Fight For the Family

Life is hard, and sometimes we get lost. Burdens and trials are placed in our path that seem to literally crush us, drain our hope and happiness, and make us wonder what on earth we're doing here. In this episode, I'm sharing about the burden I'm currently in the middle of, how I see Satan trying to beat me, and how I'm trying to use Christ to fight.

What do you think of when you hear the words “self care”? Maybe girls nights, pedicures and massages? Well we won't be talking about those in this episode. Instead we are talking about prioritizing the things that bring you true joy, deep connection and inspiration. The things that truly “fill you up”. This is something I'm deeply passionate about, and I hope you will be too after listening!

Ever feel like what you have to give isn't enough? You have wonderful, righteous, worthy goals but it's HARD and LONG to get there? This is where Satan loves to encourage you to give up. And this is where we fight. In this episode I'm sharing thoughts (and some stories!) on how a few degrees makes a big difference and how we can use that to NOT give up.

New year means reflecting and setting goals right?! Yes, but let's make it different this year. Let's make goals that set ourselves up for success and real happiness! I'm discussing Elder Sabine's address “Hallmarks of Happiness” and how to use the principles he shares to make new years resolutions that really matter and will bring you true happiness.

Christmas is upon us! In the spirit of slowing down and enjoying the holidays, I'm sharing my thoughts on unplugging from social media so you can have more meaningful real life connections as you spend time with your loved ones this holiday season. Don't let Satan use social media to spike your anxiety, cause you to compare, have split attention or miss out on what's in front of you. Take time to unplug and enjoy celebrating the birth of Christ as it is meant to be-present and joyful!

November is a great time to get in the thankful spirit. But gratitude really is a practice we should have all year long! I'm this episode, I'm sharing how gratitude fights against satans attacks of comparison & jealousy, what the scriptures say about gratitude, and ways to practice it all year round. Plus! I've got a fun new thanksgiving printable to share with your family, so make sure to head over to my website to check that out!

Why do traditions matter? Are they really THAT important? The answer is yes. Big yes! In this episode I'm sharing why traditions matter & the importance of being intentional about your own traditions and not just going along with what's always been done. I'd love to hear about your favorite traditions! Message me via Instagram @Makena.boyer

Do you ever feel like you can't stay consistent with your health goals? Like life is running you and it's not the direction you'd like to be going? I've been there! But I discovered something amazing that changed EVERYTHING for me. I'm sharing all about it on this episode!

Fall is such a beautiful time, where the earth reminds us the importance of rest, slower living and retreating. Don't let Satan keep you busy! Slowing down and having a rhythm of retreating is one of the best things you can do for yourself, your family & your relationship with God. In this episode I'm sharing my personal retreating experiences, what I've learned from them & tips to help you create a rhythm of retreating, no matter your situation!

Another conversation about not letting Satan stop us from sharing our hard moments with others by making us feel ashamed or fearful. God can make good out of anything, including death, like he does with Tabitha in Acts 9. Let's chat how we, like Tabitha, can let God use our dark moments to bring others light.

Do you clean your house when someone is coming over? We have this gut reaction to hide our messes from others. While I too enjoy a clean house, I've realized what a lie it is to hide or be ashamed of the “messy” parts of our lives. In this episode we talk why Satan wants us to hide our messes, and what God can do when we share our messes instead.

Do you know what spiritual gifts you have? Not sure you have ANY?! That's what Satan wants you to believe. But you, my friend, DO have spiritual gifts. Today we are joined by guest Becky Squire who is on a mission to help everyone discover their spiritual gifts. Come learn how to discover your gifts, how to use them in busy seasons, and why Satan wants you to believe you don't have any.

Summer is a fun, busy, exciting time where schedules change and we want to do ALL THE THINGS! I'm this episode we chat about burnout, how to avoid it, and ways to make your summer aligned with your goals for you family AND come out of it rejuvenated for fall. My book “Building Strong Families” is the perfect tool to help give you summer family activities that are simple and meaningful-and I've already done the work for you! Gets yours here https://www.amazon.com/Building-Strong-Families-your-31-day/dp/B0BDNJD14B/ref=nodl_?dplnkId=a60fc9a2-66d7-4c59-8892-16860e445d9d

I am a big birthday lover. I think it is such a fun and unique opportunity to celebrate the people we love & help them to feel seen, appreciated and special (like they are!). Birthday traditions can be as simple or fancy as you want. The important thing is that you create some sort of tradition. Traditions lead to memories, which lead to family bonds, which lead to stronger family relationships. Who doesn't want that?! Don't forget to message me on Instagram @makena.boyer and share any birthday traditions you have (and whether or not you like being sung to in public!)

How do you celebrate the moms & dads in your life? Being a mother myself, I've realized how important expressing expectations is in relationships, and it applies to holidays too! In this episode we chat about making your own mothers & Father's Day traditions, not comparing & being brave enough to communicate your expectations.

I wrote a book to help YOU strengthen your family using wholesome recreational activities! Fighting for our family starts with building strong family relationships. One powerful way to do that is to engage in wholesome recreational activities! I've done all the work for you, all you have to do is have fun! In this episode I explain how I got to this book, what it includes and my hope for you when you use it! You can find it on Amazon or here at this link. https://www.amazon.com/Building-Strong-Families-your-31-day/dp/B0BDNJD14B/ref=nodl_?dplnkId=a60fc9a2-66d7-4c59-8892-16860e445d9d

Satan loves to play on our desire to “fit in” and belong. The world is steadily moving farther and farther from God centered values & God's people are becoming more and more different from the world. We NEED to be different and be okay being that way! And our youth need to know it, too. In this episode we talk about how Satan is using this against us and a few strategies to help ourselves and our families view being different as a super power.

I recently read the book “Living Slower” by Merissa A. Alink and it's changed my life. In this episode I share my favorite gold nuggets from the book, how I'm personally applying it, and how Satan is using our busy schedules and worldly expectations to keep us from the things that truly matter.

Every human at one point or another questions their worth. Questions if they are enough. I'm here to tell you that you aren't. But WITH GOD your small will be made into more than enough! Satan would have you think you're on your own & not worth it. In this episode we discuss scriptural evidence of who we are and Gods ability to make what we have into enough.

Have you noticed this trend in movies? Where the younger generation “knows better” than their parents or grandparents? While it's not totally wrong, it's also not totally right! Come here my thoughts on it and how Satan is using this idea to undermine the family unit. This is the link to the article I mention in the episode. http://decentfilms.com/articles/junior-knows-best

Agency is the God-given gift to make choices ourselves. It is a wonderful gift that ALL people have a right to. But Satan loves to twist agency and make us believe that we get to choose the consequences of our actions as well. We get to choose our actions, but not the consequences. In this episode we talk about where agency comes from and how Satan uses agency to trap us and take away our freedoms.

Fall is HANDS DOWN my favorite season. The pumpkins, the apples, the sweaters… I am here for all of it! Fall is also a wonderful time to slow down, check in with yourself and reevaluate your schedule. Satan loves to use this time to make you feel like you need to do MORE, when really we need to do less. In this episode we talk about the opportunity fall gives us and how to make the most of it. PLUS! I have an exciting announcement at the end so make sure to not miss that!

Wonder is a scarce commodity these days. The world (aka Satan) seeks to strip us of any type of wonder. Wonder brings us joy, gratitude and keeps us growing & learning. The wonder of the gospel of Jesus Christ is there for the taking, but you have to decide to take it. In this episode we are talking of the power of wonder and how to fight for it.

The world LOVES to fill up your calendar and claim every spare moment you and your family have. But what happens when you INTENTIONALLY leave space empty?? MAGICAL things. In this episode we talk all about the benefits of white space, why Satan hates it and how you can create more of it in your busy life. Book reference: Instagram @1000hoursoutside

We know how important service is in the kingdom of God, how we are blessed when we serve, and how serving others is serving God. But how do you feel when you're on the receiving end of that service?? Being a receiver is JUST as important as being a giver. Satan would love for you to think otherwise! In today's episode we explore why it's hard to be a receiver and how important is it so be both a giver and receiver.

Summer is upon us which means a natural shift in schedules-this is both exciting and terrifying! Summers can either be busy and full of classes, camps and workbooks we feel we “should” be doing. OR they can be a time full of activities that truly fill us up, create lasting connections and refresh us. Don't let Satan bog you down with summer “shoulds”. In this weeks episodes I'm sharing my top tips to creating a life giving schedule for you and your family!

Our world is so full of busyness and screens that reading is becoming a lost art. Satan LOVES that. Reading has SO many incredible benefits, but in this episode we're talking about the magical space reading makes for deepening relationships, making connections and having life changing conversations. You can find the book I reference by Ainsley Arment here: https://www.bewildandfree.org/book

There are so many GOOD things we can do with our time. And it's SO hard to say no to things. And yet, you literally CANNOT do it all. I'm this episode we will talk about how Satan uses that against us, what we CAN do, and the latest advice from our prophet on the subject.

So you WANT to spend more meaningful time with your loved ones, right? But where do you start?! In this episode I'm giving you my best tips so you know where to start and how to keep going!

How does the word repentance make you feel? We will explore the different emotions that come up with this topic, why that is and how we can learn to view repentance as the gift it is.

Have you ever felt at a cross roads? Where you have an opportunity to do something totally different but aren't sure what to do? Ever feel God unsettling you and leading you somewhere new? I believe God gives us many opportunities in life to PIVOT! (Thanks Ross

Do you ever feel alone? Like no one could possibly get you or understand the challenges you go through? Satan LOVES to make us feel alone, isolated and unseen. But when we work to be together, share ourselves and truly connect, we become POWERFUL!

Do you know who you are? Satan LOVES to help us forget who we are-children of God with a divine nature and eternal destiny. When he can get you to define yourself by the worlds standards, he's able to take power from you. Let's not let him do that!

Satan loves to keep us busy, to make us feel I control when our schedules are packed and we are “productive”. But one of our best weapons against Satan is actually resting. Slowing down, being still. So we can better commune with God, listen to the spirit and be renewed with Gods power.

We all know moving our bodies is good for us, but what makes RECREATION so special? This episode chats all the benefit of recreation & why it's an important aspect in strengthening individuals & families!

Home is where we spend so much of our time. Home should be a place where we find rest from the world. Home is also where we raise our crazy little humans, let our true burdens show & where dishes & laundry are always calling us. Making home Holy is one of the best things we can do for ourselves & our families. Not exactly easy, but NEEDED! Let's share some ideas on how to do just that.

I never compare…. Said no one EVER! We all do it, we all know it hurts us, so how do we fight it?! We talk about it all in this weeks episode!

Our world is loud, overloaded with info, and it's hard to ever stop and take a breath. Leading us all to feel overwhelmed! Satan would love for you to live in overwhelm. Let's not let him! In this episode we talk how Satan uses overwhelm and some tangible tools to fight it!

How can you get to where you want to go if you're unclear of where that is? In this episode we will talk about why you need a family vision & steps to take to get you one! And here is the link to the pdf I reference! https://www.etsy.com/shop/BuildStrongFamilies

Why should we even care about the family unit? In this episode we explore the origin of families and a few ideas as to why God made them the central unit of society and his eternal plan of happiness.

Your family is worth fighting for! I'm so excited to begin this journey with you, as we strengthen our families together. In this episode, I explain a little about how this podcast came to be and where I plan to take it!