The Happy Hour with Jamie Ivey

If you are an HGTV home renovation fan, you’re going to know exactly who my guests are today. Dave and Jenny Marrs are the stars of HGTV’s “Fixer to Fabulous.” Dave is the builder while Jenny supports the design side of the business. They live on a farm, have five beautiful children, and are currently filming season four of their show! On this episode, we talk about what it’s like to work together as a married couple, both in parenting their kids and within their business. Plus they share with me how they remember and celebrate each other’s strengths, and tell the story of how “Fixer to Fabulous” came to be. Jenny and Dave live in Bentonville, Arkansas, one of my favorite places, and it is also where they renovate all of their houses. Do you ever think, “I’ll try this for a little while and then move on to something else after a while”? That’s exactly what Dave and Jenny thought when HGTV approached them about filming a show, but here they are, five years later, still sharing their renovation projects with the world on TV. While Jenny and Dave are thankful for “Fixer To Fabulous” and the meaningful work they get to do together, prioritizing their family-first mindset and keeping Jesus at the center is their main priority. Dave and Jenny are using their platform to shine their lights in a darkened world. Join me for another fun conversation on collaborating over competing! Connect with JamieFacebook //  Instagram // YouTubeGET ALL THE LINKS FROM THE SHOW HERE

“I want people to hear and know that you don’t have to be afraid of ruptures (in a relationship). When you rupture and you’re committed to repairing, what is built on the other side of that is actually more powerful, more intimate, and more committed.”We are continuing our Collaboration Over Competition series, and my guests today are no strangers to The Happy Hour. Jessica Honegger and Liz Forkin Bohannon recently merged their two awesome companies together! Jessica is the founder of Noonday Collection and Liz is the founder of Sseko Designs. On this episode, we talk about what that process and decision was like for them, being that their companies were each other’s competition in the ethical fashion space. We cover a lot in our conversation. Like how Liz moved to Uganda with a passion and desire to build a community and gain a deeper understanding about issues impacting women and girls living in extreme poverty. And how Jessica believes that relationships are a part of who we are all created to be.  Jessica talked about how she wanted Liz to come on her podcast and how it was not an easy decision to invite Liz into her space where she would talk about her company. We talk about jealousy, not valuing each other’s decisions, and the power of merging their companies for collaboration, not competition. Together Liz and Jessica really care about global poverty and cleaning up the fashion supply chain, and I’m excited for you to hear from them today! Connect with JamieFacebook //  Instagram // YouTubeGET ALL THE LINKS FROM THE SHOW HERE

It’s not often you hear me say, “Sic’em Bears,” but today is one of those days. My guest is Scott Drew, and if you are a fan of college basketball, I’m sure the name is very familiar to you. I know some of you are probably thinking, “Is this becoming a sports podcast?” But whether you like sports or not, you can get something really meaningful from this episode.Coach Drew is the head men’s basketball coach at Baylor University. We talk about how he manages the tension of talking about Jesus, others, and yourself (J.O.Y.) with players who aren’t Christians. We discuss his golden season winning the NCAA National Championship in 2021, what he does to make sure his wife and kids know that they have his undivided attention, and how he led his student-athletes through a COVID year. Although it’s every coach’s dream to win a national championship, Coach Drew’s main priority is to keep Jesus at the center of his team. He does that is by having team Bible studies, enforcing a no-cussing policy in practice, and starting and finishing every practice with prayer. If you’re not a Baylor or basketball fan, I strongly believe that after you listen to today’s episode you will be a Scott Drew fan!Connect with JamieFacebook //  Instagram // YouTubeGET ALL THE LINKS FROM THE SHOW HERE

*Trigger warning – Suicide is very briefly discussed in this episode, along with a story of infidelity.*Gosh, what a deep, authentic and vulnerable episode this was with my guest Manda Carpenter. Manda is the author of Soul Care To Save Your Life, which was released in August of this year. Manda opens up about her infidelity and how it almost stole her marriage. Not only that, her infidelity almost caused Manda to take her own life. Just as she does in her book, Manda gets very personal about what led to her affair and how she immediately felt ashamed. Manda had believed her whole life that infidelity was an unforgivable sin, which made it very difficult for her to tell her husband. Then one day, the Lord brought a mentor into her life who would help Manda to confess to her husband and then encouraged Manda to seek counseling. I know some of you may be thinking you can’t relate to the topics discussed in this episode, but don’t skip this one. Our stories may be different, but I think we can all relate to the vulnerability, shame, and humility Manda expresses through our conversation. Or maybe your life, or the life of someone close to you, has been impacted by unfaithfulness. Should you choose to listen, I hope you walk away feeling seen and encouraged, not alone. Connect with JamieFacebook //  Instagram // YouTubeGET ALL THE LINKS FROM THE SHOW HERE

If you have been listening to my show for a while now, you may be familiar with today’s guest. Shannan Martin joined me back in 2015 on Episode #45 to share about her family’s life and mission. Today we talk about a number of things, including the practice of waking up and how Shannan defines ‘neighbor,’ plus systematic injustice and the black squares that everyone posted on social media in 2020. Shannan is the author of The Ministry of Ordinary Places, Falling Tree, and her newest book, Start With Hello, which releases October 11. Connecting with neighbors in intentional ways is something that screams “Shannan and Corey Martin.” Shannan says Start With Hello started in her family’s neighborhood as she found her heart gravitating toward connecting with the people around her, especially people who don’t look like her. Shannan says her calling is to live as a neighbor, which she defines as anyone who her life intersects with. Everything she knows about living as a neighbor she said she learned from her neighbors. We can love our neighbors like Shannan by being intentional, starting with hello. Connect with JamieFacebook //  Instagram // YouTubeGET ALL THE LINKS FROM THE SHOW HERE

“You don’t have to be gifted with hospitality because it’s a command given to us by God.” -Amy Hannon Ouch! Amy Hannon may have convicted a lot of us with that statement. I’m not sure about you, but my hospitality is great when my clothes are folded and put away, the sink isn’t full of dishes, and the house is clean. On this episode, Amy reminds me that everyday hospitality is not photogenic and that inviting people into my messy spaces creates the common ground we’re all dying to find. When it comes to hospitality, my dear friend Amy does it well. I don’t just say that because she’s on the podcast – I have actually visited her home and experienced her hospitality firsthand. Amy recently wrote a book that releases on October 18 called Gather and Give: Sharing God’s Heart Through Everyday Hospitality. Amy shares why hospitality is not a gift that some of us have but it’s a command given to us by God. Biblical hospitality is not overwhelming and you don’t have to be good at it. Biblical hospitality understands that a simple invitation for connection and community creates the perfect opportunity for emotional, relational, and spiritual transactions to take place. What a convicting but encouraging episode! Join Amy and me as we talk about how we can bring hospitality into our everyday lives.Connect with JamieFacebook //  Instagram // YouTubeGET ALL THE LINKS FROM THE SHOW HERE

“The church needs to be the safest place on earth where you don't have to whisper about anything. It is the place God intended for you to find life, love, relationship, comfort, and strength.” - Kay Warren I want to provide a warning that for the majority of this episode, our conversation is centered around mental health and suicide. Today my guest is author, speaker, advocate, and pastor’s wife, Kay Warren. We talk about mental health, suicide, our Enneagram numbers, and the church she and her husband Rick founded and pastored for more than 42 years. Yes, you read that right – four decades serving at the same church! Kay discusses their intentionality and how she and Rick made it to the end of their pastoral journey with integrity, humility, and generosity. There is a moment when we get very personal and Kay opens up about the loss of her son, the 27 years God gave her with him, and how she found herself thrust into being an advocate for people with mental illness. Out of her experience, she founded an organization called Breathe, which provides a safe and welcoming community for families who have a child of any age with mental health challenges. Despite the hard nature of the topic, I hope you feel encouraged today by my conversation with Kay!Connect with JamieFacebook //  Instagram // YouTubeGET ALL THE LINKS FROM THE SHOW HERE

“We’ve been fighting to save girls’ lives and end gendercide in India” - Jill McElya Today’s show is not like many others that I have recorded so I want to warn you before pressing play that there are some triggering stories. My guest on today’s episode is Jill McElya, President and Co-Founder of the Invisible Girl Project. IGP rescues girls in India from the danger of female gendercide, advocates for their healing, and empowers them through education. Jill shares with me the story of when she moved to India to work with IJM,  the moment God laid on her and her husband’s heart to start The Invisible Girl Project, her heart to end gendercide in India, and how she met her husband Brad while on a mission trip in India. There is a point in this episode when Jill tells a story about a woman and her husband that left me heartbroken but hopeful because of the work that’s being done with The Invisible Girl Project. What is happening to women and young girls in India is heartbreaking and I am so thankful for people like Jill, her husband, Brad, and many others who are empowering other women and men to fight against female gendercide and feticide in India.  Connect with JamieFacebook //  Instagram // YouTubeGET ALL THE LINKS FROM THE SHOW HERE

“The Holy Spirit is not promoting self but He is promoting Christ so that we may know Him” -Max Lucado The past couple of years have not been easy for many people. There has been a lot of grief, unexpected career changes, family conflict, and the list goes on. When life throws us curve balls it can bring on stress, weariness, and burnout. These places are not fun but the good news is that you are not alone and there is a helper (The Holy Spirit) waiting to help you. On today’s episode is my friend, Max Lucado and we talk about his new book, “Help Is Here”,  how he developed insomnia in his early twenties from his busy lifestyle, and the moment he first developed a relationship with the Holy Spirit. Max shares how he felt the Holy Spirit’s presence and how at that moment he was convicted in his teachings, and how things became clear about what they should and should not do within his church. Max traces his walk with Christ, through the Holy Spirit, back to his younger dark days as a pastor and he says those days were a game-changer for him.  Connect with JamieFacebook //  Instagram // YouTubeGET ALL THE LINKS FROM THE SHOW HERE

“Sometimes he’s down and I’m up but I think it’s more important than ever that we stay focused and keep perspective about things being idols in our life” - Kristi Malzahn If you know me you know one of my favorite things is college football. My guest on today’s show is Kristi Malzahn. Kristi is the wife of head coach, Gus Malzahn at The University of Central Florida. Whether you like football, love football, or even if football is not your thing, you will love this episode. Kristi talks about the family affair of coaching, knocking down idols to maintain that she and her family are focused on an audience of One, knowing when it’s time to walk away, and Kristi’s health scare. After talking to Kristi I learned that she is far more involved in the team than I thought any coach’s wife would be. Kristi plays a massive role in recruiting and treats every player like her own. One of the things I loved that Kristi shared is that she does not let her husband get too low or too high. That is the accountability we all need so that we will not live in our mess ups but also continue to walk in humility.Join me for a great conversation with my dear friend to hear what behind-the-scenes being a coach’s wife looks like.  Connect with JamieFacebook //  Instagram // YouTubeGET ALL THE LINKS FROM THE SHOW HERE