Podcast appearances and mentions of alexandra kuykendall

Alexandra Kuykendall considers herself a “kitchen anthropologist.” Discover how we find what we're looking for, in this confusing world full of bad news, scary circumstances and uncontrollable situations – and you can choose to wallow in the difficulties or seek God's goodness through it all.

Let's get ahead of the holiday season this year rather than feeling stressed all the way through it. We want to enjoy Thanksgiving and Christmas as much as the people around us! In this episode, we share five practical and helpful tips for navigating the Christmas season with joy and intention. We dive into the importance of embracing the true meaning of Christmas while managing the chaos that often accompanies the holidays. Join us as we discuss setting boundaries, effective communication, meal prep strategies, decorating tips, and the significance of maintaining a positive mindset throughout the festive season. Join us holiday magic makers! SOME THINGS YOU HEARD ON THE SHOW Amish Cinnamon Rolls Holiday 3 Ring Binder Definition of Metacognition: awareness and understanding of one's own thought processes. Colossians 3:12-15 QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU RISE Are there boundaries you need to set for this holiday season? Who do you need to communicate with around plans, how can you communicate with them today? What cooking can you do now to save time in the heavy Christmas weeks? Is there a mindset change you need to make about how you're going to think about coming events, how can you decide now to think differently? LET'S CONNECT! Did you like this episode? Let us know and leave a review on itunes or share it with a friend. Or message us on Instagram – we'd love to hear from you! Get the Daily Dozen Checklist -12 habits that will immediately make you happier and healthier

The final episode in our ELECTION READY series, today Krista Gilbert is interviewing Alexandra Kuykendall about how we love our neighbor in the midst of an election season. Seeking out goodness when life is great is easy, but when we have political disagreements or challenges that come our way, this is when it becomes really hard. In today's episode, Alex explores how to maintain a positive outlook, the role of prayer, and the significance of self-awareness and emotional regulation. She also emphasizes the need for intentionality in finding goodness in others and the importance of loving neighbors, regardless of political differences. We can feel so helpless when it comes to election season. This is one thing we can control: focusing on God's goodness and drawing close to others as a result. Listen in and be encouraged! QUESTION TO HELP YOU RISE Who has seen the best in you and made you feel loved, and what did they do to make you feel that way, and how can you mirror those behaviors? What is one thing you can pre-decide about how you want to have election related conversations or just political conversation? How can you pray for the presidential candidates that we have this year and local leaders? Who is one neighbor you can care for this month? In what area do you mostly need a reframe to seek out goodness? A FEW THINGS MENTIONED Episode 299 Original Episode on Seeking Out Goodness Philippians 4:8 James 1:27 Colossians 1:16-17 Fruits of the spirit Love joy peace Patience kindness Goodness Faithfulness Gentleness Self-control LET'S CONNECT! Did you like this episode? Let us know and leave a review on itunes or share it with a friend. Or message us on Instagram – we'd love to hear from you! Get the Daily Dozen Checklist -12 habits that will immediately make you happier and healthier

Do you have a college student who could use a care package from home right about now? In this Back to School series we are talking about practical ways to support our teens and young adults, and care packages are a fantastic way to do that. Krisi Monsiviaz is joining us to talk about why college care packages matter, what to put in them, and what the favorite item is every time (according to her kids). Krista Gilbert shares her approach to putting together these boxes of love from home and some of her favorite go-to items. Staying connected to our college students while they are away from home matters. This episode will inspire you to get something in the mail! FIND MORE ABOUT KRISI MONSIVIAZ  Krisi Monsiviaz- Website and Instagram A FEW THINGS MENTIONED -Krista's College Care Package Group Blog Post with pictures and ideas –Silly String –Hand Slap Game -INFO for Families   QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU RISE In thinking about college care packages, what scaffolding can you implement for yourself to make sure they happen this year? Who can you involve in this process with you? Who else can you encourage through a care package this year? Is there another college student who could use some care package love from you? LET'S CONNECT! Did you like this episode? Let us know and leave a review on itunes or share it with a friend. Or message us on Instagram – we'd love to hear from you! Get the Daily Dozen Checklist -12 habits that will immediately make you happier and healthier

Alexandra Kuykendall considers herself a “kitchen anthropologist.” Discover how we find what we're looking for, in this confusing world full of bad news, scary circumstances and uncontrollable situations – and you can choose to wallow in the difficulties or seek God's goodness through it all.

Have you ever felt frustrated by New Year's resolutions? Do you tend to set the same goals over and over with little progress? Today on the podcast hosts Krista Gilbert and Alexandra Kuykendall talk about effective goal setting and what elements need to be addressed in order to make lasting change. They also address common mistakes people make when the calendar turns. Krista, a life and leadership coach, coaches Alex through one of her goals for 2024 in real time. Alex is real, vulnerable, and open as she shares about her goal and what gets in the way of her success in this area. Push play to find out what it is and to witness the effective goal setting process. If you want to make changes that last this year, listen in! DOWNLOAD THE EFFECTIVE GOAL SETTING WORKSHEET   QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU RISE What is the one goal you want to focus on for the next 90 days? What is your deeper why behind that goal? What are your limiting beliefs that come up against this goal? What is a powerful thought you can repeat when the limiting beliefs arise? What is your roadmap to achieve your goal? It is helpful to create systems that set you up for success.

Are you loving your everyday life? Today, Alexandra Kuykendall joins Greg and Erin to talk about her 9-month experiment that helped her learn how to love life more everyday. Plus, newlywed Alex Seeley talks about how he has learned to love his wife better!   Click here to get the book Loving My Actual Life for a gift of any amount!   Want to hear more from Alexandra on her 9-month experiment? Check out her Focus on the Family Broadcast!   The Care Cycle   We'd love to hear from you! Visit our Homepage to leave us a voicemail.

The podcast co-hosts, Krista Gilbert and Alexandra Kuykendall, have been friends for over 30 years. Because of this, they have observed qualities and behaviors in each other that make the other person an especially good friend. Podcast listeners often ask about their friendship, but they've never talked about it at length on the show...until now. Using what they notice in each other as friends, Krista and Alex, are able to talk through what makes a good friend. Some of the things they highlight are personal qualities or character attributes, and some are how those qualities play out practically. Quality friendship is critical to a healthy and thriving life. If other relationships in your life are changing, or if you simply want to be a better friend, focusing in on the kinds of friendships you are working toward can improve your overall health. It is our time to rise and be the kinds of friends we'd like to have. A few things mentioned on the show The Good Life: Lessons From the World's Longest Scientific Study on Happiness Loving My Actual Neighbor: 7 Practices to Treasure the People Right in Front of You The Lives We Actually Have: 100 Blessings for Imperfect Days   Questions for reflection How would you like to be a better friend to others? How can you give a long-term friendship new priority? What practical things can you do to ask better questions? Be a more active listener? How can you be intentional about checking in on a friend's milestones and important moments?

As summer comes to a close we know you are getting back into your fall routines. This likely means you are busier and you still need to make dinner. The problem is what to make? Amiright? Krista and Alex talk through their own pantry staples, what they consider a great weeknight meal, and then ten actual dinner ideas that are healthy, taste good, and most of all SIMPLE! Listen in to get ideas going and find recipe links below. Because dinner should be nourishing for those who eat it and enjoyable for those who make it.

In part two of Rising to Reinvention, Alex and Krista dive right into what keeps us stuck, naming the role of fear in shackling progress. They also give practical tips and tricks to utilize when approaching new or challenging circumstances or situations. As they explore the process of reinvention, they reveal when transformation happens, how long it takes, and what it requires. And who needs to stop overthinking and overanalyzing decisions?  Yeah, they tackle that too.   If you missed part one, be sure to go back and listen. We can all benefit from some reinvention!   SOME THINGS YOU HEARD ON THE SHOW The 12 Week Year Podcast episode with Crystal Woodman Miller Columbine Survivor The Gap and The Gain Dr. Amy Cuddy Power Pose Ted Talk Spokane Pivot (Moth storyslam) “The good work of change happens while we are in motion. It's a process that we go through. Reinvention is a series of small steps that reinvigorates our internal life.” — Krista Gilbert QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU RISE UP – ANSWER THESE IN A JOURNAL OR WITH A FRIEND. In what area is fear making your decision for you? Where are you in “the gap?” How can you shift your thinking to be in “the gain?” What area could you focus on for twelve weeks and who could help you get “in motion?” LET'S CONNECT! CONNECT WITH US ON INSTAGRAM AND BE SURE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER TO STAY IN THE LOOP.  

Special guest Alexandra Kuykendall joins the Our Father Stories podcast to share her simple approach and Godly wisdom to live God's mission in every day life. To learn more, stay tuned to oflc.net to listen to the talk she gave at Our Father and connect with her work visit alexandrakuykendall.com.

Our Time to Rise is a podcast talking about rising to meet life challenges, seasons, opportunities, and changes with strength, courage, optimism, and faith.   Join popular podcast hosts, Krista Gilbert and Alexandra Kuykendall, as they explore stories, topics, practical ideas, and challenges, and unpack what it looks like to rise to the moment.   Subscribe for updates.        

We are kicking off the rebranded podcast, Our Time to Rise, talking about REINVENTION. With change come opportunity. We get to evaluate where we are, where we want to be, and figure out how to move forward with hope, optimism, courage, and faith. This is part one of a two part mini-series on how we reinvent ourselves, what stops us from doing so, and how we overcome obstacles and rise to the moment we are given. You are going to love this topic – dive in with us and let's rise together! SOME THINGS YOU HEARD ON THE SHOW Ken Wytsma podcast interview on Create vs. Copy Isaiah 43:19: "See I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?  I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland."   From Psychology Today: On Women and Anger Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller Dr. Sasha Shillcut interview on boundaries “We undertake all things as if we were establishing immortality for ourselves on earth. If we see a dead body, we may philosophize briefly about the fleeting nature of life, but the moment we turn away from the sight the thought of our own perpetuity remains fixed in our minds. Death is an abstraction to us, something technically true but unimaginable as a personal reality.” 16th-century Protestant theologian, John Calvin Questions to Help Us RISE UP (answer these in a journal or with a friend) Do an evaluation: where are you? your age, your situation, your stage, your marital status, your job, your kids, your general well being? How do you feel about where you are? Is this where you want to be? In what area do you want to move off autopilot and do something differently? What is that area? How can you get uncomfortable and get in a new space? Where are you overwhelmed by your reinvention and how can you pick one thing to focus on for 90 days. CONNECT WITH US ON INSTAGRAM AND BE SURE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER TO STAY IN THE LOOP.

You may dread the hustle and bustle of the holiday season…but you can find hope, love, joy, and peace in the midst of the craziness! Alexandra Kuykendall explains how she intentionally explored the themes of Advent, leading up to Christmas.

You may dread the hustle and bustle of the holiday season…but you can find hope, love, joy, and peace in the midst of the craziness! Alexandra Kuykendall explains how she intentionally explored the themes of Advent, leading up to Christmas.

For most of us, the Christmas season brings about stress, comparison, and, generally, a lack of time and/or money. But is that how we should be approaching it? Should we really be experiencing Christmas this way? On this week's episode of indoubt, Alexandra Kuykendall joins us to discuss what it means to love Christmas in the context of our actual lives. So often we immediately expect to be stressed out during the holidays because that what we've learned to expect. But Isaac and Alexandra encourage us to step outside of our expectations and learn to love our Christmas season, no matter what moment of life we're in.

True confession:  This is about the exact week when I typically find myself morphing from the happy, care-free, "I love Christmas everything!!!!" Mom, to the stressed out, feeling behind, "I just want to get Christmas over with" Mom.  Yep.  Anyone with me?  As much as I love (truly, adore!) this season, I have learned that Christmas can bring up all kinds of hard emotions and dashed expectations, leaving us moms weary and worn. If you relate to this a little or a lot, today's episode (a replay from 2020) is for you. Alexandra Kuykendall joins us today with such a refreshing, endearing message about Loving Your Actual Christmas. Drawing from her book (by that name ;)) Alex reminds us that Christ did not come for the people who have it all together (if such people even exist!) but for the weary, grieving, and hurting. He came for us real people who sometimes struggle our way through the holidays. When we don't have our act together, Jesus meets us in the most real way. Whether this Christmas finds you with joy and plenty, or grief and struggle (or any combination of things in between,) I think Alex's words about Jesus and Advent (and “Christmastide” – I learned something new!) will will be refreshing to your soul. www.monicaswanson.com/episode-188 Podcast page (for all episodes) www.monicaswanson.com/podcast

On todays episode, Alan  talks with Author. Speaker. Kitchen Anthropologist, Alexandra Kuykendall about seeking out goodness amidst a world looking for what's wrong. She gives us very practical ways to find the good and true in others, ourselves and the organizations around us when we are temped to believe it's all bad. This is a timely episode! About Alexandra I like to say I'm a “kitchen anthropologist”. I stand in my kitchen and try to make sense of the world around me. From my family life to the news headlines I'm looking for where the good news of God's grace and the reality of life here on earth intersect. How do I then offer a holy whisper with my actual life? I'm a city girl living in Denver with my husband Derek and our four daughters. Derek leads Providence Network, a transitional housing ministry to those coming out of homelessness. Whether on the soccer sidelines, at an event where I'm speaking, or walking to the neighborhood market, my hope is love God and love others in word and deed. I'm a stumbler in this effort, so I try to fall in the direction of grace. I am also an author. My books include The Artist's Daughter: A Memoir, Loving My Actual Life: An Experiment in Relishing What's Right in Front of Me, Loving My Actual Christmas: An Experiment in Relishing the Season, and Loving My Actual Neighbor: 7 Practices to Treasure the People Right in Front of You. I co-host The Open Door Sisterhood Podcast and mastermind retreat with my friend Krista Gilbert. I'd love to have you join us over there for continued conversations. Or you are welcome to email me here. Connect with Alexandra Website: https://alexandrakuykendall.com/ Books: https://alexandrakuykendall.com/seeking-out-goodness/ Purchase A Dozen Secrets to More Effective Leadership https://bit.ly/3TEVBlv Schedule a complimentary breakthrough coaching session www.stayforth.com/coaching  

Alexandra Kuykendall explores ways we can cling to and offer God's goodness and love while interacting with others. She shares ways to find truth and moral courage in the tough moments and encourages you to lead with grace. Receive Alexandra's book "Seeking Out Goodness" for your donation of any amount: https://donate.focusonthefamily.com/don-daily-broadcast-product-2022-03-31?refcd=1337202 Get more episode resources: https://www.focusonthefamily.com/episodes/broadcast/seeing-through-our-culture-to-find-god/#featured-resource-cta If you've listened to any of our podcasts, please give us your feedback: https://focusonthefamily.com/podcastsurvey/

I hope you will be challenged and inspired by this week's episode of the podcast. I am talking with my friend and fellow "world changer for good", Alexandra Kuykendall.  Alex speaks on issues of how faith impacts everyday life. She encourages us to listen well and communicate with generosity and kindness. She has authored four books: Loving My Actual Life, Loving My Actual Christmas, The Artist's Daughter: A Memoir, Loving My Actual Neighbor and her newest, "Seeking Out Goodness: Finding the True and Beautiful All around You". Philippians 4:8 tells us where to center our thought life. It is the roadmap for seeking out goodness.  How does considering what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable in someone else show us more of God's goodness? After the last 2 years we've had, is it possible for us to still see the good in others? In this episode Alex, ultimately, reminds us that we find what we're looking for and the more we seek out goodness and the more we look for the positive, the easier it will be for our brains to identify what is good. When we are encourage our listeners to look for the good. This is not a dismissal of accountability. It's a challenge to not conform to the attitudes and behaviors of the culture around us, but to make room for the Holy Spirit to transform our thinking through the truth of scripture. Episode Suggestions & Resources: Seeking Out Goodness: Finding the True and Beautiful All around You by Alexandra Kuykendall | Buy it on Amazon.com AlexandraKuykendall.com & theopendoorsisterhood.com Ep 7 The Modern Titus 2 Woman with Alexandra Kuykendall The Space Between Us: How Jesus Teaches Us to Live Together When Politics and Religion Pull Us Apart by Sarah Anderson Schedule a connection call with Kendra: calendly.com/kendratillman *********************** The STRONG Womanhood Growth Journal: Activate the Courage to Live Out Your Calling is a self directed guide for women who want to be active participants in their personal transformation and are looking for a process to mentor them through it.  Get it at Amazon: BUY THE BOOK Amazon Book Review: "I highly recommend this journal. I discovered actionable steps to take on my next journey into becoming more consistent with reaching my goals. The messages shared by Kendra are full of wisdom and timeless. The thought provoking questions will assist you in transforming into a confident and courageous woman." *********************** Subscribe to the 'Work Your Plan with Kendra' Podcast and published episodes will come right to the podcast app on your phone and/or join our email list for a daily email reminder when a new episode is ready. If you enjoyed the show, please subscribe, rate it on Apple Podcasts with a short review. Connect with Kendra personally @kendratillman on Instagram. Ask a question on the podcast episode at strongher.me or by emailing strongerevent@gmail.com.

In our culture today, it's normal to disagree with people and “cancel” them by refusing to talk to them or even trying to understand their viewpoints on various issues. But did you know that “cancel culture” contradicts what the Bible says? On this episode of God Hears Her, Elisa and Eryn interview Alexandra Kuykendall about what it means to actually love your neighbor the way Jesus did, even when you disagree.   About Our Guest: Alexandra Kuykendall encourages the church to engage God's world in the tension and intersection of heartache and hope. Her most recent book, Seeking Out Goodness: Finding the True and Beautiful All around You offers a roadmap for how to look for and find echoes of God's goodness. Alex is the cofounder of The Open Door Sisterhood, a community of women working to be world changers for good right where they are. She cohosts a podcast and retreat under the same name. A trusted voice for Christian women, Alex has been a guest on Good Morning America, Focus on the Family's Daily Broadcast, and Moody Radio. She lives in downtown Denver, Colorado, with her husband Derek and their four daughters.   Notes and Quotes:  “The gospel is still true. And God is still good. And we are not the first people to say ‘Where are we?' and ‘What is happening in the world?' This has been true throughout history. Before Jesus came, people were wondering that. After Jesus came, people have been wondering about that.” “We're in a unique time, which allows us to have creativity in how we live out our faith but also in how we encourage each other.” “Jesus didn't say, ‘Love your neighbors that agree with you, love your neighbors that make you feel comfortable, love your neighbors who give you strokes for what you're doing with your life or that are happy that you go to church.' He just said, ‘Love your neighbors like you would like to be loved.'” “Who are the people within our circles that we could love better?” “If there is awkward silence, it sometimes just gives someone the permission to keep talking.” “If I don't bail, I am telling them, ‘You are more important to me than my own comfort.' That to me, speaks of the gospel in a way that nothing else can. Because that's essentially what Jesus said, ‘You are more important to me than my own comfort.'” Alex's definition of cancel culture: “We decide that somebody is not worthy of listening to or valuing at all because of one small part of who they are or what they believe.” “We believe that being ‘in a conversation' means we must endorse the conversation. And we don't. That's not a conversation, that's a dictatorship.” “That is part of seeking out His [God's] goodness. To say, ‘I'm going to stand in awe and wonder that you are the God of all things. You are the God of everything and you know and I don't know.'”   Verses:  “Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'” Matthew 22:37–39 (NIV)  “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” Philippians 4:8 (NIV)   Links:  God Hears Her website: https://www.godhearsher.org/ God Hears Her newsletter sign-up: https://www.godhearsher.org/signup Subscribe on iTunes! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/god-hears-her-podcast/id1511046507?utm_source=applemusic&utm_medium=godhearsher&utm_campaign=podcast Visit Alexandra Kuykendall's website: https://alexandrakuykendall.com/ Check out Alexandra's book Seeking Out Goodness: https://amzn.to/3razt5O  Providence Network: a resource for people in Denver, Colorado. https://providencenetwork.org/  Alexandra's Instagram: alexandrakuykendall Elisa's Instagram: elisamorganauthor Eryn's Instagram: eryneddy  

In our culture today, it's normal to disagree with people and “cancel” them by refusing to talk to them or even trying to understand their viewpoints on various issues. But did you know that “cancel culture” contradicts what the Bible says? On this episode of God Hears Her, Elisa and Eryn interview Alexandra Kuykendall about what it means to actually love your neighbor the way Jesus did, even when you disagree.   About Our Guest: Alexandra Kuykendall encourages the church to engage God's world in the tension and intersection of heartache and hope. Her most recent book, Seeking Out Goodness: Finding the True and Beautiful All around You offers a roadmap for how to look for and find echoes of God's goodness. Alex is the cofounder of The Open Door Sisterhood, a community of women working to be world changers for good right where they are. She cohosts a podcast and retreat under the same name. A trusted voice for Christian women, Alex has been a guest on Good Morning America, Focus on the Family's Daily Broadcast, and Moody Radio. She lives in downtown Denver, Colorado, with her husband Derek and their four daughters.   Notes and Quotes:  “The gospel is still true. And God is still good. And we are not the first people to say ‘Where are we?' and ‘What is happening in the world?' This has been true throughout history. Before Jesus came, people were wondering that. After Jesus came, people have been wondering about that.” “We're in a unique time, which allows us to have creativity in how we live out our faith but also in how we encourage each other.” “Jesus didn't say, ‘Love your neighbors that agree with you, love your neighbors that make you feel comfortable, love your neighbors who give you strokes for what you're doing with your life or that are happy that you go to church.' He just said, ‘Love your neighbors like you would like to be loved.'” “Who are the people within our circles that we could love better?” “If there is awkward silence, it sometimes just gives someone the permission to keep talking.” “If I don't bail, I am telling them, ‘You are more important to me than my own comfort.' That to me, speaks of the gospel in a way that nothing else can. Because that's essentially what Jesus said, ‘You are more important to me than my own comfort.'” Alex's definition of cancel culture: “We decide that somebody is not worthy of listening to or valuing at all because of one small part of who they are or what they believe.” “We believe that being ‘in a conversation' means we must endorse the conversation. And we don't. That's not a conversation, that's a dictatorship.” “That is part of seeking out His [God's] goodness. To say, ‘I'm going to stand in awe and wonder that you are the God of all things. You are the God of everything and you know and I don't know.'”   Verses:  “Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'” Matthew 22:37–39 (NIV)  “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” Philippians 4:8 (NIV)   Links:  God Hears Her website: https://www.godhearsher.org/ God Hears Her newsletter sign-up: https://www.godhearsher.org/signup Subscribe on iTunes! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/god-hears-her-podcast/id1511046507?utm_source=applemusic&utm_medium=godhearsher&utm_campaign=podcast Visit Alexandra Kuykendall's website: https://alexandrakuykendall.com/ Check out Alexandra's book Seeking Out Goodness: https://amzn.to/3razt5O  Providence Network: a resource for people in Denver, Colorado. https://providencenetwork.org/  Alexandra's Instagram: alexandrakuykendall Elisa's Instagram: elisamorganauthor Eryn's Instagram: eryneddy  

While the past few years have put a spotlight on the divisive, contentious, darkness of our world, it is good to remember that God has not changed. And, His goodness and light are still there.  The question is: Do we see it?  Alexandra Kuykendall joins us today to point us to the practical truth of Philippians 4:8 – and a reminder that we can choose to shift our focus from the messy, hard things of our current culture, to all that is true, noble, and good right now. (hint: There's a lot.) Alex tackles the hard stuff of personal conflict, cancel culture, and social media crazy with hope, help, and humor. This topic is so relevant to our lives right now!  The way we navigate these things will be passed on to our kids so we have many reasons to learn, grow, and do better! www.monicaswanson.com/episode-141 Podcast page (for all episodes) www.monicaswanson.com/podcast

Today on the show, Angie is chatting with Alex Kuykendall about the dark places in the world, but how we can find the hope of goodness. Alex is an author, speaker, and podcaster who you will enjoy hearing from.   If you're interested in starting your podcast in 2022, and purchasing Angie's course for beginners, click here: Angie Elkins Podcasting Course Connect with Alex: alexandrakuykendall.com/ theopendoorsisterhood.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexandrakuykendall/   Connect With Angie: Website: chatologie.com IG: @angiebrownelkins Twitter: @Angieelkins Facebook: @chatologieangieelkins

The past couple of years have been difficult for many as we deal with the ongoing pandemic.   And although it can be difficult to seek out the goodness in the world, Alexandra Kuykendall reminds us that everything is going to be okay, that God is still at work, even in small ways. She says he is still in control and still offers us good gifts. We just have to know where to look for them. Today on Connections, Alexandra helps us to seek out the true and beautiful that surrounds us.      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Guest: Sherry Burkhard | In the final podcast episode of 2021, Daniel and Rob sat down with Sherry Burkhard to discuss healthy coping mechanisms during the holiday season. Sherry is the founder and Executive Director of Mosaics of Mercy, an organization that helps families navigate mental health and addiction recovery. This episode is for anyone who feels a bit stressed, overwhelmed, or anxious around this time of year. For more information on Mosaics of Mercy, go to: https://mosaicsofmercy.com | Sherry's Podcast, Hope Pieced Together, is available on all major platforms | Sherry's Book Recommendation: Loving My Actual Christmas: An Experiment in Relishing the Season by Alexandra Kuykendall

Hey friends, quick note about today's episode. While I'm not a break from the show and social media to creatively rest and write book 2, I'm running reruns of some past Surviving Sarah episodes.   If you need to get in touch with me, head over to my website. You can click the contact button and your email will be sent to me. I will still be writing my monthly Survival Kit newsletter which is a great way to stay connected to you while I'm on hiatus from the show and social media. You can sign up for that through my website as well. And of course, you can purchase my book, A Mother's Guide to Raising Herself, from your favorite retailer. If you are planning to read the book as a part of a book club, let me know because I'd love to join you virtually.   In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this rerun episode.  Christmas isn't always a merry season. We can have disappointment or pain from loss. Maybe its a grieving season. Maybe life doesn't look like what you hoped. And Christmas can accentuate our pain, grief and disappointment. How do we step into our real circumstances and try to enjoy Christmas in the midst of the pain? With that in mind, Alex conducted a Christmas experiment. An experiment on what it would look like to find hope, joy, love and peace during the Christmas season in the midst of her real life circumstances. 

A few years back I wasn't loving life. I was overwhelmed. I just didn't understand how people managed this whole parenting thing! I picked up a copy of a book titled “Loving Your Actual Life” by Alexandra Kuykenall and appreciated the deep dive she did into her own life and what it would look like to love it. Fast forward many years and our world has changed significantly. And once again Alexandra has written a book that is incredibly timely. Seeking Out Goodness: Finding the True and Beautiful All Around You. What does it look to seek out the good when there is so much chaos all around us? And if you're a mom who feels like she's ready for a bit more in her life, you can check out my Ready to Rise course and my Mama Get Your Life Back Mentorship Community!

I am happy to welcome Alexandra Kuykendall back to the show. She has been on Surviving Sarah a couple of times over the years. She is a co-host to the popular podcast The Open Door Sisterhood and is a writer and speaker. Today, she joins me to talk about her new book “Seeking Out Goodness: Finding the True and Beautiful All around You.”   Seeking out the goodness around you. That is so easy for us, right? I mean, we aren't bombarded with what is hard and conflicting at all. Alex's book is perfectly timed for where we are not only in culture but also as the holidays approach.    We talk about how even though life can be hard it can also be beautiful. And we dive into some practical ways to find the good in the people we disagree with. So pull up a chair and join the conversation.   Order Sarah's book, A Mother's Guide to Raising Herself: What Parenting Taught Me About Life, Faith and Myself   Check out bonus content from today's episode over on Patreon.   Sign up for Sarah's monthly Survival Kit Newsletter   Connect with Sarah: Website | Instagram

Our very own Alex has a new book releasing in a few weeks and we want to give you the FIRST sneak peek at some of what she covers in the pages. In this episode, Krista interviews Alex about why she wrote the book, why the process of looking for what is good is important to us, and how she structures practical next steps so listeners can begin seeking out what is good. Whether you are overwhelmed with heartache or the state of the world, or just feel a little bored with the monotony of your daily life, this book is meant to give you tools to have new eyes to see what is already around you. God is still good. He is still here. And so we can trust that his goodness continues all around us, we just need to find it. This book is about the process of seeking out goodness. Because Alex wanted this book to give the practical how, she uses Philippians 4:8 as her structure. "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." (NIV) How do we see what is noble? Or admirable? How do we look for the lovely? Or consider what is true? How do we do this all with humility and kindness? This episode is just a taste of what Alex covers in the book. We hope you listen and let us know how you are looking for the good right now.

Taking a look at the day's headlines, and a conversation with Alexandra Kuykendall, Loving My Actual Neighbor: 7 Practices to Treasure the People Right in Front of You (Baker)  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode Krista and Alex wrap up the series Teens: The State of the Union. They discuss what impacted them most, what changes they are making in their parenting because of what they heard, and what felt practical. They also weigh in on their experience parenting teens – what's been hard, what's been helpful, and what they would recommend. Join us as we have a sister to sister conversation, and as we attempt to make the most of the teen series.

Finding joy and contentment every day is as simple as cherishing the moments you’ve been given. Alexandra Kuykendall shares the results of her nine-month experiment to rekindle her love of ordinary life. From making time to date her husband to supporting each other’s dreams, you’ll learn how you can embrace life together

Little by little, a little becomes a lot. Embracing this concept is an important step in your journey to becoming healthy, fit and happy. Alexandra Kuykendall uses this concept in her book “Loving My Actual Life”. Believing that what we focus on is what we become, she looked for areas in her busy life that could be improved. Each month for 9 months she chose one aspect of her life and asked herself what small changes she could make that would help her enjoy life today, because tomorrow is not a promise. It is not a dress rehearsal for the future. She chose things in areas that impacted her everyday life like parenting, meals and organization. Not wanting to completely upend her life, she made small changes that would be sustainable over time. It was an experiment. What could she try? What worked and what didn’t. At the end of each chapter in her book she asks the reader questions to help them build insight into their own lives. Building on the positive effects of that 9-month experiment, she went on to write “Loving My Actual Christmas” and “Loving My Actual Neighbor”. In her latest book, tentatively titled “Seeking Out Goodness”, she looks for Gods goodness in the world. It comes out late summer to early fall. Alexandra along with Krista Gilbert founded The Open-Door Sisterhood, a community of women working to be world changers for good, right where they are. They co-host a podcast with the same name.She finds her inspiration in her everyday life. She watched her mom, who is in her 70’s, take care of her step-father. It reminded her that she needs to take care of her body so she will be able to care for people when she gets older. Watching her stepdad deteriorate reminded her that the body is temporary. We have to be mindful of our spiritual life because that is what carries on when our physical life is done. The better care we take of ourselves the better quality of life we get. If you feel selfish taking time for you now, realize that you can serve others better, stronger and longer if you pay attention to your body. Something she found important was finding quiet time to work or do workouts. By finding “pockets of time” in the middle of a busy day she is modeling how to make it happen for her children. Alexandra wishes people could see the influence they have. The world is big, but we forget that God has placed each of us right where we are for a reason. On the podcast they say, “You are a world changer for good ,right where you are”. You don’t need a big title. You don’t need to write a bestseller or have a million viewers on You Tube, to make a difference. You will have the greatest influence on the people who see the real you, the ones around you when you wake up, when you go to bed. They see your imperfections. They need to see you ask God for Grace. They need to see you being humble in asking for forgiveness. Have integrity right where you are. Anyone, no matter what their position in life, has influence, so take that with a passion and decide you are going to be a world changer. Be an encourager for those around you, see where God is at work and join him in it. That is how we make change. Be the change you want the world to be.Resources:AlexandraKuykendall.comFacebook: @AlexandraKuykendall.authorIG: AlexandraKuykendallResources: www. healthaccountabilitycoach.comwww.facebook.com/houselifestylesIG: houselifestyes

Alexandra Kuykendall joins us today with such a refreshing, endearing message about Loving Your Actual Christmas.  Drawing from her book (by that name,) Alex reminds us that Christ did not come for the people who have it all together, but for the weary,  grieving, and hurting.  He came for us real people who sometimes struggle our way through the holidays. When we don’t have our act together, Jesus meets us in the most real way.  Alex talks about the meaning of Advent as well as Christmastide (the “12 Days of Christmas”) and how we can truly savor this season – yes, even 2020 – more than ever before.  Find links and notes below!   Find show notes:  www.monicaswanson.com/podcast Today’s episode: www.monicaswanson.com/episode-85 

Learn more about Alexandra Kuykendall.Learn more about becoming a fierce and lovely mom, take the Story Journey Assessment, or subscribe to Beth's monthly email here.Learn more about the Moms Membership Community.Grab the Loving Teen Girls in 2020 Course.Read A VOICE BECOMING by Beth Bruno.

For the past five weeks we've been talking about how to have hard conversations around suicide, politics, race, sexuality, and social media. Today's episode wraps up that series with hosts Alexandra Kuykendall and Krista Gilbert sharing their takeaways on the series. They discuss what they learned, what they are doing differently, what is sticking with them, and how they will approach hard conversations with new strategies. Krista and Alex also describe the difference between peace making and peace keeping (hint: they are not the same thing). Join us as we finish out this series!

It’s easy to love the neighbor who looks like us, thinks like us, and believes like us. With those who don't fall into those categories, we struggle. In this episode, Juli and her guest, Alexandra Kuykendall from The Open Door Sisterhood, give you practical steps to get out of your comfort zone and have conversations with people you might not naturally have conversations with. Want to do a better job of loving your neighbor? Start here. Guest: Alexandra Kuykendall Loving Your Actual Neighbor (book) The Open Door Sisterhood podcast How to Have Hard Conversations (blog)

Are you deciding whether to stay at a job or find something new? In this episode Krista and Alex shoot straight about what questions to ask and what you might want to consider as you make your choice. The last episode in the Work Flip series, they also discuss how COVID19 has impacted their work lives, how narrowing margins push toward innovation, and ten ideas for quick cash. If you are wrestling with your work life, this whole series is for you!

In the second part of Alexandra's podcast episode, Tanur Badgley will be wrapping up their conversation on Loving Our Actual Neighbors. Listen as they talk about her thoughts about the challenge faced in society such as loving our neighbors, how she puts herself in a loving way that has an impact on others, her book Loving My Actual Neighbor and the 4-week challenge that will help us move towards loving our neighbors, and the touching story of her neighbor Betty.   Get to know more about Alexandra : ⬇️ SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS and WEBSITE Website - https://alexandrakuykendall.com/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AlexandraKuykendall.author Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/alexandrakuykendall/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/alex_kuykendal Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.ph/alexkuy/ Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3Vq6RB0xUr5tlT7BSUfPZg?view_as=subscriber BOOKS Loving My Actual Neighbor - https://alexandrakuykendall.com/loving-my-actual-neighbor/ Loving My Actual Christmas - https://alexandrakuykendall.com/loving-my-actual-christmas/ Loving My Actual Life - https://alexandrakuykendall.com/loving-my-actual-life-an-experiment-in-relishing-whats-right-in-front-of-me/ The Artist's Daughter - https://alexandrakuykendall.com/book/ CHALLENGE Four-Week Challenge to Love Your Neighbors - https://alexandrakuykendall.com/   Listen as we talk about:

Author Alexandra Kuykendall encourages the church to engage God’s world in the tension and intersection of heartache and hope. Her most recent book, Loving My Actual Neighbor: 7 Practices to Treasure the People Right in Front of You, offers a roadmap for how to begin and deepen relationships with those on the periphery of our lives. She is the Co-Founder of The Open Door Sisterhood, a community of women working to be world changers for good right where they are.  She co-hosts a podcast and retreat under the same name. Alex’s other titles include Loving My Actual Life, Loving My Actual Christmas, and  The Artist’s Daughter: A Memoir. A trusted voice for Christian women, Alex has been a guest on Good Morning America, Focus on the Family’s Daily Broadcast, and Moody Radio. She lives in the shadows of downtown Denver with her husband Derek and their four daughters. You can connect with her at AlexandraKuykendall.com.   Get to know more about Alexandra : ⬇️ SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS and WEBSITE Website - https://alexandrakuykendall.com/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AlexandraKuykendall.author Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/alexandrakuykendall/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/alex_kuykendal Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.ph/alexkuy/ Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3Vq6RB0xUr5tlT7BSUfPZg?view_as=subscriber BOOKS Loving My Actual Neighbor - https://alexandrakuykendall.com/loving-my-actual-neighbor/ Loving My Actual Christmas - https://alexandrakuykendall.com/loving-my-actual-christmas/ Loving My Actual Life - https://alexandrakuykendall.com/loving-my-actual-life-an-experiment-in-relishing-whats-right-in-front-of-me/ The Artist's Daughter - https://alexandrakuykendall.com/book/ CHALLENGE Four-Week Challenge to Love Your Neighbors - https://alexandrakuykendall.com/ Listen as we talk about:

The last episode in our “Hone Your Voice” series, Alex and Krista shoot straight about what it means to navigate conflict better while maintaining our voice. We also cover what it means to “steward” our voices. Meaning, what does responsibility look like when using our voice, especially as people of faith? We wrestle in this episode with the hardest parts of having a voice and using our voice in a world often divided and in tension. We even give a specific real-life scenario and talk through how each of us would respond. Come with us and explore, in earnest, these last important topics when it comes to honing our unique voice in the world. ---> Included in the show notes today is a FREE DOWNLOAD recapping our best tips from the "Hone Your Voice" series.  This is useful as a reminder or for teaching others.     

What are some ways that we can intentionally show that grocery store clerk, a cubicle mate, or the woman across the street that we care? What does it look like to love our actual neighbors, those we interact with down the block and in our community? Monday we visit with Alex Kuykendall who unpack some of her 7 practices that will show the people right in front of us that we treasure them. Join the conversation all this week as we explore ways to love and bless our neighbors on Ken and Deb in the Morning.

As pandemic restrictions ease and we look to resume something of a 'normal' life, it'd be easy to forget the good, simple values we rediscovered while quarantined at home. On this broadcast, author Alexandra Kuykendall encourages us to move forward with purpose and intentionality so that we can continue nurturing those values and avoid allowing busyness to consume our families again. Podcast users, find today's related broadcast resources here: https://dbx.focusonthefamily.com/media/daily-broadcast/better-than-before-re-prioritizing-your-post-quarantine-life Your feedback would be really helpful to us. Please visit http://www.focusonthefamily.com/podcastsurvey to take a brief survey (less than 5 minutes). Thank you!

Alexandra Kuykendall encourages you to mix up your life a little bit with simple steps. Listen to the full program here.

Thanksgiving is this week and Christmas is just around the corner. You may feel determined to enjoy the season, but tension in the reality that things never go quite as planned. We are often let down by our real life interactions with family and friends, the actual responses of our children on Christmas morning or the fact that the fighting doesn't just "stop" so you can sit and admire your beautiful holiday decorations. In this episode I'm chatting with Alex Kuykendall about her book, Loving My Actual Christmas. You’ll hear us discuss how to fall in love with the season again, reflecting on themes of advent—hope, love, joy and peace—plus, practical advice on common Christmas stressors such as finances, schedules and extended family.  I hope you’ll finish this episode with the encouragement to go easy on yourself, remember what truly matters, and find joy in your own actual, imperfect Christmas.  Sponsor: Prepdish Shownotes: KindledPodcast.com

Do you find that you get stressed out for the holidays vs. being excited for them? Today, Jenny Stemmerman from Your Life Rocks and I talk about how it can be so easy to get stressed out as moms when it comes to the holidays.   This episode is more of a conversation between friends that we wanted to include you in on and just share our experiences and most likely you will be able to relate to one of us if not both.  We discuss how we try to keep things simple but special and how we have similarities but also different approaches when it comes to the holidays and what that looks like.  One topic that stood out to me is how do we prioritize other family members and what they want for their holidays.  Hear what we have to say about this topic and more on the podcast. Click here to get access to my gift guide for husbands - Stocking stuffer ideas for your guy!   If you liked this episode, check out the interview I did with Alexandra Kuykendall about not feeling stressed for Christmas:  Don't feel stressed for Christmas Resources mentioned in the show: Lean 7 week online weight loss program: I had the pleasure of doing a four-part series with Registered Dietitian Amanda Nighbert. On this first episode of the series you’ll  find out: What intermittent fasting is and how it works How intermittent fasting can help you lose weight and keep it off Nutritional myths that could be keeping you from losing weight How bulletproof coffee helps you burn fat (see recipe below) …And more! Click on the link below to get Amanda’s program and get ready to kick that slow metabolism into HIGH gear! Get Started   Guest Info: Jenny Stemmerman Get Jenny’s Holiday Sanity course   HolidaySanity.com   https://yourliferocks.lpages.co/holiday-sanity/ Website: https://yourliferocks.com/?v=7516fd43adaa      

Join Allie Marie Smith and our guest Alexandra Kuykendall for a conversation about the beautiful and hard parts of the holiday season. Whether you're mourning the loss of a loved one, dealing with difficult family relationships or facing unmet expectations, let's face it: the holidays can be hard. Learn how to reflect on hope, love, joy and peace while enjoying the season and getting practical tips for dealing with holiday stressors. This year, may you go easy on yourself, remember what truly matters and find joy in the imperfections of the holiday season.

Alexandra Kuykendall, author of Loving My Actual Christmas, is with me sharing some ways to help maximize the meaning of Christmas. Alex is someone who I love listening to and learning from. You'll appreciate her tangible tips and I highly encourage you pick up her book. It is a resource that will help you to be more intentional and thoughtful as you approach the holidays. For all of the show notes + links click below on the "episode webpage." 

As Christians, we know we are called to love our neighbor. We may even grasp that "neighbor" encompasses more than just the people living next door or down the street. But what we too often don't know is how to begin. How do we love our neighbor? Where do we start? What does this look like in our increasingly isolated world? And what does this look like for a MOPS leader, specifically? Alexandra Kuykendall lays out the framework for where to begin. Visit https://alexandrakuykendall.com/loving-my-actual-neighbor to find videos and other great downloads to help get started.

In today's episode of the #WalkItOut Podcast, we're chatting about Loving My Actual Neighbor with Alexandra Kuykendall! For notes and links for everything we talked about on the show, visit: https://www.triciagoyer.com/058 --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/walkitoutwithtriciagoyer/support

Join us in our conversation with the endearing author Alexandra Kuykendall.  We learn more about her journey to becoming an author and why it was important to her to share her beliefs.  Enjoy!

Alexandra Kuykendall, podcaster and author of a new book, LOVING MY ACTUAL NEIGHBOR, is my guest on this episode of Graceologie. As Christians, we know we are called to love our neighbor. But what we too often don't know is how to begin. How do we love our neighbor? Where do we start? What does this look like in our increasingly isolated world? Alexandra lays out the framework for where to begin. From practicing humility to listening with understanding to being generous in our relationships. Episode show notes:  www.gwensmith.net/graceologie/33 Graceologie on INSTA:  @graceologie Graceologie on FB: www.facebook.com/graceologie Graceologie Podcast website: www.gwensmith.net/graceologie SPONSOR:  www.FabFitFun.com / use code GRACEOLOGIE for 20% off your first box! SPONSOR: www.CovenantEyes.com  /  use code GRACEOLOGIE at checkout to get your first 30 days FREE! Gwen Smith on INSTA:  @GwenSmithMusic Gwen Smith on FB:  www.facebook.com/GwenSmithMusic

Today we’ll talk with Alexandra Kuykendall, author of “Loving My Actual Neighbor: 7 Practices to Treasure the People Right in Front of You” (Baker) and ADF legal counsel Jeremiah Galus where he is a key member of the Center for Christian Ministries on 3 churches’ lawsuit challenging the California Department of Managed Health Care’s mandate forcing churches to pay for elective abortions in their health insurance plans.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We often hear the term "love your neighbor" but what does that really mean? Who is our neighbor anyway? And why is it important to love them? In an increasingly divided world, where people are often stretched to a place of little margin, this can feel overwhelming and impossible. Today on the podcast, our own Alexandra Kuykendall joins us to talk about why the lost art of neighboring deeply matters. In fact, it may be more important than it has ever been. We discuss practicals like leaning into the awkward, how to lighten up, and why praying for hard people works. Leading by example, Alex helps us understand how genuine, compassionate, and loving relationships with those right around us not only builds a better community, but a better life.  

A trusted voice for Christian women, Alexandra Kuykendall speaks on issues of how faith impacts everyday life. She is the Co-founder of The Open Door Sisterhood, a community of women working to be world changers for good right where they are. She co-hosts a podcast and retreat under the same name. Alex has authored four books: Loving My Actual Life, Loving My Actual Christmas, The Artist’s Daughter: A Memoir, and Loving My Actual Neighbor releasing April 2nd. Alex lives in the shadows of downtown Denver with her husband Derek and their 4 daughters who range in age from 16 to 7. Alex and I start off the show talking about how our paths crossed when I interned for the Open Door Sisterhood as their Social Media Sister.  Then we move into parenting.  She’s a little farther along in her parenting than I am and we are both girl moms, so I love hearing what she has to say on this topic.  Alex talks about the expectations we have for our kids and how we respond to them.  She also shares what it means to talk to our kids in their “currency.”  We go on to talk about Alex’s books, why she wrote them and how she believes small changes that are realistic to implement and ones that can be sustained over time are best way to love the life you have. Then we dive in to what it means to love your neighbor, how to go about actually doing it and why it’s so important.  Alex walks us through the seven practices her new book, Loving My Actual Neighbor, is based on. We talk about what it’s like as an introvert to jump into spaces that are uncomfortable and she gives great ideas for practical things we can do to love the people around us better.   Mentioned in this Episode The Open Door Sisterhood MOPS International Alex’s New Book – Loving My Actual Neighbor The Seven Practices to Treasure the People Right in Front of You Holding a Posture of Humility Asking Questions to Learn Being Quiet to Listen Standing in the Awkward Accepting What Is Lightening Up Giving Freely The Open Door Sisterhood Podcast - Things We Love Episode Alex’s Favorite 5 Take Back Your Time - book on Time Management Essie Top Coat RevWell TV – Revelation Wellness Dollar Tree Greeting Cards Universal Thread Brand at Target Connect with Alex Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Website Connect with Girls Talking Life Show Notes for this Episode | Instagram | Facebook

In Christian settings we talk a lot about loving our neighbor and then the discussion begins about who is our neighbor. On this week’s podcast, Alexandra Kuykendall joins me to talk about Loving My Actual Neighbor. Novel concept or something we are called to do? It’s a great conversation encompassing a number... The post Alexandra Kuykendall-episode 168 appeared first on Anita Lustrea.

In this final instalment of the Intentional Holidays Series, Havilah talks to Alex Kuykendall about how to love your ACTUAL Christmas. You know, the one you are actually living, not an idealized one. Alex is practical and wise and warm. Little Faith Holiday Guide Alex's Website

Have you ever found yourself wishing for a different Christmas? Does Christmas usually come with mixed feelings of joy, regret, and maybe even anxiety? Expectations surrounding the Christmas season seem to have turned from hope to entitlement, and from love to loathing all the stress that is heaped upon families during this otherwise festive time of year.  But there is hope, friend. Let's take peek through those crummy curtains of condemnation and lay false expectations to rest. Listen to my conversation with author Alexandra Kuykendall to hear how she learned to finally let go and love her actual Christmas.  --- A trusted voice for Christian women, Alexandra Kuykendall speaks around the world about issues of parenting, faith and identity. She is the Cohost of The Open Door Sisterhood Podcast and has authored Loving My Actual Life, Loving My Actual Christmas, and The Artist’s Daughter: A Memoir. Alex lives in the shadows of downtown Denver with her husband Derek and their 4 daughters who range in age from 15 to 6. Connect with Alexandra Website | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram | Twitter   Resources Mentioned in this Episode Loving My Actual Christmas Loving My Actual Life Open-Door Sisterhood Podcast The Artist’s Daughter  

Alexandra Kuykendall is a wife and mom of 4, an author, blogger, and Podcaster. She was also on staff with MOPS International for nearly ten years and is a trusted voice in mothering circles. Not only was she kind enough to join us today and share her author's insight into her book Loving My Actual life: Relishing what's right in front of you; she also gave us a little preview of her upcoming 4th book which is due out early 2019! Visit our website at teaoflifepodcast.com for show notes and links.  

Alexandra Kuykendall is a wife and mom of 4, an author, blogger, and Podcaster. She was also on staff with MOPS International for nearly ten years and is a trusted voice in mothering circles. Not only was she kind enough to join us today and share her author's insight into her book Loving My Actual life: Relishing what's right in front of you; she also gave us a little preview of her upcoming 4th book which is due out early 2019! Visit our website at teaoflifepodcast.com for show notes and links.  

This week we review Loving My Actual Life, An Experiment in Relishing What's Right In Front of Me by Alexandra Kuykendall. This book struck us both totally different. April's Take: "My spirit totally resonated with this book. This book was showing me how I could take the ordinary and make it extraordinary. She shared the monthly challenges she did and questions and reflections. I felt like it was giving an order to my chaos." Tiffany's Take: "meh." Visit our website at teaoflifepodcast.com for show notes and links.  

This week we review Loving My Actual Life, An Experiment in Relishing What's Right In Front of Me by Alexandra Kuykendall. This book struck us both totally different. April's Take: "My spirit totally resonated with this book. This book was showing me how I could take the ordinary and make it extraordinary. She shared the monthly challenges she did and questions and reflections. I felt like it was giving an order to my chaos." Tiffany's Take: "meh." Visit our website at teaoflifepodcast.com for show notes and links.  

I have my friend Alexandra Kuykendall on with me today and we’re talking more about enjoying Christmas for what it is, learning to relish what is right in front of us and focusing on what really matters. Less is truly more in this season! You can read more about Alexandra Kuykendall’s experiment to put an end to the holiday madness in her new book Loving My Actual Christmas: An Experiment in Relishing the Season. A trusted voice in mothering circles, Alex speaks to women around the world about issues of parenting, faith and identity. She is the Cohost of The Open Door Sisterhood Podcast and has also authored Loving My Actual Life and The Artist’s Daughter. Alex lives in the shadows of downtown Denver with her husband Derek and their 4 daughters who range in age from 15 to 6. You can connect with her at AlexandraKuykendall.com. Loving My Actual Christmas: An Experiment in Relishing the Season – The Christmas season is a particularly difficult time for women to slow down and relish what’s right in front of them. An annual marker for many, it is a holiday that can often remind us how life is not going as we’d planned. Our family relationships remain strained, our finances stretched, and our schedules stuffed with too much to do in too little time. Following the formula of her successful Loving My Actual Life, Alexandra Kuykendall shares with readers her own personal experiment to be completely present in her life as it is during the holiday season. Addressing the themes of Advent and Christmas, she reflects on hope, love, joy, peace, and relishing the season, with practical pullouts on common Christmas stressors, such as finances, schedules, and extended family. Kuykendall’s signature candor helps women go easy on themselves, remember what truly matters, and find joy in their imperfect Christmases. It’s not too late for this year. Get the Kindle edition and start reading right now! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/heidistjohn/support

Episode #043 with Alexandra KuykendallContentment at Christmas: Letting Go of Our Holiday Expectations   Head to SimplyJoyfulPodcast.com or KristiClover.com/043 to see all the Show Notes & Awesome Quotes that we collected for you!   Merry Christmas! A special thanks to our wonderful sponsor this month: PeachDish  PeachDish is generously hosting a fun giveaway for us over the next two weeks: 4 Holiday Feast Kits with Brunch Casseroles! **Sign up for this week’s giveaway HERE!**   … Okay! Now onto this week's encouraging episode! Today is all things Christmas! Alexandra Kuykendall is my guest on the show today and we're going to be talking a lot about Christmas —  including an experiment that she did in her home last Christmas. It was really interesting! She wrote a book all about it called Loving My Actual Christmas. Can I hear a little”Amen” out there? Too many times we look on social media and we start thinking, "Oh I wish we did this or that," when we really need to slow down and just enjoy this season for what it is. Even if you don't get to all the traditions that you want to, take time to savor this Christmas! I want to help you to give yourself permission this season to slow down. To pick one or two things, with your family, and enjoy this Christmas fully! I can't wait for you to hear this episode with Alexandra—and Merry Christmas!    BOOKS & POSTS MENTIONED… Loving My Actual Christmas Loving My Actual Life The Artist's Daughter Joanna Weavers 25 days of advent How to Simplify the Season — as first seen on the IEW blog! My IEW Podcast Episode! This was such a fun episode. We recorded while I was visiting Tulsa earlier this year! Andrew Pudewa's episode on the Simply Joyful Podcast Teaching Your Kids to Have a Giving Spirit at Christmas Savoring the Season — & Not Blowing Your Budget   LINKS TO OTHER THINGS MENTIONED… (See more details on the SHOW NOTES!) Our December Giveaway with PeachDish Get $15 OFF your first PeachDish order with the coupon code: SIMPLYJOYFUL Join our Simply Joyful community and get my Sanity Savers for Moms book FREE! The Simply Joyful Membership Site My DaySpring Favorites page Listening to Audio Books with Audible! The Simply Joyful Podcast mug Subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss the next encouraging episode! iTunes & Stitcher & now GooglePlay   I hope you enjoyed this week's podcast! My prayer is always that you will be blessed and encouraged by each episode. Live Simply. Be Joyful.   LET’S CONNECT!… My Website | Facebook  | Instagram | YouTube | Pinterest | Twitter   CONNECT WITH THE ALEXANDRA… Alexandra Kuykendall is the author of Loving My Actual Life and The Artist's Daughter, and the cohost The Open Door Sisterhood Podcast. A popular writer and speaker for moms around the country, she is a regular contributor to MOPS International's blog, conference, and curriculum. Alexandra has been featured on Good Morning America and Focus on the Family's daily broadcast. She lives in Denver, Colorado, with her husband, Derek, and their four daughters. You can check out Alex's books HERE on Amazon! Be sure to visit her site as well at www.alexandrakuykendall.com.   **This post may contain a few affiliate links, both Amazon & others. Please see my disclosure page if you have any questions.

Alexandra Kuykendall lives in Denver, Colorado with her husband and four daughters, where she writes about relishing life, hosts The Open Door Sisterhood Podcast with our mutual friend Krista, and speaks about expectations, contentment, and purpose. She worked for MOPS International for ten years and still regularly contributes to their blog. In this episode of The Dear Daughters podcast, we talked a lot about releasing expectations this Christmas (which she talks about in her new book), focusing on what matters, and the beauty of brokenness. Alex also shared the recipe for her home-run holiday dessert. ;) I can’t wait for you to meet Alex. Here’s the interview on Dear Daughters Episode 43. All show notes at www.susiedavis.org

McKenna Gilbert is a freshman at Whitworth University, currently planning to major in Elementary Education and Spanish. She hopes to teach English in Spanish speaking third-world countries for a few years after college before settling down and beginning a career as a teacher in the United States. She is the oldest of four kids, the only girl, and she absolutely adores her family. MeKenna enjoys journaling, playing piano, laughing, and spending time with the people she loves. In this interview, McKenna talks about how she came to the realization that everyone battles insecurity. She shares her insights about being “new” somewhere, whether that's at college, a new job or in a new city. And she offers some wisdom for pointing that young woman or girl in your life toward the passion that makes her light up. I was initially drawn to McKenna because of her passion for young girls to know their inner beauty, and even at the age of 18, I feel like she has much to offer all of us in remembering our identity in Christ. This was a fun interview for me; I hope you enjoy it! + + + Want to chat more about today's show? Use the hashtag #DreamerChat70 to share your thoughts wherever you like to hang out online. If you need a question to spark the conversation, here's one for you: What worldly classification are you believing that's keeping you from pursuing your God-shaped dream? + + + You'll find the show notes, links to resources mentioned, and ways to connect with McKenna, here: http://www.merrittonsa.com/podcast/70   MENTIONED ON THE SHOW: The Open Door Sisterhood Podcast with Krista Gilbert and Alexandra Kuykendall. (Find Alexandra's interview on The Devoted Dreamers Podcast, here.) Get 15% off your purchase of Sudio Sweden headphones with the code DREAMERS. BOOKS:Captivating by John Eldredge and Stasi Eldredge  GET CONNECTED: Find your tribe in the Devoted Dreamers Insiders Facebook Group where you can connect with other like-minded women in pursuit of their God-shaped dreams. Leave your review of the show on iTunes or Stitcher Subscribe on iTunes * Subscribe on Android   Some links to products listed here are affiliate links. When you click those and make a purchase, I earn a commission that supports this podcast. Thanks for your support!  

Have you signed up for the chatologie newsletter? I want to take a minute to encourage you to stay connected with me in this way. I send out a couple of newsletters a month to keep you all in the know about what's coming up on chatologie, on give aways, and this Christmas, I'll be … Continue reading "Episode 26: Loving My Actual Christmas with Alexandra Kuykendall"

A true Open Door Sisterhood Podcast interview! Co-host Krista Gilbert interviews her partner in the sisterhood, Alexandra Kuykendall, about her new book Loving My Actual Christmas. They talk about the experiment Alex conducted last Christmas season because she wanted to have a less stressful and exhausting holiday. In the midst of her actual life she searched for more hope, love, joy and peace. What she found is that much of her newfound appreciation of the holiday stems from remembering the story that God so loved the world...he sent a baby. This is the behind the scenes interview where we hear what Alex thinks about the experiment a year later. She shares the stories in the book that have stuck with her, what Christmas means to her now, and how she hopes to extend her celebration through the 12 Days of Christmas. This isn't about beautiful Christmas cards or Pinterest worthy meals. This is about remembering together that Jesus is the hope of the world and his arrival is worth preparing for and celebrating. You won't want to miss this candid and intimate conversation between our podcast hosts as they talk about grief during the holidays, reconciling the difficult of the world with the hope of Christmas and taking the knowledge of God with us into their everyday Christmas experiences. Here at the sisterhood we want you to love your actual Christmas because God pursued us all when he stepped onto earth all those years ago.

Hey you guys, this week we have author Alex Kuykendall of Loving My Actual Christmas on the show. If you find that the holidays make you stressed out make sure to listen to this one and share with your friends!  We chat about expectations, from spending money for Christmas, not just for gifts but for food, entertaining etc. What is your expectations for spending time with family, hosting people at your house, what events do you want to commit too? We discuss how it is to feel crazy as a mom trying to do everything behind the scenes and sometimes it can feel like the wonder of Christmas can be gone.  So if you feel like you are having to have tough conversations with family members, starting to shift what you want for your family vs. what everyone else expects, but also showing grace and love to our extended family then you will feel right at home with this episode.  I hope this inspires you to have a Christmas you love this year! Let's go to the show! Please join me over at: http://mominspiredshow.com/ Have you checked out our Vacation Planning Tool? It's a perfect Christmas Gift for people who love to travel and want to give experiences this Christmas! What do you value more? A bunch of stuff that collects dust in your house, or amazing experiences that can bring your family closer together? If you’re a mom like me who treasures memories and experiences over the accumulation of “stuff”, you know that prioritizing family time is the best example you can show your kids as they grow. This is one of the reasons why we created the Dream Achiever Vacation Planning Tool.  mominspiredshow.com/vacationplanningtool What is your vacation personality?  Take the Vacation Personality Quiz now:  http://mominspiredshow.com/vacationpersonality/ Guest Contact Info: Website: http://alexandrakuykendall.com Click on her book to purchase it on Amazon. Twitter: @alex_kuykendall Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexandrakuykendall/   Disclosure: Affiliate links used in this post. Thank you!

MOPS friend and author Alexandra Kuykendall encourages us to consider how to live a life characterized by contentment - and face comparison, fear and boredom head on.

If we live out our Christmas in a way that we actually enjoy, then we give off the vibe as Christians that Christmas is something to celebrate and not something to resent. The post Season 1, Episode 5: Loving My Actual Christmas: Alexandra Kuykendall appeared first on Stonecroft.

The Theme for March's Podcasts is The Modern Titus 2 Woman. Titus 2 encourages "older" women to "urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God." In week 2 of this series we chat with Alexandra Kuykendall. Alex is a wife, a mom, and an author.  She speaks to women around the world about issues of parenting, faith and identity. The conversation in this episode centers on lessons Alex has learned about what to look for in a mentor and how to effectively mentor others. We discuss the process she uses to determine what to let go of and what to hold on to and why letting go of good things can be such a big relief. She shares examples from her own life of what mentoring "looks like" and reassures us that it doesn't need to be formal and complicated to be impactful. Show Notes: To learn more about the Open Door Sisterhood Podcast which Alex co-hosts with Krista Gilbert, visit TheOpenDoorSisterhood.com. For more information about Alex visit her website at AlexandraKuykendall.com.   SUBSCRIBE ON ITUNES --- New podcasts episodes available on Thursdays. If you enjoyed the show, please rate it on iTunes and write a short review. Connect with Kendra at @strongerevent on Instagram or @strongernetwork on Twitter. Ask a question on the podcast episode at strongerthanyouthink.co or by emailing strongerevent@gmail.com.

Leave a review of the show on iTunes or Stitcher If you live near Denver, Colorado, you can meet this week's guest, Alexandra Kuykendall, in person at the Denver Institute for Faith & Work event called “Ambition: Living with Drive & Devotion” happening this Friday, March 10th in Denver. Learn more & register here: http://denverinstitute.org/ambition/ Alexandra Kuykendall says she spends her days driving to multiple schools, figuring out what to feed her people and searching for a better solution to the laundry dilemma. Author of Loving My Actual Life: An Experiment in Relishing What's Right in Front of Me and The Artist's Daughter: A Memoir, Alex is co-hostess of The Open Door Sisterhood Podcast. A trusted voice in mothering circles, Alex speaks to women around the world about issues of parenting, faith and identity. She lives in the shadows of downtown Denver with her husband Derek and their 4 daughters. In this interview, Alex talks about her nine-month experiment that led her to write the book “Loving My Actual Life” including finding more quiet in her days and how she adjusted her family's morning routine to give them a better start to their day. Alex is honest about the challenge it's been to ask God for what she wants in the dream category. I can't help but think she's not the only one out there wrestling with the fear of sounding ungrateful or being disappointed if God said “no” to her request.   I know you'll love hearing from Alex, the unique assignment God has given her in this life and the little ways she's tweaked things so she can be more content right where she is right now. You'll find the show notes, resources discussed and Alex's contact information here: http://www.merrittonsa.com/podcast/35 Leave your review of the show on iTunes or Stitcher.

In this episode of FEAR NOT, Author Alexandra Kuykendall shares a recent story of when her kids were in danger, as well as discussing irrational fears.

My guest for The Happy Hour #129 is Rebekah Lyons. Rebekah is the author of Freefall to Fly: A Breathtaking Journey Toward a Life of Meaning and now You are Free: Be Who You Already Are. She is a mother of three, wife of one, and dog-walker of two living in Franklin, TN. Alongside her husband, Gabe, she serves as co-founder of Q Ideas, a nonprofit organization that helps Christian leaders winsomely engage in culture. When she's not busy writing killer books, you can find her reading and sipping a discriminating cup of coffee. In today's show, we cover it all. We start where all happy hours should start - a review on jumpsuits. If you don't know, Rebekah can rock a jumpsuit better than just about anyone out there. I later learn that one reason she can pull them off so effortlessly is because she's riding a bike with her son for about an hour every day. So, if you need a new goal, there you go. Riding a bike may just earn you a jumpsuit. In less trivial conversation, Rebekah shares about her newest book, You Are Free, which was just released yesterday. Y'all have heard me (at nauseam) talk about book covers, and this one is one of my favorites. It even feels good. Rebekah talks about the process of writing the book and battling the lies of the enemy to walk in obedience and write her story. She also shares about her family and their move to New York City with three kids, and how her son very cleverly caused himself to be sick at school day after day to communicate to his parents that it was time to move on. I am majorly inspired by Rebekah, and I hope that you are too. Make sure you hurry over and grab a copy of her latest book. {You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!} Links from the Show Rebekah's Book: You Are Free The Broken + Free Tour Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light: The Private Writings of the Saint of Calcutta by Mother Theresa What Rebekah is loving: Hourglass Makeup Palette, wearing hats and This Is Us Music from Jason Poe Connect with Rebekah Facebook // Instagram // Twitter Connect with Jamie Facebook // Twitter // Instagram Sponsors: EM Jewelry+Design EM Jewelry+Design is a woman owned and operated company that makes jewelry by hand from start to finish. By creating high quality jewelry we encourage women to invest in fewer pieces that will last longer. Our hope is to inspire confidence in women, by looking and feeling great in what they are wearing. Learn more at emjewelrydesign.com and use code 'HAPPYHOUR' to save 10% on your purchase!  PrepDish Prep Dish is a healthy subscription-based meal planning service. When you sign up, you'll receive an email every week with a grocery list and instructions for prepping your meals ahead of time. After a couple of hours on the weekend, you'll have all of your meals ready for the entire week. You'll save time and have some amazingly delicious meals like Smoky Paprika Chicken Legs with Roasted Carrots, Parsnips & Fennel or Turkey & Zucchini Lasagna. Allison is offering listeners one month for just $4! You can't beat it. Check out PrepDish for this amazing deal! Use code: happyhour The Heart of Marriage With beautiful photographs and poignant prose, Dawn Camp invites you to reflect on the heart of marriage. This collection is perfect for the good days, the hard days, and all the days in between. With stories from Crystal Paine, Lisa-Jo Baker, Alexandra Kuykendall, Holley Gerth, Shaunti Feldhahn, Renee Swope, Richard Paul Evans, Kristen Welch, Mo Isom, and many more. Pick up your copy here.

My guest for The Happy Hour #127 is Sally Clarkson. Sally is the mother of four wholehearted children, a popular conference speaker, and champion of women everywhere. She is the best-selling author of numerous books and articles on Christian motherhood and parenting, including her most recent release, Different, written with her son. Sally lives in Monument, Colorado and loves Jesus, her family, reading, music, tea, traveling, long walks, and her golden retriever, Darcy. On today's show, Sally and I chat about writing her newest book with her son, Nathan. Growing up as an out-of-the-box kid with OCD and ADHD, Nathan writes about his experiences and thought patterns, and Sally writes about her journey in parenting him (mistakes and all). In our conversation, Sally shares more about the book - how it came to be, what it was like to write with her son, and what she learned along the way. Her wisdom in parenting kiddos with different personalities, different strengths and weaknesses is so valuable. Sally and I also chat about disciplining children based on their personalities. Finally, she talks about how she is passionate about making sure she is filled up, so that the people that draw from her, draw riches and not poverty. Whether you have been following Sally for a long time, and getting to know her for the first time, I hope you find our conversation to be inspiring no matter what stage of like you are in. Today's conversation is parenting-heavy, but I hope you're able to glean a little nugget or two for your life. {You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!} Links from the Show Prayer by Philip Yancey Renew Your Heart Conferences What Sally is loving: strong cappuccino, being with her children and New York City Music from Jason Poe Connect with Sally Twitter // Instagram // YouTube Connect with Jamie Facebook // Twitter // Instagram Sponsors: EM Jewelry+Design EM Jewelry+Design is a woman owned and operated company that makes jewelry by hand from start to finish. By creating high quality jewelry we encourage women to invest in fewer pieces that will last longer. Our hope is to inspire confidence in women, by looking and feeling great in what they are wearing. Learn more at emjewelrydesign.com and use code 'HAPPYHOUR' to save 10% on your purchase!  Noonday Collection Noonday Collection is a business that uses fashion to create meaningful opportunities around the world. When you purchase Noonday accessories, you create a marketplace for artisan businesses, enabling them to provide dignified jobs in vulnerable communities. They develop artisan businesses through fair trade, collaborative design, responsible financing, capacity building and long-term partnership. On February 16, Noonday releases their newest line! If you host a Noonday Trunk show between February 16-28, you could earn gifts from some of their partners over at Lindsay Letters and The Object Enthusiast. Plus, with a qualifying show you'll be entered to win a trip for 2 to Austin! Contact your local Ambassador to book a show today. If you don't have an Ambassador, go to the here and you'll find a match with someone in your area!   The Heart of Marriage With beautiful photographs and poignant prose, Dawn Camp invites you to reflect on the heart of marriage. This collection is perfect for the good days, the hard days, and all the days in between. With stories from Crystal Paine, Lisa-Jo Baker, Alexandra Kuykendall, Holley Gerth, Shaunti Feldhahn, Renee Swope, Richard Paul Evans, Kristen Welch, Mo Isom, and many more. Pick up your copy here.

My guest for The Happy Hour #126 is the incredibly gorgeous Sazan Hendrix. Digital media influencer and fashion/beauty/lifestyle icon, Sazan was born to inspire others. As one of the most recognizable and leading young beauty entrepreneurs, she is transforming the professional business of social and digital media all around the world with nearly one million loyal followers across her platforms in addition to the millions of views on her blog and YouTube channel. She has also become an exclusive digital media ambassador for Maybelline, and most recently has launched her very own monthly box subscription called Bless Box.  On today's show, Sazan and I chat about what her days look like as a fashion and beauty blogger. If you have ever wondered what a day in the life of someone who lives in the digital world looks like, Sazan does a great job of describing it. She shares about how she and her husband work together and how they make it work. She also tells about her Kurdish background, and the costs and challenges with her decision to follow Jesus and marry an American man. She recently travelled to Israel, and shares about her experience and the digital backlash she received. If you don't already know Sazan, trust me, you'll probably find yourself binging on her YouTube videos for the next few hours. That's how we met, anyway. Sazan is the kind of beautiful that's an itsy bit intimidating to me. But, I was so impressed by her, and how relatable and personable she is. I think you will love getting to know her...and now I suspect I have lost you to perusing her YouTube channel. If you can break away, come back on Friday for another episode of The Happy Half Hour! {You can listen to the showHERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!} Links from the Show Together for Israel Sazan's Be Wild Bless Box What Sazan is loving: Downton Abbey, brown matte lipsticks and indoor cycling Music from Jason Poe Connect with Sazan Facebook // Twitter // Instagram // YouTube Connect with Jamie Facebook // Twitter // Instagram Sponsors: Noonday Collection Noonday Collection is a business that uses fashion to create meaningful opportunities around the world. When you purchase Noonday accessories, you create a marketplace for artisan businesses, enabling them to provide dignified jobs in vulnerable communities. They develop artisan businesses through fair trade, collaborative design, responsible financing, capacity building and long-term partnership. On February 16, Noonday releases their newest line! If you host a Noonday Trunk show between February 16-28, you could earn gifts from some of their partners over at Lindsay Letters and The Object Enthusiast. Plus, with a qualifying show you'll be entered to win a trip for 2 to Austin! Contact your local Ambassador to book a show today. If you don't have an Ambassador, go to the here and you'll find a match with someone in your area!   PrepDish Prep Dish is a healthy subscription-based meal planning service. When you sign up, you'll receive an email every week with a grocery list and instructions for prepping your meals ahead of time. After a couple of hours on the weekend, you'll have all of your meals ready for the entire week. You'll save time and have some amazingly delicious meals like Smoky Paprika Chicken Legs with Roasted Carrots, Parsnips & Fennel or Turkey & Zucchini Lasagna. Allison is offering listeners one month for just $4! You can't beat it. Check out PrepDish for this amazing deal! Use code: happyhour The Heart of Marriage With beautiful photographs and poignant prose, Dawn Camp invites you to reflect on the heart of marriage. This collection is perfect for the good days, the hard days, and all the days in between. With stories from Crystal Paine, Lisa-Jo Baker, Alexandra Kuykendall, Holley Gerth, Shaunti Feldhahn, Renee Swope, Richard Paul Evans, Kristen Welch, Mo Isom, and many more. Pick up your copy here.

What happens when a girl turns 21? How about when a podcast does? We have a little bit of a party. And we reflect on how far we've come and where we're going. That's exactly what we're doing on this 21st episode of The Open Door Sisterhood Podcast. Co-hostesses Krista Gilbert and Alexandra Kuykendall talk through what this whole podcast thing is about. Why they're doing it. What the intent is and what the core values of the sisterhood are. Though these two typically interview other guests, in this episode they interview one another, giving listeners an insight into their friendship and their unique personalities. Join in to hear how they met in a college theater production, what keeps their lives working well as they each parent four children and the difference between full schedules and full lives.

Do you find yourself always longing for the next phase of life? This is for you... Alexandra Kuykendall joins us today with insight on how to love and relish the life you're already living. In This Episode You'll Hear... Alexandra's journey to start loving her actual, current life. About the experiment you can do to discover the joy in your current phase of life. How to grow in areas of parenting where you're not naturally gifted. How social media affects our current contentment. How to help your children love their actual life. Eliminate the Overwhelm of Meal Planning Get your free 30 day trial at PlanToEat.com. Quick Links Alexandra's book, Loving My Actual Life: An Experiment of Relishing What's Right in Front of Me The Fit Bit Alta Kat mentioned The Forest app Kat mentioned (available for iPhone and Android) Love the song in the outro? It's called God Day. It's by Jen Stanbro and you can get it on iTunes by clicking here and check out Jen's site by clicking here. Connect with Alex Alexandra's Website Social media:Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram How to Listen to This Podcast Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes or Stitcher and get the latest episodes as soon as they are available. If you're new to podcasts, click here learn more about them! Click the play button in the post or grab your favorite podcast app and join us for a chat!

Do you find yourself always longing for the next phase of life? This is for you… Alexandra Kuykendall joins us today with insight on how to love and relish the life you’re already living. In This Episode You’ll Hear… Alexandra’s journey to start loving her actual, current life. About the... Read more

This is part 2 of a two part interview with my co-host and author Alexandra Kuykendall about her new book, Loving My Actual Life.  Tammy Strait joins us as a guest co-host. We talk about health, body image, what to do about our constant connection to social media, and how to keep perspective in the midst of parenting.  

This is part 1 in a 2 part interview with author Alexandra Kuykendall about her new book, Loving My Actual Life.  We talk about how we met, the book cover, finding adventure, breath prayers, dates, and how it's a challenge to love our actual lives.

Jamie talks with author Alexadra Kuykendall about parenting, forgiveness, marriage Guatemala and loving the life you have.