This week on the Cultivating the Lovely podcast, MacKenzie Koppa and Chelle Bruzas sit down for a fun chat about their favorite Christmas gift ideas for this year. If you are needing some inspired, thoughtful gift suggestions, this is the conversation for you! All these links will take you straight to the lists on Amazon, for your shopping convenience! (Affiliate links are used in this content.)

• Baby Gift Guide favorites
• Toddler Gift Guide favorites
• Girl Gift Guide favorites
• Boy Gift Guide favorites
• Teen Girl Gift Guide favorites
• Family Gift Guide favorites
• Guy Gift Guide favorites
• Ladies Gift Guide favorites

You can also give the gift of Cultivating the Lovely to yourself or a friend by getting or gifting a subscription to our Patreon group! Cultivating Groups are going to be opening up again soon, so now is the time to join!

Resources Mentioned-

Roman’s Youtube Channel

Modern Mrs. Darcy Kindle Deals

Homer Reading App

Find Chelle-

You can find Chelle Bruzas on Instagram.

Find MacKenzie-

You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! You can also listen to her family-friendly podcast The Same Page!

Thanks to Our Sponsors-

Cultivating the Lovely is sponsored by Policy Genius. Go to PolicyGenius.com to find the right coverage for you and your family.

Today’s episode of CTL is also brought to you by StoryWorth. For $20 OFF, visit storyworth.com/lovely when you subscribe.

CTL is brought to you by Plan to Eat meal planning service. Visit PlanToEat.com/LOVELY to start your free 60-day trial instead of the normal 30-day trial.

On Cultivating the Lovely this week, we have a little different show than what we normally do. Our host MacKenzie Koppa's brother, Kaleb, unexpectedly passed away recently, and in light of that, she wanted to honor him and talk a little about how she and her family are coping. MacKenzie is joined by her good friend Chelle Bruzas for this conversation, in which they also share some ideas on how to support someone in the early stages of grief.

• MacKenzie shares what it was like to grow up with her brother having significant physical disabilities, primarily Spina Bifida
• She talks about the strength and courage her parents have had throughout Kaleb’s whole life
• Chelle shares a little of her own family’s story of advocating for her brother when he had leukemia
• MacKenzie shares about Kaleb’s incredibly full life and his ability to find the joy and humor in situations
• The gift that it was for MacKenzie and her children to have so much close time with her brother last year
• How much it meant for their family’s pastor to meet with them and understand their feelings
• Holding the heartbreak along with the mercy of healing and wholeness
• Facing the truth of how hard and ugly grief is instead of throwing platitudes at people
• The ways God has shown His love and provision in the midst of intense difficulty
• MacKenzie talks about her family’s tendency to choose laughter over tears, even in tough times
• She shares how important it is to give others the space to grieve in their own way
• Some practical ways that people have reached out and been a blessing:
  • Just being there to listen
  • Providing meals for the family
  • Giving flowers for the funeral
  • Helping with technology and practical aspects of the service
  • Not being offended when an offer is turned down
• Check back in next week for our more light-hearted episode featuring the Cultivating the Lovely Gift Guide! And here are the link to the gift guides if you would like to view them prior to the show-
• CTL Christmas Gift Guide for Toddlers
• CTL Christmas Gift Guide for Boys
• CTL Christmas Gift Guide for Teen Girls
• CTL Guys Christmas Gift Guide
• CTL Ladies Christmas Gift Guide

Kaleb Koppa

January 29, 1986-November 13, 2019

Kaleb was 33 yrs old when God reached down and scooped him up to heaven. He slipped away in his sleep on Wednesday, November 13th, 2019. Kaleb was born on January 29, 1984, and at the time of his passing lived with his parents, Jeff and Lori Koppa, in Kendall Yards in Spokane, WA. Kaleb is survived by them as well as his older sister, MacKenzie; her four children, Roman, Judah, Emmerson and Elliana; his grandparents Ida Collins, Linda Collins, Jim and Jeannette Koppa; his aunt and uncle Michelle and Rick Pettina and their son, Jackson; as well as many other loving aunts, uncles and cousins.

Kaleb had a life rich in experiences- his disability never held him back from trying new things. Though it was assumed by doctors that he may never walk, by the age of three he could walk confidently, unaided, and he did so until the age of 13 when complications from his Spina Bifida necessitated a wheelchair as his new mode of mobility. As a child he was known for his incredible memory and proficiency with electronics. He was always the guy who took care of all the technological details and foibles of his family. In his youth he acted in plays, water and snow skied, rode horses, and even tried indoor rock climbing. In high school he played on St. Luke’s wheelchair basketball team and participated twice in the Para Olympic Trials for a variety of sports including track, table tennis, weightlifting, and archery. He was even known to command the dance floor at high school dances with his amazing rhythm. After graduating from Mt. Spokane HS, Kaleb went on to receive an AA Degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management from SCC, and worked for a number of years with youth at the YMCA. 

Kaleb is best remembered, however, for his love and care for people and animals. He never realized how inspirational he was to so many and how he made us stop and embrace things we all take for granted. He left an indelible mark on everyone who met him. His infectious smile, contagious laughter, positive outlook, and penchant for doling out hugs to anyone and everyone, were hallmarks of who he was. Though Kaleb endured 24 surgical operations, his body was held together by a litany of rods, screws, bolts, and plates, and he daily faced the struggles inherent of life in a wheelchair, it’s hard to recall him ever complaining. While his body may have been broken, Kaleb was incredibly smart and possessed a sharp wit and sense of humor that, while often dry, always looked for the funny side of life. There were few things as fun as watching him have one of his uncontrollable episodes of laughter, when he would laugh until he cried, and were often brought on by even the smallest, silliest of things. People were drawn to his magnetic personality and his welcoming hugs could soften even the hardest disposition. You just couldn’t help but love his generous, kind spirit.

Special thanks go out to Don and Diane Weber, Donna Scheidt, Woody and Linda Sams, Luke Schwartz, Janice Abramson, Kathy Lipe, Mary Binder, Mary Tangi, Jackelyn Young, and Kendall Gibbs for their help with planning and preparing for the service. Our heartfelt appreciation goes out to the vast number of family and friends who have come so close in support during this difficult time. Thank you all so much.
We would also like to extend thanks to a few key people who had a monumental impact on Kaleb’s life- Theresa Skinner, Dr. Joann Hillary, Tom Johnson, and Tim Olson.

Acts 3:7-8 …Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God…
We cherish our memories of you and will hold you in our hearts forever. We can’t wait to see you again… it’s only a matter of time.
Jeff, Lori, and MacKenzie Koppa

Find MacKenzie-

You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! Join us on Patreon at Patreon.com/CultivatingtheLovely. You can also listen to her family-friendly podcast The Same Page!

Thanks to Our Sponsors-

Cultivating the Lovely is also sponsored by Honey, the smart online shopping assistant. Get Honey for free when you go to joinhoney.com/lovely.

Today’s episode of CTL is brought to you by BioClarity. Right now you can save 40% off the Ultimate Skin Care Bundle, plus 15% off everything else at BioClarity.com when you use coupon code LOVELY at checkout.

CTL is brought to you by Plan to Eat meal planning service. Their big 50% OFF sale is happening from November 29 – December 2, 2019! Visit PlanToEat.com/LOVELY to start your free 60-day trial instead of the normal 30-day trial.

Today on the CTL podcast, we get to listen in on a conversation between MacKenzie and author and speaker Michele Cushatt. Michele is a wife and mother of 6 who has been through the difficulties of single parenting, cancer surgeries, and other kinds of loss. MacKenzie and Michele talk about her new book, Relentless: The Unshakeable Presence of a God Who Never Leave, focussing on keeping our faith amidst life's hardest trials.

(Affiliate links are used in this content.)

• Michele talks a little about how she came to write this book through her own experience of prolonged trials
• The difficulty of holding onto faith when things don't make any sense
• Valuing the process of grappling with your doubts and taking them to God
• The importance of keeping sight of the ways God has been faithful to you in the past to help you get through the hard things in the future
• Michele's strategy for setting up "altar stones" of remembrance
• Why Michele included so much about her father in her own story
• Holding the faith amidst the realization that other believers are probably going to wound us at times
• Having been through our own difficulties help us have grace for other people who are hurting
• Recognizing that we are going to fail, but God will be faithful through it all
• Our deep fear of being aloneness and what it means for our relationship with God
• The importance of creating connections with people who will walk with us through the hard times
• Creating space for others to struggle with their faith by sharing your own vulnerabilities
• Michele's typical daily routine

Current Lovelies-

Michele: enjoying drawing and writing with her new markers in her own style of gratitude journal

MacKenzie: watching Hallmark movies and enjoying decorating her house for Christmas early

Resources Mentioned-

Relentless by Michele Cushatt

Soul-Keeping by John Ortberg

Lord of the Rings Trilogy

Pride and Prejudice

Les Miserables

Find Michele-

You can find Michele at michellecushatt.com, and listen to her podcast, This Undone Life Together. You can also follow her on Facebook, Instagram, Youtube and Twitter.

Find MacKenzie-

You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! Join us on Patreon at Patreon.com/CultivatingtheLovely. You can also listen to her family-friendly podcast The Same Page!

Thanks to Our Sponsors-

Today's episode of CTL is brought to you by Grove. As a CTL listener, you can get a FREE 5-piece Mrs. Meyers fall cleaning set at Grove.co/LOVELY, plus free shipping and a free 60-day VIP trial with your first order.

CTL is brought to you by Plan to Eat meal planning service. Their big 50% OFF sale is coming November 29, 2019! Visit PlanToEat.com/LOVELY to start your free 60-day trial instead of the normal 30-day trial.

Cultivating the Lovely is also sponsored by the Homer reading app. Visit learnwithhomer.com/lovely for a free 30-day trial.

This week on the Cultivating the Lovely podcast, MacKenzie Koppa sits down for a heart to heart chat with her real life friend, author Tricia Goyer. Tricia is a wife and mother of 10, as well as caretaker for her 90-year-old grandmother, aside from being a busy speaker and author. This conversation centers around Tricia's new book The Grumble-Free Year. (Affiliate links are used in this content.)

• How and why Tricia embarked on the big family social experiment that became this book
• Learning to go to God for help with changing attitudes instead of relying on ourselves
• The difference between grumbling about something and being able to share our struggles with people who care
• Choosing to focus on the solutions instead of just the problems
• Acknowledging the hard things instead of trying stuff them inside while still deliberately choosing gratitude
• Pointing out the things our children are doing well instead of picking on the things they are doing wrong
• The power of apologizing and humbling ourselves to admit to our kids when we've messed up
• Being aware of times when grumbling is more likely to happen and getting to the heart of the issue
• Tricia tells the story of the Build-a-Bear incident
• The reward of successfully working as a family to have better attitudes
• Join the Grumble-Free 30 Day Challenge with Tricia during the holidays
• A typical day in Tricia's family right now

Current Lovelies-

Tricia: making time for family dinners on a regular basis

MacKenzie: enjoying doing the Morning Show in the CTL Patreon group again

Resources Mentioned-

Books:

The Grumble-Free Year

Twice-Rescued Child

Find Tricia-

You can find Tricia at triciagoyer.com, and listen to her Walk It Out podcast. You can also follow her on Facebook,Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter.

Find MacKenzie-

You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! You can also listen to her family-friendly podcast The Same Page!

Thanks to Our Sponsors-

Cultivating the Lovely is sponsored by Blume Hug Me deodorant. Get 25% off your first stick, plus free shipping, when you visit Blume.com/Cultivate. 

Hello Fresh meal kit delivery service also sponsored this episode of Cultivating the Lovely. Get 9 FREE meals when you go to HelloFresh.com/CTL9 and use code CTL9 at checkout.

Thanks to VistaPrint for sponsoring this episode of CTL. Get up to 50% Off of holiday photo cards and calendars when you go to VistaPrint.com enter promo code LOVELY50.

Today's episode of CTL is brought to you by BioClarity. Right now you can save 15% off everything at BioClarity.com when you use coupon code LOVELY at checkout.

This week on Cultivating the Lovely, MacKenzie has a chat with author and speaker Gary Thomas about his new book When to Walk Away: Finding Freedom from Toxic People. Gary and his wife of 35 years have three children and live outside of Houston, TX. He has a heart for marriage, family and the church, and that love for people shines through this conversation with MacKenzie.

(Affiliate links are used in this content.)

• How Gary realized this book needed to be written through his own encounter with a toxic person
• Gary shares his heart for marriage while being real about abuse
• The danger of telling others to stay in relationship with toxic people
• Biblical examples of how to deal with toxic relationships
• Challenges from within the church to victims of abuse
• Gary identifies some warning signs that you may be in relationship with a toxic person
  • If someone is stopping you from fulfilling God’s mission for you
  • If someone is destroying your spirit
  • If someone is controlling you
  • If someone is gaslighting you or making you feel crazy
• The crucial importance of having strong Christian friends who can help you deal with toxic relationships
• Gary describes what “gaslighting” is and how to tell if it is happening to you
• The difference between a truly toxic person and someone who is acting in a toxic way but can change
• Why it is crucial to get a counselor to help you with a potentially violent person
• Some advice for singles
• Gary’s typical daily routine

Current Lovelies-

Gary: diffusing essential oils in his office at work

Resources Mentioned-

Books:

When to Walk Away

Podcasts:

The Five

Brainfood/The Knowledge Project

Joe Rogan

Movies:

About Time

Find Gary-

You can find Gary at garythomas.com. You can also follow him on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter.

Find MacKenzie-

You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! You can also listen to her family-friendly podcast The Same Page!

Thanks to Our Sponsors-

CTL is brought to you by Plan to Eat meal planning service. Their big 50% OFF sale is coming November 29, 2019! Visit PlanToEat.com/LOVELY to start your free 60-day trial instead of the normal 30-day trial.

This week’s episode is also sponsored by EverlyWell. For 15% OFF you own at home lab test kit, go to EverlyWell.com/LOVELY and enter code LOVELY at checkout.

Today’s episode of CTL is brought to you by Policy Genius. Go to PolicyGenius.com to find the right coverage for you and your family.

Using four forms of rest to combat stress and anxiety.

Show Notes-

Affiliate links are used in this content.

On today’s episode of Cultivating the Lovely, host MacKenzie Koppa talks with author and speaker Rebekah Lyons about her new book Rhythms of Renewal: Trading Stress and Anxiety for a Life of Peace and Purpose. Rebekah and her husband Gabe, along with their four children, live and work in Franklin, Tennessee. Together MacKenzie and Rebekah talk about both the why’s and how’s of creating your own rhythms of renewal, including:

• How Rebekah came to write this book on the topic of rest and renewal
• Some of the challenges we face in the digital age to establishing good habits of rest and health
• How our bodies are wired to deal with stress and trap trauma
• The problem with just medicating to cope instead of truly healing
• Recognizing the need to get back in touch with our humanity
• Addressing the real physical components of holistic healing
• The power of true forgiveness in our own lives (MacKenzie mentions this episode of The Ultimate Health Podcast featuring an interview with Dave Asprey. The forgiveness and gratitude link portion begins around 57:13.)
• Seeking God’s created natural rhythms for wellness
• Seeing the way that faith and science actually work together
• How much God cares about rest and Sabbath
• The destructive affect of the digital and virtual reality age on relationships and intimacy
• The problem of shame
• How being creative helps us come alive
• Borrowing hope from others
• What Rebekah’s typical day looks like

Get ready for the coming year in the Cultivating the Lovely community by getting your PowerSheets from Cultivate What Matters. Go to boldturquoise.com/powersheets to order.

Current Lovelies-

Rebekah: bringing in fresh flowers and growing herbs

MacKenzie: adjusting to the darker evenings with lower light

Resources Mentioned-

Books:

Rhythms of Renewal

The Soul of Shame

Find Rebekah-

You can find Rebekah at rebekahlyons.com. She and her husband have a podcast called Rhythms for Life. You can also follow her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Find MacKenzie-

You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! You can also listen to her family-friendly podcast The Same Page!

Thanks to Our Sponsors-

Cultivating the Lovely is sponsored by Blume Hug Me deodorant. Get 25% off your first stick, plus free shipping, when you text CULTIVATE to 797979.

This week’s episode is also brought to you Yumi Organic Baby Food. For $60 off your first month, go to HelloYumi.com and enter promo code LOVELY at checkout.

Today’s episode of CTL is brought to you by Honey, the smart online shopping assistant. Get Honey for free when you go to joinhoney.com/lovely.

Today’s episode of CTL is brought to you by BioClarity. Right now you can save 40% offSkin Care Routines, plus 15% off everything else at BioClarity.com when you use coupon code LOVELY at checkout.

A chat with Amanda Anderson about healthy friendships.

Show Notes-

(Affiliate links are used in this content.)

This week on the CTL podcast, MacKenzie Koppa chats with author and speaker Amanda Anderson about her book All My Friends Have Issues: Building Remarkable Relationships with Imperfect People (Like Me). Together MacKenzie and Amanda cover a range of topics related to building healthy friendships and maintaining good boundaries, including:

• Amanda talks about her book-writing journey
• MacKenzie and Amanda discuss the faithfulness required to move toward your goals
• Authenticity versus intimacy in building relationships
• Not every friendship needs to be at the same depth
• Amanda talks about how the idea of “finding your tribe” may not be all that helpful to us in building friendship today
• Cautions against placing expectations on friends that are too high, unhealthy, or unrealistic
• The value of having several different people to speak truth into your life
• Toxic relationships and setting healthy boundaries
• Rebuke versus restoration in the church
• What it’s like to have friendships in which you can give and receive correction
• The difference between hearing hard truths from friends instead of from your spouse
• Amanda’s typical daily routine
• Be sure to check out the audio version of All My Friends Have Issues to get the extra bonus chapter that didn’t make it into the print version!

Current Lovelies-

Amanda: finding time to do creative things like sewing projects

MacKenzie: listening to music on Pandora for a change

Resources Mentioned-

Books:

All My Friends Have Issues

Movies:

When Harry Met Sally

Talladega Nights

Find Amanda-

You can find Amanda at heartintraining.com. You can also follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Find MacKenzie-

You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! You can also listen to her family-friendly podcast The Same Page!

Thanks to Our Sponsors-

Today's episode of CTL is brought to you by Plan to Eat meal planning service. Visit PlanToEat.com/LOVELY to start your free 60-day trial instead of the normal 30-day trial.

Cultivating the Lovely is also sponsored by the Homer reading app. Visit learnwithhomer.com/lovely for a free 30-day trial.

This week's episode is also brought to you Yumi Organic Baby Food. For $60 off your first month, go to HelloYumi.comand enter promo code LOVELY at checkout.

On this week's episode of Cultivating the Lovely, we get to hear the rest of MacKenzie's conversation with Brooke Rasmussen. Last time we left off on the cusp of Brooke's family moving to Israel, so we pick up at that point in their story. If you didn't listen to the first half of MacKenzie and Brooke's chat, go back and listen to Episode 137 here.

• What it was like moving to Jerusalem and being in the place that Biblical history took place
• How Brooke used journalling to find herself in the midst of overwhelm
• The cultural differences between Israel, Poland and the U. S. and learning to change expectations for social interactions
• Why it is often harder for the stay-at-home mom to forge community in a new country and culture than for the rest of the family
• How Brooke felt when she found other people who understood her experience
• Learning to let relationships last for certain seasons
• The Rasmussens' decision to resign from diplomatic service and move to Brooke's hometown
• Enjoying living close to grandparents and having a family different dynamic
• Settling in and learning to live where you are, instead of always looking ahead to the next thing
• A typical day in Brooke's family

Current Lovelies-

Brooke: enjoying running for fun for the first time

MacKenzie: reading fun fiction, listening to entertaining podcasts and trying to distract herself

Resources Mentioned-

Affiliate links are used in this content.

Podcasts:

Jordan B. Peterson

Movies:

Lars and the Real Girl

Thanks to Our Sponsors-

CTL is brought to you by Plan to Eat meal planning service. Visit PlanToEat.com/LOVELY to start your free 60-day trial instead of the normal 30-day trial.

Thanks to VistaPrint for sponsoring this episode of CTL. Get FREE SHIPPING on all business cards, any style, any quantity, when you order from VistaPrint.com/LOVELY.

This week’s episode of CTL is also sponsored by Grove. As a CTL listener, you can get a FREE 5-piece Mrs. Meyers fall cleaning set at Grove.co/LOVELY, plus free shipping and a free 60-day VIP trial with your first order.

Find MacKenzie-

You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! You can also listen to her family-friendly podcast The Same Page!

On today's episode of CTL, we have the first of a special two-part series with MacKenzie Koppa and her high-school friend Brooke Rasmussen. Brooke and her husband, along with their seven children, have lived around the world. Today, MacKenzie and Brooke chat all about what it was like to move to so many unique places and adjust to many different cultures.

• Brooke talks about their first tour when her husband was a diplomat in Eritrea, Africa
  • Learning to live with less, especially where food is concerned
  • Changing her perspective on pity versus generosity
  • Equipping their family to handle future challenges
  • Learning that language is not always that big of a barrier
  • Shifting perspective on chasing beauty by cultural standards

• The transition from Africa to Poland, in the States for training
• Brooke talks about life in Warsaw, Poland
  • Ease of travel and abundance of food
  • Enjoying the history and cultures in and around Poland
  • Getting used to having babies amidst transition periods
  • The blessing of having friends nearby for the kids
• The difference in other cultures' views on family size
• Returning to the U.S. for a home assignment
• The decision to take an assignment in Jerusalem

Tune in next week to hear the rest of MacKenzie and Brooke's discussion and find out about the Rasmussen's time in Jerusalem, plus so much more!

Find MacKenzie-

You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! You can also listen to her family-friendly podcast The Same Page!

Thanks to Our Sponsors-

This week's episode is also sponsored by EverlyWell. For 15% OFF you own at home lab test kit, go to EverlyWell.com/LOVELY and enter code LOVELY at checkout.

Cultivating the Lovely is also sponsored by Plan to Eat meal planning service. Visit PlanToEat.com/LOVELY to start your free 60-day trial instead of the normal 30-day trial.

This week on the CTL podcast, MacKenzie Koppa chats with Erin Moon. Erin is the COO of the PopcastMedia Group and resident scholar of the Bible Binge podcast, plus being a Bible study author. Erin is also a busy wife and mother living in Birmingham, Alabama.

• Erin tells her story, starting with her experiences at Christian summer camp
• How Erin got involved in creating content and writing Bible studies for ministries
• Taking on the responsibility of studying the Bible instead of being intimidated
• MacKenzie and Erin chat about the Bible Binge podcast
• The benefit of having some pushback in discussing the Word of God
• Differentiating between surface issues and creed-level issues of faith
• How Erin came to work with The Popcast and the Bible Binge podcasts
• MacKenzie and Erin chat about how they use their enneagram types in their work and relationships
• Erin talks about her new devotional coming out this week, The Comfortable Words
• MacKenzie asks Erin about how she and her husband keep their relationship healthy with totally unique personalities and interests
• Erin's typical daily rhythm

Affiliate links are used in this content.

Current Lovelies-

Erin:doing yoga and morning and evening stretches

MacKenzie:reading fluffy fiction to wind down at the end of the day

Resources Mentioned-

Podcast:

The Bible for Normal People

The Big Boo Cast

The Cut

Every Little Thing

Heavyweight

Invisibilia

The Next Right Thing

Revisionist History

Stuff You Missed in History Class

With Friends Like These

Without Fail

Criminal

Movies:

Notting Hill

Mrs. Winterbourne

From Justin To Kelly

Find Erin-

You can find Erin at erinhmoon.com. You can also follow her on Instagram @erinhmoon.

Find MacKenzie-

You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! You can also listen to her family-friendly podcast The Same Page!

Thanks to Our Sponsors-

Today's episode of CTL is brought to you by Honey, the smart online shopping assistant. Get Honey for free when you go to joinhoney.com/lovely.

This week's episode is also sponsored by BioClarity. Right now you can save 40% off Skin Care Routines, plus 15% off everything else at BioClarity.com when you use coupon code LOVELY at checkout.

Cultivating the Lovely is also sponsored by the Homer reading app. Visit learnwithhomer.com/lovely for a free 30-day trial.

Today on Cultivating the Lovely, MacKenzie chats with radio host Bekah Eaker of Way-FM’s popular The Wally Show. Bekah’s husband has had severe health complications for a few years, and she and MacKenzie go deep with how they deal with prolonged stress. This episode is full of insight and encouragement both for people in similar situations and anyone who knows someone who could use support.

• How Bekah and MacKenzie handle having to keep showing up for a public platform while in ongoing stress
• Learning to do what has to be done in order to move forward
• The importance of therapy or counseling for help to cope and to have an outside person to talk to
• Ways Bekah takes care of herself on a daily basis while also being her husband’s caretaker
• Bekah’s challenges amidst a changing relationship with her husband due to his health issues
• How the Enneagram has helped MacKenzie deal with stress in relationships better
• Building community in order to give and get the support we all need
• Bekah and MacKenzie’s love of the Marco Polo app for building friendships
• Planning and looking to the future when life is full of uncertainty
• Trusting God and wrestling with Him in the middle of really difficult circumstances
• Supporting a friend who is going through a hard time by just agreeing that it is really tough
• A typical day in Bekah’s life as a morning radio show host

Current Lovelies-

Bekah: doing whatever she can to build community

MacKenzie: getting involved with her daughter’s school functions

Resources Mentioned-

Affiliate links are use in this content/

Books:

Waiting for Tom Hanks

Music:

Jason Gray “Not Right Now”

Movies:

Morning Glory

Find Bekah-

You can find Bekah on Instagram and Twitter. You can also listen to her on The Wally Show.

Find MacKenzie-

You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! You can also listen to her family-friendly podcast The Same Page!

Thanks to our Sponsors-

CTL is brought to you by Plan to Eat meal planning service. Visit PlanToEat.com/LOVELY to start your free 60-day trial instead of the normal 30-day trial.

This week's episode is also sponsored by the Preciousapp. Go to Preciousapp.com/LOVELYfor your free 3-Day trial of Baby Art Unlimited.

Cultivating the Lovely is also brought to you by Literati. For a limited time, go to LiteratiBooks.com and use code LOVELY for $20 OFF your first box. Kids 3 and up also get a free blacklight pen.

Affiliate links are used in this content.

• Melissa shares a little of her own journey of seeking God's heart in the area of food
• How Melissa came to realize God's use of food to draw her and others closer to Himself
• Learning to see the significance of food as a picture in God's kingdom story
• Getting in touch with the creative nature of God through exercising our own creativity
• How Melissa stayed sane during the Food Network Star filming and competition

• Cultivating an attitude of faith amidst the unexpected in our every day
• Learning the lesson of patience from food and taking it into our lives
• Melissa's experience in France and how that shifted her perspective on food
• Getting back in touch with the gift that food is by growing something yourself
• Melissa's mindset in using her own competitive advantage on Food Network
• The benefits of training in improvisation
• A typical day in Melissa's life

Current Lovelies-

Melissa: making her drive time more lovely by connecting with her daughter and listening to podcasts

MacKenzie: decorating her car interior for fall to make her drive time a little more fun

Resources Mentioned-

Books:

Tasting Grace

Podcasts:

For the Love with Jen Hatmaker

Lewis Howes

Goal Digger with Jenna Kutcher

Rise Together with Rachel Hollis

The Tim Ferriss Show

Movies:

Greatest Showman

Hidden Figures

Find Melissa-

You can find Melissa on her website, melissadarabian.net. You can also follow her on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterestand Twitter.

Find MacKenzie-

You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! You can also listen to her family-friendly podcast The Same Page!

On this week’s episode of Cultivating the Lovely, MacKenzie Koppa is joined by Brian Dixon, author of Start with Your People: The Daily Decision that Changes Everything. Brian has a passion for coaching people to find clarity and pursue their goals and lives with intention. He and his wife Julie live in North Carolina with their three children. Today MacKenzie and Brian talk about showing up and focussing on the people in your life, including:

• MacKenzie shares an example of how the message of Start with Your People has impacted her own business and podcast community
• Brian talks about how we can’t see ourselves the way others see us
• How Brian’s own “360 assessment” led him to change and inspired him to write this book
• The importance of engaging with the people and relationships in your life instead of just coasting through your days
• Taking control of your habits, routines and philosophy for your home so that you can face challenges with intention instead of constantly putting out fires.

• Changing the vision for your marriage, family and work to make more of the time you have
• Embracing our “lovely limitations” and focussing on the legacy you are leaving for the future
• Brian shares the how and why of life mapping
• Being strategic about positioning yourself for the life that you want to live
• Choosing to make one small change to get to where you want to be a year from now
• What happened when Brian started a habit of gratitude
• Asking for help and taking action on what you are learning
• Being part of the solution by serving others in small ways
• Visit StartwithYourPeople.com to see book bonuses and videos
• A typical day for Brian

Current Lovelies-

Brian: watching his espresso machine work every morning and using that time to take some deep breaths and be grateful

MacKenzie: honing in her morning and evening routines to make the most of the time she has

Resources Mentioned-

Books:

Start with Your People

Movies:

The Family Man

Find Brian-

You can find Brian on his website, BrianDixon.com, or listen to his podcast, The Clarity Podcast. You can also follow him on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Find MacKenzie-

You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! You can also listen to her family-friendly podcast The Same Page!

Thanks to our Sponsors-

Today on Cultivating the Lovely, MacKenzie Koppa brings back her popular Season 4 guest, Jennifer L. Scott. Jennifer has a new book for families, Connoisseur Kids: Etiquette, Manners, and Living Well for Parents and Their Little Ones, which is the main topic of this week’s episode. MacKenzie and Jennifer talk about why and how to instill confidence, care and capability into our children so that they become the kind of adults we all want to be around.

• MacKenzie asks Jennifer about her new exercise routine with a Rebounder trampoline
• Some of the reasons Jennifer wrote Connoisseur Kids and why she feels it is so needed
• A sneak peek into the subjects and format of the book
• Instilling confidence in our children through teaching them how to interact with new people
• The high value of teaching our children how to do chores and contribute to the family
• Phrasing your requests for kids to help in a positive, motivating way
• Jennifer’s desire to bring back some selflessness, good sportsmanship and civility to our culture
• Helping our children build good hygiene habits while they are young
• Motivating kids to choose healthy foods by involving them in the process
• Playing games and activities to get kids moving and build good attitudes about exercise
• Teaching children to keep routines and to do those things with a happy heart
• Taking care of what we have so that we are good stewards of our belongings

Current Lovelies-

Jennifer: enjoying reading aloud to her children and the special time they share around stories

Resources Mentioned-

Books:

Connoisseur Kids

Little House on the Prairie

The Indian in the Cupboard

Find Jennifer-

You can find Jennifer on her website, JenniferLScott.com, or on her blog, The Daily Connoisseur. You can also follow her on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.

Find MacKenzie-

You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! You can also listen to her family-friendly podcast The Same Page!

Thanks to our Sponsors-

On this week’s episode of Cultivating the Lovely, host MacKenzie Koppa Talks with Beth McCord of YourEnneagramCoach.com. Beth and her husband Jeff live outside of Nashville, Tennessee and have two grown children. She has been teaching people about the enneagram personality type tool for 17 years. You can now pre-order Beth and Jeff’s book Becoming Us: Using the Enneagram to Create a Thriving, Gospel-Centered Marriage. Beth and MacKenzie are taking a deep dive into all things enneagram today, including:

• Beth's journey toward learning about the enneagram and eventually teaching others
• Patterns in certain types gravitating to each other
• Alignment and misalignment with the Gospel
  

   

• Understanding your true identity in Christ and finding our security in that truth
• Using the Enneagram as a tool to identify when you go off course and realign with the truth

• The differences in types preferred in various environments and cultures
• Letting God in to work on us as we find out about our weaknesses
• Embracing who we are and finding our value and purpose in Christ, not comparisons
• Using the enneagram to develop compassion for others and live in the Gospel’s grace
• How knowing others’ types can help us communicate better
• A little about the 9 types, wings and tritypes and how they interact with each other
• MacKenzie and Beth’s reactions to the Sleeping At Last podcast enneagram songs
• Trusting the work of Christ as our foundation, no matter where we are on our journey
• Sneak peak into upcoming books and courses from Your Enneagram Coach
• A typical day in Beth’s life

Current Lovelies-

Beth: being intentional about creating margin, enjoying sitting by the fire outside in the evenings

MacKenzie: reading a fun novel just for fun and finding that really refreshing

Resources Mentioned-

Michael Hyatt

Your Enneagram Coach free type test

Katherine Fauvre on Tritypes

Kyra Hinton Type 4 Art Music Video

Books:

The Road Back to You

Becoming Us

The Sacred Enneagram

The Enneagram Collection

Podcasts:

Sleeping At Last

Movies:

Shawshank Redemption

Find Beth-

You can find Beth McCord on her website, yourenneagramcoach.com. You can also follow Beth across social media on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Find MacKenzie-

You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! You can also listen to her family podcast The Same Page!

Thanks to our Sponsors-

Welcome to Season 5 of Cultivating the Lovely the Podcast! Today on the show, MacKenzie Koppa is joined by her friend Chelle Bruzas to bring you all up to speed on what is coming up this season around the CTL community! Also, stick around to the end of show to hear Chelle ask MacKenzie her own “stock questions” and get to know your lovely host a little bit better.

• MacKenzie explains some of the changes happening with the Cultivating the Lovely platform
• How the CTL Patreon group is making a difference in community and keeping MacKenzie motivated and inspired
• Exciting new coaching opportunity for upper level members in the Patreon community
• The Morning Show is staying on Facebook for Patreon members and coming to Instagram 2 days a week in September
• Some of the upcoming topics for the fall:
  • Fending off stress
  • Information on our cycles
  • Checking in on routines
  • Fall style and skincare
• Sign ups are open for new Cultivating Groups for September for Lovely Tribe and Loveliest Level members!
• What is happening with The Same Page podcast in the future
• Looking forward to the Cultivating the Lovely podcast in Season 5
  • Gary Thomas, author of When to Walk Away
  • Beth McCord from Your Enneagram Coach

• The renewed joy and excitement MacKenzie has about going forward after having some rough spots in the past year
• MacKenzie answers her own stock questions and explains how some things have changed over the last couple of years

Current Lovelies:

Chelle: taking daily walks even when it isn’t the most convenient time

MacKenzie: trying to end her shower with a short burst of cold water

Resources Mentioned:

Books:

My Father’s Dragon

When to Walk Away

Podcasts:

The Wally Show

The Popcast

What Should I Read Next?

Movies:

You’ve Got Mail

Find Chelle-

You can find Chelle Bruzas on Instagram.

Find MacKenzie-

You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! You can also listen to her family podcast The Same Page!

Thanks to our Sponsors- 

Affiliate links are used in this content.

This week’s episode of CTL is sponsored by Grove. As a CTL listener, you can get a FREE 5-piece Mrs. Meyers cleaning set at Grove.co/LOVELY with your first order.

Cultivating the Lovely is also brought to you by Literati. For a limited time, go to LiteratiBooks.com and use code LOVELY for $20 OFF your first box. Kids 3 and up also get a free blacklight pen.

Thanks to VistaPrint for sponsoring this episode of CTL. Get 500 high quality professional business cards for only $9.99 when you order from VistaPrint.com/LOVELY.

This week wraps up Season 4 of the Cultivating the Lovely podcast! And today MacKenzie has a fun conversation with her dear friend Chelle Bruzas about some of the things they’ve been loving this summer and how they are squeezing every last drop of goodness out of summer before it’s over. This episode is full of memories, book and show recommendations and simple things that are making Chelle and MacKenzie’s live a little better. So get yourself a glass of something cold, sit back and enjoy the chit-chat!

• Making summer memories together with their families at the lake and each other’s homes
• Keeping each other accountable to rest and recharge amidst a busy season
• Chelle’s favorite summer reads:
  • The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
  • I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
  • Belgravia by Julian Fellows
  • Becoming Mrs. Lewis by Patti Callahan
  • Suffering is Never for Nothing by Elisabeth Elliot
  • The Good and Beautiful God by James Bryan Smith
• MacKenzie’s favorite summer reads:
  • Waiting for Tom Hanks by Kerry Winfrey
  • The Gown by Jennifer Robson
  • Do Less by Kate Northrup
  • Start with Your People by Brian Dixson
  • Rhythms of Renewal by Rebekah Lyons
  • When to Walk Away by Gary Thomas
• Chelle and MacKenzie’s summer watchlist:
  • Victoria
  • The Beautiful Fantastic
  • The Durrells in Corfu
  • Poldark
  • Handmaid’s Tale
• Chelle and MacKenzie’s simple summer meal solutions
• Favorite summer finds and hacks
  • Australian Gold tinted SPF50 sunscreen
  • MacKenzie’s upside down hair drying technique
  • The CTL Morning Show is back in the Patreon community!
• Favorite summer listening:
  • Extraordinary Magic by Ben Rector
  • When the Battle Chooses You by Pastor Steven Furtick
  • The Wally Show
  • The Popcast
  • The Big Boo Cast
  • Fat Mascara podcast
  • Hamilton soundtrack
  • The Greatest Showman soundtrack
  • A Star is Born soundtrack

Find Chelle-

You can find Chelle Bruzas on Instagram.

Find MacKenzie-

You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! You can also listen to her family podcast The Same Page!

Thanks to our sponsors-

Today on the Cultivating the Lovely podcast, host MacKenzie Koppa has a chat with Jen Traynor, a Noonday Collection Ambassador. Jen is a wife and homeschooling mom to two boys, and she was also taught MacKenzie’s daughter in preschool last year. Together Jen and MacKenzie talk about building a business that blesses others. This is not your typical multi-level marketing story, so stick around to hear this encouraging chat!

• Jen's story of how she got started as a Noonday ambassador
• The difference of the mission of Noonday as opposed to a typical MLM business
• How Noonday helps local artisans in countries around the world
• Wearing bold accessories you love with confidence
• How Jen started learning how to style her jewelry
• Follow @NoondayCollection or #noondaycollection on Instagram 
• The amazing benefits Jen has enjoyed as a Noonday ambassador
• Jen shares how a trunk show with Noonday works and what her typical workday looks like
• Jen's experience traveling to visit artisans with Noonday
• Why Jen feels that she was so successful and tips for new ambassadors
• Having a tribe, a cause and a community as women
• Jen's decision to dial back her outside commitments to focus on her family more
• A typical day in Jen's life

This Friday, August 9, 2019, at 6:30 pm PST Jen will be hosting an online Noonday Collection trunk show for CTL followers on both Instagram and Facebook! Make sure you follow MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram and Cultivating the Lovely on Facebook so you don’t miss out.

Current Lovelies-

Jen: getting outside and working in her garden to enjoy the simple pleasures of growing things

MacKenzie: intentionally making plans to do fun things to keep herself from wallowing in sadness about challenging circumstances

Resources Mentioned-

Podcasts:

Episode 100: Living into Our Strengths with Jessica Honegger

Movies:

Two Weeks Notice

Find Jen-

You can find Jen Traynor on her Noonday Collection webpage or contact her at jennifertraynor@noondayambassador.com to order. You can also follow Jen on Instagram.

Find MacKenzie-

You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! You can also listen to her family podcast The Same Page!

Back to School is rolling in fast and hard! If you’re anything like me then you like to make sure to have some things in place before day 1 hits so that you don’t get mowed down by the proverbial school bus as the year gets rolling.

If you want guidance for getting all the back to school things done, like-

• establishing routines,
• getting your calendar ready,
• planning your meals,
• creating functioning workspaces,
• and making sure that your own needs don’t fall by the wayside in the midst of the craziness,

Then I would love for you to join me in Patreon this month where we are walking through all these steps together! We have revived the morning show for the month and are meeting each weekday at 6:30am PST for guidance, encouragement, and motivation to head into this year feeling calm and confident.

In order to participate in our Daily Live Show goodness you only have to be at the $3 level! The rest of the benefits of being a Patron just climb from there, and out Loveliest Level Members even get to schedule one-on-one sessions with me via Zoom this month! They can ask me whatever questions strike their fancy and I will help them find the answers. It’s going to be a good time!

Just follow this link to see all our Patreon has to offer and join me today!!

Affiliate links are used in this content.

Show Notes-

On this week’s episode of Cultivating the Lovely, host MacKenzie Koppa interviews Lindsay Teague Moreno, the author of the new book Boss Up! This Ain’t Your Mama’s Business Book. Lindsay is a busy wife and mom of 3 girls who has a passion for coaching and encouraging women entrepreneurs. On the podcast today, MacKenzie and Lindsay chat about what it is like to be a mom who is also pursuing a dream to build a business and support her family.

• Lindsay shares her desire to encourage women who want to be entrepreneurs while also being a great mom
• How sometimes pursuing passions beyond homemaking can actually help some women be better moms
• Lindsay’s own story of growing up as an aspiring entrepreneur
• How moving frequently with her husband’s job forced Lindsay to learn what she needed to know for her own business

• How Lindsay’s passion for her work was both her greatest strength and her greatest weakness
• Why Lindsay was so driven to make goals and pursue them with all her energy
• A sneak peek into Boss Up! and some of Lindsay’s tips for women entrepreneurs

You are made for this job, but you need to figure out how to make it work for you. -Lindsay Moreno
Click To Tweet

• Being authentic and consistent in your branding and marketing
• How Lindsay uses story in building her business
• The vital importance of excellent customer service in creating loyal followers
• Setting yourself apart by conducting your business with excellence
• A typical day in the life of Lindsay

Current Lovelies-

Lindsay: working through some deep self-care with her new therapist

Resources Mentioned-

Books:

Boss Up!

Movies:

Father of the Bride

Find Lindsay-

You can find Lindsay Teague Moreno on her website, lindsaytm.com. You can also listen to her Boss Up! Podcast. Follow Lindsay across social media on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube and Twitter.

Find MacKenzie-

You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! You can also listen to her family podcast The Same Page!

Listen to the CTL Podcast-

  

Affiliate links are used in this content.

Cultivating the Lovely is brought to you by Rockets of Awesome. Get 20% OFF your first order when you go to rocketsofawesome/lovely and use promo code LOVELY at checkout.

This week’s episode of CTL is sponsored by Grove. As a CTL listener, you can get a FREE Mrs. Meyers Spring Scent cleaning set at Grove.co/LOVELY with your first order.

Show Notes-

Today’s episode of Cultivating the Lovely, MacKenzie has a chat with author Lisa-Jo Baker all about her new book, The Middle Matters. In addition to being an author, Lisa-Jo is a wife and mother of 3 kids, as well as co-host of the new podcast Out of the Ordinary. MacKenzie and Lisa-Jo have an encouraging and light-hearted conversation about the “real” side of motherhood in the middle years, plus so much more!

• How and why Lisa started writing for moms in the middle years
• The strange stage of being in the middle of marriage and parenting
• The uniqueness of each stage of motherhood, from being a first-time parent, to a parent of teenagers and beyond
• The joys of having older kids and teenagers
• Lisa’s inspiration for writing The Middle Matters

• Shifting perspective to see the beauty in the life you are living right now
• How Lisa wrote her books as if it were a collection of photographs of her own life
• The reaction publishers had when Lisa pitched her book title and idea
• The format of the book in little essays on different subjects
• How Lisa approaches social media and real life friendship by prioritizing loving people
• Finding your pocketful of friends who will be with you through thick and thin
• Dealing with the complicated nature of faith in the middle season
• Realizing that God still loves us even when we mess up
• Lisa talks a little about her new podcast with Christy Purifoy, Out of the Ordinary
• A typical day in Lisa’s life

Current Lovelies-

Lisa-Jo: taking a walk through her neighborhood each day to take a break from screens

MacKenzie: embracing her need for rest and not pushing herself to work out

Resources Mentioned-

Books:

The Middle Matters

Podcasts:

Out of the Ordinary

The Wally Show

Movies and TV:

The Princess Bride

The Mission

Strictly Ballroom

Moulin Rouge

Blackhawk Down

Studio 60

Find Lisa-Jo-

You can find Lisa-Jo Baker on her website, LisaJoBaker.com. You can also follow her across social media on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter.

Find MacKenzie-

You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! You can also listen to her family podcast The Same Page!

Listen to the CTL Podcast-

  

Affiliate links are used in this content.

Thanks to Policy Genius for sponsoring this episode of CTL. Go to PolicyGenius.com to find the right coverage for you and your family.

Show Notes-

On Cultivating the Lovely this week, MacKenzie Koppa talks with Heather Avis, author of the new book Scoot Over and Make Some Room: Creating a Space Where Everyone Belongs. Heather and her husband Josh live in Southern California with their three out of the box children. MacKenzie and Heather talk about shifting the narrative surrounding people with different abilities, including:

• How Heather started writing and landed her book deals
• Heather’s message and goal to shift the narrative surrounding different kids
• MacKenzie tells a little of her brother’s spina bifida story
• Heather and MacKenzie talk about being “sriracha mamas” with “marmalade mama” friends
• Shifting perspectives in parenting as you get older and being gentle instead of “judge-y”
• The refining process that happens in motherhood
• Learning to let go of our expectations for our children
• The importance of finding friends who understand and can identify with your situation
• Changing the negative narrative surrounding a diagnosis of a child with differences

• Not assuming low levels of competence or judging by appearances

Teach your kids to view people who are different as able. -Heather Avis
Click To Tweet

• Challenging ourselves to believe in the abilities of our children
• Heather’s ideas for normalizing differences
  • Being curious and open to asking questions with love and sensitivity
  • Talking about how everyone is different
  • Exposing children to people who are different, in real life as well as in media choices
• A typical day in the life of Heather’s family

Current Lovelies-

Heather: doing hot yoga on a regular basis to help de-stress and let her mind focus

MacKenzie: following her personalized yoga nidra to restore and relax

Resources Mentioned-

Books:

The Lucky Few

Scoot Over and Make Some Room

Movies:

Big Fish

Find Heather-

You can find Heather Avis on her website, HeatherAvis.com. You can also follow her across social media on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Find MacKenzie-

You can find MacKenzie Koppa on Instagram, Facebook, and the CTL Facebook Group, of course! You can also listen to her family podcast The Same Page!

Listen to the CTL Podcast-