The Messy Table with Jenn Jewell

Happy (almost) Thanksgiving, y'all! I can't wait to enjoy my favorite people and pumpkin EVERYTHING. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, "Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus." Sounds great, right? In theory. But how do we give thanks for the miserable, awful, hard stuff that life can sometimes throw at us? My guest for Episode #19 at The Messy Table is Amanda Taylor, and I can’t think of anyone better to shed some light on just how we can be grateful in every situation, both good and bad. Amanda is a pastor’s wife, mom of five (plus one on the way), owner of a wedding-planning business called Embellished Weddings, and woman after the heart of God. Almost five years ago, smack the midst of having a newborn in the NICU and three young children at home, this steady wife and mama found herself chained to the floor in a phychiatric hospital. Never in her worst nightmare did she imagine having to fight through something as rare and difficult as postpartum psychosis. In this conversation, Amanda and I chat about finding joy in the trenches of suffering and fighting for what matters most. Although her story is unique, the underlying message of hope, perseverance, and thankfulness is for EVERY PERSON. So grab (or reheat) your coffee, pull up a chair, and join us!

Happy November friends! I'm super giddy today, not only because the leaves are exploding into all sorts of chestnut/cinnamon/auburn hues, but mostly because Divina Bruss is joining me for Episode #18 at The Messy Table and I JUST LOVE IT SO MUCH. Divina is a pastor's wife, former attorney turned homeschool mama of four, marathon runner, avid learner, and lover of God's Word. She's continuously teaching me, challenging me, and encouraging me to wrestle with the Truth. "I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ's return." Philippians 1:9-10 NLT If you’re needing a boost of faith, HERE’S YOUR SIGN. Divina's transformational story and contagious passion will inspire you to press in, persevere, and hold nothing back. So grab (or reheat) your coffee, pull up a chair, and join us!

Happy November friends! I'm super giddy today, not only because the leaves are exploding into all sorts of chestnut/cinnamon/auburn hues, but mostly because Divina Bruss is joining me for Episode #18 at The Messy Table and I JUST LOVE IT SO MUCH. Divina is a pastor's wife, former attorney turned homeschool mama of four, marathon runner, avid learner, and lover of God's Word. She's continuously teaching me, challenging me, and encouraging me to wrestle with the Truth. "I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ's return." Philippians 1:9-10 NLT If you’re needing a boost of faith, HERE’S YOUR SIGN. Divina's transformational story and contagious passion will inspire you to press in, persevere, and hold nothing back. So grab (or reheat) your coffee, pull up a chair, and join us!

The latest episode from The Messy Table  is hot off the press (and one day early due to Fall Break)! This is fantastic news because: (1) I could use a midweek pick-me-up right about now, and (2) life is JUST BETTER with Britton Bill. Britton is wife to Isaiah, mama to sweet Blaine, a pastor at Life.Church, and one of my very favorite people. We carved out some time for her to come over—she picked up Starbucks and I reheated some chocolate chip pumpkin bread from LifeGroup the night before. We chatted about life and what she's been learning, as well as tackled some questions we're all asking ourselves: How can I go deeper in my relationships? How do I get beyond surface level and beneath the superficial? How in the world do we discern God's will in the face of tough decisions? "We can't grow without getting uncomfortable." It's good, y'all. Reminders I need this very day! Life isn't perfect, but God is doing important work. So whether you're driving, getting some exercise, taking a break from work, folding laundry, sitting in the carpool line, or hiding in the bathroom from your toddler—grab (or reheat) your coffee, pull up a chair, and join us!

The latest episode from The Messy Table  is hot off the press (and one day early due to Fall Break)! This is fantastic news because: (1) I could use a midweek pick-me-up right about now, and (2) life is JUST BETTER with Britton Bill. Britton is wife to Isaiah, mama to sweet Blaine, a pastor at Life.Church, and one of my very favorite people. We carved out some time for her to come over—she picked up Starbucks and I reheated some chocolate chip pumpkin bread from LifeGroup the night before. We chatted about life and what she's been learning, as well as tackled some questions we're all asking ourselves: How can I go deeper in my relationships? How do I get beyond surface level and beneath the superficial? How in the world do we discern God's will in the face of tough decisions? "We can't grow without getting uncomfortable." It's good, y'all. Reminders I need this very day! Life isn't perfect, but God is doing important work. So whether you're driving, getting some exercise, taking a break from work, folding laundry, sitting in the carpool line, or hiding in the bathroom from your toddler—grab (or reheat) your coffee, pull up a chair, and join us!

Who are you—really? What defines you? Is it your job, your family, your house, your education, your ability, your relationship status, your social-media following? Identity is a big deal because it drastically affects the trajectory of our lives. "Our identity influences our purpose," she says. My guest today at The Messy Table is the adorable Ellie Berry, who's young-but-fierce and WISE BEYOND HER YEARS. Ellie is a successful wedding photographer by day (Ellie Be Photography), but she's leaning into God's deeper purpose for her life—not just in what she does, but in who she is. We're talking about the secret to stepping into your true identity with boldness, obedience, and purpose in this passion-filled episode. Honestly, I need to listen to it at least two or three more times to really let it marinate. Also, I'm obsessed with Ellie's voice—so soothing! Her words are a breath of fresh air for our often-weary souls. So grab (or reheat) your coffee, pull up a chair, and join us at The Messy Table.

Who are you—really? What defines you? Is it your job, your family, your house, your education, your ability, your relationship status, your social-media following? Identity is a big deal because it drastically affects the trajectory of our lives. "Our identity influences our purpose," she says. My guest today at The Messy Table is the adorable Ellie Berry, who's young-but-fierce and WISE BEYOND HER YEARS. Ellie is a successful wedding photographer by day (Ellie Be Photography), but she's leaning into God's deeper purpose for her life—not just in what she does, but in who she is. We're talking about the secret to stepping into your true identity with boldness, obedience, and purpose in this passion-filled episode. Honestly, I need to listen to it at least two or three more times to really let it marinate. Also, I'm obsessed with Ellie's voice—so soothing! Her words are a breath of fresh air for our often-weary souls. So grab (or reheat) your coffee, pull up a chair, and join us at The Messy Table.

Morning, y'all! And welcome to The Messy Table—where life isn't always perfect, but God is at work in the mess. Today's guest is my adorable and creative friend, Jenny Collier. Jenny is a wife, mama, entrepreneur, and Jesus follower. She's both the brains and beauty behind her trend-setting online clothing boutique, Gray Monroe, which was named after her cute kiddos, Hudson Gray and Ella Monroe. She’s a smart and hardworking go-getter, yet also warm and down-to-earth and she fights to live an intentional life. We cover lots of great topics in this conversation, from what inspired her to start her own business to some personal trials she’s faced and how she eventually found faith. You're going to love it, I promise! So grab your coffee, pull up a chair, and join us at The Messy Table.

Morning, y'all! And welcome to The Messy Table—where life isn't always perfect, but God is at work in the mess. Today's guest is my adorable and creative friend, Jenny Collier. Jenny is a wife, mama, entrepreneur, and Jesus follower. She's both the brains and beauty behind her trend-setting online clothing boutique, Gray Monroe, which was named after her cute kiddos, Hudson Gray and Ella Monroe. She’s a smart and hardworking go-getter, yet also warm and down-to-earth and she fights to live an intentional life. We cover lots of great topics in this conversation, from what inspired her to start her own business to some personal trials she’s faced and how she eventually found faith. You're going to love it, I promise! So grab your coffee, pull up a chair, and join us at The Messy Table.

Alright, y'all. Grab your coffee, pull up a chair, and make yourself comfy at The Messy Table—where life isn't aways perfect, but God is at work in the mess. Today's guest happens to be my sweet friend and my pastor’s wife, Amy Groeschel. There are a million things I could say about Amy: She co-founded Life.Church with her hubby, Craig, over twenty-one years ago. She home-educates her six kids (which deserves its own award in my book). She encourages women by getting important, Spirit-led words down on paper for the world to read. She heads up the women's ministry at Life.Church, founded a non-profit housing ministry, and is a voice + advocate for foster care. She says things, she writes things, she leads things. Basically, her life is sad and boring and completely uneventful. Okay, maybe not. It's true that Amy wears a TON of different hats, but I’m mostly grateful for her sincere passion and generous heart. She loves God, she loves people, and—I'm here to tell you—she lives what she preaches. Wise and witty (though not perfect of course), SHE IS THE REAL DEAL. So pop in those earbuds, kick off your shoes, and join us at The Messy Table.

Alright, y'all. Grab your coffee, pull up a chair, and make yourself comfy at The Messy Table—where life isn't aways perfect, but God is at work in the mess. Today's guest happens to be my sweet friend and my pastor’s wife, Amy Groeschel. There are a million things I could say about Amy: She co-founded Life.Church with her hubby, Craig, over twenty-one years ago. She home-educates her six kids (which deserves its own award in my book). She encourages women by getting important, Spirit-led words down on paper for the world to read. She heads up the women's ministry at Life.Church, founded a non-profit housing ministry, and is a voice + advocate for foster care. She says things, she writes things, she leads things. Basically, her life is sad and boring and completely uneventful. Okay, maybe not. It's true that Amy wears a TON of different hats, but I’m mostly grateful for her sincere passion and generous heart. She loves God, she loves people, and—I'm here to tell you—she lives what she preaches. Wise and witty (though not perfect of course), SHE IS THE REAL DEAL. So pop in those earbuds, kick off your shoes, and join us at The Messy Table.

Welcome back to The Messy Table! It's back to school, back to work, back to college football, back to pumpkin-spice-everything. New season. New story. Same table. Today's guest is my good friend, Gina Postier—a wife, mama of four, physician assistant, and believer in God's faithfulness. In this episode, Gina shares a piece of her journey to motherhood, which involved multiple seasons and (eventually) multiple kids. After a long and intensive road of infertility, adoption, and a few surprises along the way, she's here to tell you that GOD WASTES NOTHING. "We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps." Proverbs 16:9 Whether you have kids, or not. Whether you've wrestled through infertility/adoption, or not. At one time or another we have ALL found ourselves in a place of waiting, longing, struggle, or simply feeling like something good is being withheld from us for no particular reason. One thing is true: Life isn't always perfect, but God is constantly at work. So grab (or reheat) your coffee, pull up a chair, and join us at The Messy Table.

Welcome back to The Messy Table! It's back to school, back to work, back to college football, back to pumpkin-spice-everything. New season. New story. Same table. Today's guest is my good friend, Gina Postier—a wife, mama of four, physician assistant, and believer in God's faithfulness. In this episode, Gina shares a piece of her journey to motherhood, which involved multiple seasons and (eventually) multiple kids. After a long and intensive road of infertility, adoption, and a few surprises along the way, she's here to tell you that GOD WASTES NOTHING. "We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps." Proverbs 16:9 Whether you have kids, or not. Whether you've wrestled through infertility/adoption, or not. At one time or another we have ALL found ourselves in a place of waiting, longing, struggle, or simply feeling like something good is being withheld from us for no particular reason. One thing is true: Life isn't always perfect, but God is constantly at work. So grab (or reheat) your coffee, pull up a chair, and join us at The Messy Table.

Hello there and welcome to The Messy Table! An ordinary-yet-beautiful space where you can come as are, but hopefully will leave a little different. Today you get to hear from one of the most adorable + wise redheads around, Lauren McAfee. Lauren is a lover of people and of God’s word. She’s currently pursing her PhD while working as Corporate Ambassador for her family’s business—a tiny little company called Hobby Lobby. Lauren is also a pastor's wife, plus a huge advocate and voice for Museum of the Bible, which is set to open it's doors in Washington D.C. in a few short months. We get to chat about lots of fun things in this episode, like: the value in leaving an eternal legacy, what it was like growing up in the Green family, the highs and lows of everyday life, some fascinating details about Museum of the Bible, how God's Word can impact our everyday real lives, and much more! Lauren is passionate about her calling and a bright light in this world. I promise, you will LOVE her. So grab your coffee, pull up a chair, and join us at The Messy Table.

Hello there and welcome to The Messy Table! An ordinary-yet-beautiful space where you can come as are, but hopefully will leave a little different. Today you get to hear from one of the most adorable + wise redheads around, Lauren McAfee. Lauren is a lover of people and of God’s word. She’s currently pursing her PhD while working as Corporate Ambassador for her family’s business—a tiny little company called Hobby Lobby. Lauren is also a pastor's wife, plus a huge advocate and voice for Museum of the Bible, which is set to open it's doors in Washington D.C. in a few short months. We get to chat about lots of fun things in this episode, like: the value in leaving an eternal legacy, what it was like growing up in the Green family, the highs and lows of everyday life, some fascinating details about Museum of the Bible, how God's Word can impact our everyday real lives, and much more! Lauren is passionate about her calling and a bright light in this world. I promise, you will LOVE her. So grab your coffee, pull up a chair, and join us at The Messy Table.