Marian Jordan Ellis was our very first Soapbox Live guest! And lucky for you- this is a live recording! As you hear the women laughing along with us, I hope you can imagine them taking notes and nodding along too! Marian became a bonus mom later in life and then got to have another little girl at 43! She is full of wisdom and humility and will no doubt, leave you with more faith that the holy spirit has everything needed for mothering our young ones!
Learn more about Marian’s ministry at thisredeemedlife.org.
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Tamara Menges joins us for a special episode of The Soapbox to share about an opportunity for local BCS families to serve together called Kindness for Christmas. She and her daughter are using their gifts to prepare a space of kindness. You will be inspired to hear the ways Tamara is coming alongside her daughter’s gifts, and offering her own, to serve people.
Check out Kerrington’s Kindness Shop here and Tamara’s floral business here.
Be sure to follow You Are Family on Instagram to stay up to date with all things You Are Fam! And if you haven’t subscribed to our monthly email, you’re missing out on free resources to encourage discipleship in your home! Sign up here!
Julie Dickerson graciously encourages every mom to talk about God in the mundane moments of life with kids of all ages. She has older kids and has been faithfully following Jesus since she became a mom, so she has so many hacks and practical ways to point kids to look at God. Julie dives into the meat and potatoes of every day discipleship of the kids in our lives. Julie is clear that we all have something to share about God-no matter how long we’ve been walking with Him.
Resources Julie mentioned:
Dwell Bible App
Be sure to follow You Are Family on Instagram to stay up to date with all things You Are Fam! And if you haven’t subscribed to our monthly email, you’re missing out on free resources to encourage discipleship in your home! Sign up here!
Jean Marie, mom of 3, wants to encourage all the moms to keep walking with the Lord, even with a limp. She normalizes limping and shares vulnerably about learning to struggle well from the earliest days of motherhood through infertility, adoption, and the unique struggles of a transracial family. She shares ways she's helped her kids recognize and work through weakness as well. She will make you feel right at home with her no matter where your limping is. Jean Marie covers the bases from embracing weakness, to tackling hard things to teaching our kids the importance of “walking with a limp” and sticking with the Lord.
If you'd like to learn more about Impact Retreat that Jean Marie mentions, you can head here.
Do you have your ticket for The Soapbox Live happening Sept 18? It's a free event, but seats are limited so grab your ticket here. Stay up to date with all things You Are Family by subscribing to our monthly newsletter here and following us on Instagram.
Jamie Brown- mom of an only- joins us to share the why of knowing our kids. She, like most of us, has a kid wired very opposite of her. She is the champion of who God created her kid to be and left me even more convinced on my own kids exact wiring! She not only shares the why, but lots of practical hows in discovering more of our individual kids hearts.
Head to youareinc.com to learn more about all things You Ate Family and grab your tickets for the Soapbox Live event!
Kari Breed is a mom of 3 and founder of a Christian Montessori school in North Carolina. She spends her time thinking about the next generation and lives with great intention. She shares about how the ripples from faithfulness in our homes can influence kingdom family! Kari’s friendship with Jesus always leaves me wanting to know Him even better!
Save the Date: Join us September 18th from 7-9PM at The Boathouse at Millican Reserve for The Soapbox Live! We’ll have a live interview, exciting guests, yummy treats, and more! Registration details coming soon. Be sure to stay up to date with all things You Are Family by following us on Instagram or signing up for our free monthly resource email here!
Some of Kari’s recommendations for intentional parenting:
https://open.spotify.com/track/7CVLxsSOKpHjxehV7HFird?si=xxH_PiAp5SvaXx6BqflroIw
Don’t Make Me Count to Three by Ginger Hubbard (https://a.co/d/7LyxyVm)
Shepherding A Child’s Heart by Tedd Tripp (https://a.co/d/dNJVGba)
How to Really Help Someone with a Problem by Danny Silk (https://youtu.be/DsJzKZV_Nso)
Wynne Elder is a mom of 4 whose family was built non-traditionally, through adoption + IVF. Her kids range in age and her schedule is full. Her life could feel frantic, but she believes motherhood doesn’t have to be that way. Wynne is free and fun and loves being a mom. She shares how good rhythms have made motherhood even more enjoyable for her. She says, "rhythms are the quiet framework of a beautiful and intentional life." You will love hearing her passion and you will want to follow her on Substack where she shares stories, seasonal tools & everyday rhythms that will no doubt inspire AND help you in your home!
https://open.substack.com/pub/wynneelder
For our 10th episode Melissa Darst, one of my most passionate FRIENDS and the very inspiration for the SOAPBOX joins us a little differently! She shares a slew of soapboxes- everything from closets should be organized to the value in traditions! She could have kept going, but rest assured you’ll get to hear from her again! You are going to love hearing all the things, small and big, that she values!
Kelsey sits down with Carmen Maxwell , Assistant Director at SOS Ministries and spiritual mama to countless people, passionately shares the beauty in the female side of god that is on display through women! she is here to encourage us to trust what He has put in us and her faith will build yours! I am confident she will keep you on your toes and leave you wanting to know Jesus more and more!
Learn more about SOS at saveourstreetsministries.org/. And be sure to stay up to date with all things You Are Family by following us on Instagram or signing up for our free monthly resource email here!
Join Kelsey as she hears from our friend Lizi Bailey about her longing as a mom to see her kids be kids. She is passionate about kids knowing they’re made and loved by God - just as they are. She is resolved to NOT parent from a place of fear. Lizi is a mom of 5, grandmother to 1 and wife to Matthew. She’s served as a musician and worship leader and is currently getting her masters in counseling. We’re so glad to have her with us!
Be sure to check out Lizi’s music by searching Lizi Bailey wherever you stream your music!
And stay up to date with all things Soapbox and You Are Fam by following us @youarefam. And don’t miss out on King Camo 2025! Head here to learn more and register your kiddos for the best 4 days of the summer!
Join Kelsey as she chats with Jeff and Shaunti Feldhahn… yupp, you heard right… it’s our first dad on The Soapbox! And it’s oh, so good! Jeff and Shaunti are NYT bestsellers and social researchers from Atlanta, GA. They spend lots of time in the marriage and family world, so we wanted to hear from them both!! They breakdown the importance of not freaking out, no matter how old your kids are. We hope it gives you practical vision and deeply encourages you to hear from both a mom and a dad today!
To learn more about Jeff and Shaunti’s work head here.
Stay up to date with all things You Are Family at youareinc.com or follow us on Instagram here.
Nancy shares about the profound impact of praying through the seasons of her children (and now, her grandchildren) lives. She describes how each stage of their life has invited her to seek the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit to guide in how to best intercede. She also shares about how much God has done in her own heart as she has prayed consistently for her children. Nancy graciously and humbly invites moms into prayer for their children!
For the prayer resource Nancy mentioned, be sure to subscribe to our monthly email here.
Be sure to check out all things You Are Family and follow us on instagram.
Join Kelsey as she asks Kathy all the questions about prioritizing family through the years. Kathy is a mom to seven children, and grandma to two and counting. She shares that she dreamed of being a mom and is clearly still loving it!
Join Kelsey as she learns from mom of 2, Kristin Bryant, about God designing us for dependence on Him and how good that design is. She shares how God has taught her time and time again that He really has all she needs as she's mothered her sweet daughter and her precious son with special needs.
Join Kelsey and mom of 3, author, and LPC., Christine Wolf Hoover as they talk through the reality that we are going to mess up. Christine shares about her own freedom as she started owning that she was going to mess up in motherhood, as much as she really didn’t want to.
Learn more about Christine at www.christinewolfhoover.com and check out her brand new book, Soul Adventuring: Your Guide to Living with Bravery and Joy today!
Stay up to date with all things You Are Family at www.youareinc.com
Join Kelsey as she interviews mom of 4 and Founder and CEO of You Are, Inc., Stephanie Lee. Proverbs 18:21 says that "life and death is in the power of the tongue". Steph shares her deep conviction to speak life over her kids and teach them to speak life over one another as well.
To learn more about all things You Are, Inc. and You Are Family head to www.youareinc.com!
Welcome to The Soapbox! We wanted to take chance to introduce ourselves as we launch the first podcast, hosted by You Are Family. You Are Family is the family ministry of You Are, Inc. In this first episode, you'll meet You Are Family Director, Kelsey Smith and Stephanie Lee Founder & CEO of You Are, Inc.
You Are, Inc. exists to create spaces and resources for women and families to encounter God, connect with one another, and to be equipped and empowered to advance God’s Kingdom and impact future generations.
Through King Camp, Talitha Cumi, The Matchstick Project and more, You Are Family is a place for the whole family to grow in their discipleship to Jesus.
Learn more about all things You Are Family at youareinc.com
