians to Remember This Election Year") she wrote back in 2016 during the last presidential election ~What our name-calling, personal attacks, hand-wringing, and political anxiety reveal about our hearts and the true condition of our faith ~The emphasis we as believers are too often placing on debate over love; how this is very different from the call we are given in the Word ~A survey of Scripture to see what our ultimate call is and what the most important thing is for us to remember and live out this election year ~How our love for America is crowding out the most important thing - love for God and love for others  ~The reality that our ultimate goal is not first and foremost to 'save America', but to fulfill the Great Commission; that our ultimate goal is not to make patriotic Americans, but to make disciples of Christ ~The way our lambasting our fellow believers in Christ over political differences is hindering our witness and our ability to live out the Great Commission ~It being love - and not being our political viewpoints-  that proves we are Christ's disciples ~How Paul tells us that truth without love is worthless ~The sobering, convicting words spoken by Christ to the church at Ephesus in the book of Revelation and what His message to them says to us today ~How grace and truth, mercy and truth, love and truth, are always paired together in the Scriptures when describing the character of God - it is never one without the other - and neither should it be with us ~The importance of being slow to speak and quick to listen, seeking to understand where the other person is coming from ~The impossibility of our wrath, anger, and hatred ever producing the righteousness of Christ in the lives of others ~The politicide going around today emulated by a Twitter thread hoping for destruction to come to Trump voters; the importance of asking ourselves as conservative Christians if we are guilty of the same thing towards Biden voters ~And more! For full show notes head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Alisa Childers is a wife, mom, former Christian music artist through ZoeGirl, apologist, podcast host of The Alisa Childers Show, and author of the soon-to-release book, "Another Gospel?: A Life-Long Christian Seeks Truth in Response to Progressive Christianity". She comes on the show today to equip us as believers to be able to answer the claims thrown our way by progressive Christianity. What She Chats about in Today's Episode: ~Alisa's new book, her life story and experience with progressive Christian teachings which led her to write it, and what readers can expect ~The way progressive Christianity nearly wrecked Alisa's faith, but how God strengthened it in the process ~The reality that the claims of progressive Christianity are actually nothing new and have already been refuted by the early church fathers and others down through the ages by the tenets and truths of historic Christianity ~Proof and evidence for historic Christianity as opposed to progressive Christianity  ~How progressive Christianity is infiltrating the church; what is leading to this ~What progressive Christianity is and what some of its main tenets are ~Red flags and buzzwords to look out for which point to the presence of progressive Christian thought  ~The primary core doctrines of the faith that are called into question by progressive Christianity  ~Progressive Christianity's view of the Bible ~The direct correlation between the emergent church movement and progressive Christianity ~How to combat the claims of progressive Christians with truth, facts, and evidence; the importance of apologetics ~Recommended resources for growing in your understanding of apologetics ~Jesus' own teachings regarding the reliability and inspiration of the Old Testament Scriptures  ~Progressive Christianity's connection to relativism ~How to engage with progressive Christians and their claims ~The key question undergirding the progressive Christian movement - "Did God really say?" ~Striking a balance between a highly intellectual and strong faith and also actually living out your faith as the hands and feet of Christ; raising our kids with that balance ~The pull progressive Christianity has on those stuck in legalism ~The importance of being a safe place for those who are expressing doubt; the importance of being able to ask questions in order to grow deeper in our faith and truth ~Addressing the terms "deconstruction" and "reconstruction; the difference between an appropriate and Biblical deconstruction/reconstruction process and one that isn't ~Progressive Christianity's culture of doubt and addressing what your true motive is during seasons of doubt ~The reality that good works and acts of justice for the truly Biblical Christian is a result of their beliefs; how right doctrine leads to right action ~Engaging with progressive Christians with both truth and love; the importance of both ~The crucial importance of first knowing the character of God ~The impact on our children of our relationship with the Lord ~And more! For Full Shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Rebekah Hargraves is the host of the Home and Hearth Podcast, which, up until recently, has always been mostly an interview-style podcast. Now, however, she is branching out into recording the fifth of her solo podcasts to talk today on the topic of patriotism and the Christian. This is a timely topic given that we are in the midst of an emotionally-charged election year, so on today's show she chats a bit about nationalism, the nationalization of Christianity, and what a believer's role is regarding patriotism. What She Chats about in Today's Episode: ~The emotionally-charged election year we find ourselves in  ~What patriotism does and does not mean for us as Christians: *Patriotism and being patriotic do not mean that we never call out our nation's problems. (think of God's example with us and our example with our children where if we love someone, we will point out their shortcomings in an attempt to call them up to greatness) *Patriotism and being patriotic do mean that we want what is best for our country. And it is righteousness that exalts a nation. *Being patriotic does not mean we seek to set up a theocracy in America *Being patriotic does not mean that we can allow America or the preservation of America as we know it to become our idol ~The full meaning of the Hebrew word "tsedaqah" translated "righteousness" in Proverbs 14:34 ~Our call (Acts 5:29) to obey God rather than man, while also respecting His institution of government (Romans 13) ~The reality that this country is not our home and was never meant to feel like it; our identity as but pilgrims passing through  ~What we have seen around the world and down through history regarding the direct correlation between a loss of freedom and an increase in persecution and a subsequent increase in strong and deepened faith among believers ~Our roles as good citizens and the importance for each of us to individually walk by the Spirit  ~The importance of not binding the conscience of our fellow believers; giving the Holy Spirit room to work ~And more! For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Elizabeth Laing Thompson is a church-planting minister's wife, mom of four following a long season of infertility, and author of the new book, All the Feels: Discover Why Emotions Are (Mostly) Awesome and How to Untangle Them When They’re Not. She comes on the show today to talk all about emotions and feelings and how we can walk by the Spirit in the midst of them. What We Chat About in Today's Episode: ~Elizabeth's new book, what led her to write it, and what readers can expect ~Elizabeth's own experience and life story of being a big feeler ~Understanding a Biblical view of our feelings and how God views emotions; battling some of the myths and stereotypes surrounding emotions and feelings in Christian circles ~The problems that a legalistic view, rather than a Biblically balanced view, on emotions lead to  ~My own experiences as a big feeler also raising a big feeler ~Wisdom and advice for those who are parenting big feelers ~Emotional boundaries and striking the right balance between knowing we have a God-given personality that might lead to big feelings when the reality that that personality also cannot excuse away sinful behavior ~The impact of our minds and thoughts, especially on our feelings ~The practical nature of God's Word ~The problem big feelers have of crossing boundaries over into taking on other people's burdens as their own rather than bearing them together; how to be empathetic but not give over into debilitating co-dependence; striking that balance ~The power of prayer ~Making choices about how you feel rather than allowing your feelings to drive your life and make you into a martyr with a victim mentality; strategies for untangling those hard feelings ~Standing our deceptive feelings up to the truths of Scripture ~And more! For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Rebekah Hargraves is the host of the Home and Hearth Podcast, which, up until recently, has always been mostly an interview-style podcast. Now, however, she is branching out into recording the fourth of her solo podcasts to talk today on the topic of  what Biblical womanhood actually is. This is a topic Rebekah has written about extensively and shared about on other podcasts, as well, so she's excited to now be branching out into discussing it on her own podcast! What She Chats about in Today's Episode: ~Answering the question "What is Biblical womanhood?" as a kick-off of sorts to an entire series coming up soon ~How my own understanding of Biblical womanhood has changed over the years ~The extremes and main camps of thought surrounding the topic of Biblical womanhood ~The importance of solely using the Bible alone to define womanhood, rather than someone's teachings of the Bible, what someone's pastor says, or your own camp of thought ~The crucial importance of looking to the entire canon of Scripture rather than to just a few choice passages for our picture and understanding of what constitutes womanhood by God's design ~The rich, robust, beautiful picture of womanhood by God's design that we find in the Scriptures  ~The reality of womanhood by God's design applying to all women everywhere and being good news for all women everywhere; the understanding that if our own picture of womanhood does not/is not, then it is not Biblical ~Four truths about Biblical womanhood: *Biblical womanhood is womanhood as God designed it, Genesis-Revelation *Biblical womanhood is for every woman, applicable to every woman, and good news for every woman; it can look like being: -A wife, mother, and homemaker (Titus 2:3-5) -A leader like Deborah (Judges 4 & 5) -Working to provide financially for your family (the book of Ruth) -A Great Commission worker like Priscilla, proclaiming truth to her brothers-in-Christ (Acts 18:24-26, Romans 16) -Running a business like the Proverbs 31 woman and Lydia (Proverbs 31, Acts 16:14) -Being a servant (or deaconess) of the church like Phoebe (Romans 16:1-2) -Serving the poor and needy (Proverbs 31:20, Acts 9:36, 1 Timothy 5:9-10) *Biblical womanhood has been clearly defined by God and is to be embraced by us *Truly Biblical womanhood leaves room for different personalities, tastes, likes and dislikes, and the overarching crucially important practice of walking by faith by walking by the Spirit. ~The lie floating around that says motherhood is a woman's highest calling; the other lies this lie leads to and what it does to our sisters-in-Christ and their understanding of Biblical womanhood ~Understanding where a woman's true worth lies ~The reality that marriage and motherhood (as wonderful, impactful, beautiful, and important as those roles are!) are not the sum total of Biblical womanhood ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Amber Cullum is a wife, mom, host of the Grace Enough Podcast (on which I have had the pleasure of being a guest!), and a dear online friend of mine. On today's show we do a bit of processing over all that has gone on in this country during the first half of 2020. In addition, Amber shares her unique and enlightening perspectives on topics such as comparison, gratitude, and Sabbath rhythms. It's a good one!   What We Chat about in Today's Episode: ~The strong pull of comparison on social media ~A different way of thinking of comparison; how it isn't necessarily all bad or always the thief of joy ~Comparison as a useful tool to point us toward godliness ~Paul and comparison ~Important questions to ask ourselves to see which kind of comparison we are operating out of  ~Following in the footsteps of those a step ahead of you in the faith  ~Walking forward boldly in our faith in the midst of a hard, confusing year ~The reality that both beauty and brokenness are both woven throughout the Word, beginning to end ~The importance of remembering past evidences of the faithfulness of God ~How life-changing the daily practice of exercising gratitude can be; how to get started practicing gratitude in a year such as this one ~How listing out what we are grateful for leads to our being more aware of what is going on around us and noticing the blessings all around ~The brain science behind taking every thought captive ~Sabbath and the benefit of incorporating Sabbath rhythms into your life; advice for how to get started ~Pursuing true rest for your soul ~And more!   For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Sarah Mae is a wife, mom of 3, host of the Complicated Heart podcast, and author of the new book, The Complicated Heart: Loving Even When It Hurts. Today we are sitting down to chat about loving when it hurts, boundaries, forgiveness, and so much more. What We Chat about in Today's Episode: ~Sarah Mae's newest book, The Complicated Heart: Loving Even When It Hurts, what led her to write it, and what readers can expect ~Sarah's story of being raised by an alcoholic mother and all the trials and struggles that resulted in her childhood,  but finding God's grace and redemption through it all ~The way God continuously was with her and pursued her throughout this whole time and wooed her mom, as well ~Discovering the love of God when you're far less than perfect  ~The beautiful gospel truth found in Psalm 40 ~Our journeys into and out of legalism ~The real meaning of a "meek and quiet spirit" ~The importance of understanding and recognizing the lies you are believing and how to replace them with truth ~Letting go of expectations in order to forgive ~The importance of getting counseling in any situation where abuse of any kind is involved ~The importance of boundaries, what they are, how to appropriately live them out, and what that can look like as a believer ~Gaslighting - what it is and how to respond ~The good that God brings out of everything  ~Dealing with manipulative relationships ~Figuring out when to leave and when to stay ~And more! For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast!

Robin Dance is a wife, mother, longtime blogger for In(courage) and other sites, and author of the new book For All Who Wander: Why Knowing God is Better Than Knowing it All. Today she's back on the show for the second part of our conversation talking all about experiencing doubt and growing in your faith. What We Chat about in Today's Episode: ~The issue with playing the victim and having a victim mentality; understanding our identity in Christ as being victors and more than conquerors ~The enemy's attack on our minds and the importance of taking every thought captive ~Looking to the Word rather than the world to define us ~The identity language found in Ephesians and Romans that help us understand the truth about ourselves in light of Christ ~How having the freedom to doubt, wrestle, and ask questions actually built Robin's faith; the encouragement this brings to us as moms who are often fearful at the thought of our children ever expressing or experiencing doubt ~Robin's advice for any mom whose children are experiencing doubt ~The good that comes from our children expressing questions and building a strong and real faith of their own; the reality that the day will come when our children will need to be able to stand on their own two feet and not depend on our faith  ~The problem with legalism and a performance-based faith ~The reality of many well-known faith leaders walking away from what they had believed; the issue of deconstructionism and how that differs from walking through doubt ~The difference between what the church looked like in the 80s and 90s versus what it looks like today  ~And more!    For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast 

Robin Dance is a wife, mother, longtime blogger for In(courage) and other sites, and author of the new book For All Who Wander: Why Knowing God is Better Than Knowing it All. Today we're talking all about experiencing doubt and growing in your faith. What We Chat about in Today's Episode: ~Robin's new book, #forallwhowander, what led her to write it, and what readers can expect ~Robin's own journey of going from a life-long church girl to experiencing doubt and coming close to walking away from her faith and back again ~Asking God the hard questions ~The balance between never voicing our doubts and wallowing in them; the importance of working through our questions and doubts but also knowing that we don't have to and shouldn't stay there forever ~Seeing little "God-winks" along the way ~Some of the myths, stereotypes, categorizations, and misunderstandings surrounding the topic of doubt ~Idols in our hearts  ~The trap that perfectionism, competition, and comparison can be when we all keep up these facades of never struggling and never doubting; the isolation and debilitating fear and struggle that come with this ~Condemnation vs. Conviction ~The vulnerability that has to be present if we are going to bear one another's burdens as we ought ~The good God can bring from our asking questions ~What Robin would say to anyone currently battling doubt or knows someone who is; the importance of extending grace ~Reframing our questions as a bridge that can bring us closer to God rather than a wedge to drive us further away ~Looking to one safe, trusted person and telling them about our struggles with doubt ~The crucial importance of keeping our eyes fixed on Christ and His truth rather than the culture and its teachings ~God's faithfulness to bring good out of everything  ~And more!   For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Shelia Erwin is a wife, Bible study teacher, mom to the Erwin Brothers, and author of the brand new book, "Raising Up Dreamers: Find and Grow Your Child's God-Given Talents", which is what we are chatting about today. What We Chat about in Today's Episode: ~The journey God had Shelia and her husband on which contributed to the life and work her sons now have today ~Shelia's brand new book, what led her to write it, and what readers can expect ~The reality that God has made each of us - and our children! - unique, and the resulting problem with following formulaic parenting methods ~The problem with expectations ~Allowing God to write the story  ~Parenting from a position of rest ~Surrendering to the Lord and claiming His promise of wisdom as we parent ~Engaging with our childrens' imaginations and how to start ~Entering into our childrens' worlds and how that speaks volumes to them ~Knowing your children and taking the time to study them ~Being available to and enjoying your kids ~The reality that in order to have good relationships with our children as adults we have to have good relationships with them when they're little ~The temptation for moms who are physically at home to not be emotionally or mentally at home; rejecting that temptation and making time for and dedicating focus to what really truly matters ~What intentional parenting is and what it is not ~Equipping our children to grow strong in their faith and identity in the midst of a dark culture and challenging influences and hardships ~Teaching our kids how to stand alone through the example of Daniel ~How to have faith and knowing the balance between that and taking unwise risks ~Allowing our kids to fail and the beneficial lessons which come from that ~And more! For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Alexandra Kaval is a wife, business owner, and certified professional life coach at Grace Space Christian Coaching. Her passion is to equip women to live lives of purpose, grace, and intention in light of their identity in Christ. What We Chat about in Today's Episode: ~What led Alexandra to having this passion of equipping and inspiring women to live intentional, purposeful lives ~Approaching goal-setting with God; having your faith be an integral part of your goal-setting ~The reality of God being in the details and wanting to be welcomed into every aspect of our lives ~The transition Alexandra made from working a corporate job in HR to leaving that job in order to follow God's call on her life full-time; what that seeming risk was like for her ~Slowing down enough to notice little God-winks along the way ~Encouragement, tips, and advice for those who are going through a season of transition; how to navigate those times with grace, peace, purpose, and intention ~The productivity of prayer ~How to get started living a life of boldness and intentionality ~The reality that we can do nothing apart from Christ and His strength ~Knowing the difference between walking in faith and obedience and being irresponsible and taking unwise risks ~Seeking the wisdom of others when we're making life decisions; how to make those meaningful connections and cultivate relationships in an isolationist culture ~Understanding who you are in Christ and what your identity is in Him; what that journey has been like for Alexandra, and how she encourages us to come to understanding what our identity is ~Trusting in God and living out of that trust ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Teresa Swanstrom Anderson is a wife, mom of 6 (two biological and 4 from Ethiopia), blogger, and Bible study author of the new "Get Wisdom" Bible studies. Her passion is to equip women to grow in their understanding of the Bible and Biblical literacy, which is what we chat about today! What We Chat about in Today's Episode: ~Going against conventional wisdom and cultural standards (and even the advice of those closest to us!) in order to walk by the Spirit ~Teresa's brand new Bible studies, "Leading Wherever You Are: 7 Weeks in the Book of Joshua", "Saying Yes in the Darkness: 7 Weeks in the Book of Psalms"s, and "Living for What Really Matters: 7 Weeks in the Book of Philippians" ~What the journey has been like which led Teresa to have such a passion for Biblical literacy ~The crucial importance of understanding the history and culture of the time in which the books of the Bible were written if we are going to go deeper in our understanding and accurate interpretation of the Word ~Various translations of the Bible and how they differ ~Why it's important to know the Greek and Hebrew of the Bible and resources that will grow your understanding of the Greek and Hebrew ~Practical tips for where and how to start for the woman who wants to grow in her Bible literacy; Teresa's free "Bible nerd" resource ~Practical help and hope for the woman who thinks she is too busy to dive deeply into the Word; what this has looked like for Teresa as a busy mama of 6; giving the first fruits of our time to God ~Giving God space to speak in the midst of our busy lives ~Why it's crucial to understand and be able to interpret the Word of God for yourself; balancing this reality with the proper use of Bible study resources, as well ~Some of the most common struggles women are facing today, and how the Word addresses those ~Why Teresa intentionally made sure that the woman on each cover of her Bible studies is a woman of color; the racial issues of our day and what the gospel has to say about them ~The crucial importance of getting to know people and their stories ~The call to love others - all others ~The importance of community and the lessons Teresa has learned along the way ~Pink hair, tattoos, legalism, living a timid life, and finding freedom in Christ ~And more! For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Amy Seiffert is a wife, mom, podcaster, speaker, works on staff at her church, and is the author of the brand new devotional, "Grace Looks Amazing on You: 100 Days of Reflecting God’s Love". She is passionate about equipping and encouraging women to walk in light of God's grace for them and one another, and that is exactly what she is here to inspire us with on the show today! What We Chat about in Today's Episode: ~Amy's new devotional book, what led her to write it, the ten different themes covered in the book, and what readers can expect ~Understanding grace as not merely something you receive but also something you can live out and live in light of in every area of your life ~Sabbath; trusting God enough to allow ourselves to rest in such a hustle and striving culture ~Laying down productivity as a status symbol ~The implications of Psalm 23 saying God is preparing a table for us *in the midst* of our enemies; the hope and encouragement that brings ~The impact of the gospel and the resurrection on our understanding of what true Biblical womanhood actually is; how God views women throughout His Word ~God's words about Mary to Martha and the implications of them on our understanding of His view on women learning theology ~The important balance of both embracing the personality God has given us while also humbly submitting it to God so it can be sanctified; what this has looked like for Amy and how she would encourage us to walk through this balance ~The lying trap of perfectionism and how it kills and destroys our freedom, creativity, and ability to have a carefree heart; how to get out of the trap ~Resurrection living ~And more! For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Jessica Hottle is a wife, author, podcast host of the show, "What's the Truth?", and is passionate about helping women to "weigh less emotionally, spiritually, and physically" because then "they aren't carrying the weight -God is". What We Chat about in Today's Episode: ~Jessica's testimony of how she came to Christ and has grown in Him ~Forgiveness, compassion, and kindness towards others  ~Being wholistically heathy, and how Jessica helps equip women to be that for themselves ~The effects our experiences, traumas, and situations have on every other part of our lives ~What God's Word has to say about healing physically, spiritually, emotionally, and mentally  ~The problem with normalizing pain to where we don't address it and instead stay in our mess ~The importance of knowing the Healer and His character ~Equipping women to grow in discernment and be able to sift through the lies and know the truth ~The problem with playing the victim card ~Acknowledging our feelings and emotions, but looking to the truth ~Helping women deal with difficult life stories rather than practicing disassociation and numbing out ~The importance of getting out of a constant fight or flight mode ~The crucial importance of renewing our minds ~Understanding our worth and identity in an age of platform building and social media; how to stop viewing "no"s as rejections ~The importance of hope and walking by faith ~Not basing our identity and worth in what we do  ~Taking hard stories and turning them into a story of God's redemption, goodness, and grace ~And more!     For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Trudy Cathy White is a wife, mother, grandmother, ambassador for Chick-fil-A, and daughter of the late  Truett S. and Jeannette M. Cathy, founders of Chick-fil-A. She comes on the show today to share about her mom, her mom's legacy, and the amazing impact she had on crafting Chick-fil-a into what it is today. You will walk away from this conversation inspired and convicted with the realization that the life you are living today is the legacy you will leave tomorrow. What We Chat about in Today's Episode: ~Trudy's new book, A Quiet Strength: The Life and Legacy of Jeannette M Cathy, what led her to write it, and what readers can expect ~How Jeannette played quite the influential role in the founding of Chick-fil-a and making it what it is today ~Some of the main lessons Trudy learned from her mom growing up  ~The power of words and of being a role model ~Some things we might not already know about Trudy's mom that she would love for us to know and have be a part of her lasting legacy ~What it was like for Trudy growing up with such an inspiring mom ~The reality that the life you are living now is the legacy that you will leave tomorrow ~And more! For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Lisa Bevere is a wife, mother, grandmother, founder (along with her husband, John) of Messenger International, and the New York Times Bestselling author of quite a few books. She comes on the show today to talk about her latest book, entitled Strong: Devotions to Live a Powerful and Passionate Life, and the truths behind God's design for strong womanhood. What We Chat about in Today's Episode: ~What the Lord is teaching us through this pandemic ~The weakening effects of legalism ~Weaving the wonder of and connection with God into the personal, practical, and throughout the everyday, all day moments of our lives ~Talking to our kids about this season of quarantine in a way that shows them God's truths regarding seed time, harvest, and the purpose of different seasons of life ~The gift of repentance ~What true strong, Biblical womanhood looks like; God's design for women ~The problem with looking to social media for the validation of strangers rather than plugging into your in-real-life iron-that-sharpens-iron relationships ~Understanding true Biblical strong womanhood as being  passionate, fervent, principled, God-fearing, servant-hearted, and loving, vs. the world's definition of strong as being rebellious, divisive, aggressive, combative, harsh, or domineering ~Our own personal journeys out of legalism and into understanding God's love for us and celebration of our strengths ~How we got to this point in the church where there are those who believe strength is wrong for women ~The common problem in the church today of women being viewed as problems to be controlled ~The folly of using our strengths against each other as men and women, when we are called and designed to use them together against the enemy ~The importance of both truth and love ~Strength as a part of a woman's DNA ~Understanding the term "helpmeet" and how this word is used to refer to women and to God ~Women in the Bible whose God-given stories and tasks required great strength ~Where feminism gets it right and where feminism gets it wrong ~Understanding that we have been called to be meek, but not weak and that quiet does not mean silent; what the difference is ~A woman's strength of influence ~The examples of Abigail and Sapphira and what they each do to our wrong understanding of submission and a woman's role ~And more! Head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast for full show notes.

Chelsey Dematteis is a wife, a mama, host of the Living with Less Podcast, and devotional writer for IBelieve.com. Her passion and mission are to equip women to "live with less of the things that are getting in the way of who Christ is calling them to be", and that is what she is sharing about on the show today. What We Chat about in Today's Episode: ~The reality that God works in the everyday little moments and that Jesus' teachings centered around day-to-day analogies ~What Chelsey means by "living with less of the things that are getting in the way of who Christ is calling you to be" and what led to this being her overarching message to women ~A bit of Chelsey's testimony of going from all-out rebellion to faith in the Lord and walking with Him ~How the lies of the self-help culture do not coincide with John's message in the Word or the hope of the gospel itself ~The crucial importance of knowing the Word for ourselves, rather than merely relying on what our pastors tell us ~Ways for busy mamas to make time to be in the Word ~Battling feelings of unworthiness with the truths and implications of the gospel ~The implications of the woman at the well's story in John 4 ~Areas in Chelsey's life where discontentment has reared its ugly head; how to find joy in the midst of it ~Discontentment as a foundation for so many other sins ~Discontentment in the online realm when it comes to platform and comparison and competition over follower size ~The reality that Romans 1 shows that all our sins are in the same list - the folly that thinking there is a hierarchy of sins and how realizing there isn't keeps us humble towards others and their sin ~Honoring God in the small moments, with the small followings, or the small ministry ~The serious reality of what we are missing out on when we are so busy wishing for larger platforms ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Rebekah Hargraves is the host of the Home and Hearth Podcast, which, up until recently, has always been mostly an interview-style podcast. Now, however, she is branching out into recording the third of her solo podcasts to talk today on the topic of  the mommy wars. This is a topic Rebekah has written about extensively and shared about on other podcasts, as well, so she's excited to now be branching out into discussing it on her own podcast! What She Chats about in Today's Episode: ~Defining the term "mommy wars" and covering a bit of its history ~How the mommy wars show up in our current culture ~8 problems with the mommy wars - 8 main ways in which they are doing damage in the church: *They are causing us to major on the minors, only to forget what is really important. *They are causing us to forget what the Word of God actually has to say on the topic of mothering (see Proverbs 22:6, Ephesians 6:4, Titus 2:4-5, Deuteronomy 6:6-7) as we're so focused on things of lesser importance. *They are destroying the Titus 2 model and its outreach (see Titus 2:3-5). *They are causing us to ignore (and even blaspheme!) the gospel. *They are hindering us from being able to walk by the Spirit and to walk by faith (see James 1:5, Isaiah 30:21, Psalm 139, and Galatians 5:16-18,22-23). *They are causing division and leading to our losing out on encouraging friendship and valuable fellowship (see Genesis 2:18, Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, Romans 14). *They are leading to our losing our salt and light and to our becoming poor examples of Christ (Matthew 5:13-16, John 13:34-35, 1 Corinthians 5:20, Colossians 3:12, 4:6, Ephesians 4:29, Romans 12:18). *They are burdening us with unnecessary and unbiblical expectations. ~How the enemy is using the mommy wars to keep our noses on the internet and social media rather than in Scripture ~1 Timothy 4:8's response to the mommy wars ~How the mommy wars have led to a subconscious misunderstanding of the gospel as we look to our mothering choices to provide us with our righteousness, perfection, and good standing before God ~The issues of the mommy wars as being issues of secondary importance and why we have no right to judge other mamas in these areas ~Viewing mommy wars topics in light of Romans 14 ~Romans 14 and why I do not publicly share our family's choices regarding things like vaccination ~Assuming the best of other mamas, realizing that every mama comes to the decision they make with a desire for what is best for their children  ~The wisdom of the world vs. the wisdom of God ~The long list of expectations we as moms have on our shoulders as to what "good moms" do  vs. the very short list God has for us ~And more! For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Kristen Lisemby Lee is a single mama of 3, writer, and contributor to The Better Mom. She has walked a hard road over the past few years, experiencing infidelity in her marriage and walking through a subsequent divorce. She comes on the show today to share her story, encourage us with the reality of the faithfulness of God in the midst of these hard trials, and also to inspire the church for how we can truly be the body of Christ to the single mamas we know. What We Chat about in Today's Episode: ~The journey that led Kristen to unexpectedly becoming a single mom ~The difference that being raised in Biblical truth made for Kristen when the hard times hit ~The hard seasons when God's plan and your plan aren't the same thing ~Hope and help for anyone facing infidelity in their marriages ~The importance of having close, trusted friends you can confide in during the hard times ~The helpful tool of journaling ~The importance of not taking to social media to publicly process everything as you are going through it ~How this hard journey has affected Kristen's three kids ~Navigating the hard questions with our kids ~Just being with our children in the hard seasons ~Help and hope for mamas trying to walk with their kids through their battle of anxiety ~The importance of loving and listening to our kids through these times  ~The important part therapy can play in our seasons of grief and trial ~The importance of truth in action ~How this trial has affected Kristen and her faith personally; the good that can come from going through a crisis of faith ~The three new children's books Kristen has written to help children who are going through hard times ~What life looks like for Kristen now as a single mom; a wakeup call for the church to realize how hard life can be for the single mamas among us ~Some advice and encouragement for how the church can be the body of Christ to the single mamas in the congregation; the importance of the church seeing, noticing, and utilizing the single moms ~Encouragement for single mamas ~The reality that God does not waste our pain ~Grace for the raw moments of pain and how being honest with God in and through them builds intimacy with Him ~And more! For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Katie Walters is a pastor's wife, mama to 6 kiddos, serves at her church alongside her husband, Josh, and runs, as founder and CEO, the nonprofit clothing company based in Togo, West Africa called Francis and Benedict. She comes back on the show today for the second part of our conversation to inspire working mamas everywhere with the truth that whatever God calls you to do, that He will equip you for.  What We Chat about in Today's Episode: ~Advice and encouragement for the mama listening who is feeling a pull to go back to work, start a business, or go in the direction of some sort of work in addition to mothering but isn’t sure what the first step might be ~Myths and stereotypes in the church surrounding working women that we need to get rid of ~How Katie has been able to cultivate so well the relationship she has with her kids ~Intentionally studying our children and learning who God made each of them to be ~Being a cheerleader for our mama friends and pointing out a job well done in their lives ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

  Katie Walters is a pastor's wife, mama to 6 kiddos, serves at her church alongside her husband, Josh, and runs, as founder and CEO, the nonprofit clothing company based in Togo, West Africa called Francis and Benedict. She comes on the show today to inspire working mamas everywhere with the truth that whatever God calls you to do, that He will equip you for.  What We Chat about in Today's Episode: ~Answering the question of whether or not Katie always wanted to be a working mom, or if that was a hard decision for her to make ~The issue of the mommy wars between stay-at-home moms and working moms ~Different work in different seasons ~Viewing the work itself, rather than merely the outcome, as the reward ~The issue of mommy guilt as a working mom; speaking truth to yourself; how understanding different cultures helps you battle mommy guilt here in the US ~Handling pushback from certain Christian circles for being a working mom; answering those who would say that Scripture shows that women should not work outside the home in any capacity ~Following a truly Biblical guide, not merely a cultural one ~How our work can make us better moms ~The many dangers and bad fruits of the comparison trap ~How comparison stems from our own insecurity ~What a typical "day in the life of Katie Walters" looks like ~The reality that being a homemaker and working outside the home are not mutually exclusive ~Tips and tricks for time management and making right priorities ~How Katie views her family as a 10 in level of importance and everyone else as a 2 ~And more!   For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

September McCarthy is a wife of 30 years, homeschooling mama of 24 years, has ten children ages 28-8, and is a grandma, as well. She is in the midst of multiple seasons of life all at once, and at the same time is a business owner, podcaster, and author. September is incredibly passionate about motherhood and joins me on the show today to inspire and encourage us in how we can mother well in the midst of a world-wide pandemic. What We Chat about in Today's Episode: ~Inspiration for moms who are trying to find passion for motherhood as their kids are suddenly and unexpectedly at home with them ~The hard challenge that this time presents to all of us ~Picking just one thing at a time to focus on during this season of quarantine ~The danger of just trying to entertain our kids ~Help for mamas who are really lacking in energy and motivation right now ~Establishing new patterns ~Taking care of ourselves as we take care of our families ~Cultivating bravery and strength in an anxiety-causing time ~Putting a healthy boundary of respect around what we know to be true; focusing only on what is factual and true, rather than on all the "what if"s ~Embracing the gifts God has given us as moms to pass on the torch of the gospel to our children and others around us ~Learning the Bible together, alongside our kids ~Prioritizing family devotions when you don't know how or where to start ~What Bible time looks like for September and her children; how she equips her children to also lead family devotion time themselves ~How music appreciation, learning to be storytellers, being equipped in public speaking, and more can all come from Bible time together as a family ~How a mother who is in the Word can lead her family well; making time for the Word as a busy mama; freedom for mamas in all different seasons and scenarios ~Equipping our kids to serve God now, not to wait until they're older ~Living on mission as a family in the midst of quarantine and isolation ~And more!   For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Kim Erickson is a wife of over 20 years, mama of Austin (in heaven) and Ethan, family immigration attorney, speaker, and author of, among others, her newest book, "Surviving Sorrow: A Mother's Guide to Living With Loss". Today she walks us through how we can grieve, how we can help others in their grief, and how the Lord helps us along the way. What We Chat about in Today's Episode: ~Kim's new book, "Surviving Sorrow", what led her to write it, and what readers can expect ~Balancing your grief against your hope awaiting you in heaven ~Jesus' example for how to empathize with others in their loss and grief and to enter into it with them ~The problem with offering nice little platitudes to those who are grieving a loss ~What to say and what not to say to those who are grieving ~The power of just being silent and crying with those in grief ~Going to our Heavenly Father with our real emotions - anger, frustration, grief, all of it ~Coming to the point in believing God has a plan for all that is happening in your life ~The healing that comes from surrender ~The things to do and not do when with someone who is walking through grief ~The gift of the Holy Spirit as we walk this journey ~Believing that God is good even when life is feeling like it's anything but good ~The power of studying the stories of Joseph and David in the hard times ~The current coronavirus situation ~And more! For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Debra Fileta is a wife of nearly 13 years, mom of 3, licensed professional counselor specializing in relationships, podcaster, author, and runs the relationship advice blog True Love Dates. She joins me on the show today to share about her newest book, Love in Every Season: Understanding the Four Stages of Every Healthy Relationship, and how we can make the most of each season of our relationships. What She Chats about in Today's Episode: ~Debra's new book,  Love in Every Season: Understanding the Four Stages of Every Healthy Relationship, what led her to write it, and what readers can expect ~What the four seasons of spring, summer, fall, and winter represent in relationships, and how we can navigate those well ~Planting seeds in the spring of your relationship, shedding your layers and being vulnerable in the hot season of summer, the season of fall when your true colors start to shine through, and the season of winter, where things begin to cool down a bit emotionally ~Conflict as an opportunity ~What compatibility is, and what it is not ~The wrong view we have of typical, normal marriage of always being in the season of winter ~The reality that each season is necessary and lays the foundation for the next season; how this has proven true in Debra's own marriage ~What God's job is in the hard seasons of marriage of making a way in the wilderness, and what our job is of just moving forward ~The reality of God working in and through our day-to-day lives, and how we can apply that reality to marriage ~Romance in marriage ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Rebekah Hargraves is the host of the Home and Hearth Podcast, which, up until this point, has always been mostly an interview-style podcast. Now, however, she is branching out into recording the now second of (what will hopefully be many - that's up to the feedback she gets from you!) her solo podcasts to talk today on the topic of "Bible Study 101". This episode was recorded back at the end of January, but the timing has worked out perfectly. As we are feeling fearful in these times and find ourselves at home with more free time, what better thing to do than grow in our knowledge of the Bible and our ability to study it? That is what we are chatting about today! What She Chats about in Today's Episode: ~*How* to study the Bible, and then moving on into *when* to study the Bible (help for the busy woman who finds it hard to make time for the Word) ~5 Bible Study tips for beginners: *Pick a user-friendly Bible translation *Choose a Reading Plan for where to begin (see my Bible Reading Plan article below, however, for some necessary caveats to this!) *Find a good Bible study or Bible study method *Learn to reflect on what you are reading *Take advantage of the many free study resources at your disposal ~Different Bible translations, and what the differences are between word-for-word translations and thought-for-thought (or dynamic equivalent) translations ~The Bible translation I personally would recommend that is an "optimal equivalence" translation ~What the Holy Spirit has clearly called me, personally, to do in my personal Bible study time in 2020 ~Free online resources and websites for Bible study ~Great books of the Bible to begin with if you are a new believer ~Bible study methods: *SOAP method Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer *Inductive Bible Study Method ~Great guided Bible study book recommendations ~Practical tips for how to be in the Word as a busy woman ~Meeting with God all throughout the day in relationship with Him, as opposed to relegating time with Him to a business meeting in the morning ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

  Ruth Chou Simons is a wife, mama of 6 boys, artist, author, and founder of GraceLaced. Most recently (as of yesterday's launch day!) she and her husband, Troy, are authors of the brand new family worship devotional book, "Foundations: 12 Biblical Truths to Shape a Family". Her wisdom for mamas in this episode are sure to be a balm to your soul! What We Chat about in Today's Episode: ~Ruth's newest book, what led her and her husband to write it, and what readers can expect ~"Older mama to younger mama" advice from Ruth; the things she is so glad she did the way she did, and those things she would change if she could go back to her early days of mothering ~Traps we can fall into in motherhood ~The reality that what our children are catching from us shapes them more than what we teach them  ~Some of the daily practices that have had the most impact in the Simons home when it comes to raising their children to know and love God ~And more! For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Kevin Downes is a husband, father, actor, and movie producer perhaps best known for films such as Moms Night Out, I Can Only Imagine, and Courageous. Today, I sit down with Kevin to chat about his newest movie, I Still Believe, which releases nationwide March 13th. What We Chat about in Today's Episode: ~Kevin's newest film, "I Still Believe", which releases nationwide March 13th; what it's about, who is starring in it, and what led Kevin to choose this story as the topic of his newest movie to produce ~Audience response during the pre-screenings ~Takeaways from the film that Kevin hopes married couples will have; how married couples will relate to the story ~Some things Kevin learned while filming this new movie ~Kevin's favorite scene in "I Still Believe"  ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Hannah Anderson is a pastor's wife, mom of 3, writer, speaker, and author of the book "All That's Good: Recovering the Lost Art of Discernment". On today's episode, she shares with us what discernment is, what it is not, and how we as believers can grow in it. What We Chat about in Today's Episode: ~Hannah's latest book, what it's about, what led her to write it, and what readers can expect ~What discernment is and what it is not; breaking through some of the myths and stereotypes surrounding discernment and being discerning ~Discernment and the mommy wars ~Discernment and legalism ~The crisis-level impact of the digital age on discernment and our ability to actually discern ~Discernment as a search and development of a taste for what is good and beautiful, as opposed to just a looking out for what is bad or wrong ~The language of discernment in Scripture, and why discernment isn't to come from a critical, negative posture ~Philippians 1:9-10's definition of discernment ~The correlation between negative-spirited "discernment", legalism, and having a judgmental heart ~Why adopting certain rules and positions or retreating into certain circles is not enough to prevent a worldly heart or to ensure that you become a wise person ~Hannah's own experience with legalism ~The pride that can come with doing the "right" things ~The two problematic extremes of our tendency to either dehumanize and demonize people who we don't agree with, or else embrace everything across the board - even those things which we truly should not be embracing ~The problem with a list-driven path to sanctification ~Tribalism as a result of our legalistic boxes and checklists; what we miss out on when we hold to an unbiblical tribalism ~How list-driven "goodness" is taught in both the camps of progressive Christianity as well as conservative Christianity ~God's character as our standard for goodness ~How communicating with others digitally leads to a harsh, critical heart towards them, particularly when we disagree ~Actually treating those with whom as disagree as fellow image bearers of God ~The sin of disregarding and disrespecting someone else's humanity just because we disagree with them ~The beauty of giving others the benefit of the doubt ~Coming to potential disagreements with a kind of humble curiosity, a teachable spirit, and an ear that is quick to listen ~Swapping out a list of man-made rules for a list of the characteristics of God ~Philippians 4:8 and discernment ~The faith-builder that walking by the Spirit really is ~The difference between "live and let live" and "love and let love" ~A bonus little sneak-peak into the brand new book Hannah is working on right now! For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Rebekah Hargraves is the host of the Home and Hearth Podcast, which, up until this point, has always been an interview-style podcast. Now, however, she is branching out into recording the first of (what will hopefully be many - that's up to the feedback she gets from you!) her solo podcasts to talk on the topic of "Navigating Difficult Friendships". What She Chats about in Today's Episode: ~A bit of Rebekah's own experience with difficult friendships ~How friendship is messy as a result of our living in a fallen world; why this should not come as a surprise ~5 red flag warning signs to watch out for in your friendships: Friends who ignore your boundaries (Proverbs 25:17) Friends who are emotionally insensitive (Proverbs 25:20, 27:14, ) Friends who betray confidences (Proverbs 11:9) Friends who are given to backbiting (Proverbs 1:28) Friends who are commonly given to belittling people (Proverbs 11:12) ~The friendship example Jesus is for us ~The difference between being a backbiting friend and being a Biblical friend that is as iron that sharpens iron ~How to deal with friends who are operating out of one or more of the above five red flags ~The problem with the "good little Christian girl" syndrome ~Turning the other cheek vs. exercising boundaries ~The Matthew 18 Method (Matthew 18:15-17) ~Being enablers and idolizing your own comfort vs. seeking to erect necessary boundaries and be as iron that sharpens iron ~6 steps to take when dealing with a difficult friend: Pray (James 1:5) Point out the problem (Matthew 18:15) If necessary: Bring witnesses (Matthew 18:16) Erect Boundaries (Matthew 18:17) Continue to Pray for Reconciliation and walk by the Spirit as you do (Galatians 5:16) Proceed with caution if/when prompted by the Spirit to reconcile and restore wisely ~Our call to be ministers of reconciliation   ~And more! For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Catherine McNiel is a wife, mama of 3, speaker, gardener, and author of two books, "Long Days of Small Things: Motherhood as a Spiritual Discipline" and "All Shall be Well: Awakening to God’s Presence in His Messy, Abundant World". She shares about the newest of her two books today and inspires us with that truth that God's unending presence is a promise that all shall be well.   What we Chat about in This Episode: ~Catherine's  new book, "All Shall be Well: Awakening to God’s Presence in His Messy, Abundant World", what led her to write it, and what readers can expect   ~How God is still working in and through us, forming, growing, and using us,  in both the mess and the abundance of our everyday lives ~The importance of not just knowing or talking *about* God, but truly knowing Him and praying *to* Him ~Prioritizing our relationship with the Lord ~Practical ways to notice and relish in the Lord's presence in our every moment ~The importance of paying attention to context in the Word ~Why it is so important to remember that God is present with us ~How to become more mindful and aware of God's presence in the midst of the busyness of our daily lives ~What each of the four seasons of the year teach us about God ~What hope is and is not ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Catherine McNiel is a wife, mama of 3, speaker, gardener, and author of two books, "Long Days of Small Things: Motherhood as a Spiritual Discipline" and "All Shall be Well: Awakening to God’s Presence in His Messy, Abundant World". She shares about the newest of her two books today and inspires us with that truth that God's unending presence is a promise that all shall be well.   What we Chat about in This Episode: ~Catherine's  new book, "All Shall be Well: Awakening to God’s Presence in His Messy, Abundant World", what led her to write it, and what readers can expect   ~How God is still working in and through us, forming, growing, and using us,  in both the mess and the abundance of our everyday lives ~The importance of not just knowing or talking *about* God, but truly knowing Him and praying *to* Him ~Prioritizing our relationship with the Lord ~Practical ways to notice and relish in the Lord's presence in our every moment ~The importance of paying attention to context in the Word ~Why it is so important to remember that God is present with us ~How to become more mindful and aware of God's presence in the midst of the busyness of our daily lives ~What each of the four seasons of the year teach us about God ~What hope is and is not ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Catherine McNiel is a wife, mama of 3, speaker, gardener, and author of two books, "Long Days of Small Things: Motherhood as a Spiritual Discipline" and "All Shall be Well: Awakening to God’s Presence in His Messy, Abundant World". She shares about the newest of her two books today and inspires us with that truth that God's unending presence is a promise that all shall be well.   What we Chat about in This Episode: ~Catherine's  new book, "All Shall be Well: Awakening to God’s Presence in His Messy, Abundant World", what led her to write it, and what readers can expect   ~How God is still working in and through us, forming, growing, and using us,  in both the mess and the abundance of our everyday lives ~The importance of not just knowing or talking *about* God, but truly knowing Him and praying *to* Him ~Prioritizing our relationship with the Lord ~Practical ways to notice and relish in the Lord's presence in our every moment ~The importance of paying attention to context in the Word ~Why it is so important to remember that God is present with us ~How to become more mindful and aware of God's presence in the midst of the busyness of our daily lives ~What each of the four seasons of the year teach us about God ~What hope is and is not ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Catherine McNiel is a wife, mama of 3, speaker, gardener, and author of two books, "Long Days of Small Things: Motherhood as a Spiritual Discipline" and "All Shall be Well: Awakening to God’s Presence in His Messy, Abundant World". She shares about the newest of her two books today and inspires us with that truth that God's unending presence is a promise that all shall be well.   What we Chat about in This Episode: ~Catherine's  new book, "All Shall be Well: Awakening to God’s Presence in His Messy, Abundant World", what led her to write it, and what readers can expect   ~How God is still working in and through us, forming, growing, and using us,  in both the mess and the abundance of our everyday lives ~The importance of not just knowing or talking *about* God, but truly knowing Him and praying *to* Him ~Prioritizing our relationship with the Lord ~Practical ways to notice and relish in the Lord's presence in our every moment ~The importance of paying attention to context in the Word ~Why it is so important to remember that God is present with us ~How to become more mindful and aware of God's presence in the midst of the busyness of our daily lives ~What each of the four seasons of the year teach us about God ~What hope is and is not ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Jamie Erickson is a wife, homeschooling mama of 5, and author of the new book, Homeschooling Bravely:  . This is an episode for you whether you are a brand new homeschooling mama, just starting to consider homeschooling as your education method of choice, or a mama in the thick of homeschooling who needs her vision for it restored and revitalized. You're sure to come away inspired and encouraged! What we Chat about in This Episode: ~Jamie's  new book, "Homeschool Bravely: How to Squash Doubt, Trust God, and Teach Your Child with Confidence", what led her to write it, and what readers can expect   ~How to quiet the voices that say we aren't doing enough in our homeschooling or aren't doing it right   ~Some of the biggest fears homeschooling moms face, and the truth that can free them   ~The importance of practicing silence and stillness before God, and how you can do that as a busy homeschooling mama   ~What our job is and is not as homeschooling moms   ~Going through different seasons in our homeschooling, and willingly going at the Spirit's pace; trusting God's timing and work in our hearts and in the hearts of our children   ~The problem with our idolizing instant gratification and forgetting that growth is a process; how slow growth leads to stronger roots   ~Believing the lie that homeschooling and parenting success is all on us and that there is one "perfect" way to homeschool in order to ensure perfect success   ~Trying to build our own little kingdoms vs. handing things off to God and trusting Him in the work and in the process   ~The mommy wars and the problem with thinking there is only one right and good method for home education; the issue with thinking our homeschool has to look like someone else's   ~The importance of walking by the Spirit in your homeschooling   ~Help, hope, and practical tips for mamas who find themselves in a whole host of challenging situations and seasons in their homeschooling   ~Common homeschooling myths and stereotypes that are really holding moms back   ~And more! For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Victoria Duerstock is a wife, homeschooling mom, design guru, speaker, coach, and author. Today she is coming on the podcast to share about her brand new book, Heart and Home for Christmas: Celebrating Joy in Your Living Space. You will come away from this episode built up, inspired, refreshed, and excited for the Christmas season. What we Chat about in This Episode: ~Victoria's newest book, "Heart and Home for Christmas: Celebrating Joy in Your Living Space ", what led her to write it, and what readers can expect ~The biggest struggles we face as women in an effort to cultivate a meaningful Christmas while at the same time not giving into the hustle and bustle busyness of the holiday season ~The pull of Pinterest during the holiday season and remembering what the important things really are ~The role decor can play in helping us to cultivate meaningful Christmas memories ~The importance of intention and planning ~Assessing the "why" behind the traditions we practice at Christmas time  ~Practical tips for how we can decorate really well this Christmas without the stress and overwhelm ~Fun ways for our kids to be involved in our holiday decorating ~What to do with our expectations as we enter into the Christmas season ~The importance of protecting our time this season; how to go about doing that ~Specific devotionals in Victoria's book that really stood out to her personally ~What stands out to Victoria as to what the Lord is trying to teach us through the way in which the Christmas story unfolded ~The humility and humanity of Christ ~And more!   For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

~Natalie's testimony of growing up struggling with anger issues and then struggling with mommy anger; what led to her passion for freeing other moms from it ~What therapy looked like for Natalie as she sought to overcome anger issues ~The power of asking your children's forgiveness for your bouts of mommy anger ~How growing in your walk with God is crucial if you're going to grow in freedom from anger ~The false belief we must challenge of "I am angry because of my children" ~Parenting with love, grace, and humility ~God's faithful ability to bring good out of everything ~Using our imperfections to point our kids to a perfect Savior ~How to, practically-speaking, begin to tame the mommy anger ~Questions to ask yourself to discover what your triggers are and how to deal with them ~When and how to know that your struggle with mommy anger has crossed over into something you need professional help for ~The adverse side effects our anger has on our kids ~The reality that you can enjoy being a mom ~Living out an intentional legacy in and for our families ~And more! For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Corrie Stanway is a mama and woman of God who is passionate about health and wellness. As a certified health and wellness coach and physical education instructor for kindergarten to middle school students. she is excited about educating and equipping others to be healthy in body, mind, and soul.   What we Chat about in This Episode: ~Corrie's testimony of being freed by Christ from a fitness addiction; her struggle of basing her self-worth in whether or not she had exercised on any given day ~Finding a balance between self-loathing and self-esteem, and how neither perspective lines us to how Christ views us ~Freedom from comparison and towards purpose  ~Exercise as a stewardship ~The importance of being in a healthy emotional state when you are also seeking to be healthier physically ~Corrie's health and fitness program, Integrity and Grace, and how she weaves Bible study into her workout regimen; how lives have been changed through it  ~What functional, restorative exercise is and why it is so important; the crucial nature of core stability ~The difference between body awareness and body preoccupation ~What truly Biblical health looks in the various areas of body, mind, and soul ~How knowing who you are in Christ positively impacts your physical wellbeing and supports your mission to be healthy physically  ~How putting ourselves down is us actually saying God didn't make us good enough ~And more!   For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Kristel Acevedo is a wife, mom of two, and native of Nicaragua who is passionate about equipping others to have a thoroughly Biblical perspective on immigration and the refugee crisis.   What we Chat about in This Episode: ~Kristel's story of growing up in Central America and what led her family to the States. ~Myths and stereotypes about immigrants and refugees which we need to dispel ~Treating immigrants as we would want to be treated ~How we can bless immigrants and they can bless us in return ~The impossibility for immigrants to know all the laws of this country ~What it would look like for the church to truly have a thoroughly Christ-like response to immigration and the refugee crisis ~The role the Great Commission plays in all this ~How to apply Biblical teachings to the political issues of the day ~The problem with living from a scarcity mentality ~How a wrong view of refugees and immigrants harms our presentation of the gospel ~How only the Spirit can help us in our mission to love others as we should ~Practicing discernment while still coming from a place of love and compassion ~The importance of humility and having a teachable, quiet spirit in this area ~And more! For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Malinda Fuller is a wife to Alex, homeschooling mama of two girls, and brand new author of the book Obedience Over Hustle: The Surrender of the Striving Heart. Malinda's message is a most timely one considering just how prevalent the teachings of hustle culture are today. You will no doubt come away from this two-part episode convicted, encouraged, and inspired to choose obedience over hustle and to see the fruit that can come from just such a choice. What we Chat about in This Episode: ~What we stand to lose if we give ourselves over to the hustle way of doing things and do not instead make a course correction ~The problem with sacrificing our families on the altars of our ministries or work ~How the hustle culture lifestyle differs from the way Jesus lived ~How slowing down and refusing to hustle is a true faith-builder ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Malinda Fuller is a wife to Alex, homeschooling mama of two girls, and brand new author of the book Obedience Over Hustle: The Surrender of the Striving Heart. Malinda's message is a most timely one considering just how prevalent the teachings of hustle culture are today. You will no doubt come away from this two-part episode convicted, encouraged, and inspired to choose obedience over hustle and to see the fruit that can come from just such a choice.   What we Chat about in This Episode: ~Malinda's new book, Obedience Over Hustle: The Surrender of the Striving Heart; what led her to write it and what readers can expect ~What's wrong with hustle culture and why Malinda felt the need to write a book about it ~The difference between good, God-honoring hard work and the hustle culture's message and workaholism  ~The problem with finding our significance in what we do, rather than in the Lord ~Questions to ask yourself about the work you are doing to determine if it is work God has actually called you to ~Why the future "Well done, good and faithful servant" doesn't seem to be enough for us anymore and we are instead seeking the public accolades ~Wisdom, encouragement, and advice for people who are tempted to hustle in order to build a platform ~Malinda's own personal journey of going from someone who wanted to hustle to someone who wanted to rest and be obedient to God's way ~The struggle in today's culture of being followers of Christ, but also wanting to make our own names great instead of His ~Heart-motive questions to ask yourself when posting to social media ~And more! For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

What we Chat about in This Episode: ~The problem with an "us vs. them" mentality ~What civil discourse is, and how Chelsea became passionate about it ~Being able to contain, monitor, and be self-aware of your emotions while in discussions of disagreements with others ~The vicious cycle of conflict - basing your identiity in your beliefs, being attacked and then becoming self-absorbed, going into feeling defensive, and reacting in anger ~Tips for practicing and engaging civil discourse ~How Chelsea puts the steps of civil discourse into action on social media, both Instagram and Facebook ~The power of asking clarifying questions ~Areas where the church, specifically, is not doing a good job of practicing civil discourse; the things we should do (and not do!) instead ~What Chelsea has learned as a result of being in friendships with people who are very different from her and members of the Jewish, liberal, progressive, or LGBTQ communities; how those friendships began and how she keeps them strong ~Not viewing people as projects; letting go and letting God work in others ~Answering the belief that, because we are to be in the world and not of the world and bad company corrupts good morals, we can't and shouldn't be friends with them  ~The issue of anti-normalization and how we as believers need to let go of our involvement of it ~The importance of guarding someone's emotions and approaching the conversation with humility when attempting to engage in civil discourse ~How this practice has changed Chelsea, personally  ~The place social media plays in the civil discourse discussions of the day ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Rachel Green Miller is a wife, homeschooling mom of 3 boys, blogger, historian, and author of the new book, "Beyond Authority and Submission: Women and Men in Marriage, Church, and Society". She is well-versed in the historical and pagan roots of the patriarchy movement, as well as the history of feminism. Even more importantly, she knows what God's Word has to say on the topics of God's design for men and women, and you will come away from today's episode built up and encouraged by the freedom you truly do have as a woman in Christ. What we Chat about in This Episode: ~What the Bible actually has to say about women teaching men; examples of women doing just that - Deborah, Anna, Huldah, Priscilla, Joel's daughters, Phillip's daughters, and so on ~Debunking patriarchal myths of women rulers being a curse on society; examples of women God rose up to have lead in the civil sphere ~Addressing the patriarchal myth that it is a sin for a woman to work outside the home and the effect the Industrial Revolution had on this debate; what the Bible actually says, examples in the Word of women working ~Paul's admonition that both men and women provide for their families in 1 Timothy 5 ~The boost to your faith walk that is having to walk by the Spirit and draw closer to the Lord in relationship as opposed to relying on legalism's rules and regulations; how much better this is for our growth and sanctification ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Rachel Green Miller is a wife, homeschooling mom of 3 boys, blogger, historian, and author of the new book, "Beyond Authority and Submission: Women and Men in Marriage, Church, and Society". She is well-versed in the historical and pagan roots of the patriarchy movement, as well as the history of feminism. Even more importantly, she knows what God's Word has to say on the topics of God's design for men and women, and you will come away from today's episode built up and encouraged by the freedom you truly do have as a woman in Christ. What we Chat about in This Episode: ~Rachel's brand new book, "Beyond Authority and Submission: Women and Men in Marriage, Church, and Society", what readers can expect from it, and what led Rachel to write it ~Legalism and how the God of legalism is not the God of the Bible ~Why we must begin and end with the Word, not cultural ideas or expectations ~Why we need to move beyond authority and submission and what that even means; how that hyper-focus actually harms relationships between men and women ~What patriarchy actually is, its tenets, why it isn't Biblical, and its pagan historical roots ~The fact that there are more similarities between the genders than there are differences ~The pagan cultural -rather than Biblical!- foundation of the idea of "separate spheres" for men and women ~Myths and stereotypes regarding what constitutes as "Biblical" marriage; there being no one-size-fits-all design for marriage; the freedoms we have in divvying up household chores, work, responsibilities, etc., and how that makes our marriages and companionship stronger ~The role the church has played in producing the secular feminism it so strongly fights against ~The problem with reactionary living and the sad fruit it has produced ~And more! For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

MacKenzie Koppa is a podcaster, voice over artist, and single Christian mama of 4 kiddos who knows what it's like to go through hard times. In the midst of it all, she is passionate about encouraging women to cultivate loveliness right where they are, in the midst of life's trials and hardships. I know you will come away from this second part of our chat built up and encouraged to see, pursue, find, and cultivate more loveliness in your own life! What we Chat about in This Episode: ~How cultivating loveliness has been looking for MacKenzie lately as she is going through a hard divorce and subsequent transitions ~The part cultivating loveliness plays in our ability and desire to freely extend hospitality and live open-handedly ~The crucial importance of still cultivating loveliness even in the midst of the really hard times ~The ministry that cultivating loveliness is for our children  ~Our experiences with legalism and how legalism makes it hard for people to cultivate loveliness ~And more!   For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

MacKenzie Koppa is a podcaster, voice over artist, and single Christian mama of 4 kiddos who knows what it's like to go through hard times. In the midst of it all, she is passionate about encouraging women to cultivate loveliness right where they are, in the midst of life's trials and hardships. I know you will come away from this chat built up and encouraged to see, pursue, find, and cultivate more loveliness in your own life! What we Chat about in This Episode: ~What inspired MacKenzie's message of "cultivating the lovely" ~The importance of self-care and how it matters in how well we are able to pour out to our families ~The change that getting dressed nicely for the day makes in your outlook ~Not being a victim to motherhood ~The balance between caring for your children and also caring for yourself, mind, body, and soul ~Instilling special little gifts to ourselves in the midst of daily life to build ourselves up and cultivate loveliness ~The martyrdom complex common among stay-at-home moms ~There being no one-size-fits-all way to cultivate loveliness, enjoyment, and beauty into your life ~The mommy wars ~What "cultivating the lovely" means to MacKenzie personally and what that looks like for her in this season ~Practical first steps for beginning to cultivate loveliness in your own life ~Building family culture ~To "cultivate" something is to love, care for, and study something ~And more! Head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast for full show notes!

Glenna Marshall is a pastor's wife, mama of two boys, and new author who is passionate about encouraging believers with the truth that the ultimate gift in life is the very presence of God Himself. You will walk away from today's chat built up and encouraged! What we Chat about in This Episode: ~Glenna's new book, "The Promise is His Presence" - what led her to write it and what readers can expect ~God's promise (and desire!) to always be with us ~The heartache which comes with refusing to accept that God's presence is enough ~The purpose of the gift of suffering  ~Seeing our place in God's big story ~Glenna's infertility journey and God's presence through it all ~Ministry struggles for the Marshall family, and how God used that in their lives ~Glenna's chronic pain and illness journey ~The huge part God's Word played in Glenna's journey  ~Inspiration and tips for busy women who don't know how to make the time to be in the Word; the importance of spiritual rest ~Suffering as not being a punishment ~Our hard circumstances in light of the character of God  ~How to begin seeing the presence of God Himself as the ultimate gift, and not the things He could give us; Jesus as the Treasure ~A survey of both the Old and New Testaments showing how God has always desired to be present with us ~Hope and help for people who feel as if they never feel the presence of God ~And more! For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Porcia Baxter is a wife, mama of two little boys, and speaker with a passion to see others freed by Christ just as she has been. On today's episode of the Home and Hearth Podcast, she shares her amazing testimony of being freed by Christ from a 17-year-long addiction to alcohol and drugs. You will walk away from this chat with hope in your heart and your faith built up! What we Chat about in This Episode: ~Porcia's childhood and growing up years of trying hard to be liked and accepted by others ~How not knowing who she was and trying to find her worth led to her striving for perfection and seeking to perform well; thinking she had to be good at things in order to be a good and productive person ~Being bi-racial and treating everyone as your equals as fellow image bearers of God; how members of the church can be better about coming alongside people who look different from them and truly being the body of Christ to them; living as Jesus did with others >~How Porcia was first introduced to alcohol (in 8th grade) and drugs (in 9th grade), and how her parents first discovered the problem ~Busting some of the myths surrounding those battling drug and alcohol addiction ~How things began to unravel, and what led to Porcia's first stay in rehab ~How not knowing who she was in Christ led to Porcia's relapse  ~The importance of loving those who are battling addiction ~What Porcia's life looks like now ~The unconditional love of God ~And more! For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Pat and Tammy McLeod are Harvard chaplains for CRU, founding members of the Mamelodi Initiative in Africa, parents of four children, including Zack who has suffered a traumatic brain injury, and now new authors as they set pen to paper to chronicle in Hit Hard their story with their son and the subsequent ambiguous loss they have experienced. What we Chat about in This Episode: ~The McLeod's new book, what led them to write it, and what readers can expect ~Zack's traumatic brain injury and the lasting implications of it ~The importance of entering into someone's pain with them rather than just slapping a nice platitude on it ~The belief the McLeods hold to that what happened to Zack is part of a larger story that God is unveiling since the beginning of time; how that comforted them in their loss ~Our crucified God Who enters into our pain and feels it with us ~Meeting God in the Psalms ~The importance of lamenting ~Different ways of grieving and how the McLeods got through; the effect this loss had on their marriage ~Having to finally let go of the expectation of Zack being fully healed on this side of heaven; how the McLeods dealt with folks thinking that they had lost faith in God's ability to heal by doing so ~What life looks like for the McLeods now; how they have seen God bring good out of this journey ~What ambiguous loss is, and some coping mechanisms for it ~The importance of grieving in community ~And more! For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Joy Clarkson, podcaster, writer, teacher, lover of all things beautiful, and student currently working on her PHd in Theology, Imagination, and the Arts at St. Andrews University in Scotland, joins me on the Home and Hearth Podcast to talk about the importance of cultivating friendship in this busy world. She recently co-authored, along with her sister, Sarah, and mother, Sally, the wonderful new book, "Girls Club: Cultivating Lasting Friendship in a Lonely World". You will walk away from this chat built up and inspired to go out there and pursue friendship and community of your own!   What we Chat about in This Episode: ~Joy's new book, "Girls' Club: Cultivating Lasting Friendship in a Lonely World" - what led her to co-author it and what readers can expect ~The importance of moms viewing and treating their children as real people with interesting personalities, thoughts, and things to offer in conversation and to the world ~The new office of "Minister of Loneliness" in the UK and what this development reveals about the current loneliness epidemic ~Admitting your loneliness as a first step towards seeking community ~Tips, tricks, and ideas for practically pursuing friendship and cultivating community in the midst of everyday busyness ~The necessity of being intentional ~Practical ideas for what to talk about when meeting up with someone new whom you're trying to get to know as a friend ~Training your children to ask people questions ~Why friendship is so important and how it can actually change the world ~Jesus' example of friendship ~An example from Joy's own life of a friend who dramatically influenced and changed her life ~The beauty of daughters inheriting beautiful friendships from the circle of their mother's friends ~Female friendships in history ~Cultivating friendships between mothers and daughters ~The "good Christian girl syndrome" of thinking you have to take whatever someone dishes out to you and always turn the other cheek; the importance of boundaries and making space between you and unhealthy friendships; what that looks like  ~And more!   For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Christie Purifoy, author of Roots and Sky and Placemaker, is a wife, mom of 4, and gardener who delights in the work and ministry of placemaking. You will walk away from today's chat built up and inspired to see your own home and place in a different light! What we Chat about in This Episode: ~Christie's books, Roots and Sky and Placemaker ~The beauty of Christie's book, Placemaker, what led her to write it, what readers can expect, and how it inspires folks to see the value of the work of placemaking ~The beauty of God's creation and the part it plays in our understanding and knowing of God and our growth in Him ~Placemaking being for everyone, and not just homemaking, home decorating types - because we were all made in the image of a creative, place-making God ~Turning creativity and placemaking into a true source of ministry ~How Christie's journey towards being a placemaker began ~Being a humble placemaker - not just imposing one's own will on a place, but also learning and growing by a place's influence on oneself ~The correlation between hospitality and placemaking - how they differ and how they are similar ~Introvertedness and serving others ~The challenges Christie faces in placemaking ~The financial aspect of placemaking; the financial care of Christie's home, Maplehurst ~A story of placemaking that Christie wanted to share with the listeners ~The correlation between placemakng and peacemaking ~The Purifoys experience of moving around a lot; placemaking for families and individuals with very nomadic lifestyles; how to send your roots down deep and be placemakers in an area when you may not live there very long ~Receiving and learning from a place before rushing to change it ~Practical tips and first steps for getting started placemaking ~The beauty of the small acts of noticing a place ~The gift of the wilderness places ~And more! Head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast for the full shownotes!

Erin Greneaux, wife, mom of 2, and author joins me on the Home and Hearth Podcast to share about her two books, Learnable Moments for Moms: 100 Devotions to Discover God in the Everyday and Inconceivable Redemption: God's Presence in Miscarriage and Infertility. I know you will walk away from this episode incredibly encouraged! What we Chat about in This Episode: ~Erin's two newest books, Learnable Moments for Moms: 100 Devotions to Discover God in the Everyday and Inconceivable Redemption: God's Presence in Miscarriage and Infertility, what led Erin to write them, and what readers can expect ~The ability we truly do have to - in the midst of the craziness of motherhood and our life as busy moms - spend time with the Lord and learn from Him in relevant ways in our everyday moments ~Wondering if the work of mothering is all there is to our lives; reorienting our viewpoint of motherhood ~Embracing not-so-quiet "quiet times" ~The building-block nature of today's work ~Erin's writing process for her devotional book ~Making time to be with the Lord ~Doing life with the Lord - bringing Him into every moment of our day ~What spending time with the Lord looks like in Erin's everyday life ~The way loss can change the way we view God ~Erin's journey of miscarriage and infertility, what God did through those experiences ~What to say and what not say to those going through miscarriage or infertility; things said to Erin which were not helpful in that season ~Encouragement for women who have experienced miscarriage or infertility ~Erin's tips for aspiring self-published authors ~And more!   For  full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Tabitha Panariso is a wife, stay-at-home mom of 3, and writer who joins me on the Home and Hearth Podcast again today to share more of her passion for encouraging women to find the mission and purpose in the ordinary moments of everyday life. What we Chat about in This Episode: ~What it looks like for Tabitha as a stay-at-home mom of 3 littles to use her own unique gifts in this season and context she's in right now ~Advancing the kingdom through home and family life ~Looking for opportunities and letting go of the excuses to use your gifts in the midst of motherhood ~Seeking to build your own platform vs. sitting back, being faithful, and allowing God the space to advance your work for His glory ~Believing God to take care of us, have perfect timing, and have our best interests at heart when it comes to the work of our hands ~The huge impact of reaching and changing just one life ~What it looks like to actually believe in and live out the abundant life Christ came to give us in the midst of our daily struggles and challenges ~Getting past comparison, competition, and being easily offended ~The mommy wars and the defensive posture they produce in us ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Tabitha Panariso is a wife, stay-at-home mom of 3, and writer who joins me on the Home and Hearth Podcast today to share her passion for encouraging women to find the mission and purpose in the ordinary moments of everyday life. What we Chat about in This Episode: ~Making the most of the place, season, calling, and life that you are in, to the glory of God; the journey the Lord has had Tabitha on to come to this way of thinking ~Never planning or desiring to be a stay-at-home mom, and what brought Tabitha from being a school counselor to where she is today as a mom working at home; the grieving process she went through during that transition ~Finding our identity not in our work, but in Christ ~The prison of basing your identity in what you do ~The little idols we erect all the time - clean homes, perfect quiet times, etc. and how God prioritizes our relationship with Him above everything else ~What intentionality looks like in Tabitha's day-to-day life ~Striking a balance between focusing solely on your internal world and focusing solely on your external ~Taking thoughts captive, what that looks for Tabitha in her everyday life, and how that practice aids her in her desire to live intentionally ~The lies of the "self-help" gospel and the idea that we are enough on our own ~Fleeing temptation in our everyday lives ~Help, hope, and encouragement for the mom who feels stuck at home in the seemingly mundane everyday moments ~And more!   For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

April and Bayleigh of the Nestled Podcast join me on the Home and Hearth Podcast to chat about minimalism, home decor, hospitality, and what it all has to do with the gospel. Listen in and be encouraged in your everyday homemaking and ministry! What we Chat about in This Episode: ~The impact hospitality has on our ability to share the gospel and love others well ~The struggle to declutter ~Cultivating minimalism in your own home when you aren't geared that way ~April and Bayleigh's journey towards minimalism and the struggle it took to get there ~Not holding on to things; freeing up space in your home so that there is room for the clutter people bring in emotionally  ~Finding freedom to let go of sentimental items when needed ~Raising our kids with an open-handed mentality  ~How minimalism and decluttering makes it easier to keep a clean home ~The ciclical nature of the hoarding mentality ~Practical first steps for the woman who wants to declutter and become more minimalistic but has no idea where or how to start ~How having too many toys actually does our kids a disservice and can inhibit their imaginations ~The positive impact minimalism can have on our ability to practice hospitality well and often ~Cultivating homes that are both a safe haven and safe place to land for our families and guests alike and also a launching pad for them ~Taking a hospitable heart everywhere you go ~Putting ourselves in situations where we can be the light and love of Christ with others ~Minimalism and decor; the part purposeful decor plays in our homemaking and hospitality ~And more!   For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Kayla J Nelson, creative director of Spirit-Filled Woman Magazine joins me on the podcast today, where we chat all about how our new magazine and shop came to fruition, what you can expect, and a whole lot more! What we Chat about in This Episode: ~The history of Spirit-Filled Woman magazine thus far, where the idea came from, and how it all came to fruition ~The answer to the question, "Why a magazine?" ~Magazines that I grew up with and love now which have inspired me throughout my walk with Christ ~How my idea for this magazine has been expounded, increased, and magnified through God's goodness ~What has surprised me the most about launching a magazine ~Our hopes for the magazine over the next year ~Kayla's background in graphic design and how she came to be the creative director of the magazine, fulfilling a lifelong dream in the process ~A behind-the-scenes look into what goes into Kayla designing and layout out each issue ~Our desire at the magazine to be sensitive to others and celebrate and embrace diversity ~The additional products already in our shop - our planner, Bible study resources for kids and women, mugs, apparel, Scripture cards, prayer journal and planner, and more! ~Our Patreon ~Why we named the magazine "Spirit-Filled Woman", and what walking by the Spirit looks like in our own daily lives ~Rapid fire podcastaversary questions in honor of the podcast's 2nd anniversary ~And more! Head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast for complete show notes!

Valerie Woerner is wife to Tyler, mama to Vivi and Vana, founder of the Val Marie Paper prayer journals, and now brand new author of the book "Grumpy Mom Takes a Holiday", which released just yesterday! She joins me on the podcast today to talk about how we can let go of the grumpiness we battle in motherhood through the freedom found in the truths of God's Word. What we Chat about in This Episode: ~Valerie's book, what led her to write it, and what folks can expect ~Lies about motherhood and the truths of God's Word which refute them ~The ability we have, through the power of the Holy Spirit, to choose joy no matter what our circumstances; how the Lord has grown Val in this area ~Abundance and soundness of mind in motherhood and how to get to that point of living the abundant life in the midst of motherhood ~Dispelling the myths the world tells us that motherhood means never sleeping again, never being alone with your husband, never having time to yourself, never having a clean house, etc. ~The martyrdom/victim mentality in motherhood these days; balancing the hard days with the truths of the gospel ~Jesus' example of living a life of sacrifice and service to others without being a victim ~The importance of church attendance even in the season of littles; how to cultivate that practice practically ~The difference between caregiving and caretaking; slowing down and equipping our kids to learn tasks that they can do on their own ~The reality that "fine" shouldn't be our legacy or goal; seeking excellence ~The hope we have to actually live differently ~And more!   For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Kara-Kae James is wife to Brook, mama to four, founder of the ministry Thrive Moms, and now new author of the book Mom Up: Thriving with Grace in the Chaos of Motherhood. She shares with us today how we can go from merely surviving in motherhood to truly thriving in the abundant life Christ came to give us. I know you will walk away from this chat encouraged and built up in your role as a mom! What we Chat about in This Episode: ~What led Kara-Kae to write her book ~Kara-Kae's journey of having three babies in under three years ~Going from surviving and barely getting by to actually thriving in motherhood ~Striking a balance between motherhood being portrayed as nothing but awful and hard and keeping you from ever having time alone with your husband, and portraying it as always being a dreamy breeze all the time ~Thriving in motherhood in the midst of the hard days ~God's "enoughness" and the lie that we are enough on our own ~Rising up out of the struggle of surviving into living the abundant life in Christ ~Mothering each unique child in unique ways ~Making time to be in the Word as a busy mom; the importance of being in the Word in front of our kids - not just reserving our Bible-reading time for when the kids aren't around ~Embracing the season you're in ~Being free of mommy guilt and how our missteps with our kids can become special moments of tangibly showing them the truths of the gospel ~Thriving personally as a woman; tackling the myth that self-care is selfish ~The importance of prioritizing your marriage in the midst of motherhood; what that looks like for Kara-Kae and Brook ~Suiting up in the armor of God as a mom ~The ministry of Thrive Moms ~And more!   Head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Shannan Martin is wife to Cory, the chaplain at their county jail, and mama to 4 adopted kiddos. She is also an author of two amazing books, "Falling Free" and "The Ministry of Ordinary Places". She is a passionate follower of Christ who desires to equip believers to better serve the Lord by loving well the people around them. What we Chat about in This Episode: ~Shannan's books ~Her journey and their family's life story (as touched on in Falling Free!) of going from living a simple, safe, and peaceful life on a picturesque, sprawling farm to choosing to move to a lower income part of the city in order to enter into the lives of others with the light and love of Christ ~The importance of loving our neighbor and also being loved by our neighbor ~What day-to-day life looks like now in the Martin's new town (as shared in The Ministry of Ordinary Places) ~What it looks like to draw near to people who don't look, believe, or live like us (just as Christ did!) ~Slowing down to notice the people around us; the importance of the ministry at our finger tips right here and right now ~Shannan having her perspective changed on whether or not our aim in life ought to be to live safe, secure, comfortable, "common sense" lives ~Prejudices and wrong ways of thinking Shannan had to get past in order to live this new life of being a good and intentional neighbor to people who are very different from her ~The problem of living blindly under a bubble, insulated by people who are only just like us ~The reality that we are all actually not that different from one another after all - we are all image bearers of God who want to belong and be loved and trusted ~Tackling the dark, quiet places inside of us and coming face to face with wrong, judgmental viewpoints we harbor towards others ~How to start this new lifestyle of being a good neighbor to others and seeing people as Christ sees them ~The importance of learning and listening to other people's stories; the impact this can have on our hearts and views of others ~Shifting our perspective from "What?" to "Why?" ~Leveling the playing field by humbly dismantling the myth that we commit "ok" sins, while others commit far worse sins ~Our journeys out of legalism and judgementalism; Christ's disdain for legalistic Pharisaicalism; the damage it does to the kingdom ~God rescuing Shannan from the life she always wanted ~What to say to others who are accusing us of living unwise or unsafe lives ~Surrendering the idols of people-pleasing and the approval of others ~The reality that "living the American dream with a side of Jesus" is not Biblical Christianity ~Living with surrendered, open hands ~The importance of acknowledging our need for and dependance on Christ ~Our unfortunate practice of regularly parroting familiar Christian phrases from a place of theory rather than practice ~Entering into the pain of others as Christ did ~The significance of suffering ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Kristy Cambron is wife to Jeremy, mama to 3 sons, fiction author, Bible study writer, women's ministry leader, and lover of Jesus who is passionate about equipping women to grow in their walk with the Lord through the practice of verse mapping. What we Chat about in This Episode: ~Kristy's verse mapping Bible study and DVD resources on Acts and Luke ~The importance of seeking the Spirit's direction (before we do anyone else's!) for our daily lives ~How the Spirit confirms what He is leading us to do through what He leads the wise counselors in our lives to say to us ~Kristy's journey as a novelist; her fiction books that have been released thus far (and a sneak peak to the ones coming!) ~Seeing the power of God at work in the midst of the hard grittiness of real life ~Kristy's practice of spending the early morning hours with the Lord and then in writing time ~And more! For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Kristy Cambron is wife to Jeremy, mama to 3 sons, fiction author, Bible study writer, women's ministry leader, and lover of Jesus who is passionate about equipping women to grow in their walk with the Lord through the practice of verse mapping. What we Chat about in This Episode: ~What verse mapping is and how to do it ~How Kristy got started verse mapping and the impact it has had on her walk with the Lord ~How Kristy's love for art, history, and Jesus led to what she does today ~Kristy's journey out of working in corporate America and into being a Bible study teacher and author ~How verse mapping has helped Kristy be in the Word more, even as a busy woman ~Grace for the season of life you're in ~How *wanting* to be in the Word will bear a lot more fruit than thinking you *have* to be in the Word ~Fascinating cultural, historical, and other tidbits Kristy has discovered in the Word, specifically because of verse mapping ~Creating verse mapping groups ~The importance of following the leading of the Holy Spirit in our Bible study ~How the Bible is the only book that, when you read it, the Author is right there with you ~And Much More! For Full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Brittany Pennel joins me on the podcast today for the second in our two-part chat on thriving through anxiety. What we Chat about in This Episode: ~How the church needs to step up and love on folks battling anxiety ~Things the church has said towards those facing anxiety that have not been helpful, and what to say instead ~Understanding at what point additional help in the form of a counselor or therapist may become necessary ~And more! For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Brittany Pennel is a wife, mama, blogger, and Christ-follower who is passionate about encouraging women with the truth that they can thrive with joy even in the midst of anxiety. She joins me on the podcast today to talk about exactly that. What we Chat about in This Episode: ~Brittany's journey and experience with panic attacks and anxiety ~The positive impact her loving, non-judgmental mother-in-law had on her walk with Christ ~Believing that God is good and still having trust in Him while also dealing with feelings of anxiety ~What it looks like, practically in the day-to-day, for Brittany to turn to the Lord when in the midst of anxiety; verses and other resources she turns to for comfort ~Things to say to encourage others who are battling anxiety ~How Brittany and her story are being used by God today ~And much more! Head to hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Lindsey Falls, a wife, mama to 3 boys, writer, servant of God, and stay-at-home mama joins me on the Home and Hearth podcast today to share her passion for the truth that we are overcomers in Christ who can live lives of victory by the Spirit.   What we Chat about in This Episode: ~Why Lindsey is so passionate about the message of victory and living as an overcomer in Christ; what led her to this point ~The wrong view Lindsey had of suffering and what the Bible says about it ~Taking thoughts captive ~What it means to be an overcomer in Christ living a life of victory and what that looks like in Lindsey's own life ~Taking the theology you say you believe and actually having it sink down deep into your bones to change your everyday life ~Lindsey's personal story of how the Lord has brought about victory in her marriage ~Wrong ideas regarding "Biblical womanhood", roles in marriage, and how they relate to our walk with the Lord; how these myths hinder our victory ~Living life as a victorious overcomer in the area of motherhood ~Living life on mission - what that means and how it looks for Lindsey ~Walking by the Spirit and how to get started doing so in the every day ~Some of the greatest hindrances to walking by the Spirit in victory as an overcomer ~Things to be mindful of when it comes to spiritual warfare; the importance of the armor of God   For full show notes, head to hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Lauren Bellows joins me on the Home and Hearth podcast today. A wife, mom of 7 (both bio kids and adopted), writer, and lover of Jesus, Lauren is passionate about equipping the church to better understand the realities of mental illness and how we can best serve folks who battle those issues. Lauren Bellows joins me on the Home and Hearth podcast today. A wife, mom of 7 (both bio kids and adopted), writer, and lover of Jesus, Lauren is passionate about equipping the church to better understand the realities of mental illness and how we can best serve folks who battle those issues. What we Chat about in This Episode: ~Lauren's own journey with mental health issues such as PTSD, OCD, and depression/anxiety ~Things said in the church to people battling mental health issues which are actually not helpful and should not be said ~Some of the best things Christians can say to those battling mental illness ~What Lauren wishes those of us who do not battle mental illness knew about how it is to struggle in those areas ~Ministering to those who are suicidal ~Understanding when prayer, Bible meditation, etc. is enough to get you through and when you need to also move onto other treatment ~Tips for finding a good counselor and how to combat the stigma surrounding seeking counseling that is all too common in the church ~The reality that there is a spiritual aspect to mental illness ~And much more! For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Jessi Fearonjoins me on the Home and Hearth podcast today. A wife, mom of 3, personal finance coach, blogger, writer, and speaker, she is passionate about equipping, educating, empowering, and encouraging others to handle their finances well in order that they might have financial peace. I know you will come away from this episode feeling equipped and encouraged to walk forth in financial freedom in your own life!     What we Chat about in This Episode ~ Jessi's journey of paying off $55k in consumer debt and now only having $13k left still on her mortgage ~Tips for paying in cash for all things Christmas this year ~Making and sticking to a budget which enables you to still live a full, rich, and real life ~Amazing stories of God's faithfulness in the life of Jessi's family even when her husband was injured and medical bills wiped out their savings, when a $20 car repair cost $5,000, and the good that the Lord brought out of these challenging seasons in their lives ~Jessi's husband's salvation story ~The concept of keeping various fund checking accounts ~And much more!   For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Tricia Goyer, wife, mama of 10, and author of 73 books joins me on the Home and Hearth podcast today to share about her newest book, Calming Angry Kids: Help and Hope for Parents in the Whirlwind. You are sure to walk away from today's episode feeling equipped and encouraged in your mothering journey!   What we Chat about in This Episode ~Tricia's new book, Calming Angry Kids, and the background story of what led her to write this book ~Taking the time to get to the root of our kids' anger problems (while realizing that many different emotions manifest themselves as anger in kids!) ~How similar our own struggles with anger are with our children's struggles ~Tricia's battles with guilt at distrupting her calm, happy home by bringing in angry children struggling with traumatic backgrounds and how God has grown and matured her children through this journey ~The importance of focusing on the relationship with our children rather than just the house rules and how that then leads to obedience from the heart ~Dealing with the triggers which are leading our kids to angry outbursts ~Equipping our kids to deal with their anger and triggers themselves ~Dealing with outbursts of anger in babies, toddlers, and preschoolers ~The compassion and grace of God through it all ~And more!  For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Wendie Pett is a wife, mom, health and wellness expert, and naturopath who is passionate about seeing women become healthy and well in a holistic fashion so that they can fulfill their God-given purposes. This means that she emphasizes the importance of being healthy in body, mind, and spirit. I know you will walk away encouraged and inspired by what she has to share today!       What we Chat about in This Episode ~Visibly Fit, Wendie's holistic program designed to equip women to become healthy in body, mind, and spirit ~The importance of approaching issues of health and wellness from a Biblically-based perspective ~Being healthy from the inside out; the impact of forgiveness on our overall health goals ~Releasing emotions that are tied to our weight ~Caring for the temple of the Holy Spirit ~How faith relates to the topic of exercise; how exercise can be an act of worship ~A Biblical perspective of faith and medicine ~How the toxicity of our thoughts has a  negative impact on our bodies, even down to the cellular level ~How moderation can kill momentum ~Listening to what our body really wants, versus what our flesh wants ~The difference between health and vanity ~The difference between just focusing on a diet and instead focusing on a whole lifestyle change ~How to make a healthy lifestyle cost-effective ~And more!  For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Suzanne Hines, wife, homeschooling mama to 2 (going on 3!) biological kids, foster mom, and blogger, shares candidly on this episode of the Home and Hearth podcast about some of the challenges she has faced over the past few years which have left her feeling like a failure. She shares that while life is hard, God's grace is always there to get us through. I know you'll come away encouraged by this chat!   What we Chat about in This Episode ~The ups and downs of the past 5 years of Suzanne's life ~Suzanne's motherhood journey this far, through having 3 biological children and 2 foster children ~Suzanne's feelings of failure in multiple areas of her life - blogging, mothering, fostering, etc. ~Several different ways one can volunteer on behalf of foster kids ~The importance of sharing our stories while we're in the midst of them, before they are ever all tied up with a pretty bow ~The story behind the Hines disrupting one of their foster care placements  ~Finding our identity in Christ, rather than in the myth that we are "enough" ~What the Lord has taught Suzanne through all these ups and downs ~The positive impact fostering has had on Suzanne' s biological children ~How to decipher whether or not you are for sure being called to foster ~Tips for balancing the many hats you're wearing ~And more!   For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Heather MacFadyen, wife, mama of 4 boys, and host of the popular God Centered Mom(now known as the Don't Mom Alone) podcast joins me on the Home and Hearth podcast to chat about God-centered motherhood and what that looks like practically-speaking.   What we Chat about in This Episode ~Heather's podcast journey at God Centered Mom ~The reason we are not meant to "mom alone" ~Rather than seeking to strike a life/work/mom  "balance", instead focusing on boundaries on your time ~The lie that you are "missing out" as a mom, and the truth that being smack dab in the middle of God's will keeps you from ever being able to "miss out" ~Wisdom for disciplining toddlers ~Why consistency in discipline is not always feasible across children ~Discipline as shaping a heart, not merely wanting to control our children and getting them to do what we want ~Dealing with very persistent children ~Parenting strong-willed (or strong- spirited!) children ~The Inside Out Approach to Parenting; reaching the heart and validating and understanding feelings ~What God is teaching Heather through motherhood right now in this season ~Tips for how busy mamas can still prioritize their marriages ~What it looks like for Heather to be a truly God-centered mom and to make the time to meet with the Lord ~And more!  For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Shontell Brewer, a dear friend, joins me on the Home and Hearth podcast today for the second time! Today she is sharing with us about her new bookMissionary Mom,  an inspirational, convicting work that really hits home with the depth of importance to be found in our everyday lives as mamas and the work we do day in and day out. I know you will be inspired and encouraged by what she shares with us in today’s episode!       What we Chat about in This Episode ~The importance of prayer in your mothering journey ~Starting early with the spiritual side of mothering - teaching our children where to find their identity, etc. ~Viewing the role of mother as one of honor, purpose, and power ~Finding hope and opportunity in the season of littles ~The ripple effect of motherhood ~The biggest barriers to moms living truly intentional lives ~The concept of "leaning in" parenting ~Hope for moms who feel like they have already blown it ~The reality that we are not our child's savior ~And more!   For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Phylicia Masonheimer, wife, mom of 2 littles, author, speaker, and  blogger, joins me on the Home and Hearth podcast for the second time. Last time she came on to talk about her book on sex, and today she's coming back to talk about her new course on gospel-driven, purposeful productivity. I believe you will come away from this episode encouraged and inspired for your own journey of productivity to the glory of God!   What we Chat about in This Episode ~Phylicia's passion to inspire women to live driven lives - driven by the Spirit of God to accomplish the will of God in work, home, and the world ~What it means to be a fruitful disciple of Christ ~Seeing the importance of productivity form a gospel perspective; understanding what that is and operating out of that perspective ~Different versions of productivity based on the different seasons of life ~Balancing grace and excellence ~How to be truly productive in busy seasons and better able to reduce our stressors  ~Tips for developing a helpful morning routine, even if you're a night owl ~Tips to motivate yourself to be more productive ~Being flexible in transition seasons ~And more!  For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Jen Schmidt, author of the new book, Just Open the Door: How One Invitation Can Change a Generation,joins me on the Home and Hearth Podcast today to share all about the Biblical perspective on hospitality and how we can incorporate it into our everyday lives. Jen is a wife, mom of 5, speaker, and longtime blogger who is passionate about equipping women to just open the door. I know you will come away from today's episode feeling inspired and motivated to begin cultivating more hospitality into your daily life!   What we Chat about in This Episode ~Why Jen wrote a book on hospitality  ~A Biblical understanding of hospitality - what it is and why it is so important, and how to cultivate it into your everyday life ~Hospitality in the season of littles ~Tips for frugal hospitality ~Hospitality vs. entertaining ~Hospitality as a Biblical command ~How practicing hospitality impacts our children and legacy forever ~Diving deep into our everyday lives, in the season we are in, and being used by God to welcome people in ~Our families as our closest neighbors ~Welcoming people into our chaos ~The myth that our homes have to be perfect in order for us to practice hospitality  ~An amazing story of a life changed as a result of the ministry of hospitality ~On-the-go hospitality  ~A ministry of awareness and extending hospitality first to those within our own homes ~And more! For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Carlee Russell, wife, homeschooling mom of 3, and virtual assistant, joins me on the Home and Hearth podcast to talk about a Biblical understanding of women and work. I believe you will come away from this episode encouraged and inspired for your own journey!   What we Chat about in This Episode ~A Biblical understanding of a woman's work, and how both the ultra-liberal feminist and the 1950s housewife stereotypes are wrong ~Three specific places in Scripture which provide us with an understanding of woman and work - Genesis 1 & 2, Proverbs 31, and Titus 2:4-5 ~Hope for the woman who feels like there is more out there for her ~Using our gifts and talents even in the season of homemaking and mothering ~The multitude of ways a woman can contribute to her family's economy whether she is working for someone else or not ~How doing work that you love fills you up and thereby makes you an even better mama, more able to pour back out into your kiddos ~The culture's view of a stay-at-home mom vs. the Bible's ~The problem with making your children the center of your universe ~Mommy guilt and how it comes from the culture; not the Bible ~How seeing her work has positively impacted Carlee's children ~The freedom moms have between being there for their kids and being at all their events and activities ~How moms working at home or elsewhere can inspire entrpreneurship in our kids ~Working hard and with intentionality; viewing our home as a place of work and excellence ~And more!   Find all the show notes at www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Natalie Metrejean Lewis joins me on the Home and Hearth podcast today to share about a thoroughly Christian, kingdom-minded view of singleness. Whether you are married and hoping to interact better with your single sisters or single and trying to make the most of the season you’re in, you are sure to come away encouraged and equipped by the wisdom Natalie shares on the show today!   What we Chat about in This Episode ~Things we say as the body of Christ to our single sisters that are actually unhelpful; how we can do better ~The imortance of being friends with people who are in different seasons than yours, and how to go about cultivating those friendships ~Debunking the lie that married people have nothing they can learn from singles and vice versa ~And more!   For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Natalie Metrejean Lewisjoins me on the Home and Hearth podcast today to share about a thoroughly Christian, kingdom-minded view of singleness. Whether you are married and hoping to interact better with your single sisters or single and trying to make the most of the season you're in, you are sure to come away encouraged and equipped by the wisdom Natalie shares on the show today!   What we Chat about in This Episode ~Natalie's journey of singleness until she was 31 ~Thriving, not merely surviving, in singleness ~Not viewing singleness as merely a waiting season ~Redeeming the time in your singleness ~Realizing that this time on earth is not everything ~A Christian, Biblical understanding and view of singleness ~How the myth that "motherhood is the highest calling" affects single women ~The problem with limiting the definition of "Biblical womanhood" down to marriage and motherhood ~Single people in both the Word and in history who had a huge impact on the Kingdom of God ~What to do with unmet desires for marriage and motherhood ~The eternal impact of singleness ~And more!   For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Sarah Gates from Servant Mamaand Dear Mil Spousejoins me on the Home and Hearth podcast today to share her experiences as a military wife as well as practical ideas for how we can best serve as the body of Christ the military families around us.   What we Chat about in This Episode ~Sarah's journey to unexpectedly becoming a military spouse and what her experiences with military life have entailed so far ~How the difficulties and unexpected aspects of living the military life has affected Sarah's faith and walk with the Lord ~Some of the challenges faced by military families  ~Dealing with feelings of abandonment as a military spouse ~Documenting the goodness of God in our everyday lives ~The best, most practical ways to reach out and minister to long-distance military families ~How the body of Christ can minister to active duty military families ~How to support the spouse and children of a deployed service member ~Sarah's non-profit ministry, Dear Mil Spouse- her vision for it, how it got started, and how people can get involved ~And more!  For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Christine Hoover, wife, mom, podcaster, blogger, and author of several books including Messy, Beautiful Friendship and From Good to Grace, joins me on the Home and Hearth podcast to share about her most recent book, Searching for Spring: How God Makes All Things Beautiful in Time. Whether you just came out of a hard season, are in one now, or will enter into one in the future, I know you will walk away from today's conversation encouraged and built up in your faith.   What we Chat about in This Episode ~Christine's book, Searching for Spring: How God Makes All Things Beautiful in Time, what it's about and what led her to write it ~How God takes hard things and makes them into beautiful, good things in our lives ~How to wait well during the hard seasons ~What Christine meant by this phrase in her book: "Attitude isn't everything. Beauty is everything."; the importance of being a beauty-seeker ~The problem with looking inside ourselves to conjure up joy and happiness, the One actually creating beauty in our lives ~How hope comes from suffering ~Little resurrections in our lives that point to that eternal resurrection ~How her son's autism diagnosis led to Christine actually seeing who God truly is ~How to deal with those "inconsolable things" - those hard parts of our lives that Christ doesn't heal or take away in the here and now; how to fit together what we know about the Lord being our Healer, loving Father, and caring Savior with the reality that life is tragic and painful sometimes ~How we can relate to the OT prophets who were looking forward to the coming of the Messiah and who hoped in that promise in the hard times as we, too, look forward to the second coming of Christ when all will be made right; how we can walk in faith in light of their example ~The place of sacrifice in the Christian's life ~The importance of silence and stillness in the Christian's life ~And more!    For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Jamie Ivey joins me on the Home and Hearth podcast today to share about her book, If You Only Knew, and the importance of sharing the stories of our pasts and how God has redeemed them. You will come away from this chat inspired to be more real, vulnerable, and authentic in your everyday relationships that the glory of God might shine forth.  What we Chat about in This Episode ~Jamie's book, If You Only Knew, and the life story she shares therein of going from being a girl in church practically every time the doors were open to walking down a path that strayed from her Christian values ~Why Jamie chose to be so vulnerable in her book about both her past and present sin struggles  ~The authenticty of vulnerability  ~The problem with labeling ourselves in ways the Lord never has ~The problem with owning an identity not based in the gospel ~Inviting others into our sin struggles and enabling them to speak truth to us when we need it ~How to start being vulnerable and share your story; finding friends who love Jesus even more than us ~How our stories can lead to our ministries (think Paul) and how God can be glorified through our stories of sin and redemption  ~The difference between behavior modification, rules, and knowing about God and heart transformation and knowing God Himself; how this impacts our parenting ~The concept of sin shock ~And more!   For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Victoria Easter Wilson joins me on the podcast today to share insight, encouragement, and wisdom which have come from being a work-at-home mom. Wife, mama of 3, and virtual assistant, Victoria is passionate about inspiring fellow mamas to give their all to both their families and their work. Whether you are currently a work-at-home mom or hope to one day be, this episode is sure to bless you!       What we Chat about in This Episode ~The work Victoria does at home and her journey to becoming a work-at-home mom ~A typical day-in-the-life for Victoria ~Some of the ups and downs of being a work-at-home mom which Victoria has experienced  ~The benefits Victoria has experienced as a result of being a work-at-home mom (especially on her marriage and the way she and her husband are able to work together as a team) ~Why it's good for our children to see us work ~Practical ways to inspire our kids to love work and cultivate good work ethics ~Dealing with mommy guilt as a result of being a work-at-home mom; how mom guilt is linked to idolatry ~Victoria and her friend Carlee's course for work-at-home moms on how they can become VAs (virtual assistants) ~And more!  For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Bonni Greiner from Mom by Example joins me on the podcast today to share with us how we truly can cultivate joy in motherhood and find easier ways to mother. She is a wife, mom of 8, and mentor who delights in encouraging and equipping younger moms for the journey of motherhood. I know you will be encouraged by just how practical and wise her words are which she shares with us today.   What we Chat about in This Episode ~ How Bonni went from having no joy in motherhood and running away from her family to actually being able to find joy in mothering (while in the midst of having four boys under 5!) ~The importance of moms having friends to reach out to; tips for how to cultivate those friendships  ~Bonni's advice for moms dealing with a number of specific issues and stages, such as: Mommy guilt and thinking you have to do "all the things" with your baby Struggling with the feeling of "cheating on your firstborn" when adding a second baby to your family Balancing having several children/large family dynamics How to address gender differences, privacy, etc. among children of different genders How to balance outside activities and busyness among a varied range of ages Dealing with temper tantrums ~An "easier way" to deal with: kids' clutter - toys, clothes, etc.  temper tantrums singling rivalry respect issues teaching children about the Lord and right theology sex, relationships, and pornography ~How to prioritize your marriage in the midst of the busyness of motherhood ~And more! For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Valerie Woerner, owner of the Val Marie Paper Shop and designer of some pretty amazing prayer journals, joins me on the Home and Hearth Podcast today to chat about all things prayer! Val is a wife, mama of two little girls, and author whose passion is to inspire and equip women to live lives of purposeful, impactful, bold prayer. She has encouraged me so much in my own personal walk with the Lord, and I pray the same can be said for you after you listen to today's episode!  What we Chat about in This Episode ~ How Valerie has a good amount of margin time even in the midst of all she does with family, work, and ministry ~How Val Marie Paper started ~Why prayer is so important and impactful ~Books and other resources Val recommends on the topic of prayer ~How to revitalize a dull prayer life ~How to balance the realization that God is sovereign and in control with the truth that prayer is impactful and changes things ~How Valerie teaches her 2 and 4 year old daughters about prayer; resources for this ~How Valerie's mom impacted her prayer life ~How to make prayer practical in your everyday life ~Stereotypes in motherhood and how they affect new mamas ~And more! Head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast for full shownotes!

Tomorrow marks the Home and Hearth Podcast's 1 Year Anniversary! I cannot believe this show has been going strong for a full year already! It doesn't seem possible, and yet I almost can't even remember life before I started podcasting! I have had the honor and joy of getting to chat with some of the most encouraging, inspiring, amazing women who have shared their wisdom and insight with us on a whole host of topics ranging from motherhood, marriage, and homemaking, to the Christian walk, health and fitness, and current even issues in the culture. It's been a truly amazing year, and I am so grateful to each of my guests and to all my amazing listeners!  As the one year podcast-a-versary quickly approached, my brilliant friend Kayla Nelson (who you may remember from episode 19 when she came on the show to interview me about my book!) had yet another brilliant idea and suggested that she come on the show again, this time to interview me about the first year of the podcast! I thought that sounded like to much fun, so that conversation is what you have the chance to listen in on today! I hope you enjoy it. :)  What we Chat about in This Episode ~My hope and goal when I first began the podcast; the purpose behind it ~How that hope has been fulfilled; sweet messages I have received from listeners whose lives have been changed through the podcast ~My favorite episodes thus far ~The most impactful episodes for me thus far ~The doors the podcast has opened for me ministry-wise and the friendships I have made as a result of it ~The episode I find myself sharing the most ~The most popular episode from this year, as far as stats go ~Something I feel like the podcast lacked this year and what we are going to be doing about it ~My hope/biggest goal for the upcoming second year of the podcast ~Someone I hope to get on the podcast this next year ~How the podcast has caused me to be able to view "Christian celebrities" in a whole new light ~Some new and exciting things coming up with the podcast this year ~A controversial topic coming soon to the podcast  ~And more!   For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Emily Thomas, wife, mom of 2, and host of the popular Christian podcast, Mom Struggling Well, joins me on the podcast today to share her testimony of all that the Lord has brought her through thus far. She is sharing candidly about her abusive first marriage, her divorce, her infertility, and more. All the while, she is also sharing about how the Lord has brought good out of all of it, how Romans 8:28 is always true, and how she is still able to trust the Lord in spite of many hard life seasons she has experienced. I know you'll be encouraged and inspired by this episode!   What we Chat about in This Episode ~Emily's journey of marrying her first husband and experiencing an abusive marriage ~The problems which come when marriage and motherhood become idols ~The dangers of relying on our own man-made timelines, wants, and desires ~The importance of not placing our identity in other people or the work we do, but instead in Christ ~How the Lord redeemed the hard season of Emily's first marriage  ~Emily's experience of unexplained infertility and then becoming a mom through adoption ~How not being able to have biological children led to Emily being able to minister to the women in China in a deeply tangible way ~Emily's current struggles in life and motherhood  ~How Emily's podcast originally came about ~Fear in motherhood ~Freedom in mothering choices ~Mommy guilt over working apart from the kids ~What the Lord has been teaching Emily lately and how He has been showing her His redemptive power ~Lessons that Emily has learned through the hard seasons of life and how God has brought good out of them ~The seriousness and also messiness of taking every thought captive  ~And more!   For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Lisa Hensley joins me on the podcast today to chat about how we can truly thrive in motherhood. She is a wife, homeschooling mom of four boys, blogger, speaker, and creative who is passionate about showing moms that they are still women, too, and can and should take the time to cultivate creativity in their lives, invest in themselves, and further their education in those areas of interest to them, thereby pouring into themselves so that they can then pour out into the lives of their children. I think you are going to come away from this episode feeling inspired and encouraged for your walk as a mom.     What we Chat about in This Episode ~The lack of thriving in motherhood in both the church and culture ~The problem with waiting for the next thing to happen or the next season to roll around before we will be happy ~The serious metabolic disorder that Lisa's firstborn son has; how she has been able to still thrive in motherhood in the midst of it ~Practial tips for how to thrive in motherhood ~How even good things are hard (and therefore hard is not bad!) ~The martyr complex all too common in motherhood ~The importance of remembering that you are a woman, not simply a mom ~The importance of being in the Word as a mom (it equips you for motherhood!); the problem with idolizing the "perfect" quiet time ~The importance of having mommy friendships  ~Cultivating your interests through reading, taking classes, listening to podcasts, etc., and the importance of doing so ~The problem with basing your identity in motherhood  ~The fact that motherhood is not a woman's highest calling; the problem which comes with believing that it is ~The problem with allowing the world to revolve around your children  ~The problem with believing there is a one-size-fits-all method to mothering ~The importance of mothering by faith ~The difference between rhythms and schedules ~Cultivating creativity in motherhood and the corresponding "5 minute outlook" ~How to make time to read as a busy mom ~Various myths in the church regarding motherhood ~The importance of considering who and where you want to be when you're 80 and making changes to your outlook and work now to reflect that ~Mothering in light of eternity ~Embracing every season of motherhood  ~Following Jesus' example for motherhood ~The practical nature of theology ~And more!   For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Angie Tolpin joins me on the podcast today to chat about all things "courageous mothering". Angie is a wife, homeschooling mom of 7, doula, author, and speaker who is passionate about equipping women, in a Titus 2 manner, to mother well. When we sat down to record we instantly hit it off and ending up chatting for nearly 2 hours! Everything she said was so good, though, so I didn't want to lose any of that content. For that reason, we split up the episode into two parts, the first having released last Wednesday and the second releasing today. I hope you walk away encouraged by this episode!     What we Chat about in This Episode ~Raising children in a dark and perverse culture ~How to cultivate courage in mothering ~Embracing the season you're in ~The wisdom which comes with age ~How to pick your battles ~Spiritual warfare and the importance of the armor of God discussed in Ephesians 6 ~The importance of knowing what God has actually called you to - not what other moms expect of you ~Encouragement and vision for the homeschool mom who feels weak, inadequate, and not up to the task ~Courageously striking the balance between fully sheltering one's kids from the darkness of this world while also (in an age-appropriate manner) alerting them to the problems in the world so that they can form a Biblical worldview on those issues ~The importance of valuing the authority of God's Word in your life ~The fact that where we want to be in 20 years impacts what we do today ~Sheltering vs. educating ~How to show your children that Scripture applies to everything ~The fact that Satan attacks mothers because he hates life ~The importance of equipping and preparing your children for spiritual battle ~The crucial importance of moms being in the Word ~Cultivating a teacher/student relationship with your children ~And more!   For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Angie Tolpin joins me on the podcast today to chat about all things "courageous mothering". Angie is a wife, homeschooling mom of 7, doula, author, and speaker who is passionate about equipping women, in a Titus 2 manner, to mother well. When we sat down to record we instantly hit it off and ending up chatting for nearly 2 hours! Everything she said was so good, though, so I didn't want to lose any of that content. For that reason, we are splitting up the episode into two parts, the first releasing today and the second releasing next Wednesday. I hope you walk away encouraged by this episode!   What we Chat about in This Episode ~Ministering to women through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum ~The mommy wars and how they are impacting Titus 2 relationships  ~Biblical friendship, comparison, and fights between women  ~When research in motherhood becomes a problem ~Fostering friendships in a divisive culture ~Social media and friendship; the importance of in-real-life friendships ~The comparison trap and spiritual gifts ~Confronting sin in others ~Keeping your priorities straight in motherhood and ministry ~Mentorship among women ~And more!   For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Mo Isom joins me on the podcast today to talk about her soon-to-be-released book, Sex, Jesus, and the Conversations the Church Forgot". We are living in both a cultural and church climate that have all but forgotten the design, meaning, purpose, and importance of sex as created by God. The church treats sex as a largely taboo topic (or else as something solely for the purpose of "meeting a husband's needs"), while the culture treats it in such a cheap, even abusive manner that folks are daily reaping the ramifications of having used sex in a way never intended by God. It's time that we finally come to a full understanding of what sex truly is, and Mo is providing us with that and more on the show today.     What we Chat about in This Episode ~Mo's new book, Sex, Jesus, and the Conversations the Church Forgot - what it's about, Mo's inspiration for writing it, and more ~Mo's testimony of her journey through pornography, sexual sin and promiscuity, and finally how she came to Jesus ~The ways in which we have idolized and perverted God's design for sex ~The power of sex and the importance of getting to the heart of the matter when discussing it in the church  ~How sexual sin oftentimes stems from ignorance about the true meaning and purpose of sex ~The church's silence on sex versus God's practice of addressing it in the very first chapter of the Bible ~How viewing sex as being all about merely "meeting your husband's needs" misses the mark ~The shamefulness of Fifty Shades of Grey  ~Advice for how and when to teach your children about sex, pornography, and other related issues ~The importance of talking to your children about sex as early as you can ~How the church's admonition of "Don't have sex until you're married!!" is an incomplete narrative which oftentimes leads to feelings of guilt when you're finally able to cultivate intimacy in marriage  ~Sex in marriage as being a weapon against the enemy ~The differentiation to make between the idol of virginity and God's call to purity as a whole  ~Encouagement and hope for the woman with sexual sin in her past or present ~And more!

Owen Hargraves, my sweet husband and the man behind so much of what happens on the blog and podcast, joins me on the show today to share his insight into what husbands wish their wives knew on a whole host of topics ranging from sex and intimacy to communication and work. I think you will be encouraged, intrigued, and inspired by all he had to share today!     What we Chat about in This Episode ~Why men tend to find their identity in their work, and what their mindset actually is when they leave for work ~A guy's view of working out ~Why men want to avoid the topic of communication, especially when they hear the words, "Honey, we need to talk!" ~Intimacy and why it's so important to husbands; cultural and church myths and stereotypes pertaining to sex; what our husbands wish we knew about how they feel about us physically and why they don't want us to feel self-conscious ~How wives can best help their husbands; some of the best and worst things a wife can do to help and inspire her husband ~What to do if your husband is not living up to his God-given roles and responsibilities in the home and family ~How to best bring up concerns and sin issues you see in your husband ~Why respect is so important to men and something they tend to crave How to best put your husband first in the midst of the busyness of life ~And more!

Jami Balmet is a wife, homeschooling mom of 5 five and under, writer, podcaster, and business owner who is passionate about equipping women to better fulfill the roles God has given to them in light of the gospel. After having followed along with her ministry for several years now, it was a joy to finally have the chance to sit down and chat with her on all things home and family life.   What we Chat about in This Episode ~Jami's life as a busy wife, mom, and ministry leader; what a typical day looks like for Jami ~The importance of looking to Christ -and not ourselves!- for the strength we need for daily life and the myth that we are enough ~ The key component of prioritizing time in God's Word and how to do so; the implications of how missing this time can lead to the kind of chaos and mess we oftentimes experience in our homes ~Living by faith ~Practical homemaking tips ~Striking a balance between idolizing always having a perfectly clean home and being lazy in terms of household chores and responsibilities  ~How to intentionally prioritize your marriage in practical ways ~Tips for prioritizing your children  ~The sovereignty of God over our time ~Pracitical tips for how to best manage our time when running an online business or ministry on top of home and family life ~The freedom which comes with trustng in the Lord's sovereignty over our online endeavors ~And more!

Dr. Rosaria Butterfield joins me on the podcast today and provides us with just the wisdom and insight we so desperately need in the church today for how to address issues of a LGBTQ nature with both truth and love. Rosaria has an amazing testimony of having been in that community herself when the Lord drew her unto Himself and changed the course of her life forever. It was an honor to talk to Rosaria, and it is our prayer that you walk away from this episode today feeling equipped, encouraged, and inspired for how you, too, can reach out to folks in the LGBTQ community with the love of God and the good news of the gospel.   What we Chat about in This Episode ~Rosaria's journey of going from a liberal, feminist lesbian to a Christian pastor's wife and homeschooling mom ~Rosaria's first two books, The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert: An English Professor's Journey into Christian Faith and Openness Unhindered: Further Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert on Sexual Identity and Union with Christ  (check out the giveaways for both of these on Instagram and Facebook!) ~The two extremes in the church today when it comes to how to respond to LGBTQ issues - either we err on the side of saying those issues are not sin issues or else we err on the side of being hateful towards people who are in that community ~What the proper Christian treatment is of folks in the LGBTQ community ~The importance of loving hospitality and the role it plays in mistering to folks who are LGBTQ ~The oxymoron that is "gay Christianity" ~What does and does not constitute as gender identity; the myth of sexual orientation as being a category of personhood ~How to get started, practically speaking, with a Biblical kind of hospitality ministry ~Unwanted homosexual desires in those in the church ~What it looks like to Biblically love someone from the LGBTQ community and the importance of doing so ~What Jesus would have us do when our son or daughter or another family member or friend comes out as gay or lesbian (and also what we should not do! Hint- don't disown them!) ~And more!

Kristen Kill, wife, mama of 5, podcaster, and now author, joins me on the podcast today to share her heart for how women can find peace in the midst of what may be crazy, chaotic lives. This gal is a real gem, and I know you are going to be encouraged by her story and all that she has to share!       What we Chat about in This Episode ~Kristen's new book, Finding Selah: The Simple Practice of Peace When You Need it Most- what the message of it is, why she was inspired to write it, and what we can expect to find within its pages (be sure to head to Instagram for the book giveaway!)  around 13:00 long pause and 1:02:00 ~The depth of emotion found in the Psalms and all that that teaches us  ~The importance of a rhythm of rest in our lives - why we need it and crave it so badly, what that can look like in our lives, what God intends for us there, what happens when we have that in the midst of chaotic lives, etc. ~The meaning of "selah" in the Psalms - what it means, where it's found, what is found after a "selah", and its implications for our daily lives ~Fear of silence and stillness as being the driving force behind the busyness epidemic in our culture ~The idol of perfectionism, false identities, and living as Pharisees - how they all go against this pursuit of selah in our lives ~Rest as being a holy pursuit ~The issue of the mommy wars ~The practicality of the gospel and theology for everyday life ~God's delight in His daughters and what that means for how we live our lives ~Practical ways to practice "selah" in our everyday lives ~Selah's implications for how we view God ~And more!

What we Chat about in This Episode ~Jess' new book, Dance, Stand, Run: The God-Inspired Moves of a Woman on Holy Ground - what the message of it is, why she was inspired to write it, and what we can expect to find within its pages ~The need the church has in our day to talk again about holiness in addition to the current message of grace and freedom ~The importance of talking about mission - we need to know what we're going to go out and do with the good news of the holiness and grace we've been given  ~A truly Biblical understanding of grace - How grace is meant to transform us and how we first have to recognize our sin in order to appreciate and recognize God's grace  ~Holding onto both grace and holiness 100% at the same time; the fact that we should show grace and tell the truth at the same time ~The importance of context and conversation when it comes to sharing our faith boldly ~The difference between we "should do" or "have to" vs. "I get to do" when it comes to the spiritual disciplines ~What Christ means by "abundant life" ~What the Great Commission looks like for women ~How to grow in and cultivate community ~And more!  For all show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Kat Lee from the Inspired to Action Podcast and HelloMornings joins me on the podcast today to discuss topics pertaining to her newly-released book,  Hello Mornings: How to Build a Grace-Filled, Life-Giving Morning Routine. More than even just inspiring you to make the most of your mornings, Kat really encourages us with the perspective that we have each been uniquely created by God to live exceptional lives. Listen in to our chat today, and get ready to be energized for your daily life!   What we Chat about in This Episode ~Kat's new book, Hello Mornings: How to Build a Grace-Filled, Life-Giving Morning Routine - what the message of it is, why she was inspired to write it, and what we can expect to find within its pages ~The importance of starting our days with intention and a dedication to meeting with the Lord ~How to go from starting our days feeling defensive, stressed, and frustrated to waking up with excitement, purpose, and joy ~The difference between waking "to" your life and waking up "for" your life ~Seeking the Lord for a vision for your day and His guidance for what He wants to have on your to-do list for that day, rather than rushing ahead of Him and filling your list with your own plans, desires, and priorities ~Paying attention to both your season AND your situation as you craft your morning routine ~The problem with ignoring time with the Lord and pushing it off until you're able to have the "perfect" quiet time ~Having your time with the Lord be a part of your whole day ~The truth that God created us each uniquely, to live an exceptional life and to fulfill a purpose only we were made to fulfill ~How the comparison game deprives the world of those things we have been uniquely called to do ~The correlation between planning and faith ~And more!   For all show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

  What we Chat about in This Episode ~What it looks like for Tricia to balance homeschooling seven children, marriage, ministry, writing multiple books a year, and more ~Tricia's new book, Walk it Out: The Radical Result of Living God's Word One Step at a Time ~The difference between learning about God and connecting with Him; the importance of going past merely posting our favorite verses on social media and actually living out what they say ~How even the busiest of women can prioritize a deeper study of God's Word and intentionally living it out  ~When God calls you to do something that goes against your personality type or spiritual giftings, and how to discern His call ~Providing structure for our busy lives; looking to God's method of creation for how to do this ~The importance of reaching out to those who are different from us and how to go about doing that ~The Great Commission in the life of a mom ~The Christian view on race issues ~And more!  For the show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Phylicia Masonheimer joins me on the podcast today to discuss topics surrounding her new book, Christian Cosmo: The Sex Talk You Never Had. Whether you are a single gal anticipating marriage, a married woman needing to refresh her perspective of sex, or the mama of daughters, this podcast is for you!   What we Chat about in this Episode ~Phylicia's book, Christian Cosmo: The Sex Talk You Never Had - where the idea came from for it, the reason she wrote it, and what readers can expect ~Some of the issues with "Purity Culture" ~The common problem today of equating sex with sin and shame ~How the church can do a better job of talking about sex, educating people about it, etc. ~How single girls can celebrate their sexuality ~The importance of community in the life of the single girl ~Why Christians have more to celebrate about sex than anyone else in the world ~Good news for the girl with sexual sin in her life ~The problem with viewing virginity as the ultimate end-goal ~How the stories of Rahab and the woman at the well reveal the heart of God towards women in sexual sin ~The correlation between Dinah in Genesis 34 and the woman at the well in John 4 ~The tendency of single girls to view young men as prospects and what to do about it ~God's way of living out your single season ~Practical tips for moms when it comes to talking to their daughters about sex ~And more!   For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

My friend, Jennifer Defrates, is no stranger to hardship, trial, and difficulty. Yet through it all, she has found the Lord to be so faithful, loving, and trustworthy as He brings good out of everything and works miracles even in the darkest times. I know you are going to be encouraged through her testimony today! What we Chat about in this Episode: ~The purpose of parenting and what our ultimate goal for our children should be ~Jennifer's testimony of having experienced rape, chronic health issues, infertility, military life, and marriage to an unbeliever and all the while seen the goodness of God through it all, her faith be built up, and her trust in Him deepened; how the Lord has brought good out of these various trials ~Lessons Jennifer has learned only through adversity ~Some of the issues with "purity culture" ~How Christ is bigger than our sin ~How the Lord is using Jennifer to reach her husband ~How adoption serves as a beautiful picture of the gospel ~And more!   For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

My sweet friend, Kayla Nelson, joins me today for a special episode of the podcast - she is actually coming on the show to interview me! It was a fun change to be the interviewee rather than the interviewer! :) For today's episode Kayla asked me a series of questions surrounding my new book, Lies Moms Believe. I hope you enjoy!       What we Chat about in this Episode ~What initially sparked the book idea for "Lies Moms Believe" ~The way the writing process was; the amount of time it took to write the book ~My history and journey of hating creative writing as a child and now becoming an author ~Page count, word count, and chapter count of the book ~Companion products releasing soon - the print version, companion Bible study, tumblers, and more ~Why it is moms that specifically get hit so hard with lies ~How the messages of the book can apply to young moms, moms of adult children, and even single or childless women ~The main mommy lie I struggle with ~My passion for this book and reason for writing it ~How I personally combat mommy lies that come at me in the everyday ~My hope for what comes from this book ~More projects coming up! ~And more!    

I am honored to have author, speaker, podcaster, and mama of 7, Heidi St. John (also known as The Busy Mom), on the podcast today! I have been following along with her ministry for several years now (back even before I became a mom myself, I think!), and have been convicted, inspired, and encouraged time and again by what she has to share. The passion of her heart matches mine - it is to draw women back to the Word of God, showing them just how relevant and applicable God's Word truly is to their everyday lives. To that end, she has just released her new book, Becoming MomStrong, which we talk a lot about today. Enjoy!   What we Chat about in this Episode ~ Heidi's new book, Becoming MomStrong - its message and her reason for writing it ~How crucial it is for women to be in the Word; the fact that we cannot mother in this generation (or any other!) without it ~The answer for really busy women believing they don't have time to be in the Word ~Creating a "culture of life" in our homes - what that means, what that looks like, and how we go about doing that ~The importance of teaching our children what is going on in the church and culture, that they might be able to apply a Biblical worldview to that; how to go about doing so, especially with the touchier subjects when our kids are little ~And more!   For all show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Katie Bulmer joins me on the podcast today to share her heart for college girls and the incredible impact they can have on the world for Christ. Katie is super vulnerable and real with us, sharing her testimony of being a sorority girl given to partying, drinking, and dating around during college and how the Lord saved her out of that lifestyle and set her on a different path. Katie is passionate about reaching out to sorority girls of this generation, showing them how the Lord can save them, too. If you are a college girl, have a daughter who is, or know a college girl, this episode is for you! And, truly, it's for you even if you are simply a follower of Christ - what Katie has to share is sure to build up your faith!   What we Chat about in this Episode   ~Katie's testimony of being a sorority girl given to partying, drinking, etc., and then coming to Christ ~Katie's book, Sorority Girls Can Change the World, and her heart for ministering to college girls, showing them the powerful influence for good that they could have right where they are ~The Gospel story of the woman at the well and her encounter with Jesus  ~The sanctification process Christ has taken Katie through thus far ~The gentleness of God and how important it is for us to likewise be gentle with people who are coming to Christ and learning His ways ~How Christ has to be the One to make us whole - we can't look to a boyfriend or husband to do that ~The problem with "missionary dating" ~The implications of physical relationships prior to marriage ~Katie's wisdom and adice for the girl struggling with leaving her old lifestyle behind in an effort to follow Christ ~What genuine friendship and community can look like among women ~How we can be a good friend and balance unwavering truth with love and grace ~The importance of following the Lord's leading for our ministries ~And more!   For all show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Shontell Brewer joins me on the podcast today to discuss how we can go about living our lives on mission, with purpose and intentionality. She is a wife, mama to five, writer, and lover of hospitality whose passion is to encourage women to live in a Biblical manner. I know you will be inspired and encouraged by what she shares with us in today's episode!     What we Chat about in this Episode ~Taco Tuesdays, the ministry Shontell and her family run out of their home; how they got started with that, how it works, the impact it's had, and how we can go about starting our own ~How seeing us live on mission will impact our children far more than us merely telling them they should serve others ~The importance of intentionality in motherhood ~The importance of a proper perspective in motherhood and understanding that it is not our children who are irritating us or making us tired - it's how we are doing motherhood ~The importance of reaching out to God first in a situation, rather than our mom or our friend or our sister-in-law; the realization that we will only find the peace we need when we seek Christ first ~Specific ways to raise up even our very young children to minister to others ~Choosing our attitudes and not allowing ourselves to base them on our circumstances ~The importance of not going it alone in motherhood ~Living in a God-honoring way with unbelieving husbands or husbands who are not following as hard after the Lord as we are ~What Biblical submission in marriage looks like ~And more!   Head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

What we Chat about in this Episode ~Hannah's journey of launching the Young Wives Club ~How God views us as young people and the impact we can have ~The influence we can have on those girls and young women who are younger than us ~Why it may be that there are not more young women involved in Christian ministry online ~Hannah's advice for any young woman wanting to start her own ministry ~Dealing with comparison and the importance of staying in your own lane, with your eyes fixed on Jesus ~Remembering that growing any ministry is a process; keeping the right understanding of "success" ~Some of the biggest struggles we face in Christian ministry ~A typical "day-in-the-life" for Hannah  ~And more! For all show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Valerie Keinsley is a Christian, wife, mama to two, and home business owner residing in Indiana. She joins me on the podcast today to share her journey of dealing with prenatal and postpartum depression and anxiety, in the hopes that doing so will encourage fellow mamas and inspire them to be open and honest about their own struggles. I know the way she shares her heart today will be an encouragement to you and will provide the permission you may be needing to seek healing for whatever struggle you are currently facing.   What we Chat about in this Episode ~Valerie's journey of dealing with both prenatal and postpartum depression and anxiety; how she came to realize what she was experiencing was more than just a case of the "baby blues" ~The fact that full-blown depression is not a gratitude issue in the life of a Christian; rather, it is a true medical illness that requires treatment ~How Valerie has gone about treating her depression even while pregnant ~How we go about reconciling taking medication every day while also having a crunchy mindset; the blessing that modern medicine can be ~The danger of the flippant "encouraging" things we say to struggling new moms; the importance of paying attention to those pleas for help from new moms ~The warning signs for postpartum depression that we need to be on the lookout for in ourselves and others ~Specific ways we can reach out to and serve those mamas we know who are struggling with prenatal or postpartum depression or anxiety ~Viewing treating your depression or anxiety as a means of serving your family ~How this journey has affected Valerie's relationships, in particular her marriage ~And more!   For all show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

My friend Rebekah Thompson joins me on the podcast today in what I know will be a super helpful episode for all you mamas! Rebekah is a wife, homeschooling mom of 3 (with baby #4 on the way!), blogger, doula, piano teacher, and aspiring author who is passionate about seeing mamas thrive in the toddler season (thus the name of her blog, Surviving Toddlerhood!), as well as when they are newly postpartum (she is currently working on an ebook for newly postpartum mamas!). I know you will be inspired and encouraged as you hear her share so much wisdom in both of these important areas!   What we Chat about in this Episode   ~Tips and tricks for how we can thrive in the toddler years, even in the midst of the unique challenges they bring ~How toddlers understand so much more than we give them credit for  ~How having a schedule can prove helpful for little ones ~Tips for disciplining toddlers, and the importance of consistency ~Resources and ideas for teaching our toddlers the Word of God  ~How Rebekah dedicates time to being in the Word each day even while being a busy wife, homeschooling mom, writer, doula, and piano teacher  ~Time management tips for the busy woman; what a "day in the life" looks like for Rebekah right now ~Rebekah's upcoming ebook "Thriving Naturally During the First 6 Weeks", her work as a doula, and tips for thriving in that early postpartum season  ~Making the transition of having a toddler and adding a new baby to the mix ~Rebekah's encouragement for the mama feeling overwhelmed by toddlerhood ~And more!    For all show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Erika Oeding Hull of Chaotic Blessing joins me today to talk about the work at home mom life. She is a wife, mom of 5, and home business owner dedicated to helping women wisely plan their days according to their God-given priorities.    What we Chat about in this Episode ~The importance of planning and prioritizing in the life of a busy woman, and how Erica got started running her own business producing planning products ~Finding  joy and purpose in the midst of chaos ~Encouragement and advice for the more spontaneous woman who struggles with planning, structure, or procrastination, and how planning actually allows us to be more spontaneous ~Where to start when it comes to planning - some of the best products and practices ~Erika's tips for the woman listening who wants to maybe start her own home-based business ~Things to think about that will help you figure out if now is the right season of your life to start your own home business ~Erika's tips for someone wanting to begin and sustain an Etsy business ~Ways to leverage social media for business success ~The importance of making meaningful connections with folks in business ~How Erika balances home and business life, with her business being at home ~Tips for managing time efficiently, the difference between schedules and routines, and the importance of planning in a way that will work for your own unique personality ~Dealing with mommy guilt when there is work that you have to get done, but your kids want you; understanding proper priorities ~Forming a schedule based on realistic expectations ~Dealing with "the haters" who don't view online businesses to be legitimate businesses  ~And More!   For all show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Naomi Quick is a wife, homeschooling mama to 6 kiddos 8 and under, two of which have been adopted through the foster care system, writer, and speaker dedicated to encouraging and advocating for orphans, adoptive parents, and those involved in the foster care system. She recently wrote a fantastic book entitled "Don't Waste Your Wait: Embracing the Journey of Bringing Your Child Home". Though it is largely a memoir which chronicles the Quick family's journey of being in a waiting season and all that the Lord taught them through that time, I found the book to be helpful for folks regardless of whether or not they are adoptive parents themselves. After all, we are all waiting for something, and Noami's book encourages and equips us for making the most of those waiting seasons of life.    What we Chat about in this Episode ~Naomi's new book ~The journey of Naomi and her husband choosing to add children to their family via adoption and her heart for children who need homes ~The Quick family's story of starting the adoption process when they had 3 biological kiddos 3 and under and what that was like; answering the naysayers who thought their timing was crazy ~Specific ways we can make the most of any waiting season we find ourselves in ~Lessons the Lord taught Naomi through the difficult waiting period before her son came home ~How motherhood reveals in such a special way the depth of Christ's love for His children ~Experiencing those times when we're certain we understand what God's call on our lives is, but then we hit a rough patch and begin to doubt ~What the Scripture says about God's heart for the fatherless and the responsibility the people of God have to care for them ~The orphan crisis and what God's people can do to help ~The difference between conviction and condemnation ~Various orphan care foundations folks can serve with ~How Naomi finds the time to balance all the many hats she wears; deducing what God actually has for us to do in this season ~And more!   For all show notes, go to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Kristi Clover joins me today to provide us with some wonderful and practical tips for how we can be cultivating more joy and simplicity in our everyday lives, even when the going gets tough. As you will discover as soon as you get to know her through this podcast episode, Kristi is the absolute perfect person to be spreading this message of joy and simplicity. She is an absolute joy to be around and a true blessing. I'm so excited to have the opportunity to introduce her to y'all! Enjoy!    What we Chat about in this Episode ~How Kristi got started proclaiming her message of simple and joyful living and her desire to encourage and help overwhelmed moms ~Finding your joy in the Lord ~Kristi's tips and encouragement for how to spend time with the Lord even as a busy mama ~Practical ways to incorporate more joy into your life ~The difference between joy and happiness  ~Cultivating joy in the dark seasons of life, when the going gets tough ~The importance of looking at the big picture, rather than getting stuck i n the here and now ~Asking yourself: "What are my true priorities and am I actually living according to them?" ~The affect that busyness is having on marriages today and how to fight that ~What a typical "day in the life" looks like for Kristi, and how she manages to find the time to be a wife, homeschooling mama of 5, blogger, author, podcaster, speaker, and more! ~The importance of a mom taking some time to herself to fill herself up, in order that she might better pour out into others from her overflow ~2 Little Sanity Savers for Moms from Kristi's book of the same name and info on her Homeschool Organization Course; organization tips for those who want to be more organized, but just don't know how or where to start ~And much more!   For all show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

My sweet, sweet friend, Amber Durgan, joins me today for a special Father's Day episode of the podcast. We realize that Father's Day is a very hard day for some folks, particularly for people who have lost their fathers or who do not have good relationships with them. For this reason, we wanted to record this episode where Amber shares with us her own story of fatherlessness, in the hopes that we might be an encouragement and inspiration to you as you approach Father's Day.   What we Chat about in this Episode ~Amber's story of loosing her father when she was 3, and how growing up without a dad impacted her growing up years, her marriage, and her walk with the Lord ~How coming to God as her "Heavenly Father" has become one of the most precious ways she views Him ~ Advice and encouragement for the single mom trying to raise little ones without their father ~Hope for the lady listening who is dreading Father's Day - perhaps she has lost her father or does not have a good relationship with her dad and is in need of some encouragement and comfort; how she can embrace a view of God as a Heavenly Father ~The best things to say or do for the person we know who has lost their father ~What "Jesus Wept" teaches us about the empathy of Christ and the importance of just being present in another person's pain; the ministry of presence; how God is our ever present help ~What Amber wants any men listening to know about the importance of their role  ~And more!   For complete show notes, go to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Keelie Reason of Love, Hope, Adventure and I am The Sex Talk Lady joins me for episode 8 of the podcast to talk about the importance of sexual intimacy in marriage and to help us sort through some of the various challenges we may face in this area. *I do apologize for the sound quality of this episode - it was actually one of the first I ever recorded, and I made the rookie mistake of not plugging my ear buds into the proper part of my laptop. Thus the static you hear. I hope you can overlook the poor sound quality, however, and still greatly benefit from the wisdom Keelie shares with us today.   What we Chat about in this Episode ~How and why Keelie started an online Christian ministry centered around issues pertaining to sexual intimacy ~The reminder that the concept of "sexual purity" is not meant to end when you get married ~Why sexual intimacy too often tends to be a "taboo topic" in churches and what we can do about that ~How and why sexual intimacy in marriage brings glory and honor to God and is actually an act of worship ~The intention behind God's design for sex and how it strengthens a marriage ~Keelie's advice and encouragement for the woman who needs to get past a background of legalism, past abuse, or the belief that sex is dirty ~The importance of communication in marriage, how it affects our sex lives, and tips for how we can be growing in our communication with our spouse ~Keelie's advice and encouragement for the reserved woman who feels like she could never be as flirtatious, self-confident, prone to initiating, or bold as the Shulamite woman was  ~The problem with "duty sex" or viewing sex as just being for the purpose of meeting your husband's needs and how sex is beneficial to both spouses ~How to define "good sexual intimacy" how how it looks different in every marriage ~Periodically checking in on the health and wellbeing of your marriage and sex life ~Advice and encouragement for how busy mamas and busy women in general can still incorporate a healthy, robust sex life into their marriages  ~Sex during pregnancy ~Help and the hope for the wife dealing with infidelity in the marriage ~Striking the balance between learning more about issues relating to sexual intimacy and reading things that are inappropriate or explicit ~Advice for parents when it comes to having the "sex talk" with their kids - preserving their innocence and purity while at the same time teaching them what they need to know ~And more!     For all show notes, go to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

What we Chat about in this Episode ~How Olivia got started working as an exercise specialist in the field of prenatal and postpartum fitness ~Diastasis Recti - what it is and how it affects your life ~How to determine if you have diastasis recti and why the depth of it is more important than the width ~Why the core and pelvic floor muscles are so crucial to overall wellbeing ~Exercises to strengthen your core and pelvic floor during pregnancy so as to help avoid diastasis recti, pelvic organ prolapse, incontinence, etc.; specific pushing techniques for delivery to help avoid these issues ~How incorrect body alignment, improper breathing patterns, and sucking in your tummy all lead to these problems and why it is important to address these foundational issues before starting your exercise plan ~Dubunking the myths of diastasis recti (i.e. that it only affects women who have been pregnant, that it can only be treated with surgery, that specific exercises are enough to do away with the problem, etc.) ~Correct and incorrect exercises for treating diastasis recti - kegals, squats, crunches, planks, sit ups, and more! ~The affect that nutrition and healthy eating as on all this ~Olivia's resources for preventing, diagnosing, and treating diastasis recti ~And more!     For all shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

What we Chat about in this Episode   ~Caitlin's story of experiencing the stillbirth of her son at 21 weeks and the subsequent miscarriage of her 3rd baby at 7 weeks ~How she dealt with feelings of blaming herself and God and the hard "Why?" question ~How the losses affected Caitlin's walk with the Lord and her trust in Him ~The goodness and fruit she has seen come about as a result of this hard journey ~Passages of Scripture, songs, and books that encouraged Caitlin during this time ~How God so clearly orchestrated things so as to help prepare Caitlin for this hard road ~How she dealt with fear of loss during her most recent pregnancy with her daughter ~Advice and encouragement for the mama who has just gone through the loss of a baby ~The best and worst things to do and say to encourage and help our dear friends or family members who have gone through pregnancy loss ~Dealing with pregnancy guilt when around ladies who have lost babies ~The best ways to minister to a mom 6+ months after a loss; how to commemorate and remember that precious life ~How to pray for mamas who have gone through these losses ~And more!     For all show notes and links, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast  

Retha Nichole is my wonderful guest for episode 5 of the podcast, and I am honored to be chatting with her today. On today's episode, we dive deep into the issue of racial tension in the church and culture. This chat is a very meaty conversation on what is too often a very difficult, oftentimes touchy, topic. I'm so grateful for Retha and the wisdom, wit, encouragement, knowledge, and perspective she shares with us today. It is my prayer that this conversation you hear serves to make a difference in the climate of racial tension we are experiencing in our day.   What we Chat about in this Episode ~How one even begins to address such a difficult issue; what to say to the person we know who is in denial that there is a problem of racism still left in America, either in the church or in the culture; the existence of "white privilege"   ~Specific cases/examples of racism and racial bias still alive and well in our country (ex., police cases, red-lining, CRA programs in banks, etc.)   ~What to say to the erroneous sentiment that is out there that "blacks should just stop lamenting their place - after all, they have already been freed from slavery and segregation!"   ~How to address the shooting incidents in the news between police officers and black folks and why we all need to be talking about this; answering both the automatic assumption that the officers are always in the right, as well as the assumption that the blacks are always the victims   ~What some of the worst things are that we inadvertently say these days in terms of race and racial tension and what to say instead   ~How we can embrace each other while understanding that we have cultural preferences that can be different within the body of Christ   ~What white adoptive parents of children of minority races can do to celebrate, preserve, promote, and include their uniqueness and cultural heritage in the family   ~Advice for couples who are struggling with finding a church that is comfortable for them, racially   ~Answering the question of why racism and racial bias exist in the church when we claim to believe that all people are created equal in God's image, and what we can do about this problem   ~And more!     For all shownotes, go to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Katie Orr is my guest for the 4th episode of the Home and Hearth podcast! It was such an honor to get to chat with her and to pick her brain on all things Bible study and quiet time. Katie's passion and mission is "equipping busy women to experience God" and to really provide the tools women need in order to learn to do in-depth Bible study right where they are, even in this busy season of life. To that end, she has written a series of Bible studies on various topics where she takes you through the FOCUSed 15 method, enabling you to really dig down deep into the Scriptures in just 15 minutes a day. We all, even the busiest of moms, have 15 minutes a day, right? After all, we're probably all on social media longer than that each day, so we can totally do this! We can be faithful to redeem the time, especially with Katie's help and direction, showing us how easy it can truly be.  I was so honored to be able to be a part of the launch team for Katie's 5th and newest study, Everyday Obedience, which just released May 1st! It is absolutely incredible and is opening my eyes to the truth of what obedience is and is not in such powerful ways. From the day I started the study, I knew I had to have Katie on the podcast. She is going to bless your socks off! And, be sure to listen to the very end of the episode for a super exciting giveaway! :D     What We Chat About in This Episode:   ~Katie's own journey with the Lord, coming to Christ, learning how to study the Bible, and how she came to be a Bible study author ~Her advice and encouragement for women who say they are "too busy to study the Bible" ~What her FOCUSed 15 method is, how she came up with it, and how it works ~Each of her 5 studies (Everyday Hope, Everyday Love, Everyday Faith, Everyday Peace, and Everyday Obedience) and what they are about ~Recommendations for "quiet times" ~What Katie's typical "quiet time" looks like as a busy pastor's wife, homeschooling mom of 3, author, and podcaster ~Big Bible study mistakes we make and what to do instead; tips for HOW to actually study the Bible ~Ideas for moms who want to encourage and equip their children to love and do Bible study on a regular basis themselves  ~Encouragement and advice for women who already love and do regular Bible study but who have husbands who do not ~And more!     For all the shownotes, links to all the resources mentioned as well as links to Katie's website, podcast, and Bible studies, just head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

On this episode of the Home and Hearth podcast, I chat with my friend, Lauren Jane Bellows, on the topics of foster care and adoption. We cover issues including the following:   ~How Lauren and her husband got started on their foster care/adoption journey and what that journey has consisted of so far ~How to deal with foster care concerns such as government interference ~How to deal with people who may disagree with your decision to foster and/or adopt ~Dealing emotionally with the fears and struggles of foster care ~Why it may be that the church is not more involved in foster care and adoption in our day ~How to balance caring for the needs of your biological children while also tending to the needs of your foster children  ~The importance of prayer in this sometimes-challenging lifestyle ~Ways we as the church can serve the orphan even without being foster or adoptive parents  ~and more!   For all the show notes, links to the resources mentioned, and links to where you can get in touch with Lauren, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast  

On this episode of the Home and Hearth podcast, I chat with my pastor's wife, Amy Morse, on topics pertaining to her life as a homeschooling mama of 11 children. We cover issues including the following: ~How the Morses came to the point of willingly embracing large family life and deciding to have as many children as the Lord would bless them with ~What a typical homeschooling day looks like for the Morses, and how Mrs. Morse manages to homeschool so many different grade levels all at once ~The importance of keeping your husband first even in the midst of busy family life and ideas for how to do just that ~How she handles things such as chores around the house, curriculum choices, and family worship time ~The goodness of God in our everyday lives ~Striking the balance between the here and now (motherhood in the trenches, as it were) and the big picture, living with the end goal in mind ~and much more! For all the show notes, links to the resources mentioned, and links to where you can get in touch with Amy, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

On this episode of the Home and Hearth podcast, I chat with my dear friend, Angela Parsley, on the topic of chronic illness. We cover issues including the following: ~What Angela's chronic illness is, how long she has had it, and how it has affected her Christian walk and daily life, and what the Lord has taught her through it   ~What Scripture passages have been of the most encouragement to her during this long, hard journey   ~Encouragement for those battling a chronic illness   ~What the best and worst things are that we can say or do to someone who is suffering from a chronic illness   ~How we can best serve those we know and love who have chronic illnesses   ~The concept of each of us being "walking parables"   For all the show notes, links to the resources mentioned, and links to where you can get in touch with Angela, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast