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On today’s solo show, we are re-releasing my talk on the topic of “Bible Study 101”.  Though this is a re-release of an episode originally recorded three years ago, it seems timely again as we are feeling fearful in these times and needing to grow in our knowledge of the Bible and our ability to study it. May you come away from this episode feeling encouraged and equipped in your ability to study, understand, and interpret the Bible for yourself. What She Chats about in Today’s Episode: ~*How* to study the Bible, and then moving on into *when* to study the Bible (help for the busy woman who finds it hard to make time for the Word) ~5 Bible Study tips for beginners: *Pick a user-friendly Bible translation *Choose a Reading Plan for where to begin (see my Bible Reading Plan article below, however, for some necessary caveats to this!) *Find a good Bible study or Bible study method *Learn to reflect on what you are reading *Take advantage of the many free study resources at your disposal ~Different Bible translations, and what the differences are between word-for-word translations and thought-for-thought (or dynamic equivalent) translations ~The Bible translation I personally would recommend that is an “optimal equivalence” translation ~What the Holy Spirit has clearly called me, personally, to do in my personal Bible study time ~Free online resources and websites for Bible study ~Great books of the Bible to begin with if you are a new believer ~Bible study methods: *SOAP method Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer *Inductive Bible Study Method ~Great guided Bible study book recommendations ~Practical tips for how to be in the Word as a busy woman ~Meeting with God all throughout the day in relationship with Him, as opposed to relegating time with Him to a business meeting in the morning ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Rachel Norman is a wife, mom of 5, certified baby and toddler sleep coach, blogger at A Mother Far From Home, and author of the new book, “If Mama Ain’t Happy: Why Minding Healthy Boundaries Is Good for Your Whole Family“. She has a passion to help moms be ok, to be able to uncomplicate family life and go back to the basics. Today on the show she encourages and inspires us to craft lives that serve us and our families well.   What We Chat About On This Episode ~Rachel’s new book, “If Mama Ain’t Happy: Why Minding Healthy Boundaries Is Good for Your Whole Family“, what led her to write it, and what readers can expect ~Erecting boundaries for ourselves so that we can guard our hearts and be ok ~How having boundaries for ourselves and taking care of ourselves is actually really good for our kids, too ~Rachel’s own experience of how the way she was living truly was killing her ~How not having appropriate boundaries as a mom leads to our growing anxious, hurried, harried, and as mere shells of ourselves ~Understanding that our struggles are common, and we are not alone ~The importance of slowing down and assessing how you’re feeling and why and what can be done about it ~The problem that can come with putting ourselves as moms into certain camps - crunchy parenting, gentle parenting, positive parenting, etc. ~The problems that can arise with the modern-day concept of “positive” parenting ~The problem with raising our kids (even subconsciously) to think that it isn’t normal to have feelings, express grief, or cry ~The importance of being kind and gentle while also remembering that saying no and having boundaries are important and good for our children’s well-being as the grow up ~Having a big-picture perspective in our parenting ~The benefit of having conversations and seeking to reach the heart of our children as opposed to just slapping a consequence on a behavior ~The problem of toxic positivity ~Normalizing having emotions as moms and children ~Actually making choices to cultivate, form, and organize lives that serve us well and bring us joy ~Taking things off our plates that are bringing inappropriate busyness into our lives ~The importance of stepping back and asking ourselves what our worldview is and assessing whether or not our current family rhythms and routines are honoring that worldview ~Words of advice and help to the mom who is on the other end of the spectrum and has a vice grip of control ~The heavy burden too many mamas have of believing that everything is either their fault or their responsibility; remembering that it is not our burden to bear to be God to our family ~How being too busy is a tool of the enemy to distract us from what is most important ~The warning sign it is if you’re being triggered by the pushback that comes with standards and discipline in your home ~Being freed from feeling like you are the victim of your children ~How not living in the present leads to our being depressed and anxious; what this means for us and our phone addictions ~Advice for how to get started with crafting new rhythms and routines and letting go of the busyness and overwhelm ~And more!   For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

  On this week’s solo podcast episode, I am re-releasing an episode where I took to the show to talk all about New Year’s resolutions, goals, walking by the Spirit, and holding fast to the gospel in the midst of it all. What I Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~Why so many of our resolutions “fail” and why wrong theology is shooting us in the foot here ~The impact of the gospel on our guilt surrounding “failing” in our resolutions and goals ~The important first steps to take when drafting up your resolutions and goals for the year ~The importance of walking by the Spirit in the everyday moments of our lives, not even just in the big-picture times of planning for a whole year ~Our identity and why it does not come from what we accomplish ~Willingly changing course when God calls us to ~The importance of redeeming the time well – regardless of whether or not we have already “failed” in our resolutions ~Understanding that looking to yourself for the strength required to fulfill your resolutions is not enough ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Lisa  Appelo is a widowed mom of 7, Bible teacher, and author of the new book, “Life Can be Good Again: Putting Your World Back Together After it Falls Apart“. She comes on the show to encourage you that, with the Lord, there is always hope and goodness to be found even through the hardest of seasons.   What we Chat About on this Episode ~Lisa’s new book, “Life Can be Good Again: Putting Your World Back Together After it Falls Apart“, what led her to write it, and what readers can expect ~How Lisa is able to have hope and joy and find abundance even in the midst of still missing her husband and grieving his loss ~Understanding that God does not serve up to us the leftovers or plan B, but instead His ordained second chapter of our lives ~Allowing God to shape us through what we are experiencing; what that journey was like for Lisa ~God’s nearness to the broken-hearted ~Prayer as plugging into our Power Source ~How practical God and walking by the Spirit truly are ~Gratitude’s secret gift and Lisa’s experience with that ~Not just seeing God’s goodness, but seeing God’s goodness for you ~How to find your footing in a heart-breakingly hard season ~The power and importance of lament ~And more!   For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

This week we are bringing to a close our solo podcast series based on my book, "Good News for a Woman's Heart: An Advent Devotional Study",  with our final podcast episode of 2022.  Today we are focusing on week 4 of the study, which centers on remembering the peace we can have in Christ for our weary hearts. What I Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~The fact that it is no accident that this very week - when the enemy most tries to steal our peace - is the very week of peace in the Advent tradition  ~Where peace ultimately comes from ~Peace...in the face of lies ~How the enemy is lying to us, making us think that the magic of Christmas depends on us ~Taking these thoughts captive to the truth of the implications of the Incarnation and the good news of the gospel ~Peace...in the face of trouble ~The trouble we have in this world, and how we can have peace no matter what our circumstances  ~Where trouble comes from (hint: it isn't God) ~Why free will is so crucial ~Why the Lord placed that infamous tree in the garden ~Peace...for the brokenhearted ~How you can have peace even in the midst of loss, trial, heartache, and unmet dreams and expectations ~How it's possible that we are actually blessed when we mourn and are poor in spirit; how I have experienced this beautiful reality myself ~What we see in Scripture about the beauty that can come in and through brokenness  ~Peace...in the face of loss ~The goodness of the Lord and the truth that all He does is ultimately good ~Peace...for the celebration ~The freedom we have to joyfully and wholeheartedly celebrate our blessings...even when life is hard for someone else; understanding that empathy, sensitivity, and care for them and celebration for us can go hand-in-hand ~How our Heavenly Father delights when we delight in our good gifts from Him ~What Christmas means for us today and every day; taking the truths and implications of Christmas with you on into the new year ~And more!

Dorena Williamson is a pastor’s wife, mom, Ever Eve stylist, and author of several childrens’ books, including the newest one, Brown Baby Jesus. She comes on the show today to help us better understand the historical and cultural context of the Christmas story - and why that context is so important. This is the second part of a two-part conversation I had with Dorena that I believe equips us all well to be the hands and feet of Christ. What We Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~Why it’s so important to understand that Jesus came to save a diverse world; the impact this has on the gospel, how we present it, and how we view others ~Our call to be heralds of God’s good news for the prostitutes, tax collectors, and sinners ~Jesus as a friend of sinners ~The importance of representation, and why it is important; addressing the question of whether or not this is divisive ~Representation as a way we can follow in Paul’s footsteps of looking to the interests of others ~Heaven as an eternal beautiful picture of God’s creativity in designing every nation, tribe, and tongue ~Seeing our cultural differences as a God-given gift ~The importance of having the Lord search our hearts and see if there be any wicked way in us ~Honoring ethnic differences as Jesus Himself did and does ~Valuing the whole person ~And more! For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

This week we are kicking off week 3 of our  brand new solo podcast series, this one based on a book I wrote a few years back entitled "Good News for a Woman's Heart: An Advent Devotional Study".   Today we are focusing on week 3 of the study, which centers on embracing the joy we can have in Christ. What I Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~This season as one that can too often being really lacking in joy for many ~They enemy's conniving ways of stealing our joy right at the time of year when we should have joy the most ~Joy brought to a barren woman - Elizabeth ~An in-depth look at Elizabeth's life and the implications of what God did for her ~God's tender, caring, empathetic heart for Elizabeth ~Joy for the outcast ~Joy for the marginalized ~God's heart for those who have been cast aside and mistreated ~Two questions to ask yourself this Advent: "Who are the outcasts in your life?"  and "What can you do to serve them?" ~Truth to remember when you are the outcast ~The importance of befriending those who do not look, act, or believe the way we do - just as Jesus did (and just as the Pharisees complained about!); understanding that this is a crucial part of our Great Commission work ~The importance of having iron-that-sharpens-iron friendships with fellow believers as well as friendships with those who need to know the love and truth of the Savior ~Jesus' heart for another marginalized woman - the woman at the well in John 4 ~Our call as Christ-followers to welcome the outcast and include the marginalized - just as He did  ~Joy for the lost  ~Our ability to have joy no matter what our circumstances are - because of Who Christ is  ~Joy for the hopeless ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Dorena Williamson is a pastor’s wife, mom, Ever Eve stylist, and author of several childrens’ books, including the newest one, Brown Baby Jesus. She comes on the show today to help us better understand the historical and cultural context of the Christmas story - and why that context is so important. What We Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~Dorena’s new book, Brown Baby Jesus, what led her to write it, and what readers can expect ~Why understanding the historical background of Scripture is important; the problem with whitewashing it ~The women included in the genealogy of Jesus ~The reality that the rich roots of our faith originated in African and Asian soil ~How the gospel impacts how we view and treat people who are different from us ~Refuting the false representation that Christianity is a “white man’s religion” ~Why it’s so impactful that it was the shepherds who received the message from the angels ~African church fathers and their contribution ~The importance of seeing people the way God does ~Understanding that Jesus and His parents were refugees at one point; why this is important to grasp and it changes how we view people ~The importance of doing a self-assessment to see if there are ways that we are are dehumanizing others ~Understanding that dehumanizing people and failing to see God’s image in them is the first step to mistreating them and excusing it away as ok ~Growing in proximity to those who are different from us; what a powerful way this is to shape our lives and give us opportunities to reflect the love of Christ ~The importance of asking ourselves why it is that we sometimes don’t want to listen to the stories of people who are different from us; the importance of being willing to topple whatever idol we may have in our hearts that is making it hard for us to do this ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

This week we are kicking off week 2 of our  brand new solo podcast series, this one based on a book I wrote a few years back entitled "Good News for a Woman's Heart: An Advent Devotional Study".   Today we are focusing on week 2 of the study, which centers on living out of the love we have in Christ. What I Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~An in-depth look at Mary's life and what we can learn from her example ~Why studying Mary's story is a great way to commemorate the Advent week of love ~How love, and not legalism, is the only thing that can motivate and lead to heart change ~Mary's background ~The amazing reality that Mary was theologically trained and knowledgeable in a culture when women typically were not; how God's kindness and grace shines forth in this reality - He was equipping her for His call on her life ~How Mary's theology was what enabled her to respond the way she did to the angel's announcement ~The comforting truth that the Lord equips and prepares us for any call He has for us  ~Mary's response ~Mary's theology ~Mary's worship ~The difference between your worship of God only ever coming from a place of what you've received from Him and worshipping God simply for Who He is  ~Becoming modern-day Marys ~What Mary's Song (Mary's Magnificat) teaches us about worship and theology  ~The importance of living loved if we want to love well ~Understanding that we can walk forward in joy, rest, and trust no matter what we are facing in this season ~And more! For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Jamie Erickson is a wife, homeschool mom of 5, founder and lead writer of The Unlikely Homeschool blog, and co-host of the Mom to Mom Podcast. Today on the show we talk about her newest book, Holy Hygge: Creating a Place for People to Gather and the Gospel to Grow. We hope you come away from this episode feeling inspired to pursue and cultivate warm coziness in your own home and serve others through your love.     What We Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~Jamie's newest book, Holy Hygge: Creating a Place for People to Gather and the Gospel to Grow, what led her to write it, and what readers can expect ~Homes as places of kingdom work and refuge in crazy times ~Cultivating our homes as offerings and shelters, places where Christ isn't just a social accessory, but really an ever-present part of our days ~Letting go of the burdensome baggage we may have in the area of hospitality ~Making hospitality a normal part of our regular lives as an outpouring of our love for others ~What hygge is and how Jamie became associated with it ~How hygge can be a powerful tool to share the love and gospel of Jesus ~The reality that Jesus first met physical needs before He met spiritual needs; how the concept of hygge enables us to do the same ~The problem with saying we "just need to preach the gospel"; our call to actually live out the gospel and its implications as the hands and feet of Jesus ~Understanding that it is ok - and glorifies God!- for us to delight in His good gifts of comfort and beauty ~Understanding that God does His best work when we rest ~What the "evening-morning" rhythm of a day in Genesis teaches us about what is best for our bodies and the practice of prioritizing rest ~Understanding the Danish culture and how they find comfort and stability in repetitive rhythms and routines ~How traditions, rhythms, and routines can strengthen family bonds and point to a God Who was, Who is, and Who always will be ~"Home" and "Place" as big themes throughout Scripture ~The power of opening up our door to others in a post-pandemic culture ~The difference between hospitality (making it about your guest) and entertaining (making it about you) ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

This week we are kicking off a brand new solo podcast series, this one based on a book I wrote a few years back entitled "Good News for a Woman's Heart: An Advent Devotional Study".   Today we are focusing on the introduction and week 1 of the study, which centers on the hope we have in Christ as seen through a study on the life stories of the five women found in the geneaology of Christ. What I Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~What to expect from this book and podcast study ~The stress and overwhelm we oftentimes feel this time of year ~The true reason for the season ~What Advent is  ~The theme of week one of Advent, hope ~The genealogy of Christ and the life stories of the 5 women we find listed there; what we can learn from their stories ~How we can have hope in the midst of terrible circumstances just as these 5 women of the Bible did ~Truth and encouragement to take with you into the holiday season ahead ~And more!   For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Alisa Childers runs an apologetics blog, podcast, and YouTube channel dedicated to helping believers grow in and better understand God's truth. Today on the show we talk about her newest book, Live Your Truth and Other Lies: Exposing Popular Deceptions That Make Us Anxious, Exhausted, and Self-Obsessed. We hope you come away from this episode feeling far better equipped to guard against the lies of the culture.     What We Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~Alisa's newest book, Live Your Truth and Other Lies: Exposing Popular Deceptions That Make Us Anxious, Exhausted, and Self-Obsessed, what led her to write it, and what readers can expect ~How these cultural lies are actually burdensome and debilitating ~God's Word as providing a much better, much more freeing answer ~Addressing the lie that God just wants us to be happy ~Teaching a good theology of suffering ~The gifts to be found in suffering; how we have experienced this ourselves ~The truth of Romans 8:28 ~Understanding self-care biblically, with a balanced perspective ~Gnosticism and a refusal to care for oneself ~How understanding who we are in Christ is the ultimate self-care ~Putting others' needs in front of our own while also taking care of ourselves ~Living for a different kingdom as a child of God ~The faith-builder it is to honor right priorities and rely on the Lord to make it all come together ~The proactive action behind the Golden Rule compared to the neutral iterations of the Golden Rule that were handed down by other teachers ~Understanding what true biblical love is and the reality that we can and should love everyone ~Being careful to course-correct according to Scripture when we are course-correcting ~And more!   For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

This is a re-release of an episode which first came out right before Friendship Matters was published. Today we share it again as a way to end our Friendship Matters podcast series.   ~~~~~ Amber Durgan and Rebekah Hargraves are joining forces on the show today to talk all about their new book releasing December 1, “Friendship Matters: Cultivating Meaningful Connections in an Isolated World.” They also answer in a series of questions sent in by readers and listeners on the topic of friendship.   What We Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~Answering the following questions that were sent in: *”What do I do if someone wants to be closer friends with me than I want to be with them?” *”How does personality play into friendship?” *”I have a friendship that is consistently draining. What should I do?” *”Should we be closer to our Christian friends than we are to our non-Christian friends?” *”My friend has recently made a decision I don’t agree with. What should I do?” *”Do you have any suggestions for maintaining long-distance friendships?” *”What do I do if I have a friend with a different worldview than mine? Is that ok?” *”How can I share the gospel without being ‘preachy’ about it?” ~The difference between being friends *with* everyone and being friendly *to* everyone; which we are actually called to ~What to expect from the book, topics we cover, etc. ~The importance of having already developed a certain depth of friendship before “going there” and addressing hard and personal topics ~The Matthew 18 Method blueprint for how to address hard situations with your friends ~The importance of asking ourselves how we are presenting the gospel to the people in our lives. ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Elizabeth Woodsen is a Bible teacher, Dallas Theological Seminary graduate, and author who is passionate about helping people learn about the rich theological truths of their faith. Today she comes on the show to talk about her new book, "Embrace Your Life: How to Find Joy When the Life You Have is not the Life You Hoped For", and how we can thrive even in the midst of life circumstances we don't want.     What We Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~Elizabeth's newest book, "Embrace Your Life: How to Find Joy When the Life You Have is not the Life You Hoped For", what led her to write it, and what readers can expect ~What this journey has been like for Elizabeth as a late-thirties single who always wanted to be married ~The new glasses we need to put on of the story of the Bible in order to change our perspective and embrace the life we have ~God's work to redeem all the hard things ~God's Word as that which keeps us steady in the midst of life circumstances which feel very unsteady ~The reality that God has a purpose for your life, no matter how you might feel or what you might think ~Understanding that our ability to experience joy is not blocked by the current circumstances of our lives ~The importance of feeling our pain and taking it before the Lord ~The power and importance of lament ~Understanding that the Lord welcomes the bigness of our emotions ~The promises of God and how we can rely on them because they are rooted in the character of God ~Understanding that our seasons of longing are not without purpose but are being used by God to grow us ~Understanding that there is always hope, no matter what situation you're currently in ~And more! For full show notes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

A few months ago, we kicked off a brand new solo podcast series based on a book I co-authored with my dear friend, Amber Durgan, entitled "Friendship Matters: Cultivating Meaningful Connections in an Isolated World".   Today we are focusing on chapter 9, the last chapter official chapter of the book and one that is all about becoming the friend you want to be. What I Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~The importance of becoming the kind of friend we want to be (and the kind of friend we want to have!) ~Steps to take towards becoming that kind of friend:  *Make a list. *Make an assessment. *Gather and put to good use any needed resources ~How to have the fruits of the Spirit cultivated in our lives ~The importance of thinking about what kind of friends we want to have and how to find such friends ~Truths to remember going forward: *God is our Provider - He will provide the friends. *God is our closest friend. *God is our greatest advisor. *God is our fiercest protector. *God is our hope and help. ~And more!   For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Becky Thompson is a wife, mama, blogger, podcaster, and author of several books including her newest, God so Close: Experience a Life Awakened by the Holy Spirit. She comes on the show today to inspire us with what it means to listen to and walk by the Spirit and how we can do that in our everyday lives.     What We Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~Becky's newest book, God so Close: Experience a Life Awakened by the Holy Spirit, what led her to write it, and what readers can expect ~How the Holy Spirit wants to draw us into a closer relationship with God ~The reality that all believers are already in relationship with the Holy Spirit but need to be made more and more aware of what they already have and tap into it more ~Understanding that there is nothing we can do for God apart from the help of God ~The concept of not just being God's hands and feet, but also His mouth and ears ~The speaking role of the Holy Spirit in our lives today ~Times in Becky's own life when she heard the prompting of the Holy Spirit and He led her to do something ~How the Holy Spirit speaks to us in order to encourage others we can reach by His strength ~Understanding that there is always more to discover, more to learn, more to experience of His infinite love ~The reality that we as believers have already heard the voice of the Holy Spirit - He is, after all who drew us to the Lord - but we may just not have realized that's Who it was ~How to begin hearing more from the Holy Spirit and knowing that is Who we heard from ~Understanding that it is the Word of God that equips us to hear from God ~Understanding that we must be hearing from the Holy Spirit and He must be speaking to us if we are to correctly understand and interpret the Word of God ~Understanding that the Holy Spirit will never say anything contrary to the Word of God, but will always draw us closer to the Lord rather than push us further away ~What it means to be filled with the Holy Spirit; understanding that what happens at the moment of salvation is just the starting point ~Understanding that our eternal life does not just begin when we die; our eternal life with Father, Son, and Holy Spirit began the day we were saved ~Understanding that God wants to move through us to impact the world around us ~ The importance of pursuing a relationship, not mere information; understanding that heart change ultimately comes from our relationship with Christ, not merely acquiring more information ~No longer allowing the enemy to steal from us what is ours as we refuse to any longer believe falsehoods about the Holy Spirit ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Amber Durgan is a wife, mama, blogger, podcaster, and co-author author of two books. Her heart is for encouraging and equipping women to build deeper relationships with Christ. Today she comes on the show to chat about the hard topic of having to move on from difficult friendships.     What We Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~The hard and hurtful friendship seasons of life and how to handle them biblically ~Moving on from harmful friendships in a way that honors the Lord and also honors the other person ~Good that the Lord can graciously bring from even something as hard as broken friendships ~The Matthew 18 Method and what it looks like in friendships ~The importance of walking through a difficult friendship season with the right spirit and attitude ~Laying the brokenness aside and not letting it consume us ~How much easier our lives would be if we got out of our own ways and actually walked by the Spirit ~What our goal should be when we are moving on from a challenging friendship ~Blessing the other person, even when we have to move on from our friendship with them ~Some of our own experiences with broken friendships and good that God has brought from them ~The importance of going back out there and initiating friendship again ~How to know when it is time to move on from a harmful friendship ~What we're missing out on when we rush too fast to the step of "moving on" ~The part forgiveness plays even when we move on ~Reconciliation and what to do when only one party wants to reconcile ~Forgiveness as a journey; walking in continual forgiveness ~How things that happen in our lives are also meant to encourage and inspire others ~Being grateful for the blessings in your life ~Holding on to hope in the midst of hard seasons ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Jessica Thompson is a wife, mom,  speaker, writer, podcaster, and author of the new devotional study, "How God Loves Us: 40 Days to Discovering His Character in the Fruit of the Spirit",  She  joins me on the podcast today to encourage you with a more thoroughly biblical understanding of the fruits of the Spirit than you may have heard taught before. I pray you will be as encouraged by this conversation as I was!   What we Chat about in This Episode ~Jessica's book, "How God Loves Us: 40 Days to Discovering His Character in the Fruit of the Spirit", what led her to write it, and what readers can expect ~Not looking at the fruit of the Spirit anymore as a list of things we need to do better, but instead looking at that list as a list of the ways that God has loved us and a list of His character qualities ~How an inner assessment of how we are or are not living out the fruits of the Spirit is not beneficial; what actually helps us grow in these fruits ~What the Holy Spirit teaches us about the goodness of Christ and the goodness of Christ to and for us specifically ~Common misconceptions in the church about the fruits of the Spirit ~How the gospel calls us to not look to ourselves, but to God; how that changes our hearts and our ability to love others ~Understanding that it is the fruit of "the Spirit", not the fruit of "trying harder" ~Why heart transformation is the key and mere behavior modification will only get us so far ~Particular fruits of the Spirit which have stood out to Jessica personally and been a balm to her soul as she has understood them as the character of God ~God as a joyful God ~The reality that how we view God will be how we parent ~Something Jessica learned herself about the character of God as she was writing this book ~And more! Head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast for full shownotes!

A few months ago, we kicked off a brand new solo podcast series based on a book I co-authored with my dear friend, Amber Durgan, entitled "Friendship Matters: Cultivating Meaningful Connections in an Isolated World".   Today we are focusing on chapter 7, a chapter that is all about boundaries and forgiveness and how to deal with friends who are guilty of the five red flags we talked about last time. For Amber's perspective on this chapter, head on over to her podcast episode tomorrow! What I Chat about in Today’s Episode: ~The "good little Christian girl syndrome" (as Sally Clarkson calls it) which makes you think you always have to be the "yes girl", that you can never stick up for yourself, and that you always must simply turn the other cheek, come what may ~Understanding the cruelness of being an enabler to someone else's bad behavior ~Jesus' teaching on the importance of turning the other cheek, and balancing that with His own example of erecting boundaries and correcting behavior when needed ~Examples in Scripture when Jesus erected boundaries in a multitude of different situations ~The Matthew 18 Method for addressing sin and erecting boundaries as needed ~Seven steps for erecting boundaries while also desiring reconciliation and restoration ~3 things to understand if you are new to the concept of boundaries ~The importance of being clear and consistent in what your boundaries are ~The crucial part forgiveness plays in all this  ~4 important things to understand about forgiveness ~Boundaries and peacemaking (not to be confused with peacekeeping!) ~And more! For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast

Laura Booz is a wife, mom, gardener and chicken keeper, and author of the book, "Expect Something Beautiful: Finding God's Good Gifts in Motherhood". She  joins me on the podcast today to encourage you with the joy that can be found in God's good design for motherhood. May you be encouraged and find yourself better equipped to fight back against today's toxic mommy culture.   What we Chat about in This Episode ~Laura's book, "Expect Something Beautiful: Finding God's Good Gifts in Motherhood" what led her to write it, and what readers can expect ~The gifts of God's goodness, His character, and His sanctifying power that we find in motherhood ~God's perfect timing in the writing and release of this book ~Negative mommy culture in our day and how this beautiful book addresses that issue and reframes our thinking on motherhood ~The goodness of God's design and heart for motherhood ~How practical theology is for us in our motherhood ~The importance of self-control in motherhood ~Trusting God to establish the work of our hands moment by moment  ~Willingly surrendering to the Lord our time and our days and taking on the boundaries He, in His wisdom, has for our time and our families; how these boundaries have fallen to us in pleasant places; embracing that fact ~Giving ourselves the freedom of understanding that maternal love does not always come natural and we have to actually learn how to love our children well (as Titus 2 points out, we have to be *trained* in it) ~How knowing the love of God changes everything in how we are then able to love our children ~Mothering with the end in mind ~The mistake we make of resenting the natural effects of life with kids; the way God uses these very things to produce fruit in our lives ~How crucial it is to be in the Word as mamas; practical tips for how to actually do this as busy moms ~Doing what you can to make sure you are seeing clearly ~And more!   For full shownotes, head to www.hargraveshomeandhearth.com/podcast