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A Heart That Beats for Home — Kids & Family
A Heart That Beats for Home

Hey friend! I’m Nikki Smith—wife, mom of three, entrepreneur, and host of A Heart That Beats for Home. Over the years, God has used marriage, motherhood, business, and everyday life to stretch me, grow me, humble me, and draw me closer to Him. This space is a reflection of the journey I’m still on—growing, learning, and leaning into much-needed grace. I have a heart to keep investing intentionally in my marriage of 26 years with the man God has given me as a partner and best friend, to walk faithfully toward the season of empty nesting, and to grow deeper in relationship with my adult and soon-to-be adult children. More than anything, I’m passionate about drawing closer to my Heavenly Father—truly knowing Him in a way that is real and active in my everyday life—and reflecting Him in all my relationships, actions, and plans.

Each episode is a real, hope-filled conversation about the things that matter most: building strong families, walking faithfully in the gift of marriage, parenting intentionally through every stage, and keeping Christ at the center of it all. Alongside my own story, you’ll hear from amazing guests who share a deep passion for nurturing strong families where Jesus is glorified. Their wisdom, vulnerability, and encouragement will remind you that you’re not alone in this journey.

Whether you’re single, newly married, raising little ones, building a business, or walking through a new season, you’re welcome here. This is a space for women who love their families fiercely and want to lead with purpose—honoring God in the roles He has placed us in, faithfully shepherding the souls in our homes, and nurturing an environment that reflects the fruit of the Spirit and a life that glorifies Him.

One day at a time, may we become women who cultivate hearts that beat for home.

Thanks for being here,

Nikki

Copyright: © Nikki Smith

Latest Episodes:

99. The Stories Our Children Will Need When Life Gets Hard Sep 24, 2026

Show notes

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What are the “stones” in your family, the stories you never want your children to forget?

In Joshua 4, God instructed the Israelites to take twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan River and build a memorial. Why? So that one day, when their children asked, “What do these stones mean?” they could tell them the story of God’s faithfulness.

In this deeply personal episode, Nikki reflects on the stones within her own family: miscarriage and postpartum depression, closed doors that became protection, unexpected redirection, hospital rooms, a heart attack, pulmonary embolisms, and seasons when the ending was anything but certain.

But God’s faithfulness cannot be measured only by whether a story ends the way we hoped. Sometimes the stone says, “Look what God fixed.” Other times, it simply says, “God was with us there.”

This conversation is an invitation to remember where God has met your family, and to intentionally pass those stories on to your children. Because someday they will face their own closed doors, unanswered prayers, hospital rooms, and Jordans. When that day comes, may they have stones to look back on that remind them:

God was with us there.
God was faithful there.
God did not abandon us there.
And He will be with you here, too.

In this episode:

Why God repeatedly calls His people to remember
How rejection can sometimes be God’s protection
Recognizing God’s faithfulness even when circumstances do not change
Why our children need to see us depend on God
Practical ways to preserve and share your family’s faith stories
The difference between protecting children from adult burdens and allowing them to witness authentic faith
A simple challenge to identify one “stone” and share its story with your family this week

Scriptures referenced:

Joshua 4:4–7
Deuteronomy 6:7
Deuteronomy 31:8
Psalm 46:1

Resources mentioned:

Five-Year Prayer Journal - https://hosannarevival.com/collections/one-thing-i-ask/products/one-thing-i-ask-5-year-prayer-journal-edinburgh-theme
Podcast - Deep Dive: Encouragement for the Weary: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/deep-dive-encouragement-for-the-weary/id1458672189?i=1000785448263
2 Week Sermon on God's Faithfulness- https://redeemerrockford.church/sermon/faithful-a-look-back/ https://redeemerrockford.church/sermon/faithful-a-look-forward-god-will-be-faithful/

If you are walking through a difficult season—or if you have questions about what it means to have a relationship with Jesus—please reach out. Nikki would be honored to connect with you, pray with you, or help you find a Bible and a place to begin.

Next week, join us as we celebrate the 100th episode of A Heart That Beats for Home and revisit some of the most meaningful lessons and conversations from the past three years.

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98. Beyond ‘Fine’: How to Have Deeper Conversations With Your Kids Sep 17, 2026

Show notes

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We all want deeper relationships with the people we love, but sometimes we’re waiting for meaningful conversations to happen instead of learning how to invite them.

In this episode, Nikki explores the art of asking good questions and how simple curiosity can help our children, teenagers, spouses, and friends feel truly known, heard, and seen. She shares seven practical ways to move beyond questions that produce one-word answers and create conversations that build genuine connection.

You’ll learn why our questions need to grow as our children grow, how to ask the important second question, and why listening without immediately correcting, advising, or trying to fix the problem matters so much. Nikki also discusses staying curious about your spouse, becoming a safe place for honest answers, and building enough margin into family life for meaningful conversations to unfold.

Loving someone isn’t only knowing who they’ve been, it’s staying curious about who they’re becoming. This week, choose one person you love, ask a question you’ve never asked before, and then stay long enough to truly listen to the answer.

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97. Nothing Humbles You Quite Like Your Kids Sep 10, 2026

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What happens when you ask your kids what you do that makes them cringe?

For this episode, the answer came from a simple phrase: “my mama heart.” What started as a funny conversation with a daughter turned into a much bigger realization... of course our kids don’t fully understand the mama heart yet. They haven’t experienced one.

Motherhood changes the way a heart operates. We feel their disappointments, celebrate their wins, worry about things completely outside of our control, and sometimes find ourselves wanting to step in and fix what may not actually be ours to fix.

This episode explores the joy, worry, pride, fear, letting go, and deep love that come with a mama heart, along with four practical reminders for navigating it all:

• Name what you’re actually carrying.
• Ask, “Is this mine to carry?”
• Don’t confuse feeling it with fixing it.
• Give your mama heart somewhere to put it all.

From knowing when to step in and when to simply stand close, to learning to surrender the things we cannot control, this conversation is a reminder that we can love our children deeply without carrying everything for them.

And maybe that phrase our kids think is a little cringey? Someday, they’ll understand.

Show Resources:

Praying the Scriptures for Your Children:

https://amzn.to/4ysaJqK

Praying the Scriptures for Your Teens:

https://amzn.to/3UyziDN

Praying the Scriptures for Your Adult Children:

https://amzn.to/4A7fnw0

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96. Why Mom Sets the Tone of the Home: Tips to Thrive This Summer May 21, 2026

Show notes

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Biblical Resources for Families:

Favorite Children's Bibles:
The Biggest Bible Story: https://amzn.to/3uHo1o5
The Biggest Bible Board Book Version: https://amzn.to/3ThT2YU
The Biggest Bible Story Storybook: https://amzn.to/4bYDEbx
The Jesus Storybook Bible: https://amzn.to/3UT37Nm
Seeds Family Worship Music:
https://seedskidsworship.com/product-category/music/
On Spotify : https://open.spotify.com/artist/5kV2pC0biCYFh3y9HxgNkS
On Apple: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/seeds-family-worship/251295888
Scripture Lullabies:
On Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/3egDut5sE3JIphJpVLO0z4
On Apple: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/scripture-lullabies/464465134
Praise Baby:
On Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0uIyzjmP48YI0dpgdAjdeI
On Apple: https://music.apple.com/us/album/sleepytime-lullabies/372543219
Abby Houston - Melodically Memorizing:
On Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1CcoMJoJtlZrt2w6XSbj6c?si=9kKzk_T-Tc2JWQq2CQFVog
On Apple: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/abby-houston/1173348681

Favorite Books:

You are Special by Max Lucado: https://amzn.to/497d6VM

You are Mine by Max Lucado: https://amzn.to/4nJTJrW

Because I Love You by Max Lucado: https://amzn.to/4v2vffW

Tale of the Poisonous Yuck Bug: https://booksrun.com/9780310709558-tale-of-the-poisonous-yuck-bugs-based-on-proverbs-12-18-insect-inside-series-the

This week on A Heart That Beats for Home, we’re talking about the emotional atmosphere inside our homes and the powerful role peace plays within the walls we live in every day.

As moms, we often carry more influence over the tone of our homes than we even realize. In this episode, Nikki shares practical ways we can intentionally cultivate peace instead of chaos, connection instead of control, and emotional safety instead of tension, especially heading into the busy summer months when routines shift and emotions can run high.

Through personal stories, biblical encouragement, and honest reflections on motherhood, Nikki walks through practical ways to reset when we feel overwhelmed, how to slow the emotional pace of our homes, why quick repair matters so deeply, and the importance of creating homes where people feel safe, seen, and able to exhale.

The episode closes with a deeply personal reflection on her children’s recent baptisms and the reminder that the ordinary rhythms of motherhood, bedtime routines, conversations, songs, and small moments, are often the very places where God is quietly doing kingdom work.

This episode is an encouragement to every mom who has ever wondered if the little things matter. They do.

Podcast Episode with Justin Whitmel Earley: (box breathing reference)

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-heart-that-beats-for-home/id1719372285?i=1000734194249

Podcast Episode with Marc & Lori Maillefer: (Creating an Environment of Peace/ Candlelight Dinners)

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-heart-that-beats-for-home/id1719372285?i=1000757475559

Bible Verses:

Proverbs 15:1
Proverbs 14:1
Proverbs 17:1
Galatians 5
Deuteronomy 6:7

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95. Protecting Our Children in a Digital Age with Ryann Bauer May 14, 2026

Show notes

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This week on A Heart That Beats for Home, I’m joined by Ryann Bauer for one of the most powerful and important conversations we’ve had on the podcast. Ryann shares her deeply personal story of childhood abandonment, depression, self-harm, and becoming a young mom, and how God slowly redeemed her pain and turned it into purpose. What began as heartbreak has now become a passionate mission to protect children and raise awareness around human trafficking, grooming, and child exploitation.

Together, we talk honestly about the realities parents are facing in today’s digital world, from gaming platforms and social media apps to the subtle signs of grooming that so many families miss. Ryann shares firsthand stories from her work alongside Dark Horse and law enforcement, helping educate parents and communities on how predators are accessing children online and what we can do to better protect them. This conversation is eye-opening, emotional, practical, and incredibly needed.

We also talk about Ryann’s vision for Freedom Bridge, a restoration ranch for survivors of trafficking and exploitation, where healing, purpose, mentorship, and faith can help women and children rebuild their lives. More than anything, this episode is a reminder that we cannot parent from fear, but we must parent with awareness, wisdom, and intentionality. I pray this conversation encourages you to lean in, ask hard questions, stay engaged in your children’s digital lives, and remember that our homes can be places of safety, truth, and healing.

Dark Horse Global:

https://darkhorseglobal.org/

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94. Consistency, Grace, and the Legacy of Home with My Mom, Monique Cronk May 07, 2026

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This week’s episode is one of the most meaningful conversations I’ve ever shared on the podcast. In honor of Mother’s Day, I’m sitting down with my own mom, Monique, for a conversation about motherhood, faith, marriage, family, loss, legacy, and the beauty found in ordinary everyday life.

My mom was married at 18 years old and went on to raise five daughters over nearly three decades of nonstop parenting. She shares openly about seasons of infertility and miscarriage, raising a family on a very tight budget, building a home centered around faith, and the lessons she learned through the many different stages of motherhood. From little girls gathered around the kitchen table to now watching grandchildren and even great-grandchildren grow, her life is a beautiful reminder that consistency, prayer, grace, and simple everyday faithfulness leave a legacy far greater than perfection ever could.

Throughout this conversation, we reflect on what made our home feel so safe and connected growing up, how faith was woven naturally into everyday life, why relationships matter more than rigid rules, and how parenting changes as children become adults. We also talk about grief, hard seasons, trusting God through uncertainty, and the importance of staying present in the years that often feel exhausting while you’re living them.

There are so many moments in motherhood that can feel mundane, repetitive, and unseen. But looking back now, so much of what felt ordinary at the time became the very foundation of the relationships, memories, and faith that continue to shape our family today. My prayer is that this episode encourages you, whether you are a young mom in the thick of raising little ones, navigating the teenage years, missing your own mother this Mother’s Day, longing to become a mom, or simply needing the reminder that the work you are doing inside your home matters deeply.

This conversation is tender, honest, emotional, and full of wisdom I know I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life. I’m so grateful I get to share it with you.

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93. Connecting with Your Teen and Young Adults in Ways That Last Apr 30, 2026

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This week’s episode is a continuation of a conversation that I truly believe every parent of teens and young adults needs to hear.

After revisiting one of the very first episodes of this podcast last week, I was reminded just how relevant these principles still are, and how much they continue to shape the way I parent today.

So this week, we’re finishing that conversation.

In this episode, we walk through three powerful ways to build deeper, lasting connection with your teens and young adults—especially in seasons that can feel overwhelming or uncertain.

We talk about:

Why living by example matters more than anything we say
The importance of connecting more than correcting
How to create real, meaningful connection with your kids
The difference between monologue vs. dialogue in parenting
Recognizing when your child needs to vent vs. receive advice
Parenting each child individually based on their unique needs

One of the most powerful reminders in this episode is the idea that parenting is like gardening. Each child has different needs, different wiring, and different ways they grow best, and it’s our role to pay attention and nurture them accordingly.

Whether this is your first time hearing this conversation or a revisit, my prayer is that it meets you right where you are and gives you one or two simple takeaways to help strengthen connection in your home.

Because at the end of the day… connection is what lasts.

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92. Parenting Teens Without Constant Conflict: Where to Hold the Line (and Where to Let Go) Apr 23, 2026

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This week’s episode is a little different, and one I’m really excited to bring back.

As I was preparing to record a new episode on the topic of principles vs. preferences in parenting, I went back to revisit what I had already shared in the very early days of this podcast… and I was reminded just how much this conversation still matters.

In fact, it felt too important to try to recreate.

So today, we’re revisiting one of the very first episodes of A Heart That Beats for Home, a conversation around building connection with our teens and young adults, and learning how to choose what truly matters.

We’re diving into:

The difference between principles and preferences in parenting
How trying to “be right” can damage connection
Practical examples of where to hold firm—and where to let go
Why protecting relationship should often take priority
How to navigate the emotional intensity of the teen years
Creating a safe space so your kids come to you first

Whether you’ve been here since the beginning or you’re newer to the podcast, I truly believe this is one of those conversations that hits differently depending on the season you’re in.

Sometimes we don’t need new information… we need the right reminder.

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91. Navigating Life in Seasons of Soaring and Struggling Apr 16, 2026

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As this episode goes live, I’m celebrating my 48th birthday, and I felt a strong pull to pause what I had planned and just sit down for a real, honest conversation with you.

Looking back over the last 48 years, one thing is so clear: life is not a straight line. It’s a mix of seasons. Seasons of soaring and seasons of struggling. Times where we feel like we’re thriving in one area while quietly falling apart in another.

In this episode, I’m sharing personal reflections from my own life in areas like physical health, mental health, marriage, motherhood, and business. The highs, the lows, and the lessons that have come from both.

We talk about the pressure to “balance it all,” the reality that something often gives, and how learning to prioritize what matters most is far more important than trying to do everything perfectly.

I also share openly about some of the hardest seasons I’ve walked through, including postpartum depression and times of deep struggle, and how God used those moments in ways I never could have seen at the time.

If you’re in a season where you feel like you’re dropping the ball, stretched thin, or wondering when things will feel lighter again, this episode is for you.

A few takeaways I hope you hold onto:
Give yourself grace in the struggle
Pay attention to the people you surround yourself with
Trust that God is working in every season

And remember... spring always comes.

Resources Mentioned in Episode:

Forever Photo Solutions -

https://www.forever.com/sign_up?referral_token=nicole-smith--1

Brick:

https://www.getbrick.com/NIKKI27406

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90. When You Lose It as a Mom (And What to Do Next) Apr 09, 2026

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Have you ever had a moment where you just snap—and the second it’s over, you wish you could take it all back?

In this honest and personal solo episode, I’m sharing a moment from last week where I lost my cool as a wife and mom—and what God has been teaching me through it. Because the truth is, so many of us are trying to hold it all together, and when we don’t, we often carry shame instead of allowing it to lead us into growth. We talk a lot about getting things right, but today we’re talking about what to do when we get it wrong. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, dysregulated, frustrated, or like you’re failing in your home, this conversation is for you.

I walk through what led to that breaking point, the warning signs I ignored, and the practical tools I’m learning to put in place so I can respond differently next time. We dive into how most blow-ups aren’t about one single moment, but the buildup of exhaustion, unmet expectations, and unspoken needs. I share the importance of naming what’s actually going on beneath the surface, creating space to pause and regulate, and learning how to reframe the thoughts in our mind before they spiral into something bigger than they need to be.

We also talk about what it looks like to take real ownership when we mess up—being quick to repent, slower to repeat, and repairing connection without excuses. And most importantly, we unpack the difference between living in grace versus shame in motherhood. Shame tells us we are the problem, that we’ve failed, and that we’ll never change. Grace reminds us that we are growing, that one moment does not define us, and that with God’s help, we can continue becoming the women, wives, and moms we are called to be.

This episode is a reminder that the goal is not perfection—it’s progress. It’s about creating a home where love, safety, and grace are felt, where repair is normal, and where our kids don’t remember a perfect house, but a peaceful and secure place to grow. If you’ve been feeling stretched thin or discouraged in this season, I pray this conversation meets you right where you are and encourages you to keep going, one small step of growth at a time.

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