Friends, today’s episode is all about loving God with our mind. Do you ever find yourself desiring to learn more about Jesus and His word but not knowing where or how to start? Do you ever read the Bible and find it overwhelming or confusing to understand? You are not alone! A lot of us feel this way.Today’s guest is Kristie Anyabwile, and she beautifully explains and helps us understand how ALL of the Bible goes together and points to ONE BIG STORY. Kristie breaks down how we can use Bible genres to help us understand what we are reading, and how to interpret it. We also talk about the importance of discipleship in the church, and how the Holy Spirit helps us understand God’s word.Kristie loves God and loves studying His Word. She recently released a book called “Literarily: How Understanding Bible Genres Transforms Bible Study”, and I highly recommend you pick it up. Check out the link below to order your copy today!Connect with JamieFacebook //  Instagram // YouTubeGET ALL THE LINKS FROM THE SHOW HERE

HH #504 Love God with Your Mind with Kristie Anyabwile

Do you find yourself wondering what it looks like to love God with your body? Does loving God with your body mean finding time to work out more or implementing a diet to be a certain weight? Today’s guest is Alisa Keeton. She is such a voice of encouragement to me. In this conversation, we talk about what it truly means to love God with our body and how you don’t need to do a certain number of “jumping-jacks for Jesus” to get there. Culture teaches us a lot about our bodies and the way it should look, but God’s Word teaches us how we can use our bodies to walk in freedom and in love by partnering with our community - the Body of Christ - as we share the Gospel and serve together. Alisa Keeton has a deep desire for people to love God and teaches a lifestyle of loving Him with all of our bodies. She started her personal wellness journey in 1985 and today it has become her ministry. Alisa is the founder of “Revelation Wellness”, a nonprofit ministry that uses fitness as a tool to spread the Gospel.Connect with JamieFacebook //  Instagram // YouTubeGET ALL THE LINKS FROM THE SHOW HERE

HH #503 Love the Lord with Your Body with Alisa Keeton

“Sometimes we lose sight of the value of actually working on the hard things”Today’s guest is “soul expert” Trina McNeilly, author of “Unclutter Your Soul: Overcoming What Overwhelms You” and founder of the popular La La Lovely blog. We will be talking about how we can love God with our Soul- your mind, your will, and your emotions. Trina shares wisdom and insight on how choosing vulnerability can be hard, but when we bring things to light, it can open the gates for us to experience healing and freedom. This topic is so important and I am so glad that we get to have real conversations like this one to remind us that we are not alone. Loving God is courageous work and we believe that you can do it!Connect with JamieFacebook //  Instagram // YouTubeGET ALL THE LINKS FROM THE SHOW HERE

HH #502 Love the Lord with All Your Soul with Trina McNeilly

It takes a lot of courage to love God with all that we have. How can we truly love Him with ALL of our heart, when our heart is occupied with so many other things that we love? Today, we are kicking off the first episode of our new five-part Summer series “Love The Lord”. This series is inspired by the passage in Luke 10:27, and we got some super fun shirts to go with it too. You are going to love them!In this episode, we are bringing back one of our favorites, Scott Sauls. He is the Senior Pastor of Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashville, and a dear friend of my husband and I. We talk about what it looks like to love God with all our heart in the highs and lows of life, through our emotions, and the example that the Apostle Paul sets for finding joy through disappointment. Scott’s new book “Beautiful People Don’t Just Happen” comes out on June 14th, so make sure to check it out and pre-order your copy.Connect with JamieFacebook //  Instagram // YouTubeGET ALL THE LINKS FROM THE SHOW HERE

HH #501 Love the Lord with All Your Heart with Scott Sauls

Hey Friends! Welcome to the 500th episode party! It is the big 500. Wow! What an incredible milestone. Today, we are bringing you an amazing, surprise filled, celebratory episode. You will get to hear from some very special guests (some familiar voices, some new) as we share memories and incredible stories with you. We are throwing it all the way back to the very first episode all the way to a HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT of what is to come around here. Here is to 500 more and beyond!Connect with JamieFacebook //  Instagram // YouTubeGET ALL THE LINKS FROM THE SHOW HERE

HH #500 Celebrating 500 Episodes

Friend of The Happy Hour, Dustin Nickerson is back and he brought his super kind wife, Melissa. This conversation is all about their story, what life has been like being married to one another, as they have learned how to best care for one another, know one another, and serve one another, all while raising kids and building a career in Stand-Up Comedy. This is one of my favorite happy hours, there are lots of laughs (Dustin is cracking jokes all the way), there are deep thoughts on raising teens during an age with so much information accessible to our kids, and such an encouraging reflection on what it looks like to have a shared goal in supporting one another in their work. Connect with JamieFacebook //  Instagram // YouTubeGET ALL THE LINKS FROM THE SHOW HERE

HH #499 with Dustin and Melissa Nickerson

Summer is here, our oldest son is graduating High School tonight, and we are days away from an epic family vacation adventure!! There was no one better to sit down with me for the second Tell Me About conversation than my favorite person, Aaron Ivey. Aaron is my husband, co-creator of Ivey Media, Pastor, worship leader, and my best friend. This episode is all about SUMMER. Tell me about childhood summers, plans for summer,  sabbatical, family time,  and well, things go off the rails a bit, too. This happens anytime my husband, Aaron Ivey,  joins me, but the conversations with him are always a favorite because you get a little sneak peek of what our friendship is like. Grab your koozie, pull up a backyard chair, and let us tell you about Summer!Connect with JamieFacebook // Twitter // Instagram // YouTubeGET ALL THE LINKS FROM THE SHOW HERE 

HH #498 Tell Me About It: SUMMER with Aaron Ivey

“When God allows us to walk [in] these hard seasons, it gives us so much compassion.”Yes and Amen to that! I am so excited for today’s conversation with my guest, Angela Perritt. Angela Perritt is the founder and director of Love God Greatly, a nonprofit online women's Bible study ministry aimed at fighting Biblical illiteracy around the world in over 40 languages. Angela is passionate about God's Word and believes one woman in God's Word can change a family, community, and ultimately a nation. Her greatest joy is to encourage her children and others to love God greatly with their lives one day at a time.In today’s show, Angela shares about a journey of learning where she stored her treasures and realizing that God’s faithfulness didn’t stop when the Bible ended. Angela also dives into all of the wonderful resources provided by Love God Greatly and how deeply women can impact communities by engaging with scripture. I just love organizations that are committed to transforming the world through the love of Christ and power of scripture. So thankful for all that Angela and Love God greatly is doing!Connect with JamieFacebook // Twitter // Instagram // YouTubeGET ALL THE LINKS FROM THE SHOW HERE  

HH#497 God's Faithfulness in Our Hard Stories with Angela Perritt

Have you ever gone through seasons where you want to believe that God is good, but your circumstances are telling you that He’s not? This conversation is for you.My guest for today’s episode is Alexandra Hoover. Alexandra is a sought-out speaker, Bible teacher, and Author of "Eyes Up" How To Trust God's Heart by Tracing His Hand. She's passionate about communicating the gospel's beauty and hope, and her words spur people on to hope and healing. Also, she serves on staff at Transformation Church with Pastor Derwin Gray!Friends, there is way too much goodness in this conversation - I truly could have spent hours talking to Alexandra. She walks us through what an ebenezer is, and the beautiful biblical story of Hannah. Alexandra also dives into how we sometimes allow our circumstances to inform the way we see God. But here’s the solution: When we sit with God, we begin to trust God. Even if we don’t see hope, we know hope is near because we know who God is. We don’t always feel or see God in the way that we want because life is so hard and foggy, but we have a beautiful invitation to sit with Him and weep with Him and be reminded of His goodness.Connect with JamieFacebook // Twitter // Instagram // YouTubeGET ALL THE LINKS FROM THE SHOW HERE

HH # 496 Trusting God's Heart with Alexandra Hoover

What a word from today’s guest, Rev. Dr. Angela Williams Gorrell. Angela Gorrell is a speaker and writer about Christian spirituality, joy, meaning, and the interconnected nature of mental and spiritual health. She is Assistant Professor of Practical Theology at Baylor University and author of The Gravity of Joy: A Story of Being Lost and Found.Shortly after being hired by Yale University to study and teach the beauty of joy, Angela stepped into the hardest season of her life losing 3 people she loved within 4 weeks. She went on a journey to find out joy’s place in a suffering world, and found the answer in the most unlikely of places: While volunteering at a women’s maximum-security prison. Isn’t that so like Christ to show up in unexpected places? We talk about the suicide and addiction crisis, and how to allow joy in without betraying our grief. This is such an incredible conversation and one that I hope reminds you of the beauty of joy. Connect with JamieFacebook // Twitter // Instagram // YouTubeGET ALL THE LINKS FROM THE SHOW HERE

HH #495 The Gravity of Joy with Dr. Angela Gorrell

9 years ago, Whitney placed her son for adoptionRaised in a Christian home, she was adopted herselfShe fell away from her faith, dated someone in college for several years, after they broke up they had one more fling and she got pregnantShe wanted her son to have all of the things that she had and more, and she did not have the skillset or resources to provide thatWe talk about how a lot of times people don’t know what to say when it comes to adoptionShe now has an open adoption and she wanted to be involved in his life to correct any potential narratives that could come up about feeling unloved or unwantedShe became a believer during her pregnancyAcknowledging all members of the triadHow to be there for people who feel deep pain on mother’s day“These people are humans and they need Christ just as much as the next person - so how can we make sure that we’re honoring them and loving them and meeting them on their level?”What important words from today’s guest, Whitney Furrh. We are wrapping up our four-part series for foster care month with this conversation from a birth mother. It is so important for us to include all members of the triad and we’re so thankful that Whitney came on to share her story with us. Whitney’s story is unique because she was adopted herself, so she has a lot of personal connections to this topic. When Whitney was 21-years-old, she became pregnant and placed her son for adoption. She wanted her son to have all of the things that she had and more, and facing the reality that she did not have the resources to provide that. We talk about how a lot of times people don’t know what to say when it comes to adoption, and how important it is to acknowledge that all adoption stories involve loss. We even chat about how to be there for people who feel deep pain on Mother’s Day. Our prayer is that this conversation can help us know better so that we do better.Connect with JamieFacebook // Twitter // Instagram // YouTubeGET ALL THE LINKS FROM THE SHOW HERE

HH #494 The Unique Perspective of a Birth Mom with Whitney Furrh

“I surrender and trust what I desire, and walk with the Lord in what He’s calling me to do.”What would it look like if we all lived life this way? We’re continuing our series on Foster Care with the lovely, PaToya Hall. PaToya Hall is a writer, speaker, new mom and devoted follower of Jesus. She currently lives in Waco, Texas with her daughter Adelline. PaToya shares with us what her life began to look like after choosing to say the next “yes”. PaToya is a single woman who felt a calling to open her home to children through foster care. Just a few days after becoming a certified foster parent, she received a call about a 4-day-old baby named Adelline with nowhere to go. Four hours later, that sweet baby was in her home, and just six months later, PaToya adopted her. She shares some of the challenges of single parenting and navigating the assumptions people make. Something I really appreciate about PaToya is that she did not foster because she wanted to be a parent, but rather because it was true surrender. I’m so thankful for PaToya sharing her and sweet Adelline’s story with us.Connect with JamieFacebook // Twitter // Instagram // YouTubeGET ALL THE LINKS FROM THE SHOW HERE

HH #493: Foster care and single parenting with PaToya Hall

“I want people to see that their identities can be rewritten no matter what they’ve done or no matter what’s been done to them.”We have another great episode for you in our Foster Care Series! Ever since I found out about today’s guest, I cannot stop learning more from her, about her, and diving into her story. Tori Hope Petersen is a lover of Jesus training to be a lover of people. She spent years growing up in the foster care system and now educates, advocates, and ministers to those in the foster care community. Her first book Fostered will be released this August, and I truly had to stop myself from quoting this book 100 times in our interview.In this episode, Tori not only shares her story with us, but provides so much hope and wisdom along the way. We talk about how trauma rolls over from generations, and how important it is to listen to the voices of children in foster care. She also dives into the hope of Christ and how even when we feel unwanted and rejected, we’ve already been adopted in the Kingdom. Today, Tori is married with 3 kids and she and her husband are certified foster parents. I am so proud of the work she is doing, and I cannot emphasize enough how important it is for us to hear stories like hers. Connect with JamieFacebook // Twitter // Instagram // YouTubeGET ALL THE LINKS FROM THE SHOW HERE

HH #492: Elevating voices of foster children with Tori Hope Petersen

“[Foster care] is not just about bringing a child into your home. It’s about bringing your family into another family.”I could not think of a better way to say it than Jamie Finn’s words. Friends, we are kicking off a 4-part series for National Foster Care Month and I am beyond excited to welcome Jamie Finn of Foster The Family on The Happy Hour. Jamie C. Finn is the author of Foster the Family and executive director of Foster the Family. Her social media accounts offer a glimpse into the real life of a foster parent and provide encouragement to thousands of foster parents. Jamie is passionate about encouraging and equipping foster and adoptive parents and advocating for vulnerable children and families.Y’all, Jamie shared so many truth bombs so I’m giving you a heads up right now to grab a pen and paper. We talked about hard things like the joy of loving a child and the pain of saying goodbye, repenting of sinful thoughts relating to parents of foster children, and how important it is to be trauma-informed when stepping into these broken places. Anything that involves Kingdom work will have suffering, but we have to trust what God says about suffering. Foster care is God using people to play a part in families being healed. This is important work, and I can’t wait to share the rest of these conversations with you.Connect with JamieFacebook // Twitter // Instagram // YouTubeGET ALL THE LINKS FROM THE SHOW HERE

HH #491: Why foster care plays a part in healing families with Jamie Finn

Did you know that over 400,000 kids are in foster care in the United States? That means there are hundreds of thousands of personal stories. Hundreds of thousands of children are without a place to call home permanently. This need is ginormous, and I subscribe to the idea that we all play a part. I don’t subscribe to the idea that all families should adopt. However, I believe we should all care for vulnerable children. It’s not an option to not care. I’m excited to share a two-week series on The Happy Hour about foster care. May is National Foster Care Month, and we want to highlight some of the different people who play a role in foster care. Foster Care advocate, a survivor of the foster care system, a foster/adoptive momma, and the story of a birth mom who placed her son for adoption.Wherever you are in your world, I want you to know and believe that these stories matter to you. The reason they matter to you is because they deeply matter to God. Listen to these four women share their stories and allow God to change you because of them. 

Preview: Stories of Foster Care and Adoption Series

Have you ever wondered “Can God handle my mess?” If your answer is yes, or you know someone whose answer is yes, you’re in for a treat today. My guests for this episode are Walker Hayes and Craig Cooper. Walker Hayes is a pop-country singer who went viral for his song “Fancy-like” which has a fun little dance to it! Craig Cooper is a gifted storyteller and Bible teacher. In today’s episode, we get a glimpse into the beautiful story of Walker and Craig’s friendship, more of which is shared in their upcoming book “Glad You’re Here”.Walker met Craig during an unlikely time in his life, and the two jumped right into doing life with one another, which eventually led to Walker having a renewed relationship with Christ. They share how real friendship gives us permission to be weak, and what a treasure it is to show up as our full selves, not our best selves. This story is going to point so many people to Jesus, and I know you will leave encouraged by our conversation today.Connect with JamieFacebook // Twitter // Instagram // YouTubeGET ALL THE LINKS FROM THE SHOW HERE

HH #490: The beauty of friendship with Walker Hayes and Craig Cooper

Isn’t it crazy how in the midst of grief and tragedy, God can call us towards our purpose?This is exactly the story of today’s guest, Anne Wilson. For much of her life, Anne had plans and dreams to become an astronaut, making moves to pursue opportunities with NASA. But in 2017, her life shifted after the unexpected passing of her older brother. The lyrics of Hillsong Worship’s “What A Beautiful Name” became a lifeline for Anne and she turned to worship as comfort in her grief, something she had never done before. The very first time Anne ever sang in front of an audience was at her brother’s funeral. It was at that moment that she realized what she was born to do.Anne is just 20-years-old but truly has wisdom beyond her years. I was so encouraged by our conversation and how God is using her to change lives. She just released her first full-length album, My Jesus, and I cannot recommend it enough!Connect with JamieFacebook // Twitter // Instagram // YouTubeGET ALL THE LINKS FROM THE SHOW HERE

HH #489: When grief points us towards our purpose with Anne Wilson

How do we commit to community as a part of looking more like Jesus? Y’all, I am so excited to share this conversation with you! Today’s guest is Joel Smallbone, one-half of the Australian Christian duo For King and Country. I had the opportunity to speak with his lovely wife, Moriah, and sister, Rebecca St. James on recent happy hour episodes and I am just the biggest fan of this whole family!In today’s episode, we chat about what it looks like to rest and lean into Sabbath as a command. We also talk a lot about how to commit to community within the Kingdom of God and why our differences allow us to highlight different attributes of God. We’re often so focused on our boycotts and things we disagree with, that we miss things that bring harmony amongst us. I love how Joel put it when he said “The beauty of God is found in diversity. Diversity of expression, diversity of ethnicity, diversity of thought, diversity of gender.” What an incredible reminder to walk with today and every day.Connect with JamieFacebook // Twitter // Instagram // YouTubeGET ALL THE LINKS FROM THE SHOW HERE

HH #488: Joel Smallbone on why our differences matter in the Kingdom of God

Do you ever feel like you live as though only half of the Gospel is true? If the answer is yes, this conversation is for you. Today’s guest is Pastor Joby Martin of Church of 1122 in Jacksonville, Florida. His book If The Tomb Is Empty talks all about why anything is possible because of the resurrection of Jesus. In our conversation, Joby breaks down why the resurrection is the entire foundation of our faith. The fact that Jesus died for us is incredible, but the tomb being empty is why we should live with the truth that we’ve been imputed with His righteousness. Joby says, “He knows you, He loves you, He delights over you, He dances over you. That’s why the empty tomb matters.” This, friends, is the good news. Connect with JamieFacebook // Twitter // Instagram // YouTubeGET ALL THE LINKS FROM THE SHOW HERE

HH #487: What the empty tomb means for us with Joby Martin

“Before we can get to what’s good about the cross, I think we have to deal rightly and honestly with the horror and the tragedy and the defeat of what the cross would’ve meant for the people of Israel.”Y’all. This is one of the most helpful and educational conversations on Good Friday and I am so dang excited to share it with you. Dr. Joel Muddamalle serves as Director of Theology and Research at Proverbs 31 Ministries and works directly for Lysa TerKeurst. He is also on the speaking team at Transformation Church with Derwin Gray!Alright, here’s what I love about Joel. He is one of the smartest people I know and dissects so many great things about theology in a way that we can truly understand. I always feel like I walk away knowing so much more! In this episode, we answer some of your questions like why do we call Good Friday “good” when it is so painful? What is the history of the cross? How do we talk to our kids about Good Friday? I love how he says that we should never disconnect what is hard with what is hopeful. This is SO TRUE. Joy, pain, and hope can all live together. Let’s walk into Good Friday and Easter with this reminder.Connect with JamieFacebook // Twitter // Instagram // YouTubeGET ALL THE LINKS FROM THE SHOW HERE

The Happy Hour with Jamie Ivey

The Happy Hour with Jamie Ivey

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