Let's Get To It

Kelly speaks with Sharon Hodde Miller, PhD, author of the new book, The Cost of Control: Why We Crave It, the Anxiety It Gives Us, and the Real Power God Promises. Sharon is teaching pastor at Bright City Church in Durham, North Carolina, which she cofounded with her husband, Ike. She is the author of Free of Me and Nice, and the SheWorships.com blog. Today we are talking about her new book, defining control, how it effects relationships, and the difference between agency and control.

My guest today is Elena Hall. Elena is a LMSW, adoptee, author, and speaker who has a passion for adoption advocacy that stems from her faith and family. She loves to write, dance, sing, and tell stories. Her goal is to aid those in the adoption triad to promote healing and growth within the adoption community and empower readers to share their own stories. Today, Elena shares her adoption story, what she learned from writing Through Adopted Eyes, a collection of adoptee memoires, and the children's book Adoption is Both. Elena also shares the role faith has played in her life and powerful insight into how faith language effects adoptees and their identity formation. Alright, let's get to it!

My guest today is matthew anthony, formerly Matthew Charles. Matthew is the host of little did u know, a podcast that centers the lived experiences—the learned and inherited wisdom—of transracial adoptees. He is also a poet, and his debut poetry collection, You Can Not Burn The Sun (2020), is sold out, and he is currently working on book 2. Today, Matthew shares his adoption story, how the absence of conversations on race effected his identity formation, the role faith plays in his life, and how creating art is saving his life. matthew shares one of his poems with us, If My Black Body Were more like the black body of a gun.

Today's conversation is with Kristin Berry, co-founder of The Honestly Adoption Company, Author of Born Broken, Keep the Doors Open and co-author of The Adoptive Parent Toolbox, Honestly Adoption, and Securely Attached. We discuss Kristin's book, Keep the Doors Open: Lessons Learned from a Year of Foster Parenting. Kristin is a strong advocate for family reunification and providing necessary resources to help parents reunite with their children. She also recognizes and details how these supports need to be provided before crisis occurs. Finally, Kristin shares a disturbing situation her family experienced with law enforcement, and the significant gap in the legal system's understanding of mental illness. Kristin and her husband Mike live in central Indiana with their 6 youngest children and nearby her older daughters and 4 grandchildren. She loves reading, writing, and snuggling her pet donkey Meg.

Terrence Turman is back for another episode! Terrence serves as the Associate Pastor City Region at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, KY. His ministry focus on discipleship, spiritual formation and community impact outside the walls of the church. Today, Kelly and Terrence talk about his new book SignifiCan't. Guys, head over to amazon and grab his book. It is really powerful and encouraging. Today we are talking about forgiveness, two stories that shaped his understanding of generous giving, and communal repentance. I can't wait for you to hear this conversation so let's get to it!

Kelly talks with the amazing Alli Worthington. Alli is the author of Standing Strong, The Year of Living Happy, Fierce Faith, and Breaking Busy. She is a speaker, podcaster, and business coach. Her goal is to help women reach the next level. Alli founded The Coach School and has helped individuals, small business owners, and Fortune 500 companies reach new levels of success. Alli's no-nonsense, guilt-free take on business, family, and balance led to appearances on The Today Show and Good Morning America. Today, Kelly and Alli discuss Alli's new book, Standing Strong: A Woman's Guide to Overcoming Adversity and Living with Confidence. Alli offers incredible insight on how to overcome the fear of failure, what it looks like to partner with God to purpose your purpose, navigating new seasons of life, and the importance of taking care of yourself.

Kelly talks with Blair Linne, a critically acclaimed spoken word artist, writer, actress, and Bible teacher. Blair discusses her book, Finding My Father: How the Gospel Heals the Pain of Fatherlessness. Blair's moving story of how discovering her Heavenly Father healed her, reshaped her identity, and inspired her to build a different kind of legacy for her own family. Whether your father was present or absent, loving or the opposite, Blair's personal story and vulnerability is inspiring to pursue healing, and calls the family of Christ to practice hospitality which is an opportunity to show God's love and comfort to others.

Local therapist, Sara Semenick and Channing Palazzo, join Kelly on the show today! We are looking back at 2021 - celebrating highlights, honoring moments where we thrived, and addressing the challenges of a very hard year. Then, we are walking into 2022 together - we are talking about what we are leaving behind as we enter a new year and what we hope this year will bring. Sara and Channing offer incredible guidance on how they navigated difficult times, and celebration restorative moments.

Kelly talks with Country Music singer and American Idol alum, Lauren Alaina. Lauren talks about her new book, Getting Good at Being You, her time on American Idol, journey of self discovery, and the role faith plays in her life.

Kelly speaks with Dr. Gregory Jantz, author of So Much to Live for and The Anxiety Reset. He addresses the significant increase of depression, anxiety, and suicide and how we can find help and hope for mental health issues.

Kelly talks with Rev. Dr. Lisa Stephenson about women in church leadership within Pentecostalism. Dr. Stephenson is an ordained minister in the Church of God (Cleveland, TN) and Professor of Systematic Theology at Lee University. She has published various essays in edited volumes and journals, as well as a monograph with Brill entitled Dismantling the Dualisms for American Pentecostal Women in Ministry: A Feminist-Pneumatological Approach, which won the 2013 Pneuma Book Award.

Kelly discusses the roles of women in the Bible. She examines Deborah, Huldah, Junia, Phoebe, and Priscilla, and how understanding the roles these women played in God's kingdom can inform church leadership roles today.

Kelly starts a new series discussing the role of women in church leadership. Today, Kelly examines scripture, the creation of women in Genesis, and the lesser known names and attributes of God.

Kelly speaks with Isaac Etter, an activist and social entrepreneur. Isaac was transracially adopted at the age of two. He recently founded Identity a startup focused on providing accessible, diverse, and ethical adoption and foster care education. Isaac also co-founded an education and advocacy organization, SafeHouse Lancaster, where he was the co-executive director. SafeHouse Lancaster merged with YWCA Lancaster in July of 2021 and Isaac went to found Identity. Isaac also serves on the board of directors for The Keystone Business Alliance and CHI St Joseph Children's Health. They are also a frequent speaker in many different settings, including colleges, adoption agencies, and conferences. Isaac has used his story of being adopted and growing up in a white world to curate deep conversations about race in America. With his unique insight on racial tensions between the white and black communities, they have been able to curate impactful conversations where everyone learns to value each other and their experience, while learning about systemic racism, privilege and their role in it.

Kelly talks about how foster and adoptive parents can cultivate an environment that affirms your child's ownership of their story. She discusses practical tips on how to do this, questions we should ask before sharing our child's story, and how we can course correct if we have overshared.

Kelly Hamilton discusses the importance of listening to the voices of adoptees, specifically taking time to read adoptee's stories. It is an opportunity for foster and adoptive parents to practice listening, validates their experience, and hopefully challenges us to learn how to parent better. Kelly also takes time to address the problematic question, "Are they angry?" which is often asked by foster and adoptive parents.

Host Kelly Hamilton launches Season 3 and discusses why Let's Get To It focuses on faith, family, and friendship.

Kelly shares how Season 2 guests helped her through this difficult season of loss and transition. She also shares insights from Psalm 23 and how her porch swing helped cope with this difficult season.

Kelly talks with Kat Armstrong, author of The In-Between Place and co-founder of The Polished Network. Kat shares her book and the story of her own in-between place of losing her father to suicide. Kat discusses how using imaginative prayer and bringing Jesus into that situation gave her comfort and hope, and how we can do the same. Kat also discusses the woman at the well (John 4) and her in-between place. She points out how Jesus sits with us in the hard places, desires to hear our story and acknowledges our trauma, entrusts us with truth, and empowers women to proclaim the good news of God's redemption.

Kelly talks with Melody Winderweedle about women serving as pastors, Melody's role as Co-Pastor of a beautiful community in Chattanooga, TN, and deconstructing faith. So many people struggle with accepting their God-given talents and gifts, and are fearful to live in the space we were created to reside in. Melody and I talk about this struggle and moving forward to accept who God created us to be and thrive in the space we reside. We also talk about deconstructing faith. Many are in the process of deconstructing theology and beliefs about God, seeking to discern if these beliefs are true, right, and actually align with scripture. Melody encourages her church community to embrace the questions and walk through this process. She also offers advice to church leaders pastoring those currently going through a time of deconstruction. Melody Winderweedle is the Co-Lead Pastor of Ekklesia Vineyard with her husband Bud. They have three children. Melody is passionate about encouraging and empowering women in their vocation. In her free time, she enjoys being out in nature hiking or on her paddle board. You can follow her on Instagram and Twitter @mellywind

Kelly talks with Jen Pollock Michel about her new book, A Habit Called Faith. They discuss how faith can begin with as simple a habit as curiosity, how the books of Deuteronomy and the Gospel of John challenged Jen's faith, and how we as Christians can create an environment that welcomes and encourages questions and doubt.

Kelly talks with Anna Blake about her story and the legacy of hospitality passed on from her parents. We discuss how her upbringing shaped her worldview and adult career and ministry, her unique and empowering view of leadership, and the inspiring programs making a difference in kids' lives today. Anna has served vulnerable children and families in Texas for almost 20 years. She has held various roles in child welfare from Case Manager, Faith-Based Recruiter, Regional Director to Program Administrator.  She currently serves as the Director of Faith Based & Community Engagement for the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.

Kelly talks with Janell Rardon, author of Stronger Every Day: 9 Tools for an Emotionally Healthy You. They discuss shifting from shame to grace, identifying emotional triggers and how they can work for us and not against us.

Part 2 of Kelly's conversation with Katie Andert and Rachael Pitts. The three of us attended Lee University and graduated in 2002. They have led very different lives since then and are coming together to talk about what we believed then, and what we believe now. Today we discuss women in ministry and politics. Have our beliefs and opinions changed, stayed the same, or are we still working things out?

Kelly talks with Katie Andert and Rachael  Pitts. All three women attended Lee University and graduated in 2002. They have led very different  lives since then and are coming together to talk about what we believed  then, and what we believe now. And we cover it all -  faith,  purity culture, marriage, divorce, women in ministry, and politics.  Have our beliefs and opinions changed, stayed the same, or are we still  working things out? Today, Rachael is currently the director of Propel Women on the campus of Lee University and a supervisor of student teachers at the university. Rachael is married to Jeff and together they have 5 kids and live in Cleveland, TN. You can follow her at jeffandrachaelpitts.com. Katie is a 2nd grade Chicago public school teacher of some of the best city kids you'll ever meet. She lives in the city with her husband, Martin, and my 3-year-old son.

Kelly speaks with Terrence Turman, a pastor and leader in the Louisville area. Terrence and Kelly talk about leading in your sphere of influence. They have an amazing conversation about his faith, leadership, racial reconciliation, and being a foster parent.

Kelly talks to Blaine Hamilton about all things 2020 - our favorite interview moments, favorite memories, books, holiday traditions, and so much more!

Kelly talks with Rachel Setliffe, a single-mom of two beautiful daughters, and a missionary in Scotland. Rachel shares her story of losing her mother to cancer, losing her marriage to infidelity, and in the midst of all of this - learning how to shine and loving her story.

Jason & Patience Linton talk with Kelly about how their beautiful family was created, navigating the world as an inter-racial family, racial injustice, and faith.

My guest today is Laura Morris. We all experience hurt in life. It's inevitable. But, how to do truly heal from hurt? And how do we process a hurt when the root cause is something that is supposed to be joyful in life? I invite you to listen to Laura's story of healing. How she needed God, needed others, and needed change in order to process through the hurt and come out the other side.

Kelly talks to Timalyn Bowens & Amanda McMonigle about Race & Faith. Timalyn & Amanda are co-facilitators of the Louisville chapter of Be The Bridge, a non-profit organization whose goal is to create healthy dialogue about race in the United States.

Kelly interviews Brittany Turman about discovering our God-breathed dreams and racial reconciliation.

Samantha is a professor of Elementary Education at the University of Louisville. She and her husband, Tyler, have three children. Today we are talking about pursuing values that reflect our identity as God's beloved. Samantha also opens up about her struggle with anxiety, an issue many of us deal with today.

Brittany and her husband, Bennett, are successful realtors in the Louisville area and are parents to 5 beautiful children. Today we are going to talk about finding our identity in who we are rather than what we do, and living in a way that nurtures our true identity.

Welcome to the podcast! Listen in as Kelly introduces the Let's Get To It podcast, a space to hear from women from all walks of life about faith, family, and friendship.