The Journey Expressed

Jenn & Mel

A place where we talk about faith, friendship & the more of God. read less
Religion & SpiritualityReligion & Spirituality

Episodes

Episode 69 - Chris Willard - Cultivating a Lifestyle of Beauty - Part 2
Mar 8 2023
Episode 69 - Chris Willard - Cultivating a Lifestyle of Beauty - Part 2
Part 2 of 3In this episode, Chris Willard joins The Journey Expressed to continue sharing about how to cultivate a lifestyle of beauty.  Chris shares simple, yet profound insights that she has discovered in her pursuit of cultivating beauty within her marriage which include: Learn the art of paying attentionBe in the momentLive your real life togetherPut aside something in your day to be with your husbandGrow in your own character and knowledgeChris also shares the backstory of how she began writing her newsletter/devotional called Mend.Favorite quotes from this episode:"If we don't live (this one) life as beautifully and bravely as we can, we're fools" Reference from Buechner's book: The Hungering Dark"There has to be mystery" Mark Foreman"As women especially, we have all these different roles and jobs that we're expected to be juggling and sometimes we get confidence with the more roles we have, the better we feel about ourselves, but what happens...when we pursue all these different activities it leads to a fragmentation of our souls and we don't really know who we are because we're so busy doing things that we haven't spent time in the Word....its the Word of God that mends....God picks up all these broken pieces and mends them and restores order in our hearts" - Chris "Our purpose is to live for glory. Its not to be pulled, its not to be splintered or shredded" - ChrisBooks referenced:The Hungering Dark by Frederick BuechnerA Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty SmithGift From the Sea by Anne Morrow LindberghFind Chris on Instagram: @splintersongFind Chris's newsletter & more: https://christinewillard.substack.com/ https://bio.site/Splintersong?fbclid=PAAaYqf-dMcrYOMH1HWEBTPG0ceXJ4BW9DVz5SjrMrc7b-flfGBDT_ObRm-cAThank you for joining us on The Journey Expressed - come back next time for part 3 where Chris shares about cultivating beauty in friendship!
Episode 68 - Chris Willard - Cultivating a Lifestyle of Beauty - Part 1
Mar 1 2023
Episode 68 - Chris Willard - Cultivating a Lifestyle of Beauty - Part 1
Part 1 of 3Chris Willard joins The Journey Expressed to share about Beauty: how she cultivates beauty in her home, family, marriage and relationships.  Chris shares her word of the year, "tend" and how God is teaching her the power and profoundness of being tender and how she tends to her relationships. Chris shares how she would describe beauty and the life of a beauty chaser.  She encourages us with wisdom, eloquence and scripture about how beauty is demonstrated in her home through reasonableness in raising her 3 girls and how being reasonable "changes the culture in the home".  Scripture mentioned:I Timothy 2:24Psalm 115:5-8Phil 4:5-9 ESVFavorite quotes:"The life of a beauty chaser is someone who sees” - Chris"We want to teach our girls to order their affections...we want them to love what is beautiful and hate what is profane" - Chris"The enemy of our children's souls is out there and he is after them....if we are not in the fight to teach them beauty, then they are going to fall" - Chris"In order to bring beauty into the home, it has to start with us" - Chris"You have to have a baseline....to show (our kids) what is true, what is noble, what is lovely" - Chris"Raising children is not a relaxing job" - Jenn (Marilynn Chadwick)Come back soon for Part 2 where Chris will share how she cultivates beauty within her marriage.Thanks for joining us on The Journey Expressed!Find Chris on Instagram: @splintersongFind Chris's newsletter & more: https://bio.site/Splintersong?fbclid=PAAaYqf-dMcrYOMH1HWEBTPG0ceXJ4BW9DVz5SjrMrc7b-flfGBDT_ObRm-cA
Episode 60 - Laura Anselm's Journey Expressed - Redemption - Part 2
Oct 5 2022
Episode 60 - Laura Anselm's Journey Expressed - Redemption - Part 2
In this episode Mel and Jenn share part 2 of their conversation with Laura Anselm.  Laura grew up in Colorado and was a senior at Columbine High School when the tragic school shooting occurred on April 20, 1999.   In part 1 Laura shared details from that day and the night before about how God "set her aside" when the shootings took place.  Laura also shared about overcoming additional traumas in her personal life that will produce hope and will empower you to lean into God as you walk out your journey.In this episode Laura shares incredible moments from her life about learning to hear God's voice and learning to trust God with her future.  She shares about the significance in the meaning of names and discovering God's goodness that is threaded throughout each of our stories. Laura shares about her "year of the favor of the Lord" which included her engagement to her husband Nick, her marriage and the welcoming of their first child.  Laura talks about overcoming several challenges with her first pregnancy, delivery and the first 18 months of their first-born's life.  As well as other pieces of wisdom she has learned along the way. Laura's story is one of great redemption, wisdom learned and a childlike faith in her God.You are going to be encouraged as Laura shares how God has redeemed so many detailed areas of her life and it will spur you on to see how God truly works all things together "for good for those who love Him, who are called according to His purposes." (Romans 8:28). Thank you Laura for sharing so openly with all of us here on The Journey Expressed!
Episode 55 - Tend Your Roots - Part 3 - Becoming Whole Introduction
Aug 24 2022
Episode 55 - Tend Your Roots - Part 3 - Becoming Whole Introduction
In this episode Jenn and Mel share part 3 of the Tend Your Roots series where they hone in on tending what roots you physically (body). This series is an introduction to the upcoming series called, Becoming Whole. In the Tend Your Roots series Jenn and Mel seek to define biblically what makes up a human and how we live whole lives. As Christians, we know that in Christ we are all complete, lacking nothing. But, how do we live that out in this world? Today, we scratch the surface of how we’re created with a physical body to interact in this physical world. Book: The Body Keeps the Score- Bessel Van Der Kolk, M.D.Podcast: https://careynieuwhof.libsyn.com/cnlp-504-john-eldredge-on-the-surprising-symptoms-of-trauma-why-you-still-feel-depleted-and-the-challenges-of-deconstructionScripture referenced:I Corinthians 3:16-17 “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.”Psalm 139:14 “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Galatians 6:8 TPTGalatians 5:19-22 TPT “sexual immorality, lustful thoughts, pornography, chasing after things instead of God (idolatry), manipulating others (witchcraft, or drug usage), hatred of those that get in your way (envy), senseless arguments, resentment when others are favored, temper tantrums, angry quarrels, only thinking of yourself, being in love with your own opinions, being envious of the blessings of others, murder, uncontrolled addictions, wild parties, and all other similar behavior.  But, the fruit of the Spirit(life) is: Divine Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, a life of virtue (goodness), faith, gentleness, and strength of spirit”Romans 12:1-2 AMP “Therefore I urge you, [b]brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies [dedicating all of yourselves, set apart] as a living sacrifice, holy and well-pleasing to God, which is your rational (logical, intelligent) act of worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this world [any longer with its superficial values and customs], but be [c]transformed and progressively changed [as you mature spiritually] by the renewing of your mind [focusing on godly values and ethical attitudes], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His plan and purpose for you].”Quotes from today’s episode:(https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/what-is-the-difference-between-the-body-soul-and-spirit.html)Crosswalk.com: “In simple terms—our bodies were made to carry us through this world. Each of us have a birthdate and an expiration date when we will leave these worn and weathered bodies for God’s Kingdom, should we choose to believe in Him!” - So it’s important to take care of it.John Paul Jackson: “we are a spirit who has a soul that is housed inside of a body”.  Thanks for joining us on The Journey Expressed!