Do you struggle to overcome shame or past failures? Is is hard for you to celebrate small wins?

Today, we welcome life coach Taryn Nergaard who will help us to understand how to process shame and failure in a healthier way. She’ll teach us how to celebrate our progress, no matter how small.

You’re going to find so much encouragement as we chat about the common pitfalls around failure and discouragement and how to break free from them.

In this episode you’ll:

-Learn to find freedom from perfection

-Change your mindset so you focus on progress

-Get practical tools to help you celebrate your wins

Her strategies will empower you to make positive changes you can implement today.

Episode links:

Taryn’s Website

https://www.tarynnergaard.com

Taryn's Life Coaching:

https://www.tarynnergaard.com/coaching

Reflective Bible Journal for Adults

https://www.amazon.com/Reflective-Bible-Journal-Voice-Follow/dp/1777033128/

Teen Reflective Bible Journal

https://www.amazon.com/Reflective-Bible-Journal-Teens-Follow/dp/1777033136/

Kids Reflective Bible Journal

https://www.amazon.com/Reflective-Bible-Journal-Taryn-Nergaard/dp/1777033144/

Register for Taryn’s Free Soul Care Virtual Summit, free online event for people seeking simple practices for mind, body, and spirit. May 24-28

Register here for the Soul Care Summit:

https://tarynnergaard.com/soul-care-summit?aff=23

Sara's Book, Made for Hope: Discovering Unexpected Gifts in Brokenness

https://www.amazon.com/Made-Hope-Discovering-Unexpected-Brokenness/dp/1733411003/

Katy's Book: Life on Purpose: Thirty Days of Listening to the One Who Calls You

https://www.amazon.com/Life-Purpose-Days-Listening-Calls/dp/1736259202/

For those who have gone through infertility, you know what a grief trigger Mother's Day can be. It can bring up disappointment, hurt, and messy, complex feelings. But here's the part we don't always talk about: there can also be joy.

Thelma Nienhuis writes about grief, infertility, and extending permission and acceptance for those in the midst of the storm. In this episode we talk about:

—why infertility is grief too (and why we’re reluctant to name it that way)

—how to honor grief in your life and build traditions that allow you to grieve

—why you should extend permission to yourself on Mother’s day and other triggering events

—how we can best support those going through infertility

—finding joy in the place where you’re at.

Links mentioned in the show:

Life as Two Resource

https://view.flodesk.com/pages/5f43f7e6a25f1c0029564a11

The Wide Spectrum of Mothering

https://www.uua.org/worship/words/prayer/wide-spectrum-mothering

Quiet Assurance: 30 day devotional walking you through the Psalms

https://www.amazon.ca/Quiet-Assurance-Meditations-Peace-Grieving/dp/1777423104/

Sara's book, Made for Hope: Discovering Unexpected Gifts in Brokenness, which also talks about her journey through infertility and adoption. Find it on Amazon.

How can we care for our souls in the midst of difficulty? What tools can we use when we’re stuck in negativity, bitterness, grief, and more?

On this episode, Kristin Vanderlip will show us how to use tools to help us become unstuck from our negative emotions. Kristin is a writer who experienced the loss of a child and learned the value of healing through journaling and practicing soul care.

We chat about the proven benefits of journaling and what soul care practices help us to shift our mindsets, change our negative thinking and invite God into our experiences.

Learn how:

-Writing things down improves our health

-Certain practices can shift your attitude and emotions

-To invite God into your practices of writing things down

-To assemble a toolkit for soul care

EPISODE LINKS:

Find Kristin's Life Worth Living Journal and Kids' Journals here:

www.kristinvanderlip.com/journal

Kristin's website

www.kristinvanderlip.com

Follow Kristin:

Instagram: @kristinvanderlip 

Facebook: @kristinvanderlipwrites 

Get Sara's books, Made for Hope and the Made for Hope Bible Study here:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/bookseries/B08FXTQG61

Do you ever wonder what makes a great Bible study group?

In this podcast episode, I’m joined by Cyndee Ownbey, the author of Rethinking Women's Ministry: Biblical, Practical Tools for Cultivating a Flourishing Community. Cyndee serves as a mentor to thousands of women’s ministry leaders through her website, podcast and Facebook community, Women’s Ministry Toolbox.

In this episode we discuss:

-the benefits of a group study

-how groups make an impact on women personally

-why they’re necessary for accountability and community

-what makes a great Bible study group (helpful tips for those leading or looking for a study!)

Resources to check out

Bible Study Facilitator Training Course: An online course to learn how to best lead your small group and Bible study

https://womensministrytoolbox.teachable.com/p/bible-study-facilitator-training/?affcode=78758_jchh62cn

3 Keys to Increasing Bible Study Participation Freebie:

https://womensministrytoolbox.com/freebies/

Learn how to Read and Study the Bible (book or PDF)

https://womensministrytoolbox.com/read-bible-study/

Books by Cyndee Ownbey: https://womensministrytoolbox.com/books/

Sara’s Made for Hope Bible Study

https://www.amazon.com/Made-Hope-Bible-Study-Discovering/dp/1733411038/

Sara’s Bible study teaching videos

https://sararward.com/biblestudy/

Women’s Ministry Toolbox https://womensministrytoolbox.com

Episode Link: https://sararward.com/made-for-hope-podcast-episode-25life-changing-bible-study-groups/

Waiting is something we all have painfully endured. Whether it’s waiting on a decision, waiting for a baby, or waiting for an answer to prayer. Seasons of waiting will happen for all of us.

But how do we wait well?

Jazmin Frank has spent much of her life waiting for the desire for marriage to be fulfilled. She’s journeyed through trusting God wholeheartedly, to doubting his abilities, to trying to get out of the waiting, avoid it, or resolve it.

The one thing she has found consistently helpful in waiting seasons is to keep taking steps toward God and meeting Him in the waiting.

What that looks like practically has been surprisingly simple, and we talk about how to endure your own season of waiting.

Grab your favorite drink and listen as we chat about:

—leaning into the tension of waiting

—taking steps toward God

—finding supportive community while waiting

—supporting someone else as they endure their own waiting season.

Such an important episode that will challenge you to ask the question: Are you waiting well?

Episode Links:

Find Jazmin’s Bible Studies:

jazminnfrank.com/books/

Jazmin's Website: jazminnfrank.com

Sara’s book, Made for Hope: Discovering Unexpected Gifts in Brokenness

Katy's Book: Life on Purpose

Episode Link: https://sararward.com/made-for-hope-podcast-episode-24-how-to-wait-well/

Let’s face it, parenting is hard.

When you’re in the trenches of parenting, you need all the help you can get. Sometimes we get stuck just trying to survive the day when we know we should be more intentional in our parenting.

But how do we do that?

In this episode you'll learn:

Listen as Katy Epling and Sara R.Ward dive into a conversation on what intentional parenting is and how to take small steps toward being more intentional with your kids.

We include books, resources and great conversation starters for you and your whole family.

Episode Links:

Grace-based Parenting Tim Kimmel

Parenting: 14 Gospel principles Paul David Tripp

Christ-centered Parenting: Russell Moore and Phillip Bethancourt

Sara’s book: Made for Hope

https://www.amazon.com/Made-Hope-Discovering-Unexpected-Brokenness/dp/1733411003/

Katy’s book: Life on Purpose

https://www.amazon.com/Life-Purpose-Days-Listening-Calls/dp/1736259202/

Catch up on past episodes: https://sararward.com/made-for-hope-podcast/

Being intentional in your marriage is challenging no matter whether you’ve been married one year or fifty.

Today's guest is Laura Thomas, who is an author of both romantic suspense novels and Christian nonfiction (and many more). She is passionate about working on her marriage and writing love stories in her romantic suspense novels.

We want to help you build a marriage you can celebrate and rest in. Listen in as Laura shares:

Bonus: She also shares her favorite love stories!

Listen to this show and let us know what your favorite marriage advice is. 

Find us on social media at @sararward and @katyepling

Episode Links:

Laura’s website: 

laurathomasauthor.com.

Laura’s Books: 

https://laurathomasauthor.com/books/

Free Novella from Sara (Pen name: Grace Worthington): 

https://dl.bookfunnel.com/5g2pxlo1by

Sara’s website: 

SaraRWard.com

Katy’s books:

 https://www.katyepling.com/shop

Catch up on the previous episodes: 

https://sararward.com/made-for-hope-podcast/

Episode page:

https://sararward.com/made-for-hope-podcast-episode-22-keys-to-building-a-strong-marriage/

If you’ve struggled to stick with a Bible reading habit, or you want to know how to start, today we’re talking about practical tips for incorporating it into our schedules all year long.

Our guest today is Eva Kubasiak. She is passionate about breaking down the barriers to Bible study so beginners can learn and love God's Word.

We talk about:

—how to find time for a new habit

—the difference between Bible reading and study

—what to do if you’ve fallen off the wagon with your reading goal

—how to read through the Bible in a year.

This episode is packed with good tips, great resources and sticking with a habit that's vital to our faith: reading God's Word.

Episode Links

Knowing God Through the Word Journal

https://www.amazon.com/Knowing-God-Through-Word-Scripture/dp/1734350016

Eva has created a page with Bible reading resources to help you including her free pdf: 7 Days to a Successful Bible Reading Habit: evakubasiak.com/madeforhope

Sara’s FREE How to Study the Bible Guide:

https://view.flodesk.com/pages/5f637fe2384d146a9ca131de

Podcast Home: sararward.com

We’re talking about managing your mental health in the new year and how you can take care of yourself and focus more on Jesus this year.

BIG NEWS: I’ve got a new co-host who’s joining me on the Made for Hope Podcast. Katy Epling is a mom to three, including a son with down syndrome. You can hear her interview on Episode 12.

In this episode about mental health, my co-host and I talk about common mental health struggles in the pandemic, the importance of community, how God's Word can help us, and discovering healthy rhythms in your life.

Get some inspiration that will help you deal with your own personal mindset and mental health this year. 

If you want to find more purpose in your life and fill your heart with encouragement, Katy has a new book out called  Life on Purpose: 30 days of reading and reflecting on God’s Word. 

To order Life on Purpose:

https://www.katyepling.com/a/40920/PWMLfzD9

Relevant Magazine Article: Is Social Media Silencing Our Souls During The Pandemic? by Katy Epling

https://www.relevantmagazine.com/life5/is-social-media-silencing-our-souls-during-the-pandemic/

Catch all the episodes: madeforhopepodcast.com

Episode Page: https://sararward.com/made-for-hope-podcast-episode-20-how-to-improve-your-mental-health/

How do you approach a new year without knowing what the year holds? Can you plan for the new year without having goals? You sure can!

Today, I’ll be sharing some inspiring tips that I’ve found useful for the new year including:

—How to set a spiritual focus for the year

—What works better than goal-setting

—The secret sauce for making progress

—The one thing you really need this year

These ideas will give you a fresh perspective on how to approach the new year and can help you to have hope in the midst of your everyday.

Links:

The planner I like:

mybrilliantwritingplanner.com

Catch up on the Made for Hope Podcast:

madeforhopepodcast.com