Have you noticed how in this modern age of social media, people are so easily hurt, upset, and offended? I know that I’ve fallen prey to knee jerk reactions when scrolling online. In this episode, Jesse and I talk about this book I’m reading by Brant Hansen called Unoffendable: How Just One Change Can Make All of Life Better. Hansen challenges us to ask the question, “How would it change my life if I chose not to be offended by others?” Some of you may be thinking, “But how do I even do that? Yo...
Feb 22, 2022•36 min
I recently shared a little bit about prayer on Instagram in answer to a woman's question about praying to change her husband. I got so many responses from what I shared and many followup questions, that I wanted to focus this podcast episode on that topic. First off, I think we often have a false sense of what prayer is. It's not about bringing our laundry list of things we want changed and fixed to God; it's about a relationship with Him. It's about releasing our desire to control and micromana...
Feb 15, 2022•31 min
I first found Jamie Finn's instagram when we were beginning our foster care journey. As I started watching her stories and reading her posts, God used her words to really change my heart and perspective on foster care. When we started fostering, I was really focused on helping kids and I honestly had a critical attitude toward birth parents. But Jamie's words convicted me that I needed a heart change. A Gospel-centered approach to fostering wasn't about rescuing children but about walking alongs...
Feb 08, 2022•32 min
One of the kids woke up really frustrated recently. In all honesty, I wanted to respond back in frustration... because it felt like a really “silly” thing for them to be upset by. But if I’ve learned anything in over 17 years of mothering, it’s this: responding in frustrating to a child who is frustrated never ends well. Just trust me on this. So instead, I took a deep breath, leaned on the Holy Spirit, and asked them to share what was wrong. They had a lot to vent out right then & I purpose...
Feb 01, 2022•26 min
What is one thing you do every morning to start your day well? How you begin your days sets up the foundation for how you live your life. Here are 5 things I do every morning to start my day with intention: 1. Create a simple plan — I make a time-blocked to do list on a notebook . (If that feels like a lot, you could just do 3-5 things you want to accomplish in order of priority.) Making a plan helps me live with much more focus and use my time well. 2. Write down blessings — I take a minute eve...
Jan 25, 2022•31 min
It’s so easy to over-complicate life. To completely miss simple solutions because they are, well, just too easy! Now, hear me out: I’m not saying you should be lazy or lax. What I am saying is that there’s no point in wasting a lot of time and energy on making life more complicated or difficult than it needs to be. The more we pare down to what matters most, the more time we have to intentionally invest in what’s important. Two questions I ask regularly as I come up against a problem or just go ...
Jan 18, 2022•25 min
My word for 2021 was Show Up . (Okay, that’s two words, but who’s counting?) This simple phrase impacted so much of my year and served as a guide for how I lived my day-to-day. Any time I found out a friend was struggling or discouraged or just feeling overwhelmed or tired, I tried to stop and pray, “God, how would You have me show up for her?” That sometimes looked like sending a text or checking in regularly or just stopping to pray or sending dinner or a card. But it often looked like reachin...
Jan 11, 2022•29 min
We’ve been keeping a secret for 11 weeks — I’m 15 weeks pregnant!!!! Yes, this news was possibly even more shocking than when we found out I was pregnant with Kierstyn after 10 years of infertility! In fact, we were so surprised, we waited a full week to tell our kids — which, if you know Jesse and me well, you know we can’t keep secrets from our kids! We found out I was pregnant right after saying yes to adopting Baby D... who we thought was going to our family’s caboose! But God definitely had...
Jan 04, 2022•26 min
“I can’t do this. It’s too much. I’m scared.” I lay awake in bed pretty much all night long the first night Baby D arrived. I felt completely overwhelmed and in over my head. When they told us he had Down syndrome and a cleft lip (they didn’t realize he had a cleft palate, too) + a feeding tube, I expected an 8-month-old baby that was somewhat delayed. I didn’t expect him to show up as a tiny malnourished infant that was just 11 pounds, in 0-3 month clothes, and non-responsive. I knew he needed ...
Dec 14, 2021•27 min
Welcome back! We unplugged for a few weeks; visiting family and friends in Kansas for Thanksgiving but we are excited to be back with another episode today! In this week's episode, we not only talk about our December Bucket List but we also share an exciting Baby D update, what we've been reading, what is saving our lives, and some thoughts on self-care vs. self-comfort. In This Episode [00:34] - Welcome to another episode of The Crystal Paine Show . [03:24] - Today we're sharing a big Baby D up...
Dec 07, 2021•30 min
Remember in last week's podcast episode when we alluded to how you can often pre-decide a negative narrative about yourself and you can let that cloud all your interactions with others? Instead of hearing their kind words or assuming they are sharing something out of love, you hear and see everything through the lens of a negative narrative. In this week's podcast episode, Jesse and discuss this more in-depth. We talk about lies we've believed, how these have colored our viewpoints, and how beli...
Nov 16, 2021•30 min
In this week's episode of the Crystal Paine Show , Jesse and I share some of the lessons we've learned in our almost 19 years of marriage on how fight less and communicate with more grace and depth. We talk about practical strategies, personal development and growth, and how to approach difficult conversations that could potentially lead to conflict and misunderstanding. We also share some family updates -- especially about Baby D's upcoming surgery -- and then we talk about what we've been read...
Nov 09, 2021•36 min
Having open hands and an open heart is one part of A Surrendered Yes: 52 Devotions to Let Go and Live Free , the new book by Rebekah Lyons . A Surrendered Yes is also about living in the now. On today’s episode of The Crystal Paine Show, Rebekah and I talk about what it was like for her to have a child diagnosed with Down syndrome, what living a surrendered life looks like, and how God doesn’t call you to anything that He won't also give you the strength for. Rebekah and her family have been a h...
Nov 02, 2021•34 min
If you follow me on Instagram , or Facebook, we already announced the big news, but on the podcast today, we get to tell the story behind the news. Listen in to hear all the details on our unexpected adoption story + we share what is saving our lives, books we're reading, and more! In This Episode [00:37] - Welcome to The Crystal Paine Show today we are sharing some pretty big news. [01:21] - Jesse shares our big news. [02:05] - Jesse had an eventful 24 hours. [04:27] - I've been reading Friends...
Oct 26, 2021•25 min
It was an honor to have Max Lucado in studio recently to talk about his new book, You Were Made For This Moment: Courage for Today and Hope for Tomorrow. We begin the conversation with me sharing about how his children's book, You Are Special, deeply impacted my life. And then Max shared the really amazing story behind the book which you don't want to miss! He also shared how he got started writing, about his time in Brazil, how he first made writing a priority while being a missionary, and then...
Oct 19, 2021•31 min
Do you know what your love languages are? Do you know what the love languages are of those close to you? Understanding how people give and receive love can make such a difference in our relationships. In this podcast, Jesse and I talk about what we've learned about love languages over the almost 19 years of marriage + what we learned recently in revisiting this through a Love Languages quiz we took as part of doing a Date Night in a Box recently. In this podcast, we also give you lots of updates...
Oct 12, 2021•27 min
"Worship suffocates worry.” This powerful quote by Katie Reid has been challenging me ever since I read it in her book, Made Like Martha: Good News for the Woman Who Gets Things Done . When I’m feeling worry creeping in, when I’m starting to stress over the what if’s or unknowns, I want to choose worship instead. This might mean turning on worship music and singing along (there’s something about singing about the goodness and faithfulness of God that just changes your perspective and outlook!) O...
Oct 05, 2021•33 min
Do you feel like your days are filled with stress? In this episode of the podcast, I talk with Ruth Chou Simons all about living a grace-filled life in a stress-filled world. Ruth Chou Simons is a best-selling author and founder of GraceLaced . She has been married to her husband Troy for 23 years and they have been involved in the local ministry most of their lives. Ruth and Troy have 6 sons ages 19 to 8. Everything that Ruth does has this aroma of beauty and it's such an inspiration to me! In ...
Sep 28, 2021•35 min
Do you feel like your prayers are being ignored? This is something that has been on our hearts to share and a story that God is currently writing for us... of a decade of having a dream and a hope and not seeing prayers answers. But in hindsight, God was answering those prayers -- just not in the way we ever could have thought or dreamed! And His story is so much better! In those 10 years, God taught us so many lessons on faith, and resting in Him, and contentment, and just opening our hearts to...
Sep 21, 2021•31 min
I am thrilled to have Alison Lumbatis on the podcast today to talk about one of the most important things you can do every morning to change your day -- and your life! What's that? Get dressed. I know it sounds simple and you might even be rolling your eyes right now, but I can guarantee you that it makes a huge difference. Don't just take my word for it, though! Listen to this week's episode where Alison and I talk about how what you wear sets the tone for your day and your mood and your produc...
Sep 15, 2021•31 min
I've been talking with and hearing from so many people who are tired, weary, and just wanting to shut down. If you can relate to this, you will definitely want to listen to this week's podcast episode! I'm talking with Lisa Whittle, the author of the brand-new book: The Hard Good: Showing Up for God to Work in You When You Want to Shut Down . Lisa answers honestly the questions I ask about what to do when we are exhausted and burnt out and life feels hard and overwhelming. We discuss why she bel...
Sep 07, 2021•30 min
Our topic today – our takes on courtship and dating - might be considered a bit controversial by some! You may recall an early episode of the podcast in which we talked about our own history involving this topic, and if you did hear that episode, then you may also remember that we have a pretty unique story of how Jesse and I ended up in a relationship together and how we had strict courtship rules set by our parents. In this episode, we're talking more about that and answering the question, "Do...
Aug 31, 2021•31 min
Longtime listeners or new listeners who have gone back and listened to our older episodes may recall one of our early episodes in which we had Jeannie Cunnion on the show as a special guest to talk about how to be a happier mom! Well, Jeannie is back again this week to discuss her new book — how it came to be, what it means to rely on the Holy Spirit, and how that can change your life. Jeannie shares so many great points during our conversation such as how the Holy Spirit is available in all of ...
Aug 24, 2021•32 min
It has been a while since we have done this, but we are bringing it back – that is, answering your burning questions! We tackle a variety of your questions today including how Jesse felt leaving his job as an attorney, which of us handles the bills and budgeting, how arguing between us pretty much always indicates a deeper issue, and our personalities. We also reflect on how our personalities and interests are different and similar and how this has changed in 18 years of being married. In additi...
Aug 18, 2021•27 min
Covid... that was the last thing I expected she would test positive for when our doctor sent us to the hospital when Kierstyn was really, really sick a few weeks ago. She had come down with a fever and a really bad case of what we thought were hives all of a sudden on Saturday night. We called the after-hours nurse and she had us go in and get it checked out at the walk-in clinic that night. They thought it was just some sort of allergic reaction + a virus. They gave her Benadryl and told us wha...
Aug 10, 2021•44 min
Although we've never actually had twins – neither biologically nor via fostering – we have had two babies for most of the past year and a half, so we thought that we would share some of our best advice and tips on either having twins or fostering twins! The biggest thing we've learned is that it takes time (our experience has been 4-6 weeks) to establish a comfortable rhythm and routine, so be patient, and give yourself (and those around you) a lot of grace. We also recommend finding creative wa...
Jul 20, 2021•33 min
A few years ago, we went through a season with a lot of evening activities. During that season, we decided to switch from family dinners to family breakfasts. We would all eat a hot breakfast (usually eggs and bacon, maybe toast or pancakes, too) and spend some time reading the Bible and talking together. We were homeschooling at the time and didn't have any specific time we needed to get out the door in the mornings, so it worked so well for our family. Recently, we've had a lot going on in the...
Jul 13, 2021•25 min
Some of you may recall the podcast episode that we did last year during lockdown about some of our craziest travel stories. Well, we're coming back at you with another round of that, sharing another crazy vacation story! This one happened on our recent trip to Kansas. We usually have good success booking hotels at the last-minute online. But well, things didn't go so well this time. In fact, for the first time ever, we checked out of the hotel after only staying for one day. I think this was one...
Jul 06, 2021•40 min
“I love having teenagers!” I said this to a young mom recently who told me how she gets so discouraged with people telling her, “Just enjoy these years when they are young because it’s not going to be fun when they are teens.” She sighed and said to me, “I wish people would stop declaring such negativity over my kids’ futures!” I couldn’t “Amen” her statement fast enough! And I loved getting to share with her how much I love having teens. Sure, we have hard moments and days. Sure, there are horm...
Jun 22, 2021•32 min
Feeling overwhelmed by email? In this episode, I share some of my best tips and practices for taming the email monster -- strategies I've learned from processing millions of emails and messages over the years (I get hundreds of emails/messages every day, so I've had to learn to be efficient!) In addition to talking about email, Jesse and I chat about Kathrynne's new job, I share a really personal email that encouraged me (shared with permission!), we talk about two books we're reading/listening ...
Jun 15, 2021•41 min
