Work and Play with Nancy Ray

This episode is simply a day in the life of Nancy Ray. This feels a little bit mundane, maybe a little vulnerable to share a day of my life with you, a bit of a peak into our crazy world with raising four kids and work and all of that. But so many people have requested it. So here I am, listen at your own risk or enjoyment. But I'm grateful that so many of you are interested in the simplicity of my life, and that's what I'm gonna share with you today. For the full show notes, head to nancyray.com/podcast/181. Resources from this episode: The Work & Play Weekly Checklist (Free Download!) The Work & Play Patreon Barefoot Dreams Robe One Thousand Gifts, by Ann Voskamp

My most downloaded episode, maybe ever, was Episode 007 called You Can Do Hard Things. Today, I'm gonna introduce her sister to you: You Can Do Fun Things. I've decided that this year I wanna make more of these Work & Play episodes about play, and I'm gonna try to be a little more lighthearted, which can be kind of hard for me. But that's the goal for this year, and that's what today's episode is all about—encouraging you (and me) to incorporate more play in your life and to do fun things. For the full show notes, head to nancyray.com/podcast/180. Resources from this episode: The Work & Play Weekly Checklist (Free Download!) The Work & Play Patreon Episode 007 - You Can Do Hard Things

It is the first podcast episode of 2023. I'm so grateful for you. I'm so grateful that you're listening right now, that you keep listening, and that somehow my voice has found a place in your life. One thing's for sure: you keep me coming back. You keep me coming back to record podcasts again and again. The fact that you're listening keeps me coming back and I just want to say thank you. I wanna thank you and just let you know how grateful I am to have like-minded friends out there to connect to in this format. Now, today's episode is gonna be kind of different. It's gonna be a little behind the scenes of the podcast itself, where I've been, where I think I'm headed, and what you can expect for this upcoming year. It'll be short and sweet with lots of resources thrown your way, hopefully helpful ones. And I just wanna give you a heads up too, that I'm taking the whole month of January off, so I'll see you back here in February! For the full show notes, head to nancyray.com/podcast/179. Resources from this episode: The Work & Play Weekly Checklist (Free Download!) The Work & Play Patreon Work & Play 2023 Survey! Nancy Ray Book Club The Contentment Challenge Apply: Part-Time Podcast Assistant

Today I'm sharing my top 10 books of 2022, and why I love them. Listen, I had a great list of books I was gonna read this year, and I read a lot of them, I did, but then I kept getting sidetracked with recommendations from friends, and I would read other books instead. And let me just pause and say I'm so glad that I did. It led to some of the most wonderful books, and I cannot wait to share them with you today. Resources from this Episode: Join the Contentment Challenge! The Work & Play Weekly Checklist (Free Download!) The Work & Play Patreon The Little Pilgrims Progress, by Helen Taylor The 12 Week Year, by Brian Moran The Self-Driven Child, by William Stixrud The Psychology of Money, by Morgan Housel How to Get Paid For What You Know, by Graham Cochrane The Great Blue Hills of God, by Kreis Beall The Maid, by Nita Prose Just Do Something, by Kevin DeYoung Mere Christianity, by C.S. Lewis Steal Like an Artist, by Austin Kleon Honorable Mentions The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, by C.S. Lewis The Four Disciplines of Execution, by Covey, Huling, and McChesney The Confident Mom, by Renee Swope Take Back Your Joy, by Nicole Jacobsmeyer Prince Caspian, by C.S. Lewis The Great Divorce, by C.S. Lewis Wintering, by Katherine May Walking with Barbara, by Barbara Hemphill Loving the Little Years, by Rachel Janokvic Try Softer, by Aundi Kolber Redeeming Your Time, by Jordan Raynor

Just a few months from now, in the start of 2023, that will mark 10 years since I did my first Contentment Challenge, where I give up shopping for three months straight to pursue a more content life and a closer walk with the Lord. 10 years! That's a long time, and you may or may not know this, but it had such a great impact on my life that I have done the Contentment Challenge almost every year since then—I think I skipped one year, maybe two. So, today I'm gonna share the lessons that I have learned through the last 10 years of doing the Contentment Challenge, and I'm gonna invite you to pray about doing it with me again at the beginning of 2023. For the full show notes, head to nancyray.com/podcast/177. Resources from this episode: Take the Contentment Challenge USE CODE: 5OFF2023 to take $5 off The Contentment Reset! The Work & Play Weekly Checklist (Free Download!) Episode 003 - The Contentment Challenge The Work & Play Patreon

At the end of every year, I plan time to do three simple things to plan for the year ahead. I take time to look back, reviewing the previous year. I set aside time to celebrate the previous year in God's faithfulness, and I take time to look ahead and set goals for the year to come. This episode's gonna give you more of a behind the scenes look at what that actually looks like for me. For the full show notes, head to nancyray.com/podcast/176. Resources from this episode: "Finish Your Year Strong" Worksheet (Free Download!) The Work & Play Patreon The Contentment Challenge (starts Jan. 1!)

A few years ago, I came up with a core purpose statement for my work and this podcast, and that is: Practical tools for an integrated life. That is what I'm after. I want my teachings, my content, everything that I give to you or anyone who's listening to be very practica, and I want them to be implemented into an integrated life. But first you have to answer the question: What is an integrated life? What does that even mean? Well, the word integrate means to combine one thing with another so that they become a whole. Another definition of integrated is with various parts or aspects linked or coordinated. Living an integrated life means combining your faith life, your home life, and your work life so that they become linked or coordinated, complimenting each other beautifully and ultimately providing the train tracks for a healthy soul and a fulfilling life. And I'm gonna challenge you today, in your faith and your home and in your work—to live an integrated life. Resources from this episode: An Integrated Life Course The Work & Play Weekly Checklist (Free Download!) The Work & Play Patreon

From gift guides to Instagram Ads, to those Amazon kids toy magazines, to Black Friday deals—everyone right now is telling us that we should be buying more, that we should have more, that we should be dressing in cuter clothes and decorating more perfectly. And today, I just want to be a voice that says: You don't. You don't! You don't have to buy all of those things. You don't have to do more. The good stuff, the really good stuff of this holiday season, is found in the quiet, grateful moments. For the full show notes, head to nancyray.com/podcast/174. Resources from this episode: The Work & Play Weekly Checklist (Free Download!) The Work & Play Patreon The Contentment Challenge Episode 172 - My Christmas Gameplan Song of the Stars, by Sally Lloyd Jones An Angel Story, by Max Lucado Episode 033 - Our Favorite Thanksgiving Tradition Golden Coil Planners The Giving Manger Episode 171 - Let Your Yes Be Yes Every Moment Holy, by Douglas Kaine McKelvey An Integrated Life Course My Christmas "Be Merry" Playlist

God created the world in six days, and on the seventh day He completely rested and enjoyed his work. He created this cadence for all of us to work six days and to rest one, and then repeat. We have a hard time doing this, don't we? I do. It's hard. It's not surprising why of all the 10 Commandments, this one was the longest with the most emphasis in the Bible. He designed us to do life this way. And when we do, life is refreshing and when we don't, it's exhausting. So today, I am gonna share with you simply how we practice the Sabbath and hopefully give you some practical things that you can do, too. For the full show notes, head to nancyray.com/podcast/173. Resources from this episode: The Work & Play Weekly Checklist (Free Download!) The Work & Play Patreon An Integrated Life The Gospel of Mark: Sabbath sermon

It is that time of the year where we are starting to think all about the holidays. And in my opinion, you can't start planning too early for Christmas. So, today I am telling you all about my Christmas gameplan, which is simply the planning that goes in to making Christmas a wonderful, peaceful time of year—because let's face it, it can be very stressful and very hectic if you don't thoughtfully plan ahead. So I'm just gonna share with you my approach and my strategy, and hopefully it will encourage you and bless you to plan a little more ahead and also enjoy your holidays a little bit more. For the full show notes, head to nancyray.com/podcast/172. Resources from this episode: The Work & Play Weekly Checklist (Free Download!) An Integrated Life Welcome Home, by MyQuillyn Smith The Work & Play Patreon Christmas Budget Spreadsheet Affiliate links have been used in this post! I do receive a commission when you choose to purchase through these links, and that helps me keep this podcast up and running—I truly appreciate when you choose to use them!