Have you ever gotten yourself into trouble for something you said?

We all have!  Today, our guest Karen Ehman, the author of Keep it Shut:  What to Say it, How to Say it and When to Say Nothing at All, tells us how to keep our words uplifting, fruitful and God-honoring.

She shares how we can:

• Avoid saying painful things to our loved ones that can cause damage when we are in a moment of temporary frustration.
• Keep our “verbal grenades” of opinion flinging from hurting people on Facebook and Twitter. (And knowing how to pray before we post so we don’t say the wrong thing.)
• Find the fine line between processing and gossip.
• Be intentional about our communication so that our words can speak truth and life into the lives of the ones we love.

Listen in, and then click over to read Karen’s website and sign up for Karen’s 5-day “Pray before you Pounce” challenge and start practicing your newfound communication skills.

What do you do when everything you know comes Undone?

From a “conquer the world” kind of a gal to a “cowering in the corner” woman, Michele Cushatt walked through a long journey from fear and panic to an unwavering confidence in God after a devastating cancer diagnosis.

Join us for a special message from Michele recorded before her surgery in November for the beginning of her fourth battle with cancer. Michele wants to share with listeners:

– God sees you and will provide you with the strength you need
– The peace she carries wasn’t easy but is only through God
– No matter how dark and big your circumstance, God is BIGGER

Listen in and check out Michele’s book Undone where she reveals more about her journey and shows how complication turns into a beautiful canvas, angst into joy, and the unknown into an adventure.

Being a stepparent is HARD. 

What can you do as a stepmom, or a friend to a stepmom, to make it less frustrating and bring peace to a blended family? 

Erin interviews Kathi and co-author of their new book, But I’m Not a Wicked Stepmother, Carol Boley to discuss what it’s like to be a stepmom. Whether you are a new stepmom, a seasoned bonus mom, or have a friend who is, Kathi and Carol give us some great tips on: 

• Keeping a realistic view of what to expect 
  
• What is normal and why you are doing WAY better than you think you are 
  
• How to support a friend in a stepmother role
• Why and how to have a tough skin especially in the first few years 

Listen in and share with the ladies you know can hear an encouraging word. But I’m Not a Wicked Stepmother is now available.

FREE DOWNLOAD

For those times when you need an uplifting word from God himself to get through the day, this quick view of verses will encourage you to keep up the good work. Hang it in your closet or keep a copy in your purse for that next discouraging moment.

Click here to download.

How do you stay connected to your man when your life is… crazy?

Fellow podcaster and blogger Jamie Ivey shares her tips and tricks for keeping her marriage hot when she has four kids, a busy husband and messy house.  Listen in and get:

• Date night ideas that are creative and fun.
• Ideas on how to make our marriages a priority over work, over chores and yes, even over parenting.
• Tips on how to connect with your husband emotionally, spiritually and even physically.
• How to find time and energy for date night, sex and everything else you need to do to make your marriage hot.

Listen in and then head to Jamie’s homepage and get loads of free date night ideas and find out how she is “ruling” marriage by making her marriage her number one priority.

Do you ever feel like every second of your life is filled with… business?

This week, we talked to Jessica Turner, the author of The Fringe Hours, on how we can declutter our schedules to find fringe hours—time to refresh ourselves and find elusive balance.  Find out how you can:

• Track your time so you can see where your time is going and adjust in order to find fringe time.
• How to model balance for our kids so that we can best utilize the time God gave us.
• How to schedule “me time” on your calendar so you can rejuvenate and refresh.

Plus, our listeners can click over to Jessica’s website to learn more about the book and how you can get more time to be… you.

FREE DOWNLOAD

Download the Manifesto by clicking here.