Constantly Under Construction with Donna Harris

If you struggled with anxiety that you didn't have enough Pinterest worthy crafts or Instagram worthy photos to be considered a mom who makes good memories, I encourage you to stop the pinning and slapping on the photo filters and listen to my interview with Jessica Smartt. Jessica is more than a homeschooling mom and blogger. She's a woman who wanted to find the purpose and practicality in making memories with her family.

Here's a few things we chat about before discussing her book:

 Enneagram vs. Meyer's Briggs  Crazy things we do in college  Jessica's personal growth after a broken engagement

Jessica is the author of a new book, Memory Making Mom, where she helps us change our perspective of what it looks like to create family memories.

Jessica shares that it was a traumatic event in their family's life as well as her feelings of missing out on making family traditions led her to be more intentional in creating traditions around her family values. Be challenged to new routines and discover that memory making can happen at any time or any season: from the day to day and even times of busyness, rest, or grief.

Pre-Order Jessica's book, Memory Making Mom. Jessica's blog where she writes on topics including motherhood, anxiety, homeschooling and more. Follow Jessica on Instagram

Friends, you're going to love getting to know my guest, Lisa Leonard. If you've struggled in your relationship or if you feel like you are emptied of all your ability to continue to keep people happy, this is the episode for you. Lisa is an amazing woman who's story will give you new insight on self-care. I got the chance to read her upcoming book, Brave Love, where she shares that even from childhood, she was willing to step back and let others be happy at the expense of knowing herself. Lisa shared her struggle of constantly caring for others in an unhealthy, unbalanced way - this people-pleasing method was surprisingly a tactic of control her environment to keep things stable in her life but ultimately Lisa found that she was neglecting loving herself (and others) in a healthy way. In our time together, we dive deeper into how it was nearly divorce from her husband that brought Lisa closer to God and back to a truly honest space in her marriage where she could love and be loved.

Here's some Lessons Learned and Unlearned in this episode:

Are you missing space and quiet in your life right now? Lisa shared that space was what really allowed her to heal. When she was emptied of her strength, she needed quiet and rest to avoid the knee-jerk reactions of her old habits of soothing away discomfort. It's busyness and noise that fills the quiet space and discourages us to be mindful when it comes to reconnecting to God. If you're missing out on illuminating moments that bring you closer to how you really feel, I encourage you to seek space in you life.

Lisa was fighting a two part battle. She fought for herself and for her marriage. She stressed that it wasn't quick and it wasn't easy. The Undoing of the way we used to think is so incredibly hard. Especially when you aren't used to giving yourself the permission to heal. And especially when you are doing it alongside of your spouse. But this retraining of thinking and doing is necessary for lasting change and it's worth it for a flourishing life. Pray for God to give you clarity in these moments. Ask for God to give you space. And when you are provided with that time and quiet, soak it in, don't fill it up with distractions. Use it for what it's for: self-discovery, leaning into the painful parts, and clinging to God for his strength and guidance.

I'm totally in love with Lisa's heart and her ability to become more whole from brokenness. Her family's story of vulnerability and faith are such an encouragement.

Links:

Lisa's Website - preorder Brave Love today!

Follow Lisa on Instagram

Friends, I'm in my third year of the podcast and would love your help! My show thrives off of subscribers. If you haven't yet subscribed, please do! It's a tremendous way to support the podcast.

If you consider yourself a fan of pop culture, you'll love my time with Knox McCoy.

Knox takes his musings of pop culture and shares how it shaped his view of God and his identity in his book, The Wondering Years.

Show Highlights:

• Get a glimpse into Knox's experiences as we chat about being uncertain with His relationship with God brought him the most certainty in his Faith.
• I'll pepper you with the word "cliche" and put Knox in the position of reassuring me that loving the enneagram and being basic is not automatically annoying.
• We chat about pop culture as a learning tool for faith and theology. And I reveal my buffet of broad experiences in the church that has led to my questioning of truth in identity.

After listening, I challenge you to re-watch a favorite movie or show and imagine how Jesus may use that very story to respond to a question of faith... just like he did with parables in the Bible.

Check out Knox's book, The Wondering Years.

Follow Knox on Instagram

Knox's Website - Where you can learn more about The Popcast, The Bible Binge, and Sectional Healing.

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Thanks for listening!

Please be sure to subscribe here or here

And I'd love to know what you thought about this episode by chatting with me on Instagram!

I am an avid consumer of pop culture so I was thrilled to be speaking with Knox. He (and his co-host Jamie Golden) host TWO podcasts that use entertainment as the central theme of their shows. Here's a breakdown of their two podcasts: The first podcast is called, The PopCast, and it's LOL pop culture... meaning you're gonna fall hard for this dynamic duo and they way they educate you on entertainment because they are so funny! Their other podcast, The Bible Binge, brings the delightful charm of the Popcast but adds on a biblical twist. It's a retelling of our favorite and obscure bible stories as a TV show recap. This totally makes Knox the premier person to be speaking about all things entertainment and how that informs our identity in Christ.

Annessa strives for joy and she chooses to bring it to the table in the good times and hard. Everything about Annessa represents the positivity it takes to have meaningful success in work and in life. As a homeschooling mom that also works outside of the home as a dietitian, recipe-creator, spokes-person AND a talk show host, Annessa is somewhat of a superwoman. But don't be fooled by the idea that perfection is what describes her life.

She talks about the moment in her life where this became a revelation, one of Annessa's hardest times, when her marriage crumbled away. Her vulnerability in relaying her hardship makes you feel connected to her even more. And ladies, let's wipe away the shame of divorce, Amen? I'm confident Annessa's story of overcoming is one you'll want to hear and even share with a friend... because we all have experience with broken relationships.

Look forward to these gems from our conversation:

Get inspired by Annaessa transformation of herself through the transformation of others Learn an old school trick to the power of positive thinking. Walk away with an attitude of gratitude when it comes to food.

Guys, when you're finished listening, you'll quickly agree that Annessa is the best! Go to the show notes to continue to follow Annessa on Facebook live and to sign up for the kids-snack challenge!

Anessa's Website

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Thank you so much for listening! Please be sure to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes or your favorite podcast app. And let me know what you think of today's episode. I would love to connect with you AT MY FAVORITE PLACE, Instagram!

A former professional Golfer, Thane learned about success at a young age. He has now written a book regarding these achievements and has wisdom from his experiences that he loves to share to empower people toward a life well-lived Thane shares how he was transformed through the work of Jesus during his time in college. It was through a series of setbacks after a result of poor choices that changed his character and rooted his identity in his faith in God. Thane highlighted the Heroes of faith in the Bible as inspiration and how we can learn much about a life well-lived from David a man of God who had his share of trials and triumphs. I enjoyed getting to know Thane! We connect over midwestern traditions, like a bowl of Chili with a Cinnamon roll on the side and even though his hometown of Hutchinson, Kansas is not nearly as close to STL as I thought, I still consider him my midwestern neighbor in spirit and my brother in Christ. Thane's book, titled From Here to There is his perspective on achieving the most potential out of life with a kingdom-minded outlook. Grab a copy of Thane's book and if you do it before DEC 1st you'll get a super sweet deal of 30% off when you use the code GRATEFUL at checkout. Thanks for listening today! I love hearing from you all. Please keep sharing the podcast with your friends! You never know what sort of encouragement a Constantly Under Construction story will bring to someone right when they need it the most.

At the height of her singing career, life was turned upside down for Julie Roberts when she had an attack on her body as she was performing on stage. Blind and partially paralyzed on stage, Julie pressed on singing, and chose to tuck those scary symptoms away until she could return home from her tour. After a trip to the doctor, Julie was diagnosed with MS. Julie wanted nothing to do with the diagnosis. She decided to ignore it personally and hide it professionally. Because of her tumultuous past, she felt like she was good at hiding the real truth in life. In self-denial, Julie cut off her opportunity to learn more about the disease and the treatments available. The bad times got worse as she lost her record deal the same week that the Nashville flood wiped away all of her possessions. At this point, the stress of the situation took a physical toll on Julie's body and she could no longer ignore the fact that MS was a real part of her life. Listen to Julie's story as she hit rock bottom but found what was most important in life through her trials. Believing she was saved from the Nashville flood for a reason, Julie took her first steps toward treating MS and caring for her body and her soul. She now helps advocate for people diagnosed with MS and other diseases that initially steal your hope. Finding love, trusting Jesus, and walking in her passion despite the misconceptions of her health, Julie is an inspiration not only to those who struggle with MS, but to anyone who is in the middle of a hard road. And we had such a great time laughing! Listen to the end of this episode to find out how pig-sitting gets you THE MOST GORGEOUS lashes and the best advice I've ever heard about facing a near-death experience on an airplane! Buy Julie's Book Julie's Website Follow Julie on Instagram Like Julie on Facebook

Amy Parker's story is one of success in work because of faith in God. It's a simple story of a woman who had acquired her "dream job" with a fantastic company and was soon devastated to hear the news that she was to be fired. Over the course of time, Amy says she can look back now and see it was very clear that God was paving the way for her to exercise the skills of a children's author, an actual dream job that she didn't know was possible in her life. Speaking of exercising skills, have you all heard of The Artist's Way? It is a book that Amy has dubbed the "12 step program for artists or creatives". She wholeheartedly recommends it! The concepts we talk about that really help you clear your mind and move forward in the creative process. One of them, Morning Pages, where you write anything that is on your mind, (stream of consciousness)- gets the mundane tasks out of the way to tap into the creative voice. Internal editor/internal voice it's something that we may not even be aware of. But I love how Amy clued us into seeing when our internal editor seems to be the loudest. It's when our confidence is shaken, that we start to let the internal negative voice take over. It can discourage and persuade us from moving forward, particularly after a setback. I love how Amy points to our true Inner Voice (God) and how He's the one that will ultimately guide us into the places and spaces that we are meant to be. Amy's job loss took her to a place where she was forced to step out and pursue something little bit out of her comfort zone: Writing Children's Books. In that stepping out, Amy found a new job. She can say God fully cared for her in this job in ways she never anticipated. This job came with perks that her old job never had; namely the flexibility to be near her children when they needed her. Hindsight showed her that this was such a blessing. And I particularly loved how her story has highlighted that women can have professional jobs and simultaneously play a large role in raising their children. The balance that Amy juggled was definitely real. This was almost 2 decades ago when women working from home with kids in their lap was certainly not the norm. I love Amy's insight with her experience as a dedicated mom who was also fully invested in her career. Pro tip from Amy: moms need to put on clothes and make-up and get out of the house and connect with other adults. This is essential to stay whole and not lose yourself in just one facet of your work. It allows you to reconnect with other parts of yourself and not just stay on autopilot with a mom-brain. You don't want to miss the end of our time together when Amy openly shares about her relationship with God and how He has crafted Amy's story from the very beginning. Amy tells us how her experiences gave her faith that God would provide. She had assurance that He would take care of her, even when her husband was fired from His job. And yes, God even provided then! God is not kidding when He says he will give us more than we could ever ask or think. Amy found that her worst career moment of being fired from her great job ended up being for the best moment because God provided a perfect job: Living the dream as a full time writer. (Amy will quickly dispel the glamour of her writing gig, but never diminishes the fact that it's a job she loves because she fully feels like it's what she was created to do. I love the charge Amy gives when it comes to the idea of success. She encourages us to back up and to focus on the purpose God created for us instead of the plan we think we need to "get there". Let God formulate the plan as you work solely on executing the purpose. Whether it be helping, creating, educating, encouraging, protecting, caring, or saving...your purpose can be found in a role or a job, it can be to a large group or a single individual, but it usually doesn't look like we think. The world says success is achieving certain milestones or a large reach of people, but God is pleased when our purpose is acted out in faith. This doesn't always match the definition of the world's success. It may not mean getting publicity or having a large influence. But instead, the small quiet moments of acting in His purpose feel right, meaningful and satisfying. Walk free in knowing that when you're doing what you're created for, you're on the path to glorifying Him and that's the most fulfilling place to be. Amy's purpose is to encourage families to read delightful books. She writes wonderfully crafted stories that are fueled from her faith in God. Check out the Night Night Series and other books. Follow Amy so you can be anticipate her upcoming books, The Night Night Bible Book and The Night Night Devotional. Amy's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amyparkerbooks/ Amy's Website: http://amyparkerbooks.com/ Amy's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmyParkerAuthor/

Dr. Wallace Mendelson spoke with me about mental health, specifically, depression and medication. He wrote the book Understanding Antidepressants. Mental health awareness is something I'm very passionate about and my heart is softest toward those suffering with depression. Millions of people that suffer from depression every year and it's often undiagnosed. Depression can be triggered from a stressful or trumatic experience but it's cause can be medical or genetic as well. Awareness of how to handle depression and some of the hidden symptoms of depression are subjects we talked about with Dr. Mendelson. It's my hope that we gain better understanding of our options for treating depression including medications that are available. The book Understanding Antidepressants tackles a big subject because there are many, many antidepressants on the market today, and their prescription and use have skyrocketed over the years. Wallace Mendelson simplifies the subject of medication. He walks us through the various treatment methods and the reasons why some medications won't work over others.

I geeked out a bit on the science behind some of the causes of depression. Especially when it comes to inflammation. Inflammation can make your entire body go wacky, it can cause hair loss, asthma, skin problems, and even depression. I really leaned in when Dr Wallace responded to my questions about inflammation and depression. This episode might feel a little bit different than my previous episodes. But the balance balance between the spiritual on the physical is a component of being Constantly Under Construction. Let's not forget to take care of our bodies while we're also taking care of our spirit. And vice versa. If you're struggling with mental illness or don't feel like your mental health is up to par, reach out to God. Then reach out to your friends, to your doctors, your neighbors, your counselors, your therapist for assistance. God created amazing people with amazing talents and abilities so its with connection to Him and community to others that we can overcome depression. Let's give credit to our Creator who gave us the brains to figure out the scientific way our bodies create stress and the medicinal and emotional ways to combat that stress. We don't have to walk this road alone and there are many ways we can combat depression, including medication. Support the show and buy his book here: https://amzn.to/2Dtnael

Ruth Schwenk and I talk about all things motherhood. She is so fiercely connected with moms of all seasons of life that throughout her ministry, The Better Mom, Ruth shows us Christ's desire for our role in motherhood. The Better Mom Devotional will assure you: No matter what you're going through, you will find purpose, will have focus, and are complete in Him. Parenting is a lifelong journey and yet the pinnacle of parenting files by so quickly. We talk about grieving the seasons of childhood as they end. Who wants their babies to grow up? It's easy to be tearful of the end of a phase in life but Ruth takes joy in the next season. She shares how she gets excited for the next new adventure her kids will take on, (even if it's a little unnerving actually to have a child in the house that can drive!). Parenting older children is a totally different scenario when it comes to personal accountability. and how all the We've been teaching our kids about their behavior as they are also now aware of our own behavior. There's so much more at stake once our kids are watching and understanding our shortcomings. Ruth says it's so good for kids to see us mess up. We're not going to be perfect. But in a Constantly Under Construction theme, we are ALWAYS needing to say sorry for our mistakes, we are always becoming better by becoming more like Jesus. Ruth and I discuss our identity when it comes to our role or our professional work. Her perspective was changed once she realized that her mission was motherhood. We when push that idea of mission into any sort of work, it totally changes why we do what we do. Ruth encourages us to embrace the current season, whatever it may be. Her most practical advice was to encourage us that a season is just that, a season. It won't be forever, good or bad, so take the most positive parts of those sessions and find the joy in the present moment. The pressure is there to "be great". But at the end of the day, it's a simple act of obedience. Doing the simple acts of parenting, without worrying if it's approved by someone else, but just pleasing the Lord in your parenting. Ruth gives me a peek into what that looks like when parenting bigger kids. Her first act of obedience is spending time with the Lord. As simple as it sounds, it's not always easy and can affect the day. Her second act of obedience is just showing up for her kids. Even when she's tired, even when the to-do list is overwhelming, Ruth makes space in her day and her heart to invest in her children's lives. Now that her children are older, she finds that she needs to be even more intentional to connect with her children. For the times that might seem mundane or don't seem to be fruitful Ruth highlights that these times really matter. Throughout all the seasons of parenting, there's opportunity for God to do some of His greatest work in you! In time with prayer and scripture, you can be sure to see amazing changes in your role as a mom and in your relationships with your family. Ruth is passionate about all things family.

Check out her books on marriage and parenting.

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Ruth's Website

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Lindsey Viducich is the daughter of Bob Goff. She and her dad wrote a complimentary book for children called Love Does For Kids. It was a thrill to have Lindsey on the show to make the stories that I've already heard so very real. If you've read the book Love Does, you'll know that some of the tales in the book sound just like that, tales. But they are absolutely true and they immediately stir your heart in a whirlwind of whimsy and desire to love others. Love Does for Kids does the exact same thing, just on a level children can connect with! It was a real treat to hear Lindsey relay the incredible story of becoming friends dignitaries and leaders across the planet. Get affirmation that God's love isn't boring or predictable from Lindsey Viducich as she shares some amazing ways her family has loved life and loved others in the process. Lindsey made it clear that love doesn't have to be extravagant to be communicated but it can be as simple as giving words of affirmation. This is a HUGE takeaway, friends. You may not think you can create a whimsical, hopeful, loving environment in your world,but you totally can by the words you use! These are little reminders of how to show God how much we love Him by how we love each other. Love it! Go to the show notes to connect with Lindsey Vidichich and buy a copy of Love Does for Kids. It would make an amazing family gift for Christmas. Friends, thank you for taking the time to fit Constantly Under Construction into your day. I've heard great things about how and when you listen to the podcast. Some of you have used the podcast as your regular routine for working out and running. Another listener told me she and her daughter listen together on road trips. I'm thrilled to learn that the podcast is encouraging and enriching your lives. Be sure to pass on the podcast to a friend and tell let me know how you love to listen! You can connect with me on Instagram at Constantly Under Construction. Scroll to these stand out points of the episode. [2:00] Whimsey Academy and the love of education [3:00] Kids can make an Impact - Project Based Learning [10:00] Cultivating Community - Neighborhood Parade [17:00] Loving others with Words of Life [21:50] World Leader's Project / Parade Story [31:00] Continued Friendships in Authenticity (With a little Junk Food on the side) [34:00] The Comparison Trap and Resources for Teachers Quotable Moments "Loving people is also in those really simple acts, like even just how we use our words." "Words of Life, words that we speak to each other, that has a lot of power in how we love one another." "But you think that loving people is these big grandiose acts but it can also just be in the words we use with one another." Lindsey's Website - Whimsey Academy Buy the Book! When you buy Love Does For Kids from the link above, you're supporting Constantly Under Construction by clicking an affiliate link. Enter the receipt number HERE to get some preorder bonuses! Like Lindsey on Facebook Follow Lindsey on Instagram