In this episode:

[00:00] Sponsored by Soup—itself!

[00:01] Why soup is magical (and universal)

[00:02] Colonial sailors and the potbelly stove story

[00:03] Valley Forge, bread ovens, and 24-hour soup for soldiers

[00:05] Wendi’s favorite soups (potato, split pea, Pasta Fagioli)

[00:06] How soup becomes a meal, a freezer backup, and a comfort food

[00:08] Mission in Finland: makkara and potato soup on a budget

[00:10] Stretching soup to feed more and save money

[00:11] Simple formula for making soup without a recipe

[00:12] Why soup is self-reliance in a bowl

[00:13] Sharing soup as an act of love

Mentioned Recipes:
🥔 Potato Soup
🍲 Split Pea Soup
🍜 Pasta Fagioli (Olive Garden style)

Resources:

🏡 Website: joyfullyprepared.com

📚 Joyfully Prepared Library: joyfullypreparedlibrary.com

🗓️ Meal Planning Worksheet: joyfulprep.kartra.com/page/planning

🏠 Joyfully Prepared Realtor: joyfullyprepared.com/realestate

📸 Instagram: @joyfulprepper

👩‍🌾 Facebook Group: joyfulprepgroup.com

In this episode:

How compensating blessings reveal God’s love and timing

The connection between self-reliance and divine service

Two real-life examples of God using small acts to create big blessings

Why journaling can help you see God’s hand in your daily life

The quote that changed Wendi’s understanding of giving and receiving

How to recognize the unique ways God speaks to you

Encouragement to use your talents (even the small ones!) to lift others

Mentioned in this episode:

Transformation Journal Episode (link placeholder)

🏡 Website: joyfullyprepared.com

📚 Joyfully Prepared Library: joyfullypreparedlibrary.com

🗓️ Meal Planning Worksheet: joyfulprep.kartra.com/page/planning

🏠 Joyfully Prepared Realtor: joyfullyprepared.com/realestate

📸 Instagram: @joyfulprepper

👩‍🌾 Facebook Group: joyfulprepgroup.com

Favorite Quote:

“Without self-reliance, one cannot exercise these innate desires to serve...
Food for the hungry cannot come from empty shelves...
Spiritual guidance cannot come from the spiritually weak.”
—Marion G. Romney

In this episode, you’ll hear:

🌻 The simple but powerful truth that we all prioritize what we love—and what that reveals about our choices

🧵 Wendi’s real-life story of learning to quilt (and the frustration of not sewing a straight line!)

🍞 How learning new skills—like breadmaking or canning—can be an act of self-love and growth

🎂 What cake decorating taught her about trying new things… even when they don’t “stick” long-term

💖 A spiritual reflection on God’s “fingerprints” in the small, daily mercies of life

🙏 Encouragement to replace shame-filled “shoulds” with grace, patience, and progress

Mentioned in this episode:

SafeWaterDrop.com – your water purification solution for home and emergency prep

JoyfullyPreparedLibrary.com – join the membership for videos, books, and guides on canning, meal planning, food storage, and herbal projects

🏡 Website: joyfullyprepared.com
📚 Joyfully Prepared Library: joyfullypreparedlibrary.com
🗓️ Meal Planning Worksheet: joyfulprep.kartra.com/page/planning
🏠 Joyfully Prepared Realtor: joyfullyprepared.com/realestate
📸 Instagram: @joyfulprepper
👩‍🌾 Facebook Group: joyfulprepgroup.com

Favorite Quote:

“You are doing the very best you can right now—and God is working with you.”

Call to Action:
Take inventory of what you truly love. Then, choose one small thing to prioritize this week that brings you joy or helps you grow. Maybe it’s learning to bake bread, canning jam, or simply resting well. You deserve to be at the top of your own priority list.

[00:00] A warm welcome to listeners around the globe (still waiting for Antarctica!)

[02:00] The stressful lead-up to moving from New Jersey to Florida

[08:00] How their Great Pyrenees, Aphrodite, became the unlikely guide to the right home

[15:00] Grief and trust: losing Aphrodite just months after moving

[20:00] Recognizing God’s orchestration in life’s chaos

[27:00] Why kindness to yourself matters in seasons of stress

[35:00] Journaling, scripture, and prayer as tools for realignment

[42:00] Living Isaiah 55:8–9: learning God’s thoughts and walking in His ways

Scripture Reference: Isaiah 55:8–9
Key Takeaway: Even when the world feels chaotic, God’s vision is higher and His plan is greater than what we can see.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

The highlights of the East Tennessee Homestead Alliance Festival

Skills demonstrated: soap making, yogurt making, candle making, lockpicking, tomahawk throwing, animal processing, and more

Family-run businesses selling soap, skincare, honey, teas, and handmade products

Why these events are valuable for inspiration, community, and learning new skills

Wendi’s classes on food preservation (including dry pack canning) and building a waste-free pantry through meal planning

Encouragement to start small and use resources like the Joyfully Prepared Library to keep growing your skills

Links to vendors and sponsors mentioned, including Azure Standard, goat milk products, and Garden Grown Beauty

Resources & Links Mentioned:

Joyfully Prepared Library

Azure Standard

Garden Grown Beauty (regenerative skincare)

Appalachian Wiggle Butts - Goats Milk Lotions and Soaps

When your child gets sick, it’s easy to feel helpless. But sometimes the best remedies are the simple, old-fashioned ones already in your kitchen. 🌿

In this episode of the Joyfully Prepared Podcast, Wendi Bergin shares the three herbal preparations every mom needs to know:

🧅 Onion Poultice – a soothing chest remedy that helps ease congestion and promote rest.

🧄 Garlic Honey – nature’s antibiotic paired with honey’s throat-soothing sweetness.

🍵 Herbal Teas – calming, immune-supporting blends like chamomile, peppermint, sage, and thyme.

Along the way, Wendi tells the story of how she supported her daughter through a tough illness with these time-tested remedies (plus a few extras like elderberry syrup, mullein, and manuka honey). You’ll hear the practical tips, the “mom hacks” (hello, freeze-dried onions at 4am!), and the encouragement you need to feel more confident caring for your family naturally.

Resources & Links:

The Power of Elderberries -https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/joyfully-prepared/id1510423135?i=1000693455933

Elderberry Syrup Kit - https://joyfulprep.kartra.com/page/elderberry

Joyfully Prepared Library -https://www.joyfullypreparedlibrary.com

Meal Planning Worksheet - https://joyfulprep.kartra.com/page/planning

Joyfully Prepared Realtor - https://joyfullyprepared.com/realestate/

Website - https://joyfullyprepared.com

Instagram - https://instagram.com/joyfulprepper

Facebook - https://www.joyfulprepgroup.com

Safe Water Drop - https://www.safewaterdrop.com

New things are happening around here, and I can’t wait to share them with you! In this episode, I’m talking about my upcoming speaking event, the Joyfully Prepared Library, my new focus as the Joyfully Prepared Realtor, and why now is the perfect time to start preparing for the holidays — with peace, not overwhelm.

Joyfully Prepared Library -https://www.joyfullypreparedlibrary.com

Meal Planning Worksheet - https://joyfulprep.kartra.com/page/planning

Joyfully Prepared Realtor - https://joyfullyprepared.com/realestate/

Website - https://joyfullyprepared.com

Instagram - https://instagram.com/joyfulprepper

Facebook - https://www.joyfulprepgroup.com

Do you ever keep a running list in your head to prove how tired you are? Wendi calls it the Proof of Exhaustion List, and in this episode she shares what’s on hers and why we do it.

But this isn’t just about being tired—it’s about choosing strength. Wendi reflects on her recent workouts, her surprisingly strong wrists, and how everyday chores like gardening and breadmaking build hidden resilience. You’ll also hear insights from her time studying with herbalists in Italy, why muscle strength matters as we age, and encouragement for women to prioritize their bodies as gifts from God.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

What the “Proof of Exhaustion List” is (and why it’s so relatable)

Why strength training is essential for women, especially through menopause

How everyday homemaking builds strength without us realizing it

Lessons from herbalist Margi Flint on hand strength and aging

Encouragement to make strength part of spiritual and physical preparedness

Resources & Next Steps:

Visit JoyfullyPrepared.com

Join the Joyfully Prepared Facebook group to share your own “Proof of Exhaustion List”

Email Wendi your strength training wins or encouragement for other moms

[email protected]

Life has a way of drifting toward chaos—whether it’s towels in a heap, laundry piling up, or one too many plates wobbling on sticks. In this episode of the Joyfully Prepared Podcast, Wendi unpacks:

The story of the red towel and why her brilliant “mom system” didn’t work out.

Why entropy isn’t personal failure—it’s just how the world works.

The plate-spinning analogy and how it mirrors our daily lives.

Why giving yourself grace (and even a nap or a cry) is essential.

How to eliminate plates, delegate responsibilities, and simplify what remains.

Ways to combat entropy with rest, laughter, and practical action.

You’re not a hypocrite. You’re not failing. You’re a mom with a lot of plates—and you’re doing better than you think.

Packing lunches every morning. Cooking dinner every night. Which is more stressful? Honestly, it’s a tie—except lunches feel like a daily pop quiz, and dinner is more like a final exam.

In this episode, I’m sharing:

Cushion meal ideas that save your sanity during the first weeks of school

How to turn rotisserie chicken into multiple easy meals

Freezer night tips that work for both store-bought and homemade

Sheet pan, breakfast-for-dinner, and salad bar ideas that require minimal effort

My simple Mix + Match Lunch Formula (protein + veggie + fruit + fun item)

How to involve kids in lunch packing without adding more chaos

You’ll also hear two things I love and use myself:

https://ufeelgreat.com/c/bergin  A chlorogenic tea and medical-grade fiber drink that’s helped me manage appetite, support gut health, and improve energy and focus ([link in show notes])

SafeWaterDrop.com – my go-to for year-long water purification in one tiny tablet

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Meal Planning Worksheets – plan dinners and lunch packing in one spot so you’re not scrambling ([link])

My Facebook group: Joyfully Prepared – come share your own meal planning wins and get support

SafeWaterDrop.com – year-long water purification in one tablet

You’ve got this, mama. Keep lunches simple, dinners doable, and give yourself the cushion you deserve this back-to-school season.