Room for Lovely

This week's guest Monika Kirkland shares her journey of learning to experience God's nearness in the middle of a busy, overwhelming season of life. As a wife, mother of four, and author of Ever With You, Monika knows what it's like to juggle the demands of family, work, and ministry while longing for a deeper sense of peace and rest. After a season of exhaustion led her to recognize her own limitations, Monika began discovering that the rest she needed wasn't found in escaping her circumstances, but in becoming more aware of God's presence within them. Erin and Monika discuss the difference between serving God and enjoying Him, how to make prayer a natural part of everyday life, and why we don't have to wait for quiet or perfect circumstances to experience His nearness.Key TakeawaysWhy experiencing God's peace and rest doesn't require our circumstances to change—and how to recognize His presence in the middle of busy, ordinary daysThe difference between doing things for God and truly enjoying a relationship with Him, and how even good spiritual habits can become another checklistHow simple, intentional rhythms of prayer can help us remain connected to God throughout the day, beyond our designated quiet timeWhy God's nearness isn't dependent on whether we can feel or recognize His presence—and how remembering that truth can sustain us through seasons of distraction, exhaustion, or spiritual drynessAbout MonikaMonika Kirkland is a Christian writer, podcaster, wife, and mother of four who knows what it’s like to walk in the trenches of motherhood, marriage, and over a decade of ministry. She is passionate about empowering women to cultivate intimacy with Christ and experience the transformative power of the gospel from the inside out. Connect with MonikaWebsite:https://www.monikakirkland.com/Book:Ever With YouSocial Media:IG: @monikakirklandFB: Monika KirklandConnect with ErinIG @[email protected] Any of Erin's Books  HERE

This week's guest Jen Allee shares her journey of learning to trust God's goodness through seasons of waiting, disappointment, and unanswered prayers. As the author of When Waiting Feels Like Withholding: Trusting God When You Doubt His Goodness, Jen knows what it's like to wonder whether God is listening, whether He's forgotten us, or whether He's withholding something we've been praying for. After spending more than twenty years waiting for a dream to unfold, Jen shares how she began to recognize God's faithfulness in ways she hadn't expected. Erin and Jen also discuss the importance of surrendering our expectations, learning to trust God when His timing doesn't match our own, and recognizing the goodness He's doing right in front of us—even when the answers we're hoping for haven't come.Key TakeawaysWhy seasons of waiting can cause us to question God's goodness—and how to keep trusting Him when He seems silentThe difference between surrendering our desires to God and trying to control how and when He answers our prayersHow focusing on the one thing we're waiting for can cause us to overlook the ways God is already working in our livesWhy trusting God's goodness doesn't mean every story will have the ending we hoped for—and how to remain anchored in His faithfulness even when circumstances don't changeAbout JenJen Allee is an engaging storyteller who loves to weave a good story into a great truth. Jen is the author of the book When Waiting Feels Like Withholding: Trusting God When You Doubt His Goodness. She has also been published in devotional books with Proverbs 31 Ministries and Rope Swing Publishing as well as magazines including A Joyful Life and Today’s Christian Living. She is a contributing writer for the Life Bible app and The Truly Co. magazine and serves as a regular columnist and feature writer for Just Between Us magazine. She has also been teaching and speaking for over 20 years and holds a Master of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. She is married with two sons—one in college and one on the way to college.  You can find her at @jen_allee_author and jenallee.comConnect with JenWebsite:https://www.jenallee.com/Book:When Waiting Feels Like WithholdingWant to win a copy of Jen's book? Send a takeaway from this episode to [email protected] or a DM to @erincuccio on Instagram! Social Media:IG: @jen_allee_authorConnect with ErinIG @[email protected] Any of Erin's Books  HERE

This week's guest Dacey Triplett shares her journey of learning to embrace the differences that once made her question her worth and identity. Born with achondroplasia, a form of dwarfism, Dacey spent years struggling with comparison, insecurity, and the pressure to measure up to the people around her. Now the author of Nobody Can Be You Better Than You, Dacey shares how shifting her confidence from the changing opinions of others to the unchanging truth of God's Word transformed the way she sees herself. Erin and Dacey also discuss the importance of bringing our insecurities and questions to God, finding contentment in our current season of life, and learning to recognize the goodness right in front of us instead of wishing for someone else's story.Key TakeawaysWhy placing our confidence in appearance, accomplishments, or the opinions of others leaves us constantly searching for reassuranceHow embracing the intentional way God created us can help us move beyond comparison and insecurityThe importance of bringing our questions, doubts, and insecurities to God and learning to anchor our identity in His unchanging truthWhy focusing on someone else's life can cause us to miss the goodness in our own—and how choosing gratitude and daily surrender can help us live more confidently and fully in the season we're inAbout DaceyDacey Triplett is a small town girl from Ferguson, NC who was born into a world not made for her. She was unexpectedly born with achondroplasia dwarfism and didn’t always understand why God chose her to be different. Through falling more in love with God, she began to fall in love more and more with the Dacey that He made her to be. She realized that she isn’t that different after all, she’s just a girl who loves Jesus, traveling, fashion, and coffee that has a unique perspective on life.Connect with DaceyWebsite:https://www.bhpublishinggroup.com/nobody-can-be-you-better-than-you/Book:Nobody Can Be You Better Than YouSocial Media:IG: @dace.tripConnect with ErinIG @[email protected] Any of Erin's Books  HERE

This week's guest Jennifer Pepito shares wisdom from nearly thirty years of homeschooling and raising seven children, challenging us to rethink what really matters in the way we raise our kids. As the founder of The Peaceful Press, host of the Restoration Home Podcast, and author of The Inspired Homeschool, Jennifer encourages parents to look beyond grades, activities, and accomplishments to focus on character, curiosity, connection, and meaningful work. Erin and Jennifer also discuss the importance of creating a joyful home, giving children room to grow in responsibility and creativity, and letting go of the pressure to get every part of parenting right.Key TakeawaysWhy raising capable, curious, and compassionate children requires more than academic achievement and extracurricular successHow simple, intentional moments of connection can strengthen family relationships and cultivate a lifelong love of learningThe value of boredom, meaningful work, and age-appropriate responsibility in developing creativity, confidence, and characterWhy being a joyful, present parent matters more than getting everything perfect—and how to surrender our parenting fears and mistakes to GodAbout JenniferJennifer Pepito is the host of the Restoration Home podcast and the bestselling author of Habits for a Sacred Home. Her latest book is The Inspired Home School: How History’s Heroes Light a Path Toward Joyful, Confident Learning. Jennifer is the founder of The Peaceful Press, a homeschool curriculum provider. Her writing has been featured in online and print journals, including Wild and Free, Commonplace Quarterly, and Home Educating Family. She’s made guest appearances on the podcasts 1000 Hours Outside, At Home with Sally, and The Read Aloud Revival. Jennifer lives in the mountains with her beloved family, where she enjoys reading aloud, working in her garden, and watching the sunset.Connect with JenniferWebsite:https://thepeacefulpress.com/Book:The Inspired HomeschoolSocial Media:IG: @jenniferpepitoFB: @thepeacefulpressPinterest: @thepeacefulpressPodcast: @restorationhomeConnect with ErinIG @[email protected] Any of Erin's Books  HERE

This week's guest Helen Smallbone shares the remarkable story of her family's journey from Australia to America, the unexpected hardships they faced, and the ways God faithfully provided along the way. As the mother of seven, including Rebecca St. James and Joel and Luke of for KING & COUNTRY, Helen reflects on the intentional work of raising a family, the significance of everyday faithfulness, and the legacy of prayer. Erin and Helen also discuss trusting God's goodness when life doesn't make sense, recognizing His presence in the smallest moments, and believing in His faithfulness even before we can see how the story will unfold.Key TakeawaysHow God can use closed doors, unexpected hardships, and ordinary circumstances to lead us into something we never could have imaginedThe significance of a mother's often unseen work and the lasting impact of intentionally loving, encouraging, and praying for our familiesWhy recognizing God's provision in the small, everyday moments can strengthen our faith through difficult seasonsWhat it means to trust God's goodness even when we're still standing in the middle of loss, without answers or a clear picture of what comes nextAbout HelenHelen Smallbone grew up in Australia as the daughter of a Methodist minister and the youngest of four children. Even though she grew up in church, her faith became real in her mid-teens when she committed her life to Christ at a Billy Graham Crusade in Sydney.Trained as an Occupational Therapist, Helen’s greatest desire was to serve God and become a wife and mother. At age 20, she married the love of her life, David Smallbone, and over the next 14 years, they added seven children to their family.In 1991, after experiencing a financial crisis in Australia, the Smallbone family relocated to the Nashville, TN, area, where David began a career in music management for Christian artists. This new adventure required every family member to place their trust in God and live by faith.In Behind the Lights: The Extraordinary Adventure of a Mum and Her Family (K-LOVE Books, April 12, 2022), Helen shares how the Smallbone family learned to let God lead – which has included living outside the box of American cultural norms. Her book describes God’s constant faithfulness and provision during the lean years after their arrival in the United States. Helen recounts stories that vividly describe how the family worked together to make ends meet, found support in new friends and neighbors, homeschooled on the road, and grew closer with every challenge they overcame.Helen’s love for God and family has only grown stronger as she and David have supported their children’s creative career paths. Their daughter, Rebecca St. James, and two of their sons, for KING & COUNTRY stars Luke and Joel Smallbone, have collectively earned five Grammys.When not busy with her children and grandchildren, Helen is dedicated to sharing her passion and love for God with those around her. She is the co-founder of MUMlife, mumlife.org, a ministry of “mothers uplifting mothers,” and co-host of the MUMlife Community Podcast. David and Helen Smallbone live just outside of Nashville with a small menagerie of animals.Connect with HelenWebsite:https://www.helensmallbone.com/Book:Behind the Lights: The Extraordinary Adventure of a Mum and Her FamilyMovie:Unsung HeroSocial Media:IG: @helensmallboneFB: Helen SmallboneConnect with ErinIG @[email protected] Any of Erin's Books  HERE

This week's guest Stephen Kendrick shares the unlikely story behind the Kendrick Brothers' filmmaking journey—from a small church in Georgia and a $20,000 first film to stories that have reached audiences around the world. Erin and Stephen also discuss faithfulness in small beginnings, trusting God when the calling feels bigger than your ability, and learning to surrender the outcome rather than letting fear or perfection keep you from taking the first step.Key TakeawaysWhy we shouldn't despise small beginnings—and how God can grow what we're willing to faithfully beginThe difference between striving to do something for God and allowing God to work through usHow surrender, prayer, and obedience have shaped more than twenty years of filmmaking and ministryWhy we don't have to have the resources, experience, or entire plan before taking the next faithful stepAbout StephenStephen Kendrick is a filmmaker, author, speaker, and producer best known as part of the Kendrick Brothers, the filmmaking team behind some of the most influential faith-based films of the last two decades, including Facing the Giants, Fireproof, Courageous, War Room, Overcomer, and The Forge. What began more than twenty years ago with a small church in Albany, Georgia, a $20,000 budget, and their first film, Flywheel, has grown into a worldwide ministry reaching audiences across the globe. Through each project, Stephen and his brother Alex have remained committed to creating stories rooted in biblical truth that point people toward Jesus. Stephen and his wife, Jill, have been married for 26 years and are the parents of six children. Today, he continues to write, produce, and develop faith-filled projects, including Flywheel: Ignition of the Soul, a new international adaptation of the film that started it all.Connect with StephenWebsite:https://kendrickbrothers.com/Social Media:IG: @thekendrickbrothers, @flywheelthemovieConnect with ErinIG @[email protected] Any of Erin's Books  HERE

About Felicia Felicia Toler is a wife, mom, grandmother, and women’s ministry leader with a heart for sharing the hope and redemption she has experienced through Christ. After a lifelong struggle with depression and years of carrying deep pain in silence, Felicia reached her darkest point in July 2019 when she attempted to end her life. When she woke up, she knew God had spared her life for a reason. What followed was a journey of healing, restoration, and discovering purpose in the very places she once believed disqualified her. Today, Felicia openly shares her story in hopes that other women will know they are not alone, their story is not over, and God can bring redemption even from the hardest places.Connect with ErinIG @[email protected] Any of Erin's Books  HERE

About ErinErin Cuccio is a writer, speaker, executive coach, and podcast host. She spends her days wrangling her three wild boys and supporting her husband in their family-owned business. Her hidden talent is bring order to any kind of chaos, navigating never ending loads of laundry, and drinking too much coffee. Her heart is most at home encouraging others through the trenches of everyday life to find the thread of lovely woven through every season.Connect with ErinIG @[email protected] Any of Erin's Books  HERE

About RomanRoman is an 11-year-old sixth grader who loves Jesus, basketball, adventure, and learning just about anything he can get his brain around. He’s a dreamer, a collector of random NBA facts, and a fan of vintage technology, especially old cameras. He loves creating, shooting hoops, being at church, and dreaming about what the future might hold.Connect with ErinIG @[email protected] Any of Erin's Books  HERE

About LindseyLindsey is an elementary school teacher and worship leader residing near Houston, TX with her cute, stubborn 5-year-old corgi, Jersi. She loves coffee and enjoys taking quiet moments to relax, reflect, and spend time in nature. Having walked through her own seasons of difficulty and hardship, Lindsey has developed a deep sense of compassion and understanding for others. Known for her empathy, she is passionate about helping people feel seen, valued, accepted, and loved. Her greatest desire is to point people to Christ in all she does, seeking to reflect His love through her words, actions, and the way she shows up and cares for others.Connect with ErinIG @[email protected] Any of Erin's Books  HERE