Education
**The Problem With Perfect**

If perfection is an illusion, why are so many of us chasing it? We live in a world that is constantly telling us we need to be it all and have it all to be worthy. It leads us to hide our imperfections and overcompensate our strengths – and leaves us exhausted. Join hosts Robin May and Denise Bickel for meaningful, cross-generational conversations that will leave you uplifted and encouraged about a future freed from the problem with perfect.

Latest Episodes:

When Pastors "Fall From Grace" With Special Guest Fred Herron Dec 15, 2020

Show notes

Life is messy - even for pastors. Why? Because they are human.
In this episode, Fred Herron, former pastor of the Vineyard mega church in Kansas City joins us to share his story of how insomnia and ministry burn out led him down a dark path that ultimately caused him to spin out of control and be removed from his church. From pedestal to the front page of the Sunday edition of the Kansas City Star, Fred calls himself a prodigal pastor. His story is both gut-wrenching and refreshing for all of us who struggle with being the "perfect" Christian.
Now, two years later, Fred is brutally honest about his recovery, his shame and how he is trying to find hope again, both in his heart and in his work as he has launched Spirituality Adventures - a nonjudgmental place to explore spirituality.
Special Guest: Fred Herron
To learn more about Fred's story, listen to his podcast Spirituality Adventures, or go to www.RealFredHerron.com.
Resources on emotional intelligence:
It's Not Always Depression: Working the Change Triangle to Listen to the Body, Discover Core Emotions, and Connect to Your Authentic Self by Hilary Jacobs Hendel
Permission to Feel: Unlocking the Power of Emotions to Help Our Kids, Ourselves, and Our Society Thrive by Marc Brackett

Do I Need Therapy? With TV Anchor & Trauma Therapist Crystle Lampitt Dec 08, 2020

Show notes

Crystle Lampitt understands the weight of perfectionism. In this episode, Crystle, a former model and television personality, shares her story about how the pressure to please led her to neglect her own needs. Hear about how she learned to smile and push through unrealistic expectations, not realizing the emotional and physical toll it was taking on her and her relationships.
It wasn't until she was diagnosed with a chronic illness that Crystle accepted that she had to make a drastic change in her life. This turn led her to understand and appreciate the value of therapy - transforming her life and her passion to help others overcome the traumas in their life.
There is something for us all to learn in Crystle's story of triumph.
Special Guest:
Crystle Lampitt
Follow her on Instagram@CrystleLampitt
To contact Crystle for an appointment, go to www.KCResolve.com.

R&R #20 Can't Find the Joy in Christmas Anymore? Dec 04, 2020

Show notes

To help find deeper joy and contentment this Christmas season, join me for a 10-day challenge.
To learn more and to sign up, go to www. Robinmayministries.com/challenge

Why The Holidays Suck the Joy Out of You Dec 01, 2020

Show notes

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, or is it?

For many of us, the holiday season is a mixed bag. On one hand, we want to marvel at the beauty of Christmas with a renewed joyful awe. But on the other hand, there are budgets to keep, expectations to meet and, in 2020, a pandemic to maneuver.

In this episode, join us for a conversation about the things many of us think, but are afraid to say about the holidays. In it, we acknowledge the distance between where we want our hearts to be with the holiday season and where we are - AND offer a special invitation to help us all find the joy as we journey to Christmas.

To learn more about this invitation and to join us for the 10-day challenge to find joy and peace this holiday season, visit www.RobinMayMinistries/challenge.

Black Friday Shopping Tips with Closet 31 Nov 24, 2020

Show notes

Looking for a new way to shop on Black Friday and this holiday season? Meet Chloe and Carly Walton - sisters, entrepreneurs and the creative masterminds behind Closet 31 - an online boutique that is changing the way women can shop together.
In this episode, Chloe joins us to give us an inside look at all of this year's top fashion trends. She also answers some tough questions about how to look your best no matter your age or body shape. This is a fun episode that will help get you in the Christmas spirit and make you want to start marking items off your shopping list.
And did I mention, Chloe offers a discount code? Stay tuned! Find it in the show notes below.
Special Guest: Chloe Walton, co-owner of Closet 31
https://www.facebook.com/Closet-31-Boutique-113092727227842/
Show Notes:
4:00 Learn why Chloe has Rachel's college address tattooed on her ankle.
9:15 If you had a Christmas party for just the girls, what would you wear?
12:00 How do you know if a piece of clothing is too old or young for you? Find out here.
17:30 Crop shirts are all the rave, but what body type is this style best suited for?
23:00 Sometimes you need someone to push you out of your style comfort zone and here's why.
28:00 Inspiration alone doesn't make a successful business. Here is how the Walton sisters developed their business plans.
33:00 If you could only have two accessories for the season, these are the two must-haves.
36:00 Want to find the perfect gift for a friend or family member but don't know where to start? Here's how Closet 31 can help.
38:00 Ready to make the most of Black Friday savings? Don't miss these tips.
42:00 Support Closet 31 and save some money with discount code PWP10.

R&R #19 The Latest Update On Matt Nov 20, 2020

Show notes

Navigating the Mother-In-Law & Daughter-In-Law Relationship Nov 17, 2020

Show notes

The holidays often magnify the tensions family experience - especially those between mother and daughter-in-laws. Despite good intentions and good hearts, conflict between mother and daughter-in-laws is more prevalent than we'd like to admit.
So whether we are the mother or the daughter-in-law, how do we improve these relationships? Given the frequency and severity of this problem, it's surprising how few resources are available to address it.
In this episode we tackle this difficult but important topic with special guest Sara Haslag. A longtime mentor of young women and young marrieds, Sara has taken the lessons learned from being a daughter-in-law to shape her approach to being a mother-in-law. Her three suggestions for improved in-law relationships are Godly, insightful and couldn't be more timely.

Bachelor Breakdown (Take a Mental Break) Nov 10, 2020

Show notes

The election wasn't the only thing making history last week. In case you lost yourself counting electoral votes, in an unprecedented move Bachelorette Clare Crawley blew up the show as she declared her love and devotion to Dale Moss after only 12 days of filming. It was entertaining and mindless, which may be why 5.3 million Americans watched it.
Whether you love it or hate it, the Bachelor franchise has been entertaining us for nearly 19 years. But why? What is it about the show that makes it so popular?
Join us this week as we explore these questions and more as we share our very different opinions on this very important topic. Ok, so it's not really that important, but that's kind of the point.

3 Ways to Find Gratitude When Life is Disappointing Nov 03, 2020

Show notes

November is here and with it comes a focus on gratitude. In an election year complicated by a global pandemic, gratitude doesn't come naturally for many of us. In fact, if gratitude was our default, we wouldn't need study after study convincing us of its benefits and encouraging us to practice it.
But what are those benefits to gratitude and how do we learn to become more grateful?
This podcast is a quick listen with a big return on your investment. Join us to find a greater appreciation for the benefits of gratitude and get some simple tips to help you start finding the good things in your life to be grateful for.
Hit the Highlights
3:30 Black Friday is right around the corner. How will you spend the day? Here's how we will be spending ours and why.
8:00 Want to be kinder and more empathetic toward the world? Here's a good place to start.
10:30 Have you watched the Netflix documentary The Social Dilemma? If you haven't, here's why it might be helpful.
12:15 Want to improve your physical health and feel better? Have fewer aches and pains? The brain/body connection is a powerful one with big benefits.
16:40 Sleep is precious. Ready to learn the connection between good sleep and gratitude and improve your sleep?
18:15 This gratitude practice could benefit you and strengthen your relationship with your spouse.
22:00 Can you find blessings in the battle? Are you looking for the good or are you just looking for another reason to gripe?
24:20 This simple tip will help you take your attention off of yourself and help you make the world around you a better place.
Resources:
7 Scientifically Proven Benefits of Gratitude that will Motivate you to Give Thanks Year-Round by Amy Morin
https://www.forbes.com/sites/amymorin/2014/11/23/7-scientifically-proven-benefits-of-gratitude-that-will-motivate-you-to-give-thanks-year-round/?sh=627668e4183c
The Letters of Love Program
https://www.nextavenue.org/love-for-the-elderly/

Loving Your Husband Before You Even Have One Oct 27, 2020

Show notes

What if you could learn to love your husband before you even have one? That’s what we are talking about today with author and speaker, Kim Vollendorf. Kim once thought Jesus was boring and irrelevant, but she changed her mind about Him in college. As a result, she has spent the past three decades working with the campus ministry Student Mobilization, discipling college women, and mentoring StuMo staff.

She made it through thirteen weddings as a single bridesmaid before she met and married her dreamy husband Sean. They have been married for more than twenty years, and have three sons.

As Kim has experienced the ups and downs of being both single and married, she found herself saying over and over again, “Young women need to know this.” One day she scribbled down on an index card the key lessons she learned as a single woman that really paid off in her marriage. The notes on that card became a series of talks which drew in thousands of young women, and those talks eventually became the book Loving Your Husband Before You Even Have One.

Hit the Highlights

(3:00) How Kim’s ministry began

(10:30) What are the biggest lies women believe before getting married?

(17:45) What to do if you waited until marriage, and the sex still isn’t that great.

(22:00) Kim’s own love story

(27:42) What to do if you’re thinking about breaking off a relationship

(36:40) Does the church contribute to unrealistic and unhealthy expectations in marriage?

Additional Resources

Get Kim’s Book

https://amzn.to/3jxQHUS

Sex is Like Legos

https://www.focusonthefamily.com/marriage/sex-is-a-creative-process/