Last week I had the amazing opportunity to join over 150 guests from Amway Corp's Inclusion Networks and talk all things Enneagram in the Workplace. Because our time was limited, there were a variety of questions that I didn't get the chance to answer, so today, I sit down with business coach, podcast host, and dear, dear friend Laine Schmidt to answer all of those questions right here on the podcast. We answer questions about whether or not our Enneagram number changes, if there are numbers that make better leaders than others, and so many questions about Enneagram 1s. There's a lot of great information today, so sit back and grab a cup of coffee, or a glass of wine, and join me and Laine as we talk all things Enneagram in the Workplace!

I sit down with professor and theologian Kristen Deede Johnson and talk all about the topics we're supposed to avoid - politics, religion, and navigating a new year and a new administration. 

We talk about why political strife has been going on since the beginning of time, and how we can stay focused on Christ despite the murky waters of politics, unrest, and injustice around us.

Plus...we talk about what it truly takes to love our neighbors, the beauty of having walked through a trying year like 2020, and how to face 2021 with grace.  I was so honored to have Kristen join me on the podcast, and I can't wait for you to listen in.  You can find it at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your favorite podcast episodes.  Listen in today!

I sit down with author, counselor, and professor, Chuck DeGroat, and chat about how it feels to finally turn the page on 2020 and embrace the beauty that is to come in the new year. We share the challenges that 2020 has brought to the surface as we talk to the next generation about faith and justice, and we talk about his book: "When Narcissism Comes to Church" and how understanding the 9 Faces of Narcissism, can help us use the Enneagram as a tool for building relationships, 

We also talk about the rise of the Enneagram's popularity within the Evangelical Church, why it's important to look at the big picture, and why sometimes just resting is the best bucket list item that we can have.

Start your New Year off right by listening in today on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere you get your favorite podcast episodes!

Christy Pacanowski, Sara Anthony, Carrie Sullivan, Angie Burch, and Jacqueline Burch help us kick off the new year by sharing the ways that they set goals, create long-lasting habits, and help each other stay accountable.  They share the way that they have cheered each other on toward marathons, learned to floss daily, and created an unbreakable bond along the way.  Listen in as they share their strategies for making changes and growing together in the journey.

Find the girls here:

Christy Pacanowski: Embolden Studio Cultivate Purpose

Sara Anthony

Carrie Sullivan

Angie Burch

Jacqueline Burch

What they said:

"We've asked each other...after 5 years, do we still need accountability?  And the answer is yes.  I know that I wouldn't be as consistent in so many different areas of my life if I wasn't checking in every week." - Christy Pacanowski

"For all of us, setting that morning routine has been a complete game-changer.  It sets the tone not only for your days, but your weeks, your months, and your years." - Sara Anthony

"I was one of those people that would always make New Year's Resolutions...and it would be a week or two into it and I would fall short of it." - Carrie Sullivan

"Goals can become shame-based when you feel like you are failing, so it's important to have a wide variety of goals so that you can feel successful." - Angie Burch

"I'm in a season of loss right now...and it would be very tempting to mid-round re-evaluate my goals and really pare them down.  But that's not how we roll here.  We keep going and we fight through to make the progress on what matters to us." - Jacqueline Burch

"When we modify our routines and our environment, we may not necessarily see the change within ourselves, but how could we not be changing? Even if it's just that we appear more confident, or our smiles are bigger, or we're more patient with our families because we're getting our self-care in.  I know that my life is so much fuller and richer because of this group." - Angela Burch

"I love to see the ripple affect that this is having on my family." - Jacqueline Burch

Dennis VanKampen, CEO of Mel Trotter ministries, sits down and shares his unexpected journey from law enforcement to CEO, and how God is using Mel Trotter to share compassion with everyone. Period. 

He shares why judgement has no place within their walls, and how the understanding that every person who walks in their doors is made in God's image, is at the core of what they do. 

Plus...we talk about why the holidays are such an important time to support their ministry, and how giving really is the ultimate way to receive.

Where to find Dennis:

• meltrotter.org
• meltrotter.org/give
• Facebook
• Instagram

Dennis's Recommendations:

• Cinder Girl: My Journey out of the Ashes Into a Life of Hope by Christina Meredith
• U2
• David Crowder

What he said:

14:00 "I firmly believe that you cannot walk with anyone else unless you've been broken yourself."

14:04 "You sort of walk in here and think about all of the ways that you're going to give...and actually sometimes they are more healthy than we are, and out of their brokenness, they are the ones that actually help us."

21:30 "We ask God: Why are doing this to me? instead of: God, what are you doing in the middle of this?"

24:15 "Here's the truth...the guy that's panhandling on the street? The woman that's panhandling on the street? Somebody loves her.  She's somebody's daughter, somebody's aunt, somebody's mom."

24:45 "We fundamentally believe that everybody that walks on this earth is made in the image of God.  A God that loves them. A God that knit them together in their mother's womb. And a God who, had that person been in prostitution their whole life and been the only person on earth, God would have STILL sent his only son to die for that person. That is what we believe."

29: 45 "Our mission is to demonstrate the compassion of Jesus Christ to anyone experiencing hunger or homelessness in West Michigan...men, women, children, the severely addicted, the mentally ill, the LGBTQ community.  Everyone. Period."

32:31 "We have learned to leave judgment outside of our doors and kick it to the curb."

36:00 "There is no path out of homelessness because there is no one path into homelessness."

47:46 "Volunteering is not about you being an expert...the most important volunteering is about sharing your story and listening to someone else share theirs."

49: 48 "We were created for community. God did not create us to do life alone."

53:16 "God's promise to us is to use us in our brokenness to be a part of his story if we'll let him...and in that process, you might be surprised that you thought you were helping someone, and actually they were helping."

I sit down with Hadlee Garrison, found of Happy, Healthy with Hadlee, and talk all about developing easy and manageable health habits just in time for the new year.

We talk about the way that the need for perfection often gets in our way as we set goals for ourselves, why investing in our our health is more than just "going on a diet," and why taking the easy road isn't a bad thing.

Plus...we talk about life as an Enneagram 3, whether or not we're making resolutions this year, and why grabbing a straw just might change your life.  Listen in on our conversation today on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere you get your favorite episodes.  Check it out today.

Listen in as I sit down with Jenna Braddock, founder of Healthy Made Easy, as we talk about how each Enneagram number approaches their unique health and wellness journey.

Jenna walks through the strengths and the challenges that each number might face as they engage in health and wellness, and the ways that they can strengthen their health habits based on their unique motivations.

Plus...we talk about using our bodies for serving others, why it's important to allow ourselves to rest, and why we both love being compared to Tammy Taylor. You can find today's episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, jennvanhekken.com/podcast, or anywhere you find your favorite episodes.  Listen in today!

Kelsey Prince, founder of Wellness, Co. in Zeeland, Michigan, shares her story of following God's leading, even when it seemed like the path was unclear, and the way that it led her to start a new business even in the midst of a pandemic.

We talk about the importance of doing healthcare in a whole new way, why listening to God's voice isn't always easy, and the beauty of letting go and taking a leap of faith.

Listen in to Kelsey's inspiring story and the way that she reminds us that even the moments that feel like failure, are moments that God has meant for good.  You can find it today on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, jennvanhekken.com, or anywhere that you find your favorite episodes.

Ben Aguilera, pastor of BLVD Church and Executive Director of LAUP in Holland, Michigan, sits down and talks about what it means to build community and serve others.  He shares his experience growing up in the Chicano culture in Southern California and the differences that he noticed (and began to embrace) as he moved to the Midwest.

We talk about raising up leaders that reflect the diversity of the community that they serve, empowering the Latinex community where he lives, and why it's so important to build church community one relationship at a time.

Plus...we talk about the Enneagram, and how understanding his unique design as an Enneagram 8 has empowered him and encouraged him to be exactly who God created him to be.  Listen in today on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, jennvanhekken.com/podcast, or anywhere you find your favorite episodes!

Guys...it's Episode 100! I cannot believe that I've hit this milestone, and I'm so excited that you've been along for the journey.  Today I re-connect with the guests from my very first episode: My mom Tina, sister Monica, daughter Kaitlyn, and friend Kelsey - and we talk all about faith, family, friendship, and everything in between.

Listen in as we share what we have learned through this pandemic, how we look at faith as our foundation, even when things get tough, why friends should be there to make us laugh, and most importantly, the importance of family in each of our lives.

We laugh, we cry, and we gush all over each other during this hour-long tribute...and in the words of Kaitlyn, "well, even if no one else likes this podcast, we had an amazing time talking to each other." It's a great episode that will warm your heart and remind you about what is most important in life. So listen in today on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, jennvanhekken.com/podcast, or anywhere you get your favorite episodes.