Unrefined Joy

What a j o y this episode is.

This week, I'm joined by my sweet friend, Carolyn Soto Jackson, a Houston pastor and avid adventurer with a heart for Jesus. And BONUS-she loves coffee!

We talk about setting holiday boundaries, the dangers of burnout, and the beauty of pruning our schedules and thoughts.

Carolyn's wisdom will inspire you to slow down, reclaim your voice, and embrace a more intentional pace this season.

IG | carolynsotojackson

WEB |carolynsotojackson

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Have you ever met someone new and say, "I think we're supposed to be friends"?

Meet my dear friend, Carly, a licensed therapist who loves working with teenagers, families, and young adults. Carly and her mom co-founded The Well Counseling Center, where they've grown their team to nine therapists. Alongside counseling, Carly hosts mental health events and workshops, supporting our community with her passion and heart.

We do a full dive into journaling as a path to self-discovery and discuss the idea that maybe our cups are TOO full, rather than empty. Carly shares a refreshing perspective on finding freedom by embracing our unique selves instead of comparing.

Join us as we talk about finding purpose in pain, believing in our worth, and the powerful impact that self-acceptance can have on our teens.

When I tell you I could sit and talk with my dear friend, Kirsten, about the world of emotions all day...I really could!

In this episode, therapist and mom Kirsten Vadelund shares her journey of embracing the full range of human emotions and healing the inner child. We discuss how emotions like anger don't define us, why healing isn't linear, and how making space for what truly matters sometimes means letting go of "good."

Inspired by the movie Inside Out, Kirsten reminds us that embracing all parts of ourselves — including the messy and imperfect — is key to showing up authentically in the world. A candid conversation about choosing your "hard" and letting go of judgment on the path to growth.

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Connect with Kirsten | @confidently.kir

I'm THRILLED to welcome Drew, a friend and kindred spirit with a heart for helping others experience God in the everyday moments.

Drew shares his journey from his roots in Colorado to theological studies across the globe, now serving as an Assistant Pastor in Georgia.

Together, we explore the simplicity and depth of prayer—how something so gentle and accessible can carry profound power and impact.

Pour yourself a warm drink, get cozy, and join us as we talk about taking the step of obedience, feeling weird, and reaching into your own pockets to find the gold.

In this episode, I sit down with my dear friend Meghan Robb, who shares her powerful journey after her child was diagnosed with autism before age 2.

Meghan talks about how she researched and discovered that many autism symptoms are linked to inflammation, leading her to make the tough decision to cut out food dyes, gluten, and dairy from their diet.

The result? Remarkable—she saw a completely different child emerge.

On top of being a full-time mom, Meghan runs a thriving sourdough bread business right from her kitchen. And, of course, true to form, I couldn't resist drawing a metaphor between life and sourdough. Just like the bread, life needs time—you have to knead, feed, and rest. You can't rush the process, whether it's bread or life itself.

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You all know how I am about overusing the words "life changing"...

but the book we talk about in this episode absolutely did for me.

Getting to chat with this amazing woman, Vanessa Reyner, who is an author, Bible teacher, and speaker, was so refreshing. In her debut book, Cultural Detox: Clearing the Chaos To Hear God's Voice, Vanessa provides attainable steps to reexamine our overcrowded lives so we can find our truest selves first by knowing the God who created us.

Life can be so noisy, right? We dive into how we can cut through the noise and chaos of our busy lives to truly hear God's voice and explore the truth that sometimes, God's answer isn't the one we're expecting-or even wanting.

I cannot recommend her book enough: Cultural Detox: Clearing the Chaos to Hear God's Voice

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Sunshine in a bottle. That is my good friend, Louise.

She's a mother of five, and shares how she's finding her way through the chaos, juggling the demands of motherhood while keeping her heart grounded in purpose and grace.

Open Hands>>Clasped Hands

What a beautiful reminder that when we let go and open our hands, we make room for both giving AND receiving to flow in and out of our lives.

This conversation is filled with warmth, faith, amd lessons on embracing joy in everyday moments.

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Books Mentioned | Gifts of the Sea Praise of Slowness

Welcome back to Season 3 of *Unrefined Joy*!

After a summer of rest, reflection, and navigating both beauty and hardship, I'm diving deep into the identity shifts God has been guiding me through.

This season has unveiled a new calling—digital wellness—and the importance of quieting the noise to figure out what truly belongs in our lives.

Join me as I share how this 'refining' time has shaped a new lens for life, revealing that contentment comes from much simpler places than we often realize.

Decluttering Episode

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Have you ever heard the saying "protect your peace"? But what if I never had it to begin with?

Creating peace involves dedicated effort and sometimes means stepping back from technology (mainly our phones) to reconnect with what truly matters. The constant exposure to screens and digital devices can lead to increased stress, anxiety, and fatigue.

Preparing for peace to me, is detoxing from my phone. This behavior has quite literally changed my life and I hope you will leave encouraged to start, even for 5 minutes today! Try it!

The first step is always awareness. Let us be present in the moment, fostering deeper relationships, and taking back time and space for what brings you joy and fulfillment.

Prepare for Peace Packet

Prepare for Peace Packet Phone

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Do you have someone in your life where you've seen and actually witnessed a COMPLETE transformation..a new person? Or are YOU that person?

Progression often involves leaving behind "good" to discover what is truly great. Why do we feel like in order for us to earn or be worthy of something, anything, it has be hard? A struggle?

Friends...Let. It. Be. Easy.

Every new transformation is just the beginning again.