We are well into the Christmas season. Maybe for you it's felt like pure joy, or maybe you've been thrown some curveballs. Walking through cancer to remission, Heidi Lee Anderson knows all about curve balls and what it looks like to walk into hard spaces with hope and also a good laugh. Even when the gifts we wish we could give back just keep giving. 

From what I understand, life threw you a curveball today, and you have a snow day there. What do snow days look like at the Anderson house?

Is there a special snack y'all eat on snow days or this time of year? What were snow days like for you as a kid?

Do you have any other funny motherhood curveball stories? 

One of the things we think a lot about at Christmas is the hope that comes because of Jesus' birth. How do you think that hope has allowed you to take a curveball that would crush some people and find humor and hope there? 

I wouldn't have thought of the book of Joshua in the Bible for one that has curveballs, but you did... how did that happen?

What is something during Christmas you've been tempted to feel upset about, and God has given you joy there? 

You can find Heidi Lee Anderson's book ⁠"⁠All In, All Yours⁠" and find Heidi HERE.

You can find Elizabeth writing helpful hints ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on the blog⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Original Music written and recorded by Jonathan Camenisch

*affiliate links are used when appropriate. Thank you for supporting Sunshine in My Nest

I have decided to run a couple of Christmas specials this year with a couple of artists you already love. These episodes will be more light-hearted in tone, but hopefully still encouraging as you head into this meaningful season of celebration! Today, we are going to chat with one of my favorite music artists, Caroline Cobb. She is also the author of the Advent devotional "Advent for Exiles." My hope as we chat is that you feel inspired to pursue creativity and art as a reflection of a creative God, and remember the one who paid for us while waiting for God's promises to be fulfilled. 

We just had Thanksgiving and started in on that holiday food. What is your favorite Christmas food? 

Do you have a Christmas memory that stands out to you from childhood? 

What about the feeling of Christmas has changed for you as you've become an adult and a parent? 

What about Christmas specifically has made you want to create art around it? 

What's your favorite thing to think about and remember around Christmas?

What do you wish everyone knew about Advent? 

You can find Caroline Cobb's book ⁠"Advent for Exiles" and the album "A Seed A Sunrise."

You can find Elizabeth writing helpful hints ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on the blog⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Or get access to the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Additional study resources here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Original Music written and recorded by Jonathan Camenisch

*affiliate links are used when appropriate. Thank you for supporting Sunshine in My Nest

This is the prettiest study I've ever put together. Initially it was my most expensive, but I've had so many people pour into me this year. I want to give it to you for free!

DOWNLOAD HERE!!

I hope that you will choose to give to others too by not keeping it to yourself, but sharing it with someone else who would love to be nourished in the word of God also!

"Freely you have received, freely give!"

I’ve noticed a theme in the Bible. God sets up different celebrations for his people. It becomes undeniable that God intends celebration to be a key part of discipleship. The great thing for us is we don’t have to write celebrations from scratch, though if you have milestones in your family’s faith story, absolutely celebrate those! I grew up knowing nothing about the church calendar, but have slowly started to learn a big appreciation for the guided celebrations. Traditions, smells, special colors, and décor prompt us to remember over and over Christ’s beautiful work in our lives. Danielle Hitchen has talked about this most consistently over the past couple of years, and I’m excited to have her answer more of my questions specifically.

-What is the church calendar?

-How does the church calendar help us remember Jesus?

-How do you celebrate Advent?

-What are some foods you associate with the church calendar?

You can find Danielle Hitchen's book "Sacred Seasons" HERE, and her shop Catichisis Books HERE

You can find Elizabeth writing helpful hints ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on the blog⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Or get access to the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Additional study resources here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Original Music written and recorded by Jonathan Camenisch

*affiliate links are used when appropriate. Thank you for supporting Sunshine in My Nest

They say when you become a mother, it's like part of your heart is walking around outside our body. But those aren't the only relationships that are so meaningful to us that it's painful to think about or imagine the bad things that could happen to them. Worrying about them is really natural, but can also be debilitating. Hunter Beless is a former military wife and the mother of four children, as well as a Bible teacher. These combined experiences have given her a lot of time to think about and process the vulnerabilities of love in relationships in the light of Jesus' profound love for people. So today, we are going to walk through what it looks like to trust God with the ones we love most.

-When was the first time you felt the gutwrenching twist of anxiety connected to someone you love? 

-How did you handle that at first (in your flesh)? How did that work out for you?

-Have you struggled with this in connection to your kids coming to faith or staying in faith, or just health and safety?

-What was the turning point for you when you saw your faith had an answer for that? 

-How does that change the way you functionally live life?

-What are some practices that have helped you speak truth to the recurring anxieties? 

Listen to Hunter Beless' Journey Women Podcast ⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠or purchase "⁠⁠Jesus Loves You More."

You can find Elizabeth writing helpful hints ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on the blog⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Helping you love Jesus and disciple your kids ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Or get access to the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Additional study resources here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Original Music written and recorded by Jonathan Camenisch

*affiliate links are used when appropriate. Thank you for supporting Sunshine in My Nest

When we think of discipleship, family worship, or devotions, we often think of cute little faces all in a circle while we read from the Bible, recite a Bible verse, or catechism question. But when Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me." He knew what kids were like. He made kids to love fun and laughter. I'm going to chat with Carl Laferton about how to make teaching little ones fun. He's written two of my favorite books for discipling kids, and just finished one full of discipleship games and activities. I had the joy of pre-testing that one with my kids and then writing an endorsement for it, because we fell in love. 

Kid's discipleship resources seem to be a passion of yours over the last few years. Does your stage of life encourage that?

You've done rich theological resources for kids in the past... Why do you think fun in discipleship is so important that you poured your time into writing so many activities? 

When you're looking at a passage or story, how do you gather ideas to make it fun? 

Is there ever a place for seriousness in discipleship, or should all of it be gamified?

How do we keep that balance as parents?

What are the vital elements of teaching the Bible to kids?

How do we prioritize connection in discipleship? 

Follow Carl Laferton HERE⁠ ⁠or get "⁠God's Big Promises Storybook Bible" and the companion "Beginning with God"

You can find Elizabeth writing helpful hints ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on the blog⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Helping you love Jesus and disciple your kids ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Or get access to the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Additional study resources here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Original Music written and recorded by Jonathan Camenisch

*affiliate links are used when appropriate. Thank you for supporting Sunshine in My Nest

I don't know about you, but I want to do more than manage schedules and be a chauffeur in my own life. I want to have good habits that lead to a connection with my family. Many habit books talk about how to revolutionize our lives, but so many of them focus on professional success, and that's not really the metric I'm chasing. I want to learn to do the hard things in my relational life and in my home. Today I'm chatting with Min. She's a homeschool mom and on the board of the Charlotte Mason Institute. She leads many coaching groups that help moms succeed in their homes or in their small businesses. 

-What inspired you to do more than just survive everyday life? 

-What are some of the Band-Aids you notice moms use to get through the day? 

-What is a better way to have clarity around our goals as moms? 

- What is the first step a mom can do to start training herself to do hard things? 

You can find Min Hwang at Life-giving Motherhood or Coram Deo Planner!

You can find Elizabeth writing helpful hints ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on the blog⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Helping you love Jesus and disciple your kids ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Or get access to the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Additional study resources here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Original Music written and recorded by Jonathan Camenisch

*affiliate links are used when appropriate. Thank you for supporting Sunshine in My Nest

I was reading an article the other day. It was saying you become like the sum of your 5 closest friends. The things that we think about, talk about, and watch shape us more deeply than we are aware most of the time. I think the podcasts we listen to and tv we watch also would apply to this. In fact, I so deeply believe this I recently deleted a bunch of shows I listen to because I think the messages and language it was using were starting to affect the words I reach for when I don't know what to say.

Today I'm talking to Kyle Worley about how what we expose ourselves to transforms our lives. Kyle is a host of the wildly popular "Knowing Faith Podcast" and Author of "Formed for Fellowship."

What is a way that you have noticed yourself being formed by who you are around, for good or bad? 

How do we start becoming aware of what is shaping us? 

How do we start creating a vision for our life and family based on Biblical truth? 

What are some of your favorite family rhythms, and who influenced you to pick them up?

Follow Kyle Worley ⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠or get "⁠⁠Deep Discipleship" or "Formed for Fellowship."

You can find Elizabeth writing helpful hints ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on the blog⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Helping you love Jesus and disciple your kids ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Or get access to the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Additional study resources here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Original Music written and recorded by Jonathan Camenisch

*affiliate links are used when appropriate. Thank you for supporting Sunshine in My Nest

I know so many of you are already day 1 listeners... would you help me chase a curiosity?

I've been winging this podcast situation, but I just found out you can get on the Apple podcast charts if a bunch of people hit follow on the show on the same day!

The email list is ON IT! And Instagram is ON IT!! Would you experiment with me and hit FOLLOW on the podcast for today, and then invite a friend also!

I know it's a random Wednesday, but I'd really love to try and see if we could do something!

As parents, we know the words we say matter so much. But in the heat of the moment, many parents still find that angry or degrading words come pouring out. After these moments, hot tears of repentance stream down cheeks, and oaths are sworn. It will never happen again. Amy is a mother of nine, parenting coach, and writer in the Wild and Free community. She and I are going to explore how God's grace can cover angry words and how that grace can transform the words we speak. 

-From a child psychology perspective, why do the words that parents speak matter so much?  Can it affect our kids' anxiety and depression?

-What are some of the most damaging words and phrases a parent can use? 

-How do we repair when we've found we've used those words again? 

-In what way do we need to see ourselves to change the way we speak?

-Does the way we talk to ourselves matter? (How does seeing ourselves held in grace matter?) 

-If a woman is starting to feel heavy with the thought of watching every little word that comes out of her mouth, what hope do you have to offer her? 

Follow Amy Hughes ⁠HERE ⁠or get "⁠Words Like Honey."

You can find Elizabeth writing helpful hints ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on the blog⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Helping you love Jesus and disciple your kids ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Or get access to the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Additional study resources here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Original Music written and recorded by Jonathan Camenisch

*affiliate links are used when appropriate. Thank you for supporting Sunshine in My Nest