Living With Less Podcast

This week's episode with Wendy Blight is one that teaches us why we need to have God's word tucked in our hearts and know His word for ourselves. She shares her story of overcoming the darkest of times by learning God's word and His deep love for her.**Trigger Warning: Wendy's story involves sexual assault happening to her. If you'd like to skip that part it is at the end of the ninth minute, 9:49-9:57.** 1)Tell us about the wonderful you! (Family, where you live, ministry, church, etc.)I’m married to Monty and have two children, Lauren and Bo. Monty and I have been married 32 years!! We were college sweethearts, and he was my first, and only, boyfriend. Lauren was born 6 years after we got married, and she is now married (age 26) and living in Atlanta with her husband, Morgan, who is the best ever answer to prayer for her. Bo was born 4 ½ years after Lauren, and he is 21 years old, a senior in college academically and a redshirt junior for basketball. He plays college basketball at UNC Charlotte and is also

This week kicks off the first bi-weekly devotional episodes for the Living With Less Podcast. These will be shorter episodes that dive into a main point and scripture from the previous week's topic to help you go deeper with The Lord in your relationship with Him.  Does This Honor God or Me:Does my word or theme for the year honor God or does it honor me and what I want? When when sit with our word/theme does it point people to Jesus or does it point people back to me?Does it challenge me, change me, and shape me to look more like Christ or does it keep me in a place of comfort?Does it stand up to God's word? His word's and truth never change. Proverbs 21:21 - Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor.

This week's episode is exactly what you'd think, it's getting back to the basics of the podcast. Why we need to rid our lives of the things getting in the way of who Christ is calling us to be. As a new year begins Chelsey points us to the truth that what God did in us in 2019 and what He will do in 2020 are things that He wants to shape our whole life with. It's so much more than a "year" to Him, it's about our life being more tethered to Him.  Why We Need To Get Rid Of StuffWe don’t want to be triggered emotionally by "stuff" that has no reason being in our lives."Stuff" takes up room in our minds and hearts that belong to Christ. God's Word Is For You and MeThe words in the Bible are for you and me, not just the person who wrote them. People always say, "well I’m not like ___ who wrote that book of the Bible" and while they are right to some degree, all of us are different. God put these words in this book for you and me to learn from.The Eternal PerspectiveWe get so hyper focused on the “year” that we for

In this short 18 min. episode Chelsey shares on that portion of Luke 2 that stood out to her most this year. The Shepherds response when the angles left them, "LET US GO". They had no hesitation in the truth they heard. They wanted to see Jesus and share the good news, and great joy with ALL people. Which is exactly who Jesus came for you. You, me, and everyone else. Let us do just this as we head into our new year. May we declare it as one where we will urgently, without hesitation share the GOOD NEWS.

Episode 51 makes us take a closer look at all God has entrusted to us. Everything from the day to day little things to the big life moments. 1 Timothy is a book that has made Chelsey realize that every moment matters to the Kingdom. There isn't one second of our day or one relationship in our life that isn't important to The Lord.Join Chelsey as she walks through 1 Timothy and ends with the sacred words Paul wrote to Timothy, "Guard the deposit entrusted to you." (1 Timothy 6:20) The Mentions Of "Entrusted"1 Timothy 1:11 - Paul writes that he has been entrusted with the gospel.1 Timothy 1:18 - Paul writes that now Timothy is being entrusted with this sacred calling.1 Timothy 6:20 - Paul concludes to Timothy to guard what's been given to him. The Ramifications of Disobedience:1 Tim 6:1 - God's name and the teachings will be reviled.When we misstep it causes others to stumble, grumble, and at times question God's character.What we need to steer clear of and what is Godliness:Teach and urge these things. 3 If an

Episode 50 is a sit down with Sharon Hodde Miller, author of Nice. She shares her season of wrestling with "niceness". It keeps the peace, wins friends, gains influence, and serves our reputations well. It looks a lot like following Jesus, but it takes all the power and freedom out of our lives. Sharon shares her own battle with this false faith, confesses some of the bad fruits it produced in her life, and she shares biblical wisdom, insight, and deep convictions to lead women Godward in who God is really calling us to be. What made you address this issue of "niceness" as an idol in your life?I started to serve my niceness more than Christ. It's a false virtue and false idol. My motives became muddy. I was a nice Christian girl because it got me things. What is the difference in being nice and being kind?Nice has soft edges with a soft core.Harsh has hard edges and a firm core.Kind has soft edges - firm core - and conviction.When someone doesn't reciprocate your niceness we feel hurt. It makes "niceness" tra

Episode 49 is a sweet sit down with Rachael Adams. She is the host of The Love Offering podcast. In this interview we dive deep into what it really means to love like Jesus and what our individual love offering looks like. God created us all differently with unique giftings Rachael challenges us to use that unique call God has put on your life to show His love to others. 1)Tell us about you and share with everyone about the Love Offering mission and where it was birthed from? The true inspiration of the love offering actually started about 10 years. I was in a transitional season where I stopped my career to be a stay at home mom. Motherhood gave me a greater sense of purpose than I had ever had before, however there was still this inner longing I couldn’t quite put my finger on. I was questioning my purpose, my significance, my value, my worth. I was questioning do I matter? Why am I here? I was on a search to determine my purpose and fulfill it. I began to notice that serving my husband and children gave me

The Tug Of Persistent Distractions dives into the story of Nehemiah and how he stood firm against the distractions the enemy was trying to scheme. Not only did he stand firm against the but he called on God to give him strength. Because his trust was in the faithfulness of God, not in himself.This week will challenge you to ask God to reveal to you the things that are persistently distracting you from Him and all He is trying to do in and through you.  Nehemiah's Distraction Story: Now when Sanballat and Tobiah and Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies heard that I had built the wall and that there was no breach left in it (although up to that time I had not set up the doors in the gates), 2 Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, “Come and let us meet together at Hakkephirim in the plain of Ono.” But they intended to do me harm. 3 And I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?” 4 And they sent to m

In episode 47 Chelsey sits down to talk singleness with Brice Mitchell, Student Director at 514 Church in Columbus, OH and Kendra Schwarz, OBS Manager for Proverbs 31 Ministries in Charlotte, NC. Brice and Kendra give a refreshing perspective on how this season of life is not a curse, maybe not desired in their hearts, but that God is preparing them for what He has prepared for them. We all have seasons we may not desire but that God will use to grow us. Single or not, this message is for all of us. How have you learned how to live with the desire for marriage but also being okay with God’s plan for your life?K: It hasn’t been easy. Remembering God is sovereign and good and all-knowing puts my life into perspective. Also, taking a year from dating in 2016 helped re-align my wants/desires with what God has in store for my life (thoughts matter, desires matter, motives matter, how we understand love matters).B: - I actually think that I repressed this desire for the longest time. While marriage was something I

Episode 46 is one for the books. Chelsey got to sit down and talk with Kasey Van Norman as she shared the heart behind her book, Nothing Wasted. Kasey shares how God used the hardest parts of her story to show that a holy, sovereign God lovingly works, not in spite of our past, but through it. We Serve A God Of RedemptionGod wants to redeem the worst parts of who we are.God uses the back door. He doesn't care to see the cleaned up versions of ourselves. He wants every single part of us. He wants to do a new thing in us!Through Kasey's husband, God showed her the true love of Jesus in the midst of the worst pain she'd ever put her husband through. All Christian's Have Messy SeasonsIt's hard to believe when we walk in church sometimes that there are people with lives that are unraveling. You may feel like you're the only one in the room with a problem, but there is probably a dozen other people in a hard season as well. One thing Kasey stated that I LOVE in regards to addressing sin is this, "A mature Christian

Episode 45 is all about why life is not about us. At the end of the day it is all about Jesus, how we cling to Him, and how represent Him to others. That not everything God shares with us needs to be immediately shared on a platform or with another person, but tucked in our hearts. How we have to spend time within Him before we can properly handle anything that comes our way in this world. What Happens When He's Sanctifying UsPhillipians 2:12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.ChiselingMoldingRemovingGiving fresh perspective Why We Need To Ponder His WordThere are certain things God wants to teach you before you share them. Example: I wanted to do an episode on the 3 words He gave me a few weeks back. I felt Him nudging my heart that He is still teaching me things through this, He is not calling m

Episode 44 is all about the seasons of wrestling with go through in our walks with The Lord. It digs into why they are nessacary for our growth as they bring our fleshy desires, pride filled hearts, questions, worries, doubts, and fears all to the surface. These seasons give us the ability to let God truly work in the places that we can find oursleves hiding away.  Why We WrestleWe are fallen people who want nothing more than control and the ability to see the outcomes.Our flesh wants to do the things our faith tells us not too.We want God to work within our timeframe. God Never Breaks His PromisesJohn 15:1-7 - Abide in me and I will abide in you.Jeremiah 29:13 - You will seek me and find me when you seek me with your whole heart.2 Chronicles 20:12 - For we are powerless against this great horde coming against us, for we do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you. 5 Things God Has Been Teaching MeA hard seasons is always coming. This is why our faith cannot stay stagnant. A growing faith with The Lord ca

Keep Your Eyes On Jesus is all about why we need to do so and how we can get off track. Chelsey shares some of the things The Lord has shown her during her 4 weeks off podcasting. How she needed to be knowing Him just as much as she was serving Him.  John 15:4-7 Clarity On Why We Need To Be Fixed On Jesus. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.Cling To Jesus In The Dry SeasonWhen the dry season comes, don't shut your bible! Don't put it on the shelf and promise you'll open it later. Run to Jesus. Run to His word.Keep showing u

1) Tell us about the wonderful you!I am a wife to one, and momma to 4. My husband is in the Air Force, we currently we are stationed in San Antonio. Texas is seriously awesome, we love living here and our church is great! We've really grown in the Lord and have people around us that help us, help our marriage, help our family and have truly been great encouragers in the Lord.2) This topic is one that causes deep feelings of grief and questioning. How have you found a way to cling to The Lord in this rather than retreat from Him.Right before we lost our baby, I felt a revival in my heart after a season where I had been stagnant. So leading up to the miscarriage, I had been re-baptized 2 months prior. I had been baptized once before when I was 10, but as a grown adult, I wanted to redeclare that decision and rededicate my life to living for him. At the time didn't know that I was pregnant, nor were we trying.God knew. He knew I would need Him. My clinging was simply an acknowledgement that God was holding onto

This week Amanda Bacon is joining the Living With Less podcast as a special guest. She works for Proverbs 31 Ministries, is co-author of Shiny Things, co-host of All The Mom Things podcast, a wife and superwoman to 8 kiddos..yes, you read that correctly I said 8! Today we’re going to be talking all things Jesus, book writing, mothering, and choosing lasting things over lesser things.1) Tell us about the wonderful you! (Family, home, church, job, ministry, etc.)-Hi! My name is Amanda Bacon and I live in Charlotte, North Carolina. I've been married to Jeremy for twenty years and am the mom of eight children ages 7-18. We're relative newbies in the South, having lived here just over three years. My husband and I grew up in Alaska, and all of our children were born there! I serve on staff at Proverbs 31 Ministries on Lysa TerKeurst's team, and write online at themasterpiecemom.com and amandabacon.com. I'm the co-author of Shiny Things: Mothering on Purpose in a World of Distractions, which released in April 2019.

Tell us about you! (Family, home, church, job, ministry, etc.)Grew up in the PNW, went to college in Oregon … met a boy from AlaskaHave 2 kiddos, ages 14 & 15 (both learning to drive … prayers appreciate)Worship at our church here in AlaskaAmanda and I met 14 years ago through MOPS; co-coordinated groupLove writing and doing ministry w/ AmandaWe joke we’re the Mom Opposites (8/2 … public school / homeschool … working outside the home … now total opposite sides of the country)But between the 2 of us, we represent moms all over, with different backgrounds & various seasons/stages of mothering. (We weren’t meant to be cookie-cutter versions of each other. We serve a creative God!)When did you feel the call to become an author! What started the whole idea of writing the Shiny Things?Loved working together through MOPS, dreamed of writing a book together somedayBrought a book proposal to She Speaks in 2013. Met w/ several publishers, one of which was Harvest House. Told us quite frankly that this was more

1) Tell us about the wonderful you!My husband, Dale and I pastor a church an hour south of Washington DC - in Fredericksburg VA. I serve as a pastor on staff with a focus on women and leadership. We have 2 young adults - Gabrielle, who just graduated from JMU with a musical theatre degree, and is home for a little bit performing regionally, and a son, Christian, who is attending college at VOUS University in Miami - an extension of Southeastern U.So we're in a new season in our family - and there's never a dull moment. And of course, our favorite member of the family, our Shih Tzu, Chewie - short for Chewbacca. :)My degree was Music Education and I served as a Worship Pastor for 20 years and have 3 CD's with original songs and arrangements before I started writing Bible Study resources for women. I'm still active musically in my local community theatre as a Music Director and pianist. That's a fun, creative outlet for me. 2) I felt so compelled to reach out to you when you posted about the topic of disagreeme

This episode is diving into an open heart surgery season God is doing in Chelsey. No matter where we're at in our walks with The Lord there are always things of our flesh that need wrestled out of us. This episode will encourage you to sit with Jesus, get in His Word, and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal what's going on inside.  Seen and Unseen SinThere are sins we are blind to in ourselves but God will do what it takes to rip them out of us.God's word tells us to TURN away from evil. (Proverbs 3:7)But then follows right after with what replacing the sin with His calls on our life will give us. Healing and refreshment. (Proverbs 3:8)Question MarksGod doesn't leave us with question marks so we can try to "figure things out" on our own in our flesh.God gives us His word and direction to give us what to do next.We in our flesh cannot remove sin. It is our Heavenly Father who is able to convict, remove,  and restore. Obedience and PromptingsWhen He gives us prompts through the Holy Spirit. He's inviting us to make t

Episode 37 digs into the hard things that our world tells us it's fine to overlook and walk away from, but God calls us to more. There is freedom found in working through the hard seasons, the hard sin issues, and the hard parts of God's word. The Lord took Chelsey to Proverbs 2 and showed the gift of wisdom and discernment He has for us. BUT, to get there we have to seek, ask, and dig. Proverbs 2:1-17 1 My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, 2 making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; 3 yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, 4 if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, 5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. 6 For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; 7 he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity, 8 guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his

Learning to love and learning to lead takes a look into Chelsey and Corey's marriage. They continued to find themselves in hard seasons of marriage due to both of these things. If Corey didn't lead Chelsey, she didn't want to love him. If Chelsey didn't love Corey he wrestled with the desire to lead her. Over the last 6 months of being challenged and convicted by the spirit this episode takes you into the redemptive gift they've found in their marriage. A heart willing to love regardless of how one is leading and a heart willing to lead regardless of how the other is loving. Learning to LOVE We are called to love our spouse regardless of how we feel. Ephesians 5:33 - "let the wife see she respects her husband". This means LOVING him in all circumstances. 1 Peter 3:1-2 also give us clear dicrection on why we are called to show them the love of Christ at all times. Guard the GIFT of MARRIAGE This is the most sacred relationship God entrusts us with on this side of heaven. If I'm not guarding it, pr