Crystal Paine Show

Author of the brand new book This Moment Matters: 100 Ways to Cultivate a Grace-Laced Life, Ruth Chou Simons comes back on the podcast, and I am so excited to have her back! The last time that we tried to record together, I was such a hot mess that we ended up doing an Instagram story and Facebook Live instead, so when she agreed to come back, I was thrilled, and this time, we actually have a podcast episode! I truly love Ruth's new book. There is so much practical wisdom in its pages and so many moments when I found myself saying, “Yes!” while also getting my toes stepped on a little bit. In this episode, we talk about what it means to cultivate beauty and grace in the middle of our very ordinary, very full lives. Ruth is a mom of six boys, and I could not stop asking her how she has managed to create such a beautiful home, but what I especially love about her approach is that it's not about having more money, buying more things, or waiting until life is less chaotic. It's about stewarding what God has already given us and learning to notice the beauty that's right in front of us. We talk about creating rhythms that help us start our days well, making space for God's Word, and even setting up a little scripture memory station. Ruth shares why small acts of faithfulness matter more than big accomplishments and how making room for inefficiency can lead to the conversations and relationships that we might otherwise miss. We also talk about motherhood, enjoying our kids, and the importance of leaving room in our calendars for nothing because, after all, sometimes the most meaningful moments happen when we're not rushing off to the next thing. If you're feeling overwhelmed, distracted, or like you need to get your life together before you can enjoy it, then this conversation with Ruth is definitely for you. Ruth reminds us that we don't have to wait for a better season to live a grace-laced life, that we can start right where we are, with what we have, today. Enjoy my conversation with Ruth Chou Simons, and, as always, please feel free to reach out to me with your thoughts! In This Episode [0:36] - I have a repeat guest today, Ruth Chou Simons! [3:08] - Ruth describes cultivating beauty as a way to recognize God’s presence in everyday life. [4:24] - Rather than buying more, Ruth encourages appreciating and sharing what we already have. [7:03] - Hear how small, manageable steps can help overcome the perfectionism and overwhelm that prevent us from getting started. [8:28] - A grace-filled life begins by intentionally honoring Jesus via everyday actions and rhythms. [10:22] - We discuss intentionally cultivating daily habits that immerse us in God’s word and shape how we live. [13:28] - Everyday conversations and small decisions shape our character, homes, and relationships more than big achievements do. [16:01] - It's important to make space to enjoy children, as it strengthens relationships and creates family memories. [17:28] - Ruth reflects on how her shift in mindset helped her embrace motherhood as an opportunity to model faith and enjoy her children. [20:15] - Choosing gratitude and intentionally recognizing others’ goodness can truly change our perspective on relationships. [21:23] - Hear how leaving room in our schedules creates space for meaningful conversations and helps us prioritize relationships. [24:02] - Embracing inefficiency can help create opportunities for connection, conversation, teaching, and modeling everyday relationships. [27:14] - Learn how regular self-reflection helps us recognize God’s presence and think about the reasons behind our everyday choices. [29:30] - Ruth emphasizes cultivating richer, more nourishing experiences to naturally curb distractions and strengthen self-discipline. [31:55] - I reveal that I gave up refined sugar and white flour about four weeks ago, and I feel great! [33:59] - I describe how slowing down and resetting my habits has made simpler, slower experiences more enjoyable and nourishing. [35:22] - In closing, small, intentional choices and slowing down can nourish us, improve our lives, and help us accomplish more! Links & Resources Crystal Paine The Crystal Paine Show - 184. A Life Update + Prepping Our Hearts for Advent (with Ruth Chou Simons) GraceLaced Books This Moment Matters: 100 Ways to Cultivate a Grace-Laced Life by Ruth Chou Simons Social Media Crystal Paine on Instagram (@moneysavingmom) Crystal Paine on Instagram (@crystaliscleaning) Crystal Paine on LinkedIn Crystal Paine on Twitter Crystal Paine on Goodreads Money Saving Mom Money Saving Mom on Facebook Money Saving Mom Deal Seekers Facebook group [email protected] Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Tune in this week as Jesse and I talk all about my recent trip to Guatemala! I have alluded to this trip to Guatemala in a few earlier episodes, but I am so excited to finally sit down with Jesse and share more of the story. This was truly a bucket list trip for me. Ever since we adopted David, I have wanted to visit Guatemala to learn more about his culture and history and to better understand what his mom experienced growing up there. I never imagined the opportunity would just fall into my lap the way that it did. In this episode, I am sharing some of the things that I learned on my trip, the people I met, and the moments that really stayed with me. I had the privilege of spending time with women from a remote village, many of whom work incredibly hard just to provide for their families. We came with some ideas of what we would do together, but we quickly learned that we needed to be flexible and willing to listen. That sometimes meant playing games, coloring, making tamalitos, or simply sitting down and asking a woman about her day. One of the most meaningful parts of the trip for me, though, was seeing how much these women had to share once they felt comfortable. We didn’t speak the same language, but we found that there were so many things we could communicate without words. We laughed together, prayed together, and heard stories of hardship, perseverance, and faith. I am also talking about the differences between the communities we visited, the challenges facing local schools, and some of the things that surprised me about Guatemala, including how beautiful and peaceful it was, and, of course, I have to tell you about the food! This trip really gave me a much deeper appreciation for David’s birth mother and all that she has been through. I hope that you enjoy hearing about it as much as I enjoyed getting to experience it! As always, please feel free to reach out with your questions and/or thoughts! In This Episode [0:36] - Jesse and I are having a conversation about my recent trip to Guatemala! [1:14] - I share an email that I got recently from a listener named Rhonda who discusses how much my 10K run and Jesse’s CrossFit competition inspired her. [3:59] - Hear how a church invitation unexpectedly gave me the opportunity to visit Guatemala and explore David’s heritage! [6:52] - I explain how church leaders invited me to minister to Guatemalan mothers despite my limited involvement with the trip. [9:14] - I reflect on how it didn’t seem like David being from Guatemala was why I was chosen for this trip. [11:29] - I talk about Orphan Outreach which changes children’s futures via sponsorship, therapy, education, and family support. [13:08] - The children are taught Spanish in addition to English. [16:21] - Hear about how the group adapted plans to meet the women’s greatest needs: encouragement, fun, and rest. [19:29] - I describe how the women opened up through laughter, heartfelt sharing, and a beautiful experience of collective prayer! [22:18] - I reflect on the women’s universal struggles and the devastating poverty they faced, including food insecurity and unaffordable medical bills. [23:16] - I add how the women deeply depend on God because of their severe financial struggles. [25:26] - The women and I exchanged some traditional cooking lessons, making tamalitos and tortillas together. [27:05] - Hear how the women enjoyed relaxing activities, prayer, encouragement, and fellowship despite language barriers and difficult circumstances. [29:36] - I adapted our plans, using coloring activities to connect personally with the guarded women. [31:59] - I add how I encouraged women via personal conversations before unexpectedly spending time ministering to the school’s teachers. [34:54] - I struggled to identify resources for teachers required to teach English without knowing English themselves. [37:06] - I discuss how villagers rely on walking, informal transportation, and home-based work rather than phones and conventional jobs. [39:58] - While I didn’t see any coffee plantations, I saw unexpected beauty, cleanliness, tranquility, lush vegetation, and abundant tropical fruit! [42:32] - Dragonfruit was in season, and I recall enjoying Guatemala’s food while relying on faith to endure being sick throughout the trip. [44:25] - My trip to Guatemala really deepened my gratitude for David’s mother and makes me want to go back. Links & Resources Crystal Paine Orphan Outreach Social Media Crystal Paine on Instagram (@moneysavingmom) Crystal Paine on Instagram (@crystaliscleaning) Crystal Paine on LinkedIn Crystal Paine on Twitter Crystal Paine on Goodreads Money Saving Mom Money Saving Mom on Facebook Money Saving Mom Deal Seekers Facebook group [email protected] Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

For this episode of The Crystal Paine Show,I am joined by the author of the book More Than You Can Imagine: What Goes Does When You Trust Him - Susie Larson! In our conversation, she shares some of the most powerful stories of trusting God through seasons when nothing seemed to make sense. Her aforementioned new book isn’t just something she wrote; it’s something she has lived. She opens up about the years when serious health challenges, medical bills, financial pressure, and fear left her family wondering how they were going to make it, yet, right in the middle of that wilderness, God taught Susie and her husband what it meant to genuinely depend on Him. Listen in as we talk about what happens when we stop going through the motions of faith and actually engage our hearts with God. What does it look like to trust Him when the numbers don’t add up? How do we keep fear from making our decisions for us? What happens when God asks us to be generous even when we feel like we don’t have anything left to give? Susie shares the incredible story of giving away a box of cereal when her own family was struggling financially and how that simple act became part of a much bigger lesson about living as a “flow-through account” of God’s provision. We also talk about the miraculous ways that God provided for her family, the school that she and her husband were eventually able to help build in Rwanda, and the “impossible prayers” they now pray every year. One of the episode's biggest takeaways, though, is that dependence on God isn’t weakness. It can actually become our superpower. When we recognize that we don’t have everything we need but that God does, we get to watch Him do what only He can do. What would happen if you trusted God a little more today? Open your hands, turn on your “noticer,” and start looking for His faithfulness. You may be surprised by what you see! I hope that you enjoy this conversation with Susie, and, as always, please feel free to reach out with your own thoughts! In This Episode [0:36] - My guest today, Susie Larson, prioritizes thorough preparation when it comes to radio/podcast work so she can engage meaningfully with every guest and their content. [3:05] - Susie urges Christians to live boldly, trust God’s promises, and prepare to give an account of their lives. [5:35] - Genuine trust requires heartfelt spiritual engagement rather than just going through the religious motions. [8:59] - Susie recounts how difficult pregnancies, medical complications, and insecurity plunged her family into a difficult season of life. [10:49] - Hear how a frightening health episode triggered Susie’s fears, as she felt confronted with worst-case scenarios and past trauma. [12:37] - Facing devastating illness and financial hardship, Susie and her husband chose to trust God rather than give into fear. [15:30] - Susie's and her husband's commitment to generosity truly changed their finances and became a lifelong posture of faith and dependence. [18:20] - Susie urges people to move beyond identifying with their brokenness and pursue the greater purposes God has for them. [21:16] - Susie and I discuss how God’s power meets us in hardship, empowering us to trust Him, pray boldly, and depend on Him completely. [24:35] - Susie argues that dependence on God is not weakness but rather a source of strength, purpose, and provision. [27:43] - I reflect on how trusting God with my finances taught me and Jesse to rely on His faithfulness. [30:15] - Trusting God with your finances can truly change your life and give you stories to tell about His faithfulness. [32:54] - Ultimately, trusting God and noticing His faithfulness can radically change how we live. Links & Resources Crystal Paine Kevin and Susie Larson Academy Books More Than You Can Imagine: What Goes Does When You Trust Him by Susie Larson Social Media Crystal Paine on Instagram (@moneysavingmom) Crystal Paine on Instagram (@crystaliscleaning) Crystal Paine on LinkedIn Crystal Paine on Twitter Crystal Paine on Goodreads Money Saving Mom Money Saving Mom on Facebook Money Saving Mom Deal Seekers Facebook group [email protected] Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Join Jesse and me this week as we talk about something that scared Jesse: doing his first CrossFit competition! Hear about how, a few months before the competition, he told me that he wanted to compete, and while I could tell that he truly wanted to do it, I could also tell just how much fear was standing in his way. He had movements that he wasn’t sure he could do, weights that he had never lifted, and the very real possibility of doing all of this in front of a bunch of people. Honestly, I wasn’t convinced that he was actually going to make it to competition day. However, he signed up, he trained, and he prepared, and then, six months later, we found ourselves watching him walk into that competition! Listen in as we talk about what it was like in the weeks leading up to it, including that very specific, stomach-churning kind of fear that makes you wonder, “Why did I sign up for this?” Jesse shares how his coach helped him reframe those jitters as his body preparing to do something difficult and how he learned to stop worrying about what everyone else was doing and simply run his own race. We then get into the actual competition - the three workouts, the 53-pound kettlebells, the clean and jerks, the moments when Jesse surprised himself, and the incredible encouragement that he received from the other competitors. (One workout in particular became a moment I don’t think any of us will forget!) One of the most meaningful parts for me was definitely watching our kids watch their dad do something that scared him. It was a powerful reminder that sometimes the lessons our children remember most are the ones we teach simply by being willing to try something hard. We also discuss what Jesse learned from the experience, why he’s already thinking about doing more competitions, and why putting something on the calendar can be such a powerful way to push yourself forward. If there’s something you’ve been afraid to try, we really hope that this episode reminds you that you don’t have to feel fearless to take the first step! We hope that you enjoy this episode, and, as always, please reach out to us with your thoughts and questions! Maybe you have your own story to share that involves overcoming fear? In This Episode [0:36] - Jesse and I are supporting a first-time foster parent by providing regular respite childcare for her baby girl. [3:20] - I encourage people unable to foster to support foster families with practical, ongoing help. [5:14] - We are talking today about Jesse’s recent CrossFit competition! [7:37] - Jesse reflects on how his coach encouraged him to compete, giving him a goal to drive greater consistency and improvement. [10:14] - We discuss how I initially didn’t think that Jesse would follow through on the competition because of how afraid that he was. [12:03] - Hear how Jesse overcame significant anxiety, chose the demanding RX division, and trained to master movements he feared or couldn’t perform! [15:29] - Jesse’s fear stemmed from public failure. [18:08] - I praise Jesse for confronting overwhelming fear by thoroughly preparing and courageously showing up! [19:10] - Jesse describes how he felt the morning of the competition. [20:14] - Hear how Jesse exceeded his expectations by pacing himself, trusting his capacity, and embracing his coach’s encouragement. [22:51] - Jesse’s victory ultimately came from confronting his fear and pushing himself through challenging workouts, regardless of the competition results. [24:14] - Jesse surprised himself by pushing past fear, exceeding expectations, and discovering greater capabilities through competition! [26:14] - Jesse encourages listeners to put something on the calendar and work towards it because there is a first time for everything. [27:30] - Facing fear ultimately creates momentum, builds confidence, and makes future challenges more achievable! Links & Resources Crystal Paine Social Media Crystal Paine on Instagram (@moneysavingmom) Crystal Paine on Instagram (@crystaliscleaning) Crystal Paine on LinkedIn Crystal Paine on Twitter Crystal Paine on Goodreads Money Saving Mom Money Saving Mom on Facebook Money Saving Mom Deal Seekers Facebook group [email protected] Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

What does it really mean for the church to be a family? In this episode of The Crystal Paine Show, I am joined by my friend Dr. JJ Jones, co-author of Reimagining Church as Family, for a conversation to help us think differently about how to help others feels seen, welcomed, and truly included in our churches! Listen in as JJ shares how years of research and ministry experience led him and his co-author Rich Griffith to rethink some of the traditional approaches to family ministry. Too often, as he discusses, our programs, language, and even the ways in which we structure church life assume a traditional nuclear family, and that can unintentionally leave single parents, divorced parents, single adults, foster and adoptive families, families raising children with disabilities, and others feeling like they don’t quite belong. The two of us talk about what it looks like to move beyond simply supporting someone during a crisis and actually walking with them for the long haul. We discuss the importance of examining the words that we use, listening to people’s stories, and asking what the church can do differently so that people don’t feel like outsiders in God’s family.. We also get practical about what church members and leaders can do to enact change such as creating more intergenerational spaces, inviting someone to sit with you, sharing a meal, making accommodations, mentoring younger believers, and simply being willing to have the sometimes-awkward conversations that lead to real connection! Maybe most importantly, we talk about following Jesus toward the people who may feel overlooked or pushed to the margins, and I truly hope this conversation encourages you to look around your own church community with fresh eyes and ask: Who might be here but still feel alone, and what could I do to change that? Enjoy my conversation with JJ, and, as always, please feel free to reach out with your thoughts! In This Episode [0:36] - I introduce my friend Dr. JJ Jones and explore the inspiration behind his book Reimagining Church as Family. [1:15] - JJ explains how research exposed gaps in traditional family ministry and inspired a more inclusive approach for him. [4:24] - Hear me highlight the church’s responsibility to support nontraditional families. [6:41] - JJ shares how churches often initially support nontraditional families but then fail to follow up. [7:55] - JJ challenges churches to embrace nontraditional families and help everyone experience belonging within God’s family. [10:05] - I highlight how harmful labels such as “broken home” can undermine hope, dignity, and belonging.. [13:04] - JJ encourages churches to listen directly to diverse families and rethink how their messages could unintentionally exclude them. [15:55] - Intergenerational groups can help create a sense of belonging by bringing believers of different ages and experiences together. [18:30\ - JJ recommends intergenerational groups and shared worship as some practical steps toward becoming a more inclusive church family. [20:11] - JJ explains how apprenticeships and shared worship can connect generations while helping overlooked families experience real belonging. [23:16] - JJ urges churches to empower single parents and other families to lead worship and contribute gifts. [25:21] - Listen as JJ explains how simple invitations and listening can help newcomers and single parents feel welcomed into a church community. [28:34] - JJ highlights specialized communities which support isolated special-needs families while also meeting their unique needs. [30:47] - I encourage listeners to embrace awkwardness, extend kindness, and take first steps toward connection. [32:16] - JJ calls upon churches to build relationships and support families through difficult, ongoing journeys. [34:59] - I reflect upon how curiosity, prayer, and compassion changed my judgment into love and understanding. [37:12] - JJ points to Jesus’ example of extending grace to marginalized people and welcoming them as family. Links & Resources Crystal Paine Books Reimaging Church as Family by Various Authors Social Media Crystal Paine on Instagram (@moneysavingmom) Crystal Paine on Twitter Crystal Paine on Goodreads Money Saving Mom Money Saving Mom on Facebook Money Saving Mom Deal Seekers Facebook group [email protected] Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands