This week, we’re going to hit a couple of different topics. We’re going to start with the concept of what life coaching is, how Christian coaching differs from other secular coaching methods, and then we’re going to transition to the topic of POTENTIAL. That might seem like a weird shift, but what I’ve seen over and over is that people often pursue coaching as a client because they feel like for some reason, in some area of their life, they’re not living up to their potential.  So let’s start with — what is life coaching, and how is Christian coaching different than other types of coaching? 

It’s interesting to think about sacrifice, especially when it comes to our walk as Christians.  There are what I see as two extremes when it comes to sacrifice. On one side, We think, “What do I have to give up to follow Jesus?” And on the other extreme, there’s another side which can start to sound really appealing. It’s the Jesus who doesn’t really want us to give up anything because he just wants us to be happy.  Which extreme is what God wants from us? Or is there another approach to Biblical sacrifice we need to investigate?  Let’s talk about it together. Listen here. 

In the cyclical nature of our world, fall is harvest time. This is the proof time for the farmer. Did they do what they needed to do to ensure a good harvest? Did they plant the right kinds of seeds? Did they care for their crops properly? What do they need to adjust for the future? Are they worried about the winter to come, or do they feel confident in what they’ve stored for the months ahead? I think it’s a great idea for us to use this time to think about these same things. We’re likely not depending on the fall harvest to literally feed our families. But we definitely should be evaluating the fruits in our lives to see if we’re reaping what we anticipated. Where do we need to make changes? What branches need to be pruned?  The question I’d like us to start with today is, “How is my harvest?” I want us to take a look at what we’re growing in our lives — our fruits — and see where we need to make adjustments.

This week is my 50th episode, and I thought I’d celebrate by sharing one of the great loves of my life with you — books and reading.  When I was young and the world was too scary and just didn’t make sense, I’d retreat into my books. My happy place was on my bed, in my room, reading book after book. Little Women, Harriet the Spy, the Little House on the Prairie series, the Great Brain series, Judy Blume books — I could disappear for hours and just shut out the world.  As I got older, books have continued to be a big love of mine. If I’m confused about something, my first step is often to find a book on the topic — including THE BOOK.  Today, I want to tackle the question of is it important to read, and then look at some ways to get more books into your life. And then we’re going to wrap up with five book recommendations I really think you’re going to enjoy. I’ll do a little more than 30-second book reviews. :) 

For as long as I can remember, I’ve considered myself competent and strong, and I have refused to ask for help, even when I really need it.  If you’re like me, it’s way easier to give help than to ask for it, though. And that inability to ask for or even to accept help can damage our relationships and our self-worth. Today, I want to start with the question, “Why is it so hard for me to ask for help?” Listen here. 

Lately, I’ve allowed myself to fall into spats on Facebook, particularly around the issue of the school district and some things going on there that I’m very concerned about. And it doesn’t feel good.  Or, rather, it feels good in the moment, but I soon find myself questioning not only what I said, but the way I said it — and if it was even making a difference. Just like an addict regretting the morning after, I was disgusted with myself and my behavior. The momentary rush from unleashing my tongue soon gave way to regret.  So when I feel convicted by the Holy Spirit, I start with the question I’ve been asking myself that led me to a place where my actions don’t line up with God’s plan. Then I want to see where I can change up that question to a better, more beautiful one.  In this case, when I’ve found myself going into these “discussions,” I’ve been asking myself, “How can I prove them wrong and convince them I’m right?” If you also are wondering how we can handle disagreements with friends, loved ones, and even strangers on the internet… this episode is for you! Listen in... http://beautifulquestionshow.com

One topic I’ve been thinking a lot about is the concept of responsibility — in particular, personal responsibility. What are we as Christians responsible for? What will God call us to account for when we meet him face to face?  This topic came up because, as usual, when I look at culture, we seem to be running amok. In the world’s eyes, there seems to be one of two approaches.  On one hand, NOTHING is our fault. We’re all just products of an unequal system that spits out humans predestined to act a certain way, and we shouldn’t be held responsible for anything. And on the other extreme, EVERYTHING is our fault — including things that happened centuries before we were born. Even our silence can be considered “violence.” Are you confused? I sure am! Let’s take a look at these extremes and the fruit they generate, and then we’ll dive into what God says about personal responsibility. Listen here:  http://beautifulquestionshow.com. 

We've got a real problem in front of us: the cancel culture. Every place we turn, we deal with the threat of being canceled. There seems to be no room for discussion and no room for people to change their opinions or to grow over time. There's no room for understanding. We feel judged, everywhere we turn.  This hits our younger generation as much or more than anyone. Here's just one example: according to a 2019 poll from Echelon Insights, nearly half of students aged 13 to 22 say they've stopped themselves from sharing that their ideas or opinions in class discussions for fear of being judged or suffering negative results from other students or instructors. That's in school, so imagine how kids feel about pressure from friends or on social media.  So what do we do about cancel culture and judging others, or being judged ourselves? After all, we're told to judge in the Bible; we're instructed to make calls about what's good and what's bad. But at the same time is it loving to call others out, what are we risking when we judge others, and what should be our ultimate goal.  Tune in for a roundtable discussion with Callie Ehmann and friend on judging others, being judged, and how to handle cancel culture. 

I’ve had seasons of my life when it was a struggle to simply get out of bed. The pressures I was facing — how to care for a sick child, how to pay the bills, how to process the death of a close friend, how to keep my eyes on God when everything seemed so bleak — threatened to pull me under the cold waves in a sea of struggle.  During that time, I made a decision — to fight back. To loudly proclaim that no matter what might come my way, I refused to give in to despair. It was my do or die moment, when I had to choose what I stood for, and I chose joy. In this week’s episode, I’ll be sharing one powerful, yet very simple, technique you can use to break the BIG stuff down into manageable chunks so you can choose joy regardless of what’s going on inside or outside of you. It’s called the one-inch frame. We’ll talk about how to LIVE BIG by going small. 

One of the biggest questions we worry about is, does our life actually matter? Most of us won’t live lives of huge significance, finding a cure for cancer or landing a plane full of people in an ice storm. So it’s natural to wonder if we aren’t in the spotlight or on the front page of the newspaper, does what we do each day really matter? At the end of our lives, will we be able to look back and see that we made a difference somehow?  Even the Bible seems to hint at the idea that we are pretty insignificant. In James, it says “What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.” And in Genesis, it says, “for dust you are and to dust you will return.”  We also know that God has created us individually, that we are fearfully and wonderfully made, and that he knows the very number of hairs on our heads. So at the same time we are nothing, we are walking miracles! So what is the truth? That is what Callie and I are going to talk about today in Ep. 44... listen in!

Today, I want to take a step back and talk about questions as a whole. As you know, this show is all about the power of questions. I believe in the power of questions as a way to steer our thinking. Our brains have no ability to go anywhere but where we tell them. And we guide them based on the questions we ask. Our typical approach each week is to take a common question and look at how we can shift it in a way that allows you to be more empowered and live a life closer to Christ’s. But what I really want to do is empower you — to give you the skills in your own life to ask better questions so when I’m not here in your ears, you can make these shifts for yourself.  So this week, I’m going to give you some guidelines for the kinds of questions you ask. That way, when you catch yourself heading in a negative direction, you can course correct.  Let’s dive in.

Have you ever wanted something so badly in your life that you begged God? You would have given anything for the relationship to be restored, for the life to be spared, for the miracle to occur. And somehow, despite your pleadings, despite the earnestness of your prayers, it seems like God is not listening. And that’s our question today — why isn’t God answering my prayers?   When you’re left in your grief and anger, how do you process that, as you wonder where God and his grace were in all of this pain and hurt.  I’m sure you, like me, have had unanswered prayers. And that’s the question we’re diving into this week — why is God ignoring my prayers? Join me to unpack this topic and see what we find! Listen here.   

The question we're starting with today is, "How can I keep from failing?" Failure is such a scary word for a lot of people, me included. But what's underneath that fear of failure? What does God have to say about failure? And is it actually good to avoid failing? Co-host Callie Ehmann and I talk a little bit about what failure means and what the Bible says about failure, and how we can take a different type of angle on our question to help us be more empowered and more Christ-like, and help us shine brighter for God. 

Sports has been a hot topic in the news.  • LeBron James and his comments about race and discrimination.  • Arguments for and against allowing biological boys to compete with girls • The Supreme court ruling about NCAA compensation of athletes • A newly appointed member of the track and field Olympic team turning her back on the flag when the national anthem was played at the Olympic trials • Players opting out of the Olympics in Tokyo, and people wondering if the USA should compete at all in the winter games in China All this got me wondering, do we pay too much attention to sports? Has it become an idol in our culture? That’s what co-host Callie Ehmann and I will discuss in this week’s episode of A More Beautiful Question. What’s good and not-so-good about playing, watching, and supporting our kids in sports… and how can sports help us glorify God?

In this week's episode, I want to change up our approach a little bit. We’ve so far been talking about questions we ask ourselves… but in this episode, I want to focus on questions I think God will be asking us.  Now, I want to make it clear that this is all conjecture. I’m not a biblical scholar, and some of what I’m going to be talking about is my best guess of what God might ask us when we come face-to-face with him, based upon what I know about his nature. So please, please test this against what you know about the Bible. My intent is simply to get us thinking about what God might want to ask us when we meet him.  Listen here. 

Does it seem to you like the prevailing emotion people feel these days is OFFENSE? Everywhere we turn, there are people (maybe even us…) who are offended by actions and words, intended and not.  As Christians, we don’t seek to offend anyone. Yet at the same time, it can seem that our very existence brings offense, and that trying to live God’s truth is not politically correct. So how do we navigate the minefield of others’ feelings while living out our truth? What does God say about offending others and being offended? And how can we be less offended — and offensive?  Tune in as everyone’s favorite co-host Callie Ehmann and I dive into this interesting and very relevant topic.  Listen here. 

This episode marks my 37th episode here at A More Beautiful Question! Some of you have been with me from the very beginning. Others of you may be listening for the first time! But now that we’ve been at this for eight months, I thought it might be fun to revisit what this show is all about, including why it’s called A More Beautiful Question, and how that relates to the concept of becoming a Joy Rebel.  If you’re new, this will be a great introduction to the community we’re building here, and if you’ve been around for awhile, it’ll be a great reminder of where we’ve been and where we’re going.  Stay tuned for a refresher on living life boldly for Christ, and how to walk out your faith, even when times get tough.  Listen here. 

It's so easy to lose track of who we are and where we find our identity. So many voices from the world want to define us. But the problem is that when we base our identity on who or what the world says we are, we're building on sand.  Just look at fashion. What the world expects us to be changes as often as do trends in hairstyles and skirt lengths! As soon as we grow out our bangs, we're told our part is wrong, our hair color is off, and we need to have a visible thigh gap.  This game of catch-up is particularly hard on young women. And that's why I've invited everyone's favorite co-host Callie Ehmann to join me for this episode of A More Beautiful Question. You're gonna love this conversation! Listen here. 

Last week we started a powerful series on a great question: “What is stealing my joy?” and of course, the more beautiful and empowering question of, “What am I going to DO about it?” There are so many potential pitfalls, sand traps, and quagmires that are just waiting to trip us up and bring us down. We Joy Rebels know that the enemy — and our own insecurities, fear, and pride — are just waiting to attack! And that’s why we’re hitting hard on these topics. I want you to have a very specific process for when you’re facing doubt, fear, or anything else that can interrupt the battle for your joy. I want you to have a battle plan, a strategy for when your joy is being threatened.  This week,  in Ep. 35 of A More Beautiful Question, we’re going to continue with five more joy thieves and how to fight back against them.  Listen here:  http://beautifulquestionshow.com.   

I have felt like I’ve had to fight harder for my joy lately. I haven’t been depressed — but for more days than normal, I’ve been feeling like Eeyore, with a little black cloud over my head. If I’m not intentional, I’ve noticed my thoughts going to darker places with, “What’s the point? Why is this so hard? I’m so tired!”  Yes, even I — a joy rebel of the first order — find myself asking the wrong questions! And that’s when I decided to do a whole show about what’s stealing my joy. I made a list of ten things that I’m allowing to depress or distract me, and I thought they might connect with you.  But we’re not gonna stop there. Once we name them, we’re going to fight back. Because this week, we might be starting with the question, “What’s Stealing My Joy?” But in Ep. 34 of A More Beautiful Question, we’re gonna move on to the more beautiful question of, “What are we going to do about it?” We’re going to equip ourselves to live into the joy God wants for us.  Listen here:  http://beautifulquestionshow.com. 

I don’t know if it’s my age or wisdom or just life stage or coming off of quarantine… but I’m definitely relishing a slower schedule. And I think that’s what God wants for us, too.  When we’re rushing from one thing to another, we can lose a lot! I know what you’re probably saying. “Lain, you don’t get it. I have meals to cook and kids to tend to and a job to do and family and friends to take care of and bills to pay. There’s no time right now to rest!” Well, all that may be true… but if you’re that busy MOST of the time, it’s that much more important to make time to recharge. You won’t be doing anyone any favors if you run yourself ragged, lose your connection to your loved ones, don’t have time to talk with and listen to God, and enjoy the life you’re living. You may have to make some tough choices now to build in time to recharge. And that is what brings us to what I’d really like us to consider for this week’s question: Instead of, “How do I keep up with the crazy pace of life,” I want you to think about, “How do I build in time to slow down?”  Listen in to Ep. 33 of A More Beautiful Question so you can create a season of rest and rejuvenation. 

Each week as I mull over what topic to bring to you, I do a lot of things. I read. I see what people are talking about on social media. I examine my own heart. And I pray. I look for a topic that’s going to capture my own attention as well as offer something I think will benefit you as well.  And this week, I had planned a totally different topic when God grabbed me. “You need to talk about people — especially women — about being let down,” he told me.  So this week, in Ep. 32 of A More Beautiful Question, the question I want to start with is, “Why am I always so disappointed?” Listen in and see how we take that question and shift it to one that's more empowering. 

God put down 783,137 words (that’s in the King James version!), just for us, just so we’d know how he feels about everything under the sun, from dealing with your parents to handling finances. He didn’t do it because he was bored, but because he wanted to communicate with us.  Few people read their Bibles — even fewer take the time and effort to memorize passages. But these same non-reading, non-memorizing people are the same ones who complain, “I am not hearing from God! I don’t know what he wants from me!” This week we’ll talk about why — and how — to create a regular relationship with your Bible. Hear more in Ep. 31 of A More Beautiful Question!

This week, we’re talking about a question most have us faced at one time or another in our lives. Most of us have experienced periods where it seems like God is just silent. We are longing to hear from him, and he’s not saying anything! And we can’t help but wonder, “Why isn’t God talking to me?” Have you experienced that? I sure have. It can be so painful and frustrating to want so desperately to get guidance or direction, but day after day, we just hear… nothing. That’s what we’re diving into today in Ep. 30 of A More Beautiful Question! This topic links up with a free challenge I’m leading right now, on hearing from God. We started May 1, but you’re not too late to join in! Just head over to http://lainehmann.com/gods-voice/ and sign up, or follow me on instagram at @lain.ehmann. You’ll get a daily email, I’m doing a daily video, and there are also other free resources. Don’t miss it.  Listen here:  http://beautifulquestionshow.com. 

Over the weeks, we’ve focused on one common thread: How to become a Joy Rebel, someone who stands up and proclaims the goodness of God despite any personal challenges, in order to shine a light for others in an increasingly dark world.  Shining on behalf of God sounds amazing, and is something that we as Christians should all aspire to. But it’s not without pushback. In fact, the more we stand up and stand out, the more we can be targeted by others who disagree with us, who don’t have the same foundation we do, or by those who are motivated by the enemy to try to tear down anything godly.  So how do we navigate this world where we can be rejected or punished for our beliefs? It’s not surprising if you’re asking yourself, “How can I get over the fear of being judged?” But as usual, the question we start with isn’t the question we really should be asking.  And that’s what we’ll discuss in this week’s episode of A More Beautiful Question. 

We are created to be creators. And when we deny that part of ourselves, we can actually become depressed, frustrated, and angry. That may sound extreme, but I strongly believe it’s true. I’ve seen it in myself, and I’ve seen it in my kids. When we embrace our role as creators, we experience more joy — which is what we’re all about around here! So today, I’m going to talk about a few things. I’m going to share why it’s important for us to create. What God says about our role as creators. The difference between creating and creativity. And finally, I’ll offer some suggestions for those of you who think you’re not a creator or not creative.  This is gonna be a fun one… so buckle up! Sign up for more: http://beautifulquestionshow.com. 

We’ve been talking about community, and how important it is to have people to not just be social with, but to support you — and you to support them. But what do you do when one of those trusted people betrays you or harms you in some way?  Maybe you’ve been there. Maybe you loved someone. Maybe you were closer than sisters and suddenly something happened. She said something that you couldn’t get past, or one of you did something that hurt the other. Or maybe it was a smaller rift in a less important, yet still dear, friendship. You hear that someone said something behind your back, or a friend criticizes your parenting, or puts her name in for a promotion at work that you’ve been talking about for months and for which she never expressed interest. There are so many ways we can hurt each other and betray each other, aren’t there? That’s what we’ll be jumping into this week in Ep. 27. We’re going to talk about handling that pain, and what to do — and what not to do! — when your feelings are hurt.  Listen here:  http://beautifulquestionshow.com

We couldn’t begin to talk about community in the modern day without talking about the role that social media plays in our lives and our relationships.  Many people I know, especially after this last election cycle, are beginning to wonder if social media is Godly, if it’s something we should be involved in at all.  I completely understand that. There are days when I think that social media is an evil creation. But then something will happen that restores my faith in humanity, when I see people using it for positive purposes. And then I remember that the Internet is just a tool, and we can choose whether we’re going to use it to help us become more Christlike, or we can use it for negative purposes.  So, as always, the question we start with — “Is social media Godly?” — can actually be angled, just slightly, and a better question to ask is, “How can I use social media in a Godly way?”  In Ep. 26, we’re going to talk about 10 suggestions (I’m not going to call them commandments!) for how we can use social media to further our relationship with others and with Christ.  Find out more here: http://beautifulquestionshow.com. 

Today, we're discussing one of the biggest obstacles to creating  true partnership of support — and that is jealousy, or envy. Especially in these days of FOMO and social media, what others are doing and how far they’re going and how fast they’re running seems to be constantly in our faces. And when we feel like we’re not measuring up, it can hit us right in our insecurities.  When we are risking, moving forward, operating on behalf of God, we can think we are immune from challenges and problems. Not true. In fact, the enemy may throw even more trouble our way because we are a threat to his rule here on earth. We’re trying to create something based in love, and he hates that. So the more progress we make, and the bigger our goals, the more he’d like to bring us down. And one thing that comes up over and over again is the two-headed beast of comparison and envy. In Ep. 25, we’ll discuss where envy comes from, why it gets in the way of our relationship with others and with Jesus, and what we can do about it.  Tune in! http://beautifulquestionshow.com. 

Last week we started our first in a series about COMMUNITY. We talked about the kinds of people you want on your side when you are moving through the world, especially when you have big plans. If you’d like to review that episode, you can head over to beautifulquestionshow.com.  This week, we’re going to talk about one of the biggest challenges when it comes to community and friends — namely, how to create that support system.  The key here is to stop expecting community to arise overnight. It takes cultivation, time, attention, and even some trial and error. In Ep. 24, we’ll talk about some best practices for creating a meaningful circle of support. http://beautifulquestionshow.com. 

When you are a joy rebel, a warrior for God, it can feel really lonely. We can feel like we’re on our own, especially in times when we’re more isolated and separate. And, according to the mainstream media, no one thinks like we do! We are the outliers, the weird ones. And when we feel isolated, we can start questioning our beliefs. It’s a tactic used by the enemy to make us doubt and to keep us ineffective. Which is why God tells us over and over again to find community to support us.  So I’m going to spend some time over our next couple of episodes, talking about our support system and community, starting with Ep. 23. Today, we’ll hit part one of this discussion and talk specifically about who you need in your circle of support. Find out more and listen to the whole show here:  http://beautifulquestionshow.com

When we are joy rebels, we begin to see the areas of the world that aren’t in line with Jesus’ teachings. We start to see the stark contrast between the darkness of the world around us, and the joy we feel. And we can be moved to do something about it. We want to be joy warriors, fighting against negativity, sin, and hopelessness.  But that battle can be overwhelming at times. When we wake up everyday and see the hurt and trouble in the world — much of it man-made — we can get overwhelmed. We can start wondering how our efforts will even begin to make a dent in the despair that others are feeling and the blackness that seems to be creeping over the world.  I wonder, “how do I change the world?” But how can we do that if we are overwhelmed or ineffective, or just plain exhausted? That’s what we’re going to talk about in Ep. 22. Find out more and listen to the whole show here:  http://beautifulquestionshow.com. 

One area that can be really tough for Joy Rebels is staying joyful when someone you love is hurting. What do you do when a spouse, a friend, a child, a parent, is suffering? How do you maintain an attitude of joy in those times? In other words, how do you keep someone else from hurting?  That’s what I want to dive into today. And, as you know by now, the question we start with is not necessarily the question we need to be asking.  Find out more in Ep. 21, and then make sure to sign up for resources at http://beautifulquestionshow.com. 

For the last few weeks, we’ve been talking about how joyful people leave clues. We’ve discussed how Joy Rebels — women who are intentional about living joyfully, despite external circumstances — intentionally create joy in our lives. And we covered 11 habits of highly joyful people.  But 11 things — that’s a lot to remember! I want to make it easy for you, so in this week’s episode I’m going to cover three specific actions or practices you can take every day when you think you just can’t go on. If you just work on these three things, it can help you get that air into your lungs and let you keep going.  Find out more in Ep. 20, and then make sure to sign up for resources at http://beautifulquestionshow.com. 

Last week we talked about the question, "How do I find more joy in my life?" We talked about how we don’t necessarily FIND joy, like  a four-leaf clover… Instead we can be joy creators. That’s what joy rebels are — those who become joy-making machines. We talked through the first set of habits of highly joyful people. This week, we’re going to continue that list. Stay tuned for five additional habits of highly joyful people! Find out more at http://beautifulquestionshow.com. 

One of the big questions that comes up when I start talking about joy, is… how do I find more of it in my life?  Well, there’s good news and bad news.  The bad news is… you can’t FIND more joy. Joy isn’t something  that if you just are diligent enough or spend enough time, you can eventually discover, like a four-leaf clover.  But here’s the good news: You don’t have to FIND it because you can MAKE it.  Yes, you, my sweet friend, are a joy-manufacturing machine! While it’s not something as formulaic as, say, baking a pineapple upside-down cake, joy does leave clues. And by digging into my own experiences with joy and by looking at what other joyful people have done, we can back into how you can create your own joy-generating process. In today’s episode, we’ll cover the first six things that highly joyful people do. Get more information, sign up for show reminders, and join the community at beautifulquestionshow.com.

When I talk about joy these days, at first people don’t get it. They say, “What do you mean, live joyfully? The economy is awful. I’ve been out of work for months. COVID is running rampant. My kids are struggling with distance learning. My parents are scared to travel. I know so many people who are hurting… and you want me to be HAPPY despite it all?” Well, no.  The question we need to talk about isn’t happiness. It’s joy.  Happiness and joy are two distinct things. One is outside our control, and one is a decision we can make on a daily basis. And that decision can quite literally change our lives.  Find out more in this powerful episode! Get more information, sign up for show reminders, and join the community at beautifulquestionshow.com.

Some surprising statistics on anger:  60 percent of people admit to losing their temper while driving.  25 percent of adults say they’ve committed an act of road rage.  Almost ⅔ of office workers have experienced office rage. 71% of internet users admit to having suffered net rage. Pretty crazy, right?  With that many people dealing with anger on a regular basis, you may wonder what’s so bad about it? Well, in addition to causing stress and inflammation in our bodies, anger can also cause us to do stupid stuff — like break our computers, cut people off in traffic, say insulting or hurtful things, or do things we later regret.  This week, I dive into how we can distinguish between positive anger and anger that limits us and leads us astray.  Get more information, sign up for show reminders, and join the community at beautifulquestionshow.com.

When my family is all around, I’ve noticed I often run around the house like an anxious bed and breakfast owner… trying to make sure everyone is taken care of. But instead of just worrying about if there’s enough hot water or if everyone has enough pillows, I’m constantly taking everyone’s emotional temperature. Are you ok? Are you really ok? I mean, are you really, really ok, like truly?  I’m wondering, 24/7, this question: “How can I make my family happy?” This isn’t just at the holidays, either! I often find myself trying to be the emotional caretaker for my family.  This is not just ridiculous, it’s not healthy for me or my family. That’s why this week we’ll change that question up a bit and make it more effective as we discuss how we can be examples of joy for our friends and families. Being women of joy lies squarely in our sphere of influence, and I’ll show you how in this week’s episode of “A More Beautiful Question.” Get more information, sign up for show reminders, and join the community at beautifulquestionshow.com.

Millions of kids are dealing with distance learning right now — and as parents, we want to know, “how do we help our kids deal with online school?” But that is not the right question! By the stats, we know that: Online learning isn’t ideal. Kids aren’t learning what they need  to.  Online learning is causing isolation, and is leading to all sorts of mental health issues for our kids. As we talk about schooling, we hear a lot from parents, health professionals, and teachers — but we don’t hear from the community that’s impacted the most — our kids.  That’s why this week, I’ve invited back my guest co-host, Callie Ehmann, to share the perspective of teenagers on what’s going on with our kids. We’ll talk about how the shutdown is impacting teens, and why it’s so critical to get kids BACK IN SCHOOL.  I’m happy to be able to share my platform of “A More Beautiful Question” as we talk about this critical topic.  Get more information, sign up for show reminders, and join the community at beautifulquestionshow.com.  

Are resolutions godly?  Is it prideful to make plans for the year ahead? Can we find a way to make goals and plans for the year ahead while not falling victim to our ego? That’s what we’ll talk about in this week’s episode, “How do I set resolutions for 2021?” We’ll discuss the difference between showing up and taking the wheel. I’ll also share four ways to set godly goals and plans for 2021.  If you’re a recovering control freak or Type A like me, you’re going to LOVE this episode of “A More Beautiful Question!” Get more information, sign up for show reminders, and join the community at beautifulquestionshow.com

As 2020 is winding down, it’s natural that we start looking over the previous months. Whether as we were writing our year-end Christmas letter, or simply packing away the Christmas decorations, or pulling out the 2021 calendar, we go over what happened in the preceding weeks and months. This is a really healthy thing to do, as it allows us to see where we’ve been and dig out lessons and nuggets of wisdom.  What’s not so healthy, though, is to sink into despair over the mistakes we’ve made, either this year, or in years past. So many of the women I know are great at beating themselves up! Maybe you’re dealing with regret, anger, guilt, and pain over some of your past decisions.  In this week’s episode, we’ll talk about how to come to a place of peace with your past — and what God has to say about our sin.  Get more information, sign up for show reminders, and join the community at beautifulquestionshow.com.

As we wind down 2020, for some of us, Dec. 31 can’t come soon enough. This year has, collectively, been one of the toughest we’ve experienced. It’s so tempting to crawl into our dens like a bear going into hibernation, and just snuggle down until everything is better. However, by rushing through this period, or any period of your life, you’re wishing away a time that can still bring its own gifts, lessons, and blessings.  I’ll lead you through some suggestions for questions to ponder (and maybe journal about) to help you take the best of 2020 and leave the rest behind!  Get more information, sign up for show reminders, and join the community at beautifulquestionshow.com.  

Join me and co-host Callie Ehmann for a very special episode of A More Beautiful Question. We dive into three things teen daughters need from their moms -- and three things moms need from their daughters. You might be surprised at what this 16-year-old says!  Callie says teens want: Their moms to listen and not automatically give advice. Freedom (but not too much!) Boundaries (bot not too many!) Meanwhile, moms need: Their kids to listen, even when our stories are boring. ;)  Appreciation that we do things out of love, and we're not trying to wreck your life! Recognition and encouragement for moms to have a life of their own. Get more information, sign up for show reminders, and join the community at beautifulquestionshow.com.

**Today is the second of a two-part episode on MIRACLES. If you missed last week, you can go back and listen on the website at beautifulquestionshow.com.  In this episode, we're talking about how we can move from waiting for miracles for US, to creating miracles for others. Yes, YOU can become a "miracle maker!" Any time we choose out of love rather than fear… Any time we put someone else’s interests above our own… Any time we help someone who probably will never be able to help us back… Any time we set aside our own hurt in order to forgive… In my mind… those are all miracles! Because anytime we do something the world sees as foolish, unwise, or downright crazy in service of another, it very well could be a miracle.  Learn more about stepping into your role as miracle maker and CREATE the season of joy!    

As we enter December, it’s the season of miracles. We all want to believe in the existence of miracles. As Christians, we know that the true miracle of course is Jesus’s arrival on earth and his gift of salvation… but we still can’t help longing for a lost love to be rekindled, for a broken heart to be mended, for some kind of divine intervention that sets our lives right.  And so, at this time of year with so many people struggling, it’s natural to ask, “WHERE’S MY MIRACLE?” If you’ve ever wondered that question, stick around! In Part 1 of this two-part series, we're diving into two mistakes we make when we think about miracles, as well as four ways we can see more miracles around us RIGHT NOW. Listen in, and then sign up for show updates at A More Beautiful Question website.   

Is your to-do list and your calendar bursting at the seams, leaving you stressed and overwhelmed? That's not what God wants for you! In this week's episode, the question we're tackling is, "How do I get all this stuff done?!" We'll talk about discerning what's YOUR assignment... and how to know when to say "No." And, of course, we're gonna replace that question with a more beautiful one - that gives you peace, breathing room, and intention. 

As we get together with extended family and friends, we may have some tough conversations. Coming off the election, we might get sucked into political conversations. Or people may have very strong feelings about Coronavirus and masks and schools opening. Or they may be vegans and disagree with the menu choice. Or they may disagree with your life choices! Whatever it is, it’s that time of year when we look around the dining room table and think, “What is WRONG with them?” But you know that when you ask that question, your brain will answer it... and that doesn't lead us anywhere good!  That's why we're going to work together to develop a better question today, one that allows us to see the good in others and sow seeds of peace, love, and joy -- not discord.  We'll talk about three ways to prepare ourselves for difficult people, and one specific question to ask when we find ourselves in the midst of potentially contentious situations.  Listen now, then subscribe on iTunes!

As Christian women, we can feel a huge responsibility to be positive, to shine bright, to make our home, work, family, and relationships look pristine and beautiful. We never, ever want to admit to weakness or doubt because that would mean we’re flawed humans.  But what do we do when we find ourselves asking, "Why is life so hard?" In this episode, Lain discusses how we can turn our struggles into a strong testimony for God.  We'll talk about:  Are struggles God's way of punishing me?  How to deal with doubts about God's love -- and about doubts regarding our own ability What to do to shift our perspective on our challenging times Most of all, we'll talk about a question we can ask instead that help us see Jesus in the darkness.  Want more resources for living boldly in Christ? Visit the show website and subscribe for more.