Episode 124: Brett Trapp

in

Brett Trapp, author of the Blue Babies Pink blog and podcast, joins me. His podcast was one of my top recommendations for last year. Brett has a gift of storytelling and his podcast was just that. It is a story of growing up gay and Christian in the south. Brett joins me around the table to tell his story. The conversation isn’t a theological debate. It isn’t question of whether its right or wrong. It’s simply his story. What I’ve noticed in my life is that when we hear someone’s story, empathy follows.

Brett Trapp.png

Links:

Sponsors:

  • FabFitFun - Check out FABFITFUN.com and use the code “SS” so you can save $10 off your first box, making it only $39.99.

Brett's Survival Kit:

  • Hard boiled eggs
  • Jazz Music

(Amazon affiliate links used when possible--purchasing through these links is an easy way to support the show. Or shop using www.SurvivingSarah.com/amazon and a portion of the what you buy will go back to the show.)

Connect with Brett:  Website // Instagram // twitter // Podcast // Facebook

Takeaways From Our Conversation:

  • @@“Story creates empathy.”@@ I loved that quote. If you are a parent, you know that is true. That’s why you read fiction and story book to your kids. The story opens up conversation about how the characters feel. That is what I hope you felt today. My goal wasn’t to create a theological debate, but to simply create an opportunity for empathy. It's hard to hate someone when you get to know them or hear their story.

  • I think so much of what was said today could apply to other scenarios. If you are carrying any sort of secret, keeping it in the dark gives it the power to make you feel alone and unworthy of belonging. Or I find it easy to be wrapped up in what people think of me. And what he said it so true: “It is an absolute curse to spend your life obsessing about what other people think.” Or if you find yourself really disagreeing with someone about something, how can you give them grace and understanding so that you can still love even though you disagree. 

  • Stepping out in vulnerability is never as bad as you expect it to be.

  • @@Figure out the people whose opinions really do matter and then don't pay attention to the rest.@@

  • Advice to parents (listen to the Lifeboats episode):

    • -do no harm - if you have to choose between saying too much or saying too little, just don’t say anything in that moment

    • try to avoid theology conversation in that moment

    • don’t make it about you

    • remind them that you love them and that nothing will ever change that

  • @@“The key to happiness is accepting things for what they are not what you wish they were.”@@

What did you enjoy about this episode? What was your takeaway. Let's continue the conversation  on Instagram or Twitter or you can send me an email here. 

Thank you for following along life with me. I love being apart of your day. And as always, I hope this show helps you survive a little easier.

A new episode every Tuesday... just subscribe.

Subscribe for free on iTunes or Stitcher or your favorite podcast app so that you don't miss out on great conversations with women just like you. Women who are surviving and thriving. You don't have to do life alone. Be inspired, encouraged and entertained by women like Sandra Stanley, Shannan Martin, Jamie B. Golden, Mo Isom, Annie F. Downs, Joni Lay from Lay Baby Lay, Christy Nockels, Kay Warren, Suzanne Stabile and many more.

Did you enjoy today's conversation? Rate the podcast.

My goal each week is to encourage you to survive in this very thing called life. If you were encouraged or inspired or entertained, head over to iTunes and leave a brief review with a 5 star rating.

Here is a recent one from "Tricia865". She said, “I have loved every episode I’ve listened to so far. I feel like sarah is always talking to incredibly relevant, intelligent and awesome people with very relevant and helpful topics. There really is something for everyone here. I’m so addicted that I’ve started going back in time and listening to all the old ones.”

Your review will help get the podcast in front of new listeners who are just like you looking to know that they aren't alone in life. Thank you for being awesome!

 

Episode 123: Melanie Dale

in

It’s that time again for another crossover episode with my friend, Melanie Dale. I just love getting to sit down with her and talk about life. Each month we pick a topic and have a conversation about it. Then, you get to listen to one part here on Surviving Sarah and another part over on Melanie’s podcast called Lighten Up with Melanie Dale. So don’t forget to head over to her podcast and listen to the other half.

Melanie Dale Image.png

With spring having sprung—at least for the south—we thought it would be a good time to talk about personal growth and self-care. In this part of the conversation, we talk about how we are doing on personal growth goals that we set in January, how we incorporate self-care into our week, what it looks like when we don’t take care of ourselves and how we can learn to pay attention to our bodies and minds so that we don’t crash. 

Links:

Sponsors:

  • BioClarity - You will get your first month for only $9.95 plus free shipping!  That’s a $20 savings and it comes with a 100% risk-free money back guarantee. To get this deal, you need to enter my code "SURVIVE"
  • FabFitFun - Check out FABFITFUN.com and use the code “SS” so you can save $10 off your first box, making it only $39.99.

(Amazon affiliate links used when possible--purchasing through these links is an easy way to support the show. Or shop using www.SurvivingSarah.com/amazon and a portion of the what you buy will go back to the show.)

Connect with Melanie:  Website // Instagram // Facebook // twitter // Podcast

Takeaways From Our Conversation:

  • What has Melanie been working on this year: yoga, prayer, mentorship

  • What has Sarah been working on this year: being strong, healthy and active

  • Melanie clumps her schedule. She puts like things together on the same day which helps her be more productive.

  • Sarah has been working on scheduling. Carving out one day a week for nothing but productivity. And doing something at least once a week that is for her. What is something life giving that you could incorporate into your week?

  • What does it look like when you neglect to care for yourself?

  • What is a cue that you could look for that let's you know you're about to crash?

  • Intermittent Phone Fasting - What could that look like for you?

What did you enjoy about this episode? What was your takeaway. Let's continue the conversation  on Instagram or Twitter or you can send me an email here. 

Thank you for following along life with me. I love being apart of your day. And as always, I hope this show helps you survive a little easier.

A new episode every Tuesday... just subscribe.

Subscribe for free on iTunes or Stitcher or your favorite podcast app so that you don't miss out on great conversations with women just like you. Women who are surviving and thriving. You don't have to do life alone. Be inspired, encouraged and entertained by women like Sandra Stanley, Shannan Martin, Jamie B. Golden, Mo Isom, Annie F. Downs, Joni Lay from Lay Baby Lay, Christy Nockels, Kay Warren, Suzanne Stabile and many more.

Did you enjoy today's conversation? Rate the podcast.

My goal each week is to encourage you to survive in this very thing called life. If you were encouraged or inspired or entertained, head over to iTunes and leave a brief review with a 5 star rating.

Here is a recent one from "Tricia865". She said, “I have loved every episode I’ve listened to so far. I feel like sarah is always talking to incredibly relevant, intelligent and awesome people with very relevant and helpful topics. There really is something for everyone here. I’m so addicted that I’ve started going back in time and listening to all the old ones.”

Your review will help get the podcast in front of new listeners who are just like you looking to know that they aren't alone in life. Thank you for being awesome!

Episode 122: Denise James

in

Denise James, joins me around my kitchen table. She is an expat living in a small town in Southeast Asia. She homeschools her 6 kids. In her "spare" time, she produces a podcast and co-runs a blog made for expat woman encouraging them to take root where they've been planted. After hearing that she loves Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake, I knew we would be fast friends. Denise reached out to me when she was state-side to get together and talk podcast shop. After chatting with her, I knew that I would love to be a megaphone for what she’s doing. Because I believe there are women just like her whether they are living stateside or not, that are looking for community.

Denise James.png

We talk about what it’s like raising her family overseas, how loneliness affects so many women, how to find friends and community, what community looks like overseas, the challenges and benefits of raising her family overseas and what God has purposed in her.

Sponsors:

  • FASTer Way To Fat Loss - click this link to check out the program and then when you sign up Surviving Sarah will receive a kickback
  • Care.com - To save 30% off a Care.com Premium membership— visit Care.com/SURVIVE when you subscribe.
  • LOLA - For 40% off your first order, listen to this episode for coupon code.

Denise's Survival Kit:

  • Her husband

(Amazon affiliate links used when possible--purchasing through these links is an easy way to support the show. Or shop using www.SurvivingSarah.com/amazon and a portion of the what you buy will go back to the show.)

Connect with Denise:  Instagram // Expat Community Instagram  // Facebook // Blog // Podcast

Takeaways From Our Conversation:

  • How to find community: Be proactive. Its takes time, effort and even failure. You won’t get along with everyone. Try to look in different spots. Finding friends in the US is different than finding friends overseas because you typically look for people like you. But that’s not community. That’s sameness.

  • How can you work on being present where you are while looking forward to what’s to come?

  • If the Lord has called you somewhere, it is the best for your children, too. The Lord loves your kids. He is not setting out to ruin them.

  • God did not create you for isolation. "The Lord’s best for you is not isolation.” Good things don’t happen when we feel isolated.

What did you enjoy about this episode? What was your takeaway. Let's continue the conversation  on Instagram or Twitter or you can send me an email here. 

Thank you for following along life with me. I love being apart of your day. And as always, I hope this show helps you survive a little easier.

A new episode every Tuesday... just subscribe.

Subscribe for free on iTunes or Stitcher or your favorite podcast app so that you don't miss out on great conversations with women just like you. Women who are surviving and thriving. You don't have to do life alone. Be inspired, encouraged and entertained by women like Sandra Stanley, Shannan Martin, Jamie B. Golden, Mo Isom, Annie F. Downs, Joni Lay from Lay Baby Lay, Christy Nockels, Kay Warren, Suzanne Stabile and many more.

Did you enjoy today's conversation? Rate the podcast.

My goal each week is to encourage you to survive in this very thing called life. If you were encouraged or inspired or entertained, head over to iTunes and leave a brief review with a 5 star rating.

Here is a recent one from "Tricia865". She said, “I have loved every episode I’ve listened to so far. I feel like sarah is always talking to incredibly relevant, intelligent and awesome people with very relevant and helpful topics. There really is something for everyone here. I’m so addicted that I’ve started going back in time and listening to all the old ones.”

Your review will help get the podcast in front of new listeners who are just like you looking to know that they aren't alone in life. Thank you for being awesome!

Episode 121: Elizabeth Oates

in

Author, blogger and speaker Elizabeth Oates joins me for Episode 121. Her family tree was plagued with generations of divorce, addiction, abuse, abandonment and brokenness. But Elizabeth has experienced God’s redemption and restoration which is why she has such a passion for women to experience hope and healing. 

Elizabeth Oates promo.png

We talk about what its like raising 5 kids, her passion for foster care, how the enneagram has helped her to understand her story, what it was like to experience such dysfunction growing up, what that dysfunction caused her to believe about herself and God, and how it affected her early years of marriage. 

Links:

Sponsors:

  • Song Finch - use the promo code SURVIVE for 10% off your personalized song from scratch. To listen to the song I created for my mom, click here.
  • FASTer Way To Fat Loss - click this link to check out the program and then when you sign up Surviving Sarah will receive a kickback

Elizabeth's Survival Kit:

(Amazon affiliate links used when possible--purchasing through these links is an easy way to support the show. Or shop using www.SurvivingSarah.com/amazon and a portion of the what you buy will go back to the show.)

Connect with Elizabeth:  Instagram // twitter  // Facebook // Website // Pinterest

Takeaways From Our Conversation:

  • Do you know how to handle conflict well? I know that I walked into marriage not knowing much about conflict. What are some of your best tips for handling conflict? One thing that I'm working on is learning how my spouse (and those I am in relationship with) is wired. I'm using the Enneagram to help with that. Suzanne Stabile's new book called The Path Between Us is very helpful for this!

  • Are you doing anything that brings you joy? What can you start doing daily, weekly or monthly to bring you joy or laughter?

What did you enjoy about this episode? What was your takeaway. Let's continue the conversation  on Instagram or Twitter or you can send me an email here. 

Thank you for following along life with me. I love being apart of your day. And as always, I hope this show helps you survive a little easier.

A new episode every Tuesday... just subscribe.

Subscribe for free on iTunes or Stitcher or your favorite podcast app so that you don't miss out on great conversations with women just like you. Women who are surviving and thriving. You don't have to do life alone. Be inspired, encouraged and entertained by women like Sandra Stanley, Shannan Martin, Jamie B. Golden, Mo Isom, Annie F. Downs, Joni Lay from Lay Baby Lay, Christy Nockels, Kay Warren, Suzanne Stabile and many more.

Did you enjoy today's conversation? Rate the podcast.

My goal each week is to encourage you to survive in this very thing called life. If you were encouraged or inspired or entertained, head over to iTunes and leave a brief review with a 5 star rating.

Here is a recent one from "Tricia865". She said, “I have loved every episode I’ve listened to so far. I feel like sarah is always talking to incredibly relevant, intelligent and awesome people with very relevant and helpful topics. There really is something for everyone here. I’m so addicted that I’ve started going back in time and listening to all the old ones.”

Your review will help get the podcast in front of new listeners who are just like you looking to know that they aren't alone in life. Thank you for being awesome!

Episode 120: KariAnne Wood

in

KariAnne Wood joins me around my virtual kitchen table. And I can’t tell you how much I wish we were able to sit around my actual kitchen table because this girl is golden. You can’t help but like her. She is such a nice person and she makes you feel so special. One thing I love about her is how great a storyteller she is. 

KariAnne is a home decor/life style/DIY blogger. She has authored two books—So Close To Amazing and The DIY Home Planner. We talk about what it was like to jump out of her comfort zone, how to find your decorating style, what has helped her embrace who God made her to be, and what she has learned about God through decorating. Plus, I learned in this conversation that she talks to furniture and is a thief—you’ll want to listen to this one!

Copy of Simplicity speaks volumes..png

Links:

Sponsors:

  • Casper - Get $50 toward SELECT MATTRESSES by visiting Casper.com/SURVIVE and using the promo code SURVIVE at checkout. TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY.

KariAnne's Survival Kit:

(Amazon affiliate links used when possible--purchasing through these links is an easy way to support the show. Or shop using www.SurvivingSarah.com/amazon and a portion of the what you buy will go back to the show.)

Connect with KariAnne:  Instagram // twitter  // Facebook // Website // Pinterest

Takeaways From Our Conversation:

  •  Is there anything that God is calling you to jump into or out of? Are you a natural jumper? Do you live in the tension between change and comfort of norm? I find myself so afraid sometimes when it comes to jumping out of something comfortable. I think its because I'm afraid of failing. Afraid that I'm going to mess things up for people I love--fear of disappointing others. But I long for adventure. I long for new experiences.

  • How to find your decorating style: You can take cues from how you dress but at the end of the day simply buy what you love.

What did you enjoy about this episode? What was your takeaway. Let's continue the conversation  on Instagram or Twitter or you can send me an email here. 

Thank you for following along life with me. I love being apart of your day. And as always, I hope this show helps you survive a little easier.

A new episode every Tuesday... just subscribe.

Subscribe for free on iTunes or Stitcher or your favorite podcast app so that you don't miss out on great conversations with women just like you. Women who are surviving and thriving. You don't have to do life alone. Be inspired, encouraged and entertained by women like Sandra Stanley, Shannan Martin, Jamie B. Golden, Mo Isom, Annie F. Downs, Joni Lay from Lay Baby Lay, Christy Nockels, Kay Warren, Suzanne Stabile and many more.

Did you enjoy today's conversation? Rate the podcast.

My goal each week is to encourage you to survive in this very thing called life. If you were encouraged or inspired or entertained, head over to iTunes and leave a brief review with a 5 star rating.

Here is a recent one from "Tricia865". She said, “I have loved every episode I’ve listened to so far. I feel like sarah is always talking to incredibly relevant, intelligent and awesome people with very relevant and helpful topics. There really is something for everyone here. I’m so addicted that I’ve started going back in time and listening to all the old ones.”

Your review will help get the podcast in front of new listeners who are just like you looking to know that they aren't alone in life. Thank you for being awesome!