In this episode of Cultivate the Ordinary, hosts Travis and Jess get back together after a bit of a break from this podcast. They discuss their recent creative projects, including two new podcasts they've launched. This episode centers on the power of writing, the creative process, and what it looks like to publish a book on your own. Books and podcast links below: Jessie is writing her first book and Travis talks about the two books he wrote. They share personal stories about their writing jour...
Jul 08, 2025•55 min•Season 2Ep. 44
In this episode of Cultivate the Ordinary Podcast, host Travis explores the themes of rootedness, geography, and personal history as he reflects on his time growing up on a farm in North Dakota. He shares on the importance of place in shaping identity and the innate human longing for connection to our origins. Through personal anecdotes and reading book excerpts, Travis discusses how experiences in various landscapes influence our character and sense of belonging. He also emphasizes the need for...
Apr 11, 2025•27 min•Season 2Ep. 43
In this episode of Cultivate the Ordinary, Jessie and Travis explore some exciting things going on in their lives and how they're finding inspiration in these things. They talk some about the current journey of Travis's brother Jeremy, who has faced significant challenges due to a traumatic brain injury (in 2009). They also share some cool stories of all the things he is doing to bring joy and hope to the world despite limited abilities. The conversation also highlights the joy of music through ...
Mar 27, 2025•27 min•Season 2Ep. 42
In this episode of Cultivate the Ordinary Podcast, hosts Travis and Jessie explore the theme of beauty through personal experiences, reflections on a recent cruise, and the evolution of their understanding of beauty over time. They discuss moments of astonishment, the connection between beauty and art, and how beauty can serve as a bridge to deeper understanding and connection with the world around us. Travis and Jessie discuss the profound impact of beauty in our lives, discussing how it can in...
Mar 04, 2025•46 min•Season 2Ep. 41
In this episode of Cultivate the Ordinary, host Travis discusses the transformative power of gratitude, especially in the face of personal struggles. He shares his family's recent challenges, including health scares involving his brother, and how these experiences have deepened his appreciation for life's gifts. Through a heartfelt story about his favorite band Carbon Leaf , Travis illustrates the importance of connection and gratitude in difficult times. Times that God is nearer to us than we o...
Feb 19, 2025•25 min•Season 2Ep. 40
In this episode of Cultivate the Ordinary, hosts Travis and Jessie discuss their excitement for the new year, reflecting on personal goals and experiences. They explore the concept of bucket lists, the psychology behind New Year's resolutions, and the importance of identity in forming habits. The conversation emphasizes the need for both motivation and structure in achieving personal growth and setting meaningful goals for 2025. In this conversation, Jessie and Travis explore the themes of perso...
Jan 28, 2025•29 min•Season 2Ep. 39
In this season finale episode, Travis is joined by his son Asher to talk about curiosity and creativity. Asher sees the world so imaginatively and is full of curiosity. He's also brings the gift of gratitude wherever he is and Travis talks about the ways Asher teaches him as his son. The conversation steers around Asher's insights into drawing and creating and ends with questions around his favorite things. This has been a great season of inspiring people, stories, and lives that showcase curios...
Sep 10, 2024•24 min•Season 1Ep. 38
In this episode, Travis and Jess talk about cultivating friendship as a centerpiece to healthy marriages. Travis shares about the importance of humor as a tool that connects, heals, and helps us in all kinds of ways. Jess talks about activities that promote connection, togetherness, and friendship. They both discuss a marriage resource and training they've received through the Gottman Institute that has been immensely helpful in unlocking stuck patterns in their own marriage. They unpack some of...
Sep 04, 2024•48 min•Season 1Ep. 37
In this episode, Travis shares about his journey caregiving for his dad when he had late stage dementia. Alzheimers and dementia are brutal diseases that are rapidly rising globally. So many people know a loved one personally dealing with this tragic struggle. Travis also shares about the beautiful moments and lessons learned that can still be gained if we look more closely and pay attention. Travis' shares how God in his grace gave moments of gifts and that even as his dad lost nearly all funct...
Aug 27, 2024•31 min•Season 1Ep. 36
In this episode, Travis and Jess are joined by their oldest son Jay to reflect on life before Jay heads off to college. They talk about fun memories and Jay's unique personality and place in the family. Jay has always been full of charisma and is a natural leader wherever he goes. Travis shares a story about a powerful moment Jay was there for him when he lost his dad. Jess also shares a heartfelt story of the first gift Jay gave her before she became his mom. Jay has overcome a lot of adversity...
Aug 20, 2024•42 min•Season 1Ep. 35
In this episode, Travis talks about facing grief head on and holding space for grieving the loss of loved ones in different ways and with all our senses. He shares about how the loss of his dad over two years ago has been impacting him lately. As hard as grief is, Travis sees it as a conduit of connection to God and others and as a gift that helps us remember those we've lost in sometimes profound new ways. Travis shares some ideas around ways we can cultivate regular rhythms to embrace our grie...
Aug 13, 2024•32 min•Season 1Ep. 34
In this episode, Travis and Jess are joined by Dana Adams ( LPC-A) to talk mental health, wellness, and soul care. Dana is a licensed, professional counselor associate and has a passion for mentoring women. Dana is very real and honest about her own story when it comes to her own mental health journey and shares her story of finding wholeness and spiritual transformation. Dallas Willard has been an enormous encouragement and teacher for her when it comes to understanding God's redemptive work in...
Aug 06, 2024•57 min•Season 1Ep. 33
In this episode, Travis is joined by Leah Busboom to talk about her writing journey, creativity, and insights around creating and making things, much of which involves courage and just trying. Leah has become an award winning Indie author on Amazon for her fictional romance novels. Interestingly though, she graduated with an MS in Physics and has worked extensively in tech as she was with IBM for 22 years. She continues in an important role in the tech/operations side of America's Kids Belong in...
Jul 30, 2024•49 min•Season 1Ep. 32
You are in for a treat on this one and a bit of a wild wide with our 5 year old guest. Travis and Jess are joined by their youngest kid "Dak" for a conversation around things like: wonder, Ninja Turtles, scary moments, funny sounds, and playing outside. Dak is full of life and imagination and has never met a stranger in his whole life. You'll hear some funny stories, unique insights and an unexpected prayer from this little guy. It's a strong reminder how much kids are a gift to us all and that ...
Jul 23, 2024•22 min•Season 1Ep. 31
In this episode, Jess is joined by her mom Julie Dotson to talk about her story and journey of navigating suffering and abuse as a child. Despite this, Julie embarked courageously to find healing and has really seen God's goodness and nearness throughout her life. Waking up to her belovedness as a deeply loved child of God is a big theme she talks about. Julie also talks about ways she's learned to put God first and how she's cultivating the habit of communing in his presence in ordinary moments...
Jul 16, 2024•1 hr 13 min•Season 1Ep. 30
In this episode, Travis is joined by his father-in-law Jim Dotson to talk about his love of bugs and seeing God in nature. Jim has a deep love of nature and still at age 71 studies it with childlike curiosity. He is an entomologist (insect expert) and worked for many years for Bayer's crop science and pest control departments. He talks about his journey of studying bugs professionally and seeing God's divine handiwork in the complexity of their designs. As the poet Gerard Manley Hopkins once sai...
Jul 09, 2024•42 min•Season 1Ep. 29
In this episode, Jess, a trauma-informed resilience coach and a living testament to overcoming mind-body syndrome and chronic pain patterns shares her experiences in the world of chronic pain and its psycho-somatic nature. Travis shares a funny story about his “pet wheel.” Jess provides answers to the most pressing questions surrounding chronic pain and mind-body syndrome. From the impact of stress on our bodies to the common personality traits that contribute to chronic pain, offers valuable in...
Jul 05, 2024•47 min•Season 1Ep. 28
In this episode, Danny Smith joins Travis and Jess to talk about a really common experience so many of us face--chronic pain. Danny shares his personal experiences and story around suffering from debilitating chronic back pain for years. He tried everything to help his back find relief and was at the point of total despair and desperation when he heard about an intriguing book written by a physician named Dr. John Sarno. Sarno was a pioneering researcher in the area of TMS and worked extensively...
Jul 02, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 27
In this episode, Travis and Jess are joined by Sarah and Jared McCrory to talk about everything from soul care to seeking the easy yoke of Jesus to discovering new purpose and taking courageous risks of faith. They tell relatable stories of wrestling with the trap of a faith identity rooted in performance for God instead of resting in our belovedness as children of God. They also share stories about their journey from being burned out missionaries (in over their heads in Pakistan) to finding hea...
Jun 25, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 26
In this episode, Travis and Jess are joined by pastor and ministry leader Rusty McKie to talk about his upcoming book releasing July 16th, pre-order here: The Art of Stability: How Staying Present Changes Everything Available on Amazon (Digital only) Rusty is an author, pastor, trauma informed coach, and spiritual director. He's a contributor to the Gospel Coalition and founder of Steadfast Ministries where he helps leaders survive and thrive in ministry. Rusty authored the book Sabbatical, and ...
Jun 18, 2024•52 min•Season 1Ep. 25
In this episode, Travis interviews Jess about her journey of helping people find wholeness and healing in their lives. As an artist, Jess has a great gift of seeing possibility and beauty in places others may not. Her deep compassion and empathy for others, coupled with her hopeful and creative idealism, make her really skilled in helping people find hope in the places in their lives and stories where they've all but abandoned it. She's a relationship coach (Marriage and Enneagram and Trauma cer...
Jun 11, 2024•47 min•Season 1Ep. 24
In this episode, Christa Hardin (MA Counseling) joins Travis and Jess again to talk marriage and ways we can become healthier as individuals and within our marriages. Christa helps us unpack what healthy boundaries are, how to establish them for ourselves, for our marriages, and finally in community. Cultivating the ordinary in marriage happens in small conversations and daily micro changes. Christa shares very vulnerably about her own marriage and how she helps couples find a good balance with ...
Jun 04, 2024•41 min•Season 1Ep. 23
In this episode, Travis and Jess are joined by Christa Hardin (MA Counseling) to talk marriages and relationships. She brings wise perspective on the various stages of marriages and speaks into the common reality of so many couples feeling they have lost their glow, or spark. Using a mountain analogy, she walks us through the basics needs of relationships all the way up to the mountain top of joy, hope, and purpose in marriage. Christa gives sound counsel for those of us who are currently in a d...
May 28, 2024•42 min•Season 1Ep. 22
In this episode, professional artist Tamara Brown joins Travis and Jess and shares her inspiring story of becoming a self-made artist and entrepreneur after leaving the corporate world. Her unlikely journey led her to gaining a licensed partnership in 2011 with a major national greeting card company and her designs were featured on cards in Walmart, Target, and Bed, Bath, and Beyond. Today Tamara owns a successful art and design business, Tamara Brown Art , where she also does custom work. Growi...
May 21, 2024•42 min•Season 1Ep. 21
In this episode, Travis and Jess talk all things foster care in light of May being National Foster Care Awareness Month. They both work for the national org, America's Kids Belong whose mission is to improve the outcomes and experiences for kids in foster care. Travis and Jess are former foster and adoptive parents and are very passionate in helping others discover their "why" to get engaged in this issue. There is a vast shortage of foster families. There is a vast shortage of those supporting ...
May 14, 2024•55 min•Season 1Ep. 20
Travis and Jess are joined by Michelle Wegner to discuss the topic of beauty. They talk about beauty and its relationship to God, our souls, and why we need beauty in our lives. There's a fascinating connection between beauty, grace, and truth that the three also discuss. As the Benedictines say, "Beauty is truth shining into being." Michelle serves as the Director of Soul Care and Spiritual Formation at KC Underground in Shawnee, Kansas. She is the owner/founder of Illuminate the Ordinary , a v...
May 07, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 19
Many of us long to escape our difficult lives and the contexts we live in. We wish we could see things with the joy and child like wonder we used to have. Marcel Proust once said, "The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes." Travis and Jess discuss the things that cloud our eyesight and what it means to have new and "shiny eyes." Travis talks about the vision behind writing his book, Shiny Eyes: Seeing Better Through the Lenses of Joy, Tears, Beau...
May 02, 2024•33 min•Season 1Ep. 18
In this episode, Travis and Jess engage with Bob Harding on a fun and lively conversation around seeing the world and finding meaning in our stories through quotes. Bob is the pastor at CrossLife Church in Spartanburg, SC. He wrote the foreword to Travis' book Shiny Eyes: Seeing Better Through the Lenses of Joy, Tears, Beauty, and Hope. He and Travis have a huge love of quotes and talk about why this is for each of them. They also discuss some of their favorite quotes around the topics of wonder...
Apr 23, 2024•57 min•Season 1Ep. 17
In this episode, bi-vocational pastor, Jeremy Sparks joins Travis on a thought provoking conversation around Jeremy's unique vantage of seeing the world through the lenses of being both a pastor and firefighter. These two roles remind Jeremy everyday just how fleeting life is. The two discuss Jeremy's vision and heart for the church he planted 10 years ago in South Carolina. They also talk about Jeremy's work as a fire fighter and some of what that world entails. Jeremy shares about the bi-direc...
Apr 16, 2024•59 min•Season 1Ep. 16
In this episode, Travis and Jess talk all facets of hospitality with their friend and President of the Soul Care Institute , Kaylene Derksen. There's plenty of laughs at the outset as the conversation steers around Northern accents, cows, and reminiscing about growing up on farms in the upper Midwest. Kaylene and her husband Jimm are gifted in the area of hospitality and see this as a space we can all learn to grow more in. Kaylene powerfully describes "the heart of hospitality" and how God crea...
Apr 09, 2024•1 hr 18 min•Season 1Ep. 15
