Fighting For Joy

A couple of weeks ago we hit the 12 year mark in our grief. 12 years without Jackson. Without Tyler and Trey. 12 years since we got “the phone call” and so many lives were forever changed. 12 years on this painful journey. And, it still hurts. It's still hard. Sometimes I think, “of course our hearts still hurt”, and other times I'm completely surprised by it. As I've said before, these set apart dates on the calendar that bring our heartache and grief right back up to the surface, and mark the passing of time without our son, are daunting - the lead up to the day, fumbling through the actual day, and then the weariness of soul in the days and weeks to follow…it's all just plain exhausting, even now in the second decade of our loss. In light of this, and as a way to bring Season 7 of the podcast to an official close, I wanted to come on and share a little bit from my heart - a grief update, of sorts. Proof of life. Testimony of God's continued care and healing. Things we continue to learn. And more insight into what is helpful during these tougher times of the year. I'm so glad you found this episode. Thank you for taking the time to listen. In many ways, it's like we are sitting down for coffee today. Or out on a walk…and you ask, “What's your grief been like lately?” An unscripted hour of hearing me share about what my personal fight for joy feels like now in hopes of encouraging you to keep pressing forward in your own journey, or to continue walking with your grieving friends. Also, 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. Counseling can be such a huge help in this broken world and a major tool in the fight for joy.

Are you living under the constant pressure of feeling like you should be doing MORE? Or feeling like you should BE more? That you're always letting people down. Or letting GOD down. If guilt and overwhelm have become a big part of your life, I'm glad you found this episode! As my guest today writes in his new book, You Were Never Meant to Do It All: A 40-Day Devotional on the Goodness of Being Human, “God has not designed us to do everything, be everywhere, or know everything. We can value our work, our bodies, and our relationships without thinking we must have endless energy, always be strong, or have unending emotional reserves. God simply didn't create us in this way.” I'm excited to introduce you today to Dr. Kelly Kapic. Eric and I met Kelly and his wife, Tabitha, through mutual friends while our daughter was attending Covenant College in Lookout Mountain, Georgia, where Dr. Kapic is a professor of theological studies. Kelly is also a speaker and an award-winning author. His books have greatly impacted our family, so for this episode, I asked my husband Eric to join me in this helpful conversation about accepting and finding freedom in our limitations as humans. There is much to be gained by leaning into God's good design for us. To realize that we CAN'T “do it all”, not because something is wrong with us, but because we are created to be dependent on God and on others. Only God Himself is without limits and fully in control. As we more deeply settle into this way of thinking and living, we can experience greater growth, a deeper sense of community, and more peace, rest, and JOY! You can learn more about Dr. Kapic's work and writing here: https://www.covenant.edu/academics/bible/faculty/kapic.html Also, 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. Counseling can be such a huge help in this broken world and a major tool in the fight for joy.

I thought it would be helpful to re-release this episode with Mother's Day weekend approaching. For many women, this is a complicated holiday that can hold a wide range of emotions. Celebration AND tears. Joy AND sadness. It's now been almost 12 years without Jackson and 5 years without my mom - continued grief. AND, since this episode originally aired a couple of years ago, our family has grown - new joy! When Mother's Day comes this year, I'll have a new daughter-in-law, AND, with Grace's recent engagement, a new future son-in-law. Everything that I speak over my kids at the end of the episode rings true for Mercedes and Cameron now as well. Listen in as I share 5 practical ways to approach the "both/and" of Mother's Day. These are tools that I personally implement and I know they will help you fight for joy too! *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. 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!

Today I'm privileged to bring you a tender story of grief from a local friend of mine, Mary Glowacki. Mary was only 15 years old when her mother died. There are not too many things for young girl to face worse than losing her mom and having to grow up without a mother's distinctive instruction and special care. When you face a future without such a key figure there to help and guide, life can become a real fight for joy. It's been 40 years since Mary's mother died, but as you hear her share today, you will get a glimpse into just how impacting and long lasting grief truly is. I know you're going to love hearing Mary's heart and be helped by her insight, experience, wisdom, and vulnerability. As she shares some of the practical ways that she fights for joy, I think you'll be encouraged in your own difficult situations. Thank you for listening today! *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. 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!

Well, guess who I have back on the podcast with me today? My favorite guest and yours, my husband Eric! Today we have a conversation about the grief that is experienced when you lose a grandparent. It's a topic that I haven't covered in depth on the podcast yet, but for many people a grandparent dying is their first experience with grief. One of the things that we hope you take away from this episode is the reminder that death at any age is not the way that its supposed to be. In this broken world, death is an enemy. Processing a grandparent's death, even if they had a long, full life is still hard. Its okay to lean into the brokenness of it all - to hate what death does to our hearts and to acknowledge the void that a grandparent can leave. Listen in as Eric and I share a little bit about our grandparents and our special relationships with them, and then later in the episode as we talk about how we grieved and processed their deaths. I'm glad you found my podcast today and I hope it brings some encouragement to your heart, especially if you are grieving the tender loss of a grandparent. *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!

The topic of sibling grief is near and dear to my heart. Not only did I grow up in a home affected by the death of my sister, I've also watched my own children bravely grieve the loss of their big brother. It feels like we don't hear much about this unique kind of grief so I'm grateful for my guest today, Jena Sietz, and her willingness to share about her fight for joy after losing her little brother Brett in 2018 at the age of 26. So much of our childhood can't be separated from our siblings. Our lives are intertwined. Siblings bear witness to our experiences. They knew all the versions of you growing up. They share the memories and inside jokes. As someone once said, “Siblings help hold your childhood.” So when a sibling dies, there is a lot to grieve. Part of you dies with them. And there's so much to be processed as life moves forward because you just always assume that your sibling will be there…standing up for you at your wedding, playing the role of aunt or uncle for your kids, and helping you with your parents as they age. There's a need to have more conversations about this devastating kind of grief. Listen in as Jena shares about her brother Brett - his life and his death and the impact that grief has had on her fight for joy. I hope this episode sheds more light on sibling loss and encourages conversation around this topic. If you've lost a sibling, my hope is that you feel seen and that you are encouraged to keep going with your own fight for joy. If you know someone who has lost a sibling, I hope this episode prompts you to acknowledge their unique grief (even if it was decades ago) and better understand what it feels like to experience the death of a sibling. *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!

This past week I spoke to a group of local ladies called "The Free Birds", women who are in the empty nest season of life. I called my talk “Five Ways to Fight for Joy as Free Birds” and intertwined parts of my grief story, my menopause journey, and thoughts on entering a new year with five practical ways to experience more joy in this unique season of life. Over the weekend I recorded my talk and am releasing it as an episode today so that you can hear it as well. I've been wanting to do something on the topic of being an empty nester, so I am excited to have this to share. And, even if you're not a "free bird", most of what I talked about will still be applicable to you, so I hope you will listen too! When I spoke in person, I cut a few things out for the sake of time, so the version you'll hear today is like the "extended cut", an advantage of recording it at home after the event. I did decide to leave out some of the more private details that I shared with the ladies about the night of the accident - things that I'm not ready to put out into the podcast world at this point…or ever…but again, if you're wanting to hear more of my grief story, the things that I DO feel comfortable sharing are in Episode 1, and woven throughout almost every episode of the podcast. So, listen in to what I shared with these women - "Brave Jodi" giving public speaking a try again after a long stretch of feeling like it wasn't what God had for me. We'll see what's ahead with this... I'm glad you found this episode. I hope it encourages you and that you can take away just one thing to work on as you fight for joy in 2025! *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!

Today I get to introduce you to my friend, Evian Schindler. You'll hear a little bit about how the two of us got connected at the beginning of our conversation, but Evian is one of the sweet, faithful people in my life who keep reminding me, even 11+ years after Jackson's death, that I am not forgotten in my grief. She continues to send me Bible verses, songs, and prayers and it means so much to me! I believe that Evian has been really tuned in to my continued grief and pain because she knows pain herself. I called this episode “Fighting for Joy in Chronic Illness”, and I think that's a good summary title, but as Evian and I talked about what to name it, we also threw out fighting for joy when you don't have answers, or in uncertainty, or without a clear diagnosis, or as you wait on God, or when you want to give up, or when you are in pain. As you'll hear, Evian's fight for joy has mostly centered around her physical health, but it's complicated, because as it so often goes, one aspect of our life tends to greatly affect the other areas of our life. So, for someone like Evian, the fight for joy can be pretty hard to define. I am excited to have Evian on the show today because, first, she's an amazing joy fighter and I want you to meet her! She has persevered through really hard things and I am thankful for her willingness to share some of the practical ways she has fought for joy. But secondly, I'm confident that her story will encourage YOU. Even if your circumstances are completely different, you probably know how discouraging it can be to find yourself in the midst of a story that God has written for your life that you just don't like. And don't want. How do you press forward in hope and fight for joy when circumstances feel out of your control? I think Evian's story and all of the tender things that she shares around her personal pain will be helpful for you to hear and I pray that you find some takeaways from this episode - a few things that will help you continue to fight for joy yourself as you press forward IN HOPE in the midst of this broken world. *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!

Today I get to share Part 2 of the little "joy project" that a few of my listeners and friends helped me pull together to bring encouragement and hope to hurting people over the holidays. If it is hard for you to hear people say “Merry Christmas!” or “Happy Holidays!” because your heart is breaking, my guests today get it. I get it! The greetings and phrases that we use this time of year sound different to someone in pain. Now, this CAN be such a wonderful time of year, but these cheerful words can be piercing, confusing, and even hurtful when you're grieving - EVEN IF you are grieving with hope as a Christian! As we've learned, our faith doesn't make the hard things hurt any less. But trust that these happy holiday phrases won't always feel as hard as they feel now. The delight of the holiday season will most likely return in the coming years. Believe it or not, you will probably blast Christmas music again, host gatherings again, play fun games again, and feel the magic of this time of year again. Maybe you can't imagine it now, and that's okay. I couldn't imagine it for a long time either. But that's why I wanted to do these episodes about fighting for joy through the holidays - to give you hope while you lean into your hard. To cheer you on as you press forward. To remind you that there are others fighting for joy alongside of you. So listen in as my friends share. I'm so thankful for their willingness to record these voice memos. As I've said, I am always happy to share the things that are helping me, but I certainly don't have a corner on the market of grief. There is a wide range of experience and ideas out there - and as I've said, we can learn from each other. We can borrow, in a sense, the hope and strength of others. Now, not every situation or way of fighting for joy is going to resonate with you, and that's okay! In fact, that's why I was grateful for the many responses that came in. One of these stories will resonate with you. Something will click. So don't get hung up on someone saying something that doesn't connect…look for what DOES! Maybe you could just listen for one take away from this episode. These friends represent a wide range of experience, theology, seasons of life, stages of grief, etc. - and each of their situations is unique, so of course they will have different perspectives, ideas, and insight. These friends are such joy fighters! I'm so proud of them.They have hard stories, and in many cases are still walking through very difficult things. But they said yes to this little holiday assignment in hopes of helping those of you listening - to be the light and encouragement to someone else who needs it. Maybe that's you? If so, I'm glad you found this episode and I hope that you are encouraged by my companions in this fight 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!

My grief journey has connected me to thousands of hurting people. Almost every week I have the privilege, although its a weighty and costly privilege, of spending big chunks of time listening to, giving witness to, and holding space for people's pain. I ALSO get to see pretty beautiful and tender glimpses into people's healing, progress, and returning joy. This past week, as I was interacting with people in both places, I thought to myself, how can I connect these two groups of people? How can I encourage those who feel pretty hopeless with testimony from those feeling hope-FULL? I wanted to connect people lacking joy with people who are experiencing joy again, especially during this time of year, the holiday season, a time of year that can traditionally feel extra sad and heavy for the hurting. My idea was to do something similar to what I did back in 2020 when we were all thrust into quarantine and isolation during Covid (Check out Episodes #25, #26, & #27). During that time, there was a lot of confusion, fear, and loss. Often when we are in situations and seasons like that, we need each other to bring encouragement. Sometimes we need to borrow strength and hope from others. Soooo, I put a little request out on social media a few days ago asking people to send me an audio message sharing some ways that they are fighting for joy right now - practical things that help them get through the holidays. I was so emotional listening to these messages as they came in. These friends of mine are joy fighters! They have hard stories, and in many cases they are still walking through VERY difficult things. But they took on this little assignment in hopes of helping those of you listening…to bring encouragement to someone who needs it. Maybe that's you? If so, I'm glad you found this episode and hope that it helps you.Today you'll get to hear Part 1, about half of the people who will share.Then, in a couple of days I will release Part 2 and you'll get to hear from the rest of these amazing people! And to each person who submitted a voice memo and participated in this "joy project", THANK YOU! You are all so special and your stories matter. I know you can testify to the brokenness of this world and/also you keep pressing forward with hope! I'm so proud of you for fighting for joy! Thank you for helping others in the fight as well. *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!

Today I get to introduce you to Calihan Summerfield as she shares about her painful struggle with infertility. Calihan always wanted to be a mom, but when the timing felt right to start a family, she began to feel as if her body was betraying her…why wasn't it happening? What was wrong? Why was God withholding this from her? What are the options? It's crushing when our plans, dreams, and deepest desires aren't coming to fruition, especially when it seems like everyone around us is getting to experience what we want! Infertility statistics continue to rise so I'm grateful for Calihan's willingness to share this deeply personal and emotional journey. As you listen to her story, I think you'll be encouraged by her fight for joy! It certainly hasn't been easy, and there are still questions she is wrestling with, but today, as she brings hope from the other side of infertility (because, spoiler alert, her heart is now exploding with delight over her precious daughter Scottie!) her story may be just what YOU need to keep going for one more day in your own struggle, whether that be with fertility issues or some other disappointment in life. *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!

I am really excited about this episode because I get to introduce you to my dad, Lyle Nelson. He has been through a lot in his 84 years of life including the sickness and death of my older sister, the sudden death of his father-in-law, walking through cancer twice with my mom and becoming her full-time care giver after her subsequent paralysis, my brother's addiction, our son Jackson's death, my mom's death, and his own progressive peripheral neuropathy which has begun to limit his mobility. As his daughter I've had the privilege to watch him fight for joy and keep trusting the Lord with persevering faith and hope. I've learned a lot from him and it was really special to have this conversation today. I hope you're encouraged as you get a glimpse into his life, the wisdom he has acquired along the way, and the powerful ways that God has carried him through so many heartaches and challenges. *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!

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!

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!

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.

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?utmsource=igwebbuttonshare_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 Better Help, 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.

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 Better Help, 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.

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 Better Help. 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.

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 Better Help, 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!

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/azcoeventsdesign?utmsource=igwebbuttonshare_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 Better Help, 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!

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 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!

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!)

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 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!

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 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!

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 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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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.

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.

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.

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!!

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!

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! :)

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.

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!

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!

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.

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!

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.

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!

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!

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.

“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.

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!