Isn't It Lovely? Podcast

Isn’t it Lovely? was thrilled to have the great honor of interviewing golf legend Nancy Lopez during a special live show recorded during Women’s Day at The 2022 Sanford International Golf Tournament!

Reflecting on her celebrated career, Nancy touchingly leads with a tribute to her first coach and beloved father Domingo, who modeled for her the importance of dreaming big, setting goals, working hard, and always staying positive, even (and perhaps especially) in the face of failure. Nancy shares why it is so important for her to sign every autograph and honor each fan, as well as the ways she balanced her love of family with her passion for her career. There isn’t a dry eye in the room as she shares the personal reasons she devotes her time, energy, and resources to some very special charitable causes, as well as how she seeks to empower and encourage women everywhere. Rachel and Tracy attempt to get Nancy to disclose the name of the famous golfer whose questionable behavior unwittingly influenced her unwavering appreciation for her fans and supporters; Nancy asserts that women can indeed run the world - and the entire room agrees.

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*Please note the audio quality of this episode reflects the uniqueness of recording a live show outside of our usual studio. While the sound may be a little different than our other episodes, we trust that Nancy’s wisdom and inspiration will come through loud and clear.

Episode Mentions:

Nancy Lopez: LPGA

https://www.lpga.com/players/nancy-lopez/81218/bio

Nancy Lopez Golf Apparel and Equipment Website: https://nancylopezgolf.com/

Nancy Lopez Golf Apparel and Equipment Instagram: @nancylopezgolf

Nancy Lopez Golf Apparel and Equipment Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NancyLopezGolf/

Nancy Lopez Golf Adventures Website: https://www.nancylopezgolfadventures.com/

Nancy Lopez Golf Adventures Instagram: @nancylopezgolfadventures

Nancy Lopez Golf Adventures Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nancylopezgolfadventures

The Sanford International Golf Tournament Website: https://www.sanfordinternational.com/

The Sanford International Golf Tournament Instagram: @sanfordinternational

The Sanford International Golf Tournament Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SanfordInternational/

AIM (Adventures in Movement) for the Handicapped Website: https://www.aimforthehandicapped.org/

Special thanks to Scott Jibben for post-show audio engineering: https://scottjibben.com/

Prepare to be hit with a wave of impassioned empowerment as Isn’t it Lovely? welcomes motivational speaker and Hurdle Life Coach Foundation Executive Director Terry Liggins to the podcast! With compassion and sensitivity, Terry describes how a challenging childhood and adolescence led to an encounter with the justice system that changed the course of his life and set him on a path to higher education, and national recognition as a record-breaking athlete. After college, Terry found himself experiencing one of his greatest challenges when he spent time in federal prison. Today he utilizes his own life experiences to positively impact others and advocate on their behalf. Terry explains why “credible messengers” and peer-shared experiences are vital to providing the unique support, long-term care, accountability, and empathy required to help justice-impacted individuals reenter and thrive in their communities. Instead of “hurt people hurt people”, Terry encourages communities to become trauma-informed allies and advocates for their neighbors, creating trust with survivors and recognizing that “healed people help people”. Terry and Tracy bond over their shared high school experiences in Omaha, Nebraska as (Mighty) Bunnies and Huskies, respectively; Rachel cries no less than 5 times in this episode after being repeatedly brought to tears by Terry “taking everyone to church.”

Episode Mentions:

Terry Liggins’ Website: https://www.hurdlelifecoachfoundation.org/

Terry Liggins’ Instagram: @thehurdlelifecoach

Terry Liggins’ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hurdlelifecoachfoundation/

Sioux Falls Mayor Paul TenHaken’s Argus Leader Opinion Piece Suggesting Safer Communities Require Collaboration: https://www.argusleader.com/story/opinion/2022/09/04/paul-tenhaken-sioux-falls-mayor-south-dakota-growth-public-safety/7971957001/

What Are You Loving:

Terry: Sioux Falls Chick-fil-A, hard work and challenges: “The hard things are the good things.”

New Morning Mercies: A Daily Gospel Devotional by Paul David Tripp

https://www.paultripp.com/new-morning-mercies

Rachel: Burnt Toast Podcast Episode 47: “Skincare Culture is Dewy Diet Culture”

https://virginiasolesmith.substack.com/p/skincare-culture-dewy-diet-culture#details

It’s time for a Mailbag Edition of Isn’t it Lovely? as Rachel and Tracy tackle their most commonly asked listener questions about the ins and outs of podcasting! From crafting the initial interview questions to promoting the final product on social media, Rachel and Tracy share their process from start to finish, highlighting which steps give them life - and which ones maybe crush their souls a little bit at a time. Tracy reveals that the third time was the charm to finally get a handle on how to run their equipment, while Rachel reminisces about using foreign currency to purchase reasonably priced intro/outro music from a possibly Netherlands-based band. This fun size episode wraps up with a special podcast-themed What Are You Loving? Segment, a celebration of both local and national podcast faves.

Episode Mentions:

Scooters Coffee - scooterscoffee.com

Garage Band - https://www.apple.com/mac/garageband/

Headliner - https://www.headliner.app/

Squarespace - squarespace.com

What Are You Loving? (Podcast Edition!)

American Girls - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/american-girls/id1454139632

You Must Remember This - http://www.youmustrememberthispodcast.com/

Made For This with Jennie Allen - https://www.jennieallen.com/podcast

The ManDate Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-mandate-podcast/id1554807448

The Conversation with Adam Weber- https://www.adamweber.com/theconversation

Do Work Better - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/do-work-better/id1473465202

The Skinny Confidential HIM and HER Show - https://tscpodcast.com/

Boundaries.me - https://www.drcloud.com/podcasts

In collaboration with South Dakota’s celebrated 4Front Studios, Isn’t it Lovely? is thrilled to introduce its very first long-form audio and video episode featuring the endlessly inspiring Amos and Heather Kittelson as they share their love story and journey of breaking generational trauma to find hope and healing from addiction. With sensitivity and care, Amos and Heather recreate the morning Heather decided to take her life after battling postpartum depression and alcoholism - and what prompted Amos to return to their home to help her fight for her life. With tremendous empathy and a compassionate desire to combat shame and stigma, Amos and Heather use their testimony to encourage a life playbook that includes education, awareness, boundaries, guardrails, and recognition of the value of life created by a loving God. Tracy and Rachel are moved to tears for much of the episode, pausing only to delight in the pink lighting and set design generously provided by 4Front, while also requesting that Amos and Heather record daily personal messages under the moniker Kindness with the Kittelsons. Heather embraces the blessing of her experiences as a platform to help others; the three women decide to take an Amos-free road trip to celebrate their newfound friendship.

Heather Kittelson Instagram: @heatherkittelson

Heather Kittelson Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heather.sanow

Redemption Artistry Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redemptionartistry

Sidewalk Technologies Website: https://www.sidewalktech.com/

Sidewalk Technologies Instagram: @sidewalktechnologies

Sidewalk Technologies Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SidewalkTech

4FrontStudios Website: https://4frontstudios.com/

4Front Studios Instagram: @4frontstudios

4Front Studios Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/4FrontSF/

Isn’t it Lovely? YouTube Channel

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UeTyo0Lv4-U

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline

https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline

Alcoholics Anonymous

https://www.aa.org

Al-Anon Family Groups

https://al-anon.org

The Armor of God

https://www.christianity.com/wiki/christian-terms/what-is-the-full-armor-of-god-how-can-i-put-on-the-whole-armor-of-god.html

Fortitude Definition

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fortitude

It’s a celebration of art, design, and beauty as Isn’t it Lovely? welcomes dear friend and favorite creative Christy Steen to the podcast! Christy shares suggestions for imaginatively uncovering “beauty from ashes” and making design accessible, including exploring garage and estate sales and Facebook Marketplace for treasures, embracing concepts of repurposing and recycling, and paring down and rearranging existing items. Christy and Tracy encourage leaning into curiosity and risk-taking to discover sources of inspiration, as well as the influences of nature, repetition and unity to bring balance, harmony, and warmth to a space. Christy and Rachel discuss receiving God’s kindness in moments of doubt and vulnerability and how to counteract shame scripts to embrace the truth of who He created His children to be. The What Are You Loving? segment is heavy on actor Val Kilmer, as Tracy joins millions in praising Top Gun: Maverick and Rachel defends Val’s penchant for wearing turquoise jewelry.

Episode Mentions:

Christy Steen Instagram: @steenstudio

Modern Farmhouse Style

Jeremiah Brent Design

https://www.jeremiahbrent.com

“I’ve always believed the ultimate form of luxury is personalization. It has nothing to do with budget.” - Jeremiah Brent, Architectural Digest

Hope Chest Resale Shop

https://hopechest.com/shop/

Jenna Sue Design Co.

https://www.jennasuedesign.com

Jessica Jansma Design

https://www.earth.com/news/experiencing-awe-in-nature-has-a-powerful-effect-on-emotional-well-being/

Experiencing Awe in Nature

What Are You Loving:

Christy: CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) from Cherry Rock Farms

http://cherryrockfarms.com

Tracy: Gemineye Studio Microblading, https://www.gemineyestudio.com

Top Gun: Maverick

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1745960/

Rachel: Val, Amazon Original Documentary

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Val_(film)

Isn’t it Lovely? Season 6 continues exploring themes of healing and identity as Rachel and Tracy sit down with AsOne Ministries Founder and CEO Andrew DeVaney. Andrew shares the personal faith journey that ultimately led him to encounter the love of Jesus in a profound and transformational way, while also allowing him to deconstruct elements of faith in an attempt to better understand where God is in the midst of global challenges, such as genocide, hunger, and poverty. Andrew’s immersive experiences in other cultures and the resulting relationships created the opportunity to develop a model to help combat global issues while empowering cultures and supporting dignity, creativity, and agency. Andrew encourages a consideration that the beauty and image of God are present in all cultures, resisting the notion of superior nations or ways of life. He invites listeners to step into their own unique purposes as beautiful creations with specific work to do by pursuing healing and creating the space to slow down and ask the questions, “Who are we becoming?” versus “What do we do?”. Rachel realizes that Andrew’s love of sandwiches, coffee, and books makes him the perfect third host of the podcast and invites him to join; Tracy notes that the What Are You Loving? segment has a budget-friendly theme.

AsOne Ministries Website: https://www.asoneafrica.org/

AsOne Ministries Instagram: @asoneministries

AsOne Ministries Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AsOneAfrica

Mitchell Corn Palace

Becoming Whole: Why the Opposite of Poverty Isn’t the American Dream by Dr. Brian Fikkert and Kelly M. Kapic

Revelation 7:9a: After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey

A Long Obedience in the Same Direction: Discipleship in an Instant Society by Eugene H. Peterson

True Self False Self: Unmasking the Spirit Within by M. Basil Pennington

The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry: How to Stay Emotionally Healthy and Spiritually Alive in the Chaos of the Modern World by John Mark Comer

What Are You Loving:

Andrew: Cuban Sandwiches, Yampa Sandwich Company, Look’s Marketplace, and A Burning in my Bones: The Authorized Biography of Eugene Peterson by Winn Collier

Rachel: Libby, the Library Reading App

Tracy: Anatomy of a Scandal

Isn’t it Lovely is delighted to kick off Season 6 by welcoming art therapist Lauren Callis to the podcast for a revelatory conversation about self-care, healing, creativity, and so much more! As the co-founder and executive director of Curiosity Studio, Lauren leads both in-person and virtual sessions to help her participants discover information about themselves, while developing empathy, connection, curiosity, and empowerment. Lauren addresses the ways art therapy is a legitimate form of therapy and how it serves as an alternative method of self-discovery and communication to more traditional talk therapy, while also discussing the importance of removing barriers to make art and art therapy more accessible. Lauren encourages listeners not to fear failure, but rather to embrace it as a meaningful part of the creative process, letting go of perfection to build the scaffolding that helps focus on self-identity, relationships, and the greater community. Tracy channels her inner Madonna to pronounce Lauren a Material Girl; Rachel is thrilled at the mention of yarn.

Episode Mentions:

Curiosity Studio Website: https://curiositystudioclass.com/

Curiosity Studio Instagram: @curiositystudio_

Curiosity Studio Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CuriosityStudioClass/

Art Therapy

Adrienne Maree Brown: https://adriennemareebrown.net/

Pat Allen: https://www.patballen.com/

Laune Bread: https://launebread.com/

Third Space Theory

Lake Street, Minneapolis, Minnesota

What Are You Loving:

Lauren: Worn: A People’s History of Clothing by Sofi Thanhauser

Tracy: Farm fresh eggs and the Elite Gourmet Rapid Egg Cooker

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F0RDRFS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

Rachel: Lauren Callis

*This episode was recorded in May during Mental Health Awareness Month

Isn’t it Lovely? went on the road last spring for a long-awaited conversation with entrepreneur, dreamer, and all-around powerhouse Audra Robinson, founder of Rocky Robinson self-care products. In this Season 5 finale episode, Audra expresses her gratitude to an encouraging mother and the educators and community leaders who invested in her as she was growing up and discusses how her experiences as “the only” in the room throughout her career in corporate marketing led to her commitment to counteract this lack of diversity. Audra explains that while the intersection of “girl power” and “black girl magic” is foundational to Rocky Robinson, Rocky is for everyone - a message of inclusivity that is innate to the brand. In raving over Audra’s gift for celebrating and lifting up others, Tracy and Rachel are thrilled to discover that she is a fellow former cheerleader. Tracy reads the Rocky Robinson empowerment message and everyone chokes up; overcome with love and affection for her hometown, Rachel rattles off a random list of Minneapolis landmarks. “There’s no place like home” indeed.

Episode Mentions:

Rocky Robinson Website: https://www.itsmerocky.com/

Rocky Robinson Instagram: @youresocuterocky

Rocky Robinson Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/youresocuterocky

KARE 11 News Story: Black-owned Self-care Business Teaches Young Girls the Power of Self-love

https://www.kare11.com/article/money/business/behind-the-business/black-owned-self-care-business-teaches-young-girls-power-of-self-love/89-de8504a4-de2d-4b62-aece-d2011147d947

My Founder Story Article

https://www.myfounderstory.com/feature-founder-audra-robinson-rocky-robinson/

Black Girls Rock! Network

https://blackgirlsrock.com

Minneapolis Craft Market - Hayley Matthews-Jones

https://www.mplscraftmarket.com/about

What Are You Loving:

Audra: Black Women Deserve an Easy Life by Alecia Renece The Artist

Tracy: Community and friends that watch your children while you are podcasting.

Rachel: Minneapolis, Minnesota, Spoonbridge and Cherry Sculpture, IDS Center

“We want to cultivate a community. We want to bring community back…[God] didn’t create us to be alone.”

It’s a celebration of women’s health and wellness as Tracy and Rachel welcome midwives and real-life sisters Sarah Roe and Erin Vande Lune to the podcast to share the story of how the (literal!) dream of launching Flourish Wellness and Birth Co. became a reality. Passion and empathy for their patients is evident as Sarah and Erin describe their shared vision of creating a safe space and community where women can feel empowered, seen, and known as they seek comprehensive, proactive healthcare and education for life stages from adolescence to post-menopause, including pregnancy care and the option for a birth center outside of a hospital setting. They discuss achieving balance in both their personal and professional relationships, as well as their journey of arriving on the same page through prayer, counsel…and falling down a flight of stairs. Sarah and Tracy bond over being Enneagram 9s with 8 wings and how these gentle peacemakers can also be powerful dreamers and doers, while Rachel responds to the nurturing atmosphere in the room by feeling compelled to spill emotionally intimate life details and is relieved to finally get to make a Call the Midwife reference. Tracy and Rachel are also delighted to acknowledge and celebrate season-long Isn’t it Lovely? themes of community and the importance of working toward an emotionally healthy identity.

Episode Mentions:

Flourish Wellness and Birth Co. Website: https://flourishbirthco.com

Flourish Wellness and Birth Co. Instagram: @flourish_wellness_birthco

Call the Midwife by Jennifer Worth

Call the Midwife BBC Period Drama Series

What Are You Loving:

Track Season

Howard Wood Dakota Relays

Hormone Intelligence by Aviva Romm

Radiance Day Spa - Lydia

https://www.radiance-dayspa.com/

Crumbl Cookies

https://crumblcookies.com/41ststreet

Volunteers of America

https://www.voa.org/

Papa Murphy’s Pizza - Manager Brian

https://order.papamurphys.com/menu/papa-murphys-2101-41st-st

Fortune’s Children: The Fall of the House of Vanderbilt by Arthur T. Vanderbilt II

Fan favorite Tim Meagher is BACK … and this time he’s brought his friends. Rachel and Tracy welcome Tim, JD Kessler, and Marcus Suhn, affectionately known as The Mighty Hunters (along with dear friend Adam Swingdorf, who was tied up making Sensational Smiles), to the podcast to discover how an elk hunting trip solidified lifelong friendships and why being self-aware and comfortable in your own skin paves the way for deeper connections defined by support, generosity, and a whole lot of internet memes. Rachel immediately startles the group by introducing the word “intimacy” into the conversation, while Tracy and the hunters sing the praises of Scheels Sporting Goods. JD posits that Marcus is secretly a doppelganger for Rip from the television series Yellowstone, and all of the hunters offer advice for pursuing deeper relationships - without having to travel to Idaho.

Episode Mentions:

Steve Rinella: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Rinella

Stars in the Sky: A Hunting Story: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10078502/

Rip Wheeler, Yellowstone: https://western-series.fandom.com/wiki/Rip_Wheeler

Morrie’s Steakhouse: https://www.morriessteakhouse.com

Elle Woods’ Snap Cup - Legally Blonde 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OViadirUIp8

Atoley Salon and Spa - Chelsea: https://www.atoley.com/stylists.html#/

Richard Simmons: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Simmons

What Are You Loving:

JD: Chick-fil-A Empire Place https://www.chick-fil-a.com/locations/sd/empire-place-sd

& Jordan Peterson: https://www.jordanbpeterson.com

Marcus: Change of seasons.

Tracy: Scheels Sporting Goods: https://www.scheels.com

Tim: Genuine connection & community

Rachel: Tim Meagher