Live Well Anyway

Welcome to the first episode of the Live Well Anyway Podcast with MacKenzie Koppa! If you came here from the Cultivating the Lovely podcast community, you are in the right place! In this introductory episode, MacKenzie has her dear friend (and new business partner!) Katie Duckett on the show to talk all about this relaunch. MacKenzie explains more about how and why this rebrand came about, as well as what you can expect from the podcast and the whole Live Well Anyway platform. Katie shares how she came to be part of this venture and a little about what her role will be on the podcast and in the Patreon community. LINKS MENTIONED: Sign up for MacKenzie’s newsletter “Well, anyway…” Sign up for Katie’s newsletter “Moving Into Light” Follow MacKenzie on Instagram @mackenziekoppa Follow Katie on Instagram @katiemduckett Katie’s website coming soon at KatieDuckett.com Live Well Anyway Facebook Group WHERE TO FIND THE SHOW Apple Podcasts Google Play Music Spotify Player FM JOIN US ON PATREON Live Well Together! Patreon Community VISIT OUR SPONSORS School Mask Pack- schoolmaskpack.com/LOVELY Plan to Eat- Free 60-day Trial- plantoeat.com/lovely SHOP WITH US THROUGH AMAZON Thank you for using our Amazon affiliate links to support the show! The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan The Heir Affair by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan

This week on Cultivating the Lovely, host MacKenzie Koppa chats with Chrystal Evans Hurst. Chrystal is a wife, mom and grandmother who ministers to women and writes in the margins whenever she can. Today’s episode is a conversation centered on prayer and Chrystal’s new book The 28-Day Prayer Journey. (Affiliate links are used in this content.) Chrystal talks about prayer in terms of prioritizing communication The goal of The 28-Day Prayer Journey as a way to build a habit and a relationship Taking time several times throughout the day to pray and talk with God Doing the thing you need to do in order to learn to love doing that You learn to communicate with God by communicating with God. Chrystal Evans Hurst The power of prayer to change how you interact with your family and friends How Chrystal decided what aspects of the practice of prayer to include in the book Dealing with disappointed hopes and unanswered prayers Choosing to believe even when you don’t understand God’s ways The effectiveness of journalling and writing down your prayers You have to do the work to build the relationship with God A typical day for Chrystal currently Current Lovelies- Chrystal: listening to music and burning candles to set a warm atmosphere Resources Mentioned- Books: The 28-Day Prayer Journey Movies: Pretty Woman Find Chrystal- You can find Chrystal on her website ChrystalEvansHurst.com. You can also follow her on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Find MacKenzie- You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! Join us on Patreon at Patreon.com/CultivatingtheLovely. Thanks to Our Sponsors- Today’s episode of Cultivating the Lovely is sponsored by Shapermint. Save an extra 10% on top of their already discounted prices at Shapermint.com/LOVELY when you use code LOVELY. Today’s episode of Cultivating the Lovely is sponsored by Magic Spoon Low Carb Cereal. Visit MagicSpoon.com/LOVELY to order a variety pack, and use code LOVELY get free shipping! This episode of Cultivating the Lovely is 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. Today’s episode of Cultivating the Lovely is sponsored by Theragun. Try Theragun risk-free for 30 days with this special offer for CTL listeners. Go to Theragun.com/lovely to get your own Generation 4 Theragun today.

On today’s episode of Cultivating the Lovely, MacKenzie talks with her good friend Katie Duckett about the challenges and changes of heading into the school year amidst the pandemic. They talk about being honest with what the school year is going to look like and how to make the best of difficult situations while valuing relationship with your children. How Katie’s school year is changing this year from what her family was expecting Check out MacKenzie’s Lovely Homeschool Course for help scheduling in the way that Katie talks about Katie’s struggle with burnout and changing seasons in her homeschooling journey MacKenzie talks about making the adjustment to public school with her kids Learning to trust God with your children when everything feels out of control Even now, with all of this being out of our control, we know that God is in control. Katie Duckett Watching your children rise up and learn resilience, fortitude, and perseverance Katie talks about watching her boys deal with the disappointment of team sports being delayed The challenge of setting a tone of love and joy at home when you don’t really feel it Taking care of yourself and using some shortcuts to save your sanity Katie shares the verses that centered her homeschool in the past and that she wants to be the focus going forward: Philippians 2:12-13 2 Timothy 1:14 Find Katie- You can find Katie Duckett on Instagram @may_these_arrows_fly. Find MacKenzie- You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! Join us on Patreon at Patreon.com/CultivatingtheLovely. Thanks to Our Sponsors- Cultivating the Lovely is sponsored by GiveWell. When CTL listeners become first-time donors at GiveWell.org/lovely, you can have your donation matched up to $100. Be sure to select “Cultivating the Lovely” at checkout. This episode of Cultivating the Lovely is brought to you by Freshly. Get $40 OFF your first 2 orders when you go to Freshly.com/LOVELY. CTL is also sponsored by BetterHelp private online counseling. Visit BetterHelp.com/LOVELY for 10% OFF your first month of counseling.

This week on Cultivating the Lovely, host MacKenzie Koppa chats with Kendra Adachi. Kendra is a writer and podcaster, as well as a wife and mother to three beautiful children. Today MacKenzie talks with Kendra about her new book The Lazy Genius Way and what it means to make it easier to do the things that bring you to life. (Affiliate links are used in this content.) What the basis is for the “Lazy Genius Way” Figuring out what matters to you and what you need to make the most of your time What MacKenzie loves about this book and why she thinks you need to read it Letting ourselves be honest about what it means to be a person with unique needs and wants Recognizing and naming what matters to you If you don’t name what matters underneath it all, you are just going to keep trying and being tired. Kendra Adachi Observing your own life and noticing what works and what doesn’t work for you Stop using levels of order or messiness as a measure of morality How the book is broken down into principles for every situation Navigating this season in our lives with grace and a teachable spirit A typical day in the life of Kendra and her family Current Lovelies- Kendra: painting her nails almost daily and loving it for the first time in her life MacKenzie: curating her family’s playlists for different times of the day Resources Mentioned- Books: The Lazy Genius Way On the Bright Side Stand All the Way Up Podcasts: Tsh Oxenreider and The Good List The Lazy Genius Collective Podcast Kendra’s episode: How to Make the Perfect Playlist The Popcast Music: Penny and Sparrow Movies: Sense and Sensibility Find Kendra- You can find Kendra on her website The Lazy Genius Collective. You can also follow her on Instagram. Find MacKenzie- You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! Join us on Patreon at Patreon.com/CultivatingtheLovely. Thanks to Our Sponsors- Today’s episode of Cultivating the Lovely is sponsored by Magic Spoon Low Carb Cereal. Visit MagicSpoon.com/LOVELY to order a variety pack, and use code LOVELY get free shipping! Cultivating the Lovely is also brought to you by Crayola School Mask Pack. Get your family a mask pack today at schoolmaskpack.com/LOVELY.

On today’s episode of Cultivating the Lovely, MacKenzie Koppa goes solo to give us all some coaching on how to get ready for a crazy new season heading into this fall. We know here at CTL that everyone’s routines are looking very different this year, so MacKenzie wants to help you get planned and prepped up to make the best of whatever situation you are facing. And if you want an even deeper dive into what this can look like for you, head over and join the CTL Patreon supporters to get daily content to guide you through your fall planning. What MacKenzie and her kids are going to have to deal with for schooling this year What are “the givens” you have to consider when planning? Meal planning This episode of Cultivating the Lovely is 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. Take some time on the weekends to plan out the coming week Using Trello as a planning tool Creating good routines for yourself and your family to add predictability to your days Consider the work spaces and other places you need to prepare to make them more conducive to getting things done well Have a back-up plan for when things don’t go so well If I put in the work on the front end of things, it is going to make my day to day life a lot easier. MacKenzie Koppa Take a look at your own personal logistics in scheduling and self-care What things can you prepare in advance each week to take the stress off your daily routine? What helps you feel more centered throughout your day? Tips for staying on top of things and not losing your mind this fall: Give yourself and those around you lots of grace Be willing to cut some corners in certain areas Get up and get dressed and presentable for your day Help facilitate independence in your children Create time and space for everyone to have some alone time daily Foster friendships and community for yourself and your children CTL is also sponsored by Postmates delivery service. Download the Postmates app, and use code LOVELY100 for $100 FREE delivery credit! Books to help you with dealing with stress and planning well: The Lazy Genius Way by Kendra Adachi Don’t Overthink It by Anne Bogel On the Bright Side by Melanie Shankle Stand All the Way Up by Sophie Hudson Adore by Sara Hagerty Find MacKenzie- You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! Join us on Patreon at Patreon.com/CultivatingtheLovely.

On today’s episode of Cultivating the Lovely, MacKenzie sits down, live and in person, with her best friend Rebekah Sacran. They chatted about how their friendship began, how they grew their relationship online, and what has been going on in each other’s lives since the last time Rebekah was on the podcast. Sit back, relax and enjoy this encouraging episode all about friendship. How MacKenzie and Rebekah met through Periscope The difference it makes to meet an online friend in person Why MacKenzie and Rebekah decided to get together, even in the middle of the pandemic The extra challenges Rebekah’s family faced during the height of lockdowns Dealing with her husband’s bipolar and side effects of treatment Sometimes you need to have an intervention for your friends. MacKenzie Koppa MacKenzie and Rebekah’s bad haircut stories The story of how MacKenzie’s family is adopting a dog Go watch Leeann and Michelle’s Enneagram Types “Back to School” video Find Rebekah- You can find Rebekah Sacran on Instagram @jaybeksacran. Find MacKenzie- You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! Join us on Patreon at Patreon.com/CultivatingtheLovely. Thanks to Our Sponsors- This episode of Cultivating the Lovely is brought to you by BetterHelp private online counseling. Visit BetterHelp.com/LOVELY for 10% OFF your first month of counseling.

This week on the Cultivating the Lovely podcast, MacKenzie chats with her friend Sara Henkosky. Sara is a wife and mom to 3 children 4 and under. She and her husband love to serve people through hospitality and are now looking forward to a new adventure as missionaries to Vanuatu. MacKenzie asks Sarah how this journey to becoming missionaries began How Sarah and her husband are preparing to go to Vanuatu Sarah describes the island situation and where they will be living Language learning and travel preparations Considering homeschooling and what supplies she needs to take It’s so exciting to know that we can just trust God and watching Him work and do what He does best. Sarah Henkoski Waiting and watching God work out the details How Sarah feels about being a mom and missionary at the same time Bridging the disconnect that can happen between overseas families and friends Visit IGOVanuatu.org to learn more about the mission A typical day for Sarah and her family Current Lovelies- Sarah: listening to podcasts, drinking more tea and getting outside MacKenzie: enjoying the new puppy coming into the family Resources Mentioned- (Affiliate links are used in this content.) Music: Mr. by Leslie Odum, Jr. Movies: I Still Believe Thanks to Our Sponsors- This week’s episode is brought to you by Freshly. Get $40 OFF your first 2 orders when you go to Freshly.com/LOVELY. Find Sarah- You can find Sarah Henkoski on Instagram @sarahkhope. Find MacKenzie- You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! Join us on Patreon at Patreon.com/CultivatingtheLovely.

Today on Cultivating the Lovely the Podcast, MacKenzie Koppa sits down with her dear friend Katie Duckett to talk about some of the things they are loving this summer. In order to take their minds off the craziness going on in the world, they are both finding some small lovelies to hold onto and stay joyful in the midst of challenging times. Of course, this conversation wouldn't be complete without MacKenzie talking about her love for Hamilton Katie talks about her family's newfound love of the show Lost MacKenzie talks about her reaction to watching The Morning Show What MacKenzie has been reading and enjoying Katie shares what she has been reading lately Giving ourselves grace to consume and produce different content in different seasons Making sure we have balance in what media we are consuming and paying attention to how it affects us Katie and MacKenzie talk about some of the things they miss about their pre-pandemic schedules Katie talks about her gratitude for Alexa Katie's current favorite drink addition: lavender simple syrup MacKenzie's story about caring for her neighbor's flowers Resources Mentioned- Affiliate links are used in this content. Books: All Things Reconsidered by Knox McCoy The Winston Brothers series by Penny Reid The Reluctant Royals series by Alyssa Cole Beach Read by Emily Henry The Heir Affair by Heather Cocks and Jennifer Morgan The American Royals by Katharine McGee Barbara O'neal The Lazy Genius Way by Kendra Adachi Music: Hamilton Jazz Morning Playlist Cafe Podcasts: The Popcast Thanks to Our Sponsor- This episode of Cultivating the Lovely is brought to you by Postmates. For a limited time, CTL listeners get a $100 free delivery credit for the first 7 days when you use code LOVELY100 in the Postmates app. Find Katie- You can find Katie Duckett on Instagram @may_these_arrows_fly. Find MacKenzie- You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! Join us on Patreon at Patreon.com/CultivatingtheLovely.

On today’s episode of Cultivating the Lovely, MacKenzie talks with her good friend Chelle Bruzas about making a house a home and creating spaces that minister to your family and friends. Chelle and her family have moved houses several times, and she has some great ideas to share with us about how to invest in your house and make it truly your own. (Affiliate links are used in this content.) Asking questions on how to make your house a place of ministry to others Chelle talks about accepting the gift that is their new home MacKenzie asks Chelle to explain her process of embracing a space Thinking about what styles she likes Learning how different details change a space’s appearance Pinning room photos that strike her as appealing and curating those boards Chelle mentions the paint color “Agreeable Gray” by Sherwin Williams Thinking about how to best use the space functionally for doing what they love How do I make those people who come through the doors of our home feel welcome and love, seen and known? Chelle Bruzas What MacKenzie has discovered by creating a special space on her back patio Choosing to live your life now and not always being in a state of waiting Balancing trends and classic styles in decor Chelle explains the 80/20 rule for white and color Knorpp and South’s RV renovation videos on Youtube Chelle’s story about hearing the bells and having her special roses at their new house Chelle’s Pinterest Board for “Birdsong” Resources Mentioned- Books: Cozy Minimalist Home by Myquillyn Smith Find Chelle- You can find Chelle Bruzas on Instagram @chelle_bruzas. Find MacKenzie- You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! Join us on Patreon at Patreon.com/CultivatingtheLovely. Thanks to Our Sponsors- This episode of Cultivating the Lovely is 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.

We have something a little different for you on Cultivating the Lovely the Podcast this week. Today MacKenzie is doing a solo show and sharing with us how she is handling the hard things in life right now. She also wants to personally invite you to join in with “Take Back Your Life July” and the accountability groups coming up in Patreon next month. (Affiliate links are used in this content.) Why MacKenzie decided to do this particular episode at this time What working through the attributes of God in Sara Hagerty’s Adore study has done in MacKenzie’s heart If you haven’t listened to it yet, you can go back and listen to Sara’s interview on CTL Episode 160 When we can allow our doubts and fears to be exposed to Him, God is gentle with us. MacKenzie Koppa MacKenzie reads Psalm 37 and Psalm 73 Keeping a long-range perspective and remembering God's truth Ways that MacKenzie has been dealing practically with hard times: Journalling thoughts and prayers Leaning into counsel from trusted friends Tapping into her emotions through music MacKenzie sings "It Is Well" to close out the episode Thanks to Our Sponsor- This episode of Cultivating the Lovely is brought to you by Little Passports. As a CTL listener, you can get 15% OFF the price of any subscription when you use coupon code LOVELY at checkout. Resources Mentioned- Books: Adore by Sara Hagerty Music: Bethel Music Hillsong Worship Rend Collective Lauren Daigle Nicole Nordeman Jennifer Knapp's Kansas album Find MacKenzie- You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! Join us on Patreon at Patreon.com/CultivatingtheLovely.

On today’s episode of Cultivating the Lovely, MacKenzie talks with her good friend Katie Duckett all about the little things they are doing to recapture that sense of who they are as individuals. This episode is all about recovering from challenging times, and even thriving in the midst of them. We hope this conversation will leave you encouraged! MacKenzie shares about writing a list of the things that make her feel like herself The value of this time to re-evaluate what aspects of our lives are really important to us Katie and MacKenzie share the little “vanities” that they had to grapple with when they were taken away The importance of regular anchor points to fill our souls What makes us each feel alive is unique and different MacKenzie tells how she recognized how important it is to her to have outside activities How a sort of home church has developed among MacKenzie’s group of friends We have a God who loves to give us good gifts, and He knows our hearts and what we need. Katie Duckett The little things that MacKenzie and Katie like to do to feel like the best versions of themselves Taking the time to ask the questions about what is important to your family Setting up a new tone or structure for the summer to help rest and regroup The ways that appreciating and noticing beauty transforms us Finding ways to intentionally create spaces that give you room to breathe “Have you heard about pasta salad?” Katie’s self-tanning regimen Resources Mentioned- Affiliate links are used in this content. Books: The Royal We The Heir Affair Music: Hamilton Thanks to Our Sponsor- This episode of Cultivating the Lovely is brought to you by True Botanicals. CTL Listeners can get 15% OFF their first order from truebotanicals.com/lovely. Find Katie- You can find Katie Duckett on Instagram @may_these_arrows_fly. Find MacKenzie- You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! Join us on Patreon at Patreon.com/CultivatingtheLovely.

On today’s episode of Cultivating the Lovely, MacKenzie talks with her good friend Chelle Bruzas about joy, hope and creating fun in the middle of really hard stuff in our current world. This is not meant to trivialize the huge issues going on right now, but to encourage you to find the light in the darkness and give your mind a break from the stress. So listen in, stop scrolling, maybe take a walk, and listen in to this uplifting conversation. (Affiliate links are used in this content.) Chelle talks about checking in on others and loving on new neighbors Looking back and seeing how God has given us grace for the hard days Holding our vision of the future loosely and surrendering to the Lord Doing something out of the ordinary to shake up the monotony Make it a priority to build community and be the friend you need Taking in beauty in the out of doors Find ways to have a gentler routine and a reward at the end of the day Joy will make us stronger and more capable of dealing with all the heavy things around us. MacKenzie Koppa Making small steps in planning loosely to help move forward Harkening back to the days of Periscope with listing daily 3 Lovelies Announcing the CTL Summer of the RomCom! Persuasion Two Weeks Notice You’ve Got Mail The Proposal Notting Hill Kate and Leopold One Fine Day Runaway Bride The Wedding Planner Miss Congeniality Hitch While You Were Sleeping Sleepless in Seattle Something’s Gotta Give Being gracious and listening, even to those with whom we disagree Resources Mentioned- Books: Try Softer by Aundi Kobler Podcasts: The Popcast Find Chelle- You can find Chelle Bruzas on @chelle_bruzas. Find MacKenzie- You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! Join us on Patreon at Patreon.com/CultivatingtheLovely. Thanks to Our Sponsors- This episode of Cultivating the Lovely is 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. CTL is also brought to you by Little Passports. As a CTL listener, you can get 15% OFF the price of any subscription when you use coupon code LOVELY at checkout.

This week on Cultivating the Lovely, host MacKenzie Koppa chats with Rebecca Smith, founder of Better Life Bags and the author of the brand new book A Better Life: Slowing Down to Get Ahead. Rebecca and her husband live in Michigan with their four children and their dog Mojo. Together MacKenzie and Rebecca talk about building a business, podcasting and writing a book, plus so much more. (Affiliate links are used in this content.) Rebecca shares a little bit about her “Problem Solved” podcast episodes with Emily Thomas Rebecca talks about how she came to write this book, from starting a blog in her college days to getting asked by Zondervan to publish the story of her business What Rebecca hopes readers will glean from A Better Life How Rebecca and her husband met and had to let God lead their relationship Learning the cherish the life you are living right now, instead of always looking ahead to the next thing I think I have an idea of where my life is going, but God is the One who is making the decisions, and it’s kind of an adventure for us. Rebecca Smith How Rebecca’s vision and mission for Better Life Bags grew out of a desire to have certain boundaries in place Recognizing our limitations and bringing other people on board to balance out our weaknesses with their strengths Giving our children more responsibility for things around the house Being willing to turn around and get back on track when we have stepped out of God’s plan How Rebecca’s business has been affected by the pandemic A typical day in Rebecca’s life now in contrast to before the pandemic Current Lovelies- Rebecca: relaxing in a hammock in the backyard MacKenzie: dressing up for her birthday at home Resources Mentioned- Podcasts: Mom Struggling Well – Problem Solved That Sounds Fun 10 Things to Tell You Young House Love Crime Junkie Find Rebecca- You can find Rebecca on her website Better Life Bags. You can also follow her on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Find MacKenzie- You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! Join us on Patreon at Patreon.com/CultivatingtheLovely. Thanks to Our Sponsors- Today’s episode of Cultivating the Lovely is sponsored by True Botanicals. CTL Listeners can get 15% OFF their first order from true botanicals.com/lovely and use code LOVELY at checkout. Want a little extra loveliness in your life? Join our Patreon community this month and enjoy the camaraderie with other ladies who are trying to do more than just survive in these crazy days. We can’t wait to see you there!

Today on Cultivating the Lovely, host MacKenzie Koppa talks with Joy Eggerichs Reed, founder of Punchline Speakers. Joy and her husband Matthew live and work in Paris, France with their daughter Millie. MacKenzie and Joy just have a fun chat covering a wide range of topics including Joy’s fun Instagram stories, home birth and living in France during the pandemic. So sit back, relax and enjoy this lively conversation! Want a little extra loveliness in your life? Join our Patreon community this month and enjoy the camaraderie with other ladies who are trying to do more than just survive in these crazy days. We can’t wait to see you there! Joy talks about how she and her husband ended up in Paris and what life is like there MacKenzie talks about her experience being a single working mom while doing school at home as well Joy shares how the quarantine has affected her family in Paris How Joy has navigated not speaking French and having her babies in France following a more natural approach MacKenzie shares a little about her own birth experiences and how she decided to have home births If you don’t move to a place and have a posture of trying to laugh at things or try to understand them, then you will go crazy. Joy Eggerichs Reed Joy talks about making up an alter ego and voice for her daughter How and why the Reeds chose to announce pregnancies later than most The way the pandemic has changed Joy’s working life How the Reeds ended up in their fantastic location Current Lovelies- Joy: spending time with Millie and making funny videos with her MacKenzie: enjoying the flowers dropped off by her friends on May Day Resources Mentioned- Affiliate links are used in this content. Movies: Hook Little Women Podcasts: The New York Times The Daily Find Joy- You can find Joy on her website PunchlineSpeakers.com. You can also follow her on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Find MacKenzie- You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! Join us on Patreon at Patreon.com/CultivatingtheLovely. Thanks to Our Sponsors- Today’s episode of Cultivating the Lovely is sponsored by Little Passports. As a CTL listener, you can get 15% OFF the price of any subscription when you use coupon code LOVELY at checkout. This episode of Cultivating the Lovely is also brought to you by Literati. For a limited time, go to Literati.com/lovely for 25% OFF your first two orders.

This week on Cultivating the Lovely, MacKenzie Koppa and Chelle Bruzas sit down and have a little real talk about how to have a better Mother’s Day in this season of lockdown by setting realistic expectations. We want to encourage you during this challenging time in your parenting journey to be gracious with each other, look outside of yourself and find the bright side. Talking to your family about what you would like for them to do Making your own backup plans for food and treating yourself Prepare yourself with realistic expectations of behavior Celebrate your children’s efforts to do things for you Chelle shares her heart for women for whom Mother’s Day is painful The most perfectly worded Hallmark card will never hold a candle to personal words from someone. MacKenzie Koppa Some idea for gifting yourself and the other mothers in your life: Flowers, of course! Gift cards Printed photos Candles from a small business Locally roasted coffee Support small business Books Making time to say and write about your love for your mom Plan for lighthearted fun and not take yourself so seriously Be encouraged! Giving and receiving forgiveness The special deal to get in on all the online Patreon goodness for only $5/month is still going! Join now and enjoy being part of our rich, supportive online community! Find Chelle- You can find Chelle Bruzas on @chelle_bruzas. Find MacKenzie- You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! Join us on Patreon at Patreon.com/CultivatingtheLovely. Thanks to Our Sponsors- This episode of Cultivating the Lovely is brought to you by Embr. Save $70 off your own Embr Wave when you go to EmbrWave.com/lovely. 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.

On today’s episode of Cultivating the Lovely, MacKenzie talks with her good friends Katie Duckett and Chelle Bruzas about clinging to celebrations and loveliness amidst the coronavirus crisis. This is a grace-filled, honest conversation that we hope will help you see the lighter side of life in a challenging season. Katie shares honestly how she is doing amidst coronavirus struggles Chelle talks about what it is like to parent with transparency during this season MacKenzie shares the challenge of being forced into schooling at home again Katie shares the analogy of a pot boiling over to talk about stressors and emotions MacKenzie talks about dealing with “parenting whiplash” Making the intentional effort to pull out of your own emotion and love on your family The kindness of communicating your needs with each other as a family We have to be creative, but those small efforts pay big dividends in the hearts of our kids. Katie Duckett Setting healthy boundaries for ourselves and our kids Celebrating birthdays amidst social distancing Join in celebrating with us #lovelypandemicbirthday Katie's new family tradition and how it came to be The simple luxury of taking a flower bath or pedicure Other simple ways to bring some loveliness into your day Share how you are doing to celebrate the little things with us #cultivatingthelovely Resources Mentioned- Books: Affiliate links are used in this content. The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman Find Katie- You can find Katie Duckett on Instagram @may_these_arrows_fly. Find Chelle- You can find Chelle Bruzas on @chelle_bruzas. Find MacKenzie- You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! Join us on Patreon at Patreon.com/CultivatingtheLovely. Thanks to Our Sponsors- This episode of Cultivating the Lovely is brought to you by Embr. Save $70 off your own Embr Wave when you go to EmbrWave.com/lovely.

This week on CTL, host MacKenzie Koppa has a fun chat with Leeann Dearing and Michelle Fortin, the dynamic comedy duo known simply as Leeann & Michelle. Both wives and mothers having backgrounds in acting and television, Leeann and Michelle are passionate about using comedy to bring a smile to the faces of those in their audience. We think their conversation with MacKenzie will do that for you, as well! How Michelle and Leeann met and immediately formed a deep friendship How they started turning their parodies and sketches into a business The way their backgrounds helped them have success What got Leeann and Michelle into doing Enneagram type comedy What it is like playing their own types as well as the others How they each handle filming in public locations Michelle talks about how they divide up the work MacKenzie talks about the fun she remembers from her time in a theatre troupe Michelle and Leeann try to narrow down their videos to one favorite Leeann talks about what it is like doing live shows What it has been like creating content during the corona crisis The value of getting feedback in creating content A typical day for Leeann and Michelle in their own families and work Current Lovelies- Leeann: having an impromptu “distance picnic” with Michelle and their kids Michelle: painting rocks with her kids and placing them around the neighborhood for others to find Resources Mentioned- Books: (Amazon affiliate links are used in this content.) The Road Back to You by Ian Crohn The Honest Enneagram by Sarajane Case Movies: Gone with the Wind The Sound of Music The King and I Dumb and Dumber Podcasts: Typology Jen Hatmaker The Popcast The Dearing Studio Find Leeann and Michelle- You can find Leeann and Michelle on their YouTube Channel Leeann & Michelle and their website LeeannandMichelle.com. You can also follow them on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Find MacKenzie- You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! Join us on Patreon at Patreon.com/CultivatingtheLovely. Thanks to Our Sponsors- Today’s episode of Cultivating the Lovely is sponsored by Theragun. Try Theragun risk-free for 30 days with this special offer for CTL listeners. Go to Theragun.com/lovely to get up to $150 off your device. This episode of Cultivating the Lovely is brought to you by Literati. For a limited time, go to Literati.com/lovely for 25% OFF your first two orders.

On the Cultivating the Lovely podcast this week, MacKenzie Koppa talks with Jennifer Fulwiler about her new book Your Blue Flame. Jennifer is a wife, a mother of six, and also stays busy hosting a radio talk show, doing stand-up comedy and writing! Together MacKenzie and Jennifer talk about embracing your amazing gifts to bless those around you. This is an encouraging and fun conversation, so sit back, relax and enjoy! (Amazon affiliate links are used in this content.) Jennifer talks about what a “blue flame” even is and why she wrote this book How the concept of finding your blue flame is a blessing to others Each of us has a gift that we can use to brighten someone else’s day How using your blue flame can free your ego Be willing to take risks and embrace your failures Jennifer talks about what it is like doing stand-up comedy You have this God-given gift, and you have a duty to give it back to the world. Jennifer Fulwiler Your blue flame is not about you, and you have a duty to share it with the world How the Enemy tries to attack when you are using your gifts You weren’t meant to do this alone What Jennifer’s current typical day versus what is a normal day Current Lovelies- Jennifer: watching YouTube makeup tutorials and playing with new looks Resources Mentioned- Books: Your Blue Flame One Beautiful Dream Movies: Office Space Galaxy Quest Podcasts: Starting Greatness Find Jennifer- You can find Jennifer on her website JenniferFulwiler.com. You can also follow her on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Find MacKenzie- You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! Join us on Patreon at Patreon.com/CultivatingtheLovely. Thanks to Our Sponsors- Today’s episode of Cultivating the Lovely is sponsored by YogaSleep. Go to YogaSleep.com/LOVELY to get 20% OFF your next order of a sound machine for your family. This episode of Cultivating the Lovely is brought to you by Laurel Springs School. Cultivating the Lovely listeners, register your child today at laurelsprings.com/lovely to have the registration fee waived.

On today’s episode of Cultivating the Lovely, MacKenzie talks with her good friends Katie Duckett and Jenny Wilcox about holy habits. Together they explain what that means and why they are so important, especially in challenging or uncertain seasons of life. We think this will be an uplifting conversation, so sit back, relax and be encouraged! (Amazon affiliate links are used in this content.) Katie introduces the topic of holy habits MacKenzie talks about the difference between legalistic habits and making lifestyle changes out of real desire How the habits Jenny and Katie cultivated grounded them in their faith Jenny talks about the joy of self-sacrifice and the goodness of having a God who is the caring Creator The great value in being faithful and consistent with a discipline One of the things that creating healthy habits requires of you is that every day you die to self. You start to say “yes” and do something you don’t want to do. Jenny Wilcox Jenny talks about habits as tools that help us re-center our souls Sourdough as an illustration of a practical holy habit Katie talks about the value of doing something slow MacKenzie is tapping into her homemaking skills again Jenny and Katie tell about how they got their special sourdough starter The value of making something beautiful with your hands How beholding beauty points us to God Being present in the small things is so crucial in these times Resources Mentioned- Books: Mudhouse Sabbath by Laura F. Winner Let Me Be a Woman by Elisabeth Elliot Mother Culture by Karen Andreola Find Katie- You can find Katie Duckett on Instagram @may_these_arrows_fly. Find Jenny- You can find Jenny Wilcox on @philovesjen. Find MacKenzie- You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! Join us on Patreon at Patreon.com/CultivatingtheLovely. Thanks to Our Sponsors- This episode of Cultivating the Lovely is brought to you by Grove. As a CTL listener, you can get a FREE 5-piece Sustainable Home starter set at Grove.co/LOVELY, plus free shipping and FREE 60-Day VIP trial with your first order. 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/lovely and use code PODCAST at checkout.

In this special bonus episode of Cultivating the Lovely, MacKenzie Koppa continues the conversation with her friends all about flower/flour therapy. Katie Duckett, Chelle Bruzas, and Becca Lux chat more about the health benefits of sourdough and gardening and why they feel so passionate about both. If you missed yesterday's chat, you can visit boldturquoise.com/161/ to see and hear what you missed. Re-thinking the idea of flowers and beauty as not having any real purpose Becca’s reading recommendations: The Plant Messiah by Carlos Magdelena The Dirt Cure by Maya Shetreat-Klein, MD The Enchanted Hour by Megan Cox Gurden The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh Katie talks about the health properties of sourdough The need to slow down and do these intentional things to reconnect with each other and with God MacKenzie talks about reading the first Harry Potter book with Roman Becca, Chelle and Katie talk about making flower crowns Floret Flower Farm seeds The ladies talk about their gardening hopes and plans for this year

On today’s episode of Cultivating the Lovely, host MacKenzie Koppa sits down for a fun chat with three of her real life friends: Becca Lux, Katie Duckett and Chelle Bruzas. They tell us all about two different kinds of therapy that we can all be taking part in during these challenging times using flour and flowers! And they had so much fun doing it, that we have a bonus episode with even more goodness coming out tomorrow, so be sure and check back to get in on the fun! (Amazon affiliate links are used in this content.) A little about what “flour therapy” is and why you should join the Patreon group and get in on all the doughy goodness The ladies share how they got the idea for “flower therapy” in the first place Katie talks about her intense love for flowers and how she always stays prepared to gather flowers wherever she goes Becca shares some information about why gardening is actually physically, mentally and emotionally so healthy Check out the Flower Therapy playlist on Spotify I do think that adding beauty to your life, in whatever form, gives your soul hope. Katie Duckett Chelle shares a little about what to expect from the seed “club” if you are part of the $15 Patreon level Katie and Becca talk about starting seeds and taking chances with what will work and what won’t MacKenzie highlights the value of accountability in keeping up with these habits of loveliness How being out in nature and noticing the change of the seasons helps us cope with these trying times Becca and Katie point out the spiritual significance of these practices Jenna Fischer’s bread-making journey on Instagram Check out the Flour/Flower Therapy wishlist on Amazon Thanks to Our Sponsors- CTL is brought to you by YogaSleep. Go to YogaSleep.com/LOVELY to get 20% OFF your next order of a sound machine for your family. CTL is also sponsored 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. Find Becca- You can find Becca Lux on Instagram @wanderluxstudio. Find Katie- You can find Katie Duckett on Instagram @may_these_arrows_fly. Find Chelle- You can find Chelle Bruzas on Instagram @chelle_bruzas. Find MacKenzie- You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! Join us on Patreon at Patreon.com/CultivatingtheLovely.

On the Cultivating the Lovely podcast this week, MacKenzie Koppa talks with author Sara Hagerty about her newest book, Adore: A Simple Practice for Experiencing God in the Middle Minutes of Your Day. Sara is a wife and a mother to 7 children, 4 adopted and 3 biological. MacKenzie and Sara talk about what it means to adore God in the middle of our busy lives, plus so much more. We hope this conversation encourages you in the midst of this chaotic time in all our lives. Sara talks about the importance of slowing down and reconnecting with the Lord Seeing this time as a gift because we have been given a new perspective on our lives Coming to God with your real, raw emotion, asking Him to speak back to you We have to go to God and be vulnerable with Him in order to allow Him to work in us Adore is really about finding God when you are weak Adoration is the nexus of my raw emotions and the truth of Who God is. Sara Hagerty Learning to feel our emotions and still go to God for what you are supposed to do with them Join the Patreon group to get in on the upcoming book club walking through Adoretogether Our misconceptions about adoration and looking at God’s character and how we can adore Him The power of worshipping God in the midst of hard times Sara’s typical daily routine now, and what it was like before the world turned sideways Sign up for our brand new interactive “Random but Lovely” e-newsletter on Substack! Just visit Mackenziekoppa.substack.com to subscribe today! Current Lovelies- Sara: getting outside and noticing the world around us MacKenzie: grounding outside whenever possible Resources Mentioned- Books: Adore by Sara Hagerty Persuasion by Jane Austen Movies: The Trouble with Angels Pride and Prejudice Clueless Podcasts: At Home with Sally And Sons Ransomed Heart The Emotionally Healthy Leader with Pete Scazzero Find Sara- You can find Sara on her website SaraHagerty.net. You can also follow her on Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter. Find MacKenzie- You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! Join us on Patreon at Patreon.com/CultivatingtheLovely. Thanks to Our Sponsors- Today’s episode of Cultivating the Lovely is sponsored by Literati. For a limited time, go to Literati.com/lovely for 25% OFF your first two orders. This episode of Cultivating the Lovely is brought to you by BetterHelp private online counseling. Visit BetterHelp.com/LOVELY for 10% OFF your first month of counseling.

On this week’s episode of Cultivating the Lovely, MacKenzie Koppa and her dear friend Chelle Bruzas sit down for a casual chat about how they are dealing with the current situation due to the corona virus. They share some encouragement, ideas and resources for you and your family to weather these uncertain times. We hope it will be a helpful and uplifting conversation! (Affiliate links are used in this content.) Chelle shares some thoughts from the Psalms Jennifer Dukes Lee’s ideas for being the light MacKenzie talks about how the lessons she learned over the last 2 years have prepared her for the present MacKenzie and Chelle’s Amazon Corona Survival Kit Health tips for staying healthy Vitamin C Alka Calm Vitamin D Care/Of Quick Sticks (use code LOVELY for discount!) Fresh air and exercise Epsom salt baths Cold plunging Throat lozenges Colloidal Silver nasal spray Green Juice powder Collagen peptides Grounding Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. Psalm 91:1 (NLT) MacKenzie’s plan for working around having her kids at home Some books and audio resources for joy and survival Find The Same Page podcast archives Beside Still Waters audio book The Together Journal Don’t Overthink It Playlists for lifting your mood Flower Therapy This Is How I Fight My Battles Chelle talks about beauty and flowers and how they uplift us Being an extrovert and being stuck at home due to social distancing Using Voxer and Marco Polo Using social media for good Writing letters and cards to friends and family Just reaching out and checking on others Sign up for our brand new interactive “Random but Lovely” e-newsletter on Substack! Just visit Mackenziekoppa.substack.com to subscribe today! Find Chelle- You can find Chelle Bruzas on Instagram. Find MacKenzie- You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! Join us on Patreon at Patreon.com/CultivatingtheLovely. Thanks to Our Sponsors- This episode of Cultivating the Lovely is brought to you by Grove. As a CTL listener, you can get a FREE 5-piece Sustainable Home starter set at Grove.co/LOVELY, plus free shipping and FREE 60-Day VIP trial with your first order. Today’s episode of Cultivating the Lovely is sponsored by Laurel Springs School. Cultivating the Lovely listeners, register your child today at laurelsprings.com/lovely to have the registration fee waived. CTL is also brought to you by YogaSleep. Go to YogaSleep.com/LOVELY to get 20% OFF your next order of a sound machine for your family.

Today on Cultivating the Lovely, MacKenzie sits down for a chat with her good friend Rebekah Sacran. They spend some time just catching up with each other, sharing some things they are loving here at the beginning of spring, and more. So sit back, relax and listen in on this fun, random conversation! (Affiliate links are used in this content.) What’s new in Rebekah’s life and why her life feels like everything is in transition How MacKenzie is dealing with the new parenting plan and other changes post-divorce MacKenzie’s ideas for automating her healthy eating plan If I can get the planning in place, then I think I can follow through. MacKenzie Koppa Rebekah’s current favorites in skin care: Teddie Organic Rose Hip Oil Ole Henriksen Vitamin C serum Rodan and Field Redefine Eye Cream Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum Using frankincense essential oil for blemishes MacKenzie’s current favorites in skin care: Paula’s Choice Vitamin C serum Paula’s Choice BHA exfoliant Trying out the Gua Sha technique MacKenzie talks about cold plunging and her current showering method Angie Green on Instagram Goop Lab on Netflix Rebekah talks about trying oil pulling sachets Learning when to give yourself grace about what to add into your routine Books MacKenzie and Rebekah are reading: American Royals On the Bright Side Little House series on Audible Caroline by Sarah Miller MacKenzie’s recommendation for watching The Office, Season 2, Ep. 12 Why MacKenzie is loving her ClearlyFiltered water bottle Rebekah and MacKenzie chat about their hopes to see the new Emma film Resources Mentioned- Podcasts: The Big Boo Cast Office Ladies Find Rebekah- You can find Rebekah Sacran on Instagram. Find MacKenzie- You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! Join us on Patreon at Patreon.com/CultivatingtheLovely. Thanks to Our Sponsors- This episode of Cultivating the Lovely is brought to you by BetterHelp private online counseling. Visit BetterHelp.com/LOVELY for 10% OFF your first month of counseling. Today’s episode of Cultivating the Lovely is sponsored by Care/Of. Get 50% off your first order when you visit takecareof.com and use code LOVELY50 at checkout. CTL is also brought to you by BioClarity. Right now you can save 15% off everything at BioClarity.com when you use coupon code LOVELY at checkout.

On the Cultivating the Lovely podcast this week, MacKenzie Koppa sits down for a chat with Anne Bogel. You probably know Anne from her blog Modern Mrs. Darcy or her podcast What Should I Read Next. Today's conversation centers around Anne's newest book Don't Overthink It. This is book about more than just decision-making, so sit back, relax, and enjoy this chat that has a little something for everyone! How and why Anne came to write a book about overthinking things Why MacKenzie loves Anne’s tips about how to stop overthinking everything How overthinking derails us when we have to deal with small problems The crucial connection between our physical bodies and surroundings and our ability to think clearly Sometimes if we don’t know what we really need, we can actively sabotage ourselves. Anne Bogel The concept of tending the garden of our thought lives Talking about overthinking in terms of trauma Every day decision fatigue and the little things that drain our mental energy Thinking of outsourcing as more than the obvious tasks that you can hire out Being willing to ask for and receive help from others Current Lovelies- Anne: getting ready for the daffodils in the spring while keeping the cozy lighting going indoors as much as possible MacKenzie: enjoying listening to Les Mis music with her daughter Resources Mentioned- Books: Affiliate links are used in this content. Don’t Overthink It The Body Keeps the Score Rapt: Attention and the Focused Life Find Anne- You can find Anne on her website ModernMrsDarcy.com and listen to her podcast, What Should I Read Next. You can also follow her on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter. Find MacKenzie- You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! Join us on Patreon at Patreon.com/CultivatingtheLovely. Thanks to Our Sponsors- This episode of Cultivating the Lovely is brought to you by the new FAM: For All Momspodcast. This Audioboom original is available wherever you find your favorite podcasts, so go subscribe now! Today’s episode of Cultivating the Lovely is sponsored by Clearly Filtered. You can enjoy a 20% OFF discount on a filtered water system by visiting ClearlyFiltered.com/LOVELY and using code LOVELY. 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.

On the Cultivating the Lovely podcast this week, MacKenzie Koppa interviews Melanie Shankle, co-host of The Big Boo Cast and author of several books, including her newest title On the Bright Side. Together MacKenzie and Melanie talk the new book, podcasting, skin care and more! (Amazon affiliate links are used in this content.) MacKenzie shares how she first heard about Melanie and what she loves so much about her podcast Melanie and MacKenzie do a little breakdown of their Outlander addiction and the new season Melanie talks a little about her book On the Bright Side and why it needed to be written Returning to a culture of civility and being kind to others with opposing views We’ve lost sight of what matters most. We’ve forgotten how to be decent human beings. We’ve lost the art of looking on the bright side. Melanie Shankle The importance of finding a few friends who can be your tribe Watching out for comparison and insecurity in friendship Trusting God with our own lives and with our children, as well Guiding our children through disappointment and helping them learning from failure Melanie and MacKenzie talk all about skincare Paula’s Choice Vitamin C Serum Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream Melanie’s current typical daily routine Current Lovelies- Melanie: knowing when to say “no” to things and making the most of her daughter’s time at home MacKenzie: cutting her own hair after a bad haircut and rocking it Resources Mentioned- Books: On the Bright Side Movies: Gone With the Wind Find Melanie- You can find Melanie on her website thebigmamablog.com and listen to her podcast, The Big Boo Cast. You can also follow her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Find MacKenzie- You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! Join us on Patreon at Patreon.com/CultivatingtheLovely. Thanks to Our Sponsors- Today’s episode of Cultivating the Lovely is sponsored by Clearly Filtered. You can enjoy a 20% OFF discount on a filtered water system by visiting ClearlyFiltered.com/LOVELY and using code LOVELY. Thanks to Yoga Sleep for sponsoring this episode of CTL. Go to YogaSleep.com/LOVELY to get 20% OFF your next order of a sound machine for your family. This week’s episode of CTL is brought to you by Grove. As a CTL listener, you can get a FREE 5-piece Sustainable Home starter set at Grove.co/LOVELY, plus free shipping with your first order.

On this week’s episode of Cultivating the Lovely, MacKenzie and Chelle continue their conversation about the enneagram. Today they are going to do a deep dive into the first three types on the enneagram, and they hope it will help you get a little more clarity. If you haven’t listened to last week’s episode on the resources Chelle and MacKenzie love and will refer back to today, you should definitely go do that first! Chelle and MacKenzie share a little more background info on the enneagram An overview of Type 1s, including core fears, core desires and more Why MacKenzie and Chelle admire Type 1s The common mistyping of Type 1s as 3s Some famous people who may be Type 1s An overview of Type 2s, which is Chelle’s type What MacKenzie loves about her Type 2 friends Why being a Type 2 is uncomfortable for Chelle Ways to love on the Type 2s in your life Some famous characters who could be 2s I think it is helpful to be able to look at the different types and see the similarities so that you can relate to one another. MacKenzie Koppa An overview of Type 3s, which is MacKenzie’s type How MacKenzie feels about being a Type 3 What Chelle loves about Type 3s The special difficulty of being a Type 3 recovering from emotional abuse Some famous characters who could be 3s Resources Mentioned- YourEnneagramCoach.com Books: (Affiliate links are used in this content.) Mirror of the Soul by Alice Fryling Becoming Us by Beth and Jeff McCord The Sacred Enneagram by Chris Huertz Find Chelle- You can find Chelle Bruzas on Instagram. Find MacKenzie- You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! Join us on Patreon at Patreon.com/CultivatingtheLovely. Thanks to Our Sponsors- CTL is brought to you by BetterHelp private online counseling. Visit BetterHelp.com/LOVELY for 10% OFF your first month of counseling. This week’s episode of CTL is brought to you by Aurate fine jewelry. For 15% off your first Aurate purchase, go to auratenewyork.com/lovely and use promo code lovely! This week’s episode of CTL is brought to you by Laurel Springs School. Cultivating the Lovely listeners, register your child today at laurelsprings.com/lovely to have the registration fee waived. We have all kinds of exciting things going on in the Patreon group. Head over to Patreon.com/cultivatingthelovely to check it out and join in the goodness!

Today on the CTL podcast, MacKenzie Koppa and Chelle Bruzas sit down and chat all about the enneagram. In this episode, MacKenzie and Chelle start covering the basics of the enneagram and how to find more resources to learn more yourself. Be sure to check back next week for more specific discussion about each of the enneagram types! We have all kinds of exciting things going on in the Patreon group this month. Head over to Patreon.com/cultivatingthelovely to check it out and join in the goodness! How Chelle and MacKenzie first figured out their own numbers Tips for finding your own enneagram number The benefit of having a close friend who balances our your strengths and weaknesses The power of the type songs from Ryan O’Neal from Sleeping At Last Using the memes from instagram to see what characteristics resonate with you If you don’t have a strategy or a plan for how to love people well, then it doesn’t happen. MacKenzie and Chelle Listening to podcasts to learn about all the different types Identify celebrities who are the same type as you are Looking at the triads to help narrow down your number Taking a test is a good place to go after you have learned some basics, and MacKenzie recommends Your Enneagram Coach Getting to know about the latent types that can affect how you react in certain circumstances How it can help to work with your teens to type themselves Find MacKenzie and Chelle’s favorite enneagram resources below Resources Mentioned- Affiliate links are used in this content. Books: The Road Back to You Becoming Us The Sacred Enneagram Enneagram Type Journals Self to Lose and Self to Find Podcasts: Sleeping at Last CTLP Episode 131 – Enneagram Deep Dive with Beth McCord Typology That Sounds Fun The Popcast Sandals Church Enneagram Series Websites: Your Enneagram Coach CrystalKnows.com The Enneagram Institute Instagram Accounts: @EnneagramandCoffee @EnneagramReposts @GinaGomez.co @YourEnneagramCoach @LeannandMichelle @LetteredbyHan_ Find Chelle- You can find Chelle Bruzas on Instagram. Find MacKenzie- You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! Join us on Patreon at Patreon.com/CultivatingtheLovely. Visit Our Sponsors- CTL is brought to you by Imperfect Foods. Go to ImperfectFoods.com/LOVELY through February 16, 2020 and enter code LOVELY to get $10 OFF your next 4 orders! This week’s episode of CTL is brought to you by BioClarity. Right now you can save 15% off everything at BioClarity.com when you use coupon code LOVELY at checkout. This week’s episode of CTL is brought to you by Grove. As a CTL listener, you can get a FREE 5-piece Sustainable Home starter set at Grove.co/LOVELY, plus free shipping with your first order.

On the Cultivating the Lovely podcast this week, MacKenzie Koppa talks with Sasha K. Shillcut, M. D. about her new book Between Grit and Grace: The Art of Being Feminine and Formidable. Sasha is a cardiac anesthesiologist, a wife, a mother of 4 and founder of Brave Enough, a community for female professionals. This conversation is for ALL women, not just those who work in or out of the home, so regardless of your season of life, we hope you will get something out of this episode! Why Sasha started Brave Enough and her goals for helping women be their true selves MacKenzie’s perspective as a work at home and stay at home mom Why “leadership backlash” happens when women speak up and assert themselves Sasha pushes back on the idea that women are hardest on each other Our struggles as women in different arenas are actually remarkably similar Recognizing our deep need for friendship no matter what season we are in God has made us unique, so we don’t need to fall into the comparison trap When you become brave enough to step into your own identity, the women around you oftentimes start to compare. Sasha K. Shillcut, M. D. How the Brave Enough community grew out of Sasha’s own need to recover her femininity and find a tribe Learning to be both bold and gracious How Sasha made time to write a book while being a doctor and a wife and mother The importance of knowing yourself and your uniqueness Sasha’s advice for unplugging and being in solitude Cautions against having a martyr mentality Being a good model for your kids of taking care of yourself A typical day in Sasha’s life Current Lovelies- Sasha: enjoying using her brand new massage chair for some relaxation MacKenzie: taking her kids and some friends bowling at the start of the weekend Resources Mentioned- Books: Between Grit and Grace Podcasts: Alli Worthington Jen Hatmaker How I Built This Movies: Legally Blonde Find Sasha- You can find Dr. Shillcut on her website becomebraveenough.com and listen to her podcast, The Brave Enough Show. You can also follow her on Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter. Find MacKenzie- You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! Join us on Patreon at Patreon.com/CultivatingtheLovely. Thanks to Our Sponsors- CTL is 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 week’s episode of CTL is brought to you by Wickbox. Get $10 off your first box, go to Wickbox.co and 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. We have all kinds of exciting things going on in the Patreon group. Head over to Patreon.com/cultivatingthelovely to check it out and join in the goodness!

Hey, ladies! MacKenzie is popping into your earbuds with a short bonus episode featuring a sneak peek at a new Audioboom original podcast, FAM: For All Moms. This podcast is literally for all moms living through the madness that is parenthood. Join hosts Susan Yara and Sharzad Kiadeh every Wednesday as they share their sometimes embarrassing experiences, while also providing advice from experts and friends. FAM: For All Moms premieres 1/29. Subscribe to FAM: For All Moms on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fam-for-all-moms/id1494037915

Today on Cultivating the Lovely podcast, host MacKenzie Koppa talks with Seth Haines. Seth is a lawyer, a photographer and the author of The Book of Waking Up: Experiencing the Divine Love That Reorders a Life. He and his wife, along with their four boys live in the Ozarks. MacKenzie and Seth chat about addiction, recovery, pain, and waking up to the life God wants you to have. Why this book is for everyone, not just someone struggling with addiction Misusing God’s good gifts to numb ourselves to pain The power of meditating on God and finding His divine love Every created thing is a gift from God given to us to use and to enjoy Him. Seth Haines Learning to recognize God’s quiet voice amidst painful circumstances Allowing ourselves to sit in the pain and wait on God to show up Seeing emotional pain as a signal that we need to tend to something Making the most of community and the tools God has provided for us to address our pain Seeing relationships differently once you wake up Being willing to see a different identity for yourself to move forward Waking up and recovering is a day-by-day process, not a one-time thing Why Seth internalized a message of scarcity and lack and how he is dealing with that today Seth’s routines for building in habits that will refresh and renew him A typical day in Seth’s life Current Lovelies- Seth: practicing his photography skills and working on a new book idea MacKenzie: journalling on a daily basis and getting back in the habit of writing Resources Mentioned- Affiliate links used in this content. Books: The Book of Waking Up Coming Clean Movies: O Brother, Where Art Thou Almost Famous Find Seth- You can find Seth on his website sethhaines.com. You can also follow him on YouTube,Instagram, and Twitter. Find MacKenzie- You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! Join us on Patreon at Patreon.com/CultivatingtheLovely. Thanks to Our Sponsors- This week’s episode of CTL is brought to you by Wickbox. Get $10 off your first box, go to Wickbox.co and use coupon code LOVELY at checkout. CTL is also brought to you by ClassPass. Get your first month FREE at ClassPass.com/NEWYEARS.

On the Cultivating the Lovely podcast this week, MacKenzie Koppa interviews Rebecca Bender, author of In Pursuit of Love: One Woman’s Journey from Trafficked to Triumphant. Rebecca is a survivor of human trafficking and is now a wife and mother with a busy speaking and advocacy schedule. She is passionate about teaching and about helping others realize that their stories matter. MacKenzie and Rebecca cover a variety of topics surrounding trauma, abuse and recovery, including: How much MacKenzie identified with Rebecca’s story and why Realizing that this kind of thing can happen to anyone and having grace for other people’s stories How our brains are built to adapt to and cope with trauma The gift of using different modalities in recovery from trauma What it was like for Rebecca going back to Las Vegas and being in places she had been when she was trafficked How trauma causes us to forget and block out memories While we might not be able to 100% relate with each other’s stories, all of us have this root of desiring to love and be loved. Rebecca Bender Rebecca’s new life and passion for helping people know that their stories matter Teaching our children to see the warning signs and take their time in relationships Why Rebecca decided to start a podcast The importance of training up our boys to be men of honor A typical day in Rebecca’s life right now Donate to Rebecca Bender’s Initiative campaign Current Lovelies- Rebecca: making time to be at with her daughters during a busy season MacKenzie: taking time out to be extra present with her kids heading into a challenging season Resources Mentioned- (Affiliate links are used in this content.) Books: In Pursuit of Love Podcasts: T. D. Jakes Bethel Sermon of the Week Expression 58 Movies: Gladiator Find Rebecca- You can find Rebecca on her website rebeccabender.org and listen to her new Hood to Holy podcast. You can also follow her on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter. Find MacKenzie- You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! Join us on Patreon at Patreon.com/CultivatingtheLovely. Thanks to Our Sponsors- 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 the Future 1-on-1 training app. Go to TryFuture.com/LOVELY for 50% OFF your first month! Today’s episode of CTL is brought to you by Imperfect Foods. Go to ImperfectFoods.com/LOVELY through February 16, 2020 and enter code LOVELY to get $10 OFF your next 4 orders!

On today’s episode of CTL, we continue the conversation with MacKenzie and Chelle all about their reading lives. They recap more of their favorites from 2019, and they also look ahead to 2020 and talk about what kinds of books they are excited about in the coming year. (Affiliate links are used in this content.) MacKenzie’s fastest reads from 2019: Waiting for Tom Hanks by Kerry Winfrey A Princess in Theory by Alyssa Cole Chelle’s favorite audio book of the year: The Magnificent Story by James Bryan Smith Chelle’s most thought-provoking books of the year: When to Walk Away by Gary Thomas Boundaries for Your Soul by Allison Cook and Kimberly Miller MacKenzie also recommends All My Friends Have Issues by Amanda Anderson A book MacKenzie read with Roman: No More Dead Dogs by Gordon Korman MacKenzie’s most researched book of 2019: The Gown by Jennifer Robson Chelle’s most researched book: Walking with God through Pain and Suffering by Timothy Keller The kinds of books Chelle is looking forward to reading in 2020 Adorning the Dark by Andrew Petersen Adore by Sara Hagerty There’s No Such Thing as Bad Weather by Linda Åkeson McGurk The Almost Nearly Perfect People by Michael Booth The Dollhouse by Fiona Davis Where the Light Gets In by Kimberly Williams-Paisley A Chance to Die by Elizabeth Elliot Stay by Anjuli Paschall The books that MacKenzie is look forward to reading in 2020 Don’t Overthink It by Anne Bogel On the Bright Side by Melanie Shankle Stand all the Way Up by Sophie Hudson The Book of Waking Up by Seth Haines Jane Austen’s Emma or Persuasion American Royals by Katharine McGee Victoria by Daisy Goodwin Sacred Rhythms by Ruth Haley Barton Atomic Habits by James Clear Look out for our seasonal book giveaways coming up throughout 2020! Resources Mentioned- CTLP Episode 141- Dealing with Toxic People with Gary Thomas Find Chelle- You can find Chelle Bruzas on Instagram and Goodreads. Find MacKenzie- You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Goodreads, Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! Join us on Patreon at Patreon.com/CultivatingtheLovely. Thanks to Our Sponsors- This week’s episode of CTL is brought to you by BioClarity. Right now you can save 15% off everything at BioClarity.com when you use coupon code LOVELY at checkout. CTL is brought to you by Grove. As a CTL listener, you can get a FREE 5-piece Sustainable Home starter set at Grove.co/LOVELY, plus free shipping with your first order.

This week on Cultivating the Lovely, MacKenzie Koppa and Chelle Bruzas sit down and talk about the books they read in 2019 and what their favorites were, as well as why they love Goodreads so much. This is only the first part of the conversation, so be sure to check back next week for part two in which MacKenzie and Chelle look ahead to their reading goals for 2020! Now, get your Amazon cart and TBR list ready, and sit back and listen in to this fun conversation! (Affiliate links are used in this content.) Why MacKenzie and Chelle love Goodreads Find and friend MacKenzie on Goodreads Find and friend Chelle on Goodreads Chelle’s favorite fiction books from 2019: The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows Becoming Mrs. Lewis by Patti Callahan MacKenzie’s favorite fiction books from 2019: London Celebrity Series by Lucy Parker The Winston Brothers Series by Penny Reid The Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon Chelle’s favorite non-fiction of the past year: Suffering is Never for Nothing by Elisabeth Elliot A Severe Mercy by Sheldon Vanauken A Light So Lovely by Sarah Arthur The Crosswick Journals by Madeleine L’Engle MacKenzie’s favorite non-fiction of the past year: A Love Letter Life by Audrey and Jeremy Roloff In Pursuit of Love by Rebecca Bender MacKenzie’s favorite humorous books from 2019: Home is Where My People Are by Sophie Hudson The Bassoon King by Rainn Wilson Chelle’s favorite humorous books were family read-alouds like The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson MacKenzie’s favorite memoire of the year: The Actor’s Life by Jenna Fischer Chelle’s longest read from 2019: Victoria The Queen by Julia Baird Resources Mentioned- CTLP Episode 141- Dealing with Toxic People with Gary Thomas Find Chelle- You can find Chelle Bruzas on Instagram. Find MacKenzie- You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! Join us on Patreon at Patreon.com/CultivatingtheLovely. Thanks to our Sponsors- 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 brought to you by Away Travel. Visit AwayTravel.com/LOVELY20 to buy your own new favorite Away Suitcase. Also, be sure to check out boldturquoise.com/thelovelymarket for our new Cultivating the Lovely merch! New products and designs will be added throughout the year, so come on over and do a little shopping!

Welcome to 2020 and a brand new decade! Today on Cultivating the Lovely, MacKenzie Koppa sits down with her good friend Chelle Bruzas to talk all things goal setting and New Year’s! They approach things from a different perspective, so this is a great conversation to listen in on as you start off your year! How Chelle and MacKenzie approach goal setting and planning differently Chelle tends toward spontaneity and focussing on people over plans How Chelle thinks of Jesus carrying her through her days amidst chronic illness and exhaustion MacKenzie has to approach her days with more structure and planning to provide for her family She feels more fulfilled and energetic when she is working toward her goals with purpose Assessing where you are before you start setting new goals Why Chelle uses notebooks instead of a specially designed planner Looking at smaller time periods for planning instead of really long-range goals Changing habits to aim more at the type of personal you want to become MacKenzie gives some examples of her specific health goals and action steps to reach them Removing the obstacles to starting and keeping up with habits Keeping your habits and plans in front of you so that you don’t forget them Having someone to keep you accountable and cheer you on Replacing a habit you want to quit with a better alternative Chelle’s outdoor walking habit and the difference it has made for her Embracing our differences and helping each other through our strengths Chelle and MacKenzie share their Word of the Year for 2020 Cultivating Groups are now open to register for this quarter! Become a Lovely Tribe Level supporter or higher on Patreon to sign up! Affiliate links are used in this content. Resources Mentioned- Books: Atomic Habits by James Clear Podcasts: Amy Porterfield podcast episode #295 with James Clear Find Chelle- You can find Chelle Bruzas on Instagram. Find MacKenzie- You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! Join us on Patreon at Patreon.com/CultivatingtheLovely. Thanks to Our Sponsors- Cultivating the Lovely is sponsored by Blume Hug Me deodorant. Get 25% off your first stick, plus free shipping, when you visit Blume.com/Cultivate. CTL is 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. Also, be sure to check out boldturquoise.com/thelovelymarket for our new Cultivating the Lovely merch! New products and designs will be added throughout the year, so come on over and do a little shopping!

This week on Cultivating the Lovely the Podcast, MacKenzie Koppa has her dear friend Chelle Bruzas back again to chat about all things Christmas. They share some of their favorite simple ways to celebrate the holiday even when there isn’t the time and energy to do All. The. Things. This is a fun, encouraging conversations, so grab your favorite hot beverage, prop up your feet, and enjoy! (Affiliate links are used in this content.) Being intentional about being present instead of making a huge list and setting expectations too high Why MacKenzie is so thankful that she felt prompted to decorate and start celebrating early MacKenzie talks about the unique Crescent window displays in downtown Spokane Keeping a select few traditions that you always do with your family MacKenzie’s family recipe for Popcorn Balls: 2 Cups Sugar 2/3 cup white corn syrup 2/3 cup water 1/2 cup butter 1 1/2 tsp salt 1 1/2 tsp Vanilla 1 cup uncooked plain popcorn (3 quarts popped) food coloring, if so desired Pop plain popcorn in a brown paper bag in the microwave 1/4 cup at a time. Pour popped popcorn into a bowl to separate out any unpopped kernels, then transfer to a large bowl or roasting pan. Keep popcorn warm in slow oven at 300 degrees. Stir and cook corn syrup, water, butter, and salt until sugar is dissolved. Cook until 270 on candy thermometer for a hard candy shell, or 260ish for a chewier ball (what we prefer). Add vanilla and food coloring after removing from heat. Pour candy over popcorn while stirring with a large spoon as you go to coat the popcorn evenly. You can place the roasting pan over low heat to unstick any syrup that might stick to the bottom and fully incorporate into popcorn. Coat hands in butter to form into balls, or leave loose for easier eating. You can also coat candy molds with butter and make suckers out of the syrup. Chelle’s family’s favorite homemade Christmas candy- Almond Roca: Ingredients: 1 cup butter 1 cup granulated sugar 1 cup chopped almonds or pecans 1 cup semi sweet or dark chocolate chips 1 tsp vanilla 1/2 tsp salt Instructions Line a 9 x 13 cookie sheet or glass pan with parchment paper and sprinkle with 1/2 cup of finely chopped nuts. Mix the butter and sugar, vanilla and salt in a sauce pan and cook over medium/high heat for around 5-13 minutes. Continue to cook, stirring constanly until the candy thermometer reads “Cracked Stage” or 300 degrees F on candy thermometer or when it's dark and caramel colored and starting to smoke. This is known as the hard crack stage (about 13 minutes in). I don’t actually own a candy thermometer so I test the candy for doneness, by dropping a small amount of candy into cup of very cold water, when it’s ready it should separate into hard brittle threads. This step will take your full attention and is the trickiest and most crucial part of the recipe. Pour the caramel mixture into the cookie sheet with spatula. Let it cool a just a bit and sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top, it will melt and you can spread it until smooth with a spatula. Top with finely chopped almonds or pecans ( our personal favorite ). Let cool completely and once the chocolate has hardened on the top, ( Some times I put the pan in the fridge or freezer to speed up this part ) use a knife to cut into small pieces. Share with your family, friends, teachers, neighbors, mailman and well pretty much anyone else not already mentioned, liberally. Favorite Christmas music and playlists: Chelle’s Spotify playlists Michael Buble Christmas The Grinch soundtrack Favorite Christmas movies: It’s a Wonderful Life White Christmas Little Women The Polar Express Home Alone The Santa Clause (1 and 2) National Lampoons The Holiday Chelle’s favorite Christmas books: The Greatest Gift by Ann Voskamp Watch for the Light by various authors WinterSong by Madeleine L’Engle Nancy and Plum by Betty MacDonald The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry The True Gift by Patricia MacLachlin Unwrapping the Greatest Gift by Ann Voskamp MacKenzie’s favorite Christmas books: Jotham’s Journey by Arnold Ytreeide Bartholomew’s Passage by Arnold Ytreeide Mr. Dickens and His Carol by Samantha Silva Father Christmas series by Robin Jones Gunn Unafraid: Mary by Francine Rivers The Snow Bride by Debbie Macomber One Day in December by Josie Silver The Little Book of Hygge by Meik Wiking The Year of Living Danishly by Helen Russell Decorating for Christmas in a way that really reflects your tastes Letting go of things that might drain your life this Christmas, like Elf on the Shelf! Also, be sure to check out boldturquoise.com/thelovelymarket for our new Cultivating the Lovely merch! New products and designs will be added in the coming year, so come on over and do a little shopping! Find Chelle- You can find Chelle Bruzas on Instagram. Find MacKenzie- You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! Join us on Patreon at Patreon.com/CultivatingtheLovely. Thanks to Our Sponsors- Today’s epis

On the Cultivating the Lovely podcast this week, MacKenzie interviews Tina McNeilly, author of the new book, La La Lovely: The Art of Finding Beauty in the Everyday. Trina is also a speaker and founder lifestyle blog, La La Lovely. She and her husband, Stephen, and their four children make their home outside Chicago, Illinois. In today’s conversation, MacKenzie and Trina talk about how to survive, and even thrive, during a hard holiday season. Trina shares a little of the behind the scenes of how this book was created and designed Why beauty is important and something we should seek What looking for loveliness during holidays has been like for Trina in different seasons Helping our children walk through hard times and finding the good things with them How Trina keeps the holiday season simple and keeps her faith central The value of small beginnings Giving yourself grace in how you choose to celebrate instead of sticking to some arbitrary rule Trina’s new resource “When the Holidays are Hard” You have permission to grieve and to have joy in the same season A typical day in Trina’s life Letting go of the things that are outside of our control and being flexible Current Lovelies- Trina: getting outside in nature and noticing the beauty around her MacKenzie: listening to The Office Ladies podcast with her son and watching the episodes together Resources Mentioned- Books: La La Lovely Podcasts: Deliciously Ella Rhythms for Life with Rebekah Lyons 10 Things to Tell You with Laura Tremaine Growing Big People with Paul Scanlon Movies: You’ve Got Mail Find Trina- You can find Trina on her website trinamcneilly.com. You can also follow her on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Youtube and Twitter. Find MacKenzie- You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! Join us on Patreon at Patreon.com/CultivatingtheLovely. Thanks to Our Sponsors- CTL is brought to you by Plan to Eat meal planning service. Their big 50% OFF sale is coming November 29, 2019! Visit PlanToEat.com/LOVELY to start your free 60-day trial instead of the normal 30-day trial. Today’s episode of CTL is brought to you by Grove. As a CTL listener, you can get a FREE 5-piece Mrs. Meyers cleaning set at Grove.co/LOVELY, plus free shipping with your first order.

This week on the Cultivating the Lovely podcast, MacKenzie Koppa and Chelle Bruzas sit down for a fun chat about their favorite Christmas gift ideas for this year. If you are needing some inspired, thoughtful gift suggestions, this is the conversation for you! All these links will take you straight to the lists on Amazon, for your shopping convenience! (Affiliate links are used in this content.) Baby Gift Guide favorites Toddler Gift Guide favorites Girl Gift Guide favorites Boy Gift Guide favorites Teen Girl Gift Guide favorites Family Gift Guide favorites Guy Gift Guide favorites Ladies Gift Guide favorites You can also give the gift of Cultivating the Lovely to yourself or a friend by getting or gifting a subscription to our Patreon group! Cultivating Groups are going to be opening up again soon, so now is the time to join! Resources Mentioned- Roman’s Youtube Channel Modern Mrs. Darcy Kindle Deals Homer Reading App Find Chelle- You can find Chelle Bruzas on Instagram. Find MacKenzie- You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! You can also listen to her family-friendly podcast The Same Page! Thanks to Our Sponsors- Cultivating the Lovely is sponsored by Policy Genius. Go to PolicyGenius.com to find the right coverage for you and your family. Today’s episode of CTL is also brought to you by StoryWorth. For $20 OFF, visit storyworth.com/lovely when you subscribe. CTL is 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.

On Cultivating the Lovely this week, we have a little different show than what we normally do. Our host MacKenzie Koppa's brother, Kaleb, unexpectedly passed away recently, and in light of that, she wanted to honor him and talk a little about how she and her family are coping. MacKenzie is joined by her good friend Chelle Bruzas for this conversation, in which they also share some ideas on how to support someone in the early stages of grief. MacKenzie shares what it was like to grow up with her brother having significant physical disabilities, primarily Spina Bifida She talks about the strength and courage her parents have had throughout Kaleb’s whole life Chelle shares a little of her own family’s story of advocating for her brother when he had leukemia MacKenzie shares about Kaleb’s incredibly full life and his ability to find the joy and humor in situations The gift that it was for MacKenzie and her children to have so much close time with her brother last year How much it meant for their family’s pastor to meet with them and understand their feelings Holding the heartbreak along with the mercy of healing and wholeness Facing the truth of how hard and ugly grief is instead of throwing platitudes at people The ways God has shown His love and provision in the midst of intense difficulty MacKenzie talks about her family’s tendency to choose laughter over tears, even in tough times She shares how important it is to give others the space to grieve in their own way Some practical ways that people have reached out and been a blessing: Just being there to listen Providing meals for the family Giving flowers for the funeral Helping with technology and practical aspects of the service Not being offended when an offer is turned down Check back in next week for our more light-hearted episode featuring the Cultivating the Lovely Gift Guide! And here are the link to the gift guides if you would like to view them prior to the show- CTL Christmas Gift Guide for Toddlers CTL Christmas Gift Guide for Boys CTL Christmas Gift Guide for Teen Girls CTL Guys Christmas Gift Guide CTL Ladies Christmas Gift Guide Kaleb Koppa January 29, 1986-November 13, 2019 Kaleb was 33 yrs old when God reached down and scooped him up to heaven. He slipped away in his sleep on Wednesday, November 13th, 2019. Kaleb was born on January 29, 1984, and at the time of his passing lived with his parents, Jeff and Lori Koppa, in Kendall Yards in Spokane, WA. Kaleb is survived by them as well as his older sister, MacKenzie; her four children, Roman, Judah, Emmerson and Elliana; his grandparents Ida Collins, Linda Collins, Jim and Jeannette Koppa; his aunt and uncle Michelle and Rick Pettina and their son, Jackson; as well as many other loving aunts, uncles and cousins. Kaleb had a life rich in experiences- his disability never held him back from trying new things. Though it was assumed by doctors that he may never walk, by the age of three he could walk confidently, unaided, and he did so until the age of 13 when complications from his Spina Bifida necessitated a wheelchair as his new mode of mobility. As a child he was known for his incredible memory and proficiency with electronics. He was always the guy who took care of all the technological details and foibles of his family. In his youth he acted in plays, water and snow skied, rode horses, and even tried indoor rock climbing. In high school he played on St. Luke’s wheelchair basketball team and participated twice in the Para Olympic Trials for a variety of sports including track, table tennis, weightlifting, and archery. He was even known to command the dance floor at high school dances with his amazing rhythm. After graduating from Mt. Spokane HS, Kaleb went on to receive an AA Degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management from SCC, and worked for a number of years with youth at the YMCA. Kaleb is best remembered, however, for his love and care for people and animals. He never realized how inspirational he was to so many and how he made us stop and embrace things we all take for granted. He left an indelible mark on everyone who met him. His infectious smile, contagious laughter, positive outlook, and penchant for doling out hugs to anyone and everyone, were hallmarks of who he was. Though Kaleb endured 24 surgical operations, his body was held together by a litany of rods, screws, bolts, and plates, and he daily faced the struggles inherent of life in a wheelchair, it’s hard to recall him ever complaining. While his body may have been broken, Kaleb was incredibly smart and possessed a sharp wit and sense of humor that, while often dry, always looked for the funny side of life. There were few things as fun as watching him have one of his uncontrollable episodes of laughter, when he would laugh until he cried, and were often brought on by even the smallest, silliest of things. People were drawn to his magnetic personality and his welcoming hugs could soften even the hardest disposition. You just couldn

Today on the CTL podcast, we get to listen in on a conversation between MacKenzie and author and speaker Michele Cushatt. Michele is a wife and mother of 6 who has been through the difficulties of single parenting, cancer surgeries, and other kinds of loss. MacKenzie and Michele talk about her new book, Relentless: The Unshakeable Presence of a God Who Never Leave, focussing on keeping our faith amidst life's hardest trials. (Affiliate links are used in this content.) Michele talks a little about how she came to write this book through her own experience of prolonged trials The difficulty of holding onto faith when things don't make any sense Valuing the process of grappling with your doubts and taking them to God The importance of keeping sight of the ways God has been faithful to you in the past to help you get through the hard things in the future Michele's strategy for setting up "altar stones" of remembrance Why Michele included so much about her father in her own story Holding the faith amidst the realization that other believers are probably going to wound us at times Having been through our own difficulties help us have grace for other people who are hurting Recognizing that we are going to fail, but God will be faithful through it all Our deep fear of being aloneness and what it means for our relationship with God The importance of creating connections with people who will walk with us through the hard times Creating space for others to struggle with their faith by sharing your own vulnerabilities Michele's typical daily routine Current Lovelies- Michele: enjoying drawing and writing with her new markers in her own style of gratitude journal MacKenzie: watching Hallmark movies and enjoying decorating her house for Christmas early Resources Mentioned- Relentless by Michele Cushatt Soul-Keeping by John Ortberg Lord of the Rings Trilogy Pride and Prejudice Les Miserables Find Michele- You can find Michele at michellecushatt.com, and listen to her podcast, This Undone Life Together. You can also follow her on Facebook, Instagram, Youtube and Twitter. Find MacKenzie- You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! Join us on Patreon at Patreon.com/CultivatingtheLovely. You can also listen to her family-friendly podcast The Same Page! Thanks to Our Sponsors- Today's episode of CTL is brought to you 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. CTL is brought to you by Plan to Eat meal planning service. Their big 50% OFF sale is coming November 29, 2019! Visit PlanToEat.com/LOVELY to start your free 60-day trial instead of the normal 30-day trial. Cultivating the Lovely is also sponsored by the Homer reading app. Visit learnwithhomer.com/lovely for a free 30-day trial.

This week on the Cultivating the Lovely podcast, MacKenzie Koppa sits down for a heart to heart chat with her real life friend, author Tricia Goyer. Tricia is a wife and mother of 10, as well as caretaker for her 90-year-old grandmother, aside from being a busy speaker and author. This conversation centers around Tricia's new book The Grumble-Free Year. (Affiliate links are used in this content.) How and why Tricia embarked on the big family social experiment that became this book Learning to go to God for help with changing attitudes instead of relying on ourselves The difference between grumbling about something and being able to share our struggles with people who care Choosing to focus on the solutions instead of just the problems Acknowledging the hard things instead of trying stuff them inside while still deliberately choosing gratitude Pointing out the things our children are doing well instead of picking on the things they are doing wrong The power of apologizing and humbling ourselves to admit to our kids when we've messed up Being aware of times when grumbling is more likely to happen and getting to the heart of the issue Tricia tells the story of the Build-a-Bear incident The reward of successfully working as a family to have better attitudes Join the Grumble-Free 30 Day Challenge with Tricia during the holidays A typical day in Tricia's family right now Current Lovelies- Tricia: making time for family dinners on a regular basis MacKenzie: enjoying doing the Morning Show in the CTL Patreon group again Resources Mentioned- Books: The Grumble-Free Year Twice-Rescued Child Find Tricia- You can find Tricia at triciagoyer.com, and listen to her Walk It Out podcast. You can also follow her on Facebook,Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter. Find MacKenzie- You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! You can also listen to her family-friendly podcast The Same Page! Thanks to Our Sponsors- Cultivating the Lovely is sponsored by Blume Hug Me deodorant. Get 25% off your first stick, plus free shipping, when you visit Blume.com/Cultivate. Hello Fresh meal kit delivery service also sponsored this episode of Cultivating the Lovely. Get 9 FREE meals when you go to HelloFresh.com/CTL9 and use code CTL9 at checkout. Thanks to VistaPrint for sponsoring this episode of CTL. Get up to 50% Off of holiday photo cards and calendars when you go to VistaPrint.com enter promo code LOVELY50. Today's episode of CTL is brought to you by BioClarity. Right now you can save 15% off everything at BioClarity.com when you use coupon code LOVELY at checkout.

This week on Cultivating the Lovely, MacKenzie has a chat with author and speaker Gary Thomas about his new book When to Walk Away: Finding Freedom from Toxic People. Gary and his wife of 35 years have three children and live outside of Houston, TX. He has a heart for marriage, family and the church, and that love for people shines through this conversation with MacKenzie. (Affiliate links are used in this content.) How Gary realized this book needed to be written through his own encounter with a toxic person Gary shares his heart for marriage while being real about abuse The danger of telling others to stay in relationship with toxic people Biblical examples of how to deal with toxic relationships Challenges from within the church to victims of abuse Gary identifies some warning signs that you may be in relationship with a toxic person If someone is stopping you from fulfilling God’s mission for you If someone is destroying your spirit If someone is controlling you If someone is gaslighting you or making you feel crazy The crucial importance of having strong Christian friends who can help you deal with toxic relationships Gary describes what “gaslighting” is and how to tell if it is happening to you The difference between a truly toxic person and someone who is acting in a toxic way but can change Why it is crucial to get a counselor to help you with a potentially violent person Some advice for singles Gary’s typical daily routine Current Lovelies- Gary: diffusing essential oils in his office at work Resources Mentioned- Books: When to Walk Away Podcasts: The Five Brainfood/The Knowledge Project Joe Rogan Movies: About Time Find Gary- You can find Gary at garythomas.com. You can also follow him on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Find MacKenzie- You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! You can also listen to her family-friendly podcast The Same Page! Thanks to Our Sponsors- CTL is brought to you by Plan to Eat meal planning service. Their big 50% OFF sale is coming November 29, 2019! Visit PlanToEat.com/LOVELY to start your free 60-day trial instead of the normal 30-day trial. This week’s episode is also sponsored by EverlyWell. For 15% OFF you own at home lab test kit, go to EverlyWell.com/LOVELY and enter code LOVELY at checkout. Today’s episode of CTL is brought to you by Policy Genius. Go to PolicyGenius.com to find the right coverage for you and your family.

Using four forms of rest to combat stress and anxiety. Show Notes- Affiliate links are used in this content. On today’s episode of Cultivating the Lovely, host MacKenzie Koppa talks with author and speaker Rebekah Lyons about her new book Rhythms of Renewal: Trading Stress and Anxiety for a Life of Peace and Purpose. Rebekah and her husband Gabe, along with their four children, live and work in Franklin, Tennessee. Together MacKenzie and Rebekah talk about both the why’s and how’s of creating your own rhythms of renewal, including: How Rebekah came to write this book on the topic of rest and renewal Some of the challenges we face in the digital age to establishing good habits of rest and health How our bodies are wired to deal with stress and trap trauma The problem with just medicating to cope instead of truly healing Recognizing the need to get back in touch with our humanity Addressing the real physical components of holistic healing The power of true forgiveness in our own lives (MacKenzie mentions this episode of The Ultimate Health Podcast featuring an interview with Dave Asprey. The forgiveness and gratitude link portion begins around 57:13.) Seeking God’s created natural rhythms for wellness Seeing the way that faith and science actually work together How much God cares about rest and Sabbath The destructive affect of the digital and virtual reality age on relationships and intimacy The problem of shame How being creative helps us come alive Borrowing hope from others What Rebekah’s typical day looks like Get ready for the coming year in the Cultivating the Lovely community by getting your PowerSheets from Cultivate What Matters. Go to boldturquoise.com/powersheets to order. Current Lovelies- Rebekah: bringing in fresh flowers and growing herbs MacKenzie: adjusting to the darker evenings with lower light Resources Mentioned- Books: Rhythms of Renewal The Soul of Shame Find Rebekah- You can find Rebekah at rebekahlyons.com. She and her husband have a podcast called Rhythms for Life. You can also follow her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Find MacKenzie- You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! You can also listen to her family-friendly podcast The Same Page! Thanks to Our Sponsors- Cultivating the Lovely is sponsored by Blume Hug Me deodorant. Get 25% off your first stick, plus free shipping, when you text CULTIVATE to 797979. This week’s episode is also brought to you Yumi Organic Baby Food. For $60 off your first month, go to HelloYumi.com and enter promo code LOVELY at checkout. Today’s episode of CTL is brought to you by Honey, the smart online shopping assistant. Get Honey for free when you go to joinhoney.com/lovely. Today’s episode of CTL is brought to you by BioClarity. Right now you can save 40% offSkin Care Routines, plus 15% off everything else at BioClarity.com when you use coupon code LOVELY at checkout.

A chat with Amanda Anderson about healthy friendships. Show Notes- (Affiliate links are used in this content.) This week on the CTL podcast, MacKenzie Koppa chats with author and speaker Amanda Anderson about her book All My Friends Have Issues: Building Remarkable Relationships with Imperfect People (Like Me). Together MacKenzie and Amanda cover a range of topics related to building healthy friendships and maintaining good boundaries, including: Amanda talks about her book-writing journey MacKenzie and Amanda discuss the faithfulness required to move toward your goals Authenticity versus intimacy in building relationships Not every friendship needs to be at the same depth Amanda talks about how the idea of “finding your tribe” may not be all that helpful to us in building friendship today Cautions against placing expectations on friends that are too high, unhealthy, or unrealistic The value of having several different people to speak truth into your life Toxic relationships and setting healthy boundaries Rebuke versus restoration in the church What it’s like to have friendships in which you can give and receive correction The difference between hearing hard truths from friends instead of from your spouse Amanda’s typical daily routine Be sure to check out the audio version of All My Friends Have Issues to get the extra bonus chapter that didn’t make it into the print version! Current Lovelies- Amanda: finding time to do creative things like sewing projects MacKenzie: listening to music on Pandora for a change Resources Mentioned- Books: All My Friends Have Issues Movies: When Harry Met Sally Talladega Nights Find Amanda- You can find Amanda at heartintraining.com. You can also follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Find MacKenzie- You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! You can also listen to her family-friendly podcast The Same Page! Thanks to Our Sponsors- Today's episode of CTL is 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 also sponsored by the Homer reading app. Visit learnwithhomer.com/lovely for a free 30-day trial. This week's episode is also brought to you Yumi Organic Baby Food. For $60 off your first month, go to HelloYumi.comand enter promo code LOVELY at checkout.

On this week's episode of Cultivating the Lovely, we get to hear the rest of MacKenzie's conversation with Brooke Rasmussen. Last time we left off on the cusp of Brooke's family moving to Israel, so we pick up at that point in their story. If you didn't listen to the first half of MacKenzie and Brooke's chat, go back and listen to Episode 137 here. What it was like moving to Jerusalem and being in the place that Biblical history took place How Brooke used journalling to find herself in the midst of overwhelm The cultural differences between Israel, Poland and the U. S. and learning to change expectations for social interactions Why it is often harder for the stay-at-home mom to forge community in a new country and culture than for the rest of the family How Brooke felt when she found other people who understood her experience Learning to let relationships last for certain seasons The Rasmussens' decision to resign from diplomatic service and move to Brooke's hometown Enjoying living close to grandparents and having a family different dynamic Settling in and learning to live where you are, instead of always looking ahead to the next thing A typical day in Brooke's family Current Lovelies- Brooke: enjoying running for fun for the first time MacKenzie: reading fun fiction, listening to entertaining podcasts and trying to distract herself Resources Mentioned- Affiliate links are used in this content. Podcasts: Jordan B. Peterson Movies: Lars and the Real Girl Thanks to Our Sponsors- CTL is 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. Thanks to VistaPrint for sponsoring this episode of CTL. Get FREE SHIPPING on all business cards, any style, any quantity, 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. Find MacKenzie- You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! You can also listen to her family-friendly podcast The Same Page!

Show Notes- On today's episode of CTL, we have the first of a special two-part series with MacKenzie Koppa and her high-school friend Brooke Rasmussen. Brooke and her husband, along with their seven children, have lived around the world. Today, MacKenzie and Brooke chat all about what it was like to move to so many unique places and adjust to many different cultures. Brooke talks about their first tour when her husband was a diplomat in Eritrea, Africa Learning to live with less, especially where food is concerned Changing her perspective on pity versus generosity Equipping their family to handle future challenges Learning that language is not always that big of a barrier Shifting perspective on chasing beauty by cultural standards The transition from Africa to Poland, in the States for training Brooke talks about life in Warsaw, Poland Ease of travel and abundance of food Enjoying the history and cultures in and around Poland Getting used to having babies amidst transition periods The blessing of having friends nearby for the kids The difference in other cultures' views on family size Returning to the U.S. for a home assignment The decision to take an assignment in Jerusalem Tune in next week to hear the rest of MacKenzie and Brooke's discussion and find out about the Rasmussen's time in Jerusalem, plus so much more! Find MacKenzie- You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! You can also listen to her family-friendly podcast The Same Page! Thanks to Our Sponsors- Today's episode of CTL is brought to you by Policy Genius. Go to PolicyGenius.com to find the right coverage for you and your family. This week's episode is also sponsored by EverlyWell. For 15% OFF you own at home lab test kit, go to EverlyWell.com/LOVELY and enter code LOVELY at checkout. Cultivating the Lovely is also sponsored 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 week on the CTL podcast, MacKenzie Koppa chats with Erin Moon. Erin is the COO of the PopcastMedia Group and resident scholar of the Bible Binge podcast, plus being a Bible study author. Erin is also a busy wife and mother living in Birmingham, Alabama. Erin tells her story, starting with her experiences at Christian summer camp How Erin got involved in creating content and writing Bible studies for ministries Taking on the responsibility of studying the Bible instead of being intimidated MacKenzie and Erin chat about the Bible Binge podcast The benefit of having some pushback in discussing the Word of God Differentiating between surface issues and creed-level issues of faith How Erin came to work with The Popcast and the Bible Binge podcasts MacKenzie and Erin chat about how they use their enneagram types in their work and relationships Erin talks about her new devotional coming out this week, The Comfortable Words MacKenzie asks Erin about how she and her husband keep their relationship healthy with totally unique personalities and interests Erin's typical daily rhythm Affiliate links are used in this content. Current Lovelies- Erin:doing yoga and morning and evening stretches MacKenzie:reading fluffy fiction to wind down at the end of the day Resources Mentioned- Podcast: The Bible for Normal People The Big Boo Cast The Cut Every Little Thing Heavyweight Invisibilia The Next Right Thing Revisionist History Stuff You Missed in History Class With Friends Like These Without Fail Criminal Movies: Notting Hill Mrs. Winterbourne From Justin To Kelly Find Erin- You can find Erin at erinhmoon.com. You can also follow her on Instagram @erinhmoon. Find MacKenzie- You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! You can also listen to her family-friendly podcast The Same Page! Thanks to Our Sponsors- Today's episode of CTL is brought to you by Honey, the smart online shopping assistant. Get Honey for free when you go to joinhoney.com/lovely. This week's episode is also sponsored 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 the Homer reading app. Visit learnwithhomer.com/lovely for a free 30-day trial.

Today on Cultivating the Lovely, MacKenzie chats with radio host Bekah Eaker of Way-FM’s popular The Wally Show. Bekah’s husband has had severe health complications for a few years, and she and MacKenzie go deep with how they deal with prolonged stress. This episode is full of insight and encouragement both for people in similar situations and anyone who knows someone who could use support. How Bekah and MacKenzie handle having to keep showing up for a public platform while in ongoing stress Learning to do what has to be done in order to move forward The importance of therapy or counseling for help to cope and to have an outside person to talk to Ways Bekah takes care of herself on a daily basis while also being her husband’s caretaker Bekah’s challenges amidst a changing relationship with her husband due to his health issues How the Enneagram has helped MacKenzie deal with stress in relationships better Building community in order to give and get the support we all need Bekah and MacKenzie’s love of the Marco Polo app for building friendships Planning and looking to the future when life is full of uncertainty Trusting God and wrestling with Him in the middle of really difficult circumstances Supporting a friend who is going through a hard time by just agreeing that it is really tough A typical day in Bekah’s life as a morning radio show host Current Lovelies- Bekah: doing whatever she can to build community MacKenzie: getting involved with her daughter’s school functions Resources Mentioned- Affiliate links are use in this content/ Books: Waiting for Tom Hanks Music: Jason Gray “Not Right Now” Movies: Morning Glory Find Bekah- You can find Bekah on Instagram and Twitter. You can also listen to her on The Wally Show. Find MacKenzie- You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! You can also listen to her family-friendly podcast The Same Page! Thanks to our Sponsors- CTL is 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 week's episode is also sponsored by the Preciousapp. Go to Preciousapp.com/LOVELYfor your free 3-Day trial of Baby Art Unlimited. 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.

Affiliate links are used in this content. Thanks to VistaPrintfor 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/LOVELY20for $20 Offan 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: Greatest Showman Hidden Figures Find Melissa- You can find Melissa on her website, melissadarabian.net. You can also follow her on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterestand Twitter. Find MacKenzie- You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! You can also listen to her family-friendly podcast The Same Page!

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- You can find Brian on his website, BrianDixon.com, or listen to his podcast, The Clarity Podcast. You can also follow him on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Find MacKenzie- You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! You can also listen to her family-friendly podcast The Same Page! Thanks to our Sponsors- 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.