Clutter Free Academy

Latest Episodes:

115 - Searching for "Home" with Emily Wierenga Aug 28, 2014

Show notes

Heartache. Searching. Loneliness. An overwhelming need to be exquisitely loved. Can you relate? Our guest this week, Emily Wierenga, shares her journey in searching for “home”. She was raised in a Christian home but never felt truly loved. She longed to know she fit in with her own family, turned to an eating disorder and eventually felt healed just to turn back to the eating disorder years later. Her story will touch your heart, inspire you and fill your heart with hope. Her heart for her family, her adopted family of Uganda and the way she lives out the love and home she has found is special and I am so excited to introduce her to you.

To find out more about Emily’s work and her non profit visit thelulutree.com

Would you like to win a copy of The Atlas Girl? Leave a comment below about what home feels like to you.

114 - Debt-Proof Living with Mary Hunt Aug 20, 2014

Show notes

Where does all the money go? It can be frustrating when you are trying to save money but every time you turn around there is something you weren’t planning for- school supplies, birthday gifts, and oh wait, is that Christmas decor in Hobby Lobby!

Our guest Mary Hunt, author of Debt-Proof Living, joins us with practical, do-able and inspiring tips on how to take the stress out of the finances. If you are drowning in debt, almost debt free or anywhere in between, you’ll want to hear Mary’s EASY tips on getting where you want to me- financially free! Mary shares:

her experience of getting out of debt
how to get started
tips on staying motivated
the key to getting started

Listen in and leave a comment below to win her book, Debt-Proof Living. What is holding you back from becoming debt-free?

* We discussed making our own Starbucks inspired coffee and we want to share all of our great recipes. Just visit Kathi’s blog.

113 - Listening to the Prompting of God with Jessica Honegger Aug 13, 2014

Show notes

God sometimes asks us to do things that seem crazy big and beyond our scope of “ableness” (and let’s be real, willingness!).

Things like:

Starting a business
Creating a ministry
International adoption

What happens when we faithfully jump in with both feet? Jessica Honegger, founder of Noonday Collections, joins us on So Here’s the Thing to discuss her journey of listening to the prompting God put on her heart. From adoption, to job creation, to everyday willingness to see Jesus in the big and small, Jessica’s journey will inspire you. If you have a passion and you don’t know where to begin, listening to this podcast is it!

You will gain some practical tips on:

How and who to ask for help
When to know God is saying go for it
Bringing your entire family along for the journey
Being real with yourself, your purpose and the demands of raising your family

GIVEAWAY Win a pair of earrings from Noonday!

You have a passion for a reason! What small change can you make to make a big difference in somebody else’s life whether it be buying from micro businesses, Operation Christmas Child, or living out the purpose God is calling you to? Leave a comment below for a chance to win one pair of these gorgeous ear rings from Noonday!

112 - Rebelling against Performancism and People Pleasing with Cheri Gregory Aug 09, 2014

Show notes

In part two of my interview with my co-author Cheri Gregory, we talk about how the last two of the bullies from our book The Cure for the Perfect Life 12 Ways to Stop Trying Harder and Start Living Brave, Performancism and People Pleasing, follow us around and beat us up daily, and what you can do about it.

Do you:

Change your mood to match the mood of those around you so you don’t upset them with your happiness/excitement/bad day/ etc?
Do more so you can seem like more to those around you?
Have a long to do list out of fear of not being what you want others to perceive you to be?

If you can relate, you may be being bullied by people-pleasing or performancism or both! It’s time to live braver and stop trying harder.

* During this episode, Kathi and Cheri discuss rest and Bonnie Gray’s interview on So Here’s the Thing. That episode can be foundhere.

* Here’s the link to the free verse downloads

Do you need a Braver Living outlook? Join the 5 Days to Braver Living Devotional!

111 - Jen Hatmaker-When Jesus Wrecks Your Comfortable Christianity Aug 06, 2014

Show notes

She had all of her “Christian” ducks in a row…. until God swept them all to the side. Jen Hatmaker was a Christian speaker and author, married to a PASTOR for heaven’s sake who spent every day of her life doing the church thing and doing it well. But then, Jen prayed a prayer: “God, raise up in me a holy passion.”

And that’s when her whole life got completely messed up.

In this episode of “So Here’s the Thing” Kathi and Erin talk to Jen about her book, “Interrupted: When Jesus Wrecks Your Comfortable Christianity” and discuss how that one simple prayer led her to flip her life upside down… and do everything from serving the poor to letting HGTV invade her home.

Tell us in the comments below how Jen’s experience of being interrupted has inspired you to pray for a holy passion or what is keeping you in your comfortable Christianity. Two winners will be randomly chosen and will receive two copies of Interrupted.

110 - Rebelling Against Perfectionism and Procrastination with Cheri Gregory Aug 02, 2014

Show notes

Hi Friends! My newest book, The Cure for the Perfect Life, came from my deepest desire to help the women in this world live fuller, richer lives at exactly where God wants them. This week Cheri Gregory (who co-wrote The Cure for the Perfect Life) and I sat down to discuss the concept of rebelling against the ideas of perfectionism, and procrastination. (don’t worry! People-pleasing and Performancism are coming soon!)

Now this podcast is only for you if you deal with one of the four bullies we talk about:

Perfectionism
Procrastination
People Pleasing
Performancism

You are invited to take part in our rebellion against perfectionism.

Win 2 copies of The Cure for the Perfect Life- just comment below and tell us one small thing you are doing to fight procrastination or perfectionism, and who you are going to ask to be your bravery buddy (she can have the second copy!).

Do you need a Braver Living outlook? Join the 5 Days to Braver Living Devotional!

109 - Mentoring Moms with Stephanie Shott Jul 26, 2014

Show notes

When it comes to being a mom, have you ever felt like you wish someone would just tell you what to do? (Or at least talk you down after your kid has told you that he wishes Jake’s mom was his real mother?)

My dear friend Stephanie Shott joined us this week to discuss mentoring, a topic that is near and dear to her heart as she lacked a true mentor and community when she was a teenage/single/unsaved mom. She started the Mom Initiative specifically to help women be the mentors other moms need. And guess what, she shares the secrets with us today.

Some of the things we discuss:

Mentoring makes us better women
Great mentoring isn’t difficult!
Why mentoring is so important
REAL friends can be our mentors

When you are in the thick of it, knowing someone is there for you makes all the difference. We shouldn’t do this mothering things alone friends. Take this first step to learn how to find your tribe and your mentors.

108 - Following God Isn't Always Easy with Michele Cushatt Jul 19, 2014

Show notes

My friend and speaker, Michele Cushatt hasn’t had the prettiest life. It has been down right hard and the things God have called her to haven’t always been pretty. Michele has handled the not so pretty with such grace that I wanted her to speak about her experiences because no matter how ugly, she always inspires me. I think she’ll inspire you too.

In this episode of So Here’s the Thing, we discuss how following God isn’t always easy. We deal with some of the tough questions like:

Should I be a working mom or stay-at-home mom?
If God has called me to this, shouldn’t it be easy?
Why do some decisions have only comprises for answers?
How can I even think of reinventing my life with all of the responsibilities I already have?
How can/do I say NO to the wrong things so I can say YES to the right things?

After listening, tell me how you have reinvented a part of your life whether it be your work, the way you juggle the needs of your family, your ministry or the relationships with your extended family. Two people will win pack of books from me- The Cure for the Perfect Life (being released in August!) and Praying God’s Word for Your Life.

107 - When Life Throws You a Curve Ball with Gillian Marchenko Jul 10, 2014

Show notes

“You don’t get a pass on your faith because of a curve ball.” OUCH! Would your best friend be willing say the same to you if you needed to hear it?

My co-host this week is Gillian Marchenko, author of Sun Shine Down: A Memoir. Gillian’s life as a mom, wife of a pastor and missionary in Ukraine was completely rocked when their third child was born with down-syndrome. In this experience, Gillian learned what deep faith, true friendship and real appreciation for life was all about.

Through our discussion, Gillian shares how:

it’s possible to feel two opposing emotions at the exact same time
it’s ok to dislike the diagnosis and still love
to react when your friend goes through a hard time

Join us for an inspiring discussion about how dealing with the curve ball isn’t always pretty but absolutely survivable.

What is the event in your life that you weren’t sure you would ever see the “sun shine again”? Share it with us for a chance to win a copy of Gillian’s memoir.

106 - Over Committed with Kasey Johnson Jul 02, 2014

Show notes

It’s easy to get bogged down with commitments- us moms have a knack for it! But then we start feeling exhausted, over committed and frustrated that our parenting, our physical, emotional and spiritual lives aren’t exactly what we had in mind. Join host Kathi Lipp as she welcomes guest Kasey Johnson, author of a new book and bible study specifically for moms called Mom Essentials. They discuss:

the differences between essentials and extras
how to best identify what each are in your life
and why getting back to the “essentials” can be key to an overall healthy mama.

“It’s not about being perfect, it’s about being smarter.” Kasey Johnson

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