The Bitter and The Sweet Podcast

When I heard about a new book called This Isn't The Story I Wanted, I immediately wanted to meet the author.  So many of us around here are living stories we would not choose, and I knew this was the perfect fit. When I actually got to talk to the author, Nicole Langman, it was even better than I hoped, and I'm thrilled to share it with you today.   Nicole and I got to talk about griefs when no one has died, the physical and emotional experience of grief, a faith-based view of the 5 stages of grief, and the role of gratitude as we process. We talked about the sacredness of grief, how we carry it, growing up in our faith, and how every sorrow matters to God.   If the story God has written is not what you wanted, I hope this conversation reminds you that you are not alone, and your griefs are carried by One who understands and can be trusted.   LINKS Connect with Nicole on Instagram Get Your Copy of This Isn't The Story I Wanted: Grieving the Life You Lost and Trusting The God Who Stays Connect with Kayla via Instagram Leave a review on Apple podcasts

What does it look like to carry the legacy of someone you love and have lost?  A new friend of mine, Chelsea Ohlemiller, is here to talk about it with us!  Chelsea and I got to talk about defining legacy, moving forward in our lives without the pressure to be over it, the parts of grief that no one sees, reconciling walking into what comes next with the love we still have for the person we've lost, and more.  If you're doing the hard but sacred work of remembering, rebuilding, and enduring through grief, this episode will encourage you to keep going.      LINKS Connect with Chelsea on Instagram Get your copy of Chelsea's latest book, Legacy After Loss: The Sacred Work of Remembering, Rebuilding, and Enduring Through Grief Visit Chelsea's website Connect with Kayla on Instagram Visit Kayla's website

One of your favorite guests and mine (bestselling author Mary Marantz) is back for a conversation you're going to love!  If you're feeling stuck and ready to go all-in on your purpose, Mary's new guided journal, "It's All Been Done Before (and Other Lies Fear Told Me): Practical Prompts to Quit Playing Small," is a great tool to help you fight back against fear and do just that.  Join Mary and I as we talk about the way we speak to ourselves (and how we would never speak that way to anyone else), breaking the motivation/defeat cycle, the patterns that keep us stuck, and walking in our purpose, even when we feel afraid.    LINKS Connect with Mary on Instagram Get your copy of Mary's new guided journal, It's All Been Done Before (and Other Lies Fear Told Me) Get your copy of Mary's book, Underestimated: The Surprisingly Simple Shift to Quit Playing Small, Name the Fear, and Move Forward Anyway Visit Mary's website Connect with Kayla on Instagram Visit Kayla's website  

It is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness month, which can often feel like something sad but distant...until it becomes part of your story.   It is part of my story, and part of the story of many of our friends we've had here on The Bitter and the Sweet podcast. As we walk through pregnancy and infant loss awareness month, I wanted to bring together parts of my conversations with friends who have been there and understand.    You'll get to hear from two dear friends of mine, as well as part of my own story of grieving the baby I lost to miscarriage and what that looks like now, years later.    Whether you have experienced pregnancy and infant loss or a different kind of grief, I hope you walk away from this episode knowing that you may never be the same, but you will be okay. There's hope here, always. LINKS Connect with Hannah on Instagram Connect with Carried Ministries on Instagram Listen to Isaiah's story on Episode 9 of The Bitter and the Sweet podcast Listen to In Our Losses, We Are Carried- Episode 56 with Hannah Listen to How to Grieve in a Healthy Way- Episode 57 with Hannah Connect with Kendall on Instagram Listen to Living Whole in Our Bodies After Loss- Episode 41 with Kendall Listen to Episode 58- Then and Now: Grieving a Miscarriage with Kayla Connect with Kayla on Instagram  

If you've ever been wanted to just give up, this conversation is for you!   Today's episode is a conversation I got to have with my friend, Kaitlin Chappell Rogers. Kaitlin and I met at She Speaks back in 2019, and I'm so thrilled to have her on the show celebrating the launch of her brand new book, She Just Won't Quit.    Kaitlin is on staff at Proverbs 31 Ministries, wife to Caleb, and mom to three little boys. She is the host of The Comeback Couch podcast and the author of multiple books, including her latest, She Just Won't Quit: Embracing the Practice of Everyday Perseverance.    Kaitlin and I got to talk about if perseverance is something we are born with or something we develop (or both!), building resilience in our kids, telling the difference between burnout and just being tired and when there is something else like a mental health condition at play, and practical ways to build perseverance.   LINKS Connect with Kaitlin on Instagram Get your copy of Kaitlin's new book, She Just Won't Quit Connect with Kayla on Instagram Leave a review on Apple podcasts

When you look up and realize you've taken a wrong turn or gone down the wrong path, how do you find your way back to God?  My friend Ashley Martin and I got to talk about it, and I'm excited to revisit this conversation with you today. Ashley is a teacher turned author and speaker, who has battled alcoholism and addiction, and who has been in recovery for 12 years now.  Join Ashley and I as we talk about:  Ashley's story of recovery and finding her way back to God why we walk away from God to begin with how getting clear in our calling helps us fight shame  things to look for and pay attention to if you are concerned someone you love may be struggling with alcohol  practical ways to find your way back to God what Ashley would say to the person who is believing the lie that God doesn't want them back   LINKS Listen to Ashley's second episode: Alcohol Recovery, Faith, and Finding God at Rock Bottom with Ashley Martin- Episode 80 Get your copy of Ashley's book, Lost No More Connect with Ashley on Instagram Visit Ashley's website Connect with Kayla on Instagram Visit Kayla's website Become an email friend        

What do we do with the space between what God could do and what He chooses to do? Where is He in our grief? I got to have an incredible conversation about these things and more with a new friend of mine, Lisa Appelo.   Lisa is the mom of 7 who found herself as a sudden and unexpected widow. She writes about God's faithfulness in the hard places, and so though our stories our different, Lisa and I became fast friends. She is the author of two books, including her latest, God of Comfort: A Devotional Journal for the Grieving Heart.   Lisa and I got to talk about her experience with sudden loss, grieving while parenting, the space between what God could do and what He did do, and experiencing God as the God of Comfort.   LINKS Get your copy of God of Comfort Connect with Lisa on Instagram Visit Lisa's website Connect with Kayla on Instagram Visit Kayla's website Leave a review on Apple podcasts

What is grace? How does it meet us where we are?    This is the conversation I was so excited to have with a new friend of mine, Katie M. Kelley about her new book, Grace Will Be There: Finding God in the Life We Aren't Ready For.   Katie M. Kelley is a mother of eight in a beautiful blended family, a writer, teacher, and learner. She is a contributing writer to the Coffee + Crumbs blog as well as one of the podcast's co-host, and the author of multiple books for children and adults.   Katie and I got to talk about defining grace (this word we throw around so often!), what we miss about grace when we try so hard to be "good," the agency God has given us to participate in our own healing, and what faithfulness looks like.   LINKS Get your copy of Grace Will Be There Connect with Katie on Instagram Visit Katie's website Connect with Kayla on Instagram Visit Kayla's website Leave a review on Apple podcasts      

September is National Recovery Month, and in honor of that, we've got a very special conversation for you today with my friend, Tara Norbeck.   Tara is an author and speaker whose newest book, Dear Mom of an Addict: Ten Truths You Need to Know to Parent Your Addicted Child and Reclaim Hope, was born out of what she has learned over years of parenting her son, who battles addiction.   Tara and I got to talk about her realization that addiction had entered her family, the difference between privacy and secrecy, navigating the chaos consequences of other people's choices, putting our hope in the person of Jesus vs in circumstances changing, unconditional love with conditional support, and much more.   There is something so generous about books and conversations that come from suffering, and Tara is wildly generous with her story for the sake of sharing hope and helping other families dealing with the fallout of addiction.   LINKS:  Connect with Tara on Instagram Visit Tara's website Get your copy of Dear Mom of an Addict  Connect with Kayla on Instagram Visit Kayla's website (and become an email friend!) Leave a review on Apple podcasts

It's our second birthday insert confetti poppers + party horn sounds and we are celebrating BIG around here! Joining me for our second birthday celebration and EPISODE ONE HUNDRED is my favorite person, my husband, Garrett Cook, for a conversation all about celebration. Garrett and I got to talk about why we need celebration, different perceptions about celebrating that keep us stuck, when to celebrate, and celebration when you're grieving.  You could be anywhere and could listen to anything, and I'm beyond grateful you spend time with me each week.  Happy 2nd Birthday, The Bitter & the Sweet podcast! The best is yet to come.     LINKS Leave a rating and review on Apple podcasts Connect with Kayla on Instagram Visit Kayla's website and become an email friend