The Honestly Podcast

Summary: One of our favorite parts of the holiday season is thinking back on the year! Reflection is a crucial part to growth, celebration, and goal setting. We hope you take time to talk with those you love about all you've learned and experienced this year! Mentioned This Episode: -Check out this guide for reflection and goal setting: -Elle's word for the year was “patience”. She learned about engaging with the slow process of growth! -Laura's word for the year was “appreciation”. She felt a deeper desire and willingness to love and serve her husband. -Looking forward to 2020, Laura is hoping for intentionality with her family and Elle is hoping for rhythm and routine.

Is there anything more magical than Christmas music playing while it snows outside and you hang Christmas lights? If you're looking to update your Christmas selection, look no further! Top Christmas Albums 12. Cee Lo's Magic Moment 11. Michael Smith's Christmastime 10. Penny and Sparrow's Christmas Songs 9. Mannheim Steamroller's Christmas Album (Check out this amazing light show at 913 E Evergreen Street in Wheaton, IL. They're raising money for Muscular Dystrophy!) 8. John Legend's A Legendary Christmas 7. Dave Barnes' A Very Merry Christmas Dave's Funny Christmas Video 6. Bing Crosby's The Best of Christmas 5. Glee's The Christmas Album 4. Michael Buble's Christmas 3. Justin Bieber's Under the Mistletoe Taylor Flash Mob 2. Charlie Brown Christmas, Vince Guaraldi Trio 1. Amy Grant's A Christmas Album

Summary: Who doesn't love a good Christmas movie?! Don't miss out on this full list of movies we love! Mentioned This Episode: Movies We Love: The Grinch, Family Stone, Four Christmases, The Holiday, The Christmas Calendar, The Princess Switch. Coming Soon: Last Christmas, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Frozen 2, The Knight Before Christmas, Listener Faves: Home Alone, Miracle on 34th Street, It's a Wonderful Life, Die Hard, Santa Clause, I'll Be Home for Christmas, Sleepless in Seattle, Little Women, The Muppets, Rudolph, Polar Express, Christmas Vacation. Happy movie watching!

Summary: Everyone is telling you what to buy--we thought we'd tell you what NOT to buy! Listen in to get helpful do's and don't's! Mentioned This Episode: -Gift ideas: subscriptions (cheese of the month?! Magazines), meaningful maps or menus framed! -DON'T: Unmentionables, squatty potties, specific decorations. -DO: Get rid of annoying pets, chocolate, fruit of the month, gift cards to great stores, a night of babysitting for a friend.

Summary: While the holidays bring lots of cheer, sometimes the difficult parts of life feel magnified in these moments. The pain of losing a loved one, the tricky feelings of comparison, or even the struggle of family dynamics all play a role in the holiday season. Elle and Laura encourage listeners to engage with these difficult topics and to be the type of friend that allows for both joy and pain. Praying you all have a meaningful Thanksgivings and feel deep gratitude for who God was, is, and has been to you. And of course, We're grateful for YOU! Thanks for listening each week.

Summary: There's no time like the holidays to lean in to tradition! Whether it's pumpkin pies with homemade whipped cream, new holiday ornaments each year, or a fresh pair of Christmas jammies on Christmas Eve, we think cultivating traditions in with your family and friends is an important part of the season. Elle and Laura talk about their own experiences with tradition,what color Christmas lights they use, favorite Christmas cookies, and everything in between! Let's Be Honest: Sometimes you need conversation starters around the Holidays! We highly recommend diving into the Enneagram with your relatives. It will make for lively conversation that will hopefully help you get to know each other better! We recommend checking out The Road Back to You by Ian Morgan Cron or The Sacred Enneagram by Chris Heuertz. And seriously-someone print out a test for all their relatives and let us know how it goes. Mentioned This Episode: Favorite Christmas Traditions: Laura-Chinese food on Christmas or Christmas Eve! Elle-Buying her kids classic novels every year with a letter on the inside of the book cover. Favorite Thanksgiving Food: Elle-Homemade noodles (ask Elle if you need a recipe!) Laura-Stuffing and Rolls! Favorite Thanksgiving Tradition: Laura: The Armstrongs cook their turkey a different way every year. This year they're trying a sous vide approach! Elle: Playing the “thankful game” or using corn kernels to think of what everyone around the table is thankful for. Favorite Christmas Cookie: Elle: Hershey's kiss peanut butter cookies and her mom's delicious seven layer Christmas bars! Laura: Gingersnaps, Snickerdoodles, sugar cookies with Christmas decorations! Favorite Christmas Tradition: Elle: Christmas Eve drive followed by opening presents! Laura: Picking out Christmas ornaments for her boys.

Summary: What could be more exciting and honest than talking about money in the holiday season?! Elle and Laura encourage listeners to have a spirit of generosity and intentionality this holiday season. They talk about gift giving and receiving, tips for saving, and how to give more thoughtful gifts this year. This is a must-listen before you enter a season that is so revolved around cash money! Let's Be Honest: If you are sick of getting ONE THOUSAND emails every morning full of deals that aren't really deals-you need to try unroll.me! This is a game changer for your everyday inbox. It helps you unsubscribe quickly and organize the ads you do not want to receive. Check it out! Mentioned This Episode: Tips for saving: Use cashback on your credit card to save for Christmas money. Use the app Qapital to save your money throughout the year without having to be overly thoughtful about it. Have a game plan: come up with how much you want to spend before you start brainstorming gifts. Use Aldi! Save on ingredients for the many Christmas foods you'll be making!

Summary: It's the holiday season! And with the seasons comes all sorts of opportunities and challenges. This week, Elle and Laura talk about gratitude. The often talked about but rarely practiced word that constantly circles the holidays. They talk about the peace and contentment practicing gratitude brings, along with the feelings of greed, envy, and arrogance that undermine gratitude. They suggest different ways to practice gratitude like setting reminders on your phone, speaking it outloud rather than keeping it in your head, and looking at people as image bearers of Jesus. This episode is a must as you enter your seasons of giving thanks! Let's Be Honest: The wonderful, but slightly crazy, Laura just finished Whole30, and here's her advice. Don't do Whole 30! BUT, if you do, break the 30 days with a delicious Ghiradelli chocolate square. She recommends mint, and Elle recommends raspberry! Here's to a season of eating! Mentioned This Episode: Happy 5th of November. Elle and Laura talk about the famous phrase from the movie V for Vendetta. Turns out the phrase is from a famous poem called (believe it or not) "The Fifth of November" which refers to Guy Fawkes' now infamous plan to blow up London's Houses of Parliament on November 5th, 1605. Now ya know! Two verses Elle and Laura reference are Psalm107:8-9 and Colossians 3:17. Living Honestly: Check out The Honestly Podcast instagram this week for gratitude prompts! Take time to think each day about what makes you grateful!

Summary: Waiting is an inescapable part of life. Laura and Elle talk about the disappointments we face in the midst of waiting. Whether you're waiting for that perfect job, a best friend, or answers to life's toughest questions—God speaks to your waiting. Elle and Laura talk about their own seasons of waiting and how God met them time and time again. Let's Be Honest: -If you're not watching The Great British Baking Show, get on board!! It's the least competitive baking competition that makes you feel happy, hungry, and will almost definitely make you talk in a British accent. Mentioned This Episode: -Laura is doing Whole30. Just saying. -The Craig Groeschel podcast. This is a MUST listen. In this episode he interviews Rich Froning Jr. (an incredible CrossFit athlete) about what it takes to be the best in your field. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/63-q-a-with-crossfit-champion-rich-froning/id1070649025?i=1000453782002 -

Summary: This week Elle and Laura welcomed on their favorite people in the world: their husbands! Mark Wilkerson and Grant Armstrong graced the podcast with lots of wisdom and even more laughter. You won't want to miss this episode where both couples share honestly about difficult seasons in their own marriages, expectations they brought in to marriage, and how they've grown to love and appreciate each other's quirks and giftings. Let's Be Honest: Grant and Mark poke fun at the large amount of time this wonderful podcast takes! They tease Elle and Laura about being off on their expectations of time requirements, but also encourage listeners to make space for their significant others to pursue things that matter to them.

Summary: Friendships can be one of the sweetest parts of life. But often they bring up difficult disappointments and tensions that we don't always know how to navigate. Laura and Elle talk about their own relationship with disappointment, friendships that have needed mending in the past, and what the Bible tells us about our unmet expectations. If you are a friend or want a friend, this is an episode you won't want to miss! Let's Be Honest: Get yo-self some cozy pants for the coziest time of year. Laura LOVES her new sweat pants from Amazon. Cheap and comfy and all you could ask for in a pair of pants. Find them here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GGM66XV/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Living Honestly: Take time this week to thank a friend for all they give you. And then make space to do the difficult task of asking a friend for something! It's worth it!

Summary: It's the most wonderful time of the year! FALL! Join Elle and Laura as they talk all things fall: from cozy sweaters to apple picking and all the fall things in between! Listen in to get inspired and excited about this beautiful season of change and beauty! Mentioned This Episode: “The life starts all over when it gets crisp in the fall”. Fall must do's: -Chicago residents check out Edwards Orchard https://edwardsappleorchard.business.site -Pumpkin Pasta: https://www.blessthismessplease.com/sausage-and-pumpkin-pasta/ -Gratitude List -Cider competition -Get your pictures taken (with Laura if you're smart! lauraarmstrongphotography.com) Must dont's: -Stay away from the creepy things. -Bonfire candle by Nature Wick Let's Be Honest: Elle and Laura love the book The Woman in the Window by AJ Finn! It's a great psychological thriller. Living Honestly: -Write out some things you've been grateful for this fall so far. Going forward, make this a season of gratitude. Be intentional about thanking God for all he's given you.

Summary: Organizing life is the never-ending, often overwhelming task of trying to make life doable! Listen in as Laura and Elle talk about their own strengths and weaknesses when it comes to organization and share their experiences with making life work! Mentioned This Episode: -Look into the Meyers Briggs test! personalityhacker.com is an amazing resource! -Elle can't live without her Plum Paper calendar! https://www.plumpaper.com/shop/category/personalized-planners -Try using the daily five for kids! Trace their hand and write five things they accomplish each morning before getting their vitamins! -Laura swears by the Marie Kondo method for folding clothes! Her book is a must: The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up. -Emily Ley's book, A Simplified Life, provides extremely practical tips and tricks for organizing your life. She focuses on simplifying rather than just organizing and making more space in your life for what matters. -Come up with simple solutions for cluttered spaces: make bins or baskets for different items. The bins can be less tidy, but they'll clean up quickly! Let's Be Honest: -The weather is getting colder and it's time to cozy up the house with an amazing Hearth&Hand fall candle line! Can't get much better than Joanna Gaines bringing life and delicious scents to your home! (Sold at Target!) Listener Tips: -ShopShop is an amazing app that lets you make multiple lists at multiple stores but house them all in one place! -Try the bullet journal. Keep a running list of things to do daily, both big tasks and small. Use it to take notes and jot down memorable things about your day. -Keep your cleaning products where you actually need them! It makes you more willing to clean when tools are on hand! -Set up reminders on your phone! Do it instantaneously so you won't forget later! -Come up with certain days for certain events! This family has Friday fun days! It gives everyone something to look forward to. -Go through a certain room of your house or a certain category on a monthly basis. See what you actually use and love, and if you're done with it let it go! You can sell items online, donate to good will, or give them to a friend!

Summary: Three times a day, we're forced to think about meals! Getting food on the table can truly become a mundane task. Elle and Laura talk about their own struggles and strengths within cooking and remind listeners of the sacred nature of food. You want to miss the tips and tricks to making mealtime less maddening and Elle and Laura's own hilarious mealtime routines. Mentioned This Episode: Ree Drummond cookbooks taught Laura how to cook! https://thepioneerwoman.com/my_cookbook/ Nothing better than the Magnolia Cookbook! https://shop.magnolia.com/products/magnolia-table-cookbook Ina Garten cookbooks http://barefootcontessa.com/cookbooks Breakfast Hacks: Try making a routine for different days. The Wilkersons always have cinnamon rolls on Tuesday mornings! Make breakfast casseroles for delicious meals all week! Lunch Hacks: Laura uses Uber Eats as her lunch hack! Buy the same thing for lunch every day! Snack Hacks: Banana, peanut butter, and a chocolate chip on top! Use coffee filters for snack cups. Try the Boom-Chicka-Pop kettle corn. Dinner Hacks: Make different categories for different nights: Italian on Monday, Mexican on Wednesdays, homemade pizza on Fridays! Let's Be Honest: Enjoy the last days of summer by going on a bike ride with your friends and family! Elle got a new bike this year and it was a game changer. Check out these cute bikes! https://www.sixthreezero.com Listener Tips: -Store leftovers in individual sized containers! -Do meal prep in the morning or other times when you're more fresh. Chip away at the meals throughout the week so you're more prepared when dinner time rolls around. -Buy time savers! Try pre-grated cheese, rotisserie chicken, packaged cornbread mix! (Check out themommymentor.net for an amazing blogpost of mealtime prep!) -Label your fridge! It make the fridge less chaotic, gets everyone in the house same page about where food goes back and eliminate food waste! -Try making chia seed pudding! Start with chia seed, add almond milk, and let soak. Dress it up with fruit, coconut flakes, and honey! -Do food prep during nap time! -Chicken curry tacos! Throw chicken, onions, carrots, potatoes, and coconut curry in a crockpot. Shred the chicken and throw it with hummus and spinach on tortillas! -Have your kids play restaurant! It gets everyone involved in a fun way and lets mom have the night off! -Grill all your vegetables and chicken with olive oil! -Try making grilled cheese with mayo!

Summary: One of the “messier” tasks in life is taking care of our bodies! Today Elle and Laura talk about not only tips and tricks when it comes to skin care, hair care, and beyond, but they also remind listeners of the unique and beautiful and specific ways that God made each of us! Once again, listeners submit incredibly helpful tips that you won't want to miss! Mentioned This Episode: Elle's first make up book that taught her everything she knows: https://www.amazon.com/Bobbi-Brown-Teenage-Beauty-Everything/dp/0060957247 Laura's go to skin care routine: http://www.jamiebgolden.com/2019/05/10-step-skincare-routine.html Don't laugh….but check out the Tinkle Razor! https://www.tinkleyourface.com/ Elle's go to product: Bobbi Brown illuminating bronzer! Laura's go to product: Eyebrow pencils! Her fave is Benefit Goof Proof Brow Body Wash: Love, Beauty, and Planet bar soap. Try Lavender! Lotion: Sleepy by Lush FaceWash: Milky Jelly by Glossier, Skinny Coconut Oil for make up remover, Micellar Water Eye Remover Make up Product: Nars concealer, Tarte mascara Hair Products: Kristin Ess Dry Scalp Exfoliator, DryBar Dry Shampoo Perfume: Glossier, Ariana Grande Let's Be Honest: Save the date for the new Stars Wars movie! The Rise of Starwalker comes out December 20! Listener Tips: Use African Shea Butter (order in bulk off Amazon) as a moisturizer! Put concealer under your eyes and over your eyelids to make it look natural and still light and bright! Use a wooden hairbrush-it grabs the oil at the roots and adds a nice shine to your hair without any unnatural products! Heat up your eyelash curler when curling your eyelashes! Use coconut oil instead of lotion-nothing fancy needed!

Summary: Everyday we make a million choices around our homes. Do I pick up those clothes or just leave them there for a few more hours? Should I start laundry or wait until I have a free five hours to complete the whole process? Tidy up the junk drawer or let it live in it's junky glory? Taking care of your home is one of the biggest areas of “mundane” in our lives. Elle and Laura help listeners think through the meaning and purpose behind these simple tasks and give tons of helpful tips from listeners about making the mundane a little less brutal! Mentioned This Episode: Playground Study: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8O8hHYIMHu0 Hygge (defined as a quality of coziness and comfortable conviviality!) If you don't know about “hygge” yet read The Little Book of Hygge. https://www.amazon.com/Little-Book-Hygge-Danish-Secrets/dp/0062658808 Best Vacuum Ever: https://www.amazon.com/Miele-Dynamic-Upright-Vacuum-Lotus/dp/B00S1AGLY0 Laura swears by OxiClean! Get your whites whiter and keep your colors colorful! https://www.oxiclean.com/en Throw white vinegar in with a load laundry if you're worried about smells! Emily Ley's expert tip is to do a load of laundry every morning. Makes everything shorter and hopefully sweeter. Try out gloves when you do dishes! Elle tries to live by the phase: “A place for everything. Everything in its place.” Let's Be Honest: Check out Grove Collective! Elle tried it one month and got wonderfully, insane discounts the first time you try it! Try it for a month and keep it going OR cancel your subscription! Such fun and cute products for an outrageously awesome price. https://www.grove.co/home Listener Tips: Keep a handheld vacuum underneath your kitchen sink for quick access to kitchen crumbs (especially for the stovetop!). Immediately dump fresh laundry on your bed, so you have to put it away before bed that night. Never do more laundry in a day then you're willing to put away. Keeps the laundry process to under a day! Make your bed! Buy a legit garage can with bags that fit and get new bags delivered from Amazon regularly! Bags in the can are a game changer. Use a razor on furniture and bed sheets. Run it across the fabric to get off pills without tearing or scratching the fabric! Go through different rooms of your house regularly and purge items that you don't use or need. Do small area of your home every month, so it's never overwhelming! Dr. Bronner's pure castille soap is an amazing, chemical-free cleaner. It's affordable and goes a long way! Use it in bathrooms, kitchen, and floors! Make laundry into a game-pick fun music and enjoy the activity more!

Summary: Everyone's days are determined by many conscious and subconscious habits. Why do hit the alarm seven times before waking up? Why do we skip breakfast again in hopes hitting up the Starbucks drive through again? Why can't we seem to get a handle of those little habits that nag us? Elle and Laura dive into the courageous task of changing your habits. Habits often go hand in hand with our identity, and making time and space to make and break habits is a process that requires determination. Listen as Elle and Laura dive into tips on changing your habits, share their own strengths and weaknesses, and encourage listeners to lean into habits that will make life more joy filled! Let's Be Honest: Laura shares her latest love of reusable straws! Help save the environment one super cute straw at a time. http://nymag.com/strategist/article/best-reusable-straws.html Living Honestly: Try out the two minute trick! Start tomorrow by implementing a habit that will only take two minutes. Do 10 sit ups. Drink a cup of water. Lay in bed for two minutes before looking at your phone. Make a call instead of sending a text. Make two minutes of space in your day tomorrow to start something new! Mentioned This Episode: Atomic Habits by James Clear. We couldn't recommend this book more highly! The Magnolia Journal manifesto: “We believe in home, that it should restore us from today and ready us for tomorrow.”

Summary: Starting something new takes an unreal amount of courage. Whether it's a financial risk, asking people for help, or getting vulnerable enough to get passionate about the many needs around us, we believe that taking that risk is worth it! Join Elle and Laura as they discuss why living a courageous life matters, and stay tuned for an amazing interview with Kristine Cramer, missionary, mom of 4, and most recently owner of Seasons Pogradec, an American bakery in Albania! You won't want to miss this! Living Honestly: What's a dream that combines your passions and opportunities? What has God put on your heart that needs attention and space to grow? Give yourself permission to dream for a few minutes each day about what “something new” God might be calling you to. Mentioned This Episode: Our church's caregiving center: http://gebible.org/serve/caregiving-center/ Amazing (and healthy) food instagram: https://www.instagram.com/happyhealthytable/ Check out all things Kristine Cramer! Bakery Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seasons.pogradec/ Kristine and Cory's missions organization: thrivemissions.org This woman is an inspiration! Check out all the incredible things they are doing in Albania.

Summary: Elle and Laura dive into the wonderful world of mentorship! They reminisce about their own experiences with mentoring, think through what makes a great mentor, and encourage listeners to find a balance of receiving and giving. Let's Be Honest: Get yourself some overalls for a truly cute and comfortable life. Try out this pair Elle's been rockin all summer: https://www.urbanoutfitters.com/shop/levis-vintage-denim-shortall-overall-short-and-sweet?category=overalls-for-women&color=092&type=REGULAR Living Honestly: Find time in the next couple weeks to spend time with someone in a different life stage than you. Make space to give and receive with this person. Resources: Try this amazing enchilada recipe at your next dinner party! https://www.pinterest.com/pin/17240411061656775/ Here are some questions to take your conversation deeper: 1. Have you ever had a season of waiting? 2. What was it like to wait? Did you feel angry? sad? disengaged? 3. How will you wait differently in your next season of waiting?

Honestly: The Courage to Initiate Summary: Elle and Laura dive into one of their favorite topics: making friends and community! They talk about their own passions and insecurities when making new friends, go to meals for dinner parties, and the importance of community during hard seasons. Let's Be Honest: Take a page out of Laura's book and go on a couples pedicure date! Grab your spouse or your best friend and get relaxing at the pedicure chair (just make sure you switch it off the setting that makes you shake!). Living Honestly: Make plans to initiate with someone this fall! Maybe it's a dinner party, a brunch date, or a playdate at the park. Whatever it is, think about how you can take the relationship deeper and make an effort to reach out! Resources: Here are a few questions to get your conversation deeper! 1. What's something you've always dreamed about doing? 2. What keeps you from pursuing your dream? Fear? Insecurity? 3. How could I encourage you to put your dream into action this year? Easy and yummy recipe: https://www.afamilyfeast.com/sweet-corn-soup/

Because of our hope in Jesus, we have the freedom to find joy and laughter even in the most difficult of circumstances. Join Elle and Laura as we discuss this freedom and hear from Elle's sister-in-law, Ellen, about her own story of finding Jesus in the midst of grief and suffering. This episode is unique, and we hope you'll enjoy a change of pace.

Summary: Elle and Laura explore the many nuances of failure: why we fear failure, how we avoid it, and what often results when we let failure run its course. Mentioned this episode: The Great Alone, by Kristin Hannah (Laura's favorite book). Let's Be Honest: Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser! This is THE BEST face wash. Check it out! https://www.glossier.com/products/milky-jelly-cleanser Living Honestly: Say a dream of yours OUT LOUD to a close friend or family member!

Relationships need laughter to thrive! Especially those of the romantic persuasion. So, join Elle and Laura as they talk laughter in relationships with author and speaker, Shelly Wildman. Shelly is from Wheaton, IL, and has written a parenting book “First Ask Why: Raising to Love God through Intentional Discipleship” and we highly recommend checking it out! She shares about her 34 years of marriage to Brian and all the many laughs they've had along the way. We think you'll enjoy it! Let's Be Honest: Remembering things is hard. But writing things down helps. Especially on shared calendars like COZI (https://www.cozi.com/) Or hey—Bullet journaling is a super cool way to keep your brain straight. We got this, people!

Summary: Elle and Laura dive in to the power of laughter. They chat about why laughter matters, what makes them laugh, things they have to laugh at in their own lives, and do a quick round of hot seat just for fun! Let's Be Honest: Blue Light Blocking Glasses! Save your eyes when you're using screens. Find cute but cheap pairs here: https://www.amazon.com/TIJN-Blocking-Glasses-Eyeglasses-Computer/dp/B07DRHG6MY/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=blue+light+blocking+glasses&qid=1562613351&s=gateway&sr=8-4 . Or a pricier pair here: https://www.mvmtwatches.com/collections/womens-glasses? Living Honestly: Watch this Tripp and Tyler video!!! You WILL crack up. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPY4yOmNw7w Mentioned This Episode: Sebastian Manascalco (check out his Netflix special!!) is one of our favorite comedians.

Elle and Laura explore what getting honest with God looks like. They discuss seasons in their own lives where they've experienced intimacy with the Lord, moments where honesty doesn't feel easy or natural, and practical ideas to spend time with God. Let's Be Honest: Drinking water is hard! You know what helps?! Cute water bottles. Check out Target for the Ello Hydration water bottle. Super cute and helps the water drinking! Living Honestly: We encouraged listeners to speak out a lie that they believe about themselves and how God responds to that lie with truth in Scripture. Don't forget who he says you are! Mentioned in this Episode: -The Enemy Within by Kris Lundgaard -The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown

Elle and Laura discuss the important of being honest with yourself in a way that fosters growth, humility, and compassion toward others. Let's be Honest: We all need good skincare and Dr. Jart's face masks are BOMB. Pick them up at Sephora or Amazon! Living Honestly: What's something you hate to admit you love or need? And tell a friend!

Summary Join Elle and Laura as they explore what it means to be real online. They'll talk about developing a philosophy for social media use, setting up helpful boundaries, and balancing the glamour of social media with the mess of real life. They get honest about their own struggles with social media platforms and offer advice about how to create an online life that is authentic! Let's Be Honest Trader Joe's ice cream sandwiches make bedtime dessert a delicious breeze! Snag four sandwiches for under $5 at your local TJ's. https://www.bakeat350.net/2016/05/trader-joes-sublime-ice-cream-sandwiches.html Living Honestly Think about your philosophy of social media use. Why do you do what you do? Does it fit who you are in real life? Second, set up boundaries if you need them. Set those time limits, throw a passcode on, delete people you follow if you need to. Think about what brings you life and go from there. Last, don't forget that real people have real problems that don't often show up on social media. Don't forget to bring a lens of compassion to those you interact with online!

This week E&L dive into the first week of our “Being Real” series. We discuss the dynamics of face to face relationships. They talk about why being real matters, the challenges of making deep friendships as an adult, and markers of true, deep friendship.  Let's Be Honest: Good days start with good coffee! Check out Kindred Coffee Roasters for amazing coffee, mind blowing muffins, and a perfect space for coffee dates, an afternoon out with kids, or a space to work. You won't be disappointed! https://kindredcoffeeroasters.com/  Living Honestly: This week, take the time to give life to a friend. Whether it's dropping coffee off on her front porch, helping fold laundry, or writing a note of encouragement, pause and make a friend's life a little brighter today!

Welcome to The Honestly Podcast! Here we talk the beauty of being real, the freedom to laugh at yourself and the courage to initiate in your own communities. We are just two friends who love talking life. Our hope is that this podcast encourages you to be honest in your own life and to build relationships that point you to Jesus! In today's episode, we'll introduce your hosts, Elle and Laura, and the why behind this podcasting endeavor. It's bound to be a good time, friends.

Welcome to The Honestly Podcast!