My goodness, I can be so forgetful. I easily get caught up in my worries, fears, and longings that my mind goes in a downhill spiral fast. I am suddenly filled with fear and anxiety. My joy is gone and I forget the goodness of God. I must pause and remember. I must pause and reflect. I must pause and contemplate the goodness of God. It takes a cons…

I love a lot of things. I love Jesus, and I love having fun and talking about fun things. This episode is supposed to make you smile and also give you some practical ideas for Christmas-I hope it does both! I hope you also pause and reflect on how God has made you. He made you creatively different and unique and that is on purpose! I hope you remem…

What are you waiting for? Waiting can be brutal and beautiful. I know it has been for me. "If you're waiting, you're grieving." -Anonymous I am in an intense season of waiting right now that is paired with intense grief. It has been a million times harder than I ever thought. But it has also been a really sweet season where God has met me in the mi…

We all have strong feelings when it comes to social media. I would bet many of us have a love/hate relationship with it. I know I do. I have experienced all the pro’s and con’s and I am constantly evaluating how to navigate it all. Here are just a few thoughts that I hope are helpful as we all try to be good stewards of this crazy thing called soci…

The tension of living in joy and grief can be extremely hard. But that is the reality for all of us. Every single one of us is experiencing a season of joy or a season of grief, on varying levels. We all go through times of great celebration and great sorrow-sometimes at the same time. Longings fulfilled, or longings unfulfilled. My hope is that we…

This is a special episode for the new mama. It is also for the husband, sister, daughter, friend, or grandmother to a new mom. There is nothing like being a new mom. In my opinion, it is the most tender and vulnerable time in a woman’s life. It can be beautiful and brutal all in the same breath. I have 5 kiddos and each new baby brought with them s…

Welcome back, I am so excited for season 3! I have been on a long break from the podcast and am so excited to share with you all the things I have learned in the past few months. During my time away, my husband and I were praying and processing through some HUGE life decisions. God taught me SO much about trusting Him, and about how to make big dec…

What journey it has been. This podcast has been such a fun adventure. Thank you for tuning in! I will be taking a short break as I spend some intentional, extended time with my family over the next several weeks. What a gift. But before I go, here are a few final thoughts. I hope and pray you are encouraged. I pray you are mostly encouraged to sit …

EPISODE 50! I cannot believe it. I have been reflecting on all the things I have learned (AND have changed my life) through starting this podcast. What a ride. I am so thankful and truly feel these lessons will encourage you as you face whatever your next adventure is ahead. My biggest hope is that fear will not get in the way of you saying "YES" t…

I am deeply encouraged and impacted by leaders, authors, and pastors all over the world (thanks to internet!). I wanted to take one episode just to do some shoutouts for people I love and am deeply encouraged by. I think you should follow them on social media, read their books or blogs, and listen to their podcasts- I know you will be encouraged! I…

The Spirit of God and the Word of God are one. But sadly, so many of us have divorced them in our hearts, minds & actions. (I think due to the misuse we’ve seen. Or fear). If we want to know God- all of Him- we must say: I want all of You. All of the Father, Son, and Spirit. Hold nothing back, Lord.

How many times have we heard "shame on you" spoken towards someone. Or how many times have we said it ourselves? Friends, shame is not from God. Shame makes us hide. Shame makes those we love hide. Shame does not lead to true repentance. Let's be people who know the heart of the Father, and reflect Him to others. Let's reject shame.…

Well this was a first for me. I posted the weekly episode and then quickly got really helpful constructive feedback from a dear friend. I realized some of the things I said could have been misinterpreted and I wanted to address them. So I deleted the episode, and asked my friend if she would hop on a call with me. We talk about our personal experie…

I have been having conversations with other parents lately that led to this podcast. Also, my own observations and lessons in my own parenting journey with my 5 kiddos. In this episode I talk about boundaries, phone rules for kids (I get very passionate about this one), letting our kids fail, and much more. We are raising the next generation. What …

I did not want this moment to pass without pausing and using this platform to pray for what is happening in the world right now. Ukraine is being attacked violently. People are fleeing. People are fighting People are dying. People are afraid. Thank you for joining me in prayer. God made a promise to hear the prayers of His people. We can find great…

I still can't believe I am getting my Masters Degree. SO many times I said I would never go back to school. But, here I am! (And absolutely loving it!) My reasons might surprise you, and most of you may not relate to my school decision. But I hope you will pause and ask yourself what might be preventing you from saying yes to a challenge or even a …

What a title, right? I mean, what does lipstick have to do with freedom? Well, let me tell you. I have always loved fashion & makeup-especially lipstick! But I have also felt insecurity when it comes to sharing about how much I love them. Completely out of fear of what people will think ("she's vain, she's shallow")-sounds lame, I know. But for rea…

Courtnay has a beautiful and unexpected story with foster care and adoption. She has 2 bio kids, 2 adopted kids, and has had 19 foster kids over the last 8 1/2 years. She shares the real and the raw of the highs and the lows of her journey. I was deeply encouraged, and I know you will be too. To keep up with Cournay and her journey, you can find he…

Many of you may have seen Alexa on Spy Kids, Hallmark movies or Dancing with the Stars (just to name a few). She loves acting and has been blessed with an incredible career. She is also a wife, mama of 3, Jesus follower, author and happens to be one of the most fun and genuine people I know. This conversation with Alexa was so fun & encouraging. We…

I’m unloveable. I’m worthless. I will always fail. I shouldn’t do _____ because I’m afraid. I’m too much. I’m a screw up. I can’t tell anyone. I am ashamed. I can’t be forgiven. I’m not worth it. I should harm myself. Any of this sound familiar? I want to remind you that there is a very real enemy and he is a liar. He wants to destroy your life. Wh…

Alright friends, I go full preacher mode for this one, so buckle up! I couldn't help myself because this verse has been changing my life for over 2 decades. 2 Chronicles 16:9 "The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him." I need God's strength every day in every single area of my …

What if I’m alone? What if my child has special needs? What if I get sick? What if he/she abandons me? What if I loose a child? What if they falsely accuse me? What if I mess up? What if I can’t do it? What if I don’t have enough? The list goes on and on and on. I'm sure you could add 20 more "what if's" to this list. All very real fears and unknow…

Happy New Year! Well, I thought for the first episode of the new year I'd share with you some tricks & tips that have actually changed my parenting life. I am 12 years into parenting and these have been game changers! I have a feeling you will thank me later! If you're looking for specific links to anything I share, check below! I hope you enjoy!Re…

Seasons, calendars, birthdays, anniversaries, a new year… all moments we should absolutely take advantage of. I hope we can each pause and reflect on the past year, and respond by looking forward to the new one ahead. If you’re not a fan of resolutions, fine with me! But don’t miss out on an opportunity for growth. Often real growth comes after a t…

Honestly ask yourself, are you living in fear most days? Because practically speaking, there is a lot going on in our world right now that might cause you fear. Pandemic. Sexuality. Debating the sanctity of life. Politics. Government power. Social media and effects on teens. Racial tensions. Deconstruction of faith. Just to name a few. So what do w…

Leadership is such a gift, and it's also very hard. Especially during such tumultuous and unexpected circumstances like a global pandemic. No one was handed a guidebook for how to lead through such a crisis. My very simple hope is that you know you're not alone. I truly believe you are doing your best. Stay on your knees. Seek Godly counsel. Keep s…

This is a big passion point for me, and I may get a little fiery in this episode. It hits close to home because I saw it happening to me. Cable news was slowly destroying my ability to listen, learn and have compassion for people. Different news stations and social media posts made me full of fear and anxiety. I needed to step back and really evalu…

The Creator of the Universe is very much alive and moving in the world today. Sometimes we need to be reminded that the Church of Jesus is thriving and growing all over the globe. I got to witness an incredible church in London that deeply encouraged my soul and filled me with incredible hope. I hope you are encouraged and reminded that Jesus is ju…

WE'RE BACK! Last week, me and my special friend, Tiffany Thurston, shared about some of our very favorite things. We had way too fun. We decided we needed another episode just for kid ideas! This week we are give you all of our favorite things for kids. These are the perfect ideas for Christmas shopping! Don't forget to check out Tiffany's Instagra…

Friends, are you ready for this? Me and my very special guest, Tiffany, shared some of our most favorite things and we know you will love them! Everyone needs a little help buying gifts, right? We did, and we want to help! All the links are below to make everything even easier to find. Tiffany is one of my favorite people ever, you're gonna love he…

Did you know I homeschool my 5 awesome kiddos? Crazy, huh?! My "why" might surprise you, or be different than what you expect to hear. I definitely felt like I did not fit the mold to homeschool my kids. Whatever that stereotype mold was. I felt ill-equipped, scared, and like I had all the wrong skill sets. But here we are, 4 years later and loving…

Every human on the planet has the same amount of time; 24 hours a day. I recently heard a presentation on ways to optimize my schedule and time and it was SO helpful! Wouldn't it be helpful to know when your brain was most alert and when you're functioning at your best? Priorities must be set in order to give our best to what matters most. I hope t…

God used a recent conversation with my 10 year old son to teach me about strength. We make assumptions about what strengths or weaknesses we have, by comparing ourself to someone else. We are robbed of the joy of seeing our unique gifts when we compare them to other people. We also rob others of being blessed by our strengths and abilities when we …

Did I just say Moana changed my life? Yes I did. But in reality, God used a specific song & picture from Moana to really speak to me. I love how creative & personal God is. He knows us better than we know ourselves (I really love Disney and He definitely knows that). AND He wants to speak to us. I hope you're encouraged and inspired by my personal …

When I first heard about Christian fitness I had several assumptions attached to what I thought that could mean. Most of them were negative, if I'm honest. Until I met Alisa Keeton and experienced Revelation Wellness. This totally blew up all ideas in my mind of what I thought it would be. I am hooked. Alisa, the founder of RevWell, truly cares abo…

God chose to reveal Himself in an actual body. He came in human flesh. But for hundreds and thousands of years, our culture has gotten it wrong. Churches have gotten it wrong. There is so much shame and confusion around sexuality and body image. There is also so much hope. Francie shares with us the hope she has found through years of study, prayer…

Overcompesating is a natural response to being hurt. But it is not the healthy response. We will usually end up more hurt than when we started.

Welcome back to Season 2! I am so excited to continue this journey with you. We all use our words for good or for harm. We all have a choice about what kind of impact we want to make on those around us with our words. The Bible says "the tongue has the power of life and death..." but do we take that seriously? Let's take a moment to reflect on the …

To celebrate the 20th episode, my friend joined me to talk about things that have changed our lives. From products that are very practical, to our favorite books, to just fun makeup & skincare we love-I think you will be glad you listened! Also, stay tuned for season 2 coming in a few weeks!!! To find our favorite things: https://linktr.ee/Emiliemc…

The Word of God is the anchor for our souls. The Word of God is our tether amidst the storm. The Word of God is alive. The Word of God is also being attacked and discredited and we must know the truth. Read the Word of God. Study the Word of God. It is essential.

Feeling pulled back is hard. Unless the purpose is to launch you forward. And what if the hidden place is where you learn who you really are? It was for me.

Fear steals. Fear distorts. Fear confuses. Fear robs us being able to see clearly. What if we could walk through life without looking through the distorted lens of fear? What if we didn't fear rejection, being misunderstood, false accusations, or the uncertainty tomorrow? By God's Grace, there truly is freedom from fear waiting for you and for me.…

We have all heard this before. We have all experienced this before. The cycle of hurt goes on and on, unless someone stops it. Unless someone makes the choice not to respond to hurt with hurt. What if that someone was me and you? I believe with my whole heart that God can and will help us break the cycle of hurt.…

Often we hear the word authority and immediately cringe. The authority we have witnessed is very flawed. What if there was an authority that was the essence of good, even perfection. Authority to be completely trusted. Might that be an authority worth our allegiance?

We live in a culture where people seem to have everything BUT hope. Or, the things we place our hope in are not certain or guaranteed. We must remember that in Christ, we have a hope that cannot disappoint. His hope is a promise and He can be trusted.

Scripture compares your tongue to a sword, which is either very good or very bad. Swords can save lives, or take lives. You can bring healing with your words, or run someone through with them. Whatever we choose to say, we better say it prayerfully and on purpose.

You know that thing you know you're supposed to be doing? The thing you've been putting off out due to fear of failure or the assumption that someone else is doing it better? Knock that off. It's time to get on with it.Starting this podcast was that thing for me. I'll share my story, then you get busy writing the next chapter of yours. Deal? Cheeri…

I can't wait for you to hear my conversation with Desiree. She shares about her new book, The Road to Roses, and her hopes for the reader. We talk about identity, rejection, comparison, Jesus, love, truth, the Church, and....the bachelorette! Preorder her book here. https://amzn.to/3gmuFpB

To celebrate the 10th episode (HORRAY!), I switch things up a bit. I asked a friend to join so I could tell her about 10 things that changed my life. I got super practical! I hope you laugh, find something fun or helpful, and are encouraged. To find my favorite things: https://linktr.ee/Emiliemccormack…

What habits do you have that you wish you didn't? What habits do you wish you had, but just can't stick with them? You might just have to daily practice something, even before you actually want to do it. With consistency & discipline, you just might start enjoying it.