About The After Party of the Empty Nest

The empty nest can be one of the toughest parts of parenting. It’s a holy, hard giving-back, a sacred release of our children into God’s care and their next chapter. But you, too, have a new chapter, and you can find peace as you transition from mom to empty nest mom and rediscover that mom is not your only name.

Have you asked yourself:
• Who am I now?
• What is my purpose now that my children are gone?
• What gifts and talents do I have to offer?
• What should my priorities be?
• How do I become something more than “Mom?”

You’re not alone, mama. Among the tears and apprehension of this brand-new season or the joy and celebration that you finally have your house back, you can find a new purpose as one mothering era ends and another begins. You’ll discover your life is more than carpooling, laundry, and cries of “Where are my shoes?” And you’ll find freedom to act on the dreams you deferred while handling the responsibilities of raising your children.

There is a second act, a future with your name on it, different from your children’s but filled with hope and surprises you cannot begin to imagine…if you plan for it, believe in it, and, with the Lord’s help, walk fearlessly into it.

You are cordially invited to the After Party…because Mom is not your only name.

Purchase a copy of The After Party of the Empty Nest here.

Connect with Kate Battistelli
website | Facebook | Instagram | X

Kate Battistelli is the author of The After Party of the Empty Nest: Mom is Not Your Only Name, the bestseller, The God Dare: Will You Choose to Believe the Impossible, and Growing Great Kids: Partner with God to Cultivate His Purpose in Your Child’s Life. She is a contributing writer to the (in)courage Bible for Women and The Spirit-Led Woman’s Bible, and her writing has appeared in Guideposts, The Joyful Life magazine, The Better Mom, Mici magazine, and more. She is one-third of the popular Mom to Mom Podcast. In addition, she is an honoree with She LeadsTennessee.

As a young actress in New York City, Kate had a life-changing experience, going from understudy to starring as Anna in the Broadway National Tour of The King and I opposite Yul Brynner for more than 1,000 performances. Kate and her husband laid down their careers in the Broadway theatre in answer to their first “God Dare,” moving out of New York City and into a life of homeschooling and home business. She lives in Franklin, TN, near her daughter, contemporary Christian recording artist Francesca Battistelli, and seven precious grandchildren. Kate serves women by encouraging them to step out of their safe space and into His irresistible future.

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About Dead Sea Squirrels

Mike Nawrocki, co-creator of VeggieTales, is back, this time with some furry friends!

In the first installment of this hilarious new chapter-book series, ten-year-old Michael and his friend Justin sneak into the Dead Sea caves near the archaeological dig where Michael’s dad is working. Michael finds two 2,000-year-old squirrels petrified in sea salt. Hijinks ensue as Michael tries to bring them back to the U. S., hidden in his backpack. What Michael thinks are just cool souvenirs may turn out to be something much more! The Dead Sea Squirrels series is humorous, fun, and filled with character-building lessons.

The Dead Sea Squirrels series includes:

• Cute and quirky illustrations that will appeal to kids
• Funny plot lines that can hook even the most reluctant readers
• Positive messages that promote biblical values
• Also available in a 3-pack with Boy Meets Squirrels and Nutty Study Buddies

Read all 12 Dead Sea Squirrel books and stream the animated series today on Minno!

Learn more about the series and purchase Dead Sea Squirrels here.

Connect with Mike Nawrocki
website | Facebook | Instagram

The preteen years are hard for everyone—parents and kids! Learn how to navigate these years with grace and love.

The preteen years can be perilous. More than ever kids are bombarded with messages that threaten their emotional health, spiritual growth, and faith. And while the market is flooded with resources for raising children, it’s remarkably scarce on help for navigating difficult preteen days. Parents can feel alone and at a loss as to how to connect with and guide their growing kids.

In Faith that Sticks, Tricia Goyer and Leslie Nunnery share five real-life discipleship building blocks for raising preteens. The book's five key areas—prayer, Bible reading, family relationships, conversation, and service—provide a clear roadmap for parents who feel overwhelmed or unequipped. Using personal stories and examples, Tricia and Leslie’s relatable experiences acknowledge that while the journey isn’t always easy, it’s always worth it. They offer creative and practical ideas and activities that parents, caregivers, or mentors can implement in each of the five key areas, helping them feel more confident in their spiritual roles.

If you want to connect with your preteen on a deeper level and watch your kids grow in their faith, you will find Faith that Sticks the encouragement and direction you need!

Purchase a copy of A Faith that Sticks here.

Connect with Leslie Nunnery
website | Facebook | Instagram | Podcast

If you are enjoying the show, I have a quick favor to ask! If you haven’t yet hit the subscribe button and left a rating and a review on iTunes, please take a moment and do so! I love reading your reviews and it keeps the algorithms happy so new listeners can find the podcast as well!

Dive into the depths of the ocean and embark on a faith and science adventure through five fact-packed short stories of marine life for ages 8 to 12.

From the sun-soaked tidepools of Hawaii to the wide expanse of the Atlantic waters, discover the wonders awaiting you in the ocean realm. Meet Astrid, the vibrant multi-colored sea star, Maximus, a powerful peacock mantis shrimp, Dexter, a clever mimic octopus, Wendell a massive humpback whale, and Luna, a mysterious deep-sea anglerfish. Journey through their realistic, captivating tales in five short stories where readers explore each ocean creature’s life cycle, habits, and environment. Plus, enjoy fascinating scientific truths about God’s incredible underwater world!

Features include:

• Stunning, full-color interior artwork on every page.
• Five realistic stories of sea creatures life and life cycle.
• Ocean Notions―brief science facts explaining each creature’s habitat, body, or abilities.
• Undersea Understanding―short section highlighting God’s intentional design for creation
• Deep-Sea Dive―A one-page life application that emphasizes the spiritual truths or faith theme highlighted in the creature’s story. Includes “Going Deeper” reflection questions.
• An illustrated table of contents depicting each creature at its ocean depth.

Get your copy of Wonders of the Ocean Realm here.

Connect with Sherri Seligson
Website | Facebook | Instagram | X | YouTube

If you are enjoying the show, I have a quick favor to ask! If you haven’t yet hit the subscribe button and left a rating and a review on iTunes, please take a moment and do so! I love reading your reviews and it keeps the algorithms happy so new listeners can find the podcast as well!

Do you visit a doctor or dentist each year? Americans even visit their auto mechanic each year. Why not give the same attention to your family's financial health? Using the latest tips from the psychology of financial health, the Financial HEIRs book series will help each person in your family save up $100,000. The Genius Next Door is about the lost art of saving money, improving your financial health, and implementing Dr. Blake’s innovative idea to have young people live off their investment interest.

Follow Pedro as he immigrates to America, marries Crystal … and they raise Junior. Short, humorous, and inspirational stories merge Dr. Blake’s innovations with the foundational principles during the past 50 years from numerous bestsellers. You will love the holistic approach to generational financial health … becoming the Genius Next Door!

Get a copy ofGenius Next Door here!

Learn more aboutGenius Next Doorand Connect with Dr. Paul Blake here

If you are enjoying the show, I have a quick favor to ask! If you haven’t yet hit the subscribe button and left a rating and a review on iTunes, please take a moment and do so! I love reading your reviews and it keeps the algorithms happy so new listeners can find the podcast as well!

Valerie Ellis loves helping kids and parents connect with God and each other in the everyday moments. She is an author, speaker, and founder of Our Everyday Parables, an online resource with book reviews and ideas for families pursuing faith and compassion. A certified teacher with countless hours in children’s ministry, Valerie writes books that serve kids at the intersection of faith and fun. Her latest book is Let’s Go! Bible Adventures: Real Bible Stories for Kids Who Love Trains, Tractors, Ice Cream Trucks, and More!

Valerie is a frequent speaker for The MomCo (formerly MOPS) and similar groups. She stays involved with her own local chapters of The MomCo, SCBWI, and the Texas Library Association as well. Valerie is also a nonprofit consultant, trainer, and grant writer in the Houston area, where she lives with her husband, Josh, and their two boys. An Ohio-born, Texas-raised TCU Horned Frog, Valerie loves live music, is obsessed with Big Bend National Park, and always has a good reason for not putting her shoes back in the closet.

Connect with Valerie on her website, Instagram, X, Pinterest, TikTok, and Goodreads, or sign up for her Newsletter here.

Well, hello, hello friends! I'm so excited about today's episode because I have my real-life friend, Becky Kopitzke, joining me. We're diving into all the things—writing, health, family, and following our God-given dreams. Becky is an author-turned-business coach who has a heart for helping others find their voice and share their message authentically. Whether you're an aspiring writer, a busy mom, or someone looking to balance faith and business, this conversation is for you. Get ready for an inspiring and practical chat full of encouragement, insights, and a whole lot of fun. Let’s dive in!

It's time to tell your story! Join Tricia and Becky for StorySell, an exclusive four-week coaching experience for authors, coaches, and social sellers. 

Starting February 3, we'll guide you through the process of creating authentic, story-centered content that drives sales. In just 30 minutes a day, you'll learn exactly how to craft posts that connect with your audience and convert followers into customers.

Here's what you'll get:

As a bonus, we'd also like to invite you to a special training we're leading!

Sign up for StorySell here:
https://www.theinspiredbusiness.co/storysell

Use coupon code STORY25 to get 25% off your enrollment!

Or grab a paper copy of Tell Your Story here: https://amzn.to/3PNlIXe

An ancient curse. An invisible dragon. A mysterious prophecy.

Seth’s parents have secrets they won’t share with him. Why did the King kick them out of the garden and curse the land? And can the curse be broken? Finding answers to Seth’s questions will prove more dangerous than he imagined. Can he discover the truth before the dragon destroys him?

Frank Peretti meets The Jesus Storybook Bible in this action-packed biblical fiction story that will inspire readers to identify lies of the dragon and to put their trust in the dragon slayer.

Seth's story takes place in a post-fall world where ferocious beasts lurk in the darkness and thorns and thistles cover the land. When Seth learns of an ancient prophecy about the Chosen One, he sets off on a quest to find the one who will break the curse. But the evil dragon also has a mission—to deceive Seth and turn his heart from the King.

On his quest for truth, Seth learns what it means to trust the King and to resist the lies of the evil dragon.

Learn more about the series here.

More about Laurie Christine

Laurie Christine is an author, podcast host, Bible teacher, wife, and mom of four wild, loud, adventurous boys. Her podcast, Redeeming the Chaos, invites moms of boys to join her on the wild, wonderful adventure of raising courageous boys and connecting them with Christ.

With degrees in Creative Writing, Biblical Studies and Education, Laurie has more than 20 years of experience in teaching the Bible to children and teens.

Connect with Laurie Christine
website | Dragon Slayer Bible | Podcast

We all want to know what looks best on us, especially if it means making our closets (and lives) a little more streamlined. While the idea has been around since the 80s, color analysis is making a major comeback, as can be seen all over TikTok. Over two decades ago, Shari Braendel took her passion for fashion and helping others and turned it into a thriving color analysis organization. With no formal business training, Shari has grown the company from 12 consultants to over 400 since 2010.

As a woman of faith, Shari's business is based on the Biblical perspective of beauty and faith, making it different from other color analysis programs. Shari believes that we're all fearfully and wonderfully made, yet we're all created differently. No woman should ever feel less than beautiful because she doesn't have a particular body type. Shari and her team are dedicated to helping women love the body God gave them without making them feel inadequate.

Shari is a color analysis queen and was one of the first 50 women in the U.S. to be trained in color analysis. But her passion for fashion and helping others goes beyond just color analysis appointments. After seeing the profound impact one of her color workshops had on a Texas nonprofit that served victims of sex trafficking, Shari founded the Women Matter Initiative (WMI), which works in conjunction with nonprofit organizations to serve women healing from crisis or distress. Through these free color analysis workshops, Shari and her WIM ambassadors aim to teach women how to dress with confidence and dignity.

Connect with Shari
website | Instagram | Facebook

"When an earthquake occurs, the tectonic plates shift far beneath the surface, and they never go back to where they started."

Kari Baker always loved a good plan. But when her only son Brady was diagnosed with autism in 2014, her plans for a typical parenting experience were shaken to the core. Her journey started with all the pain, uncertainty, and isolation that so many special needs parents encounter, but along the way she found faith, community, and joy in surrendering to God's design.

Finding KIND is an account of Kari's initial awakening to Brady's neurological differences, the early years adapting to life as an autism mom, and later accepting and appreciating Brady for exactly who God made him to be.

Ultimately, Kari's experiences as a KIND Mom offer practical suggestions for thriving when the best laid plans go awry. Anyone who knows and loves a kid with invisible neurological differences or who is exploring faith in the midst of life's challenges will find hope and encouragement in Kari's story.

Purchase a copy of Finding Kind.

More about Kari A. Baker

Kari A. Baker is a Christian author, speaker, and podcaster. She is an avid blogger on the topics of faith, special needs parenting, and finding your purpose.

She is the founder of KIND Families, a community of people who love Kids with Invisible Neurological Differences. The KIND Community is for parents, caregivers, friends and advocates of kids whose brains work differently than their peers, but have no outwardly visible disability. She is also the host of The KIND Families Podcast.

Kari became a KIND mom in 2014 when her son Brady was diagnosed with autism at age three.

She and her husband, John, live in Scottsdale with their son Brady and their hound dog,
Princess Leia.

Connect with Kari A. Baker
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Podcast

If you are enjoying the show, I have a quick favor to ask! If you haven’t yet hit the subscribe button and left a rating and a review on iTunes, please take a moment and do so! I love reading your reviews and it keeps the algorithms happy so new listeners can find the podcast as well!