We've done FIFTY episodes and ONE WHOLE YEAR together here at The Bitter & the Sweet podcast, and the best part is, we are just getting started!

In just 2 minutes, look back with me over our first year and look ahead to what's in store for season 4, as we get really clear on who we are in light of who God is.

Season 4 kicks off September 2, 2025. Let's go!

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This is EPISODE 50 of our show! Can you even believe it?!

Fifty episodes is a fun and special milestone in podcasting, and we've got a fun and special episode for you to celebrate!

Episode 50 is also our season 3 finale, and we are talking about what it looks like to live both healing and whole in our churches. There is no one better to join me for this conversation than Pastor Dusty Smith.

Pastor Dusty and his wife, Jennifer, planted Depot Church in North Carolina nearly 12 years ago, where he is lead pastor. Dusty and Jennifer have four sons, ages 5-16. 

A few spoilers for you: Dusty is my pastor. I have known him for two decades, and I can tell you with certainty that 1- he is a trustworthy person with the utmost integrity, and 2- our church is growing and thriving under his leadership.

Join Dusty and I as we talk about: 

• why you need a local church
• how to find a church
• balancing serving the church with serving our families
• being disappointed in our church experience
• the difference between church hurt and spiritual abuse (and some red flags to look out for!)
• staying committed to your local church when it's hard, and when it's time to walk away 
• how to find your way back to the Church

LINKS

Learn more about Depot Church

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As a former math teacher (true story!) and as a mom, school is a place that is near and dear to my heart.

How can our local churches love and support our local schools? Here to talk about it with us is a dear friend of mine, Maegan Little. 

Maegan is a former special education teacher and the Kids Director at Depot Church. 

Join Maegan and I as we talk about: 

• the gifts and challenges found in our local schools
• what teachers and schools really need
• getting our churches on board to support our neighborhood schools, regardless of how we choose to educate our own children
• one overlooked but wildly important way to really support the teachers and schools in your community
• practical ways that the local church can love, support, and partner with our local schools

LINKS

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We have talked about living healing and whole in our minds, bodies, and relationships, and this week, we make the shift to our places. 

Home is where we are our truest selves, so I'm thrilled to start here with a new friend of mine, Julia Ubbenga. 

Julia is a wife, mom of 5, creator of the blog Rich in What Matters, and author of Declutter Your Heart and Home: How a Minimalist Life Yields Maximum Joy.

Join Julia and I as we talk about: 

• defining minimalism and its benefits
• where faith and minimalism meet
• why decluttering feels so hard for so many of us
• practical tips for decluttering
• getting family on board, especially kids and those whose love language is gifts
• digital clutter: what it is, how we clean it up, and why it matters

LINKS

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Get your copy of Declutter Your Heart and Home: How a Minimalist Life Yields Maximum Joy

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Living wholeheartedly in the midst of a story you wish were different is no small thing, especially when it comes to matters of the heart. 

When I wanted to talk about living both healing and whole in relationships, I knew that we could not miss talking about singleness.

Admittedly, it's been a while since I've been single, and that's why it's so important we have friends that can share their experiences and help us see new perspectives. I knew Aleigh Porter was the one to join us for this conversation!\

Aleigh is a nurse and a friend of mine I met through Called Creatives, a community for writers, speakers, and podcasters. 

Join Aleigh and I as we talk about: 

• Aleigh's story with singleness
• living whole lives in the midst of stories we though would be different 
• what our married friends may have forgotten about singleness
• what is hard about singleness, and what is good
• how we can love and support our single friends better

Whether you are recently single, single now, or haven't been single in quite a while, this conversation will encourage you in your own story and help you see and love your single friends better.

LINKS

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Check out Aleigh's podcast, The Best Changed Plans

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We advocate for strong and healthy marriages, but things don't always work out the way we hope. How does one find hope in the midst of divorce, and how do we support our friends walking through it? 

My friend Melinda Olsen is here to help us do this better!

Melinda is a writer and coach who helps women rebuild their lives after divorce and find their way back to hope, strength, and joy. 

Join Melinda and I as we talk about: 

• Melinda's story with navigating divorce
• rebuilding post-divorce: what this process looks like, and how to live both healing and whole in the midst of it
• what our friends walking through divorce are grieving, what they really need from us, and how the Church can do this better
• advice for someone in the early days of divorce

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Visit Melinda's website and find out more about post-divorce coaching

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We make and use plans for everything from our finances to our meals to Bible reading, but so many of us make no such plans for our relationships, especially marriage.

Tondra Gregory is here to help us change that!

Tondra is a licensed counselor and co-founder of Journey for Life. She and her husband, George, serve as chaplains for the LA Chargers and are co-authors of their new book The Marriage Game Plan: Developing a Winning Strategy for Marital Success.

Join Tondra and I as we talk about: 

• why we need a game plan for marriage
• how marriage reflects God's image to the world
• coming into marriage with different backgrounds and perspectives from our families of origin
• the importance of rest and recovery in relationships
• remembering you and your spouse are on the same team
• when to bring in outside help and support
• how the Church can better support marriages

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Journey for Life 

Get your copy of The Marriage Game Plan: Developing a Winning Strategy for Marital Success

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We are going all in today on one of our most requested topics by listeners: friendship!

Here to help us navigate this important conversation is a new friend of mine, Kristen Strong. 

Kristen is a wife, mom of three, contributor at (in)courage, and author of multiple books, including her latest, Desperate Woman Seeks Friends: Real Talk about Connection, Rejection, and Trying Again for the Friendships You Need.

Join Kristen and I as we talk about: 

• the challenges of making friends as an adult
• loneliness and what it is doing to our health
• the importance of vulnerability and boundaries in friendship
• managing our expectations of our friends
• navigating friendship breakups
• why rejection is not always about you

I hope this conversation encourages you and helps you remember that while friendship is not always easy- especially as an adult- it is worth it!

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Get your copy of Kristen's latest book, Desperate Woman Seeks Friends: Real Talk about Connection, Rejection, and Trying Again for the Friendships You Need

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We are continuing our conversations on living both healing and whole, and today we shift our focus to what that means in the context of our relationships.

Getting us started with a conversation about loving our people without pretense is my friend, Courtney Doyle.

Courtney is a wife and mom of six, Bible teacher, and storyteller, and the host of The MOM Show podcast.

Join Courtney and I as we talk about: 

• the illusion of perfection 
• surrendering control
• trusting God with our kids and loved ones
• dreaming with God 
• the tension of holding both unconditional love and healthy boundaries
• finding our identity outside of the roles we play

LINKS

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Check out Courtney's podcast (Kayla was a guest on this episode!)

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No one I know is 100% content with their body. Knowing that's the case, I wanted to give us a framework for processing living healing and whole in our bodies.

I could think of no one better to help us do this than one of my very favorite people, my mentor and boss, Lisa Whittle. 

Lisa is the bestselling author of nine books and multiple Bible studies, including her latest, Body & Soul: A Biblical Look at the Whole Person God Created You To Be. 

Join Lisa and I as we talk about: 

• a theology of the body, and why that matters to our freedom and our peace
• common struggles we face in our bodies
• what it means to be made in the image of God
• how the incarnation of Christ impacts how we see our bodies
• avoiding body extremes
• honoring our bodies vs. idolizing them

LINKS

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Get Session 1 of Body & Soul: A Biblical Look at the Whole Person God Created You To Be for free

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