A Cup of Hope: Life, Money, and Finding Beauty in the Broken

What if a no-spend challenge wasn’t about deprivation, but about slowing down and paying attention? In this episode of A Cup of Hope, I share why perfection isn’t the goal and how saying “no” for a season can actually create more space for the things that truly matter.

From my experience with Wendy Speake’s 40 Day Sugar Fast to practical tools like journals and boundary-setting, you’ll hear how intentional resets—whether with food or finances—help us shift our perspective, practice, and build habits that last.

If you are ready to notice more, spend less, and feel peace join us on this 21 Day No Spend Challenge journey!

🔗 Resources & Links Mentioned in This Episode:

• Join the 21-Day No-Spend Challenge 

• The 40 Day Sugar Fast by Wendy Speake

• The Contentment Journal by Rachel Cruze

• Know Yourself, Know Your Money by Rachel Cruze

• Boundaries by Dr. Henry Cloud & Dr. John Townsend

• Secrets of the Millionaire Mind by T. Harv Eker

• Connect with me in the A Cup of Hope Community 

⚠️ Amazon Affiliate Disclaimer:
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This means that if you purchase through one of my links, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting the show! 💛

Ever feel like money just slips through your fingers? 💸

In this episode of A Cup of Hope, we’re talking about how slowing down to notice more can change everything—not just your budget, but your peace of mind. I’ll walk you through the idea of life “seasons,” how to identify the one you’re in, and how that clarity can help you decide what really deserves your time, energy, and money.

Here’s the good news: you don’t have to say yes to everything. Every “no” today is what makes room for a better “yes” tomorrow. 🌱

If you’ve been feeling scattered, anxious, or stretched too thin—this conversation is for you.

👉 Plus, don’t miss the 21-Day No Spend Challenge—a simple way to notice your spending habits, create margin, and find peace before the holidays. Join here.

If this episode encouraged you, hit follow so you don’t miss what’s next, and share it with a friend who needs a little hope today.

Every yes is also a no. When we say yes to overscheduling, we say no to rest. When we say yes to overspending, we say no to peace. When we say yes to scrolling, we say no to connection.

Boundaries aren’t about restriction — they’re about freedom. In this episode, I’m sharing four key areas where boundaries protect what matters most: time, money, devices, and energy. You’ll also hear a powerful reminder from Joshua 24:15 and a principle from Dr. John Delony that has reshaped how I see boundaries: choose guilt over resentment.

Grab your favorite mug, and let’s talk about how to set boundaries that honor God and create space for connection.

Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means I may earn a small commission if you choose to purchase through them — at no extra cost to you. I only recommend resources I personally use and love.

• 📖 Boundaries by Dr. Henry Cloud & Dr. John Townsend (Amazon affiliate link)

• 📖 Own Your Past, Change Your Future by Dr. John Delony (Amazon affiliate link)

• 🎁 Christmas with Cash Freebie — my free holiday planning tool to help you enjoy a peaceful, debt-free Christmas.

• 🌐 Too Much Screen Time — Gena Peth — practical help for creating healthy screen time habits for your family.

Resources Mentioned

Sometimes the smallest reset—like a deep breath, a cleared counter, or a quiet cup of coffee—can transform not just your mood but the entire atmosphere of your home. In this episode, we’ll explore practical, life-giving resets to help you move from drained and distracted to calm and connected.

💡 Resources & Links Mentioned in This Episode:

• 🎄 Grab your free Christmas with Ca$h BINGO Card and start planning a peaceful, debt-free holiday:

• 📚 How to Help Your Child Clean Up Their Mental Mess by Dr. Caroline Leaf: 

• 🎙️ Mel Robbins Podcast: 5 Powerful Questions to Ask Yourself Right Now: Listen here

👉 Don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss the next episode in the Back-to-School Reset series!

Amazon Affiliate Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This does not affect the price you pay.

🎙 Episode 16: Hope for the Holidays – Rewriting the Story This Year

What if the peace you long for this Christmas is found in the choices you make now? In this reflective episode, we wrap up the Christmas with Ca$h series with a simple yet powerful mindset shift: You don’t need a perfect holiday to experience deep joy. Sherry shares personal traditions, a gentle challenge, and a prayer to help you rewrite the story this season—with intention, presence, and peace.

🛠 Mentioned in This Episode:
• Jotham’s Journey Advent Book (Amazon)
• The Greatest Gift by Ann Voskamp (Amazon)
• The 5 Types of Wealth by Sahil Bloom (Amazon)

Disclosure: These are Amazon affiliate links. That means I may earn a small commission if you choose to purchase through them—at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the show!

🎁 Free Gift:
Grab the Christmas with Ca$h BINGO Card and create a holiday full of memories—not debt:
👉 Download here

💬 Let’s Connect:
• Join the A Cup of Hope Community on Facebook:

📜 Disclaimer:
This podcast is for educational and inspirational purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or therapeutic advice. Please consult a qualified professional for your specific needs.

What if the Christmas you want… starts with getting honest about what you can afford?

In this episode, we’re shifting the mindset around budgeting—moving from guilt and restriction to intention and freedom. Whether you’ve been avoiding your budget or just guessing at a savings number, this conversation will help you:

💡 Reverse-engineer the Christmas you actually want
📆 Work with your actual number of paychecks
🧠 Trade emotional pressure for empowered planning
🎁 Choose presence over presents

You’ll also hear why random savings goals rarely work—and how to get real (and hopeful!) about what you can do this year.

📖 "Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?” —Luke 14:28, NIV

🎧 Subscribe and share if this helped shift your mindset before the holiday season sneaks up on you. It’s not too early to plan a Christmas you won’t regret.

🔗 Download the Christmas with Ca$h BINGO card to get started on your savings journey today!

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

How to Plan Now for a Peaceful, Stress-Free Christmas (Without Overspending or Burning Out)

What if this year you didn’t just survive December…
What if you created it?
In this episode of A Cup of Hope, we’re talking about how to stop letting the holidays hijack your peace and start building a meaningful, margin-filled season that actually aligns with your values, your time, and your energy.

Whether you’re parenting littles, entering a new season as an empty nester, or walking through a holiday alone for the first time—this episode gives you a clear and compassionate path forward.

You’ll hear:

• Why peace in December starts in July

• The emotional and financial cost of “holiday autopilot”

• How to recognize the season you’re in and give yourself permission to plan differently

• Why boundaries are not demands—they’re protection

• A creative, hope-filled challenge to take just one step this week

Want to journal or reflect? Start here:

• What do you want to feel this Christmas?

• What are you craving more of?

• What are you ready to let go of—or save for another year?

• What is your current season of life, and how is it impacting your capacity?

• What boundary would protect your peace this year?

• What conversation do you need to have early—before the calendar fills up?

• What would it look like to honor this season—not resist it?

Ready to get intentional before the pressure hits?

🎁 Download the Christmas with Ca$h BINGO Card
It’s packed with creative, practical, and just-for-fun ideas to help you:

• Spend wisely

• Create margin

• Protect your peace

• Make meaningful memories—without the stress

Pick one square this week and start there.

👉 Download it now at sherrydushawcoaching.com/christmas-bingo-card
📲 Then tag @sherrylynncoaching or use #ChristmaswithCash to share your favorite square!

Podcast: pod.link/1800985109
Instagram: @sherrydushaw
Join the Facebook Community: A Cup of Hope Community

Let's Connect!

🎄 What If You Could Pay Ca$h for Christmas?
Episode 13 | A Cup of Hope Podcast

Most Americans spent over $1,600 last Christmas—and nearly 60% of them went into debt to do it.

But what if this year could be different?

In today’s episode, we’re imagining a holiday filled with peace instead of pressure, joy instead of guilt, and cash instead of credit cards. Because the true meaning of Christmas is freedom—not financial bondage that lingers into the new year.

You’ll learn:
✨ Why paying cash is more than a budgeting strategy—it’s a values decision
✨ How to start saving now (even with small steps)
✨ Creative, meaningful ways to celebrate that don’t cost a lot
✨ Why you might be the one who goes first and changes everything

💡 Whether it’s July or November, it’s never too early—or too late—to plan a Christmas you won’t regret.

👉 Grab your free Christmas with Cash BINGO Card
🎁 Join the conversation inside the Cup of Hope Community:
📥 Subscribe so you don’t miss the mini-course coming soon!

This is the first episode of the Christmas with Ca$h Series on A Cup of Hope Podcast

We celebrate freedom every July—but what does financial freedom really look like?

We celebrate freedom every July—but what does financial freedom really cost?

In this episode, I share a vulnerable part of my own story—how, even though I had a strong work ethic and could balance a checkbook, I didn’t have much financial education. Money always felt hard, and we lived paycheck to paycheck for years—always broke, always behind. Over time, I realized it wasn’t just about learning how to budget—it was about unlearning mindsets, healing emotional patterns, and building a new foundation.

That journey became the basis for what I now call the four pillars of financial freedom:
Knowledge, Hope, Vision, and Discipline.

I reference tools like Know Yourself, Know Your Money by Rachel Cruze and Secrets of the Millionaire Mind by T. Harv Eker—not just for the financial principles, but for how they helped me connect the dots between my beliefs, behaviors, and long-term goals.

This isn’t a how-to episode. It’s an invitation to reflect, to get honest, and to begin seeing your finances as part of a much bigger story—one filled with redemption, purpose, and peace.

Inside this episode, I share:

• A personal story of financial regret—and what I learned from it

• The role of knowledge (and humility) in changing course

• Why hope must come before spreadsheets or strategies

• The power of vision to shape your financial choices

• How discipline is about becoming someone new, not just doing better

💬 Want to talk about your money story?
Book a free 1:1 Q&A Coaching Session with me.
We’ll take a look at what’s working, what’s not, and what’s next.
👉Book your Q&A Coaching Session here

This is a judgment-free conversation where you can bring your questions—or just your chaos—and leave with clarity.

This episode kicks off a 5-part summer series designed to help you spend wisely, align your values with your finances, and create a life you don’t need to escape from.
Don’t miss what’s coming next!

☕ Let’s keep the conversation going:
Join the A Cup of Hope Community on Facebook
Follow me on IG and Threads @sherrylynncoaching
Tag me with your biggest takeaway from today’s episode!

📩 Subscribe & Share:
New episodes every Monday. Be sure to follow, rate, and share this with a friend who’s ready to ditch financial chaos and start living with purpose.