There’s nothing better than a story of hope! When we hear of someone who has overcome struggles, it puts things in perspective and inspires us to persevere in the midst of our own challenges. My guest in this episode has risen above truly desperate circumstances. Peter Mutabazi survived on the streets of Uganda for five years before one man saw potential in him and changed Peter’s life. Today, Peter is a single dad to countless foster children and his three adopted children, Anthony, Ryder, and Skyler. He is the founder of Now I Am Known, an organization that supplies resources to support vuln ..read more

These days, teen girls are under relentless pressure to measure up to peers and social media influencers. The expectations feel impossible to meet. Today, I’m partnering with my friends Lee Nienhuis and Shannon Popkin to share a conversation about this important topic. Lee and Shannon are authors and speakers who have teamed up to write a book, Comparison Girl for Teens, that gives help and hope to moms and daughters navigating this challenge. We’re exploring what teen girls need to break free of the comparison trap and how moms can come alongside our daughters to encourage and affirm them. In ..read more

Are you frustrated with getting older? As women, it’s easy to feel discouraged as our lives and bodies change. That’s why I’m so grateful for our guest’s wisdom today! Joining me for this conversation is Heather Creekmore, host of the internationally popular Compared to Who? podcast. Heather is a body image coach, former fitness instructor, and author who is devoted to helping women break free of body shame. She has spoken to thousands of women and encouraged them with the truth of the gospel, and her passion is helping women stop comparing and start living. In this episode, we talk about: Pr ..read more

Today’s episode is special to me because my guest’s historical fiction books are some of my all-time favorite novels! These days, many of us struggle with anxiety to some degree, and that’s what we’re talking about in this episode. Joining me for this conversation is award-winning author and Bible teacher Tessa Afshar. Drawing from lessons she learned while battling anxiety in her own life, Tessa is sharing about the journey that cultivates a well-rested soul. In this episode, we talk about: Tessa’s story of coming to faith from a Muslim background The connection between burnout and anxiety T ..read more

Jill: The day that firm, written, clear communication was sent to Mark’s affair partner was the day our marriage began to heal. From that point on trust began to be rebuilt. Mark: In our work with couples healing from infidelity, we’re often asked about how to break off the affair. We usually provide a template for communication as well as some guidelines. Today we want to share those guidelines and that letter template with you. If you don’t need this information, it’s possible at some point that you will know someone who will need it. Guidelines for the letter and why these are important. A ..read more

“God is in the resurrection business.” This is a phrase Mark and I love to say, and for good reason! Throughout our lives, we have seen God restore relationships between family members, provide healing from addiction and past hurts, and turn lives around completely. In our work with couples, we have seen relationships restored when all hope seemed lost. We experienced such a renewal ourselves after our own marriage nearly collapsed. We truly believe that God can bring new life and hope out of any situation! Easter will be here soon and for those who follow Jesus, this holiday is a cornerstone ..read more

I’m happy to have my husband join me for this episode! It’s been a little while since Mark and I shared a conversation on the podcast, and today we’re talking about the power of our words. If we fully realized just how dangerous careless words can be, we might take our speech more seriously. Our words can bring destruction or healing depending on how we speak, as Mark and I have learned from personal experience. In this episode, we talk about: The difference between internal processors and external processors Specific ways Mark and I each have grown in how we use our words Three practical gui ..read more

How do you respond when someone else’s choices wreak havoc on your life? Sometimes, someone else’s choices can turn the lives of those closest to them upside down. I’ve certainly experienced that in my own life, and yet, even in the most unfair circumstances, God wastes nothing. Today, my friend Cathy Applington is joining me to help us better understand how hope can be restored even when relationships can’t. In 2013, Cathy’s world was shaken to the core as her husband’s actions caused life-changing consequences for her and her family. Cathy was a pastor’s wife here in Normal, IL, and today sh ..read more

Dear Mark and Jill, Thanks for taking the time to read this. I’m reaching out because I’d love your advice. I’m married to a wonderful man and we have 2 great kids, ages 12 and 15. We’ve made it through a lot in our marriage and we are very committed to each other. However, I’ve been growing uneasy about how boring our relationship has become. I feel like we are too tired to have fun anymore. We hardly talk about anything except who is picking up what kid at what time or other daily life details. Our last “date” was a drive across town to take the car to the shop! I don’t know if it’s the inte ..read more

I had a birthday a little over two weeks ago. It was a mile-marker birthday. When you’re born in 1964, you turn 60 in 2024. From an experience perspective, I feel like sixty. I’ve experienced a lot in my sixty years. From a physical perspective, I don’t feel like sixty at all. I’ve worked hard to take care of my body and I’m not stopping! From a mental perspective, I’m still somewhere around 45 in my mind. When I talk to others my age, I hear that they too feel younger in their mind as well. The best part of getting older is wisdom. Hard-earned wisdom and perspective that simply comes with lif ..read more