Cultivating the Lovely- The Podcast

Affiliate links are used in this content. Thanks to VistaPrint for sponsoring this episode of CTL. Get 500 high quality professional business cards for only $9.99 when you order from VistaPrint.com/LOVELY. This week’s episode of CTL is also sponsored by Grove. As a CTL listener, you can get a FREE 5-piece Mrs. Meyers fall cleaning set at Grove.co/LOVELY, plus free shipping and a free 60-day VIP trial with your first order. This week’s episode of CTL is brought to you by Away Travel. Use promo code LOVELY when you order from AwayTravel.com/LOVELY20 for $20 Off an Away Suitcase. Show Notes-  This week on Cultivating the Lovely, MacKenzie Koppa interviews Melissa d’Arabian, author of Tasting Grace: Discovering the Power of Food to Connect Us to God, One Another, and Ourselves. Melissa has been a Food Network host and has written numerous columns and articles on food, in addition to being a wife and mother. In today’s episode MacKenzie and Melissa chat about all things food and faith, including: * Melissa shares a little of her own journey of seeking God’s heart in the area of food * How Melissa came to realize God’s use of food to draw her and others closer to Himself * Learning to see the significance of food as a picture in God’s kingdom story * Getting in touch with the creative nature of God through exercising our own creativity * How Melissa stayed sane during the Food Network Star filming and competition * Cultivating an attitude of faith amidst the unexpected in our every day * Learning the lesson of patience from food and taking it into our lives * Melissa’s experience in France and how that shifted her perspective on food * Getting back in touch with the gift that food is by growing something yourself * Melissa’s mindset in using her own competitive advantage on Food Network * The benefits of training in improvisation * A typical day in Melissa’s life Current Lovelies- Melissa: making her drive time more lovely by connecting with her daughter and listening to podcasts MacKenzie: decorating her car interior for fall to make her drive time a little more fun Resources Mentioned- Books: Tasting Grace Podcasts: For the Love with Jen Hatmaker Lewis Howes Goal Digger with Jenna Kutcher Rise Together with Rachel Hollis The Tim Ferriss Show Movies:

Affiliate links are used in this content. Cultivating the Lovely is brought to you by Policy Genius for sponsoring this episode of CTL. Go to PolicyGenius.com to find the right coverage for you and your family. Hello Fresh meal kit delivery service also sponsored this episode of Cultivating the Lovely. Go to HelloFresh.com/CTL80 and enter code CTL80 for $80 off your first 3 boxes! This week’s episode is also sponsored by BirchBox. Go to BirchBox.com/lovely to get $5 Off your first month’s box when you use promo code LOVELY. Show Notes- On this week’s episode of Cultivating the Lovely, MacKenzie Koppa is joined by Brian Dixon, author of Start with Your People: The Daily Decision that Changes Everything. Brian has a passion for coaching people to find clarity and pursue their goals and lives with intention. He and his wife Julie live in North Carolina with their three children. Today MacKenzie and Brian talk about showing up and focussing on the people in your life, including: * MacKenzie shares an example of how the message of Start with Your People has impacted her own business and podcast community * Brian talks about how we can’t see ourselves the way others see us * How Brian’s own “360 assessment” led him to change and inspired him to write this book * The importance of engaging with the people and relationships in your life instead of just coasting through your days * Taking control of your habits, routines and philosophy for your home so that you can face challenges with intention instead of constantly putting out fires Changing the vision for your marriage, family and work to make more of the time you have Embracing our “lovely limitations” and focussing on the legacy you are leaving for the future Brian shares the how and why of life mapping Being strategic about positioning yourself for the life that you want to live Choosing to make one small change to get to where you want to be a year from now What happened when Brian started a habit of gratitude Asking for help and taking action on what you are learning Being part of the solution by serving others in small ways Visit StartwithYourPeople.com to see book bonuses and videos A typical day for Brian Current Lovelies- Brian: watching his espresso machine work every morning and using that time to take some deep breaths and be grateful MacKenzie: honing in her morning and evening routines to make the most of the time she has Resources Mentioned- Books: Start with Your People Movies: The Family Man Find Brian-

Affiliate links are used in this content. Cultivating the Lovely is brought to you by BioClarity. Right now you can save 40% off Skin Care Routines, plus 15% off everything else at BioClarity.com when you use coupon code LOVELY at checkout. CTL is also brought to you by Plan to Eat meal planning service. Visit PlanToEat.com/LOVELY to start your free 60-day trial instead of the normal 30-day trial. Join a Cultivating Group in our Patreon community and make friends, get accountability, and cultivate loveliness with others! Sign-ups close this Friday, so join at the Lovely Tribe or Loveliest Level today! Show Notes- Today on Cultivating the Lovely, MacKenzie Koppa brings back her popular Season 4 guest, Jennifer L. Scott. Jennifer has a new book for families, Connoisseur Kids: Etiquette, Manners, and Living Well for Parents and Their Little Ones, which is the main topic of this week’s episode. MacKenzie and Jennifer talk about why and how to instill confidence, care and capability into our children so that they become the kind of adults we all want to be around.  * MacKenzie asks Jennifer about her new exercise routine with a Rebounder trampoline * Some of the reasons Jennifer wrote Connoisseur Kids and why she feels it is so needed * A sneak peek into the subjects and format of the book * Instilling confidence in our children through teaching them how to interact with new people * The high value of teaching our children how to do chores and contribute to the family   * Phrasing your requests for kids to help in a positive, motivating way * Jennifer’s desire to bring back some selflessness, good sportsmanship and civility to our culture * Helping our children build good hygiene habits while they are young * Motivating kids to choose healthy foods by involving them in the process * Playing games and activities to get kids moving and build good attitudes about exercise * Teaching children to keep routines and to do those things with a happy heart * Taking care of what we have so that we are good stewards of our belongings Current Lovelies- Jennifer: enjoying reading aloud to her children and the special time they share around stories Resources Mentioned- Books: Connoisseur Kids Little House on the Prairie The Indian in the Cupboard Find Jennifer- You can find Jennifer on her website, JenniferLScott.com, or on her blog, The Daily Connoisseur. You can also follow her on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and

Affiliate links are used in this content. This week’s show is brought to you by the Homer reading app. Visit learnwithhomer.com/lovely for a free 30-day trial. This episode of Cultivating the Lovely is brought to you by Embr. Save $50 off your own Embr Wave when you go to EmbrWave.com and use code LOVELY at checkout. CTL is also brought to you by Plan to Eat meal planning service. Visit PlanToEat.com/LOVELY to start your free 60-day trial instead of the normal 30-day trial. Show Notes- On this week’s episode of Cultivating the Lovely, host MacKenzie Koppa Talks with Beth McCord of YourEnneagramCoach.com. Beth and her husband Jeff live outside of Nashville, Tennessee and have two grown children. She has been teaching people about the enneagram personality type tool for 17 years. You can now pre-order Beth and Jeff’s book Becoming Us: Using the Enneagram to Create a Thriving, Gospel-Centered Marriage. Beth and MacKenzie are taking a deep dive into all things enneagram today, including: * Beth’s journey toward learning about the enneagram and eventually teaching others * Patterns in certain types gravitating to each other * Alignment and misalignment with the Gospel  The Enneagram is like a flashlight, and the flashlight is showing your heart condition. -Beth McCordClick To Tweet * Understanding your true identity in Christ and finding our security in that truth * Using the Enneagram as a tool to identify when you go off course and realign with the truth * The differences in types preferred in various environments and cultures * Letting God in to work on us as we find out about our weaknesses * Embracing who we are and finding our value and purpose in Christ, not comparisons * Using the enneagram to develop compassion for others and live in the Gospel’s grace * How knowing others’ types can help us communicate better * A little about the 9 types, wings and tritypes and how they interact with each other * MacKenzie and Beth’s reactions to the Sleeping At Last podcast enneagram songs * Trusting the work of Christ as our foundation, no matter where we are on our journey * Sneak peak into upcoming books and courses from Your Enneagram Coach * A typical day in Beth’s life Current Lovelies-

Affiliate links are used in this content. This week’s episode of CTL is sponsored by Grove. As a CTL listener, you can get a FREE 5-piece Mrs. Meyers cleaning set at Grove.co/LOVELY with your first order. Cultivating the Lovely is also brought to you by Literati. For a limited time, go to LiteratiBooks.com and use code LOVELY for $20 OFF your first box. Kids 3 and up also get a free blacklight pen. Thanks to VistaPrint for sponsoring this episode of CTL. Get 500 high quality professional business cards for only $9.99 when you order from VistaPrint.com/LOVELY. Show Notes: Welcome to Season 5 of Cultivating the Lovely the Podcast! Today on the show, MacKenzie Koppa is joined by her friend Chelle Bruzas to bring you all up to speed on what is coming up this season around the CTL community! Also, stick around to the end of show to hear Chelle ask MacKenzie her own “stock questions” and get to know your lovely host a little bit better. * MacKenzie explains some of the changes happening with the Cultivating the Lovely platform * How the CTL Patreon group is making a difference in community and keeping MacKenzie motivated and inspired * Exciting new coaching opportunity for upper level members in the Patreon community My goal is to be offering people tools and guidance to make their lives just a little bit lovelier. -MacKenzie KoppaClick To Tweet * The Morning Show is staying on Facebook for Patreon members and coming to Instagram 2 days a week in September * Some of the upcoming topics for the fall: * Fending off stress * Information on our cycles * Checking in on routines * Fall style and skincare * Sign ups are open for new Cultivating Groups for September for Lovely Tribe and Loveliest Level members! * What is happening with The Same Page podcast in the future * Looking forward to the Cultivating the Lovely podcast in Season 5 * Gary Thomas, author of When to Walk Away * Beth McCord from Your Enneagram Coach * The renewed joy and excitement MacKenzie has about going forward after having some rough spots in the past year * MacKenzie answers her own stock questions and explains how some things have changed over the last couple of years Current Lovelies: Chelle: taking daily walks even when it isn’t the most convenient time MacKenzie: trying to end her shower with a short burst of cold water Resources Mentioned: Books:

Affiliate links are used in this content. Thanks to Plan to Eat for sponsoring this episode of the podcast. Visit PlanToEat.com/LOVELY to start your free 60-day trial instead of the normal 30-day trial. Thanks to Policy Genius for sponsoring this episode of CTL. Go to PolicyGenius.com to find the right coverage for you and your family. If you want more ways to interact with MacKenzie and other podcast listeners, get in on the  daily CTL Morning Show, and ad-free episode audio, be sure to check out the Cultivating the Lovely Patreon community! Show Notes- This week wraps up Season 4 of the Cultivating the Lovely podcast! And today MacKenzie has a fun conversation with her dear friend Chelle Bruzas about some of the things they’ve been loving this summer and how they are squeezing every last drop of goodness out of summer before it’s over. This episode is full of memories, book and show recommendations and simple things that are making Chelle and MacKenzie’s live a little better. So get yourself a glass of something cold, sit back and enjoy the chit-chat! * Making summer memories together with their families at the lake and each other’s homes * Keeping each other accountable to rest and recharge amidst a busy season * Chelle’s favorite summer reads: * The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh * I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith * Belgravia by Julian Fellows * Becoming Mrs. Lewis by Patti Callahan * Suffering is Never for Nothing by Elisabeth Elliot * The Good and Beautiful God by James Bryan Smith * MacKenzie’s favorite summer reads: * Waiting for Tom Hanks by Kerry Winfrey * The Gown by Jennifer Robson * Do Less by Kate Northrup * Start with Your People by Brian Dixson * Rhythms of Renewal by Rebekah Lyons * When to Walk Away by Gary Thomas * Chelle and MacKenzie’s summer watchlist: * Victoria * The Beautiful Fantastic * The Durrells in Corfu * Poldark * Handmaid’s Tale * Chelle and MacKenzie’s simple summer meal solutions * Favorite summer finds and hacks * Australian Gold tinted SPF50 sunscreen * MacKenzie’s upside down hair drying technique * The CTL Morning Show is back in the Patreon community! * Favorite summer listening: *  

Affiliate links are used in this content. This week’s episode of CTL is brought to you by BioClarity. Right now you can save 40% off Skin Care Routines, plus 15% off everything else at BioClarity.com when you use coupon code LOVELY at checkout. Cultivating the Lovely is also sponsored by Care/Of. Get 25% off your first order when you visit takecareof.com and use code LOVELY at checkout. This episode of Cultivating the Lovely is brought to you by Embr. Save $50 off your own Embr Wave when you go to EmbrWave.com and use code LOVELY at checkout. If you want more ways to interact with these episodes, including discussion questions, behind the scenes information, and ad-free episode audio, be sure to check out the Cultivating the Lovely Patreon community! Show Notes- Today on the Cultivating the Lovely podcast, host MacKenzie Koppa has a chat with Jen Traynor, a Noonday Collection Ambassador. Jen is a wife and homeschooling mom to two boys, and she was also taught MacKenzie’s daughter in preschool last year. Together Jen and MacKenzie talk about building a business that blesses others. This is not your typical multi-level marketing story, so stick around to hear this encouraging chat! * Jen’s story of how she got started as a Noonday ambassador * The difference of the mission of Noonday as opposed to a typical MLM business * How Noonday helps local artisans in countries around the world I’m not just selling jewelry. I’m telling a story of artisans and of lives that are changed. -Jen TraynorClick To Tweet * Wearing bold accessories you love with confidence * How Jen started learning how to style her jewelry * Follow @NoondayCollection or #noondaycollection on Instagram  * The amazing benefits Jen has enjoyed as a Noonday ambassador * Jen shares how a trunk show with Noonday works and what her typical workday looks like * Jen’s experience traveling to visit artisans with Noonday * Why Jen feels that she was so successful and tips for new ambassadors * Having a tribe, a cause and a community as women * Jen’s decision to dial back her outside commitments to focus on her family more * A typical day in Jen’s life This Friday, August 9, 2019, at 6:30 pm PST Jen will be hosting an online Noonday Collection trunk show for CTL followers ...

Back to School is rolling in fast and hard! If you’re anything like me then you like to make sure to have some things in place before day 1 hits so that you don’t get mowed down by the proverbial school bus as the year gets rolling. If you want guidance for getting all the back to school things done, like- * establishing routines, * getting your calendar ready, * planning your meals, * creating functioning workspaces, * and making sure that your own needs don’t fall by the wayside in the midst of the craziness, Then I would love for you to join me in Patreon this month where we are walking through all these steps together! We have revived the morning show for the month and are meeting each weekday at 6:30am PST for guidance, encouragement, and motivation to head into this year feeling calm and confident. In order to participate in our Daily Live Show goodness you only have to be at the $3 level! The rest of the benefits of being a Patron just climb from there, and out Loveliest Level Members even get to schedule one-on-one sessions with me via Zoom this month! They can ask me whatever questions strike their fancy and I will help them find the answers. It’s going to be a good time! Just follow this link to see all our Patreon has to offer and join me today!! You just finished reading Join Me to Stay Sane for Back-to-School!! Consider leaving a comment!

Affiliate links are used in this content. CTL is also brought to you by Plan to Eat meal planning service. Visit PlanToEat.com/LOVELY to start your free 60-day trial instead of the normal 30-day trial. This episode of Cultivating the Lovely is brought to you by Embr. Save $50 off your own Embr Wave when you go to EmbrWave.com and use code LOVELY at checkout. CTL is also sponsored by Blume. Get 25% off your first stick of HugMe Deodorant and Free Shipping by texting “Cultivate” to 79-79-79. Thanks to VistaPrint for sponsoring this episode of CTL. Get 500 high quality professional business cards for only $9.99 when you order from VistaPrint.com/LOVELY. If you want more ways to interact with these episodes, including discussion questions, behind the scenes information, and ad-free episode audio, be sure to check out the Cultivating the Lovely Patreon community! Show Notes- On this week’s episode of Cultivating the Lovely, host MacKenzie Koppa interviews Lindsay Teague Moreno, the author of the new book Boss Up! This Ain’t Your Mama’s Business Book. Lindsay is a busy wife and mom of 3 girls who has a passion for coaching and encouraging women entrepreneurs. On the podcast today, MacKenzie and Lindsay chat about what it is like to be a mom who is also pursuing a dream to build a business and support her family. * Lindsay shares her desire to encourage women who want to be entrepreneurs while also being a great mom * How sometimes pursuing passions beyond homemaking can actually help some women be better moms * Lindsay’s own story of growing up as an aspiring entrepreneur * How moving frequently with her husband’s job forced Lindsay to learn what she needed to know for her own business * How Lindsay’s passion for her work was both her greatest strength and her greatest weakness * Why Lindsay was so driven to make goals and pursue them with all her energy * A sneak peek into Boss Up! and some of Lindsay’s tips for women entrepreneurs You are made for this job, but you need to figure out how to make it work for you. -Lindsay MorenoClick To Tweet * Being authentic and consistent in your branding and marketing

Affiliate links are used in this content. CTL is also brought to you by Plan to Eat meal planning service. Visit PlanToEat.com/LOVELY to start your free 60-day trial instead of the normal 30-day trial. Cultivating the Lovely is brought to you by Rockets of Awesome. Get 20% OFF your first order when you go to rocketsofawesome/lovely and use promo code LOVELY at checkout. This week’s episode of CTL is sponsored by Grove. As a CTL listener, you can get a FREE Mrs. Meyers Spring Scent cleaning set at Grove.co/LOVELY with your first order. If you want more ways to interact with these episodes, including discussion questions, behind the scenes information, and ad-free episode audio, be sure to check out the Cultivating the Lovely Patreon community! Show Notes- Today’s episode of Cultivating the Lovely, MacKenzie has a chat with author Lisa-Jo Baker all about her new book, The Middle Matters. In addition to being an author, Lisa-Jo is a wife and mother of 3 kids, as well as co-host of the new podcast Out of the Ordinary. MacKenzie and Lisa-Jo have an encouraging and light-hearted conversation about the “real” side of motherhood in the middle years, plus so much more! * How and why Lisa started writing for moms in the middle years * The strange stage of being in the middle of marriage and parenting * The uniqueness of each stage of motherhood, from being a first-time parent, to a parent of teenagers and beyond * The joys of having older kids and teenagers * Lisa’s inspiration for writing The Middle Matters * Shifting perspective to see the beauty in the life you are living right now * How Lisa wrote her books as if it were a collection of photographs of her own life * The reaction publishers had when Lisa pitched her book title and idea * The format of the book in little essays on different subjects * How Lisa approaches social media and real life friendship by prioritizing loving people * Finding your pocketful of friends who will be with you through thick and thin * Dealing with the complicated nature of faith in the middle season * Realizing that God still loves us even when we mess up * Lisa talks a little about her new podcast with Christy Purifoy, Out of the Ordinary * A typical day in Lisa’s life Current Lovelies- Lisa-Jo: taking a walk through her neighborhood each day to take a break from screens MacKenzie: embracing her need for rest and not pushing herself to work out Resources Mentioned- Books: The Middle Matters Podcasts: Out of the Ordinary The Wally Show

Affiliate links are used in this content. Thanks to Policy Genius for sponsoring this episode of CTL. Go to PolicyGenius.com to find the right coverage for you and your family. If you want more ways to interact with these episodes, including discussion questions, behind the scenes information, and ad-free episode audio, be sure to check out the Cultivating the Lovely Patreon community! Show Notes- On Cultivating the Lovely this week, MacKenzie Koppa talks with Heather Avis, author of the new book Scoot Over and Make Some Room: Creating a Space Where Everyone Belongs. Heather and her husband Josh live in Southern California with their three out of the box children. MacKenzie and Heather talk about shifting the narrative surrounding people with different abilities, including: * How Heather started writing and landed her book deals * Heather’s message and goal to shift the narrative surrounding different kids * MacKenzie tells a little of her brother’s spina bifida story * Heather and MacKenzie talk about being “sriracha mamas” with “marmalade mama” friends * Shifting perspectives in parenting as you get older and being gentle instead of “judge-y” * The refining process that happens in motherhood * Learning to let go of our expectations for our children * The importance of finding friends who understand and can identify with your situation * Changing the negative narrative surrounding a diagnosis of a child with differences   * Not assuming low levels of competence or judging by appearances Teach your kids to view people who are different as able. -Heather AvisClick To Tweet * Challenging ourselves to believe in the abilities of our children * Heather’s ideas for normalizing differences * Being curious and open to asking questions with love and sensitivity * Talking about how everyone is different * Exposing children to people who are different, in real life as well as in media choices * A typical day in the life of Heather’s family Current Lovelies- Heather: doing hot yoga on a regular basis to help de-stress and let her mind focus MacKenzie: following her personalized yoga nidra to restore and relax Resources Mentioned- Books: The Lucky Few Scoot Over and Make Some Room Movies: Big Fish Find Heather- You can find Heather Avis on her website, HeatherAvis.com. You can also follow her across social media on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Find MacKenzie- You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram,

Affiliate links are used in this content. This episode of Cultivating the Lovely is brought to you by BioClarity. Right now you can save 40% off Skin Care Routines, plus 15% off everything else at BioClarity.com when you use coupon code LOVELY at checkout. Thanks to HelloFresh for sponsoring this episode of CTL. Get $80 OFF your first month when you use coupon code CTL80 when you shop at HelloFresh.com/CTL80. Show Notes- On today’s episode of Cultivating the Lovely, MacKenzie talks with Amanda Warfield. Amanda blogs at AmandaWarfield.com where she coaches women in living simply and overcoming overwhelm. Today MacKenzie and Amanda chat about capsule wardrobes and curating a lovely wardrobe that is cohesive and helps you feel more confident. * Amanda’s story of how she started creating her own capsule wardrobe * The benefits of creating a cohesive wardrobe * Time-saving and fewer decisions to make * Knowing your body type and tastes makes shopping easier * A little peak into what comprises Amanda’s capsule wardrobe * Tips for creating a cohesive wardrobe: * Know your style and what looks good on you * Choose a color palette that works well for your skin type * Consider your lifestyle and be intentional * The difference between style and trends * Using Pinterest boards to curate your own sense of style * Figuring out your body type and what looks good on you * The Goal Digger podcast episode on productivity and your cycle * Being intentional and making a specific plan for your wardrobe on the front end * How to save money on your capsule wardrobe * thrift shopping at consignment stores * investing in one or two good quality pieces that will really last * shop sales and clearance Every single piece in your wardrobe should be something you love. -Amanda WarfieldClick To Tweet * A typical day in Amanda’s life * Get Amanda’s free Capsule Wardrobe Checklist * Check out Amanda’s new course, Your Cultivated Capsule Wardrobe and get 20% OFF with coupon code CTLPODCAST Current Lovelies- Amanda: soaking up summer and spending time with her friends and in the outdoors before moving MacKenzie: enjoying having fresh flower arrangements from her daughters’ dance recital around the house Resources Mentioned- Books: Do Less by Kate Northrup Find Amanda- You can find Amanda Warfield on her website, AmandaWarfield.com. You can also follow her on Facebook, Instagram,

Affiliate links are used in this content. Cultivating the Lovely is brought to you by Rockets of Awesome. Get 20% OFF your first order when you go to rocketsofawesome/lovely and use promo code LOVELY at checkout. This week’s episode is also sponsored by Butcher Box. Get FREE BACON for life, plus 20% OFF your first month when you shop at butcherbox.com/lovely and use coupon code LOVELY. If you want more ways to interact with these episodes, including discussion questions, behind the scenes information, and ad-free episode audio, be sure to check out the Cultivating the Lovely Patreon community! Show Notes- On today’s episode of Cultivating the Lovely, host MacKenzie Koppa talk with David Trotter. David is an author, film producer and podcaster. He is also a husband and father of…. children. His passion is to help people get unstuck, and today MacKenzie and David flesh out the topic of getting unstuck, plus much more, including: * David’s definition of being “stuck” and some typical seasons in which people start feeling this way * The problem of losing identity in the midst of motherhood * What David learned in teaching his beta group for Launch Your Life * David talks about how he got into the film industry, starting with a documentary on Indian orphans * How David got into podcasting and what his hopes are for that platform * What it is like being a man speaking to a target audience of women In order for us to become aware of the vision that is being birthed within us, let us first have a strong foundation. -David TrotterClick To Tweet * Being in a position to learn from others and serving the listener * The things David has learned through talking with his podcast guests * The most gratifying thing about being a podcaster * A typical day in David’s life Current Lovelies- David: spending time out in nature as a way of regaining a sense of peace each day MacKenzie: going to a summer Bible study with a group of women Resources Mentioned- Books: Launch Yourself  Heroes of Hope The Good and Beautiful God Podcasts: Listen to MacKenzie’s interview on David’s Inspiration Rising podcast here.

Affiliate links are used in this content. Thanks to American Blossom Linens for sponsoring this week’s episode. Get 15% OFF your order at American Blossom Linens when you use coupon code LOVELY at checkout. This week’s episode of CTL is brought to you by BetterHelp private online counseling. Visit BetterHelp.com/LOVELY for 10% OFF your first month of counseling. CTL is also brought to you by Plan to Eat meal planning service. Visit PlanToEat.com/LOVELY to start your free 60-day trial instead of the normal 30-day trial. If you want more ways to interact with these episodes, including discussion questions, behind the scenes information, and ad-free episode audio, be sure to check out the Cultivating the Lovely Patreon community! Show Notes- On Cultivating the Lovely this week, MacKenzie Koppa sits down for a talk with author Robin Jones Gunn. Robin is a prolific author of Christian fiction, as well as a wife and mother and grandmother living and loving life in Hawaii. MacKenzie and Robin chat about the new Haven Makers book series, as well as so much more, including: * How Robin came to start writing this new series as she watched her own grown daughters navigate friendship in the current culture * Making real connection with people in a social media world * Why Robin chose to discuss the themes that she did in Becoming Us * Finding the small ways we can make our homes and our lives feel more beautiful and peaceful in the midst of chaos What if you need to just step back and see what God is whispering to you that you cannot hear in the chaos? -Robin Jones GunnClick To Tweet * Loving ourselves so that we can love others better * The need for more books in this genre of wholesome Christian fiction, especially for teens and younger adults * Seeing that God is God and yet wants a relationship with us and acknowledging that He is the only One we can go to in the midst of trouble * Speaking truth and life to our friends in every day conversation * Robin’s hopes for future books in the Haven Makers series * How fans can help keep Robin’s books coming

Affiliate links are used in this content. Cultivating the Lovely is sponsored by Scentbird. CTL listeners get 50% off their first month when you use coupon code LOVELY at Scentbird.com/lovely. Thanks to Policy Genius for sponsoring this episode of CTL. Go to PolicyGenius.com to find the right coverage for you and your family. This episode is also brought to you by Hylands Earache Drops. Go to Hylands.com/ear-pain to find a retailer near you. Show Notes- On today’s episode of Cultivating the Lovely, MacKenzie talks with Lara Molettiere. Lara is the CEO, main writer and homeschool mentor of her website Everyday Graces. Her passion is to help mothers not grow weary in well-doing and to cultivate grace and beauty in their homes. Today MacKenzie and Lara chat about all things lovely, including how moms can add some richness to their days at home with their children. * How mothers can take care of themselves and model a life of service * The Charlotte Mason concept of “masterly inactivity” * Lara’s family routine for daily reading, both reading aloud together and as individuals * How Lara structures her own personal reading and mother culture * Every mom needs a space to which she can go to exhale and be fully herself * Lara’s resources for Morning Time for adding beauty and richness to your day: * The Homeschool Garden products including- * poetry, copywork, music, art, nature study, geography, Scripture, prayer, tea time outlines, book recommendations and more * Why Lara created this resource and how it can be used by many different kinds of families, not just homeschoolers * Reclaiming family connection through practices like Morning Time and Tea Time * Choosing joy and setting the tone in your home rather than seeking the “Pinterest-perfect house” * Lara’s typical daily routine Current Lovelies- Lara: remodeling and choosing what projects to work on  around the house MacKenzie: taking a few minutes to read before bed and being deliberate with her time during the day Resources Mentioned- Books: Toward a Philosophy of Education by Charlotte Mason Jan Karon’s Mitford Series As You Wish by Cary Elwes Movies: The Princess Bride Podcasts: Read Aloud Revival with Sarah MacKenzie Find Lara- You can find Lara Molettiere on her website, LaraMolettiere.com. You can also follow her on Facebook, Instagram,