Fighting For Joy

I am really excited about this episode because I get to introduce you to my dad, Lyle Nelson. He has been through a lot in his 84 years of life including the sickness and death of my older sister, the sudden death of his father-in-law, walking through cancer twice with my mom and becoming her full-time care giver after her subsequent paralysis, my brother’s addiction, our son Jackson’s death, my mom’s death, and his own progressive peripheral neuropathy which has begun to limit his mobility. As his daughter I’ve had the privilege to watch him fight for joy and keep trusting the Lord with persevering faith and hope. I’ve learned a lot from him and it was really special to have this conversation today. I hope you’re encouraged as you get a glimpse into his life, the wisdom he has acquired along the way, and the powerful ways that God has carried him through so many heartaches and challenges.

*Don't forget that as a Fighting for Joy listener you can receive 10% off of your first month of counseling services from BetterHelp, my podcast sponsor. Check out my link at betterhelp.com/fightingforjoy. Christian counseling can be such a huge help in this broken world and a major tool in the fight for joy.

** If this episode was encouraging to you, I’d like to ask you to please consider rating the Fighting for Joy podcast, and even leaving a review. Once you find my show, scroll down to where it says “tap to rate” or “write a review”. Tapping to rate literally takes a second or two, and writing a review can be quick as well. Just sharing that you enjoy listening, or that it’s an encouragement to you is enough. The longer I do this the more I understand how helpful those ratings and reviews really are, so thanks for considering this. It means a lot!

Today, with a very grateful heart, I am kicking off Season 7 of the podcast! I'm excited to be back behind the mic and I’m thankful for each one of you listening.

On this episode, my husband Eric joins me as we get a little personal and share 10 things that are bringing us joy right now. In grief, and in all other kinds of difficult situations, experiencing joy can be such a fight! Sometimes it can even be hard to accept joy again as sadness and melancholy feel so much more appropriate. And yet, because of the hope we have as believers and because we know this isn’t the end of the story, there IS joy to be found, and its worth fighting for.

I wanted today to be a reminder that in this broken world its important to acknowledge and notice the things, both big and little, that are bringing joy into our lives. As believers, our greatest source of joy is the Lord, and yet, in His kindness, provision, and grace, there are many things here on earth, even in the midst of hard circumstances, that we can enjoy and that point us, from lesser to greater, back to God. It’s good, healing work to find, accept, and lean into the beautiful things, even when our hearts still hurt. It’s part of the practice of intentional gratitude, a powerful tool in the fight for joy. And, it’s part of the "both/and" of life. 2 Corinthians 6:10 says that we can be sorrowful, yet still rejoice! We can feel like we have nothing, and yet possess everything.

This episode might feel lighter than some of the topics and conversations I typically have with my guests, but celebrating goodness when your heart is hurting can be hard. However, it can also be a beautiful part of the fight for joy and a practical way to keep holding on to hope as we watch God’s healing power to do it’s miraculous work in our lives. So listen in as Eric and I talk about joy in things like new friendships, getting creative at work, watching sport on TV, time with our adult children, boundary setting, walking, and more. I hope this episode inspires YOU to pay attention to the things in your own life that are bringing you joy, even in the struggle. Keep living in "defiant hope", believing that there is goodness from the Lord to be found in the land of the living (Psalm 27). Keep pressing forward in hope and trust while actively looking for these sweet reminders of God’s care, provision, and kindness. It's such a powerful way to keep fighting for joy!

*Don't forget that as a Fighting for Joy listener you can receive 10% off of your first month of counseling services from BetterHelp, my podcast sponsor. Check out my link at betterhelp.com/fightingforjoy. Christian counseling can be such a huge help in this broken world and a major tool in the fight for joy.

** If this episode was encouraging to you, I’d like to ask you to please consider rating the Fighting for Joy podcast, and even leaving a review. Once you find my show, scroll down to where it says “tap to rate” or “write a review”. Tapping to rate literally takes a second or two, and writing a review can be quick as well. Just sharing that you enjoy listening, or that it’s an encouragement to you is enough. The longer I do this the more I understand how helpful those ratings and reviews really are, so thanks for considering this. It means a lot!

Earlier in the summer I had the opportunity to host another Fighting for Joy Live event in my backyard, and as I’ve done in the past with these gatherings, I wanted to share a little bit of the evening on a podcast episode. This time I had a panel of 4 very special women share about some of the ways they are fighting for joy and what they are learning about God in this season of their life. It was such a rich evening!

A couple of the voices you’re going to hear might sound familiar because both Mama Lu (episode 36) and Becky Novacek (episodes 22 and 61) are back to share. I also get to introduce you to two new podcast guests, my friends Shawn Bridgman and Ann Parmenter. These four women bring such wisdom, experience, and encouragement and I'm excited to have them buoy up your own faith through their honest and vulnerable testimonies of God’s faithful work in their lives as they fight for joy.

This is the final episode of Season 6! We'll see what the Lord has in the coming weeks, but at this point I AM planning on returning in the fall with new episodes for Season 7. Thank you for continuing to listen and support the Fighting for Joy Podcast!

*Don't forget that as a Fighting for Joy listener you can receive 10% off of your first month of counseling services from BetterHelp, my podcast sponsor. Check out my link at betterhelp.com/fightingforjoy. Christian counseling can be such a huge help in this broken world and a major tool in the fight for joy.

** If this episode was encouraging to you, I’d like to ask you to please consider rating the Fighting for Joy podcast, and even leaving a review. Once you find my show, scroll down to where it says “tap to rate” or “write a review”. Tapping to rate literally takes a second or two, and writing a review can be quick as well. Just sharing that you enjoy listening, or that it’s an encouragement to you is enough. The longer I do this the more I understand how helpful those ratings and reviews really are, so thanks for considering this. It means a lot!

There really is nothing better than finding a place of belonging. Finding your people...your place. Being known, accepted, and loved. And, conversely, few things can rob of us joy like loneliness, isolation, feeling left out, and NOT knowing where we belong. I think we can all remember that time we didn’t get the invite, or weren’t included in the group text, or didn’t get asked to go on the trip, or to the party. Today my friend Heidi Deyle and I have a great conversation about how to fight for joy as we search for belonging. We talk through practical ways to build community, how to "go first" in a friendship, and how to fight the temptations of comparison around social media.

When I told a friend about the title of this episode, her comment was, “I feel like I have spent my whole life struggling to figure out where I belong.” And I think that is relatable to so many of us! As Christians, we do have a deep sense of belonging with God - eternally safe and secure in His love. That's where our true identity lies! And, also, we are created for community and need to help each other fight for joy through the ups and downs of friendship and belonging. Heidi brings so much to this conversation and I'm excited for you to listen.

** If this episode was encouraging to you, I’d like to ask you to please consider rating the Fighting for Joy podcast, and even leaving a review. Once you find my show, scroll down to where it says “tap to rate” or “write a review”. Tapping to rate literally takes a second or two, and writing a review can be quick as well. Just sharing that you enjoy listening, or that it’s an encouragement to you is enough. The longer I do this the more I understand how helpful those ratings and reviews really are, so thanks for considering this. It means a lot!

Also, don’t forget that as a Fighting for Joy listener you can receive 10% off of your first month of counseling with BetterHelp, my podcast sponsor. Check out my link at betterhelp.com/fightingforjoy. Christian counseling can be such a huge help in this broken world and a major tool in the fight for joy.

If you feel overwhelmed or burdened down by the stuff in your home, or feel like you don’t have time to do the things you really want to do, or feel like the things that matter most to you keep getting pushed to the side, this episode is for you! My guest today, Noelle Fowler, is a wholistic declutter coach. She runs a business called Room to Breathe and she works with her clients to discover the root causes behind their clutter to help them simplify and DEclutter, which makes room in their lives for the things that matter more! We have a great conversation about the different kinds of clutter and how not only can our homes, our garages, and our closets feel overwhelming and disorganized, but so can our mind, our body, our calendar, and other aspects of our life that result in a lack of contentment and joy! Listen in as we talk about discovering what really does matter most to you and how creating a life that focuses on that is possible and can help your fight for joy!

If you would like to connect with Noelle and learn more about Room to Breathe, you can find her here on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/makeroomtobreathe?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

I've also included a link to find out more about The Making Room Membership: https://community.noellefowler.com/invitation?code=63CE4B

** If this episode was encouraging to you, I’d like to ask you to please consider rating the Fighting for Joy podcast, and even leaving a review. Once you find my show, scroll down to where it says “tap to rate” or “write a review”. Tapping to rate literally takes a second or two, and writing a review can be quick as well. Just sharing that you enjoy listening, or that it’s an encouragement to you is enough. The longer I do this the more I understand how helpful those ratings and reviews really are, so thanks for considering this. It means a lot!

Also, don’t forget that as a Fighting for Joy listener you can receive 10% off of your first month of counseling with BetterHelp, my podcast sponsor. Check out my link at betterhelp.com/fightingforjoy. Christian counseling can be such a huge help in this broken world and a major tool in the fight for joy. And, as so many of you continue to ask how you can help support my work, signing up for a month of counseling will not only benefit YOU, it also shows BetterHelp that there is value in sponsoring my show.

My guest today is April Bender and wow, did we cover a lot in this episode! April starts by sharing about some childhood trauma that greatly affected her choices and decisions as she got older, especially heading into marriage. This led to confusion, lack of community, and lack of joy. The beauty of her story is that God met her there. She learned about the power of prayer and fasting, the importance of following the leading of the Holy Spirit, and how God’s love can bring freedom from shame and comfort in loneliness. We also talk about church hurt, and persevering with the people of God, even when you have reason to walk away.

I just know you are going to love hearing April’s heart as she shares her story and some of the practical things she has learned along the way, including how she began using systems and routines to get through each day as a single mom. Creating order out of chaos helped her fight for joy!

** If this episode was encouraging to you, I’d like to ask you to please consider rating the Fighting for Joy podcast, and even leaving a review. Once you find my show, scroll down to where it says “tap to rate” or “write a review”. Tapping to rate literally takes a second or two, and writing a review can be quick as well. Just sharing that you enjoy listening, or that it’s an encouragement to you is enough. The longer I do this the more I understand how helpful those ratings and reviews really are, so thanks for considering this. It means a lot!

Also, don’t forget that as a Fighting for Joy listener you can receive 10% off of your first month of counseling with BetteHelp, my podcast sponsor. Check out my link at betterhelp.com/fightingforjoy. Christian counseling can be such a huge help in this broken world and a major tool in the fight for joy. And, as so many of you continue to ask how you can help support my work, signing up for a month of counseling will not only benefit YOU, it also shows Better Help that there is value in sponsoring my show.

If there’s ever a time to remember that hope can spring up from death, it’s Easter weekend. When Jackson, Trey, and Tyler died, it was hard to imagine any sort of future that could include hope, much less JOY. But friends, I’m here to tell you that it IS possible. Easter weekend reminds us that death does not have the final say! Yes, the brokenness of this world will cause grief and sorrow, but Christ's suffering, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension brings us peace, comfort, and help WHILE we grieve...while we wait for everything wrong to be made right. As believers, we can find rest in the promise and hope of Easter. In light of this, the episode that I wanted to bring to you this weekend is our family’s testimony of this exact hope. It’s a glimpse into how we have continued to press forward in life, even though we’ve had to walk through the valley of the shadow of death, and even though there will always be a void in our family, in our home, and in our hearts. We will always be missing Jackson, but we are never left without hope.

I originally recorded this episode 4 years ago - Grace and Turner were in high school, Justine was in college, and we were in the height of the pandemic, as you'll hear. Now, Justine has been married to Will for almost 3 years and they are homeowners, working and enjoying life in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Turner graduated from college last year and is working, living on his own, and engaged to be married to Mercedes. And Grace is now 20 and is finishing up her sophomore year of college. Obviously, a lot has happened since we had this conversation, but as I re-listened and thought about re-releasing it this Easter weekend, I was encouraged that our family’s testimony of hope still stands. Yes, we’ve had more to process with each of our kids as they have gotten older. They are more deeply feeling the effects of growing up in a household dealing with grief, having some of their most formative years impacted by parents who were in deep grief, and growing up in a community that was shaken and greatly impacted by the accident. And/also, I continue to be so grateful for God’s continued work in their hearts and lives and am so proud of their perseverence and courage to keep pressing forward in hope. They are my favorite joy fighters!

*This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. As a Fighting for Joy listener, you can get 10% off of your first month. You guys, quality Christian counseling is one of the greatest ways to fight for joy. Whatever you’re going through…parenting issues, marriage problems, financial stress, relationship or work issues, or like us, dealing with the loss of a loved one, remember that there is help available - professional help that can help your fight for joy! Visit my link at betterhelp.com/fightingforjoy to sign up and get your discount. You will quickly be matched with a therapist and could have your first session by the end of the week, which is not as common when trying to find an in-person therapist. Again, that’s betterhelp.com/fightingforjoy.

Today I am introducing you to a new friend of mine, Beth Ottun. Beth shares about her story of sobriety…turning from a life of hiding, shame, and secrets to pursuing a life of freedom, peace, and joy!

2 1/2 years into her sobriety journey, Beth continues her daily fight but has so much to share about some of the practical things that are helping her persevere and keep going. I’m so thankful that Beth was willing to share her story of hope and joy. I am sure that you’ll be able to take away some practical things to apply to your own life, even if your struggle isn’t with alcohol, because the tools that she has found helpful in her fight for joy can be helpful for all of us!

*Beth has processed a lot of her recovery journey through writing. If you would like to hear more of her story, here is the link to her blog, Out of the Darkness: https://outofthedarkness566915776.wordpress.com

As always, you can connect with Jodi's Fighting for Joy Community on Instagram here: https://instagram.com/fightingforjoypodcast?igshid=NGVhN2U2NjQ0Yg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

and with Jodi personally on her Instagram page here: https://instagram.com/jodiblick?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

**This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp, the world's largest online therapy provider. As I reflect on my grief journey I'm contantly reminded of just how helpful solid, Christian counseling has been for me! If you think that counseling would help YOUR fight for joy, visit my link at Betterhelp.com/fightingforjoy today! I’ve said it many times before and I will continue to say it - quality counseling is a worthy investment in your fight for joy!

I love introducing you to my local friends and today you get to meet another special one, Andrea Zahourek. I tell the story at the beginning of the episode, but from the very start of our friendship, we’ve shared deep compassion and understanding for each other’s grief. We’ve also found a lot of joy in cheering one another on over the years and supporting each other’s work, ideas, and dreams. It won’t take long for you to understand what a beautiful soul this amazing woman is! But Andrea’s journey from pain to peace has been a really difficult one. She’s faced teenage pregnancy, the death of a child, a very hard marriage that led to a difficult divorce, struggling and overworking to provide for her family as a single mom, and a lot of fear, questioning, and trying to “fake joy”. Today, as she shares her story and tells us about the years and years of work she has put into her fight for finding REAL joy, you’ll get a powerful glimpse into all that she has overcome and the beautiful life that she leads now…one that’s defined by family, faith, and serving others - and, one that is marked by deep peace, abundant gratitude, and true, lasting, authentic JOY! We cover A LOT in this episode and I’m grateful for the vulnerability that Andrea brought to our conversation. I know you’re going to hear so much HOPE in her story and I’m confident that each one of you will take away something that can help and encourage your own fight for joy.

You can find out more about AZ + Co here: https://www.instagram.com/azco_events_design?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

As always, you can connect with the Fighting for Joy Community on Instagram here: https://instagram.com/fightingforjoypodcast?igshid=NGVhN2U2NjQ0Yg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

and with Jodi personally on her Instagram page here: https://instagram.com/jodiblick?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

**This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp, the world's largest online therapy provider. As I reflect on my grief journey I'm contantly reminded of just how helpful solid, Christian counseling has been for me! If you think that counseling would help YOUR fight for joy, visit my link at Betterhelp.com/fightingforjoy today! I’ve said it many times before and I will continue to say it - quality counseling is a worthy investment in your fight for joy!

Today’s guest has seen things that no one should have to see. Maranna was being a good friend, going to check on a coworker who didn’t return to the office after lunch, and what she found catapulted her into years of grief and learning how to work through and process trauma.

Maranna and I went to high school together but really didn’t develop a friendship until after my son Jackson died. I didn’t know what she had gone through at the time, but I DID know that she made me feel seen in my grief. I share a little bit about the first time we ran into each other as we begin the episode, but I just felt drawn to her…and in those early days of grief, I didn’t feel that too often with people. Now I know its because she, too, understood brokenness and pain.

We decided to call this episode “It’s Never Too Late to Start Fighting for Joy" because for Maranna, and for so many people, it can take years, maybe even a decade (or two), to really process "Big T" trauma stuff. So friends, whatever you’ve been through. Whatever you’ve seen. Whatever you’re stuffing down, tamping down, or trying to not think about…it’s not too late to begin the fight for joy around it. You will most likely carry around the effects of grief and trauma for the rest of your life here on earth. And, also...there is hope. There is help. And there is joy to be found and experienced.

Also, please be aware that this episode centers around domestic violence. If you or someone you know is feeling threatened or unsafe, there is help available. The National Domestic Violence Hotline is open 24 hours a day. You can call 800-799-7233 to speak to someone now. Or, if you are local to the Fremont area I'd encourage you to reach out to The Bridge. You can call their 24-hour crisis line: 888-721-4340 or visit https://bridgefromviolence.com/contact.

I'm so glad you found this episode. I hope you’re encouraged as you listen to Maranna share her story. I pray that you hear the message that it’s never too late to do the work around trauma and that it is possible to experience a full, beautiful life on the other side.

**This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp, the world's largest online therapy provider, with over 30,000 licensed, trained, experienced, and accredited psychologists, therapists, and counselors. I have loved working under the sponsorship of Faithful Counseling over the last few years and am excited to now be welcomed into a special new partnership with its parent company, Better Help, ESPECIALLY because they also provide the opportunity for you to choose a Christian counselor, a licensed therapist who will provide faith-based counseling. When you visit my link, betterhelp.com/fightingforjoy, you will begin filling out a questionnaire and one of the questions will be: “Would you like to be matched with a therapist who provides Christian-based therapy?” I’m so grateful to still offer you this option with BetterHelp! Also, FYI, if you go to my old Faithful Counseling link, it will still work for a while, it will just redirect you to the BetterHelp platform. And yes, I’m still able to offer you a 10% discount with BetterHelp as my sponsor.