The Big Top

Today’s episode is full of laughter, stories, and honest reflection. Which is our favorite combination! We have the beautiful and eloquent Ashlee Eiland with us. She is the author of Human(Kind): How Reclaiming Human Worth and Embracing Radical Kindness Will Bring Us Back Together (WaterBrook; 4/7/20). In her book, advocate Ashlee Eiland shares her compelling story of being a black woman living on two sides of the fence: as the token black girl in majority-white spaces and as the “whitewashed” black girl in majority-black spaces. As she discovers her own unique worth through these recollections, Eiland learns that extending radical kindness toward every person—regardless of social status, political views, or religious beliefs—gives each person hope and rekindles a common humanity and dignity.” “Ashlee is an elegant and intelligent writer, an eloquent and passionate communicator, and a brave and kind voice in our community. I’m thrilled that she’s sharing her own story and her prophetic vision for what connection might really mean. Ashlee teaches me by example how to live with courage and compassion, and I believe her perspective and voice will be deeply meaningful to so many people.”  —Shauna Niequist, New York Times best-selling author “(Ashlee) is a holy, mysterious, beautiful creation who has a sacred glow in the deepest part of her, a divine ‘yes’ right at the center. And discovering this is the core call of this book—to move beyond the categories and limitations we put on each other and even the ones we put on ourselves. To uncover the longings, the divine invitation, the sacred image in one another. To uproot buried hopes and possibilities and nurse them back to life—using kindness as a potent remedy. Resurrection power is found in the simple truth that kindness might just be able to bring us all back to life.”  —Danielle Strickland, author, speaker, and social justice advocate (From the Foreword) “In her tenderly written book, Ashlee draws on a range of personal experiences to explore how life fashions identity. She reflects on big themes, from the love of family to the brutality of racism and the search for belonging, and calls us to greater awareness of the stories and systems still shaping our lives and communities. Through her deeply personal words, Ashlee leads us toward a grace-filled vision of humanity in which we see the imago Dei in ourselves and one another and live it in the everyday. ‘Human(Kind)’ indeed.” —Jo Saxton, Leadership coach and author of The Dream of You Ashlee Eiland serves as the formation and preaching pastor at Mars Hill Bible Church. She shares God’s message of redemption and reconciliation at conferences, colleges, and events around the country. She began her professional career working for Nestlé USA and left corporate America to pursue full-time vocational ministry. Ashlee earned a BA in international relations from the University of Southern California and completed her master’s in organizational leadership at Judson University. Ashlee and her husband, Delwin, have three children and live in Grand Rapids, Michigan.  Visit her online at  www.AshleeEiland.com https://www.instagram.com/ashlee_eiland https://twitter.com/Ashlee_Eiland

Friend, you need this conversation today. Jessica tells us our wins for the day right now are: food, movement, self-care, and structure. Why so simple and freeing? Because everything counts. We couldn’t agree more. We also talk about little mind shifts that reframe our day, our week, and eventually us. And then we ask about what to do with mindless eating right now and bad body image days. She gives us great thoughts! We think it’s safe to say we are all wrestling in some way with these topics and Jess gives us some solid ground. Owner of Happy Belly Coaching and a certified nutrition coach as well as pre and postnatal coaching, get Jess in your life. Follow Jessica on IG @jessdurando for her therapist and health coach thoughts as she helps women and mamas be the best version of themselves, mind & body. You can also find her at www.happybellycoaching.com

Excuse us while we bear our very souls in front of you all. We share things we haven’t shared with anyone until we all got together. Unprecedented times calls for unprecedented vulnerability on The Big Top. Our most requested and most regular guest, Craig Flack, comes back for more today on the show. A comedian-turned-pastor, he gives lightness, levity, and let’s us simplify what really is the measure of a good day during this stay-at-home season. And it’s a good word, friends. Don’t miss it. We talk about our personal anxiety, our fears, our struggles, and things we are discovering about ourselves right now that we’d prefer not to mention. We share perspective in the middle of a pandemic that frees us up rather than weighs us down.

We are back! And since we last podcasted, just a little bit has changed. Like, the entire globe. And on top of it all, Amy is launching her book into the middle of this dumpster fire with all the grace she can muster. Grace Looks Amazing on You releases April 7 and we are still prepared to party pandemic-style! Lori and Amy share wins and losses right now, binge shows, and what it looks like to connect to God in the middle of every kind of emotion, fear, and anxious thought. Enjoy the show! You can purchase Amy’s new book anywhere books are sold! She highly recommends buying one for you and one for a girlfriend since it’s such a pretty gift-book! With Easter and Mother’s Day and Graduations coming up….this is PERFECT!

Fair warning: you may want to listen to this without little ears around because we chat honestly about some Christmas season traditions! This holiday edition is full of laughter and learning: we talk Santa. Live Nativities. Advent. The Elf. And most of all staying above all the stress. We share a few mindful practices and have some thoughts on truly enjoying the last few weeks of this special season. Also, here’s a link to sign up to get Amy’s 12 Days of Christmas each morning starting today up on her blog! http://www.amyseiffert.com/subscribe Enjoy!

Lisa-Jo Baker is lighthearted, brilliant, and she CRUSHES it in our shenanigans at the top of the show. But she also crushes it when it comes to bringing us real, sound, soul-truth we are all so darn thirsty to hear. She’s a lawyer turned mother, author, and speaker…three things she never thought she would be. And here she is, reminding us of the important spiritual truths about life in the middle. She’s in the middle of raising her kids, in the middle of her life (she will gladly tell you her age is 44), and as far as her middle section? She is embracing every beautiful part of it. You’re going to want to share this one. “I want to give Lisa-Jo’s book a standing ovation because it’s exactly what’s needed for this particular time, when our ‘ordinary’ lives seem so unextraordinary compared to what we see or hear on our phones. I’m beginning to embrace my middle, physically and metaphorically, and I’m finding the most extraordinary thing: The freedom and the joy I thought was missing in my life? It was there all along.”—Aarti Sequeira, chef, TV personality, journalist and author Follow Lisa-Jo on instagram at Lisa-Jo Baker and head over to her one-stop shop and check her out: http://lisajobaker.com/

Finances. Some of us love talking about spreadsheets and numbers. Some of us would rather eat dirt. Wherever you fall on the financial feelings spectrum, today’s show really is for you! Natalie Taylor gives us a fresh new look when it comes to our values, our family, and our finances. Lori and Amy each take the values guide that Natalie has created and talk honestly about where our money goes and why. This is one where you’re going to want to listen in with your spouse and have honest discussions about right after. Enjoy! To access Natalie’s values guide: www.natalieanntaylor.com/podcast Natalie Taylor is a Certified Financial Planner professional and Behavioral Financial Advisor who is passionate about helping people cultivate a plan for their finances based on their values and goals. She helps people not only make progress, but find confidence, balance and peace along the way. Frequently quoted in major publications such as the Huffington Post, Forbes, Business Insider and Lifehacker, Natalie draws on fifteen years of comprehensive financial planning experience, six years with fintech startups, and a decade of professional speaking to share advice that works in real life , not just on paper. Natalie was most recently the Director of Financial Advice for a subsidiary of a Fortune 100 company and has guided thousands of people through everything from buying their first home to managing multi-million dollar portfolios. In front of an audience, she shares effective strategies for achieving and maintaining balance between enjoying life today and planning for someday. Natalie connects with audiences of all kinds with an authentic and relatable style that inspires her audience to look at their finances differently, and empowers them to begin a fresh conversation about money unlike any they’ve had before. As a consultant, Natalie draws on her experience as a brand voice manager, product SME, strategy consultant and financial advisor trainer & coach to help companies move their mission forward in the fintech and financial services spaces. Whether it’s helping financial advisors learn to connect and communicate more effectively with clients, working through product strategy, or helping a financial brand connect with a Millennial and/or female audience, Natalie’s goal is to help companies make progress and create meaningful change. Hunt down Natalie here: www.natalieanntaylor.com

Today we talk about why Amy gave up coffee, why someone might choose feet over hands, and why we have a REAL sustainable solution to poverty right in front of us. Angie Williams from The Open Table shares her journey of finding what she has been looking for all her life: an antidote to poverty. The bottom line: relationship transforms poverty. You are going to want to get yourself ON A TABLE after this one! This is a share-with-all-your-friends kind of episode. Enjoy! Angie says you can text or call her here: 1-804-852-3862 because she is that passionate about this. You can also email her: angiewilliams@theopentable.com   Angie Williams is the Managing Director of Development for Open Table. Angie is an accomplished leader in the development and innovation of services for youth, young adults and families. As Open Table’s Managing Director of Development, Angie has led the creation of implementation and expansion strategies for state and county projects in collaboration with government, human services organizations, faith-based organizations, foundations and other community sectors. She has twenty years of experience working with youth, young adults and families. At United Methodist Family Services (UMFS) of Virginia, a $30 million statewide private child welfare agency, Angie developed systems and training that allowed more than 1,200 volunteers to invest their relational and social capital in UMFS programs and services across the state. She also serves on the Virginia Systems of Care Expansion Team implementing a statewide SAMHSA grant project integrating Open Table as a model to serve youth and families. Angie served as the director of youth and young adult programs for the Virginia Conference of the United Methodist Church and its 1,100 churches and more than 300,000 members. One of Angie’s key accomplishments is the development of a statewide leadership training program for young adults that has expanded and sustained for 15 years. Angie has a B.A. from The College of William and Mary and holds certifications in youth ministry through Princeton Theological Seminary, as well as certification in volunteer administration through the international Council of CVA. Angie and her husband Jeff are the proud foster-adoptive parents of two daughters adopted through UMFS – Sharon at age 14 (now 27) and Leona at age 5 (now 15). 

Welcome to Season 2 of The Big Top called: Pull Up A Chair! We are inviting different folks to join us at the table so we can hear from them about their expertise and wisdom. We need to know a few key things like: mustache or mullet? Mayo or mustard? You know, the basics. But also, we have Renae Fieck with us who is a life coach, podcaster, mom, occupational therapist, entrepreneur, and More Than Mom Summit CEO. And she wants us to “let go of busy, embrace stillness, create space to live a life you love.” Doesn’t that sound lovely? And she has arrived at this place honestly—her story is something you are not going to want to miss.

All the birthday fun on this one! Amy turned 40 AND the podcast is one year old on Episode 25 today!  We need to talk about what has happened this past year, our birthday, our enneagram numbers (and what Amy actually is despite what she thought) and why we all want to be Lori’s number. We talk about our regrets this past year and some things we have both been learning. This one is just Lori and Amy - and we are laughing, learning, & looking back and we think you’re going to love it. 

“Avoidance is not a boundary. It’s a wall. Half of my church is female. If I don’t have women in my life helping to shape my thinking then they will feel voiceless.” -Pastor Craig Flack How do we have healthy male-female friendships in our adult life? Is it possible? What about in the church context? God has given us brothers and sisters and He is the Father. But how do we do it well? What do we lose and what do we gain with having coed relationships or not having them? Let’s talk wisdom, good boundaries, laws, and the spirit. Aaaand let’s talk about Lori’s new job and Amy’s new book! All the things. We think you’re going to love this one!

“As soon as I say: When another person changes, then I can finally be Ok, I just farmed out my well being into some else’s life.” - Steve Rieske, pastor and counselor. How often do we do that? Put our well-being into someone else’s hands? Bank our ability to be OK on someone else changing? All. The. Time. So what do we do with this thinking, with forgiveness, with reconciliation, with all the relationship exchanges? We brought on our dear friend Steve Rieske to talk all about this topic. And we all need it. You know what else you need? To laugh about what kind of pool you might want to jump in if it was filled with something besides water. Like mayo. You never know what kind of laughing and learning you’ll come across under The Big Top but we think you’ll love it! In the fall of 2019, Steve became the full-time Lead Teaching Pastor at Brookside Church and he has been involved with Brookside since its creation, serving in multiple roles including as an Elder. In addition to serving Brookside, Steve served with the college ministry CRU since 1999. Steve holds an undergraduate degree from Ohio University and in 2014 received his Masters of Arts and Clinical Counseling from Ashland Theological Seminary. Steve and his wife Sandy were married in 1997 and have three children (Narnia, Danny, and Jack).

Would you rather be an olympic athlete or The U.S. President? TOUGH CALL. Also. Just as importantly, how do we have good, slow growth in our life in our fast paced world? What’s been a hard but really good practice that is actually changing your life? Why? Amy and Lori share their recent practices for growth in the middle of their jobs, their family life, their dreams. This one is SUPER practical - you’ll walk away with some great ideas! Some references from the show: The Good and Beautiful God and Dallas Willard’s Triangle for Spiritual Growth

“The unfortunate thing is that married couples come in about ten years too late.” This is a consistent pattern that marriage and family life coach and counselor Krista Cassell is seeing in our marriage culture. Why is that? What is the first step back toward one another when contempt has crept in? Let’s talk! Also. We’ll talk about double bacon croissants, saltwater cleanses, and eroded trust in marriages and rebuilding that trust! All completely related, obviously. Krista Cassell is a Board Certified Biblical Counselor (BCBC) and Board Certified Christian Life Coach (BCLC) who graduated from Light University with a Masters diploma in Biblical Counseling, specializing in adolescents. She received her Board Certification in both counseling and coaching through the American Association of Christian Counselors. Although Krista counsels and coaches families and individuals in all walks of life, she is most passionate about working with hurting families struggling with difficult relationship and behavioral issues. Her passion developed through her personal experience within her own family. Having a child with a mis-diagnosed neurobiological disorder for many years, she has a heartfelt interest in helping families who share the same struggles and want to seek restoration and healing. Krista is trained in the Love and Logic parenting curriculum, which provides practical tools and techniques that help adults achieve respectful, healthy relationships with their children.

It’s Valentine’s Day! So we put together a good, honest bonus episode about marriage and sex. Nothing is off limits under The Big Top. Today we have a bonus guest with us as well, none other than Pastor Craig Flack. He is the Teaching Pastor at Celina First Church of God and we have had him on before to tackle some tough topics. We love his candid, funny, and God-honoring nature. We talk about why sex seems so very complicated, what we can do to improve this sacred space, and what Craig (from his years of pastoral marital counseling) sees as some steps we can take to redeem the broken places.