The Messy Table with Jenn Jewell

We get it—we’re all busy. Life is full with work and family, with hard and good things. And we don’t always make space to intentionally process the important stuff, like faith. Like eternity. But if Christianity is true, shouldn’t we carefully consider its significance? If Jesus really lived and died and rose again, what [...] The post EP. 148 | Jennifer Cantrell & Jenn Jewell [Resurrection Power] appeared first on Jenn Jewell.

Have you ever felt the sting of rejection? And maybe it was more than mere feelings—you were legitimately abandoned, unwanted, dismissed, or devalued. But did you also know there’s a flip side to rejection? Our fabulous guest for today’s episode at The Messy Table wears all the hats and does all the things. Nona [...] The post EP. 147 | Nona Jones [The Flip Side of Rejection] appeared first on Jenn Jewell.

Isn’t it wild that—no matter what kind of messes we face, cause, or stumble into—we serve a God who’s always close? Jamie Landers is a misplaced Texan living in Tulsa, as well as a wife and mother of four who loves to remind women who and whose they are—whether that’s in churches or strip [...] The post EP. 146 | Jamie Landers [The One Who’s Always Close] appeared first on Jenn Jewell.

How do you keep moving forward when life isn't going as planned? According to Michelle Meisner—a wife, boy mom, and long-time staff member at Life.Church who loves Crossfit and poetry; who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in her mid 20s—you must "embrace the traction." Michelle has faced some significant challenges in her adult [...] The post EP. 145 | Michelle Meisner [Embrace the Traction] appeared first on Jenn Jewell.

Ever since she was a little girl, Heather Miller dreamed of becoming a wife and a mother. But only three years into a thriving marriage, her plans were shattered by tragedy and—at 21 years old—she became a widow. But even the darkest nights can be overwhelmed with light. Even Jesus came into the world [...] The post EP. 144 | Heather Miller [A Tragedy Redeemed] appeared first on Jenn Jewell.

Could you use a dose of inspiration? Whether you'd love to renovate a space in your home, parent your children with fresh wisdom, or even set some life-giving boundaries so that everyone around you might thrive—it takes intention to cultivate a meaningful life. So let us introduce you to the darling and creative Lesley [...] The post EP. 143 | Lesley Graham [Nurturing Your Life] appeared first on Jenn Jewell.

Tori Hope Petersen bounced around twelve foster homes until she emancipated or "aged out" of the system at 18 years old. But even in the middle of a rollercoaster childhood, God met her in her mess. Despite the odds being stacked against her, Tori became a 4x State Champion and All American in track [...] The post EP. 142 | Tori Hope Petersen [Fostering Hope] appeared first on Jenn Jewell.

Friends!!! Welcome back to The Messy Table! YAY!! And sorry for all the exclamation marks, but we've missed you, missed these conversations, missed these powerful stories, and are so thankful to be back in this intentional space. Kicking off our fall episodes is the darling, strong, and faith-filled Brandi Wilson. Brandi is a boy [...] The post EP. 141 | Brandi Wilson [Better Than Okay] appeared first on Jenn Jewell.

God cares deeply about the details of our individual stories. But we can't forget that we're also a part of a bigger, overarching story. From beginning to forever, this is God's story and it's our story and it's the greatest story on earth. Here to share a piece of her personal journey, as well as [...] The post EP. 140 | Elizabeth Woodson [From Beginning to Forever] appeared first on Jenn Jewell.

Mother's Day week can bring all the feels—joy, sadness, gratefulness, longing, and other conflicting emotions. But our guest today at The Messy Table is no stranger to such tension. Lindsay Johnson battled infertility for four years AND she's experienced a surprise pregnancy. She's known the delight of watching her kids grow AND the heartache of [...] The post EP. 139 | Lindsay Johnson [A Mother’s Strength] appeared first on Jenn Jewell.

Can you imagine taking a seemingly harmless DNA test (for fun!) only to discover that you're not exactly who you thought you were? And there are strangers out there who share your genetic makeup? Amy Williams was in her mid-40s when she received the shock of her life. But even when life gets wild, messy, [...] The post EP. 138 | Amy Williams [The Shock of Her Life] appeared first on Jenn Jewell.

Jana Findlay grew up on the wrong side of the tracks. Her dad was an alcoholic who died in her teens and her mom was a single woman who struggled to make ends meet. Jana numbed the pain with drugs, alcohol, and dysfunctional relationships—eventually winding up pregnant. But Jana knew there had to be something [...] The post EP. 137 | Jana Findlay [Lost and Found] appeared first on Jenn Jewell.

When you're not okay, where do you turn? When you're not okay, can you dare to admit it? When you're not okay, it's okay—but you don't have to stay that way. Today's guest at The Messy Table is the beautiful and talented Lydia Laird—a Jesus follower, music maker, and mental health advocate who grew up as [...] The post EP. 136 | Lydia Laird [When You’re Not Okay] appeared first on Jenn Jewell.

Some seasons are harder than others. Have you been there? Are you currently there? Maybe it's not one massive thing (or maybe it is), but you've found yourself feeling discouraged, disheartened, or simply down. Being human can be hard, living on this earth can be messy, and navigating this good-yet-fallen world can be incredibly overwhelming. [...] The post EP. 135 | Ashley Robbins [Hope for a Hard Season] appeared first on Jenn Jewell.

It's one thing to feel physically depleted, but another thing entirely to be spiritually malnourished. Yet, too many of us live there—functioning on a steady diet of empty calories when our souls are starving for more. Thankfully, today's guest at The Messy Table is Amy Seiffert—a wife and mom, author and speaker, podcaster and Bible [...] The post EP. 134 | Amy Seiffert [Starving for More] appeared first on Jenn Jewell.

Leanna Romoser had a growing belly, a decorated nursery, a detailed birth plan, and high expectations. But she didn't expect to be diagnosed with severe preeclampsia, restricted to hospital bed rest, or for her baby to arrive 7 weeks early. She didn't anticipate spending weeks in the NICU, struggling to bond with her newborn, or [...] The post EP. 133 | Leanna Romoser [Choosing to Trust God] appeared first on Jenn Jewell.

What if the warning flags in your mind or the signals from your body are also invitations—to come close to God? To step into the grace and freedom that's already yours? After a series of unsettling panic attacks and a spike in anxiety that was spinning out of control, Claire Westbrook—a wife, mom, worship pastor, [...] The post EP. 132 | Claire Westbrook [An Invitation to Freedom] appeared first on Jenn Jewell.

As you think about how to honor God in this new year, you might focus on your physical health, your spiritual health, or even your mental health. But what about your digital health? Today at The Messy Table, author, speaker, podcaster, and masterclass host, Arlene Pellicane, is chatting with Amy Groeschel and Jenn Jewell about setting [...] The post EP. 131 | Arlene Pellicane [Prioritizing Digital Boundaries] appeared first on Jenn Jewell.

As we move into the Christmas season, there is SO MUCH JOY to be found. But for those who simply cannot escape what's difficult or broken or painful or devastating, there's also a place at this table for you. Today at The Messy Table, Amy Groeschel and Jenn Jewell are chatting with Grace Whitnah—a wife [...] The post EP. 130 | Grace Whitnah [Hope for a Weary World] appeared first on Jenn Jewell.

Have you ever been shocked by the unexpected? Rattled by the unplanned? Panicked by the uncertain? Or simply disappointed by unmet expectations? Amanda Wright has been there—stunned by two pink lines (at a time when she wasn't expecting them). As a college student and preacher's daughter who was unmarried and unprepared, Amanda felt embarrassed, unworthy, [...] The post EP. 129 | Amanda Wright [Unplanned Mercies] appeared first on Jenn Jewell.