Stay ConnectedHas something simple ever changed your life? A lunch box note changed mine. A few years ago, my husband wrote a timely message to our son that said: BE STRONG, PROTECT THE WEAK, LOVE EVERYONE. Those six words ignited our family’s mission to love others well.
Each week on Be Love. Do Good. podcast, we’ll share ideas, encouraging words, and stories that inspire you to love outside your comfort zone.
Do you need some advice before you head to the holidays with family? Worried about what contentious subjects that might be breached as you are passing the mashed potatoes?
From politics, to vaccines, to racism, families run the gamut on where they stand. I have heard from people all over the country who are already anxious to be with family who might think differently than them.
How do we handle conflict? Differing opinions? When to make boundaries? How to keep tenderhearted to those who push your buttons?
Today Sarah Anderson the author of The Space Between Us: How Jesus Teaches Us to Live Together When Politics and Religion Pull Us Apart
Sarah comes from a political family and helps us navigate how to find things that we have in common, how to be curious with one another, and how to love each other through differing opinions. If you have any anxiety about being with extended family this holiday season this is a must listen.
Today I have probably my favorite guest ever, my 10-year-old daughter Carter Mae.
We talk about her favorite Christmas traditions, what Jesus means to her, and why this season is so special. There is something magical about seeing Christmas through our kids’ eyes. It brings a whole new perspective and joy to the season.
Don’t miss the end where we talk about the hope of the season even when this time might feel really dark. We share our journey with loss during the holiday season, and how light has shown through.
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Did you know we wrote a children’s book? The perfect gift for the kiddos in your life. It is about the true story of how a lunchbox note changed our life.
Today's podcast is on fire. My guest Bri Stensrud calls us to action to be a family who truly welcomes others. What does a Christlike welcome look like?
Bri Stensrud is the Director of Women of Welcome, she is a human dignity advocate and her passion is to equip others to engage more consistently and tangibly in holistic human dignity issues.
We talk about her work with refugees, the border crisis, and how we are called to treat others. If you want first steps of how to teach your family to love what many call the “others”, Bri encourages and challenges us today. She teaches us how to find an injustice that breaks us, and then figure out a way to dive in and be a Christlike advocate.
I promise after this episode you will be ready to challenge your family to live bigger and bolder.
Find out more about Women of Welcome
Connect with Bri on instagram
Check out the new Women of Welcome Bible Studies
I don’t know about you but sometimes around the holidays I dream of simplicity. My stress starts to take over when I know I have forgotten a gift or my kids bring me a list of 1038208378 random gifts they DON’T NEED.
It was wearing me out, and I wanted to get our family back to focusing on the real meaning of Christmas. One for my sanity, and two so my kids could practice what it looked like to truly GIVE instead of just RECEIVE.
In this episode, I give some ideas your family can implement this season to help you get back on track, and teach our kids that giving really is better.
Make sure you grab our GIVING CALENDAR (things to do each day) here and we will send it straight to your inbox!
Advent devotions I love:
Preparing for Christmas Richard Rohr
Resources for kids:
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We are so lucky to have Mary Beth Chapman on the show today. Mary Beth is a mother to 6 kiddos with her husband, singer/songwriter Steven Curtis Chapman and are adoptive parents of 3 from China.
Mary Beth is an author of the book, Choosing to See: A Journey of Struggle and Hope.
Her book details the tragedy of losing their youngest adoptive child and the hope that God brings them in the darkest places and co-founder of non-profit Show Hope that helps break down barriers between waiting children and loving families.
Mary Beth and I talk about life before fame, the wonderful and hard journey of adoption, and their non-profit that helps other families adopt.
Mary Beth is so down to earth and vulnerable in this conversation. I promise our conversation will be a bright spot in your week.
For any questions about adoption check out https://howtoadopt.org/
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If you are a parent, you know helping our kids navigate friendships is a big part of parenting. That’s why today I wanted to bring on my friend and producer Jeanette Tapley to give us all the advice on helping our kids make and become good friends.
We talk about everything from drama to boundaries; it all makes this show.
We cover it all! Whether you are dealing with mean girl drama, or a new teen who needs some help setting boundaries, this is the friendship episode for you.
Connect with Jeanette:
Jeanette’s instagram
Listen to her podcast It’s Time for Coffee
Wanna raise grateful kids? Here are a few tips to help keep gratitude at the forefront in your family.
We all need a little extra dose of gratitude this year and since November is the month of being thankful, I thought this would be the perfect time to make sure we did a few things as a family that kept gratitude front and center.
Join us on our grateful challenge this month!
Listen to this episode for simple ways we are helping our family keep gratitude at the center and some things you can do today; like implementing a gratitude jar, journal, or ideas to encourage others.
Don’t forget to check out our social media to tell us your grateful ideas.
We would be so honored if you subscribed or left a review.
Did you know we wrote a children’s book: Check it out here
Today we have the definition of Be Love. do good on our podcast, our guest Carlos Whittaker. You may have read Carlos’ books, or maybe you have seen his good deeds on Good Morning America, the Nick Cannon Show, or anywhere they have gone viral, like raising a tip for Tonee the Piano man, or helping a woman get a service dog, or helping teens in Brooklyn.
Carlos sees people, like really sees people. People call him the Hope Dealer. He gives hope to people everyday and shares it with his hundreds of thousands of social media followers.
He gets to the heart of people and his passion is to help others see people too. People who are different from you, people you have bias against, people who get on your last nerve.
Today Carlos tells us story after story of how he has seen people tear down the walls and get to know others, which brings perspective and open hearts. Carlos gives us tangible ways of how to take the first step.
I promise you, you will be so encouraged and inspired to see others and love others better after this interview.
I am so thankful for people like Carlos in this world. He truly makes this world a better place.
Get to know Carlos here.
Follow Carlos on Instagram
Don’t forget to subscribe and review our podcast. We would be so appreciative.
The relatable and hilarious Jami Nato is sharing making intentional parenting simple. I love how she gives us permission to not do all the things. Just one thing at a time when it comes to parenting, and it starts with us!
Jami is the best at sharing ideas that all of us can do! Jami is a blogger, amazing mother, speaker, and one of my favorite parent Instagram influencers.
Today she talks about so many wise nuggets, especially to make intentional parenting simple, and how it starts with giving grace to ourselves.
Some things we chat about:
Resources we talked about:
Connect with Jami
Don’t forget to listen to our BE LOVE QUICK TIP at then end.
Did you know we wrote a Children’s book about our true story of the lunchbox note that changed our life?
Check it out here:
Today I am in the podcast closet alone, talking about something that inspires me.
When my kids were little my husband traveled during the week. I was exhausted and needed my kids to chip in and help make their lunches, lay out their clothes, small things that made a big difference; things that helped me out.
What I found is that by helping my kids learn to be responsible for their own things, contribute around the house and learn some life skills at an early age, it would pay off in the end.
Today we are talking about how to LET GO as parents, trust our kids and guide them to being their own problem solvers. Sometimes it’s more about US letting go of control and letting our kids make some decisions on their own.
Today I share ideas of what we can do to help our kids thrive on their own:
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