Smiling through change and uncertainty is never easy. Wouldn't you agree? No matter what our age, the "what ifs" and the "how comes" never go away. It can be fear-inducing, emotionally overwhelming, and even crippling to face the unknown, especially when everything familiar seems to be falling apart.On the latest episode of the More to Be Podcast, I had the privilege of connecting with author Katy McCown about learning how to smile through fear. Now your story of growing through change and learning to find joy in the midst of struggle might not include moving across the country multiple times following your husband's NFL career, like Katy's does, but chances are you are familiar with starting fresh, building new relationships, getting comfortable in a new community, and the many emotions that come with.Change is inevitable and we are always going through new seasons in life. If you need encouragement on how to smile without fear for where you are right now or for where your life is going, then this podcast episode is for you.Helpful LinksKaty McCown and She Smiles Without Fear Bible StudyLearn More about Life CoachingJoin the SisterhoodIf you are blessed by our podcast and ministry, we invite you to become a Sisterhood Member as a way of supporting our work. You’ll gain access to our digital library full of resources that will help you have a fresh encounter with God and His Word. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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Smile Without Fear

Pruning. It is a remarkable task that leads to growth, yet it is so hard to do. Wouldn't you agree?Recently, the Lord reminded me of the pruning I went through 12 years ago when He led me to shut down my blog and ministry dreams right when they were taking off. I was sitting in the middle of my rose garden, tending to a dozen bushes. The Lord said, “Lis, you can have lots of bushes with hardly any blooms or a few bushes with lots of blooms.” I tearfully obeyed and I am so glad because the blooms have been beautiful in the last decade.Ironically, I am in a different house now with one pathetic-looking rose bush that the pup keeps trying to steal petals off of on the way out to the yard. I can't help but see how this bush has been an annoying yet welcomed reminder of the timeless lesson of pruning. Yes, it is time for me to prune again, even though so much appears to be thriving, for the sake of the whole bush.Simply put, it is time for necessary endings and new beginnings in order to embrace whole-hearted breakthrough and authentic life transformation that results in aligning with God's best. Yes, this requires a mindset shift away from what the world values compared to what is required of us to steward our heart, mind, body, and soul needs in order to love the Lord, ourselves, and others well. What does this process look like in your life? Join me, and my treasured co-host and friend, Kalie Kelch, on this episode of the More to Be Podcast where we dive into John 15 as well as Joshua 3 and 4 to explore what God's work looks like in our everyday lives and how to join Him in it by faith.Helpful LinksNecessary Endings by Dr. Henry CloudCore Values AssessmentLearn about EMDR Learn More about Life CoachingJoin the SisterhoodIf you are blessed by our podcast and ministry, we invite you to become a Sisterhood Member as a way of supporting our work. You’ll gain access to our digital library full of resources that will help you have a fresh encounter with God and His Word. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Necessary Endings, New Beginnings

How often do we make our plans only to have them suddenly come crumbling down. But what if our crashing plans is part of God's purposes to direct us onto the path He has for us? Certainly that is one perspective if we look at our life through the lens of Proverbs 16:9, which states that "We can make our plans,  but the Lord determines our steps."Nothing could ring truer of this verse than Richard Stearns' life, which is truly a classic story of man's big plans being rerouted by God's bigger blessings.On this episode of the More to Be Podcast, I chat with Richard Stearns, President Emeritus of World Vision USA about the way God took him as young man determined to get into an Ivy League college and corporate success story to a man committed to Jesus, his wife, and twenty years of advocating for the orphaned, the widowed, the sick, and the hungry. His story will renew your hope in God's transforming work and fill you afresh with a sense of awe at how He works. Yes, my friend, God isn't done in our stories and has not quit working in the lives of those we deeply love.Richard Stearns currently serves as President Emeritus for World Vision U.S. after retiring at the end of 2018. He was the longest-serving president of World Vision. Stearns is the second of two children of working-class parents in Syracuse, New York. He worked his way through Cornell University, earning a bachelor’s degree in neurobiology in 1973. After receiving a master’s degree in business administration from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, Stearns began a career in marketing for several Fortune 500 companies. In 1998, Stearns accepted the role of President at World Vision US. He has traveled to more than 40 of the nearly 100 countries where World Vision works. His wife Renee, a lawyer by training, also travels and speaks on behalf of World Vision. The couple has five children. In 2021 he published his latest book, Lead Like it Matters to God: Values-Driven Leadership in a Success-Driven World.Helpful LinksLead Like it Matters to God by Richard SternsLearn More about Life CoachingJoin the SisterhoodIf you are blessed by our podcast and ministry, we invite you to become a Sisterhood Member as a way of supporting our work. You’ll gain access to our digital library full of resources that will help you have a fresh encounter with God and His Word. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Lead Like it Matters to God

Do you feel like God has called you to biblically mentor the next generation, yet you're not quite sure you are qualified, equipped, or worthy of the role?The good news is that God doesn't look at our past to determine our future impact, especially when it comes to mentoring.His call is always fresh. He invites us to live out the Word day-by-day, and from that overflow, impact the lives around us in an intentional way.Yes, biblical mentoring comes from the overflow of our relationship with Christ as we seek to pour into the lives of those God has placed into our homes, places of work, church families, and the community at large. So what does that look like for you? Well, it starts with understanding the call to biblical mentoring, which is what we're doing in this month's Let Go & Live Bible Study and on this episode of the More to Be Podcast.To get full access to all the content in the Bible study, you can become a More to Be Sisterhood member, which also includes a special discount code to access the Impact Mentoring Course at half-off!If you're ready to see God work in a might way through you, I pray you'll join in this study of Titus 2 to uncover how answering the call to mentor biblically will radically impact with kingdom purpose.Growth LinksTitus 2Exodus 18Impact Together: Biblical Mentoring Simplified (book)Impact Mentoring Course (save $10 or join the Sisterhood and save $19)Let Go and Live Bible Study in the Sisterhood {Save Here}Life Coach Training CourseLearn More about Life CoachingFind a Christian CounselorShould you see a counselor or a coach? Take this quiz.Join the SisterhoodIf you are blessed by our podcast and ministry, we invite you to become a Sisterhood Member as a way of supporting our work. You’ll gain access to our digital library full of resources that will help you have a fresh encounter with God and His Word. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Call to Biblically Mentor

How many times have you asked God "why?" "Why me? Why now? Why this?"Whether you are 18, 88, or somewhere in between you've likely faced something that made you feel out of place, alone, and uncertain. What has been your response? Do you walk in faith or question God's plan? Maybe you experience both those emotions? As children of God, our lives have been perfectly orchestrated by our Creator. With every challenging "why," we can trust that His intended plan is not ruined.On this episode of the More to Be Podcast, join me as I chat with Kristen Humiston and Jennifer Booth, both More to Be trained coaches, as we explore what it means to find our place in the midst of uncertainty. As we have discovered throughout the ups and downs of our journeys, figuring out who we are and what we're supposed to be doing with our time, talents, and passions, can be answered by aligning our lives with God's best. Tune in to this episode to discover what the looks like in a practical and hopeful way. Helpful LinksLet Go and Live Bible Study in the Sisterhood {Save Here}Life Coach Training CourseLearn More about Life CoachingMeet Kristen Joy HumistonMeet Jennifer Booth Join the SisterhoodIf you are blessed by our podcast and ministry, we invite you to become a Sisterhood Member as a way of supporting our work. You’ll gain access to our digital library full of resources that will help you have a fresh encounter with God and His Word. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Finding Your Place

What if your hurry came to a screeching halt and you discovered in the process that the race to the never-ending, always-moving finish was actually doing you harm? Would you take that as a wake-up and choose to live life differently? Or would you grumble and complain, fighting against the pressure to be still and slow down?Well, for some of us, an abrupt change in the way we do life is simply hypothetical. For others, it has been a firsthand experience, where the unexpected diagnosis, unwanted betrayal, and unanticipated season of change forced our hand at evaluating priorities and redefining values.For Jennifer Dukes Lee, her experience necessitated such a shift in thinking and living on more than one occasion, leading her to discover the beauty of growing slow. On this episode, I am thrilled to have Jennifer join us again (yes, she's a favorite returning guest) to share her wisdom captured in her latest book Growing Slow (releasing May 2021). No matter what season you find yourself in today, this episode will cause you to hit pause, take notes, and soak in the hope of what is to come when God's works in the slow growing of your life.Jennifer Dukes Lee lives on the fifth-generation Lee family farm in Iowa, where she and her husband are raising crops, pigs, and two beautiful humans. She writes books, loves queso, and enjoys singing too loudly to songs with great harmony. Once upon a time, she didn’t believe in Jesus; now he’s her CEO. Find Jennifer at www.JenniferDukesLee.com and on Instagram at @JenniferDukesLee.Helpful LinksGrowing Slow by Jennifer Dukes LeeLet Go and Live Bible Study in the Sisterhood {Save Here}Life Coach Training CourseLearn More about Life CoachingJoin the SisterhoodIf you are blessed by our podcast and ministry, we invite you to become a Sisterhood Member as a way of supporting our work. You’ll gain access to our digital library full of resources that will help you have a fresh encounter with God and His Word. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Growing Slow

What is the heart work, and hard work, God wants to accomplish in your life?Yes, heart work and hard work are often synonymous. Becoming more like Christ, and uncovering the life God intended for us to live, doesn't happen by doing the same thing over and over again. That would be the definition of insanity, right?Wholehearted breakthrough and authentic life transformation are accomplished place when we embrace a new way of thinking and living that aligns with God's best.On this episode of the More to Be Podcast, I’m joined by Kalie Kelch for the next part in our Let Go & Live: A Vision for Breakthrough Bible study picking up where we left off in Hebrews 12. It's a heart-work and hard-work chapter, for sure! First, we have to get our mind around the promise of becoming God's adopted children of God by faith in Jesus Christ. And then, we're invited to embrace that new identity and the prospect of being disciplined because of God's love for us and desire to make us more like Jesus. Finally, as His children, we're called to live differently . . . to live in peace, if at all possible.Wouldn't you agree that peace would be nice -- whether it is peace with God, in our families and friendships, in our workplaces and community, in our country and world? But to get to the place of peace, we must first shift our thinking from "What is good for me?" to "What is good for us?" If you're ready to consider that challenge, this episode is perfect for you. And if you're a bit hesitant, that's okay. Consider this promise from Hebrew 12 instead: We serve an unshakeable God!Growth LinksHoly Whole Bible StudyMeet Teddy and watch equine-assisted coaching in the Sisterhood (part 1 and part 2)Let Go and Live Bible Study in the Sisterhood {Save Here}Life Coach Training CourseLearn More about Life CoachingFind a Christian CounselorShould you see a counselor or a coach? Take this quiz.Join the SisterhoodIf you are blessed by our podcast and ministry, we invite you to become a Sisterhood Member as a way of supporting our work. You’ll gain access to our digital library full of resources that will help you have a fresh encounter with God and His Word. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Call to Live in Peace

Have you ever gone through a "friendship breakup"? Maybe you're at a crossroads with a friend with no end in sight. Or maybe it is time to re-evaluate whether you are allowing safe people into your life. Whatever the situation may be, we all known that friendships can sometimes bring rocky territory and heartbreak.On this episode of the More to Be Podcast, I had the chance to talk with Hannah Brencher, about the beauty from ashes that God can bring out of broken relationships. We talked about "fighting forward" for our friendships and making wise choices about who we allow into our inner circle. Yes, God will rebuild on the ruins and make a path in the wilderness.If any of this resonates with you and you are in need of some encouragement as you navigate friendships, then this episode is for you.Helpful LinksHannah Brencher CreativeFighting Forward by Hannah BrencherLet Go and Live Bible Study in the Sisterhood {Save Here}Jeremiah 30:18Isaiah 43:19Life Coach Training CourseLearn More about Life CoachingJoin the SisterhoodIf you are blessed by our podcast and ministry, we invite you to become a Sisterhood Member as a way of supporting our work. You’ll gain access to our digital library full of resources that will help you have a fresh encounter with God and His Word. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Fighting Forward in Faith and Friendship

Are you ready to experience the kind of breakthrough with God that leads to wholehearted healing and well-being? Wouldn't that be remarkable -- to be free of the habits and hang-ups that hold you back from aligning with His best?If you answered yes, like most of us, then it is time to discover what is standing in the way of experiencing the emotional and spiritual healing you crave.On this episode of the More to Be Podcast, I'm joined by Kalie Kelch as we embrace a deep journey into the first part of Hebrews 12, where God invites us once again to see Him as our loving Father and embrace the work He desires to accomplish in our life. It is a perfect continuation of our Let Go & Live: A Vision for Breakthrough Bible study, as this passage not only challenges us to embrace our position as adopted children of God by faith in Jesus Christ but also to understand the nuances of being trained up through discipline. You might be wondering, but what does this have to do with healing? Well, sisters, grab your Bible and carve out space to study God's Word with us and you'll find out.Yes, God is eager to meet you right where you are and bring about a radical transformation in your heart and mind that will result in a different way of thinking and living . . . an ultimately aligning with His best for your life.Growth LinksLet Go and Live Bible Study in the Sisterhood {Save Here}Hebrews 11I Thought It Was Just Me (but it isn't): Making the Journey from "What Will People Think?" to "I Am Enough" by Brene BrownLife Coach Training CourseLearn More about Life CoachingFind more links and resources, especially about attachment, within the Let Go & Live Bible StudyFind a Christian CounselorShould you see a counselor or a coach? Take this quiz.Join the SisterhoodIf you are blessed by our podcast and ministry, we invite you to become a Sisterhood Member as a way of supporting our work. You’ll gain access to our digital library full of resources that will help you have a fresh encounter with God and His Word. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It is Time for Healing

Home.That word can elicit a range of different emotions. For some, the idea of home brings about feelings of family traditions, loved ones, or the place they always want to come back to. For others, the thought of home simply hurts, with disappointments, heartbreaks, and unattainable expectations.There is something in all of us that longs for that sense of comfort and stability . . . that is the hope for home.I have uncovered that hope again, thanks to the inspiration of a long-known of, but new to me friend, Ruth Mckeaney, who is also the author of Hungry for Home, a book that brings to life the sacredness of connections, the power of traditions, and the importance of family culture. If you are searching for home with a longing to recenter yourself and your family culture, then this episode is for you.I have uncovered it again, thanks to the inspiration of a long-known of, but new to me friend, Ruth Mckeaney, who is also the author of Hungry for Home, a book that brings to life the sacredness of connections, the power of traditions, and the importance of family culture. If you are searching for home with a longing to recenter yourself and your family culture, then this episode is for you.Helpful LinksHungry for Home by Ruth McKeaneyRuth McKeany at hungry4home.comCore Values AssessmentLet Go and Live Bible Study in the Sisterhood {Save Here}Life Coach Training CourseLearn More about Life CoachingJoin the SisterhoodIf you are blessed by our podcast and ministry, we invite you to become a Sisterhood Member as a way of supporting our work. You’ll gain access to our digital library full of resources that will help you have a fresh encounter with God and His Word. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Hungry for Home

If all your thoughts on any given day were recorded and transcribed, how would it read?More importantly, how would those thoughts line up with Scripture? Would you be able to flip open your Bible and say, "Yep, this is a truth!" or would you more likely struggle to find a biblical principle that supports that way of thinking?With as much time as I spend teaching the Word, it really is amazing how often I find my thoughts filled with shame messages shaping a twisted perspective about who I am in Christ and how God's promises are as true for me as they are for you. Maybe you feel the same way too.Well, friend, it's time to circle the wagons on our thought life and carve out a new way of thinking and therefore living. Join me for this episode of the More to Be Podcast as we study Romans 8 together. This powerful chapter paints a picture of what it means to think biblically and live transformed as an overflow of belonging to Christ. Sister, we don't have to be dominated by the flesh, for the invitation stands before us to be led by the Spirit, embracing our full identity as God's beloved child and experiencing the overwhelming victory secured for us by Christ.By the way, this episode is part of the Let Go and Live: A Vision for Breakthrough Bible study, which you can get access to as a member of the Sisterhood. If you would prefer to watch a video of this episode instead of listening to it (hello, learning styles) and download all the related study resources, join us in the Sisterhood.Growth LinksLet Go and Live Bible Study in the Sisterhood {Save Here}Romans 8Life Coach Training CourseLearn More about Life CoachingJoin the SisterhoodIf you are blessed by our podcast and ministry, we invite you to become a Sisterhood Member as a way of supporting our work. You’ll gain access to our digital library full of resources that will help you have a fresh encounter with God and His Word.Show Your SupportWe hope you’ll show your support for our ministry by sharing the More to Be Podcast it with your friends and family as well as take a moment to rate and review it in your listening app. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

When You Belong to Christ

Have you ever said, “If only I could go back and tell myself ______”?Or thought to yourself, “If only I had known!”?Well, you’re not alone, sister.Far too often we find ourselves wondering if things would be different today if we had made different choices twenty years ago. We see our children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews growing up and wishing we could shake them into not making the same mistakes that we did. However, looking back on what feels like regrets can also be an outlet for praising God for the work he had done in our lives and just how far we’ve come.That’s exactly what happened on this episode of the More to Be Podcast. I sat down with Perry Ashley and Lavonda McCullough to talk about what we wish we knew when. We reflected on the lies we believed, the sin that kept us trapped, and the insecurities that kept us from living the life God intended for us. The best part of the conversation — it allowed us to be full of gratitude for how far the Lord has carried us.If you are feeling discouraged and in need of a reminder of the Father’s immense love and grace, then this episode is for you.Helpful LinksLet Go and Live Bible Study in the Sisterhood {Save Here}Life Coach Training CourseLearn More about Life CoachingJoin the SisterhoodIf you are blessed by our podcast and ministry, we invite you to become a Sisterhood Member as a way of supporting our work. You’ll gain access to our digital library full of resources that will help you have a fresh encounter with God and His Word. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

What I Wish I Knew When

If you hit pause to reflect on the state of your life right now, what is the first word that comes to mind that best describes how you feel?I can only imagine some of the words that might slip off your lips and out of your heart . . .overwhelmedanxioussadconfusedfrustrateddefeatedlonelyIf this is you, you're not alone. Between the state of the world amidst COVID and all the turmoil in politics, the culture, and the economy, it is no surprise. But sister, there is another way to live, even when everything around us -- including those we're in a relationship with -- is in chaos. We can thrive when we're connected to the One who sustains us. What does that look like exactly? Well, Paul has a distinctly refreshing perspective in his letter to the Philippians. Join me for this episode of the More to Be Podcast to unpack chapter 3 with my dear friend and cohost, Kalie Kelch. We consider what a biblical definition of well-being truly looks like and the importance of remembering that we're simply here on work visas. What do I mean by that? Well, you'll have to listen to this episode to find out.By the way, this episode is part of the Let Go and Live: A Vision for Breakthrough Bible study, which you can get access to as a member of the Sisterhood. If you would prefer to watch a video of this episode instead of listening to it (hello, learning styles) and download all the related study resources, join us in the Sisterhood. Growth LinksLet Go and Live Bible Study in the Sisterhood {Save Here}Philippians 3Meet the New YouHow Trauma Impacts Your Brain, Part 1 and 2 {Available in the Sisterhood)MakeItOk.org {understanding mental health}Life Coach Training CourseLearn More about Life CoachingJoin the SisterhoodIf you are blessed by our podcast and ministry, we invite you to become a Sisterhood Member as a way of supporting our work. You’ll gain access to our digital library full of resources that will help you have a fresh encounter with God and His Word. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Learning to Thrive {Podcast #702}

Do you feel like you are the only one whose life does not look perfect?Maybe all you can see is the wreck in your home and in your relationships. Maybe all you feel is distracted and exhausted.While 2020 was tough for everyone, it did not stop the barrage of social media highlights, comparison traps, and endless cycles of saying you'll stop scrolling social media and then being sucked right back in.So what does it look like to live beyond the highlight reel? It's gritty and tough. Yes, it is still full of overflowing kitchen sinks and the same squabble over and over with your spouse. But it can also be about uncovering old hurts and finally putting a name to the anxiety you have always felt. And it starts by being honest.On this episode of the More to Be Podcast, Meredith Boggs and I talked about marriage, parenting, mental health, and everything in between. Together we explore how to break out of the highlight reel mindset so that we can live free and find the life God intended for us to live -- a life aligned with His best. Helpful LinksMeredith BoggsLet Go and Live Bible Study in the Sisterhood {Save Here}Isaiah 612 Corinthians 3:16Life Coach Training CourseLearn More about Life CoachingJoin the SisterhoodIf you are blessed by our podcast and ministry, we invite you to become a Sisterhood Member as a way of supporting our work. You’ll gain access to our digital library full of resources that will help you have a fresh encounter with God and His Word. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Beyond the Highlight Reel

What is that one thing . . . that one hurt . . . that one disappointment . . .that one habit . . . that continues to rob your life of joy and holds you back from the life you know God wants you live?More importantly, what would it take to finally experience breakthrough in that area of your life?Are you hoping that God would simply sweep in and break the stronghold? Would you like Him to relieve you from the guilt or shame, anxiety or fear, like a fairy godmother waving her wand? Maybe you think that a breakthough looks less like what God might do for you and more of what you need to do for yourself?Well, sister, how about we find out this year? Rather than simply imagining a different life -- a different way of being -- what if we actually did something about it?It's time to align our lives with God's best through a fresh encounter with God and in His Word.Sure, that's what we've always been about at More to Be, but this year, we're diving in even deeper with the Let Go & Live Bible study, jointly hosted on the More to Be Podcast and the More to Be Sisterhood. The Let Go & Live Bible study is designed to help you discover how to apply biblical principles alongside practical tips for addressing emotional wellbeing so that you can show up in your relationships, work, and ministry without the triggers getting the best of you. Each month you can listen to the Let Go and Live episode on the More to Be Podcast or watch the teaching video in the Sisterhood, and then use the resources (accessible exclusively in the Sisterhood) to dive deeper into Scripture and to help you apply the principles to your relationship with God and others. You might be wondering how this study could fit into your life? ​It's as flexible as it can be. At the beginning of each month, you'll get the content through the Sisterhood and then you can set aside a few hours a month (yep, a month, not a week) to study the key passage and embrace the process of Scripture memory, prayer, and reflection. So what are you waiting for?This is the year, sister, to let go of whatever is holding you back from the life God designed for you to live -- a life in which you become brighter and more beautiful, more like Jesus, through a fresh encounter with Him and His Word.Growth LinksLet Go and Live Bible Study in the Sisterhood {Save Here}Isaiah 612 Corinthians 3:16Life Coach Training CourseLearn More about Life CoachingJoin the SisterhoodIf you are blessed by our podcast and ministry, we invite you to become a Sisterhood Member as a way of supporting our work. You’ll gain access to our digital library full of resources that will help you have a fresh encounter with God and His Word. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Let Go & Live: A Vision for Breakthrough

Are you longing for real life change and lasting impact? It is possible through a fresh encounter with God and His Word. Join Elisa Pulliam, life coach, mentor, author, and speaker, as well as founder of More to Be, along with a team of co-hosts and special guests, to discover how you can think biblically and live transformed - to be more like Jesus - as you seek to join God in His work every day. Learn more at MoreToBe.com/podcast/.

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More to Be Podcast

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