Last week, Jesse and I shared some of our favorite tips and tricks for keeping the spark alive in your marriage on the podcast. We didn’t want to stop there, though. This week, we invited Matt and Lisa Jacobson to come share their perspective and secrets on how to keep your marriage alive and thriving. Matt and Lisa have been married 27 years, have eight children, and are speakers, podcasters, and authors who are passionate about the topic of marriage. In this episode, they share their personal ...
Jan 28, 2020•29 min
I reached over last night and took his hand and said, “I really like you.” It might seem like such a simple gesture, but after 17 years of marriage, I’m so grateful that we don’t just love each, we LIKE each other, too. A good marriage doesn’t just happen; it requires two very different people to be willing to put forth time, effort, and sacrifice. To choose their spouse everyday — on the good days and the bad days. To be faithful and loving on the dark and difficult days. To look for the good, ...
Jan 21, 2020•30 min
About a week and a half ago, Jesse dropped his phone in the lake while duck hunting. To our surprise, instead of this being something that was a sort of frustrating expense and inconvenience, it turned into an unexpected blessing. On this episode, Jesse and I talk candidly about how addicting the phone can become, changes we've implemented to spend less time on our phones, and what has been working for us (as well as some things we are trying!) We also share some of how we are approaching phones...
Jan 14, 2020•34 min
Our Journey to Becoming Foster Parents “What’s your plan for foster care? How many kids are you planning to accept at a time? What ages of kids are you planning to foster? Are you hoping to adopt from the foster care system?” These questions and many more have been asked by very well-meaning, caring people over the last few months as we’ve shared the news that we were becoming foster parents. If you know me, you know I’m a planner. I’m a to do list queen. I love having order and organization in ...
Jan 07, 2020•39 min
Like usual, as the year winds down and we head into November, I start thinking of what over-arching theme I want to pursue in the following year. My word for the year came pretty easily to me, as it often does. I sat with it for a few weeks to make sure I really loved it. And then I asked Jesse for his thoughts. He agreed that the word seemed fitting for 2020. So without further ado, my word for 2020 is: Savor. What Does Savor Mean? There are a variety of definitions for savor, but the basic def...
Dec 31, 2019•20 min
Note: I said in the episode that next week we'd be talking about foster care next week. Well, I completely forgot that next week was Christmas! Whoops! We'll be taking next week off for Christmas but then we'll be back the week of New Year's with an episode on our Word of the Year for 2020. And then the following week, we promise to do the foster care episode! Thank you for your grace! We’re nearing the end of the year and it’s time to reflect on this year to prepare for next. This is the time o...
Dec 17, 2019•33 min
"When do you start talking to your kids about money and how old should they be before you talk to them about it?" We get this question often and we decided to tackle it head on in today's podcast episode. And by that, I mean we talked about a number of things that might be a little be controversial. :) We approach the conversation of money with our kids much like we approach anything else in our parenting -- with the desire to lead by example and raise future adults. In this episode, we share wh...
Dec 10, 2019•32 min
One of the most requested podcast episodes has been for us to talk about our Christmas traditions, what Christmas looks like for our family, and how we do gifts for our immediate and extended family. In this episode, we sat down with Kathrynne, Kaitlynn, and Silas and had a discussion on our favorite Christmas memories, why we make a December Bucket List, what we chose for our bucket list this year, some things we're doing differently for Christmas this year, how we do gifts, and what Christmas ...
Dec 03, 2019•24 min
What do you do when you experience failure in your life or your business? One of our wonderful listeners asked how you get back up and keep going after failure, and Jesse and I had a lively and honest discussion around this in this week's episode of the podcast. Failure is a part of life, but it shouldn’t define who we are. For instance, for a long time, Jesse identified as a lawyer and that title made up his identity in many ways. If he failed or if he perceived a failure, that lack would direc...
Nov 19, 2019•25 min
We had a lot of fun with this episode -- and we learned a few things about each other in the process of recording it! What's today's podcast episode topic? The Enneagram and marriage. Whether you love all things Enneagram , are skeptical of it, or don't even know what it is, I think you'll enjoy this candid conversation about our differences, how we have worked through them, and what it looks like to love and respect someone who is the complete opposite of you in many ways. Pull up a chair (or a...
Nov 12, 2019•35 min
On this week's episode of the podcast, we're talking about how to build a strong father-daughter relationship -- and I brought in my resident expert, Jesse, to give us input. (I didn't mention this on the podcast, but we also asked the girls to both give input on what they feel helps to build a strong relationship and that was some of the basis of what Jesse shared.) It has been so beautiful to watch Jesse lean in and love his daughters so well as they've gotten older. I know there can be a tend...
Nov 05, 2019•26 min
Any time I mention that I no longer drink coffee, I get so many questions on why and how I did this. I decided it was high time I write a post about my journey with quitting coffee ! Why I stopped drinking coffee Let's be clear. This is not something I ever wanted to do and I never ever dreamed I'd be a non-coffee drinker! {So there's still hope for all you coffee drinkers out there who would like to try giving up caffeine but can't imagine a world without your coffee!} I started working with a ...
Oct 29, 2019•30 min
As a mom, there’s not much that warms your heart more than seeing your child find such fulfillment in loving on others. We usually go to South Africa every year to spend time with our friends there and to see the progress and work being done by Take Action Ministry — the ministry that is near and dear to our hearts and the one we are very involved with there. (If you’re interested in reading about previous trips, you can read more and see lots of pictures here .) I couldn’t go this year because ...
Oct 22, 2019•31 min
Okay, I know I've said this before about other episodes, but I truly think today's episode was one of my very favorite podcast recordings to date! Maybe it had something to do with the fact that Aundi Kolber is a therapist and I felt like I got a therapy session just by spending an hour with her?! :) Listen in to the episode and you'll see what I mean. Aundi has a gift of sharing so eloquently and yet also in such a heartfelt manner. She just exudes such peace and calmness, but also such profoun...
Oct 15, 2019•35 min
In 2014, Jesse closed down his law practice, we moved from Kansas to Tennessee, and he came home full-time. That was over 5 years ago and it’s taken us a few years to find our rhythm. We’ve both learned and grown a lot in these last five years. It hasn’t been easy. He struggled through a period of depression. I struggled to figure out what it looked like to love him well through that. But in the last two years, I’ve seen Jesse truly come alive, embrace who God has made him to be, and pour himsel...
Oct 08, 2019•36 min
Are you in a season of life that feels stretching, exhausting, or overwhelming? If so, today's episode just might really encourage you! I share 4 strategies for surviving stretching seasons that I'm currently implementing right now in the middle of morning sickness and a really, really full work schedule (gratefully, I'm finished with 3 of the biggest work weeks of my year and things are slowing down now!) By the way, I intentionally use the word stretching not stressful... and I explain why on ...
Oct 01, 2019•28 min
When Jesse and I first got married, we always took Sunday offline. It was a day for us to just enjoy going to church, resting, and being together as a family. In recent years, I’ve fallen out of that practice (I'm not even exactly sure why, but I did). In addition to going to church and volunteering at church, Sunday became a day for me to also play catchup on a lot of blogging work and emails. This meant that I was usually working at least some hours every single day of the week. Which I don't ...
Sep 24, 2019•20 min
The biggest surprise of our lives: I’M PREGNANT!!!!!! The fertility specialist said we weren’t even a candidate for IVF, but y’all, our God is bigger than a specialist’s diagnosis or multiple tests that said it would never, ever be a possibility. When we got the devastating new last year that we would never be able to conceive again — even with a lot of fertility help — we decided to grieve and find closure and then let the dream of expanding our family through pregnancy die. Instead, we felt Go...
Sep 17, 2019•20 min
“We don’t need to hustle to prove something God already says is true.” I can’t stop thinking about this quote, ever since I read it in Rebekah Lyon’s book, Rhythms of Renewal . If we’re gut honest, how often are we working so hard in an effort to try to impress someone else, earn someone’s approval, or prove something to ourselves or others? Jesus came so we can stop striving and instead rest in the beautiful truth that we are enough in Him. We don’t have to do more, be more, try harder, do bett...
Sep 10, 2019•32 min
“We can’t win when we go it alone.” -Jessica Honegger In this week's podcast, I share more of my struggle with friendships. I talk about the truths that have set me free to develop deep relationships and some of my best tips for finding good friends. If you've struggled to develop deep relationships or you know someone who struggles with finding and keeping friends, I hope this episode encourages you. In this episode, Jesse and I also share what’s saving our lives this week and we are on opposit...
Sep 03, 2019•28 min
Kristin Maher, author of the new kids’ book, The Awfulizer: Learning to Overcome the Shame Game , sat down in my office studio last week and had a really honest conversation with me. We talked about what shame is, how to help our kids understand and recognize their Shame Voice, and what to do when your older child doesn’t feel like they are good enough. We also had a really frank discussion about shame and body image and how many of us adults still struggle with shame and those feelings of not b...
Aug 27, 2019•33 min
We're in the middle of getting back to the swing of things around here now that school has started back. One of the things that has made such a difference for us in jumping back in to getting everyone out the door early in the mornings is the fact that we had a great morning routine throughout the summer. In this episode, we talk in-depth about our morning routines, what they look like, and why they work so well for us. Whether you love or loathe the idea of morning routines, I think this episod...
Aug 20, 2019•26 min
Ever since Jesse and I did our show on breaking free from legalism , we’ve received a lot emails, messages, and comments all asking similar questions. The questions were all something like, "If you don't adhere to legalism, what should you adhere to?" "How do you determine what you should believe and practice?" "What kind of convictions should a Christian have when it comes to dress, music, dating, a woman's role, etc.?" In this episode, Jesse and I dig into the concept of standards and how to k...
Aug 13, 2019•30 min
A question I get asked often is, "How do you plan your day and keep track of everything in an organized manner?" Well, in this week's episode of The Crystal Paine Show, Jesse and I not only share what's saving our lives and talk about books we are reading, but we also give you an insider look into how we each plan our days. Jesse’s time management plan is a little more detailed than mine, but it works for him. He uses his Appigo app, his Michael Hyatt Full Focus Journal , and our family Google c...
Aug 06, 2019•29 min
Jesse and I are so very, very different. And I love it so much (well, most of the time!) Case in point: Jesse and I went to Home Depot recently to pick out lighting fixtures for the bathroom renovation. I walked in, scanned the shelves, and picked the first fixture that was inexpensive and looked like it would match. Jesse, on the other hand, had spent at least an hour beforehand looking at multiple websites, researching brands, and comparing options. Then, in store, he analyzed the pros and con...
Jul 30, 2019•29 min
For the longest time, the words that I believed about myself were, “Not enough.” I had believed this lie long enough that it became my truth. I believed I wasn’t good enough for friendship, so that’s why I didn’t have any close friends. I became a world class people pleaser — and I spent years agonizing over whether people approved of me and working hard to win and keep approval. I believed I wasn’t good enough when it came to school, so I tried to prove myself by becoming a workaholic and build...
Jul 23, 2019•30 min
Links and Resources: Hoover Power Scrub Deluxe Carpet Cleaner Begin Again: The Brave Practice of Releasing Hurt and Receiving Rest by Leanna Tankersly Backlash: A Thriller by Brad Thor 7 Easy Ways to Earn Amazon Gift Cards Hot Deals Email List Trim Healthy Podcast Jay Shetty Instagram Post Crystal’s Favorite Things on Amazon CrystalPaine.com MoneySavingMom.com Crystal’s Instagram account (I’d love for you to follow me there! I usually hop on at least a few times per day and share behind-the-scen...
Jul 16, 2019•32 min
Do you feel like you can come to us and share your struggles honestly?” We sat the girls down last week and asked them this question. I told them that someone had requested we do a podcast episode on building trust and open communication with your kids and we wanted to get their truthful opinion on whether they felt it was a topic we could tackle. Four years ago, I was deep in the trenches of parenting for my own reputation. When a child was struggling or had made a bad choice, I approached it —...
Jul 09, 2019•47 min
We've had some pretty heavy topics on the podcast recently, so we decided to do something fun and more lighthearted this week. I asked on Instagram for your best ideas for a lighthearted podcast topic idea and many of you requested that we do a Favorite Things Episode. So pretend you're sitting down at the table with us having coffee (or tea!) and let's talk about some of our favorite things. We tell you our favorite: Book Movie Season Place We've Lived Bible Verse Color Podcast Place We've Trav...
Jul 02, 2019•39 min
A few months ago, I did an Instagram Live on anxiety where I talked about what to say to someone who struggles with anxiety. In that live, I opened about walking with Jesse through his anxiety and the lessons that I've learned through it. After I did that video, I got a lot of feedback and followup questions and some requests for us to do a podcast dedicated to the topic. In this episode, Jesse shares really candidly about his struggles with anxiety and how it manifests itself. He also shares wh...
Jun 25, 2019•42 min
