Fighting For Joy

Episode 86: Season 7 Kick Off: 10 Things that are Bringing us Joy Oct 28, 2024

Today, with a very grateful heart, I am kicking off Season 7 of the podcast! I'm excited to be back behind the mic and I’m thankful for each one of you listening.

On this episode, my husband Eric joins me as we get a little personal and share 10 things that are bringing us joy right now. In grief, and in all other kinds of difficult situations, experiencing joy can be such a fight! Sometimes it can even be hard to accept joy again as sadness and melancholy feel so much more appropriate. And yet, because of the hope we have as believers and because we know this isn’t the end of the story, there IS joy to be found, and its worth fighting for.

I wanted today to be a reminder that in this broken world its important to acknowledge and notice the things, both big and little, that are bringing joy into our lives. As believers, our greatest source of joy is the Lord, and yet, in His kindness, provision, and grace, there are many things here on earth, even in the midst of hard circumstances, that we can enjoy and that point us, from lesser to greater, back to God. It’s good, healing work to find, accept, and lean into the beautiful things, even when our hearts still hurt. It’s part of the practice of intentional gratitude, a powerful tool in the fight for joy. And, it’s part of the "both/and" of life. 2 Corinthians 6:10 says that we can be sorrowful, yet still rejoice! We can feel like we have nothing, and yet possess everything.

This episode might feel lighter than some of the topics and conversations I typically have with my guests, but celebrating goodness when your heart is hurting can be hard. However, it can also be a beautiful part of the fight for joy and a practical way to keep holding on to hope as we watch God’s healing power to do it’s miraculous work in our lives. So listen in as Eric and I talk about joy in things like new friendships, getting creative at work, watching sport on TV, time with our adult children, boundary setting, walking, and more. I hope this episode inspires YOU to pay attention to the things in your own life that are bringing you joy, even in the struggle. Keep living in "defiant hope", believing that there is goodness from the Lord to be found in the land of the living (Psalm 27). Keep pressing forward in hope and trust while actively looking for these sweet reminders of God’s care, provision, and kindness. It's such a powerful way to keep fighting for joy!

*Don't forget that as a Fighting for Joy listener you can receive 10% off of your first month of counseling services from BetterHelp, my podcast sponsor. Check out my link at betterhelp.com/fightingforjoy. Christian counseling can be such a huge help in this broken world and a major tool in the fight for joy.

** If this episode was encouraging to you, I’d like to ask you to please consider rating the Fighting for Joy podcast, and even leaving a review. Once you find my show, scroll down to where it says “tap to rate” or “write a review”. Tapping to rate literally takes a second or two, and writing a review can be quick as well. Just sharing that you enjoy listening, or that it’s an encouragement to you is enough. The longer I do this the more I understand how helpful those ratings and reviews really are, so thanks for considering this. It means a lot!

Episode 85: FFJ Live Event 3: Guest Panel Jul 30, 2024

Earlier in the summer I had the opportunity to host another Fighting for Joy Live event in my backyard, and as I’ve done in the past with these gatherings, I wanted to share a little bit of the evening on a podcast episode. This time I had a panel of 4 very special women share about some of the ways they are fighting for joy and what they are learning about God in this season of their life. It was such a rich evening!

A couple of the voices you’re going to hear might sound familiar because both Mama Lu (episode 36) and Becky Novacek (episodes 22 and 61) are back to share. I also get to introduce you to two new podcast guests, my friends Shawn Bridgman and Ann Parmenter. These four women bring such wisdom, experience, and encouragement and I'm excited to have them buoy up your own faith through their honest and vulnerable testimonies of God’s faithful work in their lives as they fight for joy.

This is the final episode of Season 6! We'll see what the Lord has in the coming weeks, but at this point I AM planning on returning in the fall with new episodes for Season 7. Thank you for continuing to listen and support the Fighting for Joy Podcast!

*Don't forget that as a Fighting for Joy listener you can receive 10% off of your first month of counseling services from BetterHelp, my podcast sponsor. Check out my link at betterhelp.com/fightingforjoy. Christian counseling can be such a huge help in this broken world and a major tool in the fight for joy.

** If this episode was encouraging to you, I’d like to ask you to please consider rating the Fighting for Joy podcast, and even leaving a review. Once you find my show, scroll down to where it says “tap to rate” or “write a review”. Tapping to rate literally takes a second or two, and writing a review can be quick as well. Just sharing that you enjoy listening, or that it’s an encouragement to you is enough. The longer I do this the more I understand how helpful those ratings and reviews really are, so thanks for considering this. It means a lot!

Episode 84: Fighting for Joy in Friendship and Belonging May 10, 2024

There really is nothing better than finding a place of belonging. Finding your people...your place. Being known, accepted, and loved. And, conversely, few things can rob of us joy like loneliness, isolation, feeling left out, and NOT knowing where we belong. I think we can all remember that time we didn’t get the invite, or weren’t included in the group text, or didn’t get asked to go on the trip, or to the party. Today my friend Heidi Deyle and I have a great conversation about how to fight for joy as we search for belonging. We talk through practical ways to build community, how to "go first" in a friendship, and how to fight the temptations of comparison around social media.

When I told a friend about the title of this episode, her comment was, “I feel like I have spent my whole life struggling to figure out where I belong.” And I think that is relatable to so many of us! As Christians, we do have a deep sense of belonging with God - eternally safe and secure in His love. That's where our true identity lies! And, also, we are created for community and need to help each other fight for joy through the ups and downs of friendship and belonging. Heidi brings so much to this conversation and I'm excited for you to listen.

** If this episode was encouraging to you, I’d like to ask you to please consider rating the Fighting for Joy podcast, and even leaving a review. Once you find my show, scroll down to where it says “tap to rate” or “write a review”. Tapping to rate literally takes a second or two, and writing a review can be quick as well. Just sharing that you enjoy listening, or that it’s an encouragement to you is enough. The longer I do this the more I understand how helpful those ratings and reviews really are, so thanks for considering this. It means a lot!

Also, don’t forget that as a Fighting for Joy listener you can receive 10% off of your first month of counseling with BetterHelp, my podcast sponsor. Check out my link at betterhelp.com/fightingforjoy. Christian counseling can be such a huge help in this broken world and a major tool in the fight for joy.

Episode 83: Fighting for Joy by Making Room to Breathe Apr 29, 2024

If you feel overwhelmed or burdened down by the stuff in your home, or feel like you don’t have time to do the things you really want to do, or feel like the things that matter most to you keep getting pushed to the side, this episode is for you! My guest today, Noelle Fowler, is a wholistic declutter coach. She runs a business called Room to Breathe and she works with her clients to discover the root causes behind their clutter to help them simplify and DEclutter, which makes room in their lives for the things that matter more! We have a great conversation about the different kinds of clutter and how not only can our homes, our garages, and our closets feel overwhelming and disorganized, but so can our mind, our body, our calendar, and other aspects of our life that result in a lack of contentment and joy! Listen in as we talk about discovering what really does matter most to you and how creating a life that focuses on that is possible and can help your fight for joy!

If you would like to connect with Noelle and learn more about Room to Breathe, you can find her here on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/makeroomtobreathe?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

I've also included a link to find out more about The Making Room Membership: https://community.noellefowler.com/invitation?code=63CE4B

** If this episode was encouraging to you, I’d like to ask you to please consider rating the Fighting for Joy podcast, and even leaving a review. Once you find my show, scroll down to where it says “tap to rate” or “write a review”. Tapping to rate literally takes a second or two, and writing a review can be quick as well. Just sharing that you enjoy listening, or that it’s an encouragement to you is enough. The longer I do this the more I understand how helpful those ratings and reviews really are, so thanks for considering this. It means a lot!

Also, don’t forget that as a Fighting for Joy listener you can receive 10% off of your first month of counseling with BetterHelp, my podcast sponsor. Check out my link at betterhelp.com/fightingforjoy. Christian counseling can be such a huge help in this broken world and a major tool in the fight for joy. And, as so many of you continue to ask how you can help support my work, signing up for a month of counseling will not only benefit YOU, it also shows BetterHelp that there is value in sponsoring my show.

Episode 82: Fighting for Joy with Systems and Routines Apr 08, 2024

My guest today is April Bender and wow, did we cover a lot in this episode! April starts by sharing about some childhood trauma that greatly affected her choices and decisions as she got older, especially heading into marriage. This led to confusion, lack of community, and lack of joy. The beauty of her story is that God met her there. She learned about the power of prayer and fasting, the importance of following the leading of the Holy Spirit, and how God’s love can bring freedom from shame and comfort in loneliness. We also talk about church hurt, and persevering with the people of God, even when you have reason to walk away.

I just know you are going to love hearing April’s heart as she shares her story and some of the practical things she has learned along the way, including how she began using systems and routines to get through each day as a single mom. Creating order out of chaos helped her fight for joy!

** If this episode was encouraging to you, I’d like to ask you to please consider rating the Fighting for Joy podcast, and even leaving a review. Once you find my show, scroll down to where it says “tap to rate” or “write a review”. Tapping to rate literally takes a second or two, and writing a review can be quick as well. Just sharing that you enjoy listening, or that it’s an encouragement to you is enough. The longer I do this the more I understand how helpful those ratings and reviews really are, so thanks for considering this. It means a lot!

Also, don’t forget that as a Fighting for Joy listener you can receive 10% off of your first month of counseling with BetteHelp, my podcast sponsor. Check out my link at betterhelp.com/fightingforjoy. Christian counseling can be such a huge help in this broken world and a major tool in the fight for joy. And, as so many of you continue to ask how you can help support my work, signing up for a month of counseling will not only benefit YOU, it also shows Better Help that there is value in sponsoring my show.

Episode 81: Easter Re-release: Fighting for Joy with Family Mar 29, 2024

If there’s ever a time to remember that hope can spring up from death, it’s Easter weekend. When Jackson, Trey, and Tyler died, it was hard to imagine any sort of future that could include hope, much less JOY. But friends, I’m here to tell you that it IS possible. Easter weekend reminds us that death does not have the final say! Yes, the brokenness of this world will cause grief and sorrow, but Christ's suffering, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension brings us peace, comfort, and help WHILE we grieve...while we wait for everything wrong to be made right. As believers, we can find rest in the promise and hope of Easter. In light of this, the episode that I wanted to bring to you this weekend is our family’s testimony of this exact hope. It’s a glimpse into how we have continued to press forward in life, even though we’ve had to walk through the valley of the shadow of death, and even though there will always be a void in our family, in our home, and in our hearts. We will always be missing Jackson, but we are never left without hope.

I originally recorded this episode 4 years ago - Grace and Turner were in high school, Justine was in college, and we were in the height of the pandemic, as you'll hear. Now, Justine has been married to Will for almost 3 years and they are homeowners, working and enjoying life in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Turner graduated from college last year and is working, living on his own, and engaged to be married to Mercedes. And Grace is now 20 and is finishing up her sophomore year of college. Obviously, a lot has happened since we had this conversation, but as I re-listened and thought about re-releasing it this Easter weekend, I was encouraged that our family’s testimony of hope still stands. Yes, we’ve had more to process with each of our kids as they have gotten older. They are more deeply feeling the effects of growing up in a household dealing with grief, having some of their most formative years impacted by parents who were in deep grief, and growing up in a community that was shaken and greatly impacted by the accident. And/also, I continue to be so grateful for God’s continued work in their hearts and lives and am so proud of their perseverence and courage to keep pressing forward in hope. They are my favorite joy fighters!

*This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. As a Fighting for Joy listener, you can get 10% off of your first month. You guys, quality Christian counseling is one of the greatest ways to fight for joy. Whatever you’re going through…parenting issues, marriage problems, financial stress, relationship or work issues, or like us, dealing with the loss of a loved one, remember that there is help available - professional help that can help your fight for joy! Visit my link at betterhelp.com/fightingforjoy to sign up and get your discount. You will quickly be matched with a therapist and could have your first session by the end of the week, which is not as common when trying to find an in-person therapist. Again, that’s betterhelp.com/fightingforjoy.

Episode 80: Fighting for Joy in Sobriety Mar 15, 2024

Today I am introducing you to a new friend of mine, Beth Ottun. Beth shares about her story of sobriety…turning from a life of hiding, shame, and secrets to pursuing a life of freedom, peace, and joy!
Beth progressed from an occasional glass of wine to a level of drinking that began to destroy her life. It took some devastating consequences for Beth to realize she was an alcoholic and that she needed help.

2 1/2 years into her sobriety journey, Beth continues her daily fight but has so much to share about some of the practical things that are helping her persevere and keep going. I’m so thankful that Beth was willing to share her story of hope and joy. I am sure that you’ll be able to take away some practical things to apply to your own life, even if your struggle isn’t with alcohol, because the tools that she has found helpful in her fight for joy can be helpful for all of us!

*Beth has processed a lot of her recovery journey through writing. If you would like to hear more of her story, here is the link to her blog, Out of the Darkness: https://outofthedarkness566915776.wordpress.com

As always, you can connect with Jodi's Fighting for Joy Community on Instagram here: https://instagram.com/fightingforjoypodcast?igshid=NGVhN2U2NjQ0Yg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

and with Jodi personally on her Instagram page here: https://instagram.com/jodiblick?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

**This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp, the world's largest online therapy provider. As I reflect on my grief journey I'm contantly reminded of just how helpful solid, Christian counseling has been for me! If you think that counseling would help YOUR fight for joy, visit my link at Betterhelp.com/fightingforjoy today! I’ve said it many times before and I will continue to say it - quality counseling is a worthy investment in your fight for joy!

Episode 79: Fighting for Joy: From Pain to Peace Mar 01, 2024

I love introducing you to my local friends and today you get to meet another special one, Andrea Zahourek. I tell the story at the beginning of the episode, but from the very start of our friendship, we’ve shared deep compassion and understanding for each other’s grief. We’ve also found a lot of joy in cheering one another on over the years and supporting each other’s work, ideas, and dreams. It won’t take long for you to understand what a beautiful soul this amazing woman is! But Andrea’s journey from pain to peace has been a really difficult one. She’s faced teenage pregnancy, the death of a child, a very hard marriage that led to a difficult divorce, struggling and overworking to provide for her family as a single mom, and a lot of fear, questioning, and trying to “fake joy”. Today, as she shares her story and tells us about the years and years of work she has put into her fight for finding REAL joy, you’ll get a powerful glimpse into all that she has overcome and the beautiful life that she leads now…one that’s defined by family, faith, and serving others - and, one that is marked by deep peace, abundant gratitude, and true, lasting, authentic JOY! We cover A LOT in this episode and I’m grateful for the vulnerability that Andrea brought to our conversation. I know you’re going to hear so much HOPE in her story and I’m confident that each one of you will take away something that can help and encourage your own fight for joy.

You can find out more about AZ + Co here: https://www.instagram.com/azco_events_design?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

As always, you can connect with the Fighting for Joy Community on Instagram here: https://instagram.com/fightingforjoypodcast?igshid=NGVhN2U2NjQ0Yg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

and with Jodi personally on her Instagram page here: https://instagram.com/jodiblick?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

**This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp, the world's largest online therapy provider. As I reflect on my grief journey I'm contantly reminded of just how helpful solid, Christian counseling has been for me! If you think that counseling would help YOUR fight for joy, visit my link at Betterhelp.com/fightingforjoy today! I’ve said it many times before and I will continue to say it - quality counseling is a worthy investment in your fight for joy!

Episode 78: It's Never Too Late to Start Fighting for Joy Feb 16, 2024

Today’s guest has seen things that no one should have to see. Maranna was being a good friend, going to check on a coworker who didn’t return to the office after lunch, and what she found catapulted her into years of grief and learning how to work through and process trauma.

Maranna and I went to high school together but really didn’t develop a friendship until after my son Jackson died. I didn’t know what she had gone through at the time, but I DID know that she made me feel seen in my grief. I share a little bit about the first time we ran into each other as we begin the episode, but I just felt drawn to her…and in those early days of grief, I didn’t feel that too often with people. Now I know its because she, too, understood brokenness and pain.

We decided to call this episode “It’s Never Too Late to Start Fighting for Joy" because for Maranna, and for so many people, it can take years, maybe even a decade (or two), to really process "Big T" trauma stuff. So friends, whatever you’ve been through. Whatever you’ve seen. Whatever you’re stuffing down, tamping down, or trying to not think about…it’s not too late to begin the fight for joy around it. You will most likely carry around the effects of grief and trauma for the rest of your life here on earth. And, also...there is hope. There is help. And there is joy to be found and experienced.

Also, please be aware that this episode centers around domestic violence. If you or someone you know is feeling threatened or unsafe, there is help available. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is open 24 hours a day. You can call 800-799-7233 to speak to someone now. Or, if you are local to the Fremont area I'd encourage you to reach out to The Bridge. You can call their 24-hour crisis line: 888-721-4340 or visit https://bridgefromviolence.com/contact.

I'm so glad you found this episode. I hope you’re encouraged as you listen to Maranna share her story. I pray that you hear the message that it’s never too late to do the work around trauma and that it is possible to experience a full, beautiful life on the other side.

**This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp, the world's largest online therapy provider, with over 30,000 licensed, trained, experienced, and accredited psychologists, therapists, and counselors. I have loved working under the sponsorship of Faithful Counseling over the last few years and am excited to now be welcomed into a special new partnership with its parent company, Better Help, ESPECIALLY because they also provide the opportunity for you to choose a Christian counselor, a licensed therapist who will provide faith-based counseling. When you visit my link, betterhelp.com/fightingforjoy, you will begin filling out a questionnaire and one of the questions will be: “Would you like to be matched with a therapist who provides Christian-based therapy?” I’m so grateful to still offer you this option with BetterHelp! Also, FYI, if you go to my old Faithful Counseling link, it will still work for a while, it will just redirect you to the BetterHelp platform. And yes, I’m still able to offer you a 10% discount with BetterHelp as my sponsor.
As I reflect on my grief journey I'm reminded of just how helpful solid, Christian counseling has been for me! If you think that counseling would help YOUR fight for joy, visit my new link at Betterhelp.com/fightingforjoy today! I’ve said it many times before and I will continue to say it - quality counseling is a worthy investment in your fight for joy!

Episode 77: Fighting for Joy in the Early Days of Grief Jan 23, 2024

If you just received the worst news of your life...if you just buried your favorite person...if you are just starting your grief journey...if you are in the darkest days of grief...this episode is for you.

(And/or if you know someone who is in the early stages of grief...please send this episode to them!)

Episode 76: A Re-release for the New Year: Episode 5 - Our Empty Spaces Jan 02, 2024

Today I wanted to share a few personal thoughts on 2023 as well as re-release Episode #5: "Our Empty Spaces". The days and weeks following the holidays can often feel quiet, lonely, and empty. I pray that my words encourage you and that you hear the HOPE that God’s love, sovereignty, and promises give to us as we remember that He often does His best work in the empty places in our heart, our life, our home, our family…

Let Him fill your empty spaces in 2024. It will help your fight for joy!

**This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp, the world's largest online therapy provider, with over 30,000 licensed, trained, experienced, and accredited psychologists, therapists, and counselors. I have loved working under the sponsorship of Faithful Counseling over the last few years and am excited to now be welcomed into a special new partnership with its parent company, BetterHelp, ESPECIALLY because they also provide the opportunity for you to choose a Christian counselor, a licensed therapist who will provide faith-based counseling. When you visit my link, betterhelp.com/fightingforjoy, you will begin filling out a questionnaire and one of the questions will be: “Would you like to be matched with a therapist who provides Christian-based therapy?” I’m so grateful to still offer you this option with BetterHelp! Also, FYI, if you go to my old Faithful Counseling link, it will still work for a while, it will just redirect you to the BetterHelp platform. And yes, I’m still able to offer you a 10% discount with BetterHelp as my sponsor.
As I reflect on my grief journey I'm reminded of just how helpful solid, Christian counseling has been for me! If you think that counseling would help YOUR fight for joy, visit my new link at Betterhelp.com/fightingforjoy today! I’ve said it many times before and I will continue to say it - quality counseling is a worthy investment in your fight for joy!

Episode 75: Fighting for Joy through Trauma Dec 18, 2023

I have been looking forward to introducing you to my new friend, Teresa Glantz. Teresa is a certified trauma recovery coach and also has a big heart for educating the church on trauma and mental health. Teresa and I met through Instagram as we both work and share in the same online space of “Christianity and hard things”. I haven't known her long but I've already learned so much from her and have been encouraged by the things she shares about trauma recovery and mental health.

On this episode you'll hear her share some of the traumatic parts of her own story as a backdrop to the hope she has to share with you. She speaks from experience when she says that you CAN recover from trauma. She is a beautiful example of this and I know you will be helped by her insight, wisdom, and powerful testimony. It is possible to fight for joy, and find it, even if you have experienced terrible things. There is hope!

*Please note, we do talk about suicide in this episode.

**This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp, the world's largest online therapy provider, with over 30,000 licensed, trained, experienced, and accredited psychologists, therapists, and counselors. I have loved working under the sponsorship of Faithful Counseling over the last few years and am excited to now be welcomed into a special new partnership with its parent company, BetterHelp, ESPECIALLY because they also provide the opportunity for you to choose a Christian counselor, a licensed therapist who will provide faith-based counseling. When you visit my link, betterhelp.com/fightingforjoy, you will begin filling out a questionnaire and one of the questions will be: “Would you like to be matched with a therapist who provides Christian-based therapy?” I’m so grateful to still offer you this option with BetterHelp! Also, FYI, if you go to my old Faithful Counseling link, it will still work for a while, it will just redirect you to the BetterHelp platform. And yes, I’m still able to offer you a 10% discount with BetterHelp as my sponsor.
As I reflect on my grief journey I'm reminded of just how helpful solid, Christian counseling has been for me! If you think that counseling would help YOUR fight for joy, visit my new link at Betterhelp.com/fightingforjoy today! I’ve said it many times before and I will continue to say it - quality counseling is a worthy investment in your fight for joy!

Episode 74: Fighting for Joy with Hospitality Nov 27, 2023

What comes to mind when you think about hospitality? Making sure your house is clean? Cooking a fancy meal? Throwing a memorable party? In our current culture, true hospitality often gets confused with entertaining. The focus can often be on the host and their "Instagram worthy" decor vs. the guests and the opportunity to serve them. On the episode today, Eric and I have a conversation about the calling we have as Christians to welcome people in, not in order to make much of ourselves, but to make others feel welcomed, seen, and cared for - to provide a safe place for people to land and belong. A definition that we recently heard for hospitality mentioned making "sacrificial accomodations with others in mind". This often happens in relationship - putting people at ease with food, with good conversation, sometimes with humor, and almost always with bold generosity of resources...your home, your money, your stuff, your time, and your energy.

Yes, entertaining can be fun (and there are certainly ways to make entertaining hospitable!) but genuine hospitality is a beautiful way to share the hope, peace, comfort, help, and joy that we as believers have received from the Lord with others and bless them as we welcome them in and seek to meet their needs. Listen in as Eric and I share some ways that we were loved on in grief and how that has helped us to grow in our own desire to be hospitable and to find practical ways to bless and care for hurting people. I hope this episode inspires and encourages you to incorporate more hospitality into the regular rhythm of your life as a way to fight for joy - and help others keep fighting for joy as well!

As always, you can connect with the Fighting for Joy Community on Instagram here: https://instagram.com/fightingforjoypodcast?igshid=NGVhN2U2NjQ0Yg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

and with Jodi personally on her Instagram page here: https://instagram.com/jodiblick?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

**This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp, the world's largest online therapy provider, with over 30,000 licensed, trained, experienced, and accredited psychologists, therapists, and counselors. I have loved working under the sponsorship of Faithful Counseling over the last few years and am excited to now be welcomed into a special new partnership with its parent company, BetterHelp, ESPECIALLY because they also provide the opportunity for you to choose a Christian counselor, a licensed therapist who will provide faith-based counseling. When you visit my link, betterhelp.com/fightingforjoy, you will begin filling out a questionnaire and one of the questions will be: “Would you like to be matched with a therapist who provides Christian-based therapy?” I’m so grateful to still offer you this option with BetterHelp! Also, FYI, if you go to my old Faithful Counseling link, it will still work for a while, it will just redirect you to the BetterHelp platform. And yes, I’m still able to offer you a 10% discount with BetterHelp as my sponsor.
As I reflect on my grief journey I'm reminded of just how helpful solid, Christian counseling has been for me! If you think that counseling would help YOUR fight for joy, visit my new link at Betterhelp.com/fightingforjoy today! I’ve said it many times before and I will continue to say it - quality counseling is a worthy investment in your fight for joy!

Episode 73: Fighting for Joy with Forgiveness Nov 10, 2023

I have had people ask for an episode on forgiveness since I started the podcast. I’ve touched on it with many of my guests and have continually emphasized the importance of it as we fight for joy, but I’m excited to finally bring you an entire episode on the topic - and, I couldn’t have a better guest for this conversation! You heard her story 2 weeks ago on Episode 72: “Fighting for Joy in the Aftermath of Divorce”, and today, Kathy Kaspar returns for a follow up episode to share how she has learned to fight for joy with forgiveness. As she shares more of her story and parts of her own forgiveness journey, she will help you better understand “the why” and “the how” of the forgiveness process. I think you’ll really appreciate how practical Kathy gets! It’s one thing to know that we SHOULD extend forgiveness, but it’s a whole other thing to really know how to do it - so I love that she walks us through some actual steps and gets beyond the why to the practicality of the how! And, spoiler alert, while unforgiveness leads to bitterness, resentment, and hardness of heart, working towards forgiving those who have wronged you leads to freedom, peace, deeper faith, and JOY…so, I’m glad you’ve found this episode. Thank you for listening and continuing to share the podcast with others!

As always, you can connect with the Fighting for Joy Community on Instagram here: https://instagram.com/fightingforjoypodcast?igshid=NGVhN2U2NjQ0Yg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

and with Jodi personally on her Instagram page here: https://instagram.com/jodiblick?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

**This episode is sponsored by Better Help, the world's largest online therapy provider, with over 30,000 licensed, trained, experienced, and accredited psychologists, therapists, and counselors. I have loved working under the sponsorship of Faithful Counseling over the last few years and am excited to now be welcomed into a special new partnership with its parent company, Better Help, ESPECIALLY because they also provide the opportunity for you to choose a Christian counselor, a licensed therapist who will provide faith-based counseling. When you visit my link, betterhelp.com/fightingforjoy, you will begin filling out a questionnaire and one of the questions will be: “Would you like to be matched with a therapist who provides Christian-based therapy?” I’m so grateful to still offer you this option with Better Help! Also, FYI, if you go to my old Faithful Counseling link, it will still work for a while, it will just redirect you to the Better Help platform. And yes, I’m still able to offer you a 10% discount with Better Help as my sponsor.
As I reflect on my grief journey I'm reminded of just how helpful solid, Christian counseling has been for me! If you think that counseling would help YOUR fight for joy, visit my new link at Betterhelp.com/fightingforjoy today! I’ve said it many times before and I will continue to say it - quality counseling is a worthy investment in your fight for joy!

Episode 72: Fighting for Joy in the Aftermath of Divorce Oct 24, 2023

Over the past few months I have had the privilege of reconnecting with a sweet friend from college. Kathy Kaspar and I met over 30 years ago and although we never developed a deep friendship, she was always someone that I loved running into and have fond memories of. Facebook kept us in touch a little bit, but it was really preparing for this episode that allowed me to hear about the heartbreak she has had to endure over the years. I’m thankful for Kathy’s willingness to share about her fight for joy in an extremely difficult marriage, through her subsequent divorce, and in the years to follow as she lost not only her marriage but friendships, her home, her financial security, and was thrust into the overwhelm of starting over.

So many of us are affected by divorce, either personally or with someone we care about. But I'm confident that you'll find many take aways from this episode that go beyond the effects of divorce, especially if you find yourself in a place where your life looks nothing like you thought it would. I think you'll especially appreciate the Top 5 list that she shares at the end.

Kathy's journey has been tough - and she still has a lot of hard things to deal with, but I know you'll be encouraged by her hope, her perserverance, her gratitude, her fight for her true identity, and her trust in God's goodness, even in the middle of horrible circumstances. I hope that her story will inspire YOU to keep fighting for joy in the middle of your own hard stuff.

As always, you can connect with the Fighting for Joy Community on Instagram here: https://instagram.com/fightingforjoypodcast?igshid=NGVhN2U2NjQ0Yg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

and with Jodi personally on her Instagram page here: https://instagram.com/jodiblick?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

If you want me to connect you with Kathy, email me at fightingforjoypodcast@gmail.com.

**This episode is sponsored by Faithful Counseling, an online Christian counseling service that can help you get paired with a licensed therapist in just a few days. They have given me the opportunity to share a 10% off link for you as Fighting for Joy listeners at: faithfulcounseling.com/fightingforjoy. Quality counseling is a worthy investment and can be such a powerful tool in the fight for joy!

Episode 71: Fighting for Joy: From Chains to Chosen Oct 12, 2023

Today I get to introduce you to Brandy Reynolds, a local friend of mine who became very dear to me during our years of serving a community of young moms together. It was during that time that I learned more about Brandy's story - its a tough one that includes time in prison and years of rejection and shame...but it also includes repentance, forgiveness, restoration, and yes, even joy!

In our conversation today, Brandy shares about the fight for joy she experienced both in and out of prison. She gets practical with some of the things that helped her run TO God, not from Him, and how she was able to cling to hope in some of her darkest days behind bars. We also talk about the power of forgiveness and love, and the miraculous ways that God can redeem our broken stories for His glory.

Brandy is in the process of launching her new book into the world - Released: Chains to Chosen. We only had an hour together for this episode, so you'll have to get the book to read her entire story, but as you listen today I hope our conversation encourages you, especially if YOU feel labeled, rejected, or chained to your own difficult circumstances. There IS a path to freedom, hope, and JOY!

You can find out more about the release of Brandy's book at https://chainstochosen.com

As always, you can connect with the Fighting for Joy Community on Instagram here: https://instagram.com/fightingforjoypodcast?igshid=NGVhN2U2NjQ0Yg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

and with Jodi personally on her Instagram page here: https://instagram.com/jodiblick?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

**This episode is sponsored by Faithful Counseling, an online Christian counseling service that can help you get paired with a licensed therapist in just a few days. They have given me the opportunity to share a 10% off link for you as Fighting for Joy listeners at: faithfulcounseling.com/fightingforjoy. Quality counseling is a worthy investment and can be such a powerful tool in the fight for joy!

Episode 70: Season 6 Intro! Oct 09, 2023

You guys!!! Season 6!!! What in the world?!?! I'm so grateful to be bringing you another season of the Fighting for Joy Podcast. In this quick intro episode I share a little bit about why I started the podcast back in 2018 - and why I feel called to continue to record episodes for you here in 2023. Let's get this season started!

Episode 69: Summer Re-release: Episode 13 - Fighting for Joy with Counseling Sep 11, 2023

This summer I am trying something new by re-releasing a few of my older Fighting for Joy Podcast episodes. While I'm taking a break from creating new content I wanted to pull out a few conversations that may have gotten buried in your feed in hopes that they will provide you with fresh encouragement. Our podcast community has also grown quite a bit over the years so if you're a new listener, these may be episodes you haven't had a chance to listen to yet.

The next one I will be highlighting is Episode 13: "Fighting for Joy with Counseling", originally released on October 4, 2019. Here is some of what I wrote then:

My guest today on the Fighting for Joy Podcast is our counselor, Claire Cunningham. Going to counseling has been a huge help in my personal fight for joy these past 6 years - in fact when people want to know what has helped me keep progressing in grief, my appointments with Claire and the things that I have learned through counseling are always at the top on my list.
Not only does Claire help us help us navigate the things that we are in the middle of and dealing with now, but for our particular situation in grief, which is continually changing and shifting as the years go on, she helps us prepare for what lies ahead…what’s coming as we continue on in grief. Our sessions with Claire have been tremendously helpful and such a key component in our healing and progress even as we continue to grieve. So, whatever difficulties YOU are dealing with in life, big or small, I hope that today’s episode gives you a glimpse into how counseling can be a helpful tool to navigate the hard things in life and help you fight for joy!

** On the topic of counseling, don't forget that my podcast is sponsored by Faithful Counseling - a tremendous option to get started with solid, Christian counseling right now! You can begin the process by visiting faithfulcounseling.com/fightingforjoy. My personal link will give you 10% off as a podcast listener.

Episode 68: Summer Re-release: Episode 5 - Our Empty Spaces Aug 29, 2023

This summer I am trying something new by re-releasing a few of my older Fighting for Joy Podcast episodes. While I'm taking a break from creating new content I wanted to pull out a few conversations that may have gotten buried in your feed in hopes that they will provide you with fresh encouragement. Our podcast community has also grown quite a bit over the years so if you're a new listener, these may be episodes you haven't had a chance to listen to yet.

The next one I will be highlighting is Episode 5: "Empty Spaces", originally released on December 28, 2018. Here is some of what I wrote then (you'll hear a few Christmas references because of it's orginal airing date):

God loves to fill empty spaces. I find that especially helpful during this time of year when many of us can more deeply feel the emptiness in our lives. Did you feel some emptiness this Christmas? Maybe you haven’t lost a loved one, but your heart feels empty. Or you’re experiencing some sort of brokenness in your family, or with your health, or in a relationship? Or maybe you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, stressed out, or sad? Well, whether this really IS the “most wonderful time of the year” for you or if its just been downright lonely and sad (or even a messy, complicated mix of everything!), I wanted to record this mini-episode to remind you that God REALLY IS enough to fill our empty spaces.

Episode 67: Summer Re-release: Episode 1 - Our Story Aug 22, 2023

This summer I'm going to try something new by re-releasing a few of my older Fighting for Joy Podcast episodes. While I'm taking a break from creating new content I wanted to pull out a few conversations that may have gotten buried in your feed in hopes that they will provide you with fresh encouragement. Our podcast community has also grown quite a bit over the years so if you're a new listener, these may be episodes you haven't had a chance to listen to yet.

The first one I will be highlighting is "Episode 1 - Our Story", originally released on November 19, 2018. Here's what I wrote then:

Today my husband, Eric Blick, joins me on the podcast as we share a little bit about why this fight for joy is personal for us. As I mentioned in the preview episode, this podcast will be full of stories, and I thought it was appropriate to “go first” with our story. Eric and I met at Wheaton College and have been married for 24 years. We have four children and live in Nebraska. Our firstborn son, Jackson, died at the age of 16 in 2013.

Our goal in this first episode is not to fully or perfectly tell our story. In fact, there are a few details that we almost edited out because we remembered them differently. But, that is part of trauma...and part of going through grief together, but separately. So we didn't make any edits. With this podcast, I've decided that "done is better than perfect". Grief is messy...and this podcast will be messy at times as well.

I'm thankful that Eric agreed to be my first guest. He has believed in this project from the start and I seriously couldn't have gotten it started without him. So I'm excited for you to get to know him a little bit as we share our hearts and help you better understand the “why” behind this podcast.

Episode 66: Perfectionism - Listener Q&A Jul 25, 2023

Little did I know when I started this podcast that one of the most commented on topics would be perfectionism. If you haven’t had a chance to listen to the episodes I’ve done on this topic you’ll have to check out Episode #35 (with my cousin Sara) and Episodes #57 and #58 (with my husband Eric). Each time we have talked about perfectionism I’ve gotten so much feedback about how helpful these conversations are, so these last few months I’ve been thinking about doing a follow up and decided that recording a listener Q & A episode with Eric might be the best path. I asked my Fighting for Joy community (via Instagram) for some questions to have him address. Once again I’m grateful for his vulnerability and willingness to share about his fight for joy in this area of his life. I hope you find this conversation helpful!

Also, this episode will wrap up Season 5 for me. What an amazing season it has been! Although I’m hoping to re-release a couple of episodes throughout the summer, I’ll be taking the next few months off and will be back this fall with new episodes for Season 6!!

Episode 65: Fighting for Joy When Hard Things Keep Happening Jun 26, 2023

Today I get to introduce you to a new friend of mine. She’s a grief sister, which is a phrase I sometimes use for other women who have also experienced a painful loss. Very often there is a quick connection that happens when I meet other people who are walking a similar path - and this held true with my guest today, Angie Hanson. A few weeks ago we met for coffee and as we began to share our stories with each other I knew immediately that we would be friends.

Angie has a very hard story. Not only did she also lose a son, but within the next two years, her husband and her brother also died. Three huge losses in just a couple of years. I appreciate Angie's ability to keep leaning into her continued grief AND fight for joy AND work to encourage and help others in their own difficulties and struggles.

Angie is my first podcast guest who has walked through the death of her husband so I’m thankful for her willingness to share about widowhood and remarriage and how she has learned to embrace the "both/and" of grief - sorrow coexisting with joy! We cover a lot in this conversation and Angie has so many good insights to share, so I’m glad you found this episode and hope you are encouraged as you hear from someone 17 years into the grief journey.

She talks about this towards the end of our chat but after you listen today I hope you will check out her blog. She’s a wonderful writer and covers so many different topics related to grief. She also has a grief-specific greeting card line that has really helped her to find some purpose in her pain by helping others walk with friends in grief. You can find out more about Angie's blog and grief cards at https://butterfliesandhalos.com. She is also on Facebook and Instagram @butterfliesandhalos.

**Today's episode is brought to you by Faithful Counseling, an amazing online Christian counseling service. I'm excited to offer my listeners 10% off at: faithfulcounseling.com/fightingforjoy. Quality counseling is a worthy investment and can be such a powerful tool in the fight for joy!

Episode 64: Fighting for Joy through Menopause May 17, 2023

Yep, you read that right! Today I'm releasing an episode on menopause. And, even better, I convinced my hubby to have this conversation with me!

I wanted to address this topic because it's been an area in my life recently that HAS affected my joy, more than I thought it would - and I know the same is true for so many of you because it's become a frequent topic of conversation within all of my friend groups. I'm also seeing it talked about more on social media and heard someone recently say, "Menopause is having a moment!" I'm happy to jump on the bandwagon because it truly is a topic that needs to be talked about more.

I remember watching things kind of fall apart for my mom when she hit menopause. She didn't talk about it though so her journey and subsequent struggles left me with a lot of questions and fears - and I began to dread hitting this stage of life. Instead, I wish I would've just started gathering information myself and forming some habits that might've made the transition a little easier for me. The good news is though, I've found that it's not too late. These last couple of years I've been reading a ton, listening to experienced and knowledgable voices, watching women a few steps ahead of me, scheduling appointments with medical professionals, and trying all kinds of wholistic things to address and alleviate my symptoms.

Menopause can look different for each of us, but I'm hoping that by sharing a little bit of my journey, you'll hear a few things that might be helpful in your own fight for joy through perimenopause and menopause. And, if you’re not in this season yet - I hope you still listen because I WISH I would’ve had a podcast like this when I was younger.

P.S. Men, I think you'll find this episode pretty informative too! :)

Episode 63: Fighting for Joy through the “Both/And” of Mother’s Day: Five Practical Ways to Approach the Day May 12, 2023

The question I’ve been hearing a lot this week has been, “What are you doing for Mother’s Day?” For many of us, in fact probably most of us, Mother’s Day is a “both/and” day that holds a wide range of emotions. Celebration AND tears. Joy AND sadness.

It’s definitely become another conflicting day for me in grief. My son Jackson, the one who made me a mom 26 years ago, has been in heaven now for almost 10 years - so this is my 9th Mother’s Day without him. AND/ALSO, I have 3 amazing kids and a wonderful son-in-law who ARE still here and who want to celebrate.

This will also be my 3rd Mother’s Day without my own mom. So yes, on Mother’s Day, I grieve Jackson, and my mom, and can feel pretty tender…AND, at the same time, my heart is so happy that I still have Justine, Will, Turner, and Grace here and rejoice in the privilege of being their mom. Both/and.

On this episode I want to share 5 practical ways to approach the “both/and” of Mother’s Day. These are tools that I personally implement and I can give testimony that they'll help you fight for joy (and hopefully find it!) this weekend.

Episode 62: Fighting for Joy through Cancer May 01, 2023

Today I’m really grateful for the willingness of my local friend Jen Poulas to come on the show and talk through some of the difficult things that she has had to walk through in life, specifically fighting, and thankfully beating cancer…not just once, but twice! Almost everyone has been affected by cancer one way or another. The treatments, the isolation, the fear, and the physical changes that often accompany a cancer diagnosis can rob even the happiest person of joy. Listen in as Jen shares about her fight for joy - about facing the news of a cancer diagnosis (twice!), about some of the ways that cancer can change you and affect your whole family, some helpful (and not helpful) things you can do to support someone with cancer, and the importance of clinging to faith and hope every step of the way.

**This episode is sponsored by Faithful Counseling. Have you checked them out yet? I can’t say it enough - quality Christian counseling is SUCH a worthy investment and SUCH a powerful tool in the fight for joy in this broken world. I’d love for you to use my 10% code at www.faithfulcounseling.com/fightingforjoy Click on that link to find out more about this online service and begin the process of getting help today!

Episode 61: Five Ways to Fight for Joy with Becky Novacek Mar 14, 2023

I think we all have people in our life who inspire us, challenge us, and teach us - people who bring so much good stuff to the table when you get together that you can’t help but be all ears and just want to soak it all in. Becky Novacek is one of those people in my life. Every time we are able to connect, I learn. I leave feeling inspired and encouraged.

You might recognize Becky because she's been on the podcast before (Episode #22 - Fighting for Joy with a Healthy Mindset). I wanted to have her back on now because over the course of the past year she and I have had so many rich conversations about ALL kinds of things and I wanted to share pieces of that with all of you. Today I asked her to share a "Top 5" list of ways that she is fighting for joy in this season of her life. I think you’ll love her wise perspective about things like identity, loving well, and seeking beauty. Becky is so tender to the things of the Lord and I know you'll be blessed by the way she ties everything back to her faith and her relationship with God.

My last episode was with Brooke Kyes, a young mom in her 20s, and today its a woman thriving in her 60s. Its such a privilege to bring you a wide range of perspectives. Each season of life brings its blessings and challenges and its so helpful to hear stories of how to fight for joy through it all! So today, soak in the words of my dear friend Becky. As always, if you find some encouragement in this episode, I would LOVE to hear from you. And, I always appreciate when you share the podcast with others. Its one of the best ways you can support my work and ministry. Thanks for listening!

**Today's episode is brought to you by Faithful Counseling, an amazing online Christian counseling service. I'm excited to offer my listeners 10% off at: faithfulcounseling.com/fightingforjoy. Quality counseling is a worthy investment and can be such a powerful tool in the fight for joy!

Episode 60: Fighting for Joy in Postpartum Feb 21, 2023

Today’s episode is with Brooke Kyes, a local teacher and a new mom who said YES to coming on the podcast to have a vulnerable but very important conversation about her postpartum experience. I’ve known Brooke for many years because she and her husband Nathan were longtime, and very good friends of our son Jackson, who passed away almost 10 years ago in June of 2013. They did all kinds of things together growing up and when we went to watch Jackson compete or perform in sports, choir, or band, Brooke and Nathan were usually involved in it too - and our families have been intertwined for many years. It’s been special to watch Jackson’s friends fight for joy like Nathan and Brooke have this past year. I’m excited to share a little bit of their story today through my conversation with Brooke.

You’ll hear early on in our conversation that I assumed we were going to be talking mostly about postpartum depression, but, although anxiety and depression CAN be linked in some ways, Brooke’s struggle since welcoming their sweet boy Oakley into the world has been with postpartum anxiety. I learned a lot by listening to her share and realized there are nuances to what women can experience in postpartum. Motherhood is such a steep learning curve and it's no surprise that becoming a new mom would lend itself to either, or both, depression and anxiety! But for Brooke, her natural wiring and history of anxiety led to panic attacks and a darker time of wondering if she could do this "motherhood thing" right and if she would ever be “herself” again. I’m thankful for her openness and I could tell as soon as we got started chatting that this would be an important conversation to get out to all of you.

Also, I was planning on releasing this episode in another month or so, but with all of the feedback we are continuing to get from the two perfectionism episodes that Eric and I did a few weeks back, I thought that it would be good to release this one next as there CAN oftentimes be a link between perfectionism and anxiety. I also love that this will follow my episode with Liz Gnagy, another young mom fighting for joy! Similar to that episode, I think ALL of you will find some takeaways in this episode, no matter what season of life you are in. Anxiety affects people of all ages and in all seasons of life. And, the important themes that Brooke and I discuss at the end of our time together are applicable to ALL difficulties in life and are great tools in the fight for joy that I want to keep hitting on in each episode. So I’m glad you are tuning in and would love to hear your thoughts after you listen.

Episode 59: Fighting for Joy in a Home Full of Little Ones Feb 07, 2023

Liz Gnagy and I met when she was a college student and I was a young mom with a house full of little ones - I think our kids were 8, 7, 5, & 4, or something like that. Now, I'm an empty nester and SHE is the busy, young mom! I've loved staying connected with her over the years and admire the ways that she has grown in her faith and keeps fighting for joy. I know she will bring a perspective that many of you can relate to. With 5 little kids, Liz brings a lot to the table in regards to what can tend to steal joy and how to fight for joy in a full, active home like theirs. I appreciated all of the practical things that she shared and I’m sure you’ll have some takeaways. I'm so grateful that God brought Liz into my life all those years ago - and I'm excited to introduce her to you today!

Episode 58: Part 2 of 2: How Perfectionism Hinders Your Fight for Joy Jan 17, 2023

Today I’m excited to bring you Part 2 of my husband Eric sharing about the progress that he has made and continues to make against perfectionism. I wanted to release these episodes at the beginning of the new year as I think its a great time to evaluate some things in our lives. What’s been working? What hasn’t? What needs to change? Yes, I’m one of those people who gets excited about the intentionality that a new year can bring. But even if you aren’t, fighting against perfectionism and finding joy on the other side of its weight is a worthwhile pursuit at ANY point in the course of a year. But personally I think the start of 2023 is the perfect time [See what I did there? :) "Perfect"!] to think about and consider if there are some changes that need to be made. To start your journey from perfectionism to achievement and experience the blessings that are usually quick to follow: peace, freedom, contentment, feeling more excited about life, feeling less critical of yourself and others, and yes, of course more joy, just to name a few.

If you haven’t listened to Part 1, I encourage you to do so as Eric sets the groundwork there for what he talks about today as he shares the rest of his list of things that have helped him. I'm so proud of the work that he has done in this area and I love the changes I’ve seen in him. His life gives testimony that fighting perfectionism doesn’t bring along with it subpar work, or less success. As a result of the progress he has made, he has achieved MORE - and continues to achieve more. He’s not getting sick, discouraged, or burned out like used to. Instead, he’s actually able to do MORE. Achieve more. Perform better. And, the best part is, it's all with more JOY!

**Today’s episode is brought to you by my unpaid sponsor, Access Period. Access Period is a nonprofit organization in Omaha that provides free menstrual products. Period Poverty, or the lack of access to menstrual products, affects 1 in 4 women. If you're interested in learning more about Access Period, getting involved with fighting period poverty in your own community, or if you are someone who needs menstrual products, please visit www.accessperiod.com, or find them on Instagram @accessperiod. I’m thankful for their willingness to partner with me and love the work they are doing.

Episode 57: Part 1 of 2: How Perfectionism Hinders Your Fight for Joy Jan 03, 2023

Happy New Year! It's intentional that the first episode I am releasing in 2023 is about perfectionism because I know many of you continue to struggle with it, and chances are it stole some of your joy this holiday season. I would love to give you some hope as you head into a new year!

Back on Season 3 (episode #35), I had my cousin Sara Waddel on the podcast to talk about her battle with perfectionism. That's when I began hearing some of your stories and realized we needed to have another conversation about it. So today I bring my husband Eric back on the podcast as a follow up to Sara's episode and a way to continue this important dialogue by allowing you to hear another perspective on this topic.

Perfectionism has played a huge role in Eric's life - negatively for so many years, and now positively as he has made so much headway, fighting these tendencies and therefore experiencing new levels of rest, peace, and joy. In order to have him share as much as possible, I did something different on this episode and didn't prepare any questions or notes. I just wanted to give Eric the mic and have him talk, teaching us what he has learned and how he has made progress and fought for joy through it all. I just wanted to listen in along with all of you. I told him there was no hurry and that he should talk for as long as he wanted to, knowing that I would most likely divide it into two episodes. So this is Part 1 where Eric shares a little bit about his personal struggle with perfectionism, his definition of it, and why he believes its crucial to fight against it. Then he begins going through his practical list of things that have helped him to make headway (I think he only gets through two in this first part so you'll have to stay tuned for the rest of the list in Part 2, coming out in 2 weeks)...things that have helped him to go from the discouragement of perfectionism to the joy of achievement. As always, I'd love to hear your feedback and have you share the things that resonated with you.

**Thank you for listening. Today's episode is sponsored by Faithful Counseling, an amazing online Christian counseling service. I'm excited to offer my listeners 10% off at: faithfulcounseling.com/fightingforjoy. Quality counseling is a worthy investment and can be such a powerful tool in the fight for joy!

Episode 56: Fighting for Joy through the Death of a Dream Dec 19, 2022

I have an amazing guest to introduce you to today (AND side note, you’ll also get to hear her sing. A first for the podcast!). On this episode my friend Anna Gallatin shares about how she found hope and fought for joy after the dream that she had for her family fell apart. You’ll be encouraged as you listen to the ways that God has restored her joy and continues to redeem her situation.

A lot of our conversation today is centered around “home” - not the house, but what we build and create within the walls. I love this topic because ultimately our earthly homes serve to point us to something greater...what is to come when we are finally and eternally home with the Lord. When we have a beautiful home on this side of heaven, we get a small glimpse in the beauty of what’s to come. It points us to a greater beauty! And, if we don’t get to experience a beautiful home here in this broken world, that TOO can be used to point us to what is to come because it causes us to be so dissatisfied with what we have here and how broken it feels, that our anticipation grows for what Jesus told the thief on the cross next to him is called “Paradise”. This world is not all there is. Something much, much greater is ahead for us as believers. Even the death of Anna’s dream pointed her to something greater. Someone greater!
Okay can you tell I’m excited about this!??! The whole episode is just full of special things and I think it may become one of your favorites.

**Thank you for listening. Today's episode is sponsored by Faithful Counseling, an amazing online Christian counseling service. I'm excited to offer my listeners 10% off at: faithfulcounseling.com/fightingforjoy. Quality counseling is a worthy investment and can be such a powerful tool in the fight for joy!

Episode 55: Fighting for Joy in Combating Addiction Dec 06, 2022

Today I am excited to welcome back a very special guest, my little brother Dwight (his first episode was #9 in Season 1 of the podcast). Dwight has a hard story but we have seen God work through it in powerful ways - and the life that Dwight has now is a beautiful testimony of God’s grace and mercy.

Almost everyone is affected by addiction in some way, so our hope is that talking about it again today will be helpful for someone struggling - or for someone who knows someone who is struggling. On this episode, Dwight calls you to action and encourages you to seek help as there really is practical help available! Listen in as he shares about completing the 12 steps of his program and the ways that he now serves and helps others in their journey to fight the disease of addiction.

*I want to tell you about a new unpaid sponsor of the podcast, Access Period. Access Period is a nonprofit organization in Omaha that provides free menstrual products to anyone that needs them. Period Poverty, or the lack of access to menstrual products, affects one in four women. When people don't have access to the products they need, they either stay home from work and school, perpetuating the cycle of poverty, or they use unsafe and uncomfortable alternatives (like toilet paper, socks, or cardboard.)
Too often, period poverty is invisible, which makes it hard to connect with our neighbors who most need help. By supporting Access Period, you'll help to place menstrual products into the hands of the people who need them most, both through the organizations that already serve them, and through free pick-up locations throughout Nebraska.
If you're interested in learning more about Access Period, getting involved with fighting period poverty in your own community, or if you are someone who needs menstrual products, please visit www.accessperiod.com, or find them on Instagram: @accessperiod.

Episode 54: Fighting for Joy with the Comfort of God Nov 22, 2022

“What a wonderful God we have—He is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the source of every mercy, and the One who so wonderfully comforts and strengthens us in our hardships and trials. And why does He do this? SO THAT when others are troubled, needing our sympathy and encouragement, we can pass on to them this same help and comfort God has given us. You can be sure that the more we undergo sufferings for Christ, the more He will shower us with His comfort and encouragement!” 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 TLB

“God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in our troubles SO THAT we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NLT

On this episode, my husband Eric joins me to talk about God’s Comfort, specifically in the context of the verses above. “Sharing God’s Comfort with Others” was the focus of my last Fighting For Joy Live event (Episode #53) - and as we were preparing for that evening, and in the weeks following it, this topic stayed on the forefront of our minds. It has been such a key part of our help and healing in grief…both experiencing it AND sharing it with others. So listen in today as we share some of the things we’ve been thinking through, dig a little deeper into the passage, and talk about some of the ways that God has brought comfort to our broken hearts. I end the episode by encouraging each one of YOU to run to the God of all comfort in your hurt as well - and remind you that once you’ve experienced it, YOU TOO are then equipped to share the hope of God’s comfort with others who are struggling!

God has used the most broken parts of our story to help so many others. He will do the same for you and through you! Use this reminder to keep fighting for joy in your brokenness with the comfort of God! And THEN, seek to help others in their fight for joy, in their brokenness, by sharing the comfort you’ve received with them.

***I'm excited to tell you about a new (*unpaid) sponsor of the podcast: Access Period. Access Period is a nonprofit organization in Omaha that provides free menstrual products to anyone that needs them. Period Poverty, or the lack of access to menstrual products, affects one in four women. When people don't have access to the products they need, they either stay home from work and school, perpetuating the cycle of poverty, or they use unsafe and uncomfortable alternatives like toilet paper, socks, or cardboard.
Too often, period poverty is invisible, which makes it hard to connect with our neighbors who most need help. By supporting Access Period, you'll help to place menstrual products into the hands of the people who need them most, both through the organizations that already serve them, and through free pick-up locations throughout Nebraska.
If you're interested in learning more about Access Period, getting involved with fighting period poverty in your own community, or if you are someone who needs menstrual products, please visit www.accessperiod.com, or find them on Instagram @accessperiod.

Episode 53: FFJ Live Event 2: Sharing God's Comfort With Others - Guest Scott Jensen Nov 07, 2022

Remember last fall when I hosted a LIVE podcast event in my backyard (Episode #43 if you missed it)?!?! Well, I’m excited to share that I was able to host one again this fall...Fighting for Joy Live #2! I look at an evening like this as an extension of the podcast and a part of what I'm building within the Fighting for Joy Ministry as a whole. For years I had been dreaming about gathering a big group of friends with the purpose of encouraging, connecting, and sharing, but it wasn’t until we moved 2 years ago that I felt like God had brought enough healing and progress in my grief to begin doing it. Somehow our move brought renewed hope and a desire to invite people in again. Our previous home held so many precious memories and sacred moments of grief that I became pretty protective of it, causing me to pull inward. Hospitality felt too exhausting and hard. But when we moved, parts of the pre-grief Jodi bubbled back up to the surface and as God began to fill my heart with a new kind of hope and joy, I courageously began to dream again. And these live events are a beautiful reflection of His restoring and redeeming work!

On this episode you'll get to hear my husband Eric and I have a live conversation with our dear friend Scott Jensen in our backyard with 6 tables full of friends from various seasons/parts of my life (30 different guests than the women who joined me last fall). It’s one thing to listen to a podcast episode by yourself, which I would guess is how most of us usually listen, I certainly do. Driving in the car, out on a walk, cooking dinner…usually alone and usually multitasking. But a night like this brought a group of women together to listen to the conversation WITH each other, in person, in real time. This allowed for some special interactions and discussions and the ability to soak things in a little more.
I know you will love hearing from Scott. He serves as the chaplain at our local hospital and we got to experience first-hand the important work that he does in our community when he was called in to comfort all four of the affected families in the emergency room on the night of the accident. We share some memories of that horrific night as well as how powerful it is when God brings comfort to his people THROUGH his people.

**Thank you for listening. Today's episode is sponsored by Faithful Counseling, an amazing online Christian counseling service. I'm excited to offer my listeners 10% off at: faithfulcounseling.com/fightingforjoy. Quality counseling is a worthy investment and can be such a powerful tool in the fight for joy!

Episode 52: Season 5 is here! Conveying Hope through Storytelling Nov 03, 2022

Well, I can hardly believe it, but today I am kicking off Season 5! Thank you for listening. I hear over and over that the podcast continues to help people fight for joy in all kinds of difficult circumstances. I never dreamed the podcast would reach as many people as it has - and yet, I know that people are desperate for hope. I'M desperate for hope!! The brokenness of this world can bring such discouragement and we need each other to help fight for joy. I feel very privileged to use this podcast as a conveyor of HOPE. When you convey something, you carry it...transport it. And I think that is powerfully done through storytelling. Through giving testimony of the ways that God keeps hope and joy alive, EVEN in the storm. Even walking through the valley of the shadow of death. Until I’m with Jesus, I will keep telling others about how to find real and lasting peace, comfort, help, rest, hope and joy! But I don’t just want you to hear it from me, I also want you to see how He is at work in a variety of situations.To help you see how BIG our God is, how faithful He is, and that He is always at work. So this season I am planning to return to more of a guest format. I want you to keep hearing the message of hope from as many people as possible. God teaches us so much through story. And as we share our stories with one another, we get to see more of God and learn more about His ways. It's amazing to know that God is writing OUR stories into HIS big story. That makes me excited to bring more stories to you this season…more stories that are a part of HIS story. To have more people give testimony that even if the story is hard and messy, the fight for joy is worth it…and there is REAL hope to be found.

As you listen this season and hear these stories of hope, take time to reflect on God’s work in YOUR life. How have you seen him help you? Provide for you? Give you hope? Reflect on this - because even if you are never a guest on a podcast or never get the opportunity to share your story in a public way like this, I want you to realize that YOU TOO can STILL be a powerful conveyor of hope! Acknowledge and recount the ways that God has been at work in YOUR life (probably through your most broken parts) and THEN, go spread that HOPE to others. Be a hope spreader with me! Transport it. Carry it. Bring the message of hope to those around you - the message that no matter what we may face in life, we can fight for joy. And find it!! And live with hope springing up in our hearts, and in our homes, and in our families…even while we face difficult things. The "both/and", right?!? The both/and of living in a broken world AND, at the same time, living in hope and with great joy!

I’m so glad you found this podcast. I’m praying that Season 5 will convey hope. I want to transport and carry the message of God’s hope to you so that you can then grab the baton and pass it along to someone else. Let’s spread hope as we fight for joy together!

Episode 51: Fighting for Joy and Celebrating Celiac - Justine Bryan May 24, 2022

This is such a special episode! It's a conversation with my daughter Justine about her difficult health journey and how hard she has had to fight for joy. After many years of struggling with confusing and painful symptoms, she was eventually diagnosed with celiac disease. This diagnosis was hard AND freeing...both! Listen in as she shares about the ways that she has begun to CELEBRATE celiac by turning to blogging, baking, and helping others.

Even if you can't relate to a health condition like celiac, I know this episode will still encourage you! We all face challenges and deal with things that can make us feel isolated, scared, discouraged or lonely. Different circumstances, but similar feelings of being "set apart". The only one. Not fitting in. Suffering quietly and alone. Justine's fight for joy will inspire you to keep persevering through your own difficulties and unique struggles.

*The Fighting for Joy Podcast is sponsored by Faithful Counseling, an online Christian counseling service. As a Fighting for Joy listener, you can receive 10% off at: faithfulcounseling.com/fightingforjoy. Quality counseling is a worthy investment and can be such a powerful tool in the fight for joy!

Episode 50: Fighting for Joy with 25 Promises of God May 20, 2022

On the last episode, Eric and I talked through some tender and candid reflections on what would’ve been our son Jackson’s 25th birthday. Every April 12th without him here is painful (we have endured 9 of them now), but as we shared on that episode, his 25th birthday felt especially hard for me. So as the date on the calendar was approaching, I began working on a social media post to share, not just to express my own thoughts, sorrow, and grief, but truly in hopes of helping others who may be facing difficulties of their own. On today's episode, I thought that it might be helpful to just read the post that I wrote, providing a sort of resource for you. Something that can help you when you face "your April 12th", whatever that may be. So, I invite you to listen today and soak in these truths, but I also encourage you to come back and listen again and again...whenever you need hope. When you feel alone. When God feels distant. When you are discouraged. And when you just need to be reminded of God’s promises!

*The Fighting for Joy Podcast is sponsored by Faithful Counseling, an online Christian counseling service. As a Fighting for Joy listener, you can receive 10% off at: faithfulcounseling.com/fightingforjoy. Quality counseling is a worthy investment and can be such a powerful tool in the fight for joy!

Episode 49: Grieving through "set apart" days: Jackson's 25th birthday May 06, 2022

Last month Jackson would’ve turned 25. Every April 12th without our boy here is painful (we’ve endured 9 of them now) but his 25th birthday felt especially tender. On this episode, Eric and I candidly talk through some of the ways we processed this milestone birthday. Often these “set apart” days bring unique challenges and extra heartache for those in grief. This one certainly did for us.

Here is a link to the article that Eric mentioned he wrote about processing his lament:

https://blicksblog.org/2022/05/01/the-apostle-john-gives-us-two-concrete-reasons-we-can-experience-and-believe-the-love-god-has-for-us-now-his-spirit-and-his-revelation-of-himself/

*The Fighting for Joy Podcast is sponsored by Faithful Counseling, an online Christian counseling service that pairs you with a professional licensed therapist who will combine Biblical wisdom with their clinical expertise in mental health to help you address your unique situation. As a Fighting for Joy listener, you can receive 10% off at: faithfulcounseling.com/fightingforjoy. Quality counseling is a worthy investment and can be such a powerful tool in the fight for joy!

Episode 48: Fighting for Joy by Staying Active Mar 15, 2022

On the episode today, Eric and I have a conversation about one of the tools that we use almost every day in our fight for joy: staying active with physical activity. Although it was a consistent part of our lives before Jackson died, it has become even more important and helpful these past 8 1/2 years. Listen in as share some of the ways that it has helped us to process our sadness and keep moving forward as we grieve. Because God created us as wholistic beings (body, soul, mind, and spirit), moving and training our bodies goes beyond physical wellness into stronger mental health - and even, for us, deeper spiritual growth and some powerful healing and progress in grief. We hope this episode encourages you to get into a regular routine with exercise and reminds you of its potential to greatly accelerate your fight for joy!

*The Fighting for Joy Podcast is sponsored by Faithful Counseling, an online Christian counseling service that pairs you with a professional licensed therapist who will combine Biblical wisdom with their clinical expertise in mental health to help you address your unique situation. As a Fighting for Joy listener, you can receive 10% off at: faithfulcounseling.com/fightingforjoy. Quality counseling is a worthy investment and can be such a powerful tool in the fight for joy!

Episode 47: Fighting for Joy with Rhythms of Rest Feb 08, 2022

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God….for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.” Exodus 20:8-11

What are your thoughts as you read these verses? Have you learned to integrate a day of rest into the rhythm of your week? Even though this is one of the Ten Commandments, what if you began to also think of this Sabbath day as a GIFT…a gracious gift that God has given to us. More than a “day off”. Something He knew we would desperately need. Something that is designed to help us thrive! Something that points us to HIM! Something to sustain us in this broken world.

Sabbath = “to stop”; “to cease”. Listen in as Eric and I talk about the ways this weekly practice has helped our family. Helped us as individuals. Helped us to delight in the Lord. To be still. To quiet our souls. To rest from work. And the “work under the work” (to quote Eric, who quotes Pastor Tim Keller). To remember that He is better. Better than the hustle and bustle of life. To remember that He is enough.

A “rhythm of rest” has been transformative for us and we believe that it can seriously change your life as well! Practicing a day, or at least part of a day, of Sabbath rest, changes not only that 1 day of the week, but the other 6 days as well!! We hope this episode gives you some things to think about and that it further helps you, as Psalm 37 says, to delight yourself in the Lord. There is much delight to be found in our good God, and taking some time every week to slow down, quiet yourself, and focus on that could be what you are missing in your fight for joy.

*The Fighting for Joy Podcast is sponsored by Faithful Counseling, an online Christian counseling service that pairs you with a professional licensed therapist who will combine Biblical wisdom with their clinical expertise in mental health to help you address your unique situation. As a Fighting for Joy listener, you can receive 10% off at: faithfulcounseling.com/fightingforjoy. Quality counseling is a worthy investment and can be such a powerful tool in the fight for joy!

Episode 46: Pulling Close When It Is Uncomfortable Jan 15, 2022

Last week I shared a social media post about friendship in grief. We had just been out for dinner with our friends, Jay and Jodi Nemec, and I was reflecting on the thoughtful (and costly) ways they have walked by our side since Jackson died. I sat down to write a quick sentence or two, and 20 minutes later, a few paragraphs had poured out!! My first thought was to just send it to them and stick with putting out a simpler social media post, but I ended up sharing the whole thing because I wondered if it might be helpful for others to get a glimpse into some of the specific ways that two of our friends came alongside of us, specifically the bold questions they asked in an effort to learn how to best walk with us. The ways they pulled close when it would’ve been totally understandable for them to pull away.

People continually reach out to me about how to help others, not just grief, but in a variety of difficult situations. They often desire to help but worry that they will somehow add to the hurt by saying or doing something wrong. And to be truthful, that CAN happen, but usually it won’t. Usually any genuine act of kindness or thoughtful words will help because often it’s not the words that you say, or the specific thing that you did - it’s your presence. Your tender care. Your compassion. Your willingness to face the discomfort. Being brave enough to say something. Do something. To "sit on the mourning bench". To sit in the hospital room. To sit on the couch and cry with them. To show up, knowing that it may be terribly awkward and hard. It takes courage to walk into these kinds of unknowns.

Because the post seemed to resonate with so many people, I thought it might be worth sharing it here, on the podcast as well. So on this episode, I will read it, with a little commentary on the side. My desire in sharing something like this is never to diminish other friendships or other meaningful ways that people have rallied around us in grief. It’s just to give a specific example of how to come alongside of a hurting friend. I hope this helps just one person pull close to a friend when things get sad and uncomfortable.

Episode 45: Fighting for Joy in Parenting Jan 05, 2022

Today Eric and I talk through one of our FAVORITE topics…parenting!! The joys and struggles of raising our 4 children is something that we have spent countless hours talking through together and praying over, many times through tears. Although we haven't fully transitioned out of full-time parenting (we still have a senior at home), we are at a stage where we can hopefully offer some helpful thoughts and insights about some of the things that God has taught us these past 25 years.

Parenting brings so much happiness and excitement AND it can easily steal our joy and feel thankless, discouraging, and even hopeless at times. For those of you who are parents, I think you'd agree that there aren't too many areas in life that can bring ALLLLL of the feelings/emotions/experiences together so similtaneously! We hope this episode will encourage and help you in your own fight for joy as parents.

Episode 44: FFJ Live Event - Jodi and Eric Blick Dec 14, 2021

Today I am adding a bonus episode to go along with the FFJL (Fighting for Joy Live) episode that I released last week. Most podcast listening is done individually - but creating and hosting a live event this fall brought people together to listen to the conversation at the same time and connect with one another around the theme of fighting for joy! On this episode you’ll get to hear a little bit from another part of that evening - the conversation that I had with my husband, Eric. Again, we recorded this a few months ago when we were just preparing to kick off Season 4, so we were sharing our vision for this season and why we felt God was directing us to keep going with the podcast. I hope you enjoy hearing from the two of us as we anticipated and prepared for this current season!

*The Fighting for Joy Podcast is sponsored by Faithful Counseling, an online Christian counseling service that pairs you with a professional licensed therapist who will combine Biblical wisdom with their clinical expertise in mental health to help you address your unique situation. As a Fighting for Joy listener, you can receive 10% off at: faithfulcounseling.com/fightingforjoy. Quality counseling is a worthy investment and can be such a powerful tool in the fight for joy!

Episode 43: FFJ Live Event - Cathy DelSenno Dec 06, 2021

Today I’m excited to bring you a really fun episode! A different kind of episode that stemmed from a dream that God has been planting in my heart for years…a vision of gathering women in our home to build relationships, connect friends with other friends, and be encouraged around the truths of God’s Word as we share about His faithful work in our lives. After our big move last year, everything came together in my mind and a couple of months ago, I hosted my first “Fighting for Joy Live Event” in our backyard. I actually recorded a podcast out on our patio with a live audience! It’s something that I had seen other podcasters do - and, after hosting my first one, I know why. It was so much fun and life-giving for me. On this episode, you’ll hear me have a live follow up interview with my friend, Cathy DelSenno. Cathy was my guest on Episode 32 and she quickly became a listener favorite. She is a busy single mom of teenagers & young adults, a nursing student, the Educational Coordinator for 2 hospitals, AND the Lactation Consultant on the mother/baby floor at our local women’s hospital. Her "Fighting for Joy As We Wait" episode is still being downloaded, replayed, and shared - so, as I was thinking about who I wanted to have a conversation with at this special gathering, I thought that having Cathy give a life update and share how she continues to wait on the Lord and continues to fight for joy (especially through loneliness, comparison, and feeling overwhelmed) would be perfect. And it really was. She left my guests that night so encouraged, inspired, and full of hope - and I know she will do the same for you as you listen today.

Episode 42: Can laughter return in grief? Nov 16, 2021

I believed from the start of our grief journey that our faith would allow us to fight for joy in the midst of our sorrow. But happiness? Laughter? It sure didn't seem possible, or even appropriate, for a long time. But today we share a little bit about how laughter HAS returned, even though our grief continues. And, because of all of the tears and darker days, our laughter feels especially sweet now. Richer. More meaningful. More hope-filled.

If you are in the midst of difficult circumstances and feel like genuine laughter is unattainable, we understand - and we want this episode to bring you hope. We have a big God who restores, helps, heals, comforts, and redeems. Wait upon Him. In the meantime, let the tears flow. Keep pressing forward. Take one day at a time. Work to fight bitterness and despondency. And keep fighting for joy, asking God to eventually bring some laughter along with it.

*The Fighting for Joy Podcast is sponsored by Faithful Counseling, an online Christian counseling service that pairs you with a professional licensed therapist who will combine Biblical wisdom with their clinical expertise in mental health to help you address your unique situation. As a Fighting for Joy listener, you can receive 10% off at: faithfulcounseling.com/fightingforjoy. Quality counseling is a worthy investment and can be such a powerful tool in the fight for joy!

Episode 41: Bonus Episode - Helping your friends who grieve Nov 04, 2021

Today's episode is unique. It's something that I wanted to provide in response to the many questions we get about helping friends as they grieve. Our loss certainly hasn't made us experts in grief, but we have learned a lot through our experience. And now, as hard as it is, we have become a family that others often come to for advice and guidance when they hear of another tragedy or loss. People want to know what to do and say...and what not to do, and not to say. So, on this bonus episode, my husband Eric and I quickly run through some ideas and practical things to do when you hear about someone losing a loved one. We hope this is an easily accessible (and shareable) resource that better enables you to help a hurting friend.

Episode 40: Season 4 is Here! Oct 26, 2021

I'm excited to be back for Season 4 of the podcast! Listen in today as I share a few thoughts about what is ahead. And, if you haven’t subscribed to the podcast yet, it’s a great time to do that. Subscribing (or "Following", depending on the app you use) allows episodes to automatically show up in your feed as soon as they are released. This way you don’t have to go searching for the podcast to see if there is anything new.

I'm so glad that you're joining me for another season. Let's keep fighting for joy together!

*The Fighting for Joy Podcast is sponsored by Faithful Counseling, an online Christian counseling service that pairs you with a professional licensed therapist who will combine Biblical wisdom with their clinical expertise in mental health to help you address your unique situation. As a Fighting for Joy listener, you can receive 10% off at: faithfulcounseling.com/fightingforjoy. Quality counseling is a worthy investment and can be such a powerful tool in the fight for joy!

Episode 39: Fighting for Joy in Marriage - Q&A Aug 25, 2021

Today my husband Eric and I finish up our series on marriage by answering some listener questions. Join us as we talk through topics like communciaton, conflict, grief, and parenting.

*The Fighting for Joy Podcast is sponsored by Faithful Counseling, an online Christian counseling service that pairs you with a professional licensed therapist who will combine Biblical wisdom with their clinical expertise in mental health to help you address your unique situation. As a Fighting for Joy listener, you can receive 10% off at: faithfulcounseling.com/fightingforjoy. Quality counseling is a worthy investment and can be such a powerful tool in the fight for joy!

Episode 38: Fighting for Joy in Marriage: Part 2 Apr 07, 2021

Today in Part 2 of our marriage series, my husband Eric and I continue talking through our "Top 10" list - practical and theological truths that have helped us, instructed us, and given us hope through the ups and downs of marriage in this broken world.

Fighting for joy in marriage can be really hard work, but it is important and meaningful work. We hope these conversations encourage and inspire you to keep going. The best news is that we have a big God who is always at work and He promises to help, sustain, comfort and provide for us every step of the way!

*The Fighting for Joy Podcast is sponsored by Faithful Counseling, an online Christian counseling service that pairs you with a professional licensed therapist who will combine Biblical wisdom with their clinical expertise in mental health to help you address your unique situation. As a Fighting for Joy listener, you can receive 10% off at: faithfulcounseling.com/fightingforjoy. Quality counseling is a worthy investment and can be such a powerful tool in the fight for joy!

Episode 37: Fighting for Joy in Marriage: Part 1 Mar 23, 2021

Today I am excited to release the first episode of a three-part series that I recorded with my husband Eric on the topic of marriage and ways that we can fight for joy IN marriage. Over the past 3 years I have asked numerous times about topic suggestions for the podcast - and over and over again, marriage is the #1 thing that you bring up. It’s a favorite topic for us, too, but its a huge topic! There is just so much to cover. Ultimately, we decided to narrow it down to 10 key things that we have learned through our 27 years of marriage (and 5 years of dating before that!). These are practical and theological truths that have helped us, instructed us, and given us hope through the ups and downs of marriage in this broken world.

If you are married, your relationship with your spouse is a huge part of your life…for better or worse. It has the potential to bless and bring great encouragement. It also has the potential to hurt and discourage your soul. This is why we need to talk about the challenges of marriage more, share the things we are learning, give each other hope, and encourage one another to keep fighting for joy within our marriages. Eric and I are far from experts and hope to keep learning and growing - but it has been really special thinking through these things and we loved preparing this series for you.

Fighting for joy in marriage can be really hard work, but it is important and meaningful work. We hope these conversations encourage and inspire you to keep going. The best news is that we have a big God who is always at work and He promises to help, sustain, comfort and provide for us every step of the way!

*The Fighting for Joy Podcast is sponsored by Faithful Counseling, an online Christian counseling service that pairs you with a professional licensed therapist who will combine Biblical wisdom with their clinical expertise in mental health to help you address your unique situation. As a Fighting for Joy listener, you can receive 10% off at: faithfulcounseling.com/fightingforjoy. Quality counseling is a worthy investment and can be such a powerful tool in the fight for joy!

Episode 36: Fighting for Joy with Prayer Mar 09, 2021

I’m so happy to introduce you to a special woman in our community who is known as “Mama Lu”. Her nickname points to the role that she plays in the lives of so many - mentoring, teaching, mothering, and encouraging. Her actual name is LuAnn Ruwe. She has been married to her husband Chris for 44 years. They have 7 children (plus 6 of them have brought spouses to the family) and 13 grandchildren. LuAnn is a retired nurse and is now in the catering business. So she brings a lot of experience, wisdom, and insight to the table and I was so grateful for the opportunity to sit and learn from her - and now I'm thrilled to share our conversation with you!

Even though LuAnn has experienced firsthand the brokenness of this world, she exudes an unbelievable amount of joy! LuAnn has one of the most beautiful and genuine smiles, her laugh is contagious, and she always seems to have a song in her heart. As we talk together on this episode today, you’ll quickly find out where her abundant joy comes from (spoiler alert: it comes from her deep love for Jesus!). God's work in her life has produced such beautiful fruit. Through many years of walking closely with Him, she has developed a sweet dependence on Him, she treasures His Word, trusts His promises, believes in the importance of staying in close community with other believers, and regarding our topic today, she has learned about the necessity, comfort, joy, and power of prayer. I hope as you listen you are spurred on in your own prayer life. Or maybe it will prompt you to start praying for the very first time. I love how practical LuAnn got and I think her insight will help and encourage you, as it did for me. And really, as we continue to talk through these many ways to fight for joy, I can’t think of many that top prayer!

*The Fighting for Joy Podcast is sponsored by Faithful Counseling, an online Christian counseling service that pairs you with a professional licensed therapist who will combine Biblical wisdom with their clinical expertise in mental health to help you address your unique situation. As a Fighting for Joy listener, you can receive 10% off at: faithfulcounseling.com/fightingforjoy. Quality counseling is a worthy investment and can be such a powerful tool in the fight for joy!

Episode 35: Fighting for Joy against Perfectionism Feb 17, 2021

Perfectionism. What comes to mind when you hear that word? For many people, trying to attain “perfection” here in this broken world leads to despair, extreme frustration, debilitating doubt, never feeling good enough, and constant comparison with others which leads to a deep discontentment that permeates the soul. It can feel almost maddening. Like carrying a weight around that is absolutely crushing. Yet, our culture can tend to glamorize it - think of the Lexus car commercial promoting the “pursuit of perfection”. Sometimes we wonder if our life would be better if we had MORE perfectionist tendencies. And to be honest, many perfectionists DO accomplish a lot…but at what cost?!? That’s the question that my guest today ended up asking herself after years of trying to accept nothing less than “perfection” in her life.

Today I’m joined by Sara Waddel, my cousin and dear friend. On this episode we talk about how harmful and damaging these tendencies can be when they take over. How quickly perfectionism can rob us of peace, freedom, contentment, and JOY. As Sara shares her story, you’ll be encouraged by her fight for joy in the struggle. God has been teaching her a lot and I’m grateful for her willingness to share so openly and honestly. I think you’ll especially be helped by some of the practical things that she implements into her daily life to fight against perfectionism.

There is so much joy to be found when we rest in Christ’s work, not our own…knowing that we are not accepted and loved by God because we do everything “perfectly” and never fail, but because as believers, Christ’s righteousness counts for us! And, we know that the Holy Spirit is producing good fruit in us that delights God. We don’t have to earn his love or our salvation. We don’t have to seek the love and approval of others - or find our value in doing things “better” than those around us. This is freeing and joy-producing!

*The Fighting for Joy Podcast is sponsored by Faithful Counseling, an online Christian counseling service that pairs you with a professional licensed therapist who will combine Biblical wisdom with their clinical expertise in mental health to help you address your unique situation. As a Fighting for Joy listener, you can receive 10% off at: faithfulcounseling.com/fightingforjoy. Quality counseling is a worthy investment and can be such a powerful tool in the fight for joy!

Episode 34: Fighting for Joy in Lament Nov 27, 2020

Lament. Is that a word that you are familiar with? Before Jackson died, it wasn't a word that I thought much about. But in grief, the examples in Scripture of Biblical lament have really resonated with me. Lament IS releasing our emotions as we cry out to the Lord, but it goes further - it also includes asking for God's help to respond in trust and worship. Lament helps us focus on God’s character and promises while still acknowledging the pain and struggle.

My guest today, Molly Huffman, has experienced deep lament. And, by God's grace, she would say that it has been a key tool in her fight for JOY. This fight has been brutal and hard fought for Molly because she has suffered some terrible losses, one after another. But, although her story is heartbreaking, it is similtaneously encouraging. As Molly shares her story, she gives powerful and beautiful testimony of just how worthy God is to be trusted EVEN IN the midst of horrific circumstances. Even when your life and your dreams fall apart.

I'm grateful for this conversation with my friend Molly and I hope it leaves you hopeful and encouraged.

*The Fighting for Joy Podcast is sponsored by Faithful Counseling, an online Christian counseling service that pairs you with a professional licensed therapist who will combine Biblical wisdom with their clinical expertise in mental health to help you address your unique situation. As a Fighting for Joy listener, you can receive 10% off at: faithfulcounseling.com/fightingforjoy. Quality counseling is a worthy investment and can be such a powerful tool in the fight for joy!

Episode 33: Fighting for Joy with Authenticity Nov 13, 2020

Name the top 10 people who have had a transformative influence on your life! One of those people for me is my guest today, Pastor Don Solin. Don currently pastors a church in Ohio and is a certified life coach, but many years ago he was my high school youth pastor. In the midst of such tender years of growth and struggle, he and his wife Marcie loved on us crazy teenagers in such meaningful ways. Don was one of the first people who really pushed me and challenged me to make my faith my own and to wholeheartedly follow the Lord. And, its not an exaggeration to say that his encouragement to go to Wheaton College affected the whole trajectory of my life. He also knows how to make me laugh, which you'll hear...and I've always admired his love for people and his desire to be a good question-asker and thoughtful listener. I am so grateful for the ways that Don’s mentoring and friendship grew my faith and set the foundation in some key ways for the person that I am today.

Now, all this being said, Don’s own journey of faith, and seeking to be loved and accepted by God instead of people, has been a tough, messy one…one that has included alcoholism, performance religion, and depression. When I asked him about a title for this episode, he somewhat jokingly suggested "Fighting for Joy With a Whole Lot of Issues". :) Oh how thankful we can be for a God that is big enough to carry us through what ever struggles we face, and meet us with sufficient grace and mercy. I can’t wait for you to hear Don's story today! It is so hopeful and I know you will be encouraged by the ways that God has taught him to live by faith - not by performing, keeping up an image, or striving to meet other people’s standards. Living honestly and authentically has helped him to experience true joy and he is passionate about helping others experience this freedom and joy as well.

*The Fighting for Joy Podcast is sponsored by Faithful Counseling, an online Christian counseling service that pairs you with a professional licensed therapist who will combine Biblical wisdom with their clinical expertise in mental health to help you address your unique situation. As a Fighting for Joy listener, you can receive 10% off at: faithfulcounseling.com/fightingforjoy. Quality counseling is a worthy investment and can be such a powerful tool in the fight for joy!

Episode 32: Fighting for Joy As We Wait Oct 30, 2020

Are you in the midst of a "waiting season"? Maybe your life doesn't look like you thought it would. Or you find yourself in the middle of really difficult circumstances that won't be changing anytime soon...or ever. You long for a different job. A different health journey. A spouse. A family. A different ending. A different story. Is there joy to be found in these longings? Can we experience hope and peace while we wait for God's plans to unfold? When we don't understand what He is doing? My guest today, Cathy DelSenno, speaks directly to these questions (spoiler alert, the answer is YES!) and shares her story of fighting for joy through some really hard things like miscarriage, major surgeries, divorce, loneliness, and anxiety. In many ways Cathy is still in the thick of things, still waiting, still fighting hard for contentment and joy, but I know you will be so blessed by the beautiful things that she is learning in the middle of it all...rich things about God's love and care, about the comfort of His Word, the power of prayer, the need for community, the process of forgiveness, and how transforming gratitude can be!

Cathy lives in Omaha, has 4 amazing kids, works at a local hospital, and has headed back to school. She is spinning a lot of plates in life right now but does it with grace and wisdom, aiming to just do "the next right thing". Over the past couple of years, she has grown to become a dear friend to me and I always walk away from our time together feeling encouraged, spurred on, and blessed. I'm sure you're going to feel the same way after hearing her insight today!

Episode 31: Fighting for Joy with Ordinary Goodness Oct 16, 2020

Let’s face it, life in this world of ours is such a “both/and"! It can be beautiful and exciting…AND...it can be hard, painful, and disappointing - sometimes all at the same time! Thankfully, we don’t have to wait for our struggles to end or our circumstances to change before we can experience joy. And hope. And peace. It is possible to find these things right in the messy middle! We can experience pain AND peace. Chaos AND comfort. Grief AND hope. Sadness AND joy. Isn't this hopeful?!?! Even in the hard, we can experience abounding JOY!

My guest today is a great example of this. I’m so excited to welcome my friend Shelly Waltz to the podcast. Shelly and I got connected through Instagram and her voice on social media is one of light, beauty, and joy. Shelly calls herself "Little Ms. Magnolia" and says that she fights for joy by embracing ordinary goodness. She is a self-proclaimed "steel magnolia" who is "living out her Plan B with her 4 beautiful babes"!

On today's episode we talk about things like gratitude, contentment, creating a home that is a refuge, turning 50, and looking for beauty in the ordinary things that are all around us! I’m grateful for Shelly's willingness to share a little bit of her story and how she has learned to fight for joy after her life took an unexpected and hard turn. I know you will be blessed by her wisdom and beautiful perspective.

*The Fighting for Joy Podcast is sponsored by Faithful Counseling, an online Christian counseling service that pairs you with a professional licensed therapist who will combine Biblical wisdom with their clinical expertise in mental health to help you address your unique situation. As a Fighting for Joy listener, you can receive 10% off at: faithfulcounseling.com/fightingforjoy . Quality counseling is a worthy investment and can be such a powerful tool in the fight for joy!

Episode 30: Listener Q&A Oct 02, 2020

On this episode my husband Eric and I answer some of your listener questions!
Questions like:
"What does your grief look like in year 7?"
"How do you recharge?"
"How are you able to be so open and vulnerable with your story?"

We recorded our first Q & A episode last season and you loved it so much that we wanted to do another one for you. Thank you for submitting questions. It was a joy to share and we hope that you are encouraged.

*The Fighting for Joy Podcast is sponsored by Faithful Counseling, an online Christian counseling service that pairs you with a professional licensed therapist who will combine Biblical wisdom with their clinical expertise in mental health to help you address your unique situation. As a Fighting for Joy listener, you can receive 10% off at: faithfulcounseling.com/fightingforjoy . Quality counseling is a worthy investment and can be such a powerful tool in the fight for joy!

Episode 29: Season 3 Kick-Off Episode Sep 26, 2020

Today we are kicking off Season 3! I’m grateful to get back to sharing stories of fighting for joy and can't wait to tell you about the exciting things that I have planned for the podcast over the next few months. On this episode, my favorite podcast guest, my husband Eric, is joining me to recap a few things from Season 2 as well as help me to introduce what is coming up in Season 3.

*The Fighting for Joy Podcast is sponsored by Faithful Counseling, an online Christian counseling service that pairs you with a professional licensed therapist who will combine Biblical wisdom with their clinical expertise in mental health to help you address your unique situation. As a Fighting for Joy listener, you can receive 10% off at: faithfulcounseling.com/fightingforjoy. Quality counseling is a worthy investment and can be such a powerful tool in the fight for joy!

Episode 28: Fighting for Joy with Persevering Faith: A Tribute to My Mom Jun 20, 2020

Today I am wrapping up Season 2 of the podcast with a special episode that is dedicated to my mom, Virginia Nelson. She went to be with the Lord on Sunday, June 7th, 2020. Her life was a shining example of what it looks like to fight for joy in the midst of this broken world. Her persevering faith carried her through each trial that she faced and her long relationship with Jesus allowed her to sing and smile through suffering. The joy of the Lord truly was her strength and Romans 12:12 is how she lived - “Joyful in hope. Patient in trials. Constant in prayer.” May her story encourage you to keep fighting for joy yourself - to keep running to the Lord and trusting His promises no matter what you have to face in life.

Episode 27: COVID Series: Part 3 - Fighting for Joy by Connecting with God May 09, 2020

Today we are wrapping up this special series focused on fighting for joy in the midst of the current coronavirus pandemic. I hope that it has inspired you and given you practical ways to keep pressing on through these weird and uncertain days. As you listen to this episode, may you be reminded that our ultimate hope and joy needs to be found in something, actually Someone, who is much greater than merely having our lives go back to “normal”. A relationship with the Lord is truly better than anything else this world has to offer, even a post-pandemic world. It is in Him that we can experience real joy, even in the midst of hard circumstances. So, its fitting that we conclude this covid series today with Part 3: Fighting for Joy by Connecting with God.

Whether it be more time in prayer, in the Bible, or in reflection and stillness, many of you have been quieting your soul and mind to focus on God’s character; His sovereignty, goodness, and consistency - focusing in on Who is in control when everything feels so out of control! When things feel different than what we are used to and plans, regulations, and even the understanding of this virus is constantly changing, there is great peace to be found in remembering that HE is unchanging. We can rejoice that God is the same, yesterday, today, and forever. When we don’t know what, or even who to believe, we can experience real comfort and hope knowing that He can be counted on and fully trusted.

Again, thanks for participating! I absolutely loved doing this project together as a community. There is certainly not one way to persevere in joy through this crisis. As I’ve said throughout this series, my hope is that as we share various ideas and tools, we will all become better equipped to keep fighting, even with our different wirings and unique situations. I love how we can spur each other on and keep pressing through this season together with hope, with peace, with joy, and with one another.

Episode 26: COVID Series: Part 2 - Fighting for Joy by Connecting with Self May 06, 2020

We are in the middle of a three part series focused on fighting for joy in the midst of the current coronavirus pandemic. Most of us have never lived with such uncertainty. We aren’t used to this much time at home…without going to school, without going into work, without malls, restaurants, sports, and activities. And sadly, for many families, it’s not merely the uncertainty and inconvenience that makes this a difficult time, but there is enormous stress with lack of income, job loss, sickness, or turmoil in the home. As I’ve connected with people these past few months, I’ve heard over and over that the fight for joy is real. Many of you are asking, “How do we keep going? How can we find joy in the midst of all of this?” I’m hoping that these three episodes give you some practical ideas - simple ways to keep pressing on through daily life during this pandemic; not just enduring it, but actually experiencing joy through the many good things God has given in His common grace.

Today you will hear Part 2: Fighting for Joy by Connecting with Self. Now, “self” does not merely mean self-care or time alone. It IS that, but not ONLY that. Connecting with self, for the purposes of this episode, will include everything from exercise, to finding routine, to cooking more, to gratitude, to crafts and projects around the house, and everything in between. My hope is that as we share the various things that are helping us during this time and the creative ways that we are fighting for joy, we will spur one another on. That as a community, we will keep fighting together, pressing on through these strange and often unsettling days with hope, with peace, with joy, and with one another.

Episode 25: COVID Series: Part 1 - Fighting for Joy by Connecting with Others May 02, 2020

Today I am launching a special series focused on fighting for joy in the midst of the current coronavirus pandemic. This is definitely a time in our country and in our world when the fight for joy is so important. We have been pushed out of our comfortable and privileged lives into so many unknowns - into shutdowns, loss, unwanted change, and even fear and worry. So, how do we find joy in the midst of all of this?

Thankfully our Creator God knows just how broken this world is and He lovingly gives good things to this earth, and to us while we live here. There is real joy to be found through this common grace. There are practical tools to help us press on through daily life in the midst of hard circumstances. And that is what this special series will be all about!

There will be 3 episodes released this week:
Part 1: Fighting for Joy by Connecting with Others
Part 2: Fighting for Joy by Connecting with Self
Part 3: Fighting for Joy by Connecting with God

Today’s episode is Part 1. Whether it be through FaceTime, zoom calls, a slower pace at home with family, more dinners together around the table, praying for people, or finding ways to serve and help those in need, so many of you are finding joy in community and through connection with others.

My hope is that as we share the various ways that we each are fighting for joy, we will spur one another on. There is certainly not one way to persevere in joy through this crisis. So as we share and encourage one another, we will all become better equipped to keep fighting, even with our different wirings and unique situations. It was fun to do this together and I’m thankful that we can keep pressing on through this strange season with hope, with peace, with joy, and with one another!

Episode 24: Fighting for Joy with Community Apr 18, 2020

Today’s topic is close to my heart as I truly believe that living in tight community with others is a crucial component in our fight for joy. God created us to be relational beings. It’s rooted in the fact that we are created in the image of God, who is triune and relational Himself. We aren’t meant to walk alone. As we live life together and share in each other's joys and sorrows, the fellowship and encouragement that we experience brings such help, comfort, and joy.

Living in tight community with others through the ups and downs of life is something that we really value as a family. We have worked hard to create it and find our "tribe" wherever we have lived. But I have to say, when Jackson died, we understood it and experienced it on a whole new level. We were so blessed and helped by the amount of comfort, support, and encouragement that our community surrounded us with when we were absolutely overwhelmed with sorrow and pain. And, our strong community continues to be here for us in such meaningful and helpful ways as we continue to keep pressing forward in grief.

This brings me to my guest today, Jodi Nemec. Jodi is one of my best friends and her family is an important part of this strong community...an important part of our family's personal community. They are some of the people that we most closely live life with here in town. They value living in community with others just as deeply as we do, so its a blessing to have this conversation with her. I think you’ll love hearing her story of how their family changed some major aspects of their life in order to live more closely and more intentionally with others. We also try to give you a glimpse into what living in community together has looked like for our two families (both before and during our grief journey) as well as some practical ways that we hope you can further expand your circle, or deepen the one that you already have.

As you listen, I hope you are reminded that you aren’t meant to walk through life alone - that building a sense of community wherever you are is worth the hard work, the challenging times, and the long-term commitment. Don’t be discouraged if you don't feel like you are a part of a tight knit community yet…it’s not too late. You can start now! Even in the midst of social distancing there are ways to connect and create community. We even share a little bit about that towards the end of our conversation. I hope this episode reminds you, or begins to help you see, that BOTH in good times and bad, living in tight community, and being purposeful about being known and knowing others is such an important, practical, and life-giving tool in the fight for joy.

Episode 23: Fighting for Joy with Family Mar 28, 2020

I'm doing something different on the podcast today and it's pretty special! I'm sitting by the fireplace in our living room on a Friday night with our kids to talk about grief, family, and fighting for joy together. We’ve been spending a lot of time together these past couple of weeks because of the coronavirus pandemic and while we were brainstorming things to do here at home, the kids suggested recording a group podcast episode. Yes, THEY suggested it!! As you can imagine, I was thrilled and jumped on the opportunity.

You'll hear plenty of laughter and light-hearted moments, but you'll also hear courage, strength, and vulnerability as they bravely share from their hearts. It’s not easy for teenagers and young adults to process and talk about grief - to open up about the hardest and most painful parts of their lives. But all three of them know that the Fighting for Joy Podcast is helping and encouraging so many people. From the beginning I have involved them in this ministry...talking through guest ideas, topics, and explaining the metrics so that they know who is listening and where they are listening from. I also love sharing your feedback with them and the ways that the podcast has helped you to experience more hope and joy. As a result, these three have become some of my biggest cheerleaders. I'm so grateful they believe in this ministry and very proud of them for wanting to be a part of it. I hope you are encouraged as you hear them give testimony to God’s sufficient and healing grace.

Episode 22: Fighting for Joy with a Healthy Mindset Mar 17, 2020

I am extremely excited about releasing this episode today! When I began to think of people that I wanted to have on the podcast this season to encourage you in your fight for joy, Becky Novecek was at the top of the list. Becky is one of the most beautiful, interesting, and purposeful people I know. I learn so much from her. I’m inspired by her. She helps me see beauty in all kinds of places. And I’m grateful for the ways that she makes me want to love God and others more. Although I've known Becky for a long time, we became intentional last year about spending more time together and deepening our friendship, and it ended up being one of the greatest blessings of 2019 for both of us.

Becky is well-known for her amazing photography, but in our community, she is also known and admired for her strong faith, her creativity, her care for other women, her style, and the beautiful ways that she serves and loves people well. And, while she really does invest in our town and love this place, she’s also become quite an influencer on social media, inspiring women of all ages in all parts of the country with the wise perspective and beautiful insights that she shares.

On the episode today, Becky talks about transforming her thought life and how keeping a healthy mindset has been crucial in her personal fight for joy. She shares how she has learned to break negative thought patterns and cling to specific truths in God's Word when fear, worry, or negative thinking fill her mind. Along with mindset and perspective, we touch on a number of other interesting topics like simplifying, the mind/body connection, overworking, the blessings of Instagram, and the importance of daily practices. I know you will love hearing her heart today and I hope you are encouraged by our conversation.

Episode 21: Fighting for Joy with the Enneagram Mar 06, 2020

Life in this world of ours is such a “both/and". It can be beautiful and wonderful AND it can be so disappointing, confusing, and hard. Sometimes all at the same time! Pretty much everyone will, at some point, experience a difficult season and find themselves struggling through a time of discouragement, loneliness, betrayal, anxiety, sadness, grief, and the list goes on…sometimes it just isn’t easy to persevere through. So, I started this podcast to remind us all that even in the midst of of the mess, there IS hope to be found. We can help each other fight for joy and encourage one another to keep pressing forward in hope. Season 2 is all about how to do that…

Most of the tools that I have been having my guests highlight are tools that I implement in my own fight for joy as well, and this episode is no exception. My guest today is Chris Heuertz, and among the many other hats that he wears (author, speaker, non-profit consultant, and activist to name a few), Chris is an Enneagram teacher and coach. I wanted to highlight this tool because of how helpful it has been to me in grief. I realize that for some of you, this may be the very first time that you have ever heard the word Enneagram. It’s still fairly new to me too. But as I’ve learned about it and therefore learned more about myself and others, its been a helpful tool in my life, especially in relationship to my grief. Three main things come to mind in regards to WHY and HOW it has been beneficial for me.

First, it’s pushed me to have more compassion towards myself - especially in recognizing my tendencies in stressful times and what I am prone to when life is hard. Oftentimes we can wonder, “Why am I responding like this? Why did I react that way? Why is this bothering me and it doesn’t seem to be bothering her?” Learning about my specific dominant type has caused me to better discern how I become discouraged and the lies that I am tempted to believe when I’m struggling. It's also helped me to grow in appreciation for my strengths and the things that I contribute to the world and to my relationships, both in happy times and in difficult times. I’ve just been kinder to myself and more grateful to God for the ways that He has uniquely designed me - and also more motivated to mature, develop, and transform in more Christ-like ways.

Secondly, I’ve grown tremendously in understanding and in compassion towards others. I’ve been especially grateful for the insight the Enneagram has provided into the various ways that each of us living here in the Blick house might tend to process and deal with heartache and pain. All 5 of us lost Jackson, but each of us have had a markedly different journey in grief these last 6 years. I’ve also found myself better able to extend grace and patience to the people around us who have wanted to walk with us in our sorrow (and honestly, towards those who haven’t). As I better understand why different people are responding in different ways, I can better appreciate what they ARE bringing to the table and look to them for help and friendship in the natural ways that they are wired, appreciating their strengths and perspective, and letting go of expectations that might be unrealistic for the way that God has uniquely created them.

And lastly, the Enneagram has given me such a bigger picture of God…his creation, his glory, and his holiness. His greatness is powerfully reflected in the special and unique ways that He has created and wired each one of us and the personal ways that He meets us and loves us.

I really think you will enjoy hearing from Chris today. He is such a thoughtful voice in this world. I was so honored to have this time with him and excited to share another practical tool that may help you fight for joy!

Episode 20: Fighting for Joy with God’s Word Feb 21, 2020

Today is an important episode because as a Christian, nothing brings us as much help in our fight for joy as the Bible does. In this episode, my husband Eric returns as a guest to share about the ways that he implements the truths of God's Word into his daily life, and how knowing and trusting in God’s promises has provided him with things that nothing else in this world can! God's Word is so powerful and we can look to it for help, comfort, peace, hope, and joy.

I do want to acknowledge that quite a few of you who listen to my podcast are not Christians. Or your faith looks very different than mine. And it is such a blessing to get feedback that, even so, you are gaining encouragement from listening, despite our differences! But I'm wondering how some of you will react to the title of this episode. Maybe you struggle with believing that the Bible is true...doubting if it can be of any help for your particular situation. Maybe you have tried to read the Bible or have gone to church but it just left you confused or frustrated. Maybe the Christians in your life have let you down, or really caused you hurt. My encouragement to you is to listen anyway. Let us share the personal ways that God has met us with His Word. Christians and non-Christians alike continue to ask us how we can have joy in the midst of great loss, and how we are finding laughter and dancing again, even as other difficult things continue to present themselves and burden us down. Friends, this is one of the main ways! So pray that as you listen, God meets you and draws you into the hope and help of His Word as you keep fighting for joy in the midst of whatever you may be facing in this broken world.

Episode 19: Fighting for Joy with Wholistic Care Feb 11, 2020

My guest today is Naomi Adjei, a Licensed Mental Health Practitioner in Omaha. I met Naomi through a mutual friend and we’ve enjoyed using Instagram to develop an encouraging new friendship. She has been such a blessing to me these past few months and its been fun to cheer each other on in our various callings.

Naomi is passionate about wholistic care. She works to help people thrive with a healthy body, a healthy soul, and a healthy spirit. We are created as whole beings, so what is going on in our mind affects our body, and what is going on in our body affects our soul, and so on. Pursuing health in all of these areas better equips us to deal with the blessings and difficulties in life. Living wholistically is also a key tool in growing in our love for God and our love for others, and of course, helps our fight for joy.

The work that Naomi does through wholistic care is so special and unique and I’ve loved learning more about it. I’m thrilled to introduce her to you today and share another tool that can help you fight for joy!

Episode 18: Fighting for Joy with Physical Activity Feb 03, 2020

Today we continue on with Season 2 after a nice long break over the holidays! Whether you are a new listener or someone who has been listening since the beginning, my sincere hope is that you are encouraged and helped in your own fight for joy. I started this podcast to remind us all that there IS hope to be found in the midst of this broken world. We CAN experience joy, even in the middle of difficult circumstances. We don’t have to wait until things get better, or our circumstances change…we can fight for joy, and find it, right in the middle of the mess.

My guest on this episode is Jenny Estudillo. Jenny is my neighbor, a very dear friend, and someone that I live a lot of daily life with here in Fremont. I’m so excited that she is my first guest in 2020 because the topic that we cover today is something that a lot of people tend focus on at the start of a new year - and that is exercise. After enjoying the holidays, it's typical for people to make new year’s resolutions around physical activity...and that’s great! We do need to be moving our bodies and finding ways to fit exercise into our lives on a regular basis - but what is special today is that Jenny and I are going to focus in on how working out and training our bodies can actually be one of the most practical and helpful tools in our fight for joy. We are whole beings and taking care of our physical bodies can also tremendously help our emotional and spiritual well being! Physical activity is a practical tool that almost everyone can implement into their life in some way. I hope you find this episode really helpful as you continue to explore the various topics that I’m highlighting during this season, and I know you are just going to love getting to know Jenny! Thanks for listening.

Episode 17: Fighting for Joy with God’s Love Dec 03, 2019

Today I am thrilled to have a new friend of mine, Jen Stutzman, on the podcast. Jen and her family are fellow Nebraskans and we met online through our mutual love for podcasting, being purposeful with social media, and looking for God in all things (many thanks to Laura Ruwe, my guest on episodes 8 and 14, for connecting us)! If you follow me on Instagram, you already know about the Stutzman's ministry, Heart of the Bison, because when I am encouraged by the wisdom and insight that Jen shares online I often share it with my followers. But if you aren't on Instagram, or you haven't learned about Heart of the Bison yet, I am so excited for you to listen in to our conversation. Jen shares about how her fight for joy began through struggles in marriage, parenting, loneliness, adoption, and the battle to stay healthy (physically, mentally, and spiritually). I think each of us can relate to at least one of these topics, can't we?!? With openness and tears, Jen shares about how she got to a place where she broke down, weary from leaning on her own strength, and realized that she didn't understand or know the love of God. She was asking lesser things in this world to bring her the joy and peace that her soul longed for - and she found herself deeply unsatisfied and lacking joy. You will be so blessed to hear about the tender ways that God drew her to Himself and taught her about His deep, and personal love, and how this led to Jen finding restored joy and a peace that only our heavenly Father's love can bring. She also shares a number of other practical tools that she implements into her life, and I'm confident that you'll find something that can be used in your own fight for joy.

I don’t think there is anyone who would argue that this world is not broken. There are so many hard things to deal with in this life…both big and small. But, I started this podcast to remind us all that there IS still hope to be found. Yes, the fight for joy can be hard-fought, but we can help one another keep fighting! Through our stories, we can point each other to the comfort, help, and peace of Christ, and encourage one another to keep pressing forward and keep moving towards God and His love - and today Jen does exactly that! I hope you are helped and encouraged by our special conversation.

Episode 16: Fighting for Joy with Writing Nov 15, 2019

I hope you guys are enjoying Season 2! We’ve gotten off to a great start and I am thankful you are listening and sharing the podcast with others who you think may be encouraged. More importantly, I hope you are continuing to fight for joy in whatever you are facing today, and that this season of The Fighting For Joy Podcast is giving you fresh perspectives as you listen to my friends share about various tools that are helping them fight for joy in the midst of their difficulties as well as in their normal day to day experiences.

Today you get to hear from my friend Kelle Carnes. On this episode she shares about how something as practical as writing has helped her press on through the midst of a hard season in her life - moving their family of 6 away from the comfort and familiarity of Nebraska to New York!! She has started a wonderful blog (www.tryingtolivesimply.com) as a result and you definitely need to become a subscriber!

Listen in as Kelle so honestly shares about how she experienced new levels of sadness, fear, and regret after the move, and how she has had to let herself grieve the loss of many things that she held dear. You will be inspired by hearing about the new ways that Kelle turned to prayer, writing, and gratitude. These practical tools began to help her see this huge life change as an invitation to trust God more deeply. I hope you are encouraged by her words (and her writing)...she has such a beautiful and tender story of fighting for joy to share!

Episode 15: Fighting for Joy with Friendship Nov 01, 2019

Today I have two very special people on the podcast to talk about Fighting for Joy with Friendship! They are my dearest friends Cathy Brown (my guest on Episode #2) and Kathy Craig. They came to Nebraska for a girls weekend in September and I just knew that we needed to record an episode together on this theme while they were here. We talk about everything from prayer, to the Voxer app, to raising girls, to leaning on each other's faith during dark seasons of life. We even chat about the importance of encouraging one another to foster deep friendships with other women. So listen in as we share about various aspects of our 30 year friendship and how it has been a great help for all three of us as we continue to fight for joy. I hope it encourages you in your own friendships as this is such a practical tool to implement.

Episode 14: Fighting for Joy with Therapy & Medication Oct 17, 2019

Laura Ruwe was one of your favorites on Season 1, so I am thrilled to have her return as a guest on the podcast for Season 2! Laura has made some beautiful progress in her continued fight for joy this year and I'm grateful for her willingness to come back on to share about two practical tools that have brought her tremendous help. I think a lot of you will resonate with what she shares today as depression impacts so many people and families. This discussion is a perfect follow up to episode 13, my conversation with our counselor, Claire Cunningham. Laura's story reiterates many of the points that Claire conveyed and wonderfully illustrates how tools like therapy and medication can bring hope, help, and restored joy.

Episode 13: Fighting for Joy with Counseling Oct 04, 2019

My guest today on the Fighting for Joy Podcast is our counselor, Claire Cunningham. Going to counseling has been a huge help in my personal fight for joy these past 6 years - in fact when people want to know what has helped me keep progressing in grief, my appointments with Claire and the things that I have learned through counseling are always at the top on my list.
Not only does Claire help us help us navigate the things that we are in the middle of and dealing with now, but for our particular situation in grief, which is continually changing and shifting as the years go on, she helps us prepare for what lies ahead…what’s coming as we continue on in grief! Our sessions with Claire have been tremendously helpful and such a key component in our healing and progress as we continue to grieve. So whatever difficulties YOU are dealing with in life, big or small, I hope that today’s episode gives you a glimpse into how counseling can be a helpful tool to navigate the hard things in life and help you fight for joy!

Episode 12: Season 2 - Intro Episode Sep 27, 2019

Welcome back to the Fighting for Joy Podcast. Season 2 is here!! I’m grateful that my husband Eric was willing to be on the podcast again and record this first episode with me. Today we officially wrap up and reflect on Season 1, we address some of the most frequently asked questions about grief and our fight for joy, and of course, we introduce this second season and give you an idea of what is to come in the next few months. Thanks for listening!

Episode 11: Paige Peterson's Fight for Joy after Losing her Brother to Suicide May 04, 2019

Today my friend Paige Peterson joins me. I’ve known Paige for almost 20 years but it really was Jackson’s death that brought our friendship to a deeper level, and I share a little bit about this at the beginning of our conversation. Paige has been a huge help to me in grief. Sadly, that’s because she is well acquainted with grief herself. She has dealt with many losses over the years, including her younger brother dying by suicide. This is a tough topic to talk about, but I know that Paige’s willingness to share this part of her story will be helpful for many of you listening. We need to get better at talking about death, and grief, and yes, even suicide…its a part of living in this broken world. So I’m thankful for Paige’s courage and openness and I know you’ll just love hearing her wise and beautiful heart.

Episode 10: Fighting for Joy After Limb Loss with Addie Schiemann Apr 19, 2019

Today you get to meet our sweet friend, Addie Schiemann. At 16 years old, she is the youngest guest I’ve had on the podcast so far, but it won’t take long for you to pick up on her maturity, poise, and steady strength. In 2017, Addie was involved in a UTV accident and had to have her right arm amputated. Every day presents Addie with challenges, but her fight for joy is an inspiring picture of hope as she continues to press on through very difficult circumstances. The timing of our conversation is special because April is Limb Loss Awareness Month. Listen in as she shares the realities of living with limb loss and what God has been teaching her through this hard journey!

Episode 9: My Brother's Fight for Joy Through Addiction Apr 10, 2019

I am so excited about this episode because I have the special privilege of introducing you to my youngest brother, Dwight Nelson! When I first starting thinking about creating a podcast, he was one of the guests that I knew I wanted to, and needed to, have on. Dwight has a hard, but really important story to share, and I'm deeply grateful for his willingness to record this episode with me. Listen in as Dwight talks about addiction, grief, living in community, and of course, fighting for joy in all aspects of life. Almost everyone is affected by addiction in some way, so I hope that this open and honest conversation provides help and hope to many of you!

Episode 8: Fighting for Joy through All Kinds of Brokenness with Laura Ruwe Feb 26, 2019

In this episode I am excited to introduce you to a local friend of mine, Laura Ruwe. Laura and her husband Andrew are the adoptive parents of two young boys. Eric and I have been friends with the Ruwes for many years, but as Laura and I have watched one another walk through difficult days these past 5 years, our hearts have been uniquely connected.

Laura is in a tougher season right now, but I'm so grateful that she came on the podcast during this time. We need examples of people who are willing to share what the battle looks like in the MIDST of the storm. It’s brave to say, “We are still trying to figure that out." Or, "I’m not quite sure how this is going to play out for us yet”. Laura is tender and honest as she shares about what grief looks like in adoption, feelings of isolation, prayer, seasons of waiting, social media, and of course, fighting for joy!

I hope you are helped and encouraged by this conversation. I know you will see beauty in the brokenness of Laura's story. God is doing some amazing things in her heart and life, and her love and gratitude for her sweet family is evident and inspiring!

Episode 7: Nancy Guthrie's Fight for Joy (Part 2) Feb 12, 2019

Here is the second part of my conversation with my friend and mentor, Nancy Guthrie. I introduced her in Part 1, so if you haven't had a chance to listen to that yet, I encourage you to go back and do that first as it will be easier to jump in to the second half of our time together. In this episode, we talk about some practical aspects of grief, like fighting bitterness instead of tears, and learning how to temporarily "put grief on the shelf”, a tool to stay engaged with those around you as you keep moving forward in your journey. We also talk a little bit about Nancy's podcast and who inpires her.

These two episodes were really special for me to do! I've learned so much from Nancy over the years, not just about grief, but also about friendship, marriage, serving others, and how to study the Bible and treasure God’s Word in ways that provide comfort, help, strength, and hope.

Episode 6: Nancy Guthrie's Fight for Joy (Part 1) Feb 05, 2019

I am honored to have my friend and mentor, Nancy Guthrie, on the podcast today! Nancy is a writer, Bible teacher, conference speaker, a contributor for The Gospel Coalition, and host of the Help Me Teach the Bible podcast.

Nancy and her husband, David, live in Nashville, Tennessee, with their son, Matt, living close by. They have two other children, a daughter, Hope, and a son, Gabriel, who were both born with a rare genetic disorder and both died within their first year of life. Having experienced the brokenness of this world in heartbreaking ways, Nancy has fought for joy by finding comfort and hope in God’s Word, trusting in His sovereignty, and helping others see the trustworthiness and beauty of Scripture, and the help that it provides.

For many years, Nancy has served as a mentor and influential teacher in my life. Her books and studies have equipped and helped me as I have studied the Bible, and her ministry has greatly encouraged my walk with the Lord! After Jackson died, she embraced me as a friend and fellow grieving mom and has tenderly walked with me these past 5 years. It is such a blessing to learn from a friend who is a number of years ahead of me on this grief journey. As I have mentioned in previous episodes, the Guthries host weekend retreats for couples who have lost a child, and attending one of the those retreats shortly after Jackson died has been one of the most helpful things for us in grief.

Nancy is a gracious friend and a wise teacher - I’m so grateful for her willingness to record this episode with me. Today you will hear Part 1 of our conversation.

Episode 5: Mini Episode: Our Empty Spaces Dec 28, 2018

This past week I have been reflecting on Leanne’s sweet reminder that God loves to fill empty spaces (Episode 4). I found it especially helpful during this time of year when many of us can more deeply feel the emptiness in our lives. Did you feel some emptiness this Christmas? Maybe you haven’t lost a loved one, but your heart feels empty. Or you’re experiencing some sort of brokenness in your family, or with your health, or in a relationship? Or maybe you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, stressed out, or sad? Well, whether this really IS the “most wonderful time of the year” for you or if its just been downright lonely and sad (or even a messy, complicated mix of everything!), I wanted to record this mini-episode to remind you that God REALLY IS enough to fill our empty spaces.

**Episode 4: Fighting for Joy after Losing My Son with Leanne Ballinger** Dec 21, 2018
It is such a privilege to introduce you to my special friend, Leanne Ballinger. Eric and I met Mike and Leanne in 2014 when we attended David and Nancy Guthrie’s grief retreat in Nashville together. My friendship with Leanne began with a long hug and tears, and God immediately began knitting our hearts together in powerful ways.

Mike and Leanne's second son, Andrew, was born with complications and he was given a 25% chance of survival. After enduring 7 and 1/2 months of traumatic ups and downs, sweet Drew went to be with the Lord in July of 2013. With Jackson dying in June of that same year, our grief journey has been on a very similar timeframe. Our stories are different and our sons died at different ages and through different circumstances, but God has given us such likemindedness in one another. It has been such a help to have a kindred spirit like Leanne to walk through grief with. In the midst of such heartbreaking circumstances, we have seen our friendship as a kindness of the Lord. I think you will be touched by this tender conversation between two grieving moms who have become friends and confidants through great loss and great hope.

Episode 3: Fighting for Joy After a Stroke with Melissa Sasse Dec 11, 2018

Today you will hear from my friend, Melissa Sasse. In 2007, her life changed forever when she suffered an aneurysm in her neck that caused three strokes. Because of the limitations that this left her with, she was in need of someone to drive her and her children to run errands and get groceries once a week when they moved back to Nebraska a number of years ago. I volunteered...and it was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Melissa's own suffering has made her keenly aware of mine and she has been such a help to me in grief. She was one of the first people to show up at our door when Jackson died and she hasn't stopped showing up for me since.

No matter where you land on the political spectrum, please know that this podcast is not about politics...it's about friendship, and faith, and pressing on. Melissa leads by example in this fight for joy. She has a strong and deep faith that has provided such hope and gratefulness, but her story reminds us once again that faith doesn't make the consequences of this broken world hurt any less. I hope you are encouraged and inspired in your OWN fight for joy as you listen.

**Episode 2: Fighting for Joy after Losing My Mom with Cathy Brown** Nov 30, 2018
Today I’m going to introduce you to one of my oldest and dearest friends, Cathy Brown. We were roommates in college and our almost 30 year friendship is one of the biggest blessings in my life. I’m excited for you to get to know her just because she’s a phenomenal woman and friend, but she’s also an ideal guest for this podcast because Cathy fights for joy in beautiful and inspiring ways.

Shortly after we graduated from college, Cathy experienced the sudden and traumatic loss of her mom. Listen in as she shares some of her story of loss and how it has shaped her life and faith. Cathy is such an encouragement to me, and I know she will be for you too!

Episode 1: Our Story Nov 19, 2018

Today my husband, Eric Blick, joins me on the podcast as we share a little bit about why this fight for joy is personal for us. As I mentioned in the preview episode, this podcast will be full of stories, and I thought it was appropriate to “go first” with our story. Eric and I met at Wheaton College and have been married for 24 years. We have four children and live in Nebraska. Our firstborn son, Jackson, died at the age of 16 in 2013.

Our goal in this first episode is not to fully or perfectly tell our story. In fact, there are a few details that we almost edited out because we remembered them differently. But, that is part of trauma...and part of going through grief together, but separately. So we didn't make any edits. With this podcast, I've decided that "done is better than perfect". Grief is messy...and this podcast will be messy at times as well.

I'm thankful that Eric agreed to be my first guest. He has believed in this project from the start and I seriously couldn't have gotten it started without him. So I'm excited for you to get to know him a little bit as we share our hearts and help you better understand the “why” behind this podcast.

Episode 0: Preview Nov 12, 2018

Welcome to my new podcast, Fighting for Joy. Life in this broken world is hard, but there IS joy and hope to be found. In this preview episode, I will share my vision for this podcast and begin to share why this flight for joy is personal to me.

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