Girls Talking Life

Alexsayah is part of the mother daughter duo called to be voices of healing to the hurting and abused. Their ministry, SHE IS Identified, is all about finding your identity in Christ. Alex, and her mother Marnie, beautifully support and encourage women to acknowledge and move past their hurt. Both sexual abuse survivors themselves, they know how that past pain can keep you from fully experiencing the love of God. Alex joins me on the show today to talk about their ministry, about her first book, Pacification: The Lock in our Chains, and to give us a peak into what she's working on next.

Alex lives in British Columbia, Canada with her family. They run a local pizza shop, in addition to their ministry and are looking for God to do big things through them this year.

Mentioned in this episode

SHE IS Identified

Pacification: The Lock in our Chains

Proverbs 6:16-19 – pacification-isms

Identify, Align and Exchange

• Identify – the hurt, the sin
• Align – thinking and heart posture
• Exchange – give him the hurt and he gives the blessing

Connect with Alexsayah and the SHE IS Identified Ministry

On their website sheisidentified.com and on Instagram

Alex's Favorite 5

Tee Public

Pizza

Her Macbook

American Eagle Sweatpants

Apple Music

Today Jessica and I start our conversation talking about her family. Jessica tells us that after having her first two daughters, she thought their family was complete. She and her husband had struggled with infertility and she was fearful that if they tried for another baby, they would be putting themselves back into that struggle. But six years later, she gave birth to her "change of heart" baby. Jessica shares how much she loves baby number three, but how in the year following her daughter's birth, she has experienced postpartum depression and anxiety that has been paralyzing to her at times. Jessica explains how she came to know what she was experiencing and some of the steps she's taking to make her way out of this fog.

Jessica goes on to share what she does for a living and why. As a Pure Haven Ambassador, it's her job to educate and empower families to eliminate harmful toxins from their everyday lives. Jessica and I talk about reading labels, ingredient lists and how overwhelming it can be to know what's really healthy and safe and what's not. Jessica talks about green-washing and gives us first steps to take in order to make some changes and bring healthier products into our homes.

Girls Talking Life Show Notes: https://girlstalkinglife.com/2019/02/episode-10-jessica-hodson/

Girls Talking Life Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/girlstalkinglife/

Girls Talking Life Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/girlstalkinglife/

Nicole is a licensed marriage and family therapist, writer, and speaker based in the state of Connecticut where she lives with her husband and son. As an old soul who wears her heart proudly on her sleeve, Nicole loves using her words to help others find an enduring peace and joy outside of circumstance.

Today on the show Nicole and I start our conversation talking about identity. She shares how her cross-country move forced her to leave behind her connections, her reputation and everything she had built by her performance. She tells us that when everything you've built for yourself in this life is stripped away, God shows you where your real identity lies.

Nicole talks about her struggle with infertility, including five miscarriages, and the pain and loss she's experienced because of it, but how God's truth in her life never changes. She talks about finding joy in Christ's presence, finding hope in the struggle. Nicole has a refreshing take on being the recipient of precious lessons through pain.

Nicole and I walk through the definitions of emotional and relational health, and she tells us how they're so closely tied together. We talk about individual counseling and group marriage counseling (yes, group!). She also gives some guidance on how to examine and take steps to improve our own emotional health. We chat about working to put people before projects and welcoming the interruptions in our days. Nicole shares her thoughts on working a room and making others feel valued rather than focusing on yourself.

Explore more of Nicole's story and how she finds peace and joy outside of circumstance when her first book hits shelves in early 2020!

Julie is a certified health coach and life coach who helps women achieve greater health so they can live out their calling. She is also a newly-published author and counselor in-training. She is a wife and mom to 5 teens (2 girls and 3 boys). Julie lives with her family in the country, along with a small herd of Scottish Highlander cows, chickens, and their dog Thor. She loves all things coffee and running, and highly values her friendships with other women.

Today on the show Julie and I talk about how when she became a widow she tried to outrun her grief (literally by running) and took things to an unhealthy extreme. She exhausted herself and developed some health problems before making some changes to rebuild her life in a healthy way. She talks about pushing through that grief and her fear about what people would think of her.

Julie goes on to share about her new book True Health and how it's different from other books on similar topics because she also incorporates enlightenment by the Holy Spirit into her approach. Movement and nutrition are not areas I'm used to asking for God's guidance. So I love hearing what Julie has to say about this. She also emphasizes how we're all different, so what works for you might not be what works for me.

We talk about food and how what you put into your body is so important. Julie brings up the S word, "sugar." And have you ever heard of fatty coffee? I had not! She tells us the benefits of intermittent fasting and why we might want a fatty coffee in the morning. She also talks about the effects stress can have our bodies.

Our conversation will give you some fresh insights on including God in your health journey. It may give you some new ideas to try in your own routine and I'm sure no matter what your goals are for this new year, it'll give you motivation to make small changes and to give yourself grace when everything doesn't go as planned.

My guest today is Lori Mercer. Lori is a single mom of four. She runs a successful online business where she freelances and also trains other women to be virtual professionals. But before she started her business, she had a demanding corporate job. Lori tells us how she knew it was time to leave that career, how there are things you can't (and don't want to) outsource when your kids are older, and she gives practical advice on making a plan to leave your corporate job if that's something on your heart. Lori also founded and leads a nonprofit organization that supports the marriages and families of first responders. She tells us how she chose what her platform would be, how she made it her own and found that there were so many women going through the same thing she was as a firefighter's wife. She also talks about how her dream ended in divorce despite how important marriage is to her. Lori and I talk about her personal life and how challenging the last 24 months have been for her, including walking through her daughter's battle with anorexia. Lori shares how she learned of her daughter's eating disorder, how it's different for our daughters than it was for us at that age and how important it is for us to model healthy behaviors. Lori is so full of knowledge and she transparently shares about all the things she's working on. If you are a single mom, a woman working full time, but ready to leave your corporate career to pursue your own business, a stay at home mom ready to get back into the workforce or you're the wife of first responder, this show is for you.

My friend Kendra is on the show today sharing her story of loss, brokenness and a transformation that only God is capable of. She was married to her husband Jim on November 12, 2011 and five short weeks later, as they were anticipating spending their first Christmas together as a married couple, they were hit by a drunk driver. Jim was killed instantly and Kendra was badly injured. She had to face months of rehabilitation while grieving the loss of her husband. Not only was her body broken, but her plans for the future were shattered. Kendra tells us how she relied on God and the God-like people in her life to move forward. She talks honestly about the days she wanted to quit and how being strong isn't what people see when a person is pulled together, but it's in the moments of deepest sorrow when you're crying on the floor and asking God to help you through the next minute. We also talk about forgiveness and how, in time, Kendra was able to forgive the man who hit them and how freeing it was to let go of that weight.

Courtney Bowden joins me on the show today to talk life. Courtney lives in central Ohio with her husband Dustin and their three adorable kiddos. She and I chat about her being a full time working mama, how she went from fashion to marketing and what it's like to work with your husband. Courtney shares about the first time she knew she wanted to be a foster parent and how, over time, God worked in her husband's heart and he went from "how can we make this work", to "how can we not". She talks about how hard fostering is, how it challenged her and grew her, and the tough decisions they had to make regarding their placement. Courtney tells us about her blog and her #showyourreal movement where she and guest bloggers share authentically about the normal stuff and the super messy stuff. We even talk about the Enneagram, even though neither of us are experts!

Courtney is a creative go-getter and an all-star communicator. She has an energetic spirit and likes to be doing. She's definitely wired differently than me and I find her perspective so refreshing. I know you will too.

My guest today is the lovely Nancy Willis. Nancy is married to Jonathan and they have a sweet son Tommy. On today's show she and I talk about her losing her mom to breast cancer. She tells us about the special moments that were gifted to her before her mom's passing, how their family was intentional about their last days together, and her walk through the deep grief that followed. Nancy describes how losing her person left her empty, even though she was surrounded by her fantastic husband and family and how relying on the Lord was what rescued her. Nancy tells us about her emotional journey through infertility, how they made the decision to try ​in vitro fertilization and the waiting involved in that process. Nancy went on to have a healthy baby boy, but shares how she struggled being a mom to a newborn and how being a stay at home mom wasn't the right thing for her even though that was what she had always wanted and how hard that was to face. We talk about what Nancy's up to now, how she's loving her work with the nonprofit organization, Ruling Our Experiences (ROX). The researched-based program empowers young girls with confidence, teaches them to solve conflict, self-defense and positive body image. My conversation with Nancy is sure to stir your soul.

Shalla Johnson joins me to talk life on episode 3. Shalla is a leader, a creator, a teacher and a west coast girl braving the cold Ohio winters. She lives in Columbus with her husband Rich and their four children. Shalla and I discuss the logistics of having four kids and how her husband sets aside time to disciple their boys. She talks about her and Rich's desire for diversity and how they came to plant a multi-ethnic church that reflects God's kingdom. We talk about how seeing the color of a person's skin is important because it's the way God made them and it's a big part of their identity. Shalla tells us what it's like to be a pastor's wife in a traditional black church and what works for her as they lead Sanctuary Church here in Columbus. We talk about a dream of hers, one that she worked for, how it took shape and after time, how she was able to end that season well. We also talk about what she's doing now, her participation with IF: Gathering and how she's walking in obedience.

Shalla has an inspiring entrepreneurial spirit, a heart for women and I know you'll love our conversation.

My guest for episode 2 is Abby Miller. She is a wife to Adam and a mom to three girls living in Saline Michigan. Abby shares her struggle to have a healthy pregnancy early in her marriage, how God planted a seed in both her and her husband's hearts to do something more, not knowing what that might be. She talks about how they said yes to what God had for them, which also meant saying no to what was comfortable and how God worked out all the details for them in process. Abby and I talk about church planting and the importance of community. She tells us how she and her sister love to cook, how they believe in the power of gathering people for a meal and why they started their blog Everyday Table.