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

Connect with Aleigh on Instagram

Check out Aleigh's podcast, The Best Changed Plans

Connect with Kayla on Instagram

Connect with the show on Instagram

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

Connect with Melinda on Instagram

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

Connect with Kayla on Instagram

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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

Connect with Tondra on Instagram

Journey for Life 

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

Connect with Kayla on Instagram

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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!

Connect with Kristen on Instagram

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

Connect with Kayla on Instagram

Connect with the show on Instagram

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

Connect with Courtney on Instagram

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

Connect with Kayla on Instagram

Connect with the show on Instagram

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

Connect with Lisa on Instagram

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

Connect with Kayla on Instagram

Connect with the show on Instagram

How do we live well in our bodies when we have experienced great loss in them?

We are continuing our conversations on living both healing and whole, living fully where we are, even as we are healing in different areas and ways. This week, we shift from our minds to our bodies with a dear friend of mine, Kendall Carver.

Kendall is a wife, mom, and leukemia survivor who lost her second daughter, Ellie, to her leukemia diagnosis. 

Join Kendall and I as we talk about: 

• what we know and don't know about battling cancer and grief as a mom
• places we get to experience healing, and the places where we are still waiting
• Kendall's advice for the early days of a diagnosis or grief
• the long process of healing
• accepting things we wish were different

LINKS

Connect with Kendall on Instagram

Connect with Kayla on Instagram

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Today's episode is part 2 of our conversation with Dr. Lindsay McVety. Go back and grab part 1 before getting started with this episode!

With so much about trauma online these days, I wanted to give us some handles on what it looks like to be both healing and whole in our minds. I am in no way, shape, or form the expert on trauma, and that's why I brought in Dr. Lindsay!

Dr. Lindsay McVety is a professor and online director at Canada Christian College, Creative Pastor at The River Worship in Ontario, and has her doctorate in Traumatology. That's what I asked her to talk about with us. 

Join Dr. Lindsay and I as we talk about: 

• minimizing the impact of trauma
• coping strategies (We all have them! The question is are ours healthy)
• misconceptions about mental health and trauma in the Church
• bridging the gap between our mental and spiritual health

LINKS

Connect with Dr. Lindsay on Instagram

Connect with Kayla on Instagram

Connect with the show on Instagram

With so much about trauma online these days, I wanted to give us some handles on what it looks like to be both healing and whole in our minds. I am in no way, shape, or form the expert on trauma, but I have a friend who is!

Dr. Lindsay McVety is a professor and online director at Canada Christian College, Creative Pastor at The River Worship in Ontario, and has her doctorate in Traumatology. That's what I asked her to talk about with us today as we kick off Season 3! 

Join Dr. Lindsay and I as we talk about: 

• defining trauma and triggers
• the impact of trauma on our minds and bodies
• the role of forgiveness and boundaries in our healing processes
• practical tips for having hard conversations
• building resilience in ourselves, our kids, and our communities

Dr. Lindsay and I had too much to talk about for just one episode, so be sure to join us next week for part 2 of this conversation!

LINKS

Connect with Dr. Lindsay on Instagram

Connect with Kayla on Instagram

Connect with the show on Instagram

Whether you've been here from the jump or this is your first time tuning in, I'm so glad you're here!

The Bitter and the Sweet podcast is a show where we tell the truth about grief, joy, and the grace that covers it all. 

In just 2 minutes, take a look back at where we've been in our first two seasons and where we are headed in season 3, living as people who are both healing and whole.

Season 3 kicks of June 3, 2025. Let's go!