Return to Jesus Podcast (Season 2, Episode 20): Showing Up, Holding On: Joy in the Ordinary with Lauren Fernandez

Return to Jesus Podcast (Season 3, Episode 24): Where Faith and Healing Meet with Kristy Lavin

Hey friend, This conversation with Kristy Lavin felt like sitting down with someone who gently reminds you that healing doesn’t have to be rushed and that Jesus truly meets us in the middle of our struggles.   Kristy is a licensed clinical social worker, author, and someone deeply passionate about the intersection of faith and psychology. In this episode, we talk about what it looks like to pursue peace in a world that often feels loud and overwhelming. Kristy shares parts of her own story, including walking through an autoimmune disorder and overcoming struggles with alcohol, and how those experiences brought her back to deeper dependence on Jesus.   One of my favorite parts of this conversation was hearing Kristy describe Jesus as a psychologically safe healer. Someone who never shamed people for their emotions, questions, or pain, but instead met them with compassion, truth, and love.   Here are two takeaways I hope encourage you today:    Vulnerability is often where healing begins. When we stop hiding our struggles and allow trusted people into our story, we create room for connection, growth, and grace. Peace is built in the small, daily moments. Grounding practices like prayer, slowing down, stepping outside, or simply being still with God can help anchor us when life feels uncertain.   This episode is a beautiful reminder that Jesus cares deeply about our emotional and spiritual well-being. He is gentle with us in our healing, and we don’t have to have it all figured out before coming to Him.   I hope this conversation helps you breathe a little deeper and remember that you are not alone in your journey.   Truly Yours,  Jen    About Kristy Lavin: Kristy Lavin is a licensed clinical social worker, author, and speaker who is passionate about helping people experience healing through both faith and psychological tools. Through her work, Kristy encourages others to embrace vulnerability, pursue emotional wellness, and rediscover the compassionate heart of Jesus in every season of life.   Follow Kristy on Facebook HERE [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61579554428360&mibextid=wwXIfr&rdid=gFp5vLDUuPeZ4Shu&share_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fshare%2F18BvitmCq5%2F%3Fmibextid%3DwwXIfr] Grab your copy of Return to Jesus HERE [https://amzn.to/49yajVG]

Return to Jesus Podcast (Season 3, Episode 23): Peace in the Middle of the Noise with Jenny Albers

Hey friend,   This conversation with Jenny Albers felt like exhaling after holding your breath for a long time.   If life has felt loud, heavy, or overwhelming lately, I think this episode is going to meet you right where you are. Jenny and I sat down to talk about peace, not as something perfect or unattainable, but as something we can gently cultivate in the middle of real life, grief, motherhood, and all the unexpected twists in between.   Jenny shares so honestly about her experiences with pregnancy loss, navigating hard seasons, and learning how small rhythms like prayer journaling, stepping outside, and creating space from technology can help us reconnect with God and ourselves. We also talk about the importance of laughter, community, and having honest conversations as women walking through midlife and motherhood.   One thing I loved so much about this conversation is how Jenny reminds us that peace is often found in the simple things. A quiet morning. A walk outside. A prayer whispered in the middle of chaos. God is present in all of it.   Here are two takeaways I hope encourage you today:   Peace often grows in the spaces we intentionally protect. Slowing down, setting boundaries with noise and technology, and creating room for stillness allows us to hear God more clearly.   Grief and healing can exist together. There is no “right way” to walk through loss, and giving yourself permission to grieve is part of allowing your heart to heal.   This conversation felt like sitting with a wise friend over coffee, reminding each other that we don’t have to carry everything alone. I hope it encourages you to slow down, breathe deep, and return to Jesus in the middle of whatever season you’re in. Truly Yours,  Jen    About Jenny Albers: Jenny Albers is a writer, speaker, and encourager passionate about helping women cultivate peace and connection with God in everyday life. Through honest storytelling and practical spiritual rhythms, Jenny creates space for conversations around grief, motherhood, faith, and emotional healing. She loves encouraging women to embrace authenticity, community, and the quiet presence of God in every season. Links to connect:  Courageously Expecting: https://amzn.to/4vLj7kx [https://amzn.to/4vLj7kx]   Follow along on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/jennyalbersauthor/ [https://www.instagram.com/jennyalbersauthor/]  And the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/real-mid-life/id1860371069 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/real-mid-life/id1860371069]  Grab a copy of Return to Jesus HERE!  [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/747877/return-to-jesus-by-jen-thompson/]

Return to Jesus Podcast (Season 3, Episode 22): A New Season of Peace: Returning to What Calms the Storm

Hey friend, I’m so grateful you’re here for the start of this new season. This one feels especially close to my heart because we’re talking all about peace,  not the kind the world offers, but the kind Jesus promises us. The kind that steadies you, even when life feels anything but calm. In this episode, I’m sharing a bit more personally about what this season has looked like for me. From navigating big life moments like parenting shifts and graduation, to walking through the quiet and not-so-quiet challenges that come with change, I’ve been learning what it really means to hold onto peace when life feels uncertain. We’ll talk about the words of Jesus in John 14:27 and how His peace is available to us right here, right now. Not when everything is perfect. Not when life slows down. But in the middle of it all. Here are two things I hope you carry with you into this season:  Peace is something we practice, not just something we hope for. In the quiet moments, in prayer, in stepping outside and noticing God’s creation,  we make space for His peace to meet us. You can trust God even when life feels unclear. His peace isn’t dependent on your circumstances. It’s rooted in His presence and His promises. This season is an invitation to slow down, breathe deep, and return again and again to the One who holds it all together. I’m so glad we get to walk through it together. Truly Yours,  Jen  Jen is the host of The Return to Jesus Podcast, a writer, speaker, and spiritual encourager who is passionate about helping women slow down and reconnect with God in their everyday lives. Through honest reflections and meaningful conversations, she gently reminds listeners that peace is always available when we choose to return to Jesus.   Check out her book, Return to Jesus here [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/747877/return-to-jesus-by-jen-thompson/] Check out her website here  [https://jenthompsonauthor.com/] Connect with her on Facebook here [https://www.facebook.com/trulyyoursjen] Connect with her on Instagram here  [https://www.instagram.com/trulyyoursjen/]

Return to Jesus Podcast (Season 2: Episode 21): Joy, Curiosity, and the Courage to Slow Down with Raleigh Sadler

Hey friend, This conversation with Raleigh Sadler felt like a gentle invitation to breathe deeper, look around, and return to what matters most. Raleigh is the founder and executive director of Let My People Go, a ministry that equips churches to serve those who are vulnerable to exploitation. In this episode, he shares so beautifully about the difference between happiness and joy, how slowing down has helped him grow in creativity and connection, and why vulnerability is essential for meaningful relationships. We also talk about his experiences with pilgrimage, and how being present in our bodies and stories is one way we reflect God's love to the world. This episode reminded me that sometimes the deepest joy is found not in fixing everything, but in being with, with God, with others, and with ourselves. Here are two takeaways I hope you hold onto: ✨ Joy is rooted in identity, not circumstance. It’s less about what’s happening around you and more about who you’re becoming as you return to Jesus. ✨ Vulnerability invites connection. When we slow down long enough to be honest with ourselves and others, we create space for real community to grow. Raleigh’s gentle wisdom and deep compassion make this episode one to revisit whenever life feels rushed or disconnected. I hope it meets you right where you are. Truly Yours, Jen   Raleigh Sadler contact information: Website: https://www.lmpg.org/ [https://www.lmpg.org/] Podcast: https://www.mercycast.com/ [https://www.mercycast.com/] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mercycastpod/ [https://www.instagram.com/mercycastpod/]   Jen Thompson contact information: www.trulyyoursjen.com [http://www.trulyyoursjen.com/] www.jenthompsonauthor.com [http://www.jenthompsonauthor.com/] email - jen@trulyyoursjen.com [jen@trulyyoursjen.com] Follow me on Facebook and Instagram @trulyyoursjen!    Grab your copy of Return to Jesus! https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/747877/return-to-jesus-by-jen-thompson/ [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/747877/return-to-jesus-by-jen-thompson/]

Return to Jesus Podcast (Season 2, Episode 20): Showing Up, Holding On: Joy in the Ordinary with Lauren Fernandez

Hey friend, You’re in for such a rich conversation this week. I sat down with Lauren Fernandez — author, mother of five, and a woman who knows what it means to hold both joy and pain in the same breath. Lauren shares so openly about her journey of faith, what it looks like to keep showing up in dry seasons, and how joy isn’t about everything being perfect. It’s about trusting that God is still working, even when things feel messy or mundane. Together we talked about the power of remembering God's promises, the importance of sharing our stories honestly, and how we can each find purpose right where we are — dishes in the sink and all. Here are two takeaways I hope stick with you: ✨ Joy isn’t the absence of pain. It’s rooted in hope — and you can hold both joy and grief at the same time. ✨ Your ordinary matters. God meets you in the carpool line, the quiet morning moments, and even in the overwhelm. None of it is wasted. This conversation felt like a deep breath and a gentle reminder that faith isn’t always loud — sometimes it’s just the quiet decision to keep showing up. Truly Yours, Jen