The Connection

What's your heart behind hosting? A clean house? A well trained dog? In today's episode we talk about our motive to either BLESS others or IMPRESS others. As I walk through several scenarios throughout our fall hosing events this past year, I ask you to guess what my motive was and ideas on how to change it. I hope this episode encourages you as it convicted me. Heading into the holiday season with friends and family gathering more than normal, I'm praying this episode sets you free from the pressure to impress others! Instead, I hope you can bask in the joy of being motivated to bless. https://www.rockkenneltraining.com/

I'm okay with the fact that I have needs- like sleep. (Because I have a little baby) So I am not going to write a description, I'm just simply going to bed right now! If you struggle with feeling you always need to be "strong", just have a listen! (Oh, and also listen to the Anne Wilson song, Strong.) Okay I am going to stop typing now because again I have a BIG need right now... zzzzzzz

Today is a reflection over the past year as we have grieved the loss of our mom/mom-in-law/nana. Here are the things she taught me that I want to pass along to you for encouragement. -Put family first-Rest-Don't try to do so much-Serve others-Host and include everyone-Play and make things fun for the kids-Pray, always, about everythingand most of all... ENJOY LIFE."Death can be a coach or motivator to celebrate (or enjoy) the here and now while we have it"Magic in the Messiness episode"A routine, project, or task's level of success should NOT be marked by efficiency but legacy."Learn Do Become LinkCody Johnson's song- Till You Can't."Cause you'll never know how much you wanna, until you can't some day"How are you going to start ENJOYING the blessings in your life?Send me a message and fill me in at- RockKennelTraining.com Need help "enjoying" your dog but can't because of their behavior needs? Contact us to get on the wait list for our e-collar program that is filling up fast for this fall.

"Just be Held" by Casting CrownsWhat in the world is baptism and why it's important

So... I kinda sorta have been holding in a secret for the last 32 weeks! I am beyond excited to share with you why it has been so hard to step away from my business and enter into a season of rest as we prepare to welcome baby #3 into our lives. Is slowing down hard for you? Are you always wanting to take the overtime shift? Are you addicted to checking things off your to do list? Do you have millions of projects in your mind that you want to accomplish- now? None of these things are bad necessarily. What a blessing to the world to have people who like to work hard and get things done, however, there is a danger. When we allow things to go unchecked, our hearts believe a lie! Ready for it... "It all depends on us!" Resting and replenishing from work becomes excruciating to enter into when we believe everything will fall apart if we don't do x, y, or z. But this is literally simply not true! WE ARE NOT GOD! And that is a good news! After an incredibly convicting message at church last Sunday, I am choosing to take God at his word and entrust RKT into his hands as I understand the success of my work doesn't rely on me. What is it for you? Do you need to start saying "no" to certain commitments so you can say yes to rest and the enjoyment of good things in life? My mother in law Annie would plead with you if she was here to not wait. Life is short. You are never guaranteed your next breath so stop running so hard, striving so deeply, and believing the life that it all depends on you. Bask in the freedom and joy that is found in the reality that you are not God, and that's good news. https://www.rockkenneltraining.com/Episode "Striving to BE instead of ACHIEVE"https://open.spotify.com/episode/6DYN2LZMSzDirLdsHigHAO?si=XZXtG87wS0itAF5MQNLAygEpisode "Slow and Steady"https://open.spotify.com/episode/2FOFtabfwNKaXqrJShgk2d?si=buXq2dLJT9WlwoA1AV-OtgEpisode "Life's not Fair" https://open.spotify.com/episode/0DgFV53L2fTvvuLDWSYm5z?si=RfACl46sRl-qK9vL6f9W_AIncredible Book- "You're Only Human"https://www.christianbook.com/youre-human-limits-reflect-design-thats/kelly-kapic/9781587435102/pd/435107

Gosh darn it! I love bringing you content that hopefully encourages you as it convicts me! This is one of those episodes where I am preaching at myself today! Do you feel like you are capable? Have the ability to change other's actions and attitudes? Feel like you are strong enough to manage and control all your fears, anxieties, and frustrations? Me either! Honestly, if we are truly honest with ourselves we need someone who will fight those hard relational battles for us. Someone who has an undefeated record. I think we just need Jesus. But that's too simple right? What does that practically look like? PRAYER. That's the battle plan! Just as a trainer who asks reactive dogs to surrender it all and retreat to their place beds, we too need to retreat from the battlefield. We need to go to "place" where we can... pray! Don't know how to pray? PLEASEEEEE check out the linked resources below. Like, for real ya'll! This movie and these books will give you PRACTICAL , EASY, STEP BY STEP ENCOURAGEMENT to start doing the strongest, most powerful thing you'll ever do! Admit your need for Jesus, fight the battle on your knees, and become the BEST version of yourself (better than you ever knew possible!) Battle Belongs- Phil WickhamHonestly, we just need Jesus- TerrianWar Room MovieFervent Book - Priscilla ShirerPrayer Coach- James Nicodemhttps://www.rockkenneltraining.com/

Do you have people in your life who are hard to love? Struggle with a desire to “get even”? Been holding on to bitterness from the wrong people have done? We want to battle, fight, and lash out in our frustration and insecurity. But how is that going for us? Although it may feel good in the moment, we are spinning our wheels and feeding our addiction of defensiveness or drama. What if we could turn from the chaos and surrender the battle to someone who is far more capable and powerful than us? How would we feel? Peaceful. Content. Satisfied. Safe. Here at RKT, when we ask our reactive dogs to perform the "Back to Distract" exercise it's hard work! It's something we aren't giving any wiggle room on. BUT when the dog finally surrenders, the look they give their owners is one of peace, contentment, relief, and safety. Thank God for reactive dogs who help bridge the connection that this is what God requires of us. Take a listen to the song below. Talk to Him today. And let HIM start fighting your battles for you. On leash reactivity doesn't look good on you anyway. It's hard work to trust and surrender and "turn your back to what distracts" but with God, the effort is always always worth it! Battle Belongs song link-->https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=johgSkNj3-Ahttps://www.rockkenneltraining.com/daycarehttps://www.rockkenneltraining.com/ecollar

So often, we act as if we don't have someone who is not only capable but WILLING to help us with our problems in life. We attack the things that plague us (like relationship tension, hard decisions, triggers that cause us to slip up every time) instead of abiding with the one who is our solution. Abide? What does that mean? To stay connected to, rely on, check in with, etc. Today we opened with comparison between between a wolf and a dog. The wolf attempts to solve his problems on his own strength. A dog, abides. Checks in with the human and knows they can help with the solution to their problem. I hope this episode encourages you to turn to God, maybe for the first time, and ask for His help and guidance. Or maybe you have a relationship with God. If that's the case, what area or situation in your life are you trying to solve like a wolf instead of abiding in His power, resources, strength, and wisdom. Just remember He didn't rescue, adopt, and rehab you just to see you struggle on your own. He wants to help you. The question is, will you Abide?

Stay strong my friend! If you're going through something hard, God is going to use it to make you stronger! In order for us to become the best version of ourselves, it requires some form of rehabilitation-- and that process is never easy. In dog training, we use the pressure from a leash or an e-collar to communicate to the dog that the behavior they are doing is not in their best interest. It doesn't look good on them. It's not helping them become the best version of themselves. And you know what... it's hard to accept that. It's hard to willing walk through the hardship when taking the easier road feels so much better. But we all know just like if we hit the gym for a work out, sometimes we need to break down those muscles in order for them to grow back stronger. God is using your mental health battle. He is using your grief battle or financial struggle or relationship turmoil. He is using these things in our lives to motivate us, get our attention, help us become dependent on Him! Because He knows that when we rely on Him most in our weakness, we truly become our strongest. Digging deeper into our relationship with Him or starting a brand new relationship with Him is THE GREATEST and MOST POWERFUL way to truly become the best version of ourselves. He will one day fix this broken world friend. He will someday make all things right. But until that day comes, keep "fighting the fog" and know you're not alone in this rehabilitation process. He has a great beautiful plan for your life and this hardship won't last forever! Love you dearly! Lauren https://www.rockkenneltraining.com/

Today, we have a lot of fun talking about 3 dog's adoption stories and relating them to our lives. Is your life similar to Noah? Do you have specific parts of your life that are killing you, like Sully? Do you feel "too far gone" like Scooter? I hope you'll send me an email or shoot me a text to fill me in with which dog you relate to the most. I love you dearly friend and producing the content on this podcast is such a privileges to me! All in all, I hope you know... you are loved and Jesus paid such a high price to be able to adopt you into His forever family. So what are you waiting for? It's single handily the BEST decision you'll ever make. Stay tuned in 2 week as we dive into our 3rd week of this 4 part series R.A.R.A. and talk about "Rehabilitation" (My personal favorite as a dog trainer and getting to see first hand, real rehabilitation stories that CHANGE people's lives!) If you want that for your dog, don't forget to visit- https://www.rockkenneltraining.com/ Ps. There are limited e-collar program spots available this spring so be sure to get in before the summer hits! Take care! Love you guys!

Today, we begin a 4 part series explaining God through the lens of a dog trainer, but this time, our focus will be on the animal welfare world. Just as we Rescue, Adopt and Rehab our beloved dogs, so does God do with us. So as we start off this series, what do we need rescued from? We suggest perhaps it's an emotion that has you steamrolled. Or maybe it's a situation leaving you feeling helpless. Could it be your past and the shame or pain is crippling?As I share a personal story of pain in my life, I openly admit to having 2 fears immediately after admitting I need rescued. 1) Does God actually have the power to rescue me? 2) If He does have the power, does He loves me enough to rescue me? The bible says God is close to the broken hearted and SAVES those who are crushed in spirit. Is God asking for you to surrender and respect just how powerful and worthy He is to rescue you? Or is God asking you to trust Him even through the pain to know that He is good and His love endures forever?Send me a message through RockKennelTraining.com if you want to bravely share your take away from this episode. https://www.rockkenneltraining.com/

Oh boy ya'll! Today we have a very honest conversation that hopefully sets you free. I share a story about being "kind" (or so I thought) to a worker in Aldi this past week, However, the truth of the matter is I was using "kindness" as an excuse to not have a hard conversation. We do this all the time to the ones we love don't we? Our kids, our employees, or spouse, and OUR DOGS! Since it can be so hard to confront them on a pressing issue, have a hard conversation, make things a bit uncomfortable, or make the truth known, we tend to shrink back and sweep it under the rug all in the name of kindness. I hope this episode is as encouraging and convicting as it was for me! https://www.rockkenneltraining.com/

Are you in a season of waiting? Me too! Why does it have to be so hard though. We wait and wait and wait but instead of being patient we grow frustrated, angry, bitter, you name it. And if we are honest, impatience doesn't look good on us. But what if all of our waiting wasn't for nothing. What if the process of learning patience was the magic in helping us become the best version of ourselves. In today's episode I share the encouraging truth that waiting is just like working a muscle. The stronger it gets, the more prepared you are for next time you enter a season that requires patience. Hang in there! Stay strong! "The only thing worse than waiting, is wishing that you had"Love you dearly my friend. https://www.rockkenneltraining.com/ Join our membership Rock Solid Family for a free 90 days using the promo code- "Slow&Steady" and participate in our live Q&A on February 18th at 7:00pm. https://www.rockkenneltraining.com/membership

Are you going through something right now in life that just isn't fair? You and your spouse still don't have a positive pregnancy test? You drove home last week with the worst possible health diagnosis. You are grieving the loss of someone who was your everything. You are living on pins and needles because money is so tight. Your dog is still exhibiting those dangerous and embarrassing behavioral issues. Whatever it is, I want to give you permission that life isn't fair. Often times on this podcast I am quick to put a silver lining about life's hardships and encourage you to keep going and live a life of hope. However, as I recorded this episode late at night a few months back, I fully admit that what all I wanted to do was sit in the "life's not fair" camp. And honestly, I have every good reason to. But... (although this camp is necessary so we can come to grips with the reality of our hard situation) we all know we don't want to stay stuck there for too long. In this week's episode, we uncover the power of using our "life's not fair" moments as an opportunity to trust. Be ready to talk dog training, tree roots, a song called "Hold on", and my lesson learned to flip my mic to "on" before recording. :) Sending lots of love. All things dog training >https://www.rockkenneltraining.com/Hold on by Katy Nicole > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4s3k8aUaFqkIvan Balabanov Trust and Acceptance video > (I couldn't find the exact one I referenced in the podcast with the muzzle but this video on nail clipping is the exact same premise https://www.facebook.com/Ivan.Balabanov/posts/pfbid033uuwtacSFYF4ZgLdNsghswy29c1Rj1CRt2SSs18nTn31ARvCyYCZ95g6F1yt17rBl

Do you have a tight grip on the ones you love? Whether that's a child or a dog or a significant in your life? Me too! I have found myself lately "white knuckling" the ones I hold closest in fear that something will happen to them. I want to protect them for all the things, all the time! How about you? But then, one day as I was laying in bed with my kids, knowing that I truly didn't have what it took to protect them because, well, I'm not God-- I heard Him say "your job is to prepare them, leave the protecting up to me." What scary but also comforting words I needed to hear. In dog training, the reason I love using pressure and release techniques with our leash and with our e-collars is because it prepares our dog for future stressors they may come into contact with in the real world. At the end of this episode, I explain as a friend who loves you dearly, my perspective on what (or who rather) can best prepare you for when life hits the fan and all goes wrong in your world. It could be grief of a family member or friend, it could be the loss of a job or relationship, it could be a medical diagnosis, it could be heartbreaking news you received from your child. Whatever life throws at you, there is a person you can run to who has the power to protect you and the tools to prepare you. His name is Jesus. I hope today's episode is uplifting and gives you some food for thought. If you had a conversation with God today and spoke those 3 words of "sorry, please, and thank you" like we talked about, shoot me a message so I can help walk you through your next step. For any and all things dog training, check out ----> https://www.rockkenneltraining.com/

We push ourselves! We run so fast trying to accomplish all the things in our heads. But what if you are in a season, like I openly explain I am, where in order to win this race... you need to traveling at a slow and steady pace. Buckle up for some encouragement to give yourself grace today as you hear in what ways I lead by example. It's hard. But you're not lazy. You are creating a smooth road (just like Lighning McQueen. For the reference I'm referring to - see link below) Keep moving and pursing the things in your life that you feel called to do, but do complete it at a pace that is slow and steady. https://www.google.com/search?q=lightning+mcqueen+pulling+the+black+top+machine&sca_esv=586845846&ei=Z1FpZZKgJfKbptQP2bKZqAE&ved=0ahUKEwjS74yzpO2CAxXyjYkEHVlZBhUQ4dUDCBA&uact=5&oq=lightning+mcqueen+pulling+the+black+top+machine&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiL2xpZ2h0bmluZyBtY3F1ZWVuIHB1bGxpbmcgdGhlIGJsYWNrIHRvcCBtYWNoaW5lMgUQIRigATIFECEYoAFIpmVQyAdY8GNwAXgBkAEAmAG8AqABnyiqAQgwLjIzLjYuMbgBA8gBAPgBAcICChAAGEcY1gQYsAPCAg0QABiABBiKBRiwAxhDwgIQEAAYgAQYigUYsQMYgwEYQ8ICChAAGIAEGIoFGEPCAggQABiABBixA8ICDRAAGIAEGIoFGLEDGEPCAgUQABiABMICCxAAGIAEGLEDGIMBwgILEAAYgAQYigUYkQLCAgsQABiABBiKBRiGA8ICBhAAGBYYHsICCBAAGBYYHhgKwgIFECEYqwLCAggQIRgWGB4YHeIDBBgAIEGIBgGQBgo&sclient=gws-wiz-serp#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:a4ed4eaa,vid:-DZizhkL-jk,st:0https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100067650694154&mibextid=9R9pXO

Working with our dogs can be frustrating. Our dog's behavior can leave us feeling embarrassed and isolated. On top of that, when we do attempt to train, there are so many opinions and schools of thought our heads are often left swirling with analysis paralysis. ​But, what if there was a way to be encouraged when frustrated. Filled with confidence and hope instead of embarrassment. What if instead of living life isolated and confused we could have a place that felt safe and real. What if you had a community of people who get you? ​Welcome to the Rock Solid Family! I could not be more excited to have you here because I have been dreaming of creating a community for years and now this membership is making this a reality. So consider this your "online invitation" into my family. A place where we don't shy away from hard conversations, we encourage each other constantly, and form a connection that's more than client to trainer but a relationship that has a solid foundation and feels a lot more like family. ​I'm beyond excited to have you join the Rock Solid Family. Rock Solid Family Membership$9.99 DURING THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER ONLY! THE PRICE WILL INCREASE TO $14.99 FOR MEMEBERS WHO JOIN AFTER NOVEMBER 30TH. SelectLIVE monthly Q&A sessionsPrivate Facebook groupBehind the Scenes FootageTutorial paired with Community ChallengesOpportunity to train with Lauren for FREEFirst to Know about New ServicesExclusive Promo Codes---------------------------------------------------------In other announcements, I talk about needing grace towards the end of the episode and encourage you to give yourself some too. I have been faithfully showing up for 2 months on The Connection and have LOVED every moment of it! But this podcast launch was ONE month after the passing of my mom in-law. With that said the reality of her passing and a transition in our family scheduling has moved me to taking a few week break from the podcast so I be filled back up. If I take care of myself, I can pour into ya'll more richly. I can only be stretched so thin, so during this month, all my extra energy will be going to launching the membership family. So if you are looking for access to my support, encouragement, and coaching... I REALLY hope to see you in the Rock Solid Family Membership!

I share a story in today's podcast about how a group of moms to young children got in a room together and just immediately started bawling from the power of being in a community who aren't alone in their short comings and the reality of how hard this season of life is. I share a story of holding by daughters close on bended knee as a sad song played in the background. A song we all knew reminded us of nana, who passed this August. As sobering as this moment was, there was hope because we weren't crying alone. We had community with one another. I share a story about clients wishing their dog was like my other client's "picture perfect dogs" but little did they know, there dog had the exact same problem. It can be so lonely and isolating when we think we are going through something alone! For all my dog lovers, I have such an exciting announcement! You can find life giving community in the Rock Solid Family Membership launching next week. More details are to come next week! And for those who don't feel like they have community, just know God is ready to start a relationship with Him if you'll only start the conversation. If the whole "spiritual stuff" isn't your thing, then I hope you know it would be an honor for THIS podcast to your community when the plain and simple things in life get hard to actually do on your own.