The Happy Hour with Jamie Ivey

Today’s episode is the second in a series of three episodes we’re sharing with you from our Patreon Party! It’s from a series called After the Show where we invite our Patreon listeners to submit their questions about one of the Happy Hour episodes and it is one of my very favorite parts of the Patreon Party. Today’s episode is with my real life friend, Dr. Andrea Holman. Andrea serves as an Associate Professor of Psychology at Huston-Tillotson University where she teaches, conducts research, and gives talks and trainings around the city about race, racism and privilege and their impact on interpersonal relations. She also uses her expertise to assist foster/adoptive parents pursuing interracial adoption through the local foster agency through which she and her husband are currently licensed foster parents. In this episode, Lyndsey and I get to talk with Andrea about some of the questions you guys had surrounding foster care, advocacy, and beauty standards in the church, just to name a few. We talk about the goal of fostering to always be reunification, how important it is to name our pride, and humanize the parents while allowing humility to be the bridge between birth-families and foster-families. Andrea shares with us so transparently about the weight of holding space for herself and other people of color in predominantly white spaces and the impact it can have if it’s not balanced with life-giving people and events. I love the advice Andrea communicates when we were talking about how white women can approach interpersonal relationships and advocacy. She says, “rather than making the interaction about you, because that’s what privilege allows you to do, make it about them. See them, ask them, be okay holding and maintaining your own emotional response, because that is work for the person of color to hold your emotional response.” Friends, I am so grateful for Andrea, her experience, expertise, and the time she shared with us today! If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to head over to our Patreon Party and check out more of what we have going on there, including a brand new show I’m launching with Aaron called On the Other Side. It’s going to be a good time! Connect with Jamie Facebook // Twitter // Instagram // YouTube GET ALL THE LINKS FROM THE SHOW HERE

As we enter this new decade, I thought it would be fun to talk to a few friends and reflect back on what life was like 10 years ago. In these conversations, you’ll hear guests speak about what God has done in their life, their dreams and goals, things they would have done differently, and things they’re most proud of. And, looking back always causes me to look forward, so we’ll also chat about dreams for the next ten years! My guest for today’s episode is Dr. Russel Moore! Russell Moore is president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, the moral and public policy agency of the nation’s largest Protestant denomination. Dr. Moore is the author of several books, including Onward: Engaging the Culture without Losing the Gospel and The Storm-Tossed Family: How the Cross Reshapes the Home. A native Mississippian, he and his wife Maria are the parents of five sons. At the beginning of today’s episode, Dr. Moore and I chat about his past 10 years and I’m not exaggerating when I say that I needed a nap after hearing all of the things he has walked through and accomplished. In 2010 alone, he and Maria had four boys and a fifth on the way. He was the Chief Academic Officer at a theological seminary, a full-time pastor, and was teaching a full load of classes! That’s a lot. We then got to chat about how he managed stress through those seasons and how hindsight really is 20/20. We also talk about the ERLC and their commission to equip churches and families making ethical and moral decisions, which can be anything from adoption and foster care to end of life hospitalization issues and everything in between. Dr. Moore shares with us how relevant and important this is right now as the world is wrestling with racial injustice, especially within the church. I loved his response when I asked him where the hope is in this season. He says, “the hope in it is that you have more people across the board...seeing that this is a problem and that this has a set of biblical answers and a way that the bible forms our consciences and intuitions to be able to bear one another's burdens.” Friends, I am so grateful for Dr. Moore’s leadership -- especially right now as we’re all wading through rough waters. I hope today’s episode was as enlightening and encouraging for you as it was for me! Connect with Jamie Facebook // Twitter // Instagram // YouTube GET ALL THE LINKS FROM THE SHOW HERE

The Happy Hour #306 is a special one! You’ve probably heard me mention our Patreon Party by now, but you might not be so sure if you really want to join. That’s why we decided to share with you some of our favorite episodes from our Patreon Party for the next three weeks! In this episode, you will hear a conversation that my boo, Aaron and I had with the enneagram fairy godmother, Susanne Stabile, and her “arm candy” husband, Joe Stabile. Suzanne is a highly sought after speaker and teacher, known for her engaging laugh, personal vulnerability and creative approach to Enneagram instruction. She is the co-author The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey to Self Discovery with Ian Cron and she followed that with her second best seller, The Path Between Us: An Enneagram Journey to Healthy Relationships. Reverend Joe Stabile is a United Methodist Church pastor as well as Co-Founder in the Trinity Ministry, in Dallas, Texas. In our time together, the four of us talk about everything from family night and the enneagram to building marriages and navigating the world of church leadership. Joe shares about how he entered seminary at 14 years old and his following decades as a celibate Catholic priest. He and Suzanne tell us about how their stories came together and the hard work and spiritual practices that have lent to the beauty of their marriage. We talk a lot about marriage -- the good, the bad, the ugly and how one way or another, sitting face-to-face with your knees touching your partner’s leaves almost no space for conflict. Suzanne and Joe explain how marriage, much like our relationship with God, is “one long obedience in the same direction” and a matter of making the next right decision. I especially love when Suzanne, speaking on the hard work of marriage said, “[chemistry] is lovely, but chemistry won’t get you through sick kids and drama and recovery and tragedy...sometimes being in love is a decision.” Friends, this conversation from 2019 (which feels like 100 years ago!) is so rich! I promise you could listen to it five different times and hear something new each round -- and I’m absolutely speaking from experience! Connect with Jamie Facebook // Twitter // Instagram // YouTube GET ALL THE LINKS FROM THE SHOW HERE

As we enter this new decade, I thought it would be fun to talk to a few friends and reflect back on what life was like 10 years ago. In these conversations, you’ll hear guests speak about what God has done in their life, their dreams and goals, things they would have done differently, and things they’re most proud of. And, looking back always causes me to look forward, so we’ll also chat about dreams for the next ten years! My guest today is Barnabas Piper. Barnabas is an author, a podcaster, and serves on staff at Immanuel Church in Nashville, TN. He currently lives in the Nashville suburbs with his two daughters and their dog, and is getting married this month! Friends, today’s conversation was so refreshing. In this episode, Barnabas and I talk all about life growing up in the church, what faith has looked like for him over the past decade, and some really exciting things for him on the horizon. Barnabas talks about starting this past decade by losing his job and the eventual collapse of his first marriage. He shares openly about what it was like to navigate divorce in the context of the church and the ways in which God has been working through his story. We chat about the tendency to be both judge and jury when dealing with painful things because, like Barnabas says, “It’s much easier to be emotionally and relationally disengaged, dealing only with the facts of the matter rather than sitting in the pain [of the other person].” You guys, I love the way he talks about the friends who wouldn’t let him go over the past decade -- the way God holds on to us is so dear. I am also so grateful for the vulnerability Barnabas offers us in this conversation and I think you’ll really be blessed by this conversation. Connect with Jamie Facebook // Twitter // Instagram // YouTube GET ALL THE LINKS FROM THE SHOW HERE

My guest for The Happy Hour #305 is Megan Lively. Megan has worked in social media marketing and management since 2008. In 2019, she transitioned away from that and is now using her experience, education, and love for the church to equip the church in the area of social media through Relevant Reach. I first met Megan at an ERLC (Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission) Conference in Dallas where we were both invited to speak. While I was there to talk about how to care for friends as they heal from abuse, Megan was there to share boldly and for the first time about her own story of being raped while in Seminary and the subsequent trauma and retraumatization she has endured and begun to heal from. In today’s episode, Megan shares her story with us much like she did that day in Dallas. We discuss how we process trauma and PTSD, the effects shame has on victims of abuse, and how these events have shaped her relationship with God and with the church. Megan tells us about the healing ways people have responded to her story, like her husband and her pastor and, unfortunately, how she encountered times where “Instead of people viewing [her] as an image-bearer, they viewed [her] as someone who was there to make life messy for the church -- and the church needs to be protected.” Friends, today’s episode is important for so many reasons. I’m incredibly grateful for Megan’s vulnerability, bravery, and willingness to share with all of us today! My prayer is that if you or someone you know has experienced or is experiencing abuse, you will be encouraged to reach out to a loved one and a counselor. This should not happen to you and it’s not okay. If you are someone who has been told of abuse, I pray that you can be an empathetic listener and take action to support them.

As we enter this new decade, I thought it would be fun to talk to a few friends and reflect back on what life was like 10 years ago. In these conversations, you’ll hear guests speak about what God has done in their life, their dreams and goals, things they would have done differently, and things they’re most proud of. And, looking back always causes me to look forward, so we’ll also chat about dreams for the next ten years! My guest today is Sharon Miller. Sharon leads Bright City Church in Durham, NC with her husband Ike. She is the author of 2 books--Free of Me, and Nice--and has a PhD on women and calling. She is also a mother of three! In 2010, Sharon’s life looked very different. She and her husband, Ike, were newly married and about to move to Chicago where they would begin their PhD program at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Since then, she has had 3 babies, published 2 books and a bible study, planted a church, AND become a pastor! Quite the decade if you ask me. In this episode, Sharon and I talk about life as women in ministry, navigating what it means to be a “nice Christian woman” and what we are really called to in this life. She poignantly shares about the personal reckoning she had when she was hesitant to speak about race during the Ferguson protests and how she felt convicted about something Jesus would not have hesitated on. Ultimately, she realized that she had discipled herself into a false discipleship and had “to grapple with what we’re called to. Are we called to this nice chrisiaity that looks a lot like the real thing...or are we called to be like Jesus?” If you enjoy our conversation today, I would highly suggest checking out Sharon’s book, Nice: Why We Love to Be Liked and How God Calls Us to More! Connect with Jamie Facebook // Twitter // Instagram // YouTube GET ALL THE LINKS FROM THE SHOW HERE

My guest for The Happy Hour # 304 is Jill Dobrowansky. Jill uses her gift of conversation to host the Feed Your Spirit Podcast -- a space where she talks to friends about how God has brought them through difficult seasons and what they learned about God during and after this time. She and her husband Eric eside in New Jersey – where during the summer months, you can find her on the beach with a book in her hands or out for a nice long run. You guys, getting to talk with Jill was SO encouraging! In today’s episode, Jill and I talk about her experience with the Your Story Matters study and how she created the Facebook page, Our Story Matters, to further connect women in the YSM study. Jill shares so vulnerably with us about her own story of her years of running from God and finding herself pregnant at 19. Then, how God showed His love and grace to her by placing steadfast people in her life to care for her deeply. We also got to talk about leading a study like Your Story Matters and how important it is to care for people’s stories well by being an active listener and stepping into difficult or emotional places with them. Jill reminds us that while the enemy might be good at making us feel shameful, God does not judge us. What a gift that reminder is! Friends, I hope today’s episode is as refreshing for you as it is for me! If you’re interested in learning more about Your Story Matters, be sure to go to Jamieivey.com/YourStoryMatters. For the full summary and links to the show, click the link below! Connect with Jamie Facebook // Twitter // Instagram // YouTube GET ALL THE LINKS FROM THE SHOW HERE!

As we enter this new decade, I thought it would be fun to talk to a few friends and reflect back on what life was like 10 years ago. In these conversations, you’ll hear guests speak about what God has done in their life, their dreams and goals, things they would have done differently, and things they’re most proud of. And, looking back always causes me to look forward, so we’ll also chat about dreams for the next ten years! In today’s episode, we’re going off the beaten path to celebrate. That’s right, it’s Your Last Decade: Graduate Edition!! My first guest today is Caitlin Smith. Caitlin is a native Austinite (aka a unicorn!) and a recent Texas Ex. She just graduated with her Masters of Science in Marketing and has been a sports photographer for UT Women’s Basketball. In this episode, Caitlin and I talk about what it’s been like living in a missional community, how “vulnerability breeds vulnerability,” and how we need to learn how to love mercy not just for ourselves, but for others as well! You guys, Caitlin is so wise and I loved our conversation today. She has navigated graduation in such a tricky season and done so with grace and understanding. I love her advice to college-aged women, to “be confident in who you are and who God created you to be uniquely.” In the second half of the episode, I chat with Holly Norris. Holly lives in Georgia with her husband and just graduated from nursing school. She was nominated to be on the show by her friend Amber -- thanks Amber! In our time together, we got to talk about her time in high school and the ways she believed that nursing was out of her reach and how she trusted in God’s faithfulness and that He would fulfill her dreams and purposes. She tells us about how her passion for nursing is driven by connecting with other people and how she loves that she gets to show Jesus to the people she treats and works with. Her advice is to “never feel like you’re less-than...because God’s going to be there with [you]!” so good! I love how clearly God’s steadfastness shines through Holly’s story and how deeply she has embraced it -- it’s so encouraging. Happy graduation to all of the 2020 grads this year! I’m so excited to see your next 10 years!

My guest for The Happy Hour # 303 is Anjuli Paschall. After graduating from Point Loma Nazarene University, Anjuli earned her master’s degree in spiritual formation and soul care from Talbot Seminary. She currently lives in Southern California with her husband and their five children. Anjuli is the founder of The Moms We Love Club and writes regularly for (in)Courage. Her first book, Stay: Discovering Grace, Freedom, and Wholeness, Where You Never Imagined Looking released in March 2020. Friends, getting to talk with Anjuli was such a treat! In this episode, we chat about everything from homeschooling kids and the surprising effects of COVID-19 on our family dynamics to navigating friendship as adults and sitting with difficult emotions, whether that is how we see ourselves in motherhood or the fear of allowing ourselves to truly be seen by those around us. Anjuli also dives into the difficulty and beauty of slowing down and getting to know yourself in place without producing anything. I love when she says, “We’ll never be able to know the love of God in our heart until we’re able to go into our heart. We wonder about that disconnect -- ‘Why do I know God loves me, but I don’t feel God loves me?’ -- it’s because you have to know your heart...so pay attention to the [difficult emotions] you’re resistant to.” Y’all, so good!! To read more of Anjuli’s words, be sure to check out her book, Stay. For the full summary and links to the show, click the link below! Connect with Jamie Facebook // Twitter // Instagram // YouTube GET ALL THE LINKS FROM THE SHOW HERE!

As we enter this new decade, I thought it would be fun to talk to a few friends and reflect back on what life was like 10 years ago. In these conversations, you’ll hear guests speak about what God has done in their life, their dreams and goals, things they would have done differently, and things they’re most proud of. And, looking back always causes me to look forward, so we’ll also chat about dreams for the next ten years! In today’s episode, we’re going off the beaten path to celebrate. That’s right, it’s Your Last Decade: Graduate Edition!! Not only do I have two separate guests, but I also have two different kinds of graduates. My first guest today is EJ Priest. EJ is a recent high school grad from Indiana who was nominated to be a guest by her Aunt Lori! In this episode, We talk about her past 10 years, the challenges she has faced, including her type 1 diabetes diagnosis, and how she has navigated celebrating her senior year in such an unprecedented season. She shares with us how she’s been able to maintain her passion for serving others during quarantine and what it looks like to love others well who might receive a similar diagnosis. I love when she says, “questions don’t offend me, questions show me that you care...and you want to listen.” Sometimes the best way we can love people is by asking questions and listening well. In the second half of the episode, I chat with Christian Huff. Christian is a recent college grad from Auburn University (War Eagle!) and the husband of my dear friend, Sadie Robertson! In our time together, we got to chat about his time in college, how God spoke to Christian in meaningful ways and the effects that has had on his life since. From winning the little league state championship at 12 years old to moving to Louisiana during quarantine, and recently transitioning into marriage, Christian’s past 10 years have been nothing short of eventful. While EJ and Christian might have different experiences and different backgrounds, one thing that is constant between the two is the ways in which God has made himself evident in their lives and is continuing to write their stories. Happy graduation to all of the 2020 grads this year! We at the Happy Hour are so grateful for you!