Today’s guest on The Crystal Paine Show is someone who has been on the show before and you all loved that episode. So when the opportunity came up to have her back on the show one more time, I jumped on it, especially when I saw the title of her new book, Good Boundaries and Goodbyes: Loving Others Without Losing the Best of Who You Are ! In this episode, Lysa TerKeurst discusses where she gets her ideas for her books, primarily her struggles and what they show her she needs to improve and work ...
Nov 29, 2022•35 min
Disagreements and differences in opinion often result in tension and division in relationships. But does it have to be this way? In this week's episode of The Crystal Paine Show , I sit down with Michele Cushatt , one of the authors of the brand-new and much-needed book Come Sit with Me , a book all about how to love well, in spite of differences and/or disagreements. We recorded this episode the week of the midterm elections and I felt it couldn't be more appropriate. Michele talks about how to...
Nov 22, 2022•32 min
We took a super quick 28-hour trip to Wilkes-Barre, PA for my friend Jamie’s mom’s funeral a few weeks ago. If you follow me on Instagram , you’ve heard parts of our crazy travel experience, but since it sparked so many conversations and messages online, I thought we should share the whole thing together in this week's podcast episode! ( See more pictures from our trip here. ) A few takeaways from our trip: ::We never got the opportunity to meet Jamie’s mom, but it was so special to hear family ...
Nov 15, 2022•40 min
This week's podcast is a conversation with Douglas McKelvey -- a screenwriter, songwriter, and author of several books including Every Moment Holy -- a book of prayers for every day life. In this episode I share how Every Moment Holy and the prayers in it have impacted me and I get to ask him the questions I've always wondered. Doug shares the story behind why he wrote this book of prayers, how he decided which topics to tackle, and where he found the inspiration. I love how he challenges us to ...
Nov 08, 2022•33 min
Today’s podcast episode is a bit different than usual! Ruth Chou Simons came in studio a number of weeks ago to record an episode, but we had a bunch of issues getting it recorded (listen to the episode for the funny story!) and ended up doing an Instagram live and Facebook live and then pulled some of the audio from that for this episode. Jesse and I also give some life updates at the beginning of the show and talk about books we’re reading + what’s saving my life. In my conversation with Ruth,...
Nov 01, 2022•31 min
I was so excited about doing this podcast interview. Jillana and I have so many overlapping connections and passions: she lived in Guatemala (where our little boy is from!), she's a foster mom, she's adopted from foster care, she has teenagers, she has an ongoing relationship with a birth mom, and she has a child with special needs. We could have talked for hours, but I limited myself to just around 30 minutes for this episode -- and it's packed with goodness! We dive deep into what it looks lik...
Oct 25, 2022•33 min
Hospitality can be defined in so many different ways which makes it a very broad topic, but author Shannan Martin joins me today to talk about it and what it means to be a good neighbor. Her book Start with Hello covers how to create a sense of community with our neighbors, even if we are introverted. Shannan argues that we are all hungry for community even if we don't quite realize it, and she offers great advice on how to start creating that sense of community. Shannan offers ways to carve out...
Oct 18, 2022•33 min
"What is Kathrynne doing after high school?" Jesse and I have been asked this over and over again -- and Kathrynne has been asked this even more! These questions sparked today's conversation -- about how easy it is to put pressure on others unknowingly and to spend so much of our lives thinking about, planning for, looking forward to, and worrying about the future that we miss the beauty of the here and now. We'd love to hear your feedback after you listen to this episode! In This Episode [00:35...
Oct 11, 2022•30 min
This week's podcast episode is on a topic that is very close to my heart... because it's something that so deeply impacted me! When I was growing up, my mom read aloud to us almost every single day and I have so many fond memories of the time we spent gathered together -- often working on some type of sewing handwork -- while she read us a few more chapters from the book we were currently reading aloud. To this day, I recall so many stories from those books and often am inspired in my every day ...
Oct 04, 2022•28 min
I thought that it would be fun to sort of turn the tables around a little bit and interview Jesse, who just recently had his forty-second birthday! Jesse has a lot of wisdom to share. He's walked through a lot in his life -- including being born prematurely, his parents divorcing at an early age, losing his mom to cancer when he was young, and two major brain tumor surgeries. And that was all just before he turned 15! In this episode, he shares some of the biggest life lessons he has learned ove...
Sep 27, 2022•32 min
I loved this conversation with Peter Mutabazi -- a single foster dad who has such a heart for kids. In this episode, he shares a little about his heartbreaking but also inspiring story of being abused by his dad as a boy and finally making the decision to run away -- having no idea where idea where he would go. He ended up living on the streets near a bus station for a few years until one man walked into his life and changed everything. You will want to not only listen to what he shares of his s...
Sep 20, 2022•27 min
Are you tired or feeling overwhelmed as a mom? In this episode, Rachel Norman shares what she has learned about setting healthy boundaries. Rachel is a mom of five and the author of If Mama Ain’t Happy: Why Minding Healthy Boundaries Is Good for Your Whole Family . As Rachel shared about what boundaries are to her, I had some aha moments in my own life as she has a very different perspective on the word “boundaries” than I’ve thought of before. I hope this conversation encourages you to rethink ...
Sep 14, 2022•38 min
After 17+ months of fostering D, lots of court dates, and much due diligence on the part of DCS to make sure there was no biological family who could take care of him (his mama loves him so much but cannot care for him due to all his ongoing medical needs), the judge granted TPR last week and his case will be officially moving to adoption once the 30-day appeal period is up. We have been busy getting extensive paperwork filled out from all his therapists and specialists and doctors (he’s current...
Aug 30, 2022•32 min
Do you struggle with kids who get easily irritated or have angry outbursts? If so, you don't want to miss this episode of The Crystal Paine Show where I interview David Thomas, therapist, dad of three, and author of Raising Emotionally Strong Boys: Tools Your Son Can Build On for Life . In this episode, he shares some of the biggest struggles boys are dealing with right now and how we can best walk with them through these. He gives so much practical advice and strategies you can start using imme...
Aug 23, 2022•34 min
Christina wrote in and asked: "I was wondering if your older children set their own goals and if they do, what does that process look like? I have a 9 and 6 year old and I would love to help them define small and large goals for themselves but I'm not sure how to translate my personal and business goal setting process to something that is exciting for younger children." In this week's episode of the podcast, we share some of our thoughts on helping our kids set goals, inspired by Christina's que...
Aug 16, 2022•31 min
Since it's the beginning of a new school year for us, Jesse and I sat down and shared some of our new mid-year goals that we each set for our fitness, family, and personal lives. If you need a little inspiration to set some new goals or to get back up on the goal-setting wagon if you've fallen off since January or are just curious what we are prioritizing for the next few months, be sure to listen to this episode. In This Episode [00:34] - Welcome to another episode of The Crystal Paine Show . [...
Aug 09, 2022•26 min
This is the podcast episode so many of you have been waiting for! We not only share about Micah's birth -- which ended up being my easiest, least-eventful, and quickest birth of all of my births -- but about some of the unexpected events leading up to the birth and the eventful day of the birth (including a toddler poop explosion and half the family leaving for a baseball tournament!) Jesse and I didn't talk about what we were going to share ahead of time, because I wanted this episode to be ver...
Aug 02, 2022•38 min
In the middle of May, I went in for what I thought was just a routine weekly ultrasound, but there were some significant concerns about the baby’s movements/activity. Within an hour, they were prepping me for the very real possibility of a c-section that day. (Starting steroid shots, no eating/drinking, admitting me to the hospital, etc.) I was by myself and it felt very surreal. So many things to process all at once. So many details to try to work out. And so much concern for our sweet baby. Th...
May 31, 2022•31 min
“Start where you are.” Such a short statement but it has such a huge impact. In this episode of The Crystal Paine Show , Bob and Linda Lotich, authors of their new book Simple Money, Rich Life: Achieve True Financial Freedom and Design a Life of Eternal Impact, talk about how they’ve made Sabbath a priority in their home and lives and how to just start where you are. In this age of busyness when we all have a lot on our plates, is Sabbath rest even possible? If so, what would that look like? We ...
May 17, 2022•32 min
I hear from so many moms who ask for suggestions on how to help their teens develop a closer relationship with Jesus. So I'm excited to have Angelia Perritt joining me in the studio for this conversation. She has three daughters and she just released a beautiful new bible called, Young Women Love God Greatly Bible . In this week's episode, we start by talking about how we can cultivate a relationship with Jesus ourselves as moms. Angela and I discuss some practical ways for us to study the Bible...
May 10, 2022•33 min
Last week on the podcast, we mentioned our daughters going to prom and how they wanted to go with their dates together. We talked about how their relationship has developed and some of the different seasons they have walked through. A number of people wrote in and asked how our daughters developed such a close relationship. Well, it definitely wasn't always like that! In fact, the girls are SO different than I never, ever expected they'd one day be best friends. For years, they were constantly f...
May 03, 2022•30 min
Today’s topic is fresh on my mind because I just turned in the second round of edits for the manuscript of my next book. It comes out in early 2023 and I’m so excited about it! In this episode, we “pull back the curtain” on publishing and share what I’ve learned about writing books, the mistakes I’ve made, and how I found time to write this book. Whether you have dreams of writing a book one day, are a published author, or need some inspiration to tackle a big project, I hope you find this episo...
Apr 27, 2022•40 min
I used to be afraid of having teenagers. The thought of raising kids into adulthood felt like such a huge and overwhelming responsibility. I worried I would totally mess things up, miss the mark, and make mistakes. But then Jesus radically transformed my heart. He opened up my eyes to how deeply I am loved by Him and helped me move from chasing after others’ approval to resting in His love — and it changed everything about the way I parent. I don’t have to parent out of fear of the future anymor...
Apr 19, 2022•37 min
“Home is for learning and not for perfection.” In this week's must-listen-to podcast episode, Nicole Homan -- author of They Call Me Mama -- shares lessons she's learned as the mom of 14 kids. She tells the story of their unexpected journey to growing their family to 16 (14 kids + parents), what it's really like to have such a full house, how she finds time for quiet, mantras that carry her through, the pain of failed adoption, and how to have the courage to say yes to God's call -- even when it...
Apr 12, 2022•30 min
I found Nicole Zasowski through her book, What If It’s Wonderful? Release Your Fears, Choose Joy, and Find Courage to Celebrate and it hit me in some really deep places. I didn't expect a book about celebration would have me uncovering such unexpected things I need to process through in my life. In her book and this podcast episode, Nicole shares her story of having five miscarriages and how those struggles caused her to stop hoping and just constantly live in fear and dread of the unknown. She ...
Apr 05, 2022•32 min
If we could go back and tell our 23-year-old and 24-year-old selves something when we had our first child, what would we say? In this episode, we share some candid thoughts on What We Wish We Had Known Before Having Kids. We discuss how I went into parenting thinking I could control our kids and I've had to learn the hard way that I can't control the outcome or choices of our kids -- especially as they are getting older. We also share about how we wish we had known that loving our kids was so mu...
Mar 29, 2022•23 min
If there was one question we are asked to answer the most often, it's likely, something along the lines of, "How do you prioritize your marriage when you have kids?" In this week's podcast episode, we share some of our best suggestions to make time for romance when you have kids. We share things we have learned, what works for us, and how we've improved our communication over the years. We also talk about some exercise-related things that are saving our lives, what we are currently reading, cons...
Mar 22, 2022•35 min
A little over a year ago, we started fostering Baby D. In this episode, Jesse and I reflect on what we have learned and how we have grown this past year -- especially as it relates to parenting a child with Down syndrome and special needs. We share things we wish we had known, how our perspective has changed, and how we've seen God's faithfulness over and over again. We talk about the gift that this sweet boy has been in our lives and how he has taught us to slow down, savor life, and celebrate ...
Mar 15, 2022•34 min
"What does your morning routine look like right now?" "How are you able to fit in the 5 things you do every morning?" We got a number of questions and followup responses to the episode we recorded recently on 5 Things I Do Every Morning , so we did a followup episode this week answering your questions and sharing more details on what our morning routine looks like right now. Also on today's episode, I talk about my mixed feelings on a book I finished, Jesse shares about something that he did thi...
Mar 08, 2022•31 min
Recently, I was scrolling on my phone and came across the social media account of someone I used to follow years ago. They are in a similar niche as me and back when I followed them, they had a lot fewer followers than me. But in the last few years, their account has clearly blown up and they had hundreds of thousands more followers than me. Plus, as I was scrolling through their account, I saw that they had super high engagement numbers and interaction. Instead of being immediately excited for ...
Mar 01, 2022•26 min
