Dear Daughters

We're talking JOY on the Dear Daughters Podcast because I want to bring a little more joy to your everyday life. We've talked about joy at home, joy at the table, and now we're going to talk about joy in relationships.

This week I have my husband, Will, next to me to start this next part of the series about how to find joy in your marriage. Will and I have been married 37 years this week, and we've had days that have been really joyful and we've had days that have been really difficult.

Listen in as we dig deeper into ways to keep the joy in your marriage like these:

1. Practice gratitude.
2. Have a marriage mission.
3. Play together and play apart.
4. Observe Sabbath.
5. Pray.

I pray that you are able to find so much JOY in your marriage. I hope that you and your spouse can use your marriage to bring joy to others around you, too.

SUBSCRIBE IN ITUNES

• Get a copy of Pray Big for Your Marriage by Will Davis Jr.
• Get a copies of my books, Loving Your Man without Losing Your Mind and Unafraid: Trusting God in an Unsafe World.
• Learn more about Canines 4 Christ.
• Become a Newsletter Friend and get weekly-ish encouragement and know about all the fun things coming up.
• Join us Sundays at my home church, Austin Christian Fellowship, online or in-person.
• Stay at The Franklin our treasure in small town, Texas! Airbnb link here.
• Listen to more of Sara Davis Regan's music. :)

Welcome to The JOY Series on the Dear Daughters Podcast! I'm so glad you're here. I believe that gathering at the table over a simple meal is one of the best ways to love people and invite them to a closer relationship with God. So listen in and enjoy … right now we're talking about the secrets to joy at the table and I've invited my favorite table experts on the show.

This week my favorite table expert is Kristin Schell. She lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband, Tony, and one of their four children—the others have left the nest. She loves loving her neighbors, and she wrote a book and travels all over to encourage others to love their neighbors, too. Kristin is known for her Turquoise Table, which started a movement of Turquoise Tables and Front Yard People (ordinary people who create community right where they live) across the country. I'll let Kristin tell you more about that herself.

Kristin believes that our deepest need is to belong, our deepest desires to feel needed and included. And an invitation to the table is a reminder that you belong, that you are welcome. And you know what? We are all in a position to offer that to someone in some way. It will look different for everyone. Our lives have seasons, and so does the table. And it doesn't have to be an invitation to dinner, it can be an invitation for coffee or a walk or needlepoint.

The important thing is to do just as it says in Kristin's favorite verse, Romans 12:13: Take every opportunity to open your life and home to others. So let's dive a little deeper into what that looks like today.

I hope that you feel like you belong. And I hope that you will help others feel like they belong, too. My prayer for you and for me is that we will take every opportunity to open our lives and our homes to others.

SUBSCRIBE IN ITUNES

• Follow Kristin on Instagram.
• Check out Kristin online.
• Get a copy of Kristin's book, The Turquoise Table!
• Become a Newsletter Friend and get weekly-ish encouragement and know about all the fun things coming up.
• Join us Sundays at my home church, Austin Christian Fellowship, online or in-person.
• Learn more about Storyline and Kirby Holmes.
• Stay at The Franklin our treasure in small town, Texas! Airbnb link here.
• Listen to more of Sara Davis Regan's music. :)

I believe that gathering at the table over a simple meal is one of the best ways to love people and invite them to a closer relationship with God.

Welcome to The JOY Series on the Dear Daughters Podcast! Right now we're talking about how to find joy at the table and I've invited some of my table experts to the show.

Jen Schmidt lives in North Carolina with her husband, Gregg, and is a mom of five children and two daughters-in-law. Jen shares her heart for Jesus and hospitality on her blog, Balancing Beauty & Bedlam, and "accidental author" of her book, Just Open the Door. And, she now owns the Becoming Cottage to host ministry events (a lifelong big God dream of hers). Jen loves opening her door to people, engaging in deep conversation filled with truth and grace, and blessing everyone who sits at her table … or stands around her kitchen island. I hope this conversation we have is a blessing and an encouragement to you.

We can learn our own kind of table ministry from Jesus. Jesus was always inviting, always including, always wooing, and he centered so much of his ministry around the table, feeding people, meeting people, loving people. But we overthink this.

So, on this episode we dive a little deeper into what it looks like practically for us to "evangelize at the table" … to be a blessing to others and simply live out what is so important in our lives, wherever we are in our lives, with intention.

I hope that you will be brave and not overthink it and make the invitation. You have exactly what you need. I pray that you can be a blessing and a light to others.

• Learn about Your Table Ministry
• Check out Jen Schmidt on Instagram and online: Balancing Beauty and Bedlam. Follow the Becoming Cottage on Instagram, too.
• Get a copy of Jen's book, Just Open the Door.
• Become a Newsletter Friend and get weekly-ish encouragement and know about all the fun things coming up.
• Join us Sundays at my home church, Austin Christian Fellowship, online or in-person.
• Learn more about Storyline and Kirby Holmes.
• Stay at The Franklin our treasure in small town, Texas! Airbnb link here.
• Listen to more of Sara Davis Regan's music. :)

Welcome to The JOY Series on the Dear Daughters Podcast! I want you to have the joy in your life that you are seeking. So this podcast series is all about how to find joy, how to recover joy, how to keep joy…and now secrets to finding joy at the table. I believe that gathering at the table over a simple meal is one of the best ways to love people and invite them to a closer relationship with God.

Let's kick things off with my dear friend, Amy Hannon. Amy is a hospitality cheerleader, author of a beautiful cookbook, and owner of a beautiful storefront in Arkansas called Euna Mae's, named after her grandmother. She is married with three kids and has a big heart for ministering to others.

Amy says that the setting of the hospitality inside your home that is so personal and so real and gives so much delight and joy that it allows us to create deeper relationships with people. I think so, too.

We were made in God's image and our purpose is to reflect His glory. Amy believes that God gave women a heaping dose of tenderness and intuition, the ability to nurture, care, and meet needs .. and that's a sacred part of who we are. Do you believe that?

Listen in as Amy and I talk about what it looks like to have a heart of hospitality. All you need to do is open your door, make simple food, set a lovely scene, and let God run wild.

I hope that you know that you are in the right place and the right season to reach out to the people right by you and make a lasting impact in their lives. I pray that you experience the awe of God by listening to people's stories at the table.

• Check out Amy Hannon online and on Instagram … keep an eye out for her new book coming in the fall!
• Shop Euna Mae's online to get cute kitchen-y things, a copy of Amy's cookbook, Love, Welcome, Serve, and discover fun events.
• Sign up for my workshop on April 27th: Your Table Ministry! Spots are limited.
• Become a Newsletter Friend and get weekly-ish encouragement and know about all the fun things coming up.
• Join us Sundays at my home church, Austin Christian Fellowship, online or in-person.
• Learn more about Storyline and Kirby Holmes.
• Stay at The Franklin our treasure in small town, Texas! Airbnb link here.
• Listen to more of Sara Davis Regan's music. :)

Welcome to The JOY Series on the Dear Daughters Podcast! I want you to have the joy in your life that you are seeking. So this podcast series is all about how to find joy, how to recover joy, how to keep joy…secrets to getting more joy in your everyday life.

We just wrapped up the first few episodes of finding joy at home. Now I am so excited to talk about finding joy at the table. I believe that gathering at the table over a simple meal is one of the best ways to love people and invite them to a closer relationship with God.

The believers gathered together and ate a meal with gladness and simplicity of heart. Acts 2:46

At the table, you are sitting to enjoy a good meal with the people you love. Most importantly, you can talk about God at the table. You can minister to people at the table.

So to kick us off, I want to share tips for hosting a dinner party! It can be intimidating. You many think that you don't have the space. You may think that you just aren't cut out for hosting. But here's the thing. You can do it.

From #1: Check the family calendar to #10: Gently direct the conversation and ask meaningful questions about spiritual things, I am sharing 10 easy steps you can follow to host a joy-filled dinner party and talk about God.

I hope that you will gather a few people you love around your table and minister to them. I pray that you experience the awe of God at the table.

• Try one of my homemade bread recipes: Amish Bread, Rustic French Bread or Dutch Oven No-Knead Bread.
• Become a Newsletter Friend to be the first to know about the upcoming Table Workshop!
• Join us Sundays online at my home church, Austin Christian Fellowship.
• Learn more about Storyline and Kirby Holmes.
• Stay at The Franklin our treasure in small town, Texas! Airbnb link here.
• Listen to more of Sara Davis Regan's music. :)

Welcome to The JOY Series on the Dear Daughters Podcast! It's all about finding joy in the places and things and people closest to you because I want you to have the joy in your life that you are seeking. This week we are wrapping up the first part of the JOY Series, talking all about creating a home you love.

This week, I have Kennesha Buycks with me (again!) to get her perspective on creating a beautiful home.

Kennesha lives in Seattle with her husband and four kids. She created Restoration House, a home and lifestyle brand that focuses on finding and celebrating the story of each home, and her new online shop where she sells unique and antique things she finds. I love her perspective and creativity and wisdom and can't wait for you to listen in to our conversation.

It's easy to be overwhelmed by the things we don't like in our home. When that happens, Kennesha asks the question, What can you do? Kennesha believes that the joy is in creating. There's always something we can add to bring in a little flavor and joy to your home. And she has so many good ideas for how to do that. I hope that you can find joy in creating and "storying" your home, whether you add a little bit here and there or take on a big decorating project. I hope that this first part of The JOY Series has been inspiring and empowering … and I pray that you find joy in a home that you love every day.

SUBSCRIBE IN ITUNES

• Become a Newsletter Friend to stay in the know and get weekly-ish encouragement!
• Check out Restoration House Blog.
• Take a look at Restoration House Shoppe online.
• Follow Kennesha on Instagram.
• Hire Kennesha to "story" your home!
• Listen to DD Episode 99: Coffee & Conversation with Kennesha Buycks.
• Follow Kennesha's advice and go to Scott Antique Market in Atlanta.
• Join us Sundays online at my home church, Austin Christian Fellowship.
• Learn more about Storyline and Kirby Holmes.
• Stay at The Franklin our treasure in small town, Texas! Airbnb link here.
• Check out the Round Top Antiques Fair.
• Listen to more of Sara Davis Regan's music. :)

Estate sale shopping is an exercise in creativity. It's about connecting the dots of the stories behind the treasures you find.

Welcome to The JOY Series on the Dear Daughters Podcast! I want you to have the joy in your life that you are seeking. So we're going to talk about the secrets to getting more joy in your everyday life by creating a home you love.

This week, Tori Dear is with me to talk about the joy of antiques, thrifting, and estate sale shopping. Listen in as we talk about everything from my favorite estate sale finds and stories to my estate sale routine (including a McDonald's coffee run of course) and tips that may help you in your estate sale endeavors.

I hope this inspires you to explore new places and I hope that you find little treasures that bring a bit more joy to your home.

But, here are just a few of my top secrets to shopping an estate sale well. 1. Find a website that works for you with tracking down estate sales in your area! I use EstateSales.Net, plug in my zip code, and see what's coming up in my area. Typically estate sales are posted in the middle or towards the end of the week for upcoming weekends. (Tip: Be sure to check through the photos they post too and see if anything catches your eye! You can normally tell pretty quickly if they have treasures that look like something you'd love.)

2. If you do see something that you absolutely have to have be sure to get there a minute or two early! Some estate sales have folks lining up at the door before they open at 9am- or something even 8am! 3. Be willing to get creative! Sometimes treasures come in the form of the $1.00 section in the garage. I especially love for vintage aluminum loaf pans. I snag these and then find an alternative way to use them— like storage for ziplock bags. You can use the link below to hear even more tips to estate sales!

• Become a Newsletter Friend to stay in the know and get weekly-ish encouragement!
• Stay at The Franklin our treasure in small town, Texas! Airbnb link here.
• Check out the Round Top Antiques Fair.
• Join us Sundays online at my home church, Austin Christian Fellowship.
• Learn more about Storyline and Kirby Holmes
• Listen to more of Sara Davis Regan's music. :)

Your physical space is a place for peace and joy because things in our physical space hold connection to relationships and emotions.

Welcome to The JOY Series on the Dear Daughters Podcast! I want you to have the joy in your life that you are seeking. So we're going to talk about the secrets to getting more joy in your everyday life by creating a home you love. This week we're going to dive into organization and how it can bring peace and joy to your home.

Meet Jenny Aldridge, my guest this week on the Dear Daughters Podcast. Jenny says that she looks at the world so differently than she did three years ago … before she jumped out of the boat so start a new business. Jenny is an organizational coach. She helps people organize their closets and kitchen pantries to shed the negative and bring peace and positivity to their spaces. And she does it all with so much love and acceptance.

Listen in as Jenny talks about home organization, from why we hold onto things that can cause us clutter and stress to how an orderly closet can give us more confidence and peace. Plus, you'll want to write down her three tips to start tackling your closet and kitchen.

I hope this is both encouraging and practical. I pray that your home can be an organized, orderly, place of peace and joy.

• Become a Newsletter Friend to stay in the know and get weekly-ish encouragement!
• Follow Jenny Aldredge on Instagram.
• Stay at The Franklin our treasure in small town, Texas! Airbnb link here.
• Join us Sundays online at my home church, Austin Christian Fellowship.
• Listen to more of Sara Davis Regan's music. :)

What you surround yourself with every day has lasting power.

Welcome to The JOY Series on the Dear Daughters Podcast! I want you to have the joy in your life that you are seeking. So we're going to talk about how to find joy, how to recover joy, how to keep joy…the secrets to getting more joy in your everyday life.

This week we are going to talk about finding joy at home and I am so excited to introduce you to my guest, Whitney Walker. Whitney is a boutique residential interior designer and works out of her studio, Farrington Lane. She lives in Austin with her husband, Bill, and their three young boys.

Does your home bring you joy? Whitney says that the key to a home you love is to invest in things you love that enhance your daily life. Start by identifying the intention of your home and what level of investment you want to make. Maybe the first step is just a pretty piece you find at an estate sale or maybe you're ready to invest in a major change. Listen in as we dive a little deeper into the things that can make the greatest impact, including original art, sentimentality, and color … and how to start creating a home you love.

I hope that you find those things that enhance your home everyday. I continue to pray that your home brings you joy and that you let yourself dream big about and pray big for a home you love.

• Become a Newsletter Friend to stay in the know and get weekly-ish encouragement!
• Check out Farrington Lane in Austin.
• Follow Whitey Walker and her design hero Angie Hranowski on Instagram.
• Learn more about Christ Church.
• Stay at The Franklin our treasure in small town, Texas!
• Join us Sundays online at my home church, Austin Christian Fellowship.
• Listen to more of Sara Davis Regan's music. :)

Welcome to The JOY Series on the Dear Daughters Podcast! I want you to have the joy in your life that you are seeking. So we're going to talk about how to find joy, how to recover joy, how to keep joy …the secrets to getting more joy in your everyday life.

The first part of The JOY Series is about finding joy at home.

My home brings me such joy. It's where my people gather, where little treasures are, where memories are created. I love home.

You know what helps create joy in your place? Pray for your home. I prayed for all my homes, from our first house in Austin to our current home, to the Franklin. God has given me so much to be grateful for and that gratitude brings so much joy into our home.

I pray that your home brings you joy, too. I hope that you let yourself dream big about and pray big for a home you love.

• Become a Newsletter Friend to stay in the know and get weekly-ish encouragement!
• Stay at the very charming Franklin in La Grange, Texas! We're now taking inquiries…
• Join us Sundays online at my home church, Austin Christian Fellowship.
• Listen to more of Sara Davis Regan's music. :)