Living Wholehearted Podcast With Jeff and Terra

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Why Emotions Matter // Jon and Tristen Collins

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 07:00:28 +0000

In this episode of Living Wholehearted, we sit down with Jon and Tristen Collins to explore why emotional health is not a one-time achievement, but a lifelong, grace-filled process. Together, we talk about how emotions shape our faith, our marriages, and the way we lead—especially when we’ve been taught to suppress or spiritualize them away.

Drawing from their book Why Emotions Matter, Jon and Tristen invite us to rethink the relationship between emotional maturity and spiritual formation. We discuss the church’s complicated history with emotions, how our bodies communicate what’s happening beneath the surface, and why knowing we are already loved by God frees us to engage the messy work of growth. This conversation is honest, practical, and deeply hopeful—for leaders, couples, and anyone longing to live more wholeheartedly.

Key Takeaways

Emotional health is an ongoing process, not a spiritual finish line
God’s love is not earned through emotional or spiritual maturity
Emotions act as signals, revealing deeper needs, values, and limits
Suppressing emotions often creates disconnection in marriage and leadership
Spiritual maturity cannot exist without emotional maturity
Our bodies play a vital role in how emotions surface and heal
Grace creates the safety needed for emotional growth

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Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

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Busy Is Not Faithful

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 07:00:47 +0000

In this episode, we get practical and deeply personal about time—how we steward it, protect it, and live it in alignment with what matters most. We share how time blocking, concentric circles, and intentional rhythms of rest have shaped our marriage, parenting, leadership, and faith. Rather than letting life hijack our calendars, we invite you into a way of living where priorities drive decisions, margin creates freedom, and our kids learn—by watching us—that we are human beings, not just human doers. This conversation is about integrity, peace, and choosing presence in a busy, performance-driven world.

Key Takeaways

Intentionality with time creates freedom, not rigidity—especially in marriage and family life.
Concentric circles bring clarity by helping us say yes or no based on how decisions impact our inner priorities.
Rest, play, and margin must be scheduled if we want them to actually happen.
Our calendars preach—kids learn more from what we model than what we say.
Different wiring requires different rhythms, even within the same marriage or family.
Performance-based living (and faith) leads to burnout, while relational rhythms lead to peace.
You likely have more authority over your time than you think—and reclaiming it is an integrity issue.

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Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

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The Real Battle Is Between Your Ears // Max Lucado

Tue, 06 Jan 2026 07:08:31 +0000

What if the greatest battle shaping our leadership, relationships, and faith is happening in our minds? In this episode, we sit down with pastor and bestselling author Max Lucado to talk about the power of thought life and why taming our thoughts is essential to living whole and leading well.

Together, we explore how negative thinking, shame, guilt, insecurity, and lust take root—and how Scripture, neuroscience, confession, and community help us interrupt destructive patterns and renew our minds. Max shares personal stories, practical tools from his book Tame Your Thoughts, and a grace-filled reminder that God is not surprised by us—and He is deeply invested in our mental and spiritual health.

This conversation is honest, hopeful, and grounded in the truth that transformation doesn’t start with behavior change, but with believing what is actually true.

Key Takeaways

You are not your thoughts—but your life is shaped by what you allow to stay in your mind.
Confession is not for God’s information; it’s for our freedom.
Identifying the UFO cycle (Untruth → False Narrative → Overreaction) helps interrupt destructive behaviors at the root.
Renewing the mind is both spiritual and neurological—repetition of truth literally reshapes the brain.
Shame thrives in isolation, but healing accelerates in safe, honest relationships.
Lust and addiction are not just moral failures but thought-level battles that require grace, boundaries, and support.
Scripture isn’t about behavior management—it’s about revealing Jesus and transforming how we think.

Book: Tame Your Thoughts

Website: maxlucado.com

Instagram: @maxlucado

Facebook: Max Lucado

X (Twitter): @MaxLucado

YouTube: Max Lucado

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Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

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Choosing Peace Over Pretense // Amy Duggar King

Tue, 23 Dec 2025 07:00:24 +0000

In this episode, we sit down with Amy Duggar King to talk about the courage it takes to step out of unhealthy systems and into the freedom and peace that God truly offers. Together, we unpack what forgiveness, grace, and reconciliation really mean—especially when those words have been twisted to maintain control or silence truth. Amy shares her powerful story of choosing truth over image, peace over pretense, and healing over hiding. We explore how faith, boundaries, and community play a vital role in recovery, and how we can all learn to listen for God’s voice in the midst of confusion and pain.

Key Takeaways

True forgiveness doesn’t require denial—you can forgive even when an apology never comes.
Abusers often hijack sacred language like grace and reconciliation to maintain control; recognizing that distortion is part of healing.
Boundaries are not betrayal—they are essential steps toward peace and emotional safety.
God’s voice brings clarity and peace, not fear or manipulation.
Healing takes time and space—sometimes the first step is as simple as not replying right away.
Writing and journaling can help reclaim your voice when you’ve been silenced.
Chosen family and healthy community reflect the heart of God more than forced loyalty to toxic systems.

Website: amyduggarking.com

Instagram: @amyrahelleking

TikTok: @amyrking

Book: Holy Disrupter – available wherever books are sold

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Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

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When Success Hides Anxiety // Sissy Goff

Tue, 09 Dec 2025 07:00:33 +0000

In this episode, we sit down with counselor and author Sissy Goff to talk about the hidden ways anxiety shows up in our daughters. From the pressure to be “the good girl” to the overwhelming expectations of school, sports, and social media, we unpack how perfectionism and performance can mask deep struggles. Together, we explore practical tools for parents to recognize the signs, model grace, and create safe spaces where kids learn that they don’t have to try harder—they can lean into God’s love and presence.

Key Takeaways

High-performing, “good girls” often carry hidden anxiety that adults can easily miss.
Success and perfectionism can be fueled by anxiety, not just motivation or talent.
Parents can watch for subtle cues—like withdrawing from fun family activities or constantly deferring to peers.
Modeling failure, laughter, and grace as a family helps kids loosen perfectionistic pressure.
Small boundaries and simple practices (like limiting who to encourage each day) can redirect kids from burnout.
The way parents talk to themselves shapes how they talk to their kids—self-compassion matters.
Shifting from “try harder” language to “let’s pray and grow together” reflects the gospel of grace.

Website: raisingboysandgirls.com

Instagram:@sissygoff

Facebook:Raising Boys and Girls

YouTube:Raising Boys and Girls

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Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

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The Body Remembers, But Grace Restores // Erin Kerry

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 07:00:39 +0000

In this episode, we sit down with Erin Kerry, a mental health advocate, integrative nutrition coach, and mom who knows firsthand what it means to live with anxiety while holding onto faith. Together, we explore the intersection of mental and physical health, the power of grace when we feel broken, and how to shift from shame to self-compassion. Erin shares her journey of learning to partner with God in healing—body, mind, and spirit—and offers practical wisdom for anyone wrestling with the weight of anxiety, identity, or performance.

Key Takeaways

Faith and mental health can coexist—struggling with anxiety doesn’t mean you lack faith.
The body keeps the score—our physical health often reflects our inner world, and healing requires an integrated approach.
Naming your anxiety is the first step toward disarming its power.
Grace is not passivity—it’s active participation with God in the process of renewal.
Identity precedes performance—you are loved and whole before you do anything to prove it.
Community and honest conversation break the stigma around faith and mental health.
Parenting through anxiety requires compassion—for our kids and for ourselves.

Website: erinbkerry.com

Instagram:@sparkingwholeness

Facebook:Sparking Wholeness

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Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

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Stop Criticizing, Start Speaking Life // Dave and Ann Wilson

Tue, 11 Nov 2025 07:00:57 +0000

In this episode, we sit down with Dave and Ann Wilson to talk honestly about the real struggles couples face in marriage. From unmet expectations and old wounds to finding healing through vulnerability, grace, and God’s love, we unpack what it means to speak life into your spouse—even when it feels easier to criticize. Together, we explore the hope and redemption available when we lean into the hard work of marriage and invite Jesus into the center of it all.

Key Takeaways

Marriage is meant to be challenging—don’t give up; growth comes through the struggle.
Unhealed childhood wounds often resurface in marriage, shaping conflict and connection.
Vulnerability and emotional honesty are essential for real intimacy.
Speaking life over your spouse can transform a marriage more than criticism ever could.
God’s grace provides the foundation to rebuild trust and hope after brokenness.
Couples need to pursue healing for themselves to show up whole in their relationship.

Facebook: @DaveAnnWilson

Instagram: @DaveAnnWilson

YouTube: @DaveAnnWilson

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Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

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You Can’t Do Grief Alone (and You’re Not Meant To) // Clarissa Moll

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 06:00:38 +0000

In this heartfelt conversation with author Clarissa Moll, we explore the realities of grief, parenting through loss, and the hope that sustains us. Together, we talk honestly about the loneliness of grief, how the church can step into its calling as a healing community, and the ways parents can support their children while tending to their own broken hearts. Clarissa reminds us that resilience is learned, but resurrection is a gift only God can give—and both shape how we walk through sorrow with open hearts and anchored hope.

Key Takeaways:

Grief often isolates us, but the church can be a place of belonging and healing when it leans into its role as a supportive community.
Practical, proactive offers of help (like meals, errands, childcare) serve grieving families better than vague questions.
Children grieve in ways consistent with their personalities—some express it outwardly, others through activity or art.
Parents don’t have to do this alone—teachers, coaches, friends, and church leaders can all form a vital circle of support.
There is no set timeline for grief; prolonged changes in eating, sleeping, or behavior may signal a need for additional help.
Resilience is a skill we can learn, but resurrection is God’s unique work—reminding us that our hope is never wasted.
Grief, while painful, can reorient our hearts to deeper intimacy with God and compassion for others.

Website: www.clarissamoll.com

Instagram: @mollclarissa

Substack: clarissamoll.substack.com

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Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

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Redefine the Good Things of God // Katherine Wolf

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 06:00:26 +0000

In this episode, we sit down with Katherine Wolf to talk about what it means to live wholeheartedly when life doesn’t go as planned. Katherine shares her journey of surviving a massive stroke at 26, the long road of recovery, and how God reshaped her calling through suffering. Together we explore “invisible wheelchairs,” radical acceptance, parenting through pain, and the difference between curing and true healing. It’s an honest, hope-filled conversation about finding purpose in the dark and leaning on God’s presence when everything else feels uncertain.

Key Takeaways

The “good things of God” are spiritual realities—peace, joy, His presence—rather than guaranteed comfort or ease.
Everyone carries “invisible wheelchairs,” unseen limitations that invite compassion and empathy.
Radical acceptance allows us to move forward while still holding the scars of suffering.
Suffering can refine, not erase, our gifts and calling.
Healing goes deeper than cure; it is about wholeness of the soul.
Hope offers an escape from the paralyzing “what if loop.”
In suffering, the ministry of presence and tears often speaks louder than words.

Website: www.hopeheals.com

Instagram: @hopeheals

Facebook: Hope Heals

X/Twitter: @hopeheals

YouTube: Hope Heals

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Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

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Faithful Presence in a Polarized World // Joshua Ryan Butler

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 06:00:00 +0000

In this timely and honest conversation, we sit down with pastor and author Joshua Ryan Butler to talk about how the church can engage with politics in a way that reflects the heart of Jesus. Drawing from his book Party Crashing, we explore the tensions of modern and postmodern political frameworks, the spiritual stakes of polarization, and how unity in Christ can be a witness in a fractured world. We reflect on what’s happened post-election, how online and offline spaces shape our convictions, and what it means to be a faithful presence in our communities. Together, we lean into the hope and formation that comes through real relationships, local engagement, and a posture of love.

Key Takeaways

Unity is sacred: Jesus prayed for the unity of the Church before going to the cross—how we relate across differences matters deeply to Him.
Real-life relationships ground us: Online discourse is often dominated by postmodern extremes, but face-to-face relationships tend to be more grounded and bridge-building.
There’s more than just red, blue, or silence: We’re not limited to partisanship or passivity—creative, faithful political engagement is possible and needed.
Jesus reconciled enemies: Following Jesus means learning to walk together across significant ideological divides, like zealots and tax collectors in the same community.
Faithful presence > flashy platforms: Lasting impact comes through everyday faithfulness and local civic engagement, not just national elections.
Posture matters as much as position: How we show up—with humility, curiosity, and love—often speaks louder than what we believe.
Hope in a bigger story: Remembering God’s sovereignty through history can calm our anxiety and remind us that the Church will endure.

Website: https://joshuaryanbutler.com/

Instagram: @joshbutler.pdx

Facebook: @JoshuaButlerpdx

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Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

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Why Reluctant Leaders Make the Strongest Guides // Willa Kane and Sally Breedlove

Tue, 16 Sep 2025 06:00:12 +0000

In this episode, we sit down with Sally Breedlove and Willa Kane, two authors of Eighth Day Prayers. Together we explore how listening to God first transforms our leadership, our relationships, and our daily rhythms. From reluctant leadership to scripture-soaked prayer, Sally and Willa share how anchoring ourselves in God’s Word and the rhythms of the church calendar can create margin, cultivate hope, and deepen our joy. This is a conversation about slowing down, making space for God’s voice, and discovering the gift of community in prayer.

Key Takeaways

Listen first, speak second: Lasting leadership begins by listening to God before we speak or act.
Reluctant leaders bring strength: Those who never sought influence often carry a unique humility and integrity.
Scripture-soaked prayer sustains us: Simple, accessible rhythms of prayer keep us grounded in truth and hope.
The church calendar roots our lives: Living by God’s seasons—Advent, Lent, Easter, and beyond—offers balance and perspective in a busy world.
Saying no is leadership too: Boundaries create the space for faithful, Spirit-led influence.
Collaboration is a gift: When pride is set aside, shared work can become joy-filled and deeply fruitful.
Beauty belongs in faith: Prayer practices that are both true and beautiful invite us—and others—into God’s presence.

Website: eighthdayprayers.org

Instagram: @eighthdayprayers

Facebook: Eighth Day Prayers

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Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

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Parenting Teens Through Anxiety // Dr. Kristin Valerius

Tue, 02 Sep 2025 06:00:49 +0000

In this episode of The Living Wholehearted Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Kristin Valerius, a pediatric psychologist and faith-filled leader, to talk honestly about parenting teens in an anxious world. Together, we explore how anxiety can be a signal of what we value most, why parents don’t need to rescue kids from every hard feeling, and how repair—not perfection—builds lasting connection. If you’ve ever wondered how to help your teen (and yourself) navigate big emotions with grace, resilience, and faith, this conversation will encourage and equip you.

Key Takeaways

Anxiety as information – Anxiety isn’t just a problem; it reveals what we value and can guide us toward growth.
The tipping point of anxiety – It becomes unhealthy when it blocks daily functioning or life-giving activities.
Validation before solutions – Teens feel calmer and more open when parents reflect their emotions before jumping into advice.
Repair matters more than perfection – Messing up is inevitable; owning it models humility, grace, and belonging.
Parents must regulate themselves too – Self-care, honesty about limits, and modeling resilience are essential for healthy homes.
Connection in their world – Entering your teen’s passions (even video games or music you don’t love) creates trust and closeness.
Hold the long view – Parenting teens can feel unrewarding, but grace reminds us that growth is a process, not a final arrival.

Website: www.sundstromclinic.com

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Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

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Why Your Healing Starts With a Pause // Debra Fileta

Tue, 19 Aug 2025 06:00:15 +0000

In this episode, we sit down with licensed counselor, author, and speaker Debra Fileta to explore what it truly means to heal from the inside out. Together, we unpack why our attempts at change often fail and how pausing, gaining insight, and facing our past can lead to lasting transformation. We talk about the deeper roots beneath our habits, how trauma resurfaces when life finally feels safe, and why triggers might actually be God’s invitation to heal. Join us as we offer a hope-filled, practical, and deeply faith-rooted conversation that will equip you to reset your life from the inside out.

Key Takeaways

Lasting change begins beneath the surface—true transformation requires addressing thoughts, feelings, and beliefs, not just behaviors.
Pausing is powerful—silence and stillness create space to hear from God and gain deeper insight.
Triggers are not setbacks—they’re signs of where healing is still needed, and God’s invitation to go deeper.
Childhood wounds still shape adult behavior—healing comes when we invite Jesus into those early places of pain.
Insight leads to alignment—when your thoughts, feelings, and actions align with God’s truth, deep healing follows.
Spiritual maturity includes emotional maturity—leaders can’t afford to ignore their inner world.
Shame stalls healing, but gratitude invites it—reframing struggles with grace opens the door to growth.

Website: www.debrafileta.com

Instagram: @debrafileta

Facebook: facebook.com/TrueLoveDates

Twitter/X: @DebraFileta

YouTube: Debra Fileta YouTube Channel

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Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

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Turning Down the Noise: Parenting in a World That Overstimulates // Sarah Boyd

Tue, 05 Aug 2025 06:00:46 +0000

As parents, we’re navigating a world of constant noise—externally from screens and schedules, and internally from emotional overload. In this episode, we sit down with Sarah Boyd, author of Turning Down the Noise, to talk about how overstimulation impacts both parents and kids, and how we can reclaim calm, connection, and emotional maturity in our homes. From recognizing early warning signs to creating healthy digital rhythms, this conversation offers both spiritual encouragement and practical tools for the journey.

Key Takeaways

Catch overstimulation early. Notice signs before they lead to emotional blowups.
Limits are a gift. Embracing them brings more peace and presence.
Screens drain energy. Even background media impacts our brains.
Connection over perfection. Simple rituals and shared interests go far.
Model emotional regulation. Kids learn calm by watching us.
Reduce noise, build resilience. Less input creates space for growth.
Parent with grace. Shame isn’t helpful—start with compassion.

Website: resilientlittlehearts.com

Instagram: @resilientlittlehearts

Facebook: Resilient Little Hearts

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Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

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Parenting Through Struggle, Not Perfection // Annie Horner

Tue, 22 Jul 2025 06:00:34 +0000

In this episode, we dive into the messy, holy work of parenting through connection—not perfection. Together, we explore how to navigate emotional floods, create safe spaces for our kids to struggle, and why repair matters more than always getting it right. From toddlers to teens, we talk about how to show up as calm, connected leaders—even when we feel overwhelmed ourselves. Whether you're parenting young kids, raising teens, or healing your own inner child, this episode offers hope, practical tools, and a reminder that you're not alone.

Takeaways

Repair is more powerful than perfection—kids don’t need us to never mess up, they need us to make things right.
Emotional flooding blocks learning—when a child is overwhelmed, connection is the first step, not correction.
Play is a child’s language—and a powerful tool for building trust and processing big feelings.
Teen connection looks different—they need presence and curiosity, not pressure or lectures.
Parents are thermostats, not thermometers—our regulation sets the tone in the home.
Tech can’t replace presence—small shifts can help us re-center connection in daily life.
God’s parenting is our model—He stays close and kind, even when we struggle.

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Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

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Choosing Truth When Trust Is Broken // Josh and Jaelyn Harrel

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 06:00:43 +0000

In this episode, we sit down with Josh and Jaelyn Harrel for a courageous and grace-filled conversation about their journey through pornography addiction, hidden identity struggles, and the painful road to healing and restoration in marriage. As they share candidly about what it looked like to disclose deep secrets and choose connection in the face of betrayal, we’re reminded that God's love can redeem even the most broken places when we choose to walk in the light.

Takeaways:

Pornography deeply affects intimacy: Even "secret" struggles erode trust and closeness in marriage.
Full disclosure takes time and courage: Healing requires honesty—even when it’s messy or slow.
Sexual identity struggles are real in the church: Silence fuels shame; trusted spaces bring hope.
The betrayed spouse also has a healing journey: Restoration involves both people doing the heart work.
God restores what's been shattered: When we surrender and stay open, beauty rises from the brokenness.
Supportive community matters: Trusted friends and wise counselors help carry the weight.
Restoration begins with choice: Daily, imperfect steps toward truth and trust make a difference.

Website: restoredliving.com

Instagram: @restoredliving

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Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

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Bored Kids, Whole Hearts: What a Media Fast Taught Us // Jaelyn And Joshua Harrel

Tue, 08 Jul 2025 06:00:49 +0000

In this episode, we sit down with Josh and Jaelyn Harrel of Restored Living to unpack the powerful experience of their family’s 30-day media fast. We talk about what it revealed in their kids, their marriage, and their leadership. From rediscovering time freedom to learning to lead from a place of wholeness rather than hustle, this conversation is rich with practical insights and heartfelt encouragement. We also explore how their two-year journey in the Wholehearted Leadership Cohort shaped how they live, lead, and love—right where they are.

Presence brings freedom: Time freedom isn’t something we earn—it’s something we reclaim when we’re present.
Boredom is a gift to our kids: Without constant stimulation, children grow more resilient, creative, and emotionally aware.
Healthy leaders embrace limits: True leadership is formed by knowing your wiring, honoring your season, and leading from the inside out.
Transformation takes practice, not perfection: The media fast wasn’t flawless, but it shaped their family and rhythms in lasting ways.
Seasons shape priorities: Embracing your current lane—whether that’s parenting or leading—brings peace and purpose.
Experience changes more than information: Giving kids and leaders a new lived experience creates lasting transformation.

Website: restoredliving.com

Instagram: @restoredliving

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Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

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Why Hurry Is Hurting Your Soul // John Mark Comer

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 06:00:17 +0000

In this episode, we sit down with John Mark Comer to talk about what hurry reveals about our hearts and how slowing down is one of the most courageous decisions a leader can make. Sharing from his personal journey through burnout and emotional exhaustion, John Mark challenges us to live with integrity in both public and private spaces. Together, we explore the rhythms, limits, and grace needed to lead wholeheartedly in today’s fast-paced world.

Key Takeaways

Hurry is not just a time problem—it’s a heart problem tied to identity and fear.
Living within your limits is essential for healthy leadership and emotional resilience.
A “rule of life” provides structure to stay spiritually rooted in a hurried culture.
Emotional health and spiritual maturity are inseparable in leadership.
The integrity gap harms not just leaders, but also their families and communities.
Rest and space aren’t luxuries—they’re spiritual necessities.
True leadership means becoming the same person in public and at home.

Website: johnmarkcomer.com

Instagram: @johnmarkcomer

Facebook: facebook.com/johnmarkcomer

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Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

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Read less

Beyond the Talk: Everyday Parenting for Sexual Wholeness // Jay Stringer

Tue, 24 Jun 2025 06:00:12 +0000

As parents, we often feel overwhelmed or unprepared to talk about sex with our kids—but what if the real work starts by creating a safe, emotionally connected home? In this powerful conversation with Jay Stringer, we explore how our own stories shape the way we parent and how emotional attunement and grace-based guidance help our kids grow into a healthy, biblical understanding of their sexuality. Together, we unpack the practical, awkward, and beautiful moments that form the soil for a child’s sexual and emotional maturity.

Key Takeaways

Healthy sexuality begins with emotional attunement, not just biological education.
Your family story matters—your past impacts how you talk about sex and form values with your kids.
Discipline means teaching, not controlling—especially when it comes to emotional life and sexuality.
Start the conversation early and often: aim for “61 one-minute chats,” not one big, scary “talk.”
Use age-appropriate, body-positive language to remove shame and affirm God's good design.
Proactive and responsive parenting helps kids form a thoughtful, Christ-centered sexual ethic.
You don’t have to have all the answers—just be willing to be your child’s trusted guide.

Website: jay-stringer.com

Instagram: @jay_stringer_

Facebook: @JayStringerUnwanted

Twitter/X: @_jaystringer

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Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

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The Risk of Being Loved // Dr. Curt Thompson

Tue, 10 Jun 2025 06:00:00 +0000

In this powerful conversation with Dr. Curt Thompson, we explore what it really means to move from imagination to incarnation—from abstract belief to embodied hope. Together, we reflect on how God reveals Himself through the arc of Scripture and how healing, trust, and transformation happen in the presence of real, loving relationships. Whether you’re wrestling with hope, longing for connection, or simply trying to receive love more fully, this episode is for you.

Takeaways

God’s story is one of increasing incarnation—His presence becomes more embodied over time.
Hope is not instant; it’s formed slowly through process, pain, and presence.
Healing often begins when we allow others to love us, even when it feels threatening.
Confessional community is key to spiritual and emotional transformation.
Love is the foundation, but hope and trust are practices shaped over time.
We’re not changed by ideas alone—we need real people with real voices.
The invitation to be known is both beautiful and uncomfortable, and that’s okay.

Website:https://curtthompsonmd.com

Instagram:@curtthompsonmd

Facebook:Curt Thompson, M.D.

Podcast: Being Known Podcast

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Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

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Servant Leadership: Finding True Influence in Humility // Mike Donehey

Tue, 27 May 2025 06:00:00 +0000

This week, we’re joined by Mike Donehey, former lead singer of Tenth Avenue North, as we dive into the heart of true leadership. Together, we explore how servant leadership, humility, and grace shape our ministry and relationships. Mike shares his journey of realizing that platform and fame aren't the true markers of success—it's about stewarding our gifts with authenticity and love. We reflect on the ministry of reconciliation, how to live it out in everyday life, and the transformative power of embracing God’s way of leadership. Tune in for a conversation filled with insight, challenge, and grace!

Takeaways:

Leadership is about service, not status—embracing the posture of a steward rather than a leader.
True influence comes from humility, not from gaining a following or platform.
The ministry of reconciliation is about healing relationships, whether with God, others, or ourselves.
God calls us to steward our gifts, not to seek fame or power.
Emotional reactions are natural; learning to respond with curiosity and empathy can transform difficult conversations.
Your identity as a servant in God’s Kingdom is more important than any title you may hold.
Sometimes, the most meaningful spiritual encounters happen when we are faithful in the small, behind-the-scenes moments.

Website: Mike Donehey's Website

Instagram: @mikeddonehey

Facebook: Mike Donehey

Twitter/X: @mikedonehey

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Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

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Leading Through Suffering: Finding God in the Wilderness

Tue, 13 May 2025 06:00:00 +0000

In this episode, we open up about the often hidden cost of leadership—especially in seasons of suffering. We reflect on how narrowing our relational circles, honoring emotional limits, and learning to trust God more deeply can become sacred tools for healing. Whether you're leading in a church, home, or organization, we share real stories and biblical truths that reveal how hardship doesn't disqualify us—it deepens us. Join us as we explore how to let our theology shape our reality, not the other way around.

Takeaways

Margins Matter in Suffering: Protecting emotional and relational margins allows us to heal and lead well, especially during seasons of grief or burnout.
Concentric Circles of Support: Shrinking your relational circle in hard times isn’t selfish—it’s wise stewardship of limited emotional energy.
Suffering as a Trust Muscle Builder: God often uses pain not to punish, but to strengthen our ability to trust Him deeply and fully.
Let Theology Shape Reality: When emotions feel overwhelming, grounding ourselves in who God is keeps us from spiraling into distorted beliefs.
Jesus Modeled Relational Boundaries: Even Christ chose an inner circle and stepped away from the crowds, showing leaders how to steward their capacity.
Trauma-Informed Leadership: Understanding how past wounds affect behavior is crucial for both personal healing and guiding others with compassion.
No Shortcuts in Healing: Leaders are often tempted to move through pain quickly, but authentic transformation requires slow, intentional work.

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Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

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More Than Inclusion: Why Belonging Matters in the Body of Christ // Cameron Horner

Tue, 29 Apr 2025 06:00:00 +0000

In this episode, we sit down with Cameron Horner to explore the depths of suffering, purpose, and the profound comfort found in Christ. Through his personal story of life-altering injury, Cameron shares how pain can shape perspective, deepen intimacy with Jesus, and become a prophetic voice within the body of Christ. We unpack the difference between inclusion and belonging, the theology of suffering, and how disability reveals what the Church might be missing. This is a conversation full of raw honesty, grace, and hope for anyone walking through loss or carrying unanswered questions.

Takeaways

The Fellowship of Suffering: Pain creates a unique space to experience intimacy with Christ, echoing Paul’s desire to share in Jesus’ sufferings.
From “Why Me?” to “With Me”: Instead of easy answers, we’re invited to meet a Savior who suffers with us—not just above us.
Disability as Prophetic Presence: Those with disabilities are not just recipients of ministry but voices that reveal what the Church is missing.
Belonging vs. Inclusion: Inclusion offers a seat at the table, but belonging says, “We’re incomplete without you.”
The Strength of Dependence: Embracing interdependence reflects the design of the body of Christ and challenges our culture’s idolization of independence.
Mental Fortitude Through Trial: Physical limitations don’t limit spiritual depth—endurance forged in suffering often leads to extraordinary resilience.
A Better Way to Comfort: Avoiding spiritual clichés opens the door for real empathy—being present in someone’s pain is often the most powerful ministry.

Website: www.CameronHornerMinistries.org

Instagram: @cameronhornerministries

Facebook: Cameron Horner Ministries

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Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

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Who Can You Trust? Navigating Relationships with Discernment

Tue, 08 Apr 2025 06:00:00 +0000

In this episode, we dive into the wisdom of trust—how to discern safe relationships, set healthy boundaries, and grow into a trustworthy person. We explore the concept of "green light, yellow light, and red light" people, helping you navigate relationships with wisdom and grace. Whether in leadership, marriage, or community, learning to trust wisely while becoming a person others can trust is essential for growth. Join us as we unpack practical insights to strengthen your discernment and relational health.

Takeaways

The Green, Yellow, and Red Light Framework: A practical way to discern safe relationships and set healthy boundaries.
Oversharing as a Trust Signal: Sharing too much too soon can indicate a broken trust meter, while withholding trust completely can signal past wounds.
Trust as a Personal Responsibility: Before expecting trust from others, we must first cultivate our own trustworthiness.
Pain and Its Impact on Trust: Trauma and past hurt can push us from being “green light” people to “yellow” or even “red,” but healing is possible.
Jesus’ Model of Trust: Even Christ was intentional with His inner circle—discerning where to place our trust is an act of wisdom, not fear.
Evaluating Relationships with Wisdom: Observing behavior over time helps us determine who is genuinely safe and who might be using us for their own needs.
Leading with Discernment: Whether in marriage, leadership, or community, wisdom in trust-building fosters stronger, healthier relationships.

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Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

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Faith in the Face of Fear: What Anxiety Can Teach Us // Dr. Curtis Chang

Tue, 25 Mar 2025 06:00:00 +0000

In this episode, we explore the profound connection between anxiety, loss, and spiritual growth. Too often, we try to control or avoid suffering, but what if anxiety is actually an invitation—an opportunity to draw closer to God? Curtis Chang joins us to discuss how leaders, parents, and believers can navigate grief, trust in God’s plan, and allow their fears to point them toward their deeper calling.

Takeaways:

Anxiety as a Diagnostic: Viewing anxiety not as a flaw but as a tool that reveals our deepest fears and desires.
The Reality of Loss in Leadership: Every change or new initiative brings loss—wise leaders create space for grieving.
Avoidance Increases Anxiety: Suppressing suffering leads to more anxiety, while moving through grief brings healing.
The Problem-Solving Trap: Leaders and parents often try to fix problems to avoid discomfort, but true growth comes through sitting with loss.
Psalm 139’s Invitation: Anxiety can be a space for God to search and refine our hearts rather than something to eliminate.
Fear as a Calling Compass: Paying attention to what we fear losing can reveal where God is leading us.
Replacing Control with Trust: Letting go of the need to engineer outcomes allows for deeper faith and peace.

Website: redeemingbabel.org

Instagram: @redeemingbabel
Facebook: Redeeming Babel
Twitter/X: @curtischangRB
YouTube: Redeeming Babel

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Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

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From Empty to Overflowing: How to Stay Filled // Debra Fileta

Tue, 11 Mar 2025 08:24:00 +0000

Burnout sneaks up on even the most high-capacity leaders, but what if we could prevent it before it takes hold? We sit down with author and licensed counselor Debra Fileta to explore the six rhythms of soul care she uncovered in Scripture—practices that help us stay filled rather than running on empty. From setting boundaries to nourishing our bodies, embracing life-giving relationships, and truly savoring the present moment, Debra shares both personal insights and biblical wisdom on how we can live and lead from a place of health. Whether you're feeling drained or simply want to steward your energy well, this conversation is an invitation to slow down, pay attention, and embrace the abundant life God intends for us.

Takeaways:

Burnout Prevention: Recognizing soul care as a proactive, not reactive, practice.
Jesus' Example: How Jesus honored His human limitations and modeled healthy rhythms.
The Six Rhythms of Soul Care: Nourish, Connect, Savor, and others that sustain us.
The Difference Between Soul Care and Self-Care: Moving beyond quick fixes to deep renewal.
The Role of Boundaries: How cultural and family backgrounds impact our ability to set limits.
Numbing vs. Filling: Identifying unhealthy coping mechanisms and replacing them with life-giving habits.
Practical Next Steps: Start with the rhythm where you're weakest to stop energy leaks.

Website: www.debrafileta.com

Instagram: @DebraFileta
Facebook: True Love Dates
Twitter (X): @DebraFileta
YouTube: Debra Fileta

========================================================

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

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FACEBOOK

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Sacred Rest: Recover Your Life, Renew Your Energy, Restore Your Sanity

Why You're Still Tired: The 7 Types of Rest You Need

Tue, 04 Mar 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith is a Board-Certified internal medicine physician, speaker, and award-winning author. She is an international well-being thought-leader featured in numerous media outlets including Prevention, MSNBC, Women’s Day, FOX, Fast Company, Psychology Today, INC, CNN Health, and TED.com. She is the author of numerous books including her bestseller Sacred Rest: Recover Your Life, Renew Your Energy, Restore Your Sanity, including insight on the seven types of rest needed to optimize your productivity, increase your overall happiness, overcome burnout, and live your best life. Over 250,000 people have discovered their personal rest deficits using her free assessment at RestQuiz.com. Learn more about Dr. Saundra at DrDaltonSmith.com.

ONLINE

DrDaltonSmith.com

@DrDaltonSmith

FACEBOOK

Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith

INSTAGRAM

@DrDaltonSmith

BOOKS

========================================================

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

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Mastering Conflict Resolution with the Core Values Index (CVI) Part 2

Tue, 25 Feb 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Want to take the CVI test? Go here: https://www.livingwholehearted.com/cvi

Understanding conflict through the lens of the Core Values Index (CVI) has been a game-changer in our relationships, leadership, and personal growth. This week, we continue our deep dive into conflict strategies, exploring how Builders, Merchants, Innovators, and Bankers respond to tension—and how we can shift out of unhealthy reactions into wholehearted engagement. We share real-life examples from our own marriage, parenting, and leadership to illustrate how honoring core values can transform conflict into connection. From recognizing physical cues to asking the right questions, we unpack practical tools to navigate disagreements with wisdom, love, and faith. Whether you're leading a team, parenting strong-willed kids, or simply wanting to communicate more effectively, this episode offers a powerful roadmap for staying grounded and growing together.

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Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

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Healthy Principles for a Healthy Marriage

Tue, 11 Feb 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Marriage takes work, but the rewards of a strong, connected relationship are worth it. In this episode, we dive into the healthy habits that help couples thrive, exploring the importance of commitment, curiosity, and growing together through every season. We discuss practical ways to stay engaged, know each other deeply, and navigate the inevitable changes that come with time. With personal stories—including a lighthearted reflection on our own bobby pin debates—we unpack what it means to love with intention, foster admiration, and build a relationship that lasts. How well do you really know your spouse, and what small changes could deepen your connection today?

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Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

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Growth, Grace, and Leading Together

Tue, 28 Jan 2025 07:00:00 +0000

What does it take to lead well, especially during challenging seasons? Matt and Rachael Gilbert share how our wholehearted leadership cohort has been a transformative space for personal and relational growth. We hear Rachael reflect on learning to pause rather than push forward, resisting the urge to perform or prove herself in the face of hardship. Matt highlights a new awareness of healthy leadership, reshaping how we evaluate leaders in our lives and organizations. Together, they emphasize the value of doing this journey as a couple, multiplying the impact through shared language and tools like the Core Values Index (CVI). Their insights remind us that leading well starts with honest self-reflection, a willingness to pause, and a commitment to align with God’s deeper work in our lives.

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Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

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The House That Jesus Built: Leading Our Churches Back to God’s Original Blueprint

Rebuilding the Ruins: A Journey to Restoring the Church

Tue, 14 Jan 2025 07:00:00 +0000

Natalie Runion joins us to explore the challenges and hope found within church leadership and community. As the founder of Raised to Stay and author of The House That Jesus Built, Natalie shares her journey from church hurt to healing, drawing from decades of ministry experience. Together, we tackle the tension between platform and servanthood, the impact of spiritual orphanhood in leadership, and the power of returning to God's original blueprint for His Church. Whether you're a leader seeking to align your life with your faith, a believer wrestling with disappointment in the Church, or someone curious about what it means to follow Jesus, this conversation will inspire you to pursue unity, integrity, and hope within God’s people. Let's dive into a rich discussion that calls us all to reflect, heal, and build His house together.

ONLINE

NatalieRunion.com

INSTAGRAM

@Raisedtostay

BOOKS

========================================================

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

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FACEBOOK

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Episode 241: Mastering Conflict Resolution with the Core Values Index (CVI)

Tue, 31 Dec 2024 07:00:00 +0000

Want to take the CVI test? Go here: https://www.livingwholehearted.com/cvi

The Core Values Index (CVI) serves as a practical lens for navigating conflict in relationships, workplaces, and personal growth. We explore how the four core values—Builder, Merchant, Innovator, and Banker—highlight individual strengths while revealing unique conflict strategies. Through insights from Tara and Jeff Mattson, we unpack the ways each value responds under stress, from the Builder's drive for results to the Merchant's pursuit of connection, the Innovator's quest for wisdom, and the Banker's need for fairness. Understanding these patterns helps us grow in emotional intelligence, regulate our reactions, and foster healthier connections. Dive deeper into the CVI framework and its potential for transformation in every area of life.

========================================================

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

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If I Don't Laugh, I'll Cry

Episode 240: The Good, The Bad and the Funny

Tue, 17 Dec 2024 09:00:00 +0000

People have a tendency to avoid facing their life stories. Often times we ignore them, we compartmentalize them, and we dwell on them. The difference between a wholehearted leader who is healthy and a leader who is not, is that wholehearted leaders have processed their story. They have done the work to get their baggage down to carry on size and have come to learn who they are BECAUSE of their story, not despite it. God uses everything. The good. The bad. The ugly. And, the funny.

Molly Stillman is the host of the Can I Laugh on Your Shoulder? podcast and a sought-after speaker. The lifestyle blog she started in 2007, Still Being Molly, is a community for women who love ethical style, clean beauty, parenting, funny stories, and serving in their communities. Her deep passion lies in inspiring women to know they were created on purpose, with a purpose, and for a purpose. Molly lives with her husband John, children Lilly and Amos, and various and sundry animals on a small farm in Durham, North Carolina. She loves Jesus a whole lot, drinks too much Diet Coke, and eats a lot of Chipotle burritos.

ONLINE

StillBeingMolly.com

FACEBOOK

@stillbeingmolly

INSTAGRAM

@stillbeingmolly

BOOKS

PODCAST

Can I Laugh on Your Shoulder?

========================================================

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

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Episode 239: When You Want to Want God Again

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 06:05:00 +0000

What do you do when you find yourself lacking joy in life, or feeling a heaviness about things that you just can't quite put your finger on? What happens when you know that you want to want God in your life, but right now you don't feel like wanting Him in your life at all? Today we talk with Lisa Whittle as she shares her story of surrender to God in an outcry for Him, the only one who can revive her soul.

Lisa Whittle is a bestselling author, speaker, podcast host, and ministry leader. She has authored nine books, including Jesus Over Everything, God Knows, and her most recent book, I Want God: How to Love Him with Your Whole Heart and Revive Your Soul.

Book: I Want God: How to Love Him with Your Whole Heart and Revive Your Soul

Website: https://www.lisawhittle.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lisawhittleofficial

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lisarwhittle

Instagram: @lisawhittle

========================================================

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

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@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

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@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

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Episode 238: Taboo Topics With Family

Tue, 19 Nov 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Healthy relationships allow space for health conversations, even conversations regarding the hot topics of our culture at the moment. Many of us have some question we are not asking those closest to us because we are embarrassed to asked, or afraid of how others will respond. Today we learn how to start hard coversations with humble hearts, because "on the opposite side of an awkward conversation is a really beautiful place."

Mike Novotny is an author, pastor, and speaker who holds a Master of Divinity from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary and a Doctor of Ministry from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Mike is the lead speaker for Time of Grace, a global media ministry that is committed to ensuring that God’s grace—his love, glory, and power—is accessible around the world. An independent, donor-funded ministry, Time of Grace works to remind people of the satisfaction and fulfillment found in Jesus as it works to share its message through television, print, social media, podcasts, and other practical resources.

Book: Taboo: Topics Christians Should Be Talking About But Don’t

Website: https://timeofgrace.org/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/timeofgrace/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/timeofgracemin

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pastormikenovotny/

========================================================

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

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@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

TerraMattson.com

RESOURCES

Episode 237: Growing Our Listening Skills

Tue, 05 Nov 2024 10:35:00 +0000

How we listen to one another matters, especially when we are listening to the ones we love the most. In our marriages, with our children, and in our leadership roles, sometimes we can take each other for granted, falling into patterns and expectations of listening that may not be the healthiest. Let's take a deeper look today at how it is that we can continue to grow in our ability to listen to one another effectivley. How can we actively engage in listening to someone while having both conviction and civility present during a conversation?

We are Jeff and Terra Mattson, a husband and wife team, and co-hosts of the Living Wholehearted Podcast. We are the founders of Living Wholehearted, a professional counseling, executive coaching, and organizational development firm outside Portland, Oregon, helping leaders live and lead with integrity. Our amazing team of professionals who have excellent character and competencies, are coming alongside leaders in the home, work and community, providing confidential and safe places for leaders, their families, and their teams. We co-authored the book, Shrinking the Integrity Gap: Between What Leaders Preach and Live, and are raising our two teen girls on 5 acres in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. We also founded Courageous Girls, a non-profit dedicated to helping moms walk alongside their daughters at every stage of their growing years (learn more at mycourageousgirls.com). Bridging the gap between Biblical truth, clinical expertise, and trauma-informed relational wisdom, we are currently engaged in executive coaching, organizational development, writing, speaking, and training pastors, counselors and leaders. We believe that when a leader lives and leads with integrity, everyone in their wake benefits. That's why we do what we do.

========================================================

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

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Episode 236: The Power of Meals with Family

Tue, 22 Oct 2024 10:09:00 +0000

Meaningful mealtimes: When was the last time you sat down as a family, for longer than a half hour, without technology? During the pandemic, families all over the country were eating together, playing together and making vows never to go back to the rat race of life that we were living before everything came to a halt. Yet here we are, nearly 5 years later, and we have seemingly fallen back into the pace of busyness that we did not intend to return to. Listen in to today's episode to learn the first intentional steps in turning the tide back and giving the people we say we love the most, the best of ourselves again.

Ryan Rush, PhD, serves as pastor of Kingsland Baptist Church, a thriving church community of more than 5,000 people, located in Katy, Texas. He has spent more than 20 years working in ministry. He’s been an Adjunct Professor at Liberty University, teaching the course, “Theology of the Family” and teaches Doctoral students in the Marriage and Family program at Dallas Theological Seminary. He's the author of three books, the latest being, Restore the Table: Discovering the Powerful Connections of Meaningful Mealtimes.

https://www.instagram.com/ryanrushlive/

Restore the Table: Discovering the Powerful Connections of Meaningful Mealtimes

https://www.amazon.com/Restore-Table-Discovering-Connections-Meaningful/dp/1637632304

========================================================

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

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@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

TerraMattson.com

RESOURCES

Episode 235: What to Do With Big Emotions

Tue, 08 Oct 2024 10:02:00 +0000

Big emotions. They are there whether you want them or not. Emotions are a real part of who we are as humans and we encounter them in every relationship we are involved in. Today, we discuss our wiring as it relates to emotions and offer some tools on how to regulate and care for your emotions.

We are Jeff and Terra Mattson, a husband and wife team, and co-hosts of the Living Wholehearted Podcast. We are the founders of Living Wholehearted, a professional counseling, executive coaching, and organizational development firm outside Portland, Oregon, helping leaders live and lead with integrity. Our amazing team of professionals with excellent character and competencies, are coming alongside leaders in the home, work and community, providing confidential and safe places for leaders, their families, and their teams. We co-authored the book, Shrinking the Integrity Gap: Between What Leaders Preach and Live, and are raising our two teen girls on 5 acres in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. We also founded Courageous Girls, a non-profit dedicated to helping moms walk alongside their daughters at every stage of their growing years (learn more at mycourageousgirls.com). Bridging the gap between Biblical truth, clinical expertise, and trauma-informed relational wisdom, we are currently engaged in executive coaching, organizational development, writing, speaking, and training pastors, counselors and leaders. We believe that when a leader lives and leads with integrity, everyone in their wake benefits. That's why we do what we do.

========================================================

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

TerraMattson.com

RESOURCES

Episode 234: Growing with Emotions

Tue, 24 Sep 2024 08:29:00 +0000

Apply to our Executive Wholehearted Leadership Cohort -https://www.livingwholehearted.com/leadership-cohorts

Emotions. You either love them or wonder what's the point of having them? They often get in the way. The importance of cultivating healthy emotions to enhance one's spiritual and leadership journey is vital. Today we will be talking with guests who bring practical insights and guidance on how emotion impacts your personality, strategies for managing stress, the distinction between depression and sadness and the significance of empathy for emotional and spiritual development.

Bill and Kristi Gaultiere are Drs of Psychology and the Founders of Soul Shepherding, a ministry to help pastors, leaders, churches and all those desiring to thrive with Jesus in emotional and relational health. Their new book Healthy Feelings, Thriving Faith, uses the Enneagram to help you grow in emotional health, loving relationships and intimacy with Jesus.

========================================================

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

TerraMattson.com

RESOURCES

Episode 233: The Best Test for Your Growth - CVI

Tue, 10 Sep 2024 08:27:00 +0000

Apply to our Executive Wholehearted Leadership Cohort -https://www.livingwholehearted.com/leadership-cohorts

When leaders can see themselves and how they are wired, from the most accurate lens possible, they are able to learn to live within their limits. Today we are throwing it back to the beginning and discussing the Core Values Index (CVI) tool that we have been using for 13+ years. This tool has been an integral piece of the work we do here at Living Wholehearted whether it is utilized with individuals, organizations, marriages or families, it has proven time and time again to give people a roadmap to healthier relationships with themselves, in the workplace, and in their personal lives.

========================================================

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

TerraMattson.com

RESOURCES

Episode 232: Tired of Being Tired? How to Rest.

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 10:00:00 +0000

When someone asks you how you are doing, do you typically respond with "fine", "busy" or "tired"? These responses seem to be the norm these days as the treadmill of life never ends, especially for leader types. Today we want to talk about the importance of practicing rhythms of rest with a special guest who understands what it’s like to be tired of being tired.

Jess Connolly is the author or coauthor of several books, including Wild and Free and Breaking Free from Body Shame and her most recent book, “Tired of Being Tired: Receiving God’s Realistic Rest for Your Soul-Deep Exhaustion.”

Along with her husband, Nick, she planted Bright City Church in Charleston, South Carolina, where they live with their four children.

Online: www.JessConnolly.com

Instagram: @JessAConnolly

Book: Tired of Being Tired: Receive God’s Realistic Rest for Your

Soul-Deep Exhaustion

If you are looking for coaching around finding rhythms of rest and beginning Sabbath keeping. Consider reaching out to our spiritual formation and sabbatical coach, Rhonda Began at rhonda@livingwholehearted.com

If you want to know more about Living Wholehearted and the resources we offer, from our books and e-Courses, to our professional counseling and leadership development services, go to livingwholehearted.com and sign up for our monthly newsletters. Each month you will be connected with resources and on-going support for your journey toward living more wholehearted. The application process for our next wholehearted leadership cohort will begin this summer. If you get our newsletter, you will be the first to know! That’s www.livingwholehearted.com or follow us on instagram @living_wholehearted.

========================================================

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

TerraMattson.com

RESOURCES

https://www.livingwholehearted.com/organizational-development

Episode 231: Maintaining Integrity as a Leader

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 10:05:00 +0000

Everyone is a leader is some capacity, and often, "The greatest challenge in leadership is leading yourself". Leading with integrity is about bringing all of who we are — our mind, heart, soul, body, and relationships, before those who we lead. At Living Wholehearted we say that when leaders lead and live with integrity everyone in their wake benefits, but when leaders don't, everyone in their wake pays, it's just a matter of time. Today we get the opportunity to chat with Joe Brouillette as he shares about his experience as a leader, and how he has seen both sides of the leadership coin played out over the years in addition to introducing us to a concept he calls "servant leadership".

Joe is an executive coach and leadership consultant here at Living Wholehearted. He has several decades of Leadership, Board Service and Global Business Experience. He engages and shares his experience, knowledge, and wisdom with business and non-business leaders in ways that enable vision, effectiveness, and impact. Whether you're navigating the complexities of corporate governance or seeking to lead with purpose and innovation, Joe provides tailored guidance and practical strategies to help you achieve your goals. Join him on a transformative journey of leadership growth and organizational success by contacting him at joe@livingwholehearted.com

Find out more about the Executive Coaching, and Organizational Development opportunities offered here at Living Wholehearted by visiting https://www.livingwholehearted.com/executive-coaching

Find Joe specifically at: https://www.livingwholehearted.com/about/our-team/joe-brouillette

Men's Cohort applicants: email jeff@livingwholehearted.com

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Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

TerraMattson.com

RESOURCES

Episode 230: How Can I Be Free From Porn?

Tue, 30 Jul 2024 11:00:00 +0000

Join the movement and connect with us. Go to: http://www.livingwholehearted.com/

Living Wholehearted Counseling Team https://www.livingwholehearted.com/professional-counseling

How does pornography impact our lives, our relationships and our brains? Are you someone who struggles with a pornography addiction, does someone you love struggle, or are you curious about how to talk to your children about this sensitive subject? Today's episode will give a wholistic perspective and a grace based approach on ways to think, feel and respond when conversations regarding pornography are presented to us.

If you are seeking to get support for your pornography addicition or are a person who loves someone who is additcted to pornography and need support, our counselors at Living Wholehearted are passionate about working with individuals and couples as they begin to walk forward on a path to healing. Feel free to contact our assistant, Amber, at info@livingwholehearted.com if you need a personalized recommendation. She will be happy to help! Or visit www.livingwholehearted.com to find a counselor.

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Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

TerraMattson.com

RESOURCES

BOOK: The Heart of Counseling: Discovering and Embracing Your Authentic Self as a Therapist

Episode 229: How to Stay Healthy When Counseling Others

Tue, 16 Jul 2024 11:55:00 +0000

Calling all therapists, both emerging and seasoned, this episode is for you! Today Terra and Dr. Michelle discuss what they have discovered about themselves as experienced clinicians and share what they feel is important for therapists to know as you learn and grow and step into your authentic self in your career.

Dr. Michelle is a tenured professor of counseling at George Fox University, a licesnsed marriage and family therapist, an international speaker, published scholar, supervisor, and teacher. Inspired by her own journey of self discovery in her career, she guides counselors to find their authentic selves in their work. Beyond her professional roles, she is a wife, mother to a spunky tween, a baker, a runner, a nature lover, a reader and a learner.

Are you an emerging or seasoned social worker, counselor or marriage and family therapist?

Do you want to have a thriving career and not be a statistic of your career path?

Do you want to live a more wholehearted life at home, work and in your community and not burnout.

Do you want to be a leader who lives what you preach and breathes that into the lives of those you lead?

Do you want to better understand trauma, secondary trauma, and increase your effectiveness with your clients?

Do you need hours toward licensure (OR, WA, CA only) or CE’s to mature as a clinician learning the LW holistic approach of healing.

Do you want to build a thriving private practice or create a trusted community of counselors in your community?

Do you want a community of like-minded clinicians and be coached by Terra Mattson and Dr. Michelle Engblom-Deglmann?

Living Wholehearted is accepting applications for our very first Helper's Cohort that will launch in the fall of 2024! And if you answered yes to the questions above, this Helper’s Wholehearted Leadership Cohort experience is for you! Apply today at https://www.livingwholehearted.com/helpers-cohort-application

ONLINE:https://michelleengblom.com//

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Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

TerraMattson.com

RESOURCES

Episode 228: Parenting On Phones and Social Media

Tue, 02 Jul 2024 12:00:00 +0000

What do we know to be true about digital devices and social media? Today we are talking as clinicians, executive coaches and parents about what the research is showing with regard to the impact that the digital world is having on us, our children and our teens.

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Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

TerraMattson.com

RESOURCES

Episode 227: Letting Go of Expectations

Tue, 18 Jun 2024 09:25:00 +0000

Are you a high-capacity female leader? Join our cohort here: https://www.livingwholehearted.com/womens-cohort-application

The historical, societal and cultural pressures that women face to live their lives a certain way is palpable for many 20-30 year olds today. With 80% of our life's most defining moments happening before the age of 35, the pressure to bring life's biggest decisions to fruition, coupled with the external pressure of what this phase of life should look like is a real struggle for many who are living in the ""Everything Era"". As an emerging leader, are you considering at this time in your life who you want to spend time with? What do you want to do for work? How will you make it through really big life transitions, (marriage, parenting, home ownership ect)? Perhaps you too are feeling the pressure of life's decisions edging in close.

Stephanie May Wilson is an author, a podcaster, a speaker, and the go-to guide for 20- and 30-something women as they navigate their most important relationships. Through her books, her courses, and her chart-topping podcast, Girls Night with Stephanie May Wilson (with 7 million downloads), she has mentored more than a million women as they cultivate healthy, thriving relationships with God, their friends, their significant others, and with themselves.

Instagram: @Smaywilson

Facebook: @LipstickGospel

Podcast: Girls Night Podcast

Create a Life You Love: How To Quiet Outside Voices So You Can Finally Hear Your Own

https://www.amazon.com/Create-Life-You-Love-Outside-ebook/dp/B0CCV1RMLV

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Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

TerraMattson.com

RESOURCES

Episode 226: How to Do Healthy Conflict

Tue, 04 Jun 2024 09:45:00 +0000

Walking through conflict well is the topic of todays conversation. Listen in as we discuss the root of every conflict, tools for regulating, triggers, understanding your communication style and tips for what might help to solve 80% of your conflicts.

By listening to one another, and seeking some sense of unity, you can have success in utilizing these skills in your workplace, friendships, while parenting, and in your marriage.

If you are wanting to get ahead and learn how to move through conflict in a healthier way, or are experiencing unhealthy conflict and are ready to learn a different way, consider reaching out to our trusted marriage counselors.

www.livingwholehearted.com. Dr. Michelle, Meghan, Heidi, Dana and Jessica are all passionate about working with couples. Feel free to contact our assistant, Amber, at info@livingwholehearted.com if you need a personalized recommendation. She will be happy to help!

Jeff and I also do marriage coaching at this point in our careers. If you are interested in working with one of us or going through our leadership cohorts, freel free to contact jeff@livingwholehearted.com

Email Jeff at jeff@livingwholehearted.com or Terra at info@livingwholehearted.com.

Take the CVI here https://www.livingwholehearted.com/cvi and learn your communication and conflict styles.

Email jeff@livingwholehearted.com directly if you want to schedule an individual or martial coaching session around your CVI.

Join the movement and connect with us. Go to http://www.livingwholehearted.com/

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

RESOURCES

Talking to Kids About Gender Identity

Episode 225: Compassion and Conviction with Gender and Sexual Identity

Tue, 21 May 2024 10:30:00 +0000

Sexuality and gender identity. These topics can sometimes be triggering or hold all kinds of connotations. Whether you have fears, concerns, or are so excited to finally hear us talking about this on the podcast, welcome. Take a deep breath and be ready to learn, wherever you are coming from today. Whether you are a part of a more conservative community or progressive community, whether this is personal or impacting those you love. Whether you are raising children or working with teens and young adults and you see this conversation impacting all of what they discern about God, the church and relationships, we hope today's episode will aid you in approaching this conversation with more grace, nuance and intention.

Our guest today is Dr. Mark Yarhouse. He is an award-winning teacher, psychologist, and researcher, who has authored numerous books and articles, including the featured white paper on sexual identity for the Gospel Coalition's Christ on Campus Initiative. He is the director of the Sexual & Gender Identity Institute at Wheaton College, and has spent the majority of his career studying and writing about the world of gender identities. His latest book, Talking to Kids About Gender Identity: A Roadmap for Christian Compassion, Civility, and Conviction is a thorough, practical guide for Christian parents to use as they navigate daunting conversations with their children from a Biblical perspective.

Join the movement and connect with us. Go to http://www.livingwholehearted.com/

Dr. Mark Yarhouse:

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Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

TerraMattson.com

RESOURCES

Life together by Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Episode 224: Identity, Sexuality and Anxiety

Fri, 17 May 2024 18:31:00 +0000

Overwhelming and growing concerns around anxiety, identity, sexuality, and gender confusion are a few of the topics that we are venturing down today. Join us in this honest, real and thoughtful conversation as we seek to understand the current state of the Church (capital C) and the cultural needs of our times.

Aaron has been the Worship Arts Pastor at Rolling Hills Community Church in outside Portland, OR since 2003 where he leads worship and shares teaching responsibilities. Before pastoring at Rolling Hills, Aaron spent several years in Nashville, TN working as an accountant for RCA/Sony/Arista Records, as well as performing on stage and in the studio. He’s been writing and leading music for the greater Church for over 25 years, exploring the unique role that music plays in our understanding of God and our connection to Him. In 2016, he released an album called ‘HYMNS’ that revisits many of the songs that were formative in his own faith journey and are now part of his family’s life. He’s finishing up his Master’s in Applied Biblical Leadership program at Western Seminary and is married to his beautiful bride, Christina and raising three teen daughters where he tries to assail them with his quality Dad Jokes.

Aaron Doerr

Instagram: @doerrjams

website: doerrjams.com

Link to his Hymns album

I am not my own

I am not my own lyrics

Story behind the song

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

RESOURCES

Episode 223: Parenting - Shaping Good Theology with our Kids and Women in Ministry

Tue, 07 May 2024 09:18:00 +0000

"Developing good theology with our chidlren can be a difficult responsibility. It's hard to answer their questions about ""where is God"" and ""why do bad things happen?"" Where do we go, as parents, to find resources to help guide us along the way? Today, this conversation will be a gift - whether you are a parent trying to raise your children in a faith they won't be wounded by - or someone who is trying to heal from church wounds yourself. We also dive into the topic of women in ministy, as our guests are ordained ministers in the heart of Texas. Whether we are talking about God’s presence in good times and hard times and the unique lens women bring to the pulpit, this conversation is for you. At Living Wholehearted, we serve leaders in all kinds of organizations, including the church.

As mothers and pastors Victoria Robb Powers and Cameron Mason Vickrey created Reverend Mamas, an online community that highlights inclusive, faith-based resources for parents and children. What started as a joke that they should write the book they wanted to recommend to other parents, their vision turned into a reality and the pair are releasing their own children’s book, My Love, God Is Everywhere."

And, if you’re a girl mom, check out mycourageousgirls.com.

=======================

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

RESOURCES

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

Dear Mattsons

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

Episode 222: Parenting | How the Brain and Mind are Key to Best Parenting Practices

Tue, 23 Apr 2024 09:38:00 +0000

When neuroscience meets love and logic, you are going to get practical tools to help children of all ages go from behavioral problems like defiance, meltdowns, and power struggles to being:

More responsible, confident, kind, resilient

Better prepared to make good decisions

More focused and motivated

Better able to have healthy relationships.

Listen in to this episode for tips on how to really hit the mark on what parents need, and what children need in order to make a lasting shift for everyone.

#1 New York Times bestselling author and neuropsychiatrist Dr. Daniel Amen and child psychologist Dr. Charles Fay have teamed up to reveal what’s missing from most parenting books. Addressing both the brain and the mind of your child (and yourself) in order to effectively raise good and strong humans.

Charles Fay, PhD, is an internationally recognized author, consultant, and public speaker. He is also president of the Love and Logic Institute, which became part of Amen Clinics in 2020. Millions of educators, mental health professionals, and parents worldwide have benefited from Dr. Fay's down-to-earth solutions.

BOOKS- Raising Mentally Strong Kids

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If you are a woman, and you are interested in monthly group coaching, we’ve got a fantastic opportunity for you! We’re kicking off a new Women’s Group Coaching six-month session in April! You can join anytime. Find out more at www.livingwholehearted.com/womens-group-coaching.

And, if you’re a girl mom, check out mycourageousgirls.com.

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

RESOURCES

Episode 221: Parenting: Life is Messy - Perspective to Enjoy the Ride

Tue, 09 Apr 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Life is messy. But what if we flipped the switch and look at even the seemingly ordinary places in our lives to find our greater pupose? So many of us think that we need to clean up our lives in order for God to use us. But what if He’s in the middle of the messes too? What if the messes are where He does his best work?

Cynthia Yanof is a wife, mother, podcaster, blogger, and everyday girl who is ridiculously committed to not taking herself too seriously. Cynthia worked as an attorney before pursuing a career encouraging and equipping women in their God-given callings. She currently hosts the popular MESSmerized podcast, and many Christians are also familiar with her work for ChristianParenting.org, as well as her time as the creator and host of the ministry’s Pardon the Mess podcast. She loves speaking, writing, foster care, and hanging out in Dallas with her husband Mike and three kids.

ONLINE -https://cynthiayanof.com/

SOCIAL -

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/cynthia.yanof

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cynthiayanof/

BOOKS/PODCAST - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/messmerized/id1687839937

Book: Life Is Messy, God Is Good

=======================

And, if you’re a girl mom, check out mycourageousgirls.com.

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

RESOURCES

Episode 220: Leadership, Gen Z, and the Mental Health Crisis

Tue, 26 Mar 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Today we are talking about the mental health crisis, GEN Z and leadership tips for our own mental health.

We discuss the power of rest and four key aspects of healthy leaders. Dr. Van Der Kolk, one of the leading researchers on trauma, says that we are seeing unresolved trauma as the leading health crisis of our times.

Mental health counselors have become the new “priest” or “pastor” to many, helping people find a healthy way toward God and others. Not saying this is right, but it is true.

So to talk about the current mental health crisis, and how we as mental health providers can be a part of the solution and not add to the pain, we have a newer friend of ours, Zach Clinton, with us today.

Zach Clinton currently serves as the Vice President of the American Association of Christian Counselors. He is the host of the renowned ‘Built Different Podcast’ and is President & Host of Ignite Men’s Impact Weekend that gathers nearly 10,000 men each year. A Licensed Resident Counselor in Virginia, he is completing his doctoral program in Counselor Education & Supervision at Liberty University. He is a former Division 1 college baseball player and is recognized as a growing authority and voice on performance, motivational psychology, and mental health for today’s generations. You won't want to miss this episode!

https://zachclinton.com

@Zach Clinton

@American Association of Christian Counselors

@The Built Different Podcast

Instagram

@zach_clinton6

@theaacc_

@builtdifferentministry

NEXT GEN - AACC https://nextgenconference.net/

=======================

And, if you’re a girl mom, check out mycourageousgirls.com.

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

RESOURCES

Truth Talks with Tara (www.tarasunministries.com/podcast)

Episode 219: Friendship Part 2 - Healthy Vs. Unhealthy, Myths and More with Connie Armerding

Tue, 12 Mar 2024 05:00:00 +0000

Today we are continuing our conversation around friendship with an emphasis on boundaries, unhealthy friendships, and where counseling and coaching come in throughout the seasons of life. Every healthy leader has good friends. Our personal friendships help us sustain our integrity over the long-haul of life, so, it's worth spending two full episodes to unpack the healthy and unhealthy elements of friendship. Terra Mattson, co-host of the podcast and co-founder of Living Wholehearted, has a candid conversation with one of the Living Wholehearted Executive Coaches, Connie Armerding, about friendship; what it is and what it is not. Connie and Tera were friends before working together at Living Wholehearted, and they have genuine insights to offer about the myths that run interference, particularly with female leaders, and how we can move toward building healthy friendships.

Terra Mattson is co-founder of Living Wholehearted, a professional counseling, executive coaching, and organizational development firm outside Portland, Oregon, helping leaders live and lead with integrity. She is also the founder and executive director of the non-profit Courageous Girls. She is co-author of Shrinking the Integrity Gap: Between What Leaders Preach and Live, and Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace, where she talks extensively about friendship (learn more at livingwholehearted.com mycourageousgirls.com). Follow her on IG @terramattson

Connie Armerding is an Executive Coach & Leadership Consultant, Writer, Speaker, and Teacher. She is passionate about equipping ministry and marketplace leaders by creating spiritually and emotionally healthy cultures among leaders and their communities. Connie holds degrees from Wheaton College in Interpersonal Communication and a MA in Leadership. She’s been published with Propel Women, Patheos, and the Redbud Post. She is a contributing writer of Friendzy and is currently working on a project with Nav Press as a contributor to Reflecting God's Nature, the Women's Devotional Bible based on The Message. Connie also leads conflict resolution training for organizational teams and teaches and preaches at churches and conferences across the Pacific Northwest. She has been married to her husband, Taylor, for twenty years, and they are raising four children here in Oregon. Want to work with Connie? Email her at connie@livingwholehearted.com.

To connect with Connie Armerding, visit:

EMAIL -

connie@livingwholehearted.com

ONLINE -

www.livingwholehearted.com

www.conniearmerding.com

SOCIAL -

Facebook - @connie.armerding

Instagram - @carmerding

=======================

And, if you’re a girl mom, check out mycourageousgirls.com.

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

RESOURCES

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

https://www.livingwholehearted.com/store/books

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholehearted.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

https://www.livingwholehearted.com/store/books

Dear Mattsons

https://www.christianparenting.org/dearmattsons/

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

http://cpguides.org

=======================

The Living Wholehearted Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be visit www.ChristianParenting.org

Episode 218: Friendship Part 1 - Healthy Vs. Unhealthy, Myths and More with Connie Armerding

Tue, 27 Feb 2024 06:00:00 +0000

Every healthy leader has good friends. Our personal friendships help us sustain our integrity over the long-haul of life. So it's worth spending two full episodes to unpack the healthy and unhealthy elements of friendship. Terra Mattson, co-host of the podcast and co-founder of Living Wholehearted, has a candid conversation with one of the Living Wholehearted Executive Coaches, Connie Armerding, about friendship - what it is and what it is not. Connie and Terra were friends before working together at Living Wholehearted. They offer some genuine insights into the myths that run interference, particularly with female leaders, and how we can move toward building healthy friendships. Connie and Terra both coach women in leadership, do organizational development retreats, and love leading the Wholehearted Leadership Cohorts. Learn more at livingwholehearted.com

Terra Mattson is co-founder of Living Wholehearted, a professional counseling, executive coaching, and organizational development firm outside Portland, Oregon, helping leaders live and lead with integrity. She is also the founder and executive director of the non-profit Courageous Girls. She is co-author of Shrinking the Integrity Gap: Between What Leaders Preach and Live, and Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace, where she talks extensively about friendship. (Learn more about Courageous Girls at www.mycourageousgirls.com, and follow Terra on Instagram @terramattson)

To connect with Connie Armerding, visit:

EMAIL -

connie@livingwholehearted.com

ONLINE -

www.livingwholehearted.com

www.conniearmerding.com

SOCIAL -

Facebook - @connie.armerding

Instagram - @carmerding

=======================

Don't forget our unique Wholehearted Leadership Cohort opportunities. Applications are open for the next one-year and two-year cohorts. In fact, the Cohort experience might be the very thing that helps you see long-term shifts in your leadership at work and at home. We'd love to come alongside you! Learn more and apply today at www.livingwholehearted.com/cohort.

And, if you’re a girl mom, check out mycourageousgirls.com.

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

RESOURCES

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

https://www.livingwholehearted.com/store/books

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholehearted.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

https://www.livingwholehearted.com/store/books

Dear Mattsons

https://www.christianparenting.org/dearmattsons/

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

http://cpguides.org

=======================

Episode 217: Marriage - The Power of our Story with Chris Bruno

Tue, 13 Feb 2024 06:00:00 +0000

Marriage is an amazing gift. And yet, it can reveal a lot of our weaknesses, vulnerabilities and our growth edges. Today we talk with Chris Bruno about the most common struggles for marriages today and how we can fulfill our greatest desires for deep connection, to be known, and to truly know one another within our marriages.

Chris Bruno is a licensed professional counselor and the founder and CEO of ReStory Counseling and Restoration Project. He, along with Tracy Johnson, are the marriage experts of Thrive Marriage Lab, ReStory Marriage Intensives, and co-hosts of the Thrive Marriage Podcast. He is a colleague of authors, speakers, and counselors like Dr. Dan Allender of The Allender Center, Dr. Curt Thompson of The Anatomy of the Soul, Sheila Wray Gregoire of The Great Sex Rescue, and Milan and Kay Yerkovitch of How We Love. His goal is to help couples stay married and love being married. His team has helped hundreds of couples explore their story, and come to understand and care for one another more deeply.

To connect with Chris Bruno, go to:

Website - https://www.restory.life/

Facebook - www.facebook.com/ReStory.Life

Instagram - @storyrestored

To find Thrive Marriage Lab go to:

Website - https://www.restory.life/thrive

Instagram - @ThriveMarriageLab

Youtube - @ThriveMarriageLab

FREE 12 Months of Dates - How date nights can lead to connection.

Subscribe here - www.restory.life/thrive-dates

How healthy is your marriage?

Take our FREE marriage assessment here: https://www.restory.life/marriage-assessment

=======================

And, if you’re a girl mom, check out mycourageousgirls.com.

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

RESOURCES

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

https://www.livingwholehearted.com/store/books

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholehearted.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

https://www.livingwholehearted.com/store/books

Dear Mattsons

https://www.christianparenting.org/dearmattsons/

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

http://cpguides.org

=======================

Episode 216: Leaders Accept Their Limits with Sara Hagerty

Tue, 30 Jan 2024 06:00:00 +0000

So many messages, particularly those heard in leadership circles, urge us to move past our limits. No pain no gain. This message is loud and clear at the gym, and some of us even hear it at church. Sometimes it’s subtle. Sometimes it’s in your face. “See what you're made of!”

Don’t get us wrong, we love a good challenge, but we also believe many of us have a false view of our actual capacities. The pace of our lives says something. At times we might find ourselves feeling like it’s all too much. Too much laundry and too many bills. Too many appointments, meetings, and responsibilities. Too many open tabs on our browser. We go to bed exhausted, too tired to enjoy a few minutes with our own thoughts.

What if learning to accept our human limits allows us to fully reach our potential? In our work, especially with our Wholehearted Leadership Cohorts, we often say, “Wholehearted leaders learn to love their limits.” We explore this idea of limits, accepting our circumstances and fences that appear in our lives, with our guest, Sara Hagerty. As a driver and leader herself, she has experienced infertility, illness, loss and much more.

Sara Hagerty is a bestselling author and Jesus follower. She is the wife and mother of seven – four adopted from Africa and three through miracle pregnancies. Her first book, Every Bitter Thing Is Sweet (2014), ponders the conflict inherent when life’s expectations do not meet up with reality. Her latest book, The Gift of Limitations: Finding Beauty in Your Boundaries (March 2024), illustrates how our greatest weaknesses are the doorway to rich intimacy with God. Sara and her family live in Missouri.

To connect with Sara Hagerty, go to:

ONLINE -

sarahagerty.net

SOCIAL -

Facebook - @sarahagertywrites

Instagram - @sarahagertywrites

NEW BOOK -

The Gift of Limitations: Finding Beauty in Your Boundaries (March 2024)

=======================

Don't forget that our TWO-year Executive Wholehearted Leadership Cohort applications are NOW open for a March 2024 start date. In fact, the Cohort might be the very thing that helps you see long-term shifts in your leadership at work and at home, finding more peace and pace in your life. We'd love to come alongside you! Learn more and apply today at www.livingwholehearted.com/cohort.

And, if you’re a girl mom, check out mycourageousgirls.com.

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

RESOURCES

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

https://www.livingwholehearted.com/store/books

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholehearted.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

https://www.livingwholehearted.com/store/books

Dear Mattsons

https://www.christianparenting.org/dearmattsons/

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

http://cpguides.org

=======================

Episode 215: Digital Fasts: Bringing More Peace and Connection with Josh and Jaelyn Harrel

Tue, 16 Jan 2024 06:00:00 +0000

It’s a new year and we are setting new trends. What if we all decided to fast from our digital devices for 40 days? What do you think would happen? What do you think would be the effects on your mental health, your spiritual growth, your marriage, your kids? Well, you don’t have to imagine very long because we have an amazing couple with us today who are near and dear to our hearts and they did this very thing.

Jaelyn and Josh Harrel are podcast hosts of the Restored Living Podcast. They wear many hats, including parents to 3 amazing boys and running multiple businesses they’ve started. They have been married for 11 years and currently reside in Queen Creek, Arizona.

To connect with Josh and Jaelyn Harrel, go to:

ONLINE -

www.restoredliving.org

SOCIAL -

Instagram - @restoredliving

BOOKS/PODCAST -

Restored Living Podcast

=======================

And, if you’re a girl mom, check out mycourageousgirls.com.

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

RESOURCES

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

https://www.livingwholehearted.com/store/books

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholehearted.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

https://www.livingwholehearted.com/store/books

Dear Mattsons

https://www.christianparenting.org/dearmattsons/

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

http://cpguides.org

=======================

Episode 214: Pacing Ourselves - Finishing Well with the Mattsons

Tue, 02 Jan 2024 06:00:00 +0000

It's a new year and new year's resolutions are on the rise - while anxiety, business and lack of clarity are too. What if we committed our year to PEACE and PACE? What if wholehearted leaders took time to assess all of who they are and where they are going? What if we got less busy this year and created margin and white space in our times at work, home, and at play? What if?

Join us as we unpack why white space and boredom are essential to a healthy brain and wholehearted leadership. We also talk about the Core Values Index and how this shapes what our goal setting and pacinging looks like for the year. If you want more peace this year, and less anxiety, stress, and disappointment in what is NOT happening, then listen in. Whether you are a parent, a CEO, a ministry leader or all of the above, this conversation is for you.

And don't forget that our TWO-year Executive Wholehearted Leadership Cohort applications are NOW open for a March 2024 start date. In fact, the Cohort might be the very thing that helps you see long-term shifts in your leadership at work and at home, finding more peace and pace in your life. We'd love to come alongside you! Learn more and apply today at www.livingwholehearted.com/cohort

We hope you'll stick around this year and spend some time with us. It's going to be a GOOD year.

=======================

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

RESOURCES

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

https://www.livingwholehearted.com/store/books

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholehearted.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

https://www.livingwholehearted.com/store/books

Dear Mattsons

https://www.christianparenting.org/dearmattsons/

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

http://cpguides.org

=======================

Episode 213: How to Ditch Your Control with Tara Sun

Tue, 26 Dec 2023 06:00:00 +0000

Tara Sun is the host of Truth Talks with Tara and author of, Surrender Your Story: Ditch the Myth of Control and Discover Freedom in Trusting God (Thomas Nelson, March 7, 2023). After trying to white-knuckle her way through life, Tara discovered that surrendering to God leads to a life filled with joy, peace and meaning. Coming from a performance based tradition and living so many years with constant striving, her encounter with grace is a gift she wants to share with everyone she knows. She shows how to break down God’s Word into understandable pieces, while also adding an artistic flare through her digital art. Tara is married to her high school sweetheart, Michael, and is a mom to their newest addition, Hunter. You’ll find them living and serving the Lord in Oregon.

Two things Terra and Tara have in common. Can you guess? Our names (well…sort of) and Oregon culture. Most of our podcast guests are from other places, but it’s so fun to talk to a native Oregonian who gets the terrain of this part of the world!

To connect with Tara, visit:

WEBSITE -

tarasunministries.com

SOCIAL -

Youtube - Tara Sun’s Youtube Channel (www.youtube.com/c/tarasun)

Pinterest -pinterest.com/miss_tara_sun

Instagram - @misstarasun

PODCAST/BOOK -

Surrender Your Story: Ditch the Myth of Control and Discover Freedom in Trusting God (www.thomasnelson.com/p/surrenderyourstory)

=======================

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

RESOURCES

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

https://www.livingwholehearted.com/store/books

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholehearted.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

https://www.livingwholehearted.com/store/books

Dear Mattsons

https://www.christianparenting.org/dearmattsons/

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

http://cpguides.org

=======================

Episode 212: Forgiveness - What It Is and What It's Not with the Mattsons

Tue, 19 Dec 2023 06:00:00 +0000

As we reflect on 2023, it's important to consider the fact that we’ve all picked up offenses over the past twelve months. One of the ways we stay healthy and wholehearted is doing our forgiveness work. The church isn't always clear about how to forgive, leaving many of us with the right motive, but not always the right methods. Sometimes we even confuse forgiveness with reconciliation, trust, or with forgetting. As you move through the rest of this year and into the next, keep in mind that becoming a wholehearted leader at home, work and in the community requires each of us to own what we can, forgive what we can, and reconcile where we can. Listen in to learn the difference and how to create a culture where forgiveness is as familiar as breathing. Combining mental health, spiritual formation, and trauma-informed abuse recovery, this conversation is complex, but vital to our health and wholeness.

Jeff and Terra Mattson are the co-hosts of the Living Wholehearted Podcast. They are also the founders of Living Wholehearted, a professional counseling, executive coaching, and organizational development firm outside Portland, Oregon, helping leaders live and lead with integrity. Their team of professionals are coming alongside leaders in the home, work and community, providing confidential and safe places for leaders, and their families and teams, to find healing, wholeness, and health. Jeff and Terra are also co-authors of the book Shrinking the Integrity Gap: Between What Leaders Preach and Live, co-founders of Courageous Girls, a non-profit dedicated to helping moms walk alongside their daughters at every stage of their growing years (learn more at mycourageousgirls.com), and parents of two teen girls. Bridging the gap between Biblical truth, clinical expertise, and trauma-informed relational wisdom, the Mattsons are writing, speaking, training, and coaching leaders in both sacred and secular spaces so there are more wholehearted leaders in a broken and hurting world.

=======================

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

RESOURCES

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

https://www.livingwholehearted.com/store/books

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholehearted.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

https://www.livingwholehearted.com/store/books

Dear Mattsons

https://www.christianparenting.org/dearmattsons/

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

http://cpguides.org

=======================

Episode 211: Creating Homes & Spaces for Peace, Comfort and Deeper Connection with Anh Lin

Tue, 12 Dec 2023 06:00:00 +0000

We are ending 2023 with some lighter topics! So let's talk about our HOME and the spaces we live in. The word HOME has layers of meaning for so many. If you pause long enough to reflect, you might find some good, or not so good, emotions floating under the surface. Whether you never had a stable place you called home, you moved a lot, your family didn't have many resources, or your home was a place of safety and comfort, today's conversation is for anyone who wants to create meaningful spaces for their own peace of mind, their family, and those they invite into their home.

Terra Mattson, Living Wholehearted co-host and professional counselor and executive coach, talks with designer, Anh Lin, about the way our homes play a key role in our stories. Whether you want to learn some new design tips (not our typical podcast vibe) or you want to understand the importance of environmental spaces and how they affect our mind, body and spirit, listen in. Anh shares her own journey of moving to California from Vietnam as a little girl and the way her early story shapes the value she sees in having a forever home to live in now, and with Jesus someday as well.

Anh Lin is a dynamic interior stylist celebrated for her captivating designs and thought-provoking writing, including, The Abundant Life Devotional Journal. In 2014, Anh’s passion for storytelling and empathy for others inspired her to start the popular faith and lifestyle blog “Girl and The Word”. Since launching the blog, Ahn has continued to expand her influence through YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and her successful online shop, The Hooga Shop. She lives in a renovated 1940s fixer-upper with her husband and adorable corgi, Ollie. Her upcoming book, Forever Home: Moving Beyond Brokenness to Build a Strong and Beautiful Life, reflects her personal journey and provides insightful guidance for creating a fulfilling and meaningful life.

To connect with Anh Lin, visit:

WEBSITE -

www.girlandtheword.com

www.thehoogashop.com

SOCIAL -

Youtube - www.youtube.com/girlandtheword

Instagram - www.instagram.com/girlandtheword

BOOK-

Forever Home: A Transformative Journey of Healing, Empowerment, and Inner Peace

=======================

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

RESOURCES

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

https://www.livingwholehearted.com/store/books

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholehearted.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

https://www.livingwholehearted.com/store/books

Dear Mattsons

https://www.christianparenting.org/dearmattsons/

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

http://cpguides.org

=======================

Episode 210: Problems Leaders Face & The Wholehearted Leadership Cohort with the Mattsons and Connie Armerding

Tue, 05 Dec 2023 06:00:00 +0000

"Wherever you go, there you are." Whether you are a leader at home, in the workplace, in a faith community, or somewhere else, your individual story and wiring inform the type of person you are when you show up to lead. Today Terra and Jeff Mattson have a round table conversation with our guest, Connie Armerding, about how coming to the leadership table, as your most unique, integrated and healthy self, can ultimately lead to less stress and more peace for you and those within your circle.

If you are a leader looking for a space to invest in your own leadership growth, you're in luck! We have two Wholehearted Leadership Cohorts starting soon and applications are open! Our next one-year Women's Cohort begins in January 2024 and the next two-year co-ed Executive’s Cohort begins in March 2024. To register, or for more information to help you discern which cohort is the best fit for you, visit www.livingwholehearted.com/cohort. APPLY NOW!

Jeff and Terra Mattson are the co-hosts of the Living Wholehearted Podcast. They are also the founders of Living Wholehearted, a professional counseling, executive coaching, and organizational development firm outside Portland, Oregon, helping leaders live and lead with integrity. Their team of professionals are coming alongside leaders in the home, work and community, providing confidential and safe places for leaders, and their families and teams, to find healing, wholeness, and health. Jeff and Terra are the co-hosts of the weekly Living Wholehearted Podcast, co-authors of the book, Shrinking the Integrity Gap: Between What Leaders Preach and Live, and are raising their two teen girls. They are also the founders of Courageous Girls, a non-profit dedicated to helping moms walk alongside their daughters at every stage of their growing years (learn more at mycourageousgirls.com). Bridging the gap between Biblical truth, clinical expertise, and trauma-informed relational wisdom, the Mattsons are writing, speaking, training, counseling and coaching leaders, knowing that when a leader lives and leads with integrity, everyone in their wake benefits. Want to work with the Mattsons? Email info@livingwholehearted.com.

To connect with Connie Armerding, visit:

WEBSITE -

www.livingwholehearted.com/connie-armerding-bio

www.conniearmerding.com

SOCIAL -

Facebook - www.facebook.com/connie.armerding

Instagram - www.instagram.com/carmerding

EMAIL-

connie@livingwholehearted.com

=======================

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

RESOURCES

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

https://www.livingwholehearted.com/store/books

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholehearted.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

https://www.livingwholehearted.com/store/books

Dear Mattsons

https://www.christianparenting.org/dearmattsons/

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

http://cpguides.org

=======================

Episode 209: Disobedient God - When God Goes Off-Script with Albert Tate

Tue, 28 Nov 2023 06:00:00 +0000

If you lived a little and journeyed a while with God, you might have come to realize that God has His own ways that often appear to run counter to ours. Hard times come. Our prayers get answered, but in ways we never anticipated. God goes “off script”, as our guest today would say. In this episode we talk about the idea of having a relationship with a God who not only allows suffering, but journeys with us in that suffering. We don’t like it. But learning to embrace all of who God is allows us to live more free and wholeheartedly. What does it look like to doubt well? Can God handle our wrestling? When God doesn't show up "on time" is he still good? This conversation is for any leader who is facing the underbelly of their own faith as they lead others or those who are going through hard times and want a message that brings life, and doesn’t leave you more deflated.

Today’s guest is Albert Tate, the founding and lead pastor of Fellowship Church in Los Angeles County California. He began his ministry pastoring just a few families at Sweet Home Church in Mississippi before serving the historic multi ethnic and multi-generational Lake Avenue Church in Pasadena, California. As a dynamic communicator, Albert is passionate about sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ both locally and globally. He serves on the Board of Trustees at Azusa Pacific University, the Global Leadership Network, and Global Church Planting Organization, Stadia. Albert is also the Founder and CEO of The Greatest Story, Inc, and President of Harambee Ministries. His first book was entitled, “How We Love Matters: A Call to Practice Relentless Racial Reconciliation.” Albert is the proud father of four children: Zoe, Bethany, Isaac, and Micah. His latest book, "Disobedient God: Trusting a God Who Goes Off-Script" is one for every library.

To connect with Albert Tate, visit:

WEBSITE -

https://alberttate.com/

SOCIAL -

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/albert.tate.5/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/alberttate

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/alberttate/

BOOKS -

Disobedient God: Trusting a God Who Goes Off-Script

How We Love Matters: A Call to Practice Relentless Racial Reconciliation

=======================

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

RESOURCES

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

https://www.livingwholehearted.com/store/books

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

Dear Mattsons

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

http://cpguides.org

=======================

Episode 208: Overcoming the Impact of Divorce on your Leadership with Brandi Wilson

Tue, 21 Nov 2023 06:00:00 +0000

Divorce was not the end of her story.

In 2016, Brandi Wilson watched as her husband – a megachurch pastor – walked away from their church and their family. As her marriage dissolved, Brandi also lost her church community, her dreams for the future, and a huge part of her identity. She and her three boys began a journey marked by deep grief and suffering – but also hope, freedom, boldness, and peace. Sadly, Brandi’s story is far too familiar. One of the reasons we founded Living Wholehearted, and wrote our book, Shrinking the Integrity Gap, is for both the prevention and restoration of stories like Brandi’s.

Brandi Wilson is an author, coach, and speaker who has been in leadership for more than a decade at Leading and Loving It, a non-profit created to empower women to love life and ministry. Brandi has helped plant two churches and is passionate about walking alongside single moms and divorced women as they navigate parenting and life. Her latest book is titled, Better Than Okay: Finding Hope and Healing After Your Marriage Ends. Brandi lives with her three sons in Nashville, TN.

To connect with Brandi Wilson , visit:

WEBSITE:

lovebrandiwilson.com

SOCIAL:

Instagram - lovebrandiwilson

BOOK:

Better Than Okay: Finding Hope and Healing After Your Marriage Ends, By Brandi Wilson

=======================

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

RESOURCES

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

https://www.livingwholehearted.com/store/books

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

Dear Mattsons

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

http://cpguides.org

=======================

Episode 207: Adopting and Fostering Through a Trauma-Lens with Dr. Sharen Ford

Tue, 14 Nov 2023 06:00:00 +0000

National Adoption Day is November 18. At Living Wholehearted, we work with leaders and their families. From professional counseling with children, teens, couples and families to executive coaching and organizational and leadership development, our passion is helping leaders live with integrity at home, work and in the community. Among the various clients we serve, many have foster or adopted children, are considering the options, or are dealing with some of the unique challenges associated with caring for these children. We are excited to have Dr. Sharen Ford with us today, who has expertise and passion in this area.

Dr. Sharen Ford is a nationally-recognized child welfare consultant and the retired Manager for Permanency Services for the Colorado Department of Human Services. She retired with 30 years of comprehensive work history with the department, overseeing six programmatic areas including the Foster Care and Adoption Program. She is the former President of the National Association of State Adoption Programs (NASAP). She currently serves as the Director for Foster Care and Adoption at Focus on the Family and is as committed as ever to raising awareness regarding the need for every child to have a quality family.

To connect with Dr. Sharen Ford, visit:

ONLINE:

https://www.focusonthefamily.com/

SOCIAL:

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/focusonthefamily/

Twitter - @FocusFamily

=======================

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

RESOURCES

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

Dear Mattsons

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

=======================

Episode 206: The Power of "No" as You Prepare for the Holidays with Jeff and Terra Mattson

Tue, 07 Nov 2023 06:00:00 +0000

It's NOVEMBER! The holidays are upon us. Some of you have already been watching Hallmark movies and others are in denial, as you anticipate being overwhelmed by all the extra things that will clamor for your time and attention…Christmas celebrations, children's choir concerts, office holiday parties, and complicated family dynamics. Listen in as we, Jeff and Terra, give you some real-time tips on how to move through the holidays with more joy, more peace, and more MARGIN! Get ahead of what's coming and prepare yourself well. We cover how to say "no" to all the offers, “no” to spending more than you have, and “no” to unreasonable extended family expectations, so you can say “yes” to protecting your own personal and family needs, and “yes” to serving others. Anyone can benefit from this conversation.

Jeff and Terra Mattson are the co-hosts of the Living Wholehearted Podcast. They are also the founders of Living Wholehearted, a professional counseling, executive coaching, and organizational development firm outside Portland, Oregon, helping leaders live and lead with integrity. Their team of professionals are coming alongside leaders in the home, work and community, providing confidential and safe places for leaders, and their families and teams, to find healing, wholeness, and health. Jeff and Terra are the co-hosts of the weekly Living Wholehearted Podcast, co-authors of the book Shrinking the Integrity Gap: Between What Leaders Preach and Live, and are raising their two teen girls. They are also the founders of Courageous Girls, a non-profit dedicated to helping moms walk alongside their daughters at every stage of their growing years (learn more at mycourageousgirls.com). Bridging the gap between Biblical truth, clinical expertise, and trauma-informed relational wisdom, the Mattsons are writing, speaking, training, and coaching leaders in both sacred and secular spaces so there are more wholehearted leaders in a broken and hurting world.

=======================

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

RESOURCES

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

https://www.livingwholehearted.com/store/books

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

Dear Mattsons

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

http://cpguides.org

=======================

Episode 205: Do the Thing With Grace and Grit, with Rebecca George

Tue, 31 Oct 2023 05:00:00 +0000

Our guest for this episode is author and podcaster Rebecca George. She is here to spur us on with her latest book entitled, Do the Thing: Gospel-Centered Goals, Gumption, and Grace for the Go-Getter Girl (Esther Press at David C. Cook, April 4, 2023). Rebecca George is the founder of Radical Radiance® —a podcast community where listeners are equipped to blend what they love with the Jesus who makes them shine. In addition to being a podcaster and a writer, Rebecca is a gifted speaker and certified career coach whose greatest joy in life is discipling others to pursue their passions in a way that builds the Kingdom. She is married to Dustin, the senior pastor of Lenore Baptist Church in East Tennessee.

To connect with Rebecca George, visit:

ONLINE -

www.radicalradiance.live

SOCIAL -

Instagram - @rebeccageorgeauthor

PODCAST -

Radical Radiance

NEW BOOK -

Do The Thing: Gospel-Centered Goals, Gumption, and Grace for the Go-Getter Girl, by Rebecca George

=======================

You can catch Terra, a featured speaker, at Grace Story Women's Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio, November 3-4, 2023. Find more info at https://www.gracestoryministries.com/womens-conference.

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

RESOURCES

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

Dear Mattsons

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

https://www.sundstromclinic.com/kristin-valerius

=======================

Episode 204: Parenting Series - Teens and Anxiety with Dr Kristin Valerius

Tue, 24 Oct 2023 05:00:00 +0000

We are in the middle of our fall parenting series. Being a parent is one of the most important leadership roles you can have, and ironically, with all the books and wisdom offered in the world, there is only one of you and one version of your child - and no one wrote a parenting manual for your child. So, as parents, we all need to lean into principals, lots of grace, and a bit of trial and error. Which…may cause some anxiety if you are a follow-the-rules kind of person. Listen in as my friend and colleague in the mental health field, Dr. Kristin Valerius, talks about raising teens, and offers wisdom and insight into understanding their anxiety, and your anxiety too! You'll learn some practical tools, but also a way of reframing what it means to parent our teens well.

Dr. Kristin Valerius has been a pediatric psychologist counseling children, adolescents, and families since 2006. She has been helping with a wide variety of behavioral difficulties, strained parent-child relationships, depression, anxiety, school refusal, toileting and feeding difficulties, as well as learning and Attention Deficit disorders. She is the Executive Director of Sundstrom Clinical Services, training and supervising a large staff of professional counselors, psychologists and prescribers.

Hopefully, today’s conversation will bring some peace to your heart, mind and soul.

If you need support for your child or adolescent, or are ready to do your own work as a parent, go to www.livingwholehearted.com and schedule with one of our counselors or coaches.

To connect with Kristen Valerius, visit:

WEBSITE -

FACEBOOK -

https://www.facebook.com/sundstromclinic/

=======================

You can catch Terra, a featured speaker, at Grace Story Women's Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio, November 3-4, 2023. Find more info at https://www.gracestoryministries.com/womens-conference.

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

RESOURCES

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

Dear Mattsons

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

=======================

Episode 203: Parenting Series - Raising Daughters in Today's World, with Sissy Goff

Tue, 17 Oct 2023 05:00:00 +0000

Being a parent is not an easy leadership role. Parents lead families, one of the greatest organizations on the planet! We often feel equipped until we actually start raising children. Whether you are a parent needing some wisdom on perfectionism, anxiety, or raising girls, or you are interested in becoming a counselor and want to hear two seasoned clinicians talk about why they made that career choice, this conversation is for you.

Today, we have a guest who many of you may know well. Sissy Goff, LPC-MHSP, has worked as the director of child and adolescent counseling at Daystar Counseling Ministries since 1993. She speaks to parents and children's ministers across the country and is a frequent guest on media outlets like NBC Nightly News, CNN, Good Morning America, Focus on the Family, That Sounds Fun, Family Life Today, and many more. Sissy Goff is the author of 13 books including her latest, The Worry-Free Parent. She also co-hosts the chart-topping Raising Boys and Girls podcast, with fellow Daystar Counselor David Thomas. The podcast just celebrated more than 5 million downloads to date.

Raising girls is particularly tricky today. That’s why we created Courageous Girls almost 12 years ago and have written close to 100 conversation guides for Courageous Girls groups. These small groups of moms and daughters are gathering all over the globe, creating opportunities for moms to have intentional conversations with their daughters about all things related to the development of her mind, heart, soul and body. Learn more at mycourageousgirls.com or check out Terra's book, Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace.

If you need support for your child or adolescent or are ready to do your own work as a parent, go to www.livingwholehearted.com and schedule with one of our counselors or coaches.

To connect with Sissy Goff, visit:

WEBSITE -

raisingboysandgirls.com

INSTAGRAM -

@SissyGoff

@RaisingBoysandGirls

NEW BOOK -

The Worry-Free Parent: Living in Confidence So Your Kids Can Too, by Sissy Goff, LPC-MHSP

PODCAST -

Raising Boys and Girls Podcast

=======================

You can catch Terra, a featured speaker, at Grace Story Women's Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio, November 3-4, 2023. Find more info at https://www.gracestoryministries.com/womens-conference.

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

RESOURCES

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

Dear Mattsons

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

https://www.focusonthefamily.com/

=======================

Episode 202: Parenting Series - Raising Wholehearted Kids, with Dr. Danny Huerta

Tue, 10 Oct 2023 05:00:00 +0000

This is the first episode in our fall parenting series. As parents ourselves, we know parents need a lot of support. It’s normal to feel overwhelmed and unsure about what messages and parenting philosophies to trust. In this episode we talk with parenting expert, Dr. Danny Huerta. Listen in as we talk about; the common struggles parents are facing today, what a mentally healthy child and home really look like, practical tools to help build healthy children who know they are loved and love others well, and how parents can care for themselves well as they balance the weight of so many demands.

Dr. Daniel Huerta, PSYD, MSW, LCSW, LSSW, oversees Focus on the Family’s initiatives that equip mothers and fathers with biblical principles and counsel for raising healthy, resilient children. A bilingual, licensed clinical social worker, Dr. Huerta commonly addresses issues related to parenting such as communication, conflict resolution, spiritual growth, discipline, stress, anxiety, depression, media discernment and healthy sexuality. He has maintained a private practice in Colorado Springs since 2003 and served as a board member of the El Paso County Mental Health Association for almost four years.

To connect with Dr. Daniel Huerta, visit:

ONLINE -

https://www.focusonthefamily.com/contributors/danny-huerta-msw-lcsw-lssw/

SOCIALS -

Twitter: @FocusFamily

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/focusonthefamily/

BOOK -

7 Traits of Effective Parenting, by Daniel P. Huerta

=======================

You can catch Terra, a featured speaker, at Grace Story Women's Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio, November 3-4, 2023. Find more info at https://www.gracestoryministries.com/womens-conference.

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

RESOURCES

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

Dear Mattsons

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

=======================

Episode 200: Healing From Church Wounds - From Deconstruction to Reconstructing Our Faith, with Natalie Runion (@raisedtostay)

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 05:00:00 +0000

We are in the middle of talking about toxic faith and how to untangle the web of healthy versus unhealthy systems so we can heal our church wounds. So many people have experienced hurt within the church setting. The hurt can come from a wide variety of sources, and it’s often due to unresolved trauma in the lives of the leaders of those systems. Whether you are a pastor's kid who grew up in church your whole life, or you are new to church, it can be tough to discern what is healthy or unhealthy. There are several documentaries out right now, highlighting the toxic side of some well-known faith communities - and perhaps watching those has given you a sense of panic or fear. Or maybe you are raising kiddos in the church and you long for them to meet Jesus, but you wonder if the messy people-stuff is going to create a barrier. Are you among the countless Christians who have begun to deconstruct their faith? Do you find yourself wondering if it’s possible to not lose your faith altogether?

This is a good episode! Listen in and you will find an honest conversation between Terra and Natalie Reunion, who will be speaking together at Grace Story Women's Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio, November 3-4, 2023. Register today if you want to join them! Got to https://www.gracestoryministries.com/conference for more info. Natalie, a pastor's kid and ministry leader for two decades, understands the complexity of being in the church and wrestling with her faith, especially with all the hurts and betrayal that can go along with it.

Natalie Runion is an author, speaker, worship leader, songwriter and the founder of Raised to Stay, a ministry for those raised in the church who are finding their own healing, calling and voice in church leadership. Natalie and Tony Runion live with their daughters in Colorado Springs, CO, and they attend New Life Church where Natalie recently served as a pastor. Natalie is the host of the Raised to Stay Podcast and the author of, Raised to Stay: Persevering in Ministry When You Have a Million Reasons to Walk Away.

Other books referenced in this episode:

Shrinking the Integrity Gap: Between What Leaders Preach and Live, by Jeff and Terra Mattson

Necessary Endings, by Dr. Henry Cloud

To connect with Natalie Runion, visit:

ONLINE -

natalierunion.com

SOCIAL -

Facebook - @NatalieRunion

Instagram - @RaisedToStay

NEW BOOK -

Raised To Stay: Persevering in Ministry When You Have a Million Reasons to Walk Away, by Natalie Runion

RaisedtoStay.com

=======================

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

RESOURCES

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

Dear Mattsons

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

=======================

Episode 199: Healing From Church Wounds - Grace, Grace, Grace with Max Lucado

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 05:00:00 +0000

Are you feeling discouraged by your life, leadership, or church? Are you frustrated with all the broken unhealthy systems? Are you losing hope as you struggle to serve, lead, and do what is right? We get it. There is a lot of hard in the world and it's difficult to finish the race well. You are not alone. But we have good news for you.

Our guest today is near and dear to our hearts. His children’s book series, “You Are Special” has been a key part of our own family routine over the years, especially when our girls were younger. We even featured Punchinello and Lucia (characters from Max’s book) in Terra's very first book, Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace, and the Courageous Girls curriculum. Max Lucado is here to bring you some much needed encouragement - wherever you are in your walk with God. Curious. Hungry. Disappointed. Angry. Burdened. Apathetic.

Max Lucado is a pastor, speaker, and bestselling author with more than 145 million products in print, which have been translated into 56 languages and distributed across 80 countries worldwide. Known for delivering timeless messages of hope and encouragement in his signature writing style, combining poetic storytelling and homespun humor, Lucado is America’s favorite and most prolific inspirational author. Max’s latest book is titled, God Never Gives Up on You.

And stick around after the interview, as we share our insights and impressions of Max's encouragement when it comes to healing church wounds and finishing your race well.

To connect with Max Lucado, visit:

ONLINE -

maxlucado.com

SOCIAL -

Facebook - @MaxLucado

Twitter - @MaxLucado

Instagram - @MaxLucado

NEW BOOK -

www.mmpublicrelations.com/#/god-never-gives-up-on-you/

God Never Gives Up on You: What Jacob’s Story Teaches Us About Grace, Mercy and God’s Relentless Love, by Max Lucado (Available on Sept 12th, 2023)

=======================

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

RESOURCES

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

Dear Mattsons

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

=======================

Episode 198: Healing From Church Wounds - Battling the lie, “Your needs don't matter,” with Jeff and Terra Mattson

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 05:00:00 +0000

Is it selfish or is it healthy to advocate for your needs? In this episode, the first in our series, Healing From Church Wounds, we address the difference between grace-based systems, where imperfect people can safely express their needs, versus rigid and legalistic systems, often led by unhealthy toxic leaders, where individual needs are ignored or dismissed. How do we learn to honor our own needs and the needs of others at home, at work, and in our community? When do we go to God with our needs and when do we lean into relationships to help us? Join us as we dialogue and unpack this complicated, but important, topic together.

Jeff and Terra Mattson are the founders of Living Wholehearted, a professional counseling and executive coaching and organizational development firm outside Portland, Oregon, helping leaders live and lead with integrity. Their team of professionals are coming alongside leaders in the home, work, and community, providing confidential and safe places for leaders, their families, and their teams to find healing, wholeness, and health. Jeff and Terra are the co-hosts of the weekly Living Wholehearted Podcast, co-authors of the book, Shrinking the Integrity Gap: Between What Leaders Preach and Live, and are raising their two teen girls. They are also the founders of Courageous Girls, a non-profit dedicated to helping moms walk alongside their daughters at every stage of their growing years (learn more at mycourageousgirls.com). Bridging the gap between Biblical truth, clinical research, and trauma-informed relational wisdom, the Mattsons are writing, speaking, training, and coaching leaders in both sacred and secular spaces so that there are more wholehearted leaders in a broken and hurting world.

Check out more at livingwholeheated.com. We serve a global community through our Executive Coaching and Wholehearted Leadership Cohorts. Apply today! If you live in Oregon, you can take advantage of our professional counseling team. Consultations are free!

If you are a woman in the greater Portland, Oregon, area and you want a day to slow down, pause, and reconnect with God, join us for a contemplative prayer day at the Living Wholehearted Lodge & Retreat on September 22. Learn more and register at www.livingwholehearted.com/prayer-retreat. Limited spots available.

=======================

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

RESOURCES

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

Dear Mattsons

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

=======================

Episode 197: Breathe - How to find rest in the midst of stress with Bonnie Gray

Tue, 05 Sep 2023 05:00:00 +0000

We love talking with this guest. In fact, we aired her first interview as one of our favorites as she shared her own story of being a leader who has faced the trauma in her past. We are passionate about helping leaders, who often appear quite confident and polished on the outside, but who are doing the difficult and messy work of healing from the inside out. In a western culture that values image, productivity, and impressive resumes, we enjoy talking to leaders who have come to terms with what it means to love God as He loves us - from the inside out. You’ll want to listen in to this conversation.

Bonnie Gray is the author of Breathe: 21 Days to Stress Less and Transform Chaos to Calm, Whispers of Rest, Finding Spiritual Whitespace and Sweet Like Jasmine. An inspirational speaker and podcast host of Breathe: The Stress Less Podcast, Bonnie touches thousands of lives using storytelling, soul care, and prayer. Bonnie’s global following of readers come to her for inspiring Christian content in her authentic, unique voice. Her writing has been published and syndicated across a broad online audience. Bonnie lives in California with her husband and two sons.

If you are a woman in the greater Portland, Oregon, area and you want a day to set aside to just breathe, join us for a contemplative prayer day at the Living Wholehearted Lodge & Retreat on September 22. Learn more and register at www.livingwholehearted.com/prayer-retreat. Limited spots available.

To connect with Bonnie Gray, visit:

ONLINE -

Soulcarequiz.com

thebonniegray.com

SOCIAL -

Facebook - @thebonniegray

Instagram - @thebonniegray

NEW BOOS -

Breathe: 21 Days to Stress Less and Transform Chaos to Calm

thebreathebook.com

=======================

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

RESOURCES

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

Dear Mattsons

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

=======================

Episode 196: Reset - Getting Beneath the Surface to See Real Change with Debra Fileta

Tue, 29 Aug 2023 05:00:00 +0000

Every year, people make new year’s resolutions. It's August, and by this time, most of us have probably forgotten what they were! There is a reason most people don't change their lives and their habits. Our guest for this episode, Debra Fileta, is an expert in this arena. In today’s conversation we are going to get under the hood and talk about how to actually change your habits with a reset.

As a Licensed Professional Counselor specializing in relationship issues and mental health, Debra Fileta knows that to achieve effective, long-lasting change, you have to know and understand what is happening on the inside. In her book, Reset: Powerful Habits to Own Your Thoughts, Understand Your Feelings, and Change Your Life, Fileta walks readers through 31 powerful and sustainable practices that will reset the way things have been done in the past in order to dive beneath the surface and bring insight to their thoughts and feelings, ultimately changing their life.

Debra is the author of True Love Dates, Choosing Marriage, Love in Every Season!, Are You Really Ok?, Married Sex and RESET. She’s also the host of the Love + Relationships Podcast. Her popular relationship advice blog TrueLoveDates.com reaches millions of people each year with the message of healthy relationships.

As mentioned in this podcast, if you are a woman in the greater Portland, Oregon, area and you want a headstart on your “reset”, join us for a contemplative prayer day at the Living Wholehearted Lodge & Retreat on September 22. Learn more and register at www.livingwholehearted.com/prayer-retreat. Limited spots available.

To connect with Debra Fileta, visit:

ONLINE

debrafileta.com

truelovedates.com

SOCIAL

Facebook - facebook.com/debra.fileta

Instagram - instagram.com/DebraFileta

NEW BOOK

Reset: Powerful Habits to Own Your Thoughts, Understand Your Feelings, and Change Your Life (Harvest House Publishers, March 14, 2023)

=======================

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

RESOURCES

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

Dear Mattsons

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

=======================

Episode 195: Healing Triggers & Trauma with Dr. Michelle Watson Canfield

Tue, 22 Aug 2023 05:00:00 +0000

Triggers. Trauma. These words are thrown around quite frequently in our culture today, but few really understand what they mean and how to find healing. As we consider burnout and how to be a healthy leader in our home, at work and in the community, we have to talk about the reality of trauma and its effects on our brain, body, heart, and relationships. Join this lively and real conversation with Jeff, Terra and Dr. Michelle as they define trauma and triggers, and give you some practical tools and next steps if you, or someone you love, is struggling.

Michelle Watson Canfield, PhD, LPC, is a national speaker, author, licensed professional counselor of 27 years, and founder of The Abba Project, a nine-month group forum for dads whose daughters are in their teens and 20s. She writes guest articles regularly for journals and magazines (online and print), as well as her own bi-monthly Dad-Daughter Friday Blog, and has been interviewed on numerous radio and television programs.

Her best-selling book, Dad, Here’s What I Really Need From You: A Guide for Connecting With Your Daughter’s Heart, is followed by her most recent field guide for men, Let’s Talk: Conversation Starters for Dads and Daughters (both available on Audible). She has also written contributing chapters in Fathers Say and How to Disciple Men. Dr. Michelle is the radio/podcast host of The Dad Whisperer and The Dad Whisperer Podcast, which is available on her website and on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and Google Podcasts. She also co-chairs the Father-Daughter Initiative at the National Center for Fathering with her husband, Dr. Ken Canfield. They reside in Fayetteville, Arkansas, near their tribe of 24, which includes five children, three sons-in-law, two daughters-in-law, and 16 grandkids.

Need more support? Go to livingwholehearted.com for information about counseling or coaching with us.

To connect with Dr Michelle Watson Canfield, visit:

Website: drmichellewatson.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/drmichellewatson

Instagram: michellejwatson and thedadwhispererpodcast

Twitter: @mwatsonphd

LinkedIn: Dr. Michelle Watson Canfield

Podcast: The Dad Whisperer Podcast (available on Apple and Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify)

=======================

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

RESOURCES

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

Dear Mattsons

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

=======================

Episode 194: God Is Not Done With You - Moving From "Why?" to "What Now, God?" with John Meador

Tue, 15 Aug 2023 05:00:00 +0000

You don’t have to go far in anyone’s story to find suffering, trauma, loss and adversity. In our humanity, we often wrestle with the question, “Why, God? Why?” But what if the story isn’t the focus of our lives and God has something beautiful through the storms and struggles of life? We know deeply the pages of trauma, personally and professionally, and we don’t like giving trite responses to pain. But, we know that there isn’t a story out there that God won’t use for His purposes in our lives. Our guest today, who has lived a seasoned life with plenty of adversity, testifies that when he looks back, he sees that God has never disappointed him. From anger to depression, to the biggest questions people are asking in the confidential spaces of counseling, to uncontrollable fears, painful experiences, and unforgiveness, listen in as Pastor John speaks to your mind, heart and soul today.

John Meador has served as a lead pastor for nearly 40 years, stationed in Texas since 2006. The church he leads is intergenerational and multi-ethnic, and has pioneered many kingdom initiatives that are impacting thousands. Part of John’s story is born out of adversity, leaving him with irreversible hearing loss that left him profoundly deaf. You will hear more of his story today. His new book, God’s Not Done With You, is based on both personal and biblical stories where we see God bringing people back from challenging and often paralyzing situations. John and His wife, Kim, have been married for 45 years and are parents of 6 grown children.

To connect with John, visit:

ONLINE

www.johnmeador.com

SOCIAL

Facebook - facebook.com/johnmeador1

Twitter - @johnmeador

Instagram - @pastorguy57

BOOKS

God’s Not Done With You: Encouragement from the Bible’s Greatest Comeback Stories (The Good Book Company, April 2023)

PODCAST

Walk in Truth Podcast hosted by John Meador

=======================

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

RESOURCES

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

Dear Mattsons

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

=======================

Episode 193: Rekindling Your Marriage When You Feel Like Roommates with Dr. Smalley

Tue, 08 Aug 2023 05:00:00 +0000

It’s not news to say that marriages are struggling. Statistics show that 50% of first marriages will end in divorce (in and outside the church) and second marriages have an even greater chance of ending in divorce. With twenty years as a Marriage and Family Therapist, I’ve worked with couples in just about every stage of marriage and have found some key factors in whether marriages make it or not. So today we’re going to talk about hope and help for marriages with our guest, Dr. Greg Smalley.

Dr. Smalley serves as the vice president of Marriage and Family Formation at Focus on the Family. In this role, he develops and oversees initiatives that prepare individuals for marriage, strengthen and nurture existing marriages, and help couples in marital crisis. Prior to joining Focus on the Family, Smalley worked for the Center for Relationship Enrichment at John Brown University and served as president of the National Institute of Marriage. He is the author of 17 books including, “Fight Your Way to a Better Marriage”, “The DNA of Parent and Teen Relationships”, and “The Whole-Hearted Marriage”. He and his wife, Erin, co-created “Ready to Wed”, a complete premarital curriculum for engaged couples, and the online Focus on Marriage Assessment. They also released “Crazy Little Thing Called Marriage: 12 Secrets to a Lifelong Romance” in 2016. Married since 1992, Greg and Erin live in Colorado with their three daughters, Taylor, Murphy and Annie, and their son, Garrison. Dr. Smalley brings at least one child to every age-appropriate event, exposing them to the crucial role marriage plays in the family and society.

To connect with Dr. Smalley, visit:

ONLINE

www.focusonthefamily.com

SOCIAL

Facebook - facebook.com/focusonthefamily

Twitter - @FocusFamily

MORE RESOURCES

www.focusonthefamily.com/contributors/greg-smalley

=======================

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

RESOURCES

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

Dear Mattsons

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

=======================

Episode 192: Motherhood - Remaining You While Raising Them with Alli Worthington

Tue, 01 Aug 2023 05:00:00 +0000

Motherhood. It’s a loaded word with a vast array of connotations. Some good. Some not so good. Men listening will gain some beautiful insights about the women they walk alongside. Women, whether you want to be a mom, have already launched your kids, or are in the middle of the journey, this episode is for you. Our guest today is going to not only bless your socks off with practical wisdom, hope and grace for today, but she’s a trusted voice for the modern woman and we hope you lean in close. You’ll get a preview of her new book, Remaining You While Raising Them, as you listen to Alli Worthington explain that modern motherhood is broken and the reality for many moms is that they are hitting the "Mother Load", living on the verge of burnout. This is not a typical parenting conversation, and this is not a typical parenting book,, but a resource for moms who are ready to grow in their own ability to emotionally regulate, and ready to learn who they are and what they need. Don't wait until after your kids are launched to show them what healthy mothering looks like. And...know that you won't feel more mom guilt after listening today. In fact, you might feel a little lighter.

Alli Worthington, known for her straight-talking encouragement and practical tools that help women reach their dreams in business and life, is the author of five books including The Year of Living Happy, Fierce Faith, Breaking Busy, and her latest, Remaining You While Raising Them. She is a speaker, podcaster, and life and business coach who launched Called Creatives, a cohort of women speakers and writers. Her guilt-free take on business, family, and balance has led to multiple appearances on The TODAY Show and Good Morning America. Alli lives with her husband, Mark, and their five sons outside of Nashville.

To connect with Alli, visit:

WEBSITE

alliworthington.com

SOCIAL

Instagram - @AlliWorthington

PODCAST

The Alli Worthington Show

NEW BOOK

Remaining You, While Raising Them, By Alli Worthington

======================

For more help simplifying your life and learning to live from your priorities, consider executive coaching with Jeff or Terra or their LW Coaching team. And women, you are invited to join the next Women's Wholehearted Leadership Cohort - scheduled to begin in September 2023. The application is open! Go to livingwholehearted.com/cohort.

=======================

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

RESOURCES

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

Dear Mattsons

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

=======================

Episode 191: What You NEED to Know About Internet Safety for Your Kids with BJ Park

Tue, 25 Jul 2023 05:00:00 +0000

Are you concerned about internet safety for your kids? Where are kids vulnerable today? Is TikTok safe or not? What makes a kid more vulnerable to an online predator? This episode is vital to every parent and any adult working with children today. However, know that this topic might be triggering. We do hope you will share this information, or even this whole podcast with your kids, but make sure you listen first and decide what is appropriate for the age and stage of your children.

Our guest, BJ Park is a prosecuting attorney for the state of Oregon for crimes committed against children. He has worked with the FBI, Homeland Security, and city, county and state police from Chicago to Portland, Oregon. With twenty years of experience, he has developed internet safety presentations to help educate kids, parents, and anybody who works with children on the topic of internet safety. There are so many things loving parents don't know about technology and the ways it is used to harm children. BJ is married with two children of his own and cares deeply about helping children be smart when it comes to their gaming, phones, and social media. This is a must-listen and with such an important topic, we extended our time a bit. From questions like, "What do predators know that parents don't know?" to "Is Tick Tock okay for our kids - why or why not?" and "What is the one thing every parent NEEDS to know before they hand their child a smartphone?", BJ answers with so much wisdom and truth. Share this with others!

To connect with BJ:

Email - bumjoonpark@gmail.com

And, if you need trauma-therapy for you or your kids or could benefit from parent coaching around how to manage devices in your home, go to livingwholehearted.com, sign up for our newsletter to get free resources, and contact one of our professional counselors or coaches.

Women, you are invited to join the next Women's Wholehearted Leadership Cohort - scheduled to start this fall. The application is open! Go to livingwholehearted.com/cohort for more info. You can also go to www.mycourageousigirls.com to start developing a trusted and safe relationship and community for you and your daughter.

=======================

We LOVE that you’ve decided to join us this week for the Living Wholehearted Podcast. We hope you enjoyed the conversation, tips, and resources to help you transform every relationship that matters most to you. If you think this will help someone you know, make sure you send it their way or share on socials. Tag us @living_wholehearted and @terramattson! Don't forget to FOLLOW/SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss an episode and help spread the word by leaving us some stars on a review. Thanks for partnering with us to help more leaders, just like you, who want to live and lead with integrity at home, work and in the community. Go to livingwholehearted.com and sign up to receive our free leadership tips and updates delivered to you in our monthly newsletter. And, If you’re a girl mom, check out mycourageousgirls.com.

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

RESOURCES

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://a.co/d/hYGsHic

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

https://a.co/d/6ttWyGY

Dear Mattsons

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

=======================

Episode 190: Blindspots: Learning to be a non-anxious presence, listen well and handle interruptions with Jeff & Terra Mattson

Tue, 18 Jul 2023 05:00:00 +0000

Blind spots. We all have them, but none of us want to face the reality of what we are missing unless we are ready to grow and become more wholehearted leaders at home, at work and in the community. Join Jeff and Terra Mattson, co-founders of LIving Wholehearted, authors of Shrinking the Integrity Gap, executive coaches, and co-hosts of the Living Wholehearted Podcast as they talk about the reasons we all need to ask all those in our sphere of influence (especially our spouse and children), "How am I impacting you?". And then we need to listen. Jeff and Terra give practical steps to become an effective listener - helping those you serve feel known, seen, heard, and cared for AND giving you the keys to become a more healthy and effective leader. No one likes to have something stuck in their teeth all day without a single person pointing it out. Similarly, learning to receive feedback from those we say we love the most is one of the greatest wholehearted leadership practices we can return to over and over. Tune in and enjoy this candid, practical, and inside track to becoming the leader you would follow at home, at work and in the community.

For more help simplifying your life and learning to live from your priorities, consider executive coaching with Jeff or Terra or their LW Coaching team. Go to livingwholehearted.com/executive-coaching for more info.

And women, you are invited to join the next Women's Wholehearted Leadership Cohort - scheduled to start this fall. The application is open! Go to livingwholehearted.com/cohort for more info.

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

RESOURCES

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://a.co/d/hYGsHic

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

https://a.co/d/6ttWyGY

Dear Mattsons

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

=======================

We LOVE that you’ve decided to join us this week for the Living Wholehearted Podcast. We hope you enjoyed the conversation, tips, and resources to help you transform every relationship that matters most to you. If you think this will help someone you know, make sure you send it their way or share on socials. Tag us @living_wholehearted and @terramattson! Don't forget to FOLLOW/SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss an episode and help spread the word by leaving us some stars on a review. Thanks for partnering with us to help more leaders, just like you, who want to live and lead with integrity at home, work and in the community. Go to livingwholehearted.com and sign up to receive our free leadership tips and updates delivered to you in our monthly newsletter. And, If you’re a girl mom, check out mycourageousgirls.com.

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

=======================

Episode 189: Raising Prayerful Kids with Steph Thurling

Tue, 11 Jul 2023 05:00:00 +0000

Parents ask how much is too much? How do I balance all the things? Should we do club sports or music lessons? Should I homeschool or send my kids to public school? How do I make sure my kids don't lose their faith after they leave? Help! If you are a parent (or would like to be someday), this conversation is for you. Leading in the home is one of the greatest responsibilities we have - shepherding the life of a child. Though there are countless books written about all the research, wisdom, and personal stories of parenting, there is no manual on how to raise your child! Tune in as we talk with Steph Thurling, the Executive Director of Christian Parenting and host of The Christian Parenting Podcast. Steph has a master’s degree in youth, family, and culture from Fuller Theological Seminary and has a background in youth and children’s ministry. She is co-author of Raising Prayerful Kids, and a frequent speaker at churches and mom groups. Steph lives in Minnesota with her husband and three kids. In this episode Steph shares insights about how to balance it all, the main things we can focus on as parents, and how to teach our kids to pray. Whether you are a committed follower of Jesus or on a spiritual journey and curious about how to parent well, listen in. We are so glad you're here!

And women, you are invited to join the next Women's Wholehearted Leadership Cohort - scheduled to start this fall. The application is open! Go to livingwholehearted.com/cohort for more info.

If you’re a girl mom, check out mycourageousgirls.com.

To connect with Steph Thurling, visit:

ONLINE -

www.christianparenting.org

www.raisingprayerfulkids.com

SOCIAL -

Instagram

@stephthurling

@christianparenting_org

@raisingprayerfulkids

BOOK -

Raising Prayerful Kids

PODCAST -

Christian Parenting Podcast

=======================

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

RESOURCES

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

Dear Mattsons

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

=======================

Episode 188: Busy to Joy - How to Live for What Matters Most with Crystal Paine

Tue, 04 Jul 2023 05:00:00 +0000

Living Wholehearted co-host, Terra Mattson, is a marriage and family therapist, executive coach, author and co-founder of Living Wholehearted and Courageous Girls. She knows what it's like to be busy - running companies and meeting with clients, while trying to raise two girls who love the Lord and know they are loved. Any parent knows the struggle. So this conversation between Terra and Crystal Paine, is about grace and learning to find the rhythms of joy, rest, and peace in the reality of living a full life. As a type A, very organized woman, Crystal shares her four steps to an organized and simpler life and shares her own journey of getting off the performance treadmill and her compulsion to strive. Want to avoid or recover from burnout? Join us for today's episode. It’s for any leader, in the home or the community, who wants to find simplicity in the midst of juggling many important roles.

Crystal Paine is the founder of MoneySavingMom.com, host of The Crystal Paine Show podcast, and a New York Times bestselling author. Her desire is to help women across the globe live with more joy, purpose, and intention in their everyday lives. She lives with her husband and six kids in the Nashville, Tennessee, area, where she is actively involved in her local church. Her biggest passions are helping women understand how the gospel can radically transform their lives, raising awareness for foster care, going on adventures with her family (locally, domestically, and internationally), finding great deals at the grocery store, having heartfelt conversations, and trying to read too many books at one time!

Connect with Crystal online:

Website: https://crystalpaine.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themoneysavingmom/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MoneySavingMom

Twitter: https://twitter.com/moneysavingmom

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/msmblog/

=======================

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

RESOURCES

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

Dear Mattsons

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

=======================

Episode 187: Shrinking the Gap: Concentric Circles and How To Actually Live From our Priorities with Jeff and Terra Mattson

Tue, 27 Jun 2023 05:00:00 +0000

There is so much to do. Our kids need to be fed and driven to their activities. Bills need to be paid. Church is asking for volunteers. Friends and family want our time. Bible study. Work deadlines. There are expectations and demands everywhere we look no matter what stage of life we find ourselves in. As leaders in the home, at work, and in the community, we are modeling to everyone in our wake what is most important to us by the way we spend our time. We are also modeling boundaries (or lack of boundaries). The Mattsons share about the Concentric Circles tool found in their book, Shrinking the Integrity Gap: Between What Leaders Preach and Live, and how they have learned to live out their priorities. Whether it's finding time with God or tending to their own soul care, their marriage, or their kids - in the midst of running two organizations it isn't easy. Want to be a parent who matches your walk with your talk? Want to model to your staff how to live from the values you espouse? Want to have more time for the people, and the things, you say you love the most? This episode is for you.

Jeff Mattson (MA ORGL) and Terra Mattson (MA LPC, LMFT) are the husband and wife team who founded Living Wholehearted and Courageous Girls. Living Wholehearted is a professional counseling and organizational leadership development firm outside Portland, Oregon, and Courageous Girls is a global movement and curriculum helping moms walk with their daughters at every stage of their growing years. Terra is an Executive Coach, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Licensed Professional Counselor, speaker, and author of Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace (David C. Cook, 2020). Jeff is a former pastor, Executive Coach, organizational development consultant, and speaker. Together they co-authored Shrinking the Integrity Gap: Between What Leaders Preach and Live (David C. Cook, 2020). They are the co-hosts of the Living Wholehearted Podcast and the Dear Mattsons parenting advice series found on YouTube. Terra is the creator of the Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters guides found at cpguides.org.

For a free resource, go to livingwholehearted.com/links to get your Concentric Circles worksheet. To help you live from your priorities, consider executive coaching with Jeff or Terra or their LW team. Or join our next Women's Wholehearted Leadership Cohort - scheduled to start this fall. The application is open! Go to livingwholehearted.com/cohort.

=======================

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

RESOURCES

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

Dear Mattsons

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

=======================

Episode 186: Dads, Daughters & Anger with Dr. Michelle Watson Canfield

Tue, 20 Jun 2023 05:00:00 +0000

Are you a dad who struggles with anger? Do you have a daughter? Do you want to learn from one of the leading experts on dads and daughters? This podcast episode is for you!

Dr. Michelle is the radio/podcast host of The Dad Whisperer and The Dad Whisperer Podcast, which is available on her website and on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, and Google Podcasts. She also co-chairs the Father-Daughter Initiative at the National Center for Fathering with her husband, Dr. Ken Canfield. They reside in Fayetteville, Arkansas, near their tribe of 24, which includes five children, three sons-in-law, two daughters-in-law, and 16 grandkids.

Dr. Michelle helps us understand what anger is doing to the relationship, what anger is really about, and then what to do with it. She offers sound clinical resources for any dad who wants to do this job well. We are here cheering you on, dads!

Need more support? Go to livingwholehearted.com for information about counseling or coaching with us.

To connect with Dr. Michelle Watson Canfield, go to:

Email: drmichellewatson@gmail.com

Website: drmichellewatson.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/drmichellewatson

Instagram: michellejwatson and thedadwhispererpodcast

Twitter: @mwatsonphd

LinkedIn: Dr. Michelle Watson Canfield

Podcast: The Dad Whisperer - Apple, Google, Stitcher, Spotify

=======================

We LOVE that you have decided to join us this week for the Living Wholehearted Podcast. We hope you enjoyed the conversation, tips, and resources to help you transform every relationship that matters most to you. If you think this will help someone you know, make sure you send it their way or share on socials. Tag us @living_wholehearted and @terramattson! Don't forget to FOLLOW/SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss an episode and help spread the word by leaving us some stars on a review. Thanks for partnering with us to help more leaders, just like you, who want to live and lead with integrity at home, work and in the community. Go to livingwholehearted.com and sign up to receive our free leadership tips and updates delivered to you in our monthly newsletter.

And…

If you’re a girl mom, check out mycourageousgirls.com.

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

RESOURCES

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

Dear Mattsons

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

=======================

Episode 185: Blended Families - the rebirth after death of a spouse or divorce with Bo Stern and Cliff Brady

Tue, 13 Jun 2023 05:00:00 +0000

Going through the loss of a marriage after the death of a spouse or divorce is very difficult. And then trying to blend a family and create something new adds a whole other layer. The average blended family takes at least 7 years to blend, so today - if you hear anything, we hope you hear grace for the journey as we talk with a couple who truly gets this assignment. We have Cliff Brady and Bo Stern today. You might have heard Bo share last month about suffering well. Bo is the author of Beautiful Battlefields, When Holidays Hurt, and Ruthless. She has been a pastor for a few decades and speaks nationally. Cliff is a business consultant with a variety of expertises. Together, they have 10 children and 6 grandchildren! And yes, their last name is Brady. Bo and Cliff share candidly about their caution to remarriage, how they transitioned toward dating, and the conversations they had with each of their 10 children. They share their observations on how they see divorcees treated differently in the church than widows. They believe people shouldn’t need to earn the compassion of others - single parenting is hard! As you tune in, you'll gain some beautiful insights into how to keep your marriage first in the midst of lots of children, and the core values Bo and Cliff believe are helping them have a healthy blended family (despite the many hurts they all experienced along the way). Whether you are grieving the loss of a spouse (through death or divorce), considering remarriage, or currently blending a family, this episode is for you. And honestly, if you are leading blended families or wanting to better understand the needs of your friends, this episode is for you too!

To connect with Bo Stern-Brady, visit:

ONLINE -

bostern.com

SOCIAL -

Instagram - instagram.com/bosternbrady

Facebook - facebook.com/bstern

BOOKS -

Beautiful Battlefields

Ruthless

When Holidays Hurt

OTHER -

Writer for the SoulSpace app

========================

And…

If you’re a girl mom, check out mycourageousgirls.com.

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

RESOURCES

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

Dear Mattsons

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

http://cpguides.org

Living Wholehearted is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be visit www.ChristianParenting.org

Episode 184: What women need to know about finances and divorce with Amy Oliver

Tue, 06 Jun 2023 13:58:00 +0000

Today we want to talk about what women need to know before they consider divorce. There are a lot of confusing messages - especially in the church - about divorce. It’s hard because marriage is meant to be a beautiful image of God’s covenant with His people - what the Bible calls the “Bride of Christ”. We see this marital covenant reflected throughout scripture. We are for marriage and as a marriage and family therapist, I have spent decades helping good and hard marriages heal and repair. However, restoring a marriage where trust and commitment have been violated requires two parties. And there are times, when a spouse has to choose divorce because of unrepentant or repeated adultery or abuse. Many times women will stay because they are unsure they can survive financially. Often, leaders in the church are unsure how to help these women with practical steps. Though men can find themselves in this situation, today, for the sake of clarity, we will be talking mostly about women. We have Amy Oliver, of Healing House Solutions, with us today. She knows what it’s like to feel stuck in an unhealthy marriage and not see a financial way out. As a licensed realtor, Amy began by helping women in similar circumstances evaluate whether to keep or sell a family home, taking into consideration not just the financial, but the emotional aspects of that decision too. With the addition of training in divorce financial analysis, she guides and advocates for women as they assess their full financial picture, including budgets, assets, liabilities, child support, and spousal support needs. In this episode, Amy talks about the four reasons most women find themselves in this place: abuse, abandonment, adultery and addiction; the most common concerns women are facing; why women often stay in these toxic relationships; the biggest myths about divorce, and so much more.

To connect with Amy Oliver, visit the following:

ONLINE - https://www.healinghousesolutions.com/about

========================

And…

If you’re a girl mom, check out mycourageousgirls.com.

If you’re a female leader, consider applying for the Women’s Wholehearted Leadership Cohort. This is a one-year Cohort that runs from July 2023 through June 2024 and is limited to 12 women. Uniquely designed for female leaders, this is a holistic trauma-informed leadership development experience. It includes 10 individual coaching sessions with LW executive coaches, 6 group coaching sessions and 2 two-day retreats in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. The application is open through June 10. Go to livingwholehearted.com/cohort for more information.

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

RESOURCES

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

Dear Mattsons

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

http://cpguides.org

Living Wholehearted is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be visit www.ChristianParenting.org

Episode 183: How to Have a Healthy Body Image with Rachael Gilbert

Tue, 30 May 2023 05:00:00 +0000

Do you struggle with your body image - fixated on calories and losing weight? Do you find yourself yo-yo dieting or trapped by the comparison game? Maybe you, or a loved one, have a history with disordered eating or dysphoria? In this episode, Rachael Gilbert, author of Image Restored (March 2023, Esther Press), and I (Terra Mattson, MA LMFT, LPC) talk about our own journeys with our bodies, confidence, and finding wholeness. Rachael offers insights into the struggle and shares tools for the healing journey. Living in a culture that idealizes youth and outward beauty with narrow definitions, it's more common to struggle with body image issues. Build your compassion and trauma-informed theology with this conversation about an issue that plagues many men and women, young and old. Whether this applies directly to you, or to someone you love or lead, this conversation is important and filled with nuggets of truth.

Rachael Gilbert, MFT, LPC Associate, is a fellow counselor and fitness lover who has found restoration in what God says about body image and the striving that tends to come with it. Rachael is also a wife, mom, trauma-informed therapist, owner of BBC Health, and podcast host of Real Talk with Rachael. She combines her clinical expertise and personal experience to help women overcome fear and insecurity so they can walk confidently in their God-given dreams. A frequent speaker and article writer, Rachael lives near Dallas with her husband, Matt, and their three children.

To connect with Rachael Gilbert, visit the following:

ONLINE -
rachaelgilbert.com

SOCIAL -
Facebook - facebook.com/rachaeljoygilbert
Twitter - @rachaeljgilbert
Instagram - @rachaeljgilbert

BOOK/PODCAST -
Image RESTored: Tear Down Shame and Insecurity to Experience a Body Image Renovation, By Rachael Gilbert
Real Talk with Rachael (podcast)

========================

And…

If you’re a girl mom, check out mycourageousgirls.com.

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

RESOURCES

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

Dear Mattsons

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

http://cpguides.org

Episode 182: Mental Health for Our Teens with Laura Smith

Tue, 23 May 2023 05:00:00 +0000

Mental health is a vital part of our spiritual formation. And teens are struggling big time today! If you are leading teens (at home or at work), listen in to this conversation. Laura Smith shares from her own story and experiences, as well as the wisdom she has learned from raising four teens herself. Laura is a Jesus lover, best-selling author, speaker, wife and mom. It took her years to discover her true beauty, to fully grasp who she is - made in the image of God. Her books are filled with concepts, stories and images to help others understand they are beautiful and made in the image of God as well, no matter what others might say. Laura is a storyteller and her hope is that her books, blogs, and speaking opportunities help others (young and old) discover what took her so long to see. Laura has authored many books, including; Restore my Soul, How Sweet the Sound, 5 Minute Devotions for Girls, 5 Minute Devotions for Teens: A Guide to God and Mental Health. As shared in the podcast, she has also written a series of young adult fiction novels that unpack the stories of real issues concerning girls, such as unhealthy dating, body image, and more.

To connect with Laura Smith, visit the following:

ONLINE -
www.laurasmithauthor.com

SOCIAL -
Facebook - facebook.com/LauraSmithAuthor
Twitter - @LauraLynnSmith
Instagram - @laurasmithauthor

BOOKS -
Restore my Soul
How Sweet the Sound
5 Minute Devotions for Girls
5 Minute Devotions for Teens: A Guide to God and Mental Health
[visit laurasmithauthor.com for more books for girls and a fiction series for young adults]

========================

And…

If you are a girl mom, check out mycourageousgirls.com.

If you are a female leader, consider participating in the Women’s Wholehearted Leadership Cohort. This is a one-year Cohort that runs from July 2023 through June 2024 and is limited to 12 women. Uniquely designed for female leaders, this is a holistic trauma-informed leadership development experience. It includes 10 individual coaching sessions with LW executive coaches, 6 group coaching sessions and 2 two-day retreats in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. The application is open through June 10. Go to livingwholehearted.com/cohort for more information.

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

RESOURCES

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

https://www.ashleegadd.com/

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

Dear Mattsons

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

http://cpguides.org

Living Wholehearted Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be visit www.ChristianParenting.org

Episode 181: Mental Health for Mamas - Finding Time for You in the Margins of Motherhood with Ashlee Gadd

Tue, 16 May 2023 05:00:00 +0000

“God did not create us to be mere spectators, watching on the sidelines inhaling popcorn while He does all the work. Rather, He invites us to be active participants, co-laborers in making the invisible Kingdom visible. The act of creating is part of our calling as image bearers,” writes Gadd. “There is no better permission slip than this: to know and believe with your whole heart that the God who made you, the same God who designed blueprints for the galaxies and poured the foundation of the earth, designed you in His likeness, on purpose, for a purpose.”

Have you ever felt a calling, but felt tethered by your role on the homefront? Well, mom to mom, I am so excited to connect with our next guest Ashlee Gadd. As a mom of three she has created a warm and inviting community of other mamas who want to do great things while also being called to shepherd their kids well. As we know, we all have a following, ESPECIALLY on the homefront, so I am uniquely excited to connect with Ashlee today to talk about all things Leadership in this very practical place of the homefront.

Ashlee is a writer, photographer, and the founder of Coffee + Crumbs—a beautiful online space where storytelling and motherhood intersect. When she’s not writing or vacuuming Cheerios off the carpet, she loves making friends on the internet, eating cereal for dinner, and rearranging bookshelves. She is the author of, Create Anyway: The Joy of Pursuing Creativity in the Margins of Motherhood.

To connect with Ashlee Gadd, visit the following:

ONLINE -

https://www.coffeeandcrumbs.net/

SOCIAL -

Pinterest- @ashlee_gadd

Instagram - @ashleegadd

BOOK -

Create Anyway: The Joy of Pursuing Creativity in the Margins of Motherhood

https://www.ashleegadd.com/book

PODCAST -

Coffee + Crumbs

https://www.coffeeandcrumbs.net/podcast

========================

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

RESOURCES

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

Dear Mattsons

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

http://cpguides.org

Episode 180: Sexual Wholeness - Sex Ed Reclaimed: Rethinking Sex Education with Kristen Miele

Tue, 09 May 2023 05:00:00 +0000

At Living Wholehearted, we are passionate about helping people, particularly leaders, grow in integrity. We define integrity as bringing all of who we are before God and others - living a more integrated life, rather than a compartmentalized life. This includes our sexuality. Most of what we learn about sex is from our younger years - it’s what is said - and what is left unsaid. The rest of our life is spent trying to figure it out. What if we set our kids up for health and wholeness in this area? Whether you are a parent trying to navigate the stream of confusing messages coming at your children, or a leader who is trying to heal and mend your journey, I think this conversation will be helpful for you.

Kristen Miele has been educating youth on the topic of sex for the last 12 years. She’s taught in hundreds of diverse settings, including 2 different countries, and she has experience teaching kids (ages 3 and older) content related to sex and sexuality. She started Sex Ed Reclaimed in 2022. Sex Ed Reclaimed is a resource for parents, whether your kids are in homeschool, private or public school, or anyone who has a passion for helping youth of today. If you are interested in learning more, go to www.sexedreclaimed.com and use the code LIVING WHOLEHEARTED to get your discount today!

To connect with Kristen Miele, visit the following:

WEBSITE -

www.sexedreclaimed.com

SOCIAL -

Facebook - @SEdReclaimed

Tik tok - @sexedreclaimed

Instagram - @sexedreclaimed

CURRICULUM -

https://www.sexedreclaimed.com/curriculums

========================

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

RESOURCES

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

Dear Mattsons

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

http://cpguides.org

Episode 179: Sexual Wholeness - Raising Healthy Kids: Sex, Porn, and Shame with Jay Stringer

Tue, 02 May 2023 05:00:00 +0000

We are finishing up our Sexual Wholeness series and if you haven’t been listening, make sure you go back and tune it to some of the fantastic interviews with Shaunti Feldhahn and Dr. Michael Sytsma. We are bringing Jay Stinger back on the podcast to help us talk about how to develop healthy sexuality in our children. We have a lot of kindred connections with Jay and we so appreciate his work.

Jay Stringer is a licensed mental health counselor, ordained minister, researcher and speaker on the subject of sexual desire. Jay is the author of the award-winning book Unwanted: How Sexual Brokenness Reveals Our Way to Healing. Unwanted is based on a multi-year research project with over 3,800 men and women to understand the key drivers of unwanted sexual behavior; pornography, infidelity, or buying sex. Jay is based in New York City where he lives with his wife, Heather, and their two children.

Resources Jay recommends are listed on his Instagram bio. Next week we will be talking with one of the experts he mentions, Kristen Miele, who developed Sex Ed Reclaimed! Don't miss it.

To connect with Jay, visit the following:

WEBSITE -

jay-stringer.com

SOCIAL -

Instagram: jay_stringer_

Facebook: @JayStringerUnwanted

Twitter: @_jaystringer

BOOK -

Unwanted: How Sexual Brokenness Reveals Our Way to Healing, by Jay Stringer

========================

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

RESOURCES

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

www.reclaimedministry.com

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

Dear Mattsons

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

http://cpguides.org

Episode 178: Sexual Wholeness - Healing from Sexual Betrayal with Stephanie Broersma

Tue, 25 Apr 2023 05:00:00 +0000

We are in the middle of a sexual wholeness series. Last week, I spoke with Dr. Ryan Hosley about sex addiction, what it is and how someone can find healing. Dr. Ryan spoke about the spouse in several situations and the necessity to bring them into the healing process. This is where I spent most of my role as a marriage and trauma therapist for close to twenty years, helping leaders who found themselves in a sexual betrayal marriage and wanting to find healing and restoration. I learned so much along the way, from the PTSD that spouses carry due to betrayal to the practical steps needed for all parties to heal. Whether you are in this situation, walking with someone here, or are leading those who are or may end up here, today’s conversation is for you.

Our guest today, Stephanie Broersma, is a living example of how God brings beauty from ashes in the lives of His children. Married since 2002, she and her husband, Tim, have walked through the valley of marital betrayal and come out the other side stronger, more in love as they continue to pursue recovery, and fully devoted to Christ. She now heads Reclaimed Ministry, an organization that seeks to help other broken brides recover from the pain and devastation of marital infidelity. Stephanie and her husband have four children, and when she finds spare time, enjoys trail running, gardening and spending time with friends and family. She lives in the Northwest pocket of Washington state.

Reclaimed Small Groups are small, confidential, multi-church groups that meet to walk through the topics found in the Reclaimed: Finding Your Identity After Marital Betrayal book. These intimate groups provide close accountability with other women in similar situations. The groups offer support, understanding, and encouragement as they work through the twelve-week course. Much like Reclaimed: Finding Your Identity After Marital Betrayal, the focus is always on the vertical relationship with Jesus Christ. Visit www.reclaimedministry.com for more information and to purchase Reclaimed resources. Other resources include the Made New Conference coming September 2023.

You might also want to listen to Dr. Sheri Keffer, author of Intimate Deceptions, in episode #34. Jay Stringer also speaks in episode #33, but will be with us again next week in episode #179 as he helps us raise kids with a healthy sexuality.

To connect with Stephanie, visit:

ONLINE -

SOCIAL -

Follow Reclaimed on the socials:

Instagram: @reclaimedministry

Facebook: Reclaimed Ministry

Join the Facebook private community:

Reclaimed Ministry Community

BOOK -

Reclaimed: Finding Your Identity After Marital Betrayal, by Stephanie Broersma

========================

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

RESOURCES

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

https://www.drryanhosley.com/

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

Dear Mattsons

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

http://cpguides.org

Living Wholehearted is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be visit www.ChristianParenting.org

Episode 177: Sexual Wholeness - Healing from Sex Addiction with Dr. Ryan Hosley

Tue, 18 Apr 2023 05:00:00 +0000

We are in the middle of a Sexual Wholeness series. At Living Wholehearted we are helping leaders live and lead with integrity - from our professional counseling team (serving clients in Oregon) to our executive coaching, organizational development teams, and wholehearted leadership cohorts (serving leaders nationwide). And regardless of where we are walking with leaders - in the home, work, or community - sexuality is a part of our clients’ stories. Today, we are focusing on the assessment and treatment of sex addiction, a topic that will not be for younger ears. If you have sexual trauma in your story, I also want to warn you that this episode might cause triggers, but if you can hang with us, as we talk in a manner of grace, hope, and practical steps, those triggers might be helpful cues for you in your own journey or in the journey of someone you are walking with today in your leadership. Many don’t know this, but before I transitioned into the executive coaching space, I worked as a marriage and family therapist with leaders. Most of my marriage counseling consists of helping clients recover from sexual betrayal. Now, no one ever came to my office admitting there was a sex addiction. They came because they needed to work on communication. Maybe distance was growing or they wanted to work on their sex life but were unsure where to start. And then…over time, we would discover a hole in the boat—sex addiction. Today, I want to have this conversation with someone I’ve worked with over the years as a co-laborer in the field. Dr. Hosley and I have spent many years helping husbands and wives either heal their marriages or transition out of their marriages, depending on the level of severity of the addiction and willingness of both partners to work toward healing.

Dr. Ryan Hosley, PsyD, is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, CSAT (Certified Sex Addiction Therapist), and Addiction Specialist in the Portland, Oregon area. He has been helping men and women and their families find freedom and healing from sex addiction for seventeen years.

To connect with Ryan, visit:

ONLINE

https://www.overcomersway.com/

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES

Help Her Heal: An Empathy Workbook for Sex Addicts to Help their Partners Heal, by Carol Juergensen

Sheets, Allan J. Katz (https://a.co/d/9fKzPcT)

The Overcomer's Edge: Strategies for Victorious Living in 13 Key Areas of Life, by Paul Tsika, Dr. Ryan Hosley, Kameo Hosley (https://a.co/d/enWZ1Oo)

Pure Desire Ministries, https://puredesire.org/

========================

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

RESOURCES

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

Dear Mattsons

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

http://cpguides.org

Episode 176: Sexual Wholeness - Secrets to Sex & Marriage (Part 2) with Dr. Michael Sytsma

Tue, 11 Apr 2023 05:00:00 +0000

We’ve started a series on sexual wholeness and today we are going to continue our conversation about Secrets of Sex & Marriage: 8 Surprises That Make All The Difference. If you missed last week, make sure you check out our initial interview with Shaunti Feldhahn. Today, in our conversation with Dr. Michael Sytsma we dive deeper into the practical reality of the data and how it can inform, and maybe transform, our thinking and our attitudes about sex and our spouses. Warning, when you talk with a sex therapist, nothing is off the table! Our guest unpacks the myths and the misunderstandings around our sex lives, even debunking one of the most widely held beliefs about sex. You'll have to tune in to hear what he says!

We hope these conversations will bring some healthy doses of biblical, clinical and relational truth your way as we talk about all things sex. Dr. Michael Sytsma is an ordained minister, licensed professional counselor, certified sex therapist, professor, and national speaker. With over 30 years of clinical experience in sex therapy, he founded Building Intimate Marriages, Inc. and co-founded Sexual Wholeness, Inc. He just co-authored the book, Secrets of Sex & Marriage, with Shaunti Feldhahn (who was featured in last week's episode, #175).

To connect with Dr. Sytsma, visit:

Book Website - https://secretsofsexandmarriage.com/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/drsytsma

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/buildingintimatemarriages/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/intimatemarriage/

Website - https://intimatemarriage.org/

========================

If you've got kids, join us for the Perfectly Imperfect parenting conference, Every Parent Wants to Know, hosted by Christian Parenting. We (Jeff & Terra Mattson) will be sharing biblical and clinical wisdom as we answer the question, "How do we help our children develop healthy sexuality?". This online conference launches on April 14, but you can watch and rewatch all the videos through the end of 2023. Get your tickets here:

https://www.perfectlyimperfect.org/a/2147529418/DJui8Bf6

We LOVE that you have decided to join us this week for the Living Wholehearted Podcast. We hope you enjoyed the conversation, tips, and resources to help you transform every relationship that matters most to you. If you think this will help someone you know, make sure you send it their way or share on socials. Tag us @living_wholehearted and @terramattson! Don't forget to FOLLOW/SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss an episode and help spread the word by leaving us some stars on a review. Thanks for partnering with us to help more leaders, just like you, who want to live and lead with integrity at home, work and in the community. You can always subscribe to our monthly newsletters at livingwholehearted.com. And, if you are a girl mom, check out mycourageousgirls.com.

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

RESOURCES

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

https://a.co/d/dRiP4Ii

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

Dear Mattsons

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

http://cpguides.org

Episode 175: Sexual Wholeness - Secrets to Sex & Marriage (Part 1) with Shaunti Feldhahn

Tue, 04 Apr 2023 05:00:00 +0000

Sexual intimacy is more deeply connected to emotional and spiritual intimacy than most of us realize. Maybe you’ve wondered why you don’t talk with your spouse about sexual intimacy? Maybe you feel like the years are full of too much hurt. Maybe you're a newlywed and want to build health in this area. Wherever you are today, we hope the conversation with our guest will be a catalyst to more wholeness in your sex life. Whether you're pastoring or counseling couples, engaged or newly married and ready to get your sex life off to a great start, or you’ve been married for decades, this episode will bring some helpful insights for you and those you lead.

Over the next two episodes we are speaking with Shaunti Feldhahn and Dr. Michael Systma about their latest book, Secrets of Sex & Marriage: 8 Surprises That Make All The Difference. This is the first episode in our series on sexual wholeness and we just had to bring Dr. Sytsma and Shaunti on the podcast to share the latest research. They each view this topic through a unique lens and we think you will not only be encouraged and resourced in what healthy sexuality can look like, but you might find a starting point for a journey toward health and wholeness in this area of your life.

Today we have the privilege of speaking with Shaunti Feldhahn. You might know Shaunti from her research on relationships and her many many books such as; For Men Only, For Women Only, or The Surprising Secrets of Highly Happy Marriages. Shaunti Feldhahn is a bestselling author, social researcher, speaker, and podcaster. With a graduate degree from Harvard, Shaunti uses her analytical background to help relationships thrive. She and her husband, Jeff, have co-authored groundbreaking relationship books with nearly 3 million copies sold. As a popular media commentator, Shaunti’s findings are regularly featured in both secular and faith-based media, including The TODAY Show, FamilyLife Radio, Focus on the Family, The New York Times and Cosmopolitan.

To connect with Shaunti Feldhahn, visit:

Book website - https://secretsofsexandmarriage.com/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/shauntifeldhahn/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ShauntiFeldhahnOfficial

Website - https://shaunti.com/about-shaunti/

========================

https://www.perfectlyimperfect.org/a/2147529418/DJui8Bf6

We LOVE that you have decided to join us this week for the Living Wholehearted Podcast. We hope you enjoyed the conversation, tips, and resources to help you transform every relationship that matters most to you. If you think this will help someone you know, make sure you send it their way or share on socials. Tag us @living_wholehearted and @terramattson! Don't forget to FOLLOW/SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss an episode and help spread the word by leaving us some stars on a review. Thanks for partnering with us to help more leaders, just like you, who want to live and lead with integrity at home, work and in the community. You can always subscribe to our monthly newsletters at livingwholehearted.com. And, if you are a girl mom, check out mycourageousgirls.com.

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

RESOURCES

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

https://a.co/d/dRiP4Ii

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

Dear Mattsons

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

http://cpguides.org

Episode 174: Every Moment Holy with Leslie Thompson

Tue, 28 Mar 2023 05:00:00 +0000

How do we find time to build prayer into our busy lives? How do we train our eyes to recognize the Holy amidst the mundane and the ordinary? "When I opened the pages of Every Moment Holy, I found beautiful, simple prayers for specific moments of my daily life,” our guest recalls. “From morning coffee to changing a diaper, as well as prayers for gardening, grieving, or welcoming a new pet to the family. The prayers in this little book have blessed me time and again. Whether praying alone or with others, Every Moment Holy connects me to the sacredness of everyday moments.

Our guest for this episode is Leslie Eiler Thompson, who’s creative pursuits take many forms – from podcast hosting & producing, to storytelling & writing, to owning a creative consulting studio. She studied commercial music at Belmont University and as a podcast host, Leslie leads the Someone Like Me podcast, which tells the firsthand stories of human sex trafficking survivors in the state of Tennessee. She is also co-host of Church Historia, which explores various threads of Christian church history.

A fan of carefully crafted words, one of Leslie’s top book recommendations is Every Moment Holy: New Liturgies for Daily Life by Douglas McKelvey. She is here today to share with our audience the gift of these prayers.

*We’ve been given copies of Every Moment Holy to give away!*

This beautiful keepsake book by Douglas Kaine McKelvey has new liturgies written for ordinary events of daily life. For a chance to win a free copy, leave a review or share about our podcast on social media (tag #TerraMattson or #Living_Wholehearted)!

To connect with Leslie and find Every Moment Holy resources, visit:

ONLINE -

Every Moment Holy: www.everymomentholy.com

Leslieeilerthompson.substack.com

SOCIAL -

Facebook - @EveryMomentHoly

Instagram - @EveryMomentHoly

BOOK -

Every Moment Holy: New Liturgies for Daily Life by Douglas McKelvey, illustrations by Ned Bustard

And if you want a copy of Every Moment Holy, share about the Living Wholehearted Podcast on socials and tag @terramattson or @living_wholehearted or leave us a review. You can also sign up for our monthly newsletters at www.livingwholehearted.com for free insights every month to help you live and lead with integrity.

If you are a female leader and looking for a way to connect with us, our Executive Coaches, Connie Armerding, Rhonda Began and I, Terra Mattson, will be leading a 6 month group coaching series. It will run through July 2023, meeting on the 2nd Tuesday of the month, 9:00 - 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. You can register anytime. It’s only $45/month and we will be covering all those unique challenges women face as leaders. To find out more, go to www.livingwholehearted.com/executive-coaching.

We LOVE that you have decided to join us this week for the Living Wholehearted Podcast. We hope you enjoyed the conversation, tips, and resources to help you transform every relationship that matters most to you. If you think this will help someone you know, make sure you send it their way or share on socials. Tag us @living_wholehearted and @terramattson! Don't forget to FOLLOW/SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss an episode and help spread the word by leaving us some stars on a review. Thanks for partnering with us to help more leaders, just like you, who want to live and lead with integrity at home, work and in the community. You can always subscribe to our monthly newsletters at livingwholehearted.com. And, if you are a girl mom, check out mycourageousgirls.com.

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

RESOURCES

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

Dear Mattsons

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

Episode 173: A Guide for Parents Questioning Their Faith with Bekah McNeel

Tue, 21 Mar 2023 05:00:00 +0000

There are many people who were raised in the Church (capital "C") and have walked away with doubts, questions, and major wounds. Our conversation with Bekah McNeel, journalist and author of Bringing Up Kids When Church Lets You Down, was an authentic look at what it means to stay open to the process. Whether someone is "deconstructing" their faith or what we might call "reconstructing" their faith, Bekah gives voice to those who love Jesus but are not sure how to reconcile their experience in unhealthy or toxic systems. From disciplining to discipleship, and typical versus atypical spiritual formation, the Mattsons and Bekah McNeel are bringing hope to people who might find themselves in the "in-between".

Bekah McNeel is a journalist, author, wife, and mother of two. She recently released, Bringing Up Kids When Church Lets You Down: A Guide for Parents Questioning Their Faith. Her work has appeared in Christianity Today, Sojourners, Relevant, ESPN's The Undefeated, and elsewhere.

To connect with Bekah McNeel, visit:

ONLINE -

https://bekahmcneel.com/

SOCIAL -

Facebook - @bekah.mcneel

Twitter - @BekahMcneel

BOOK -

Bringing Up Kids When Church Lets You Down: A Guide for Parents Questioning Their Faith

https://www.amazon.com/Bringing-Kids-When-Church-Lets/dp/0802882099

We LOVE that you have decided to join us this week for the Living Wholehearted Podcast. We hope you enjoyed the conversation, tips, and resources to help you transform every relationship that matters most to you. If you think this will help someone you know, make sure you send it their way or share on socials. Tag us @living_wholehearted and @terramattson! Don't forget to FOLLOW/SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss an episode and help spread the word by leaving us some stars on a review. Thanks for partnering with us to help more leaders, just like you, who want to live and lead with integrity at home, work and in the community. You can always subscribe to our monthly newsletters at livingwholehearted.com. And, if you are a girl mom, check out mycourageousgirls.com.

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

RESOURCES

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

Dear Mattsons

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

http://cpguides.org

Episode 172: Theology of Suffering & Spiritual Formation with Bo Stern-Brady

Tue, 14 Mar 2023 05:00:00 +0000

Today we are going to talk about moving through suffering and loss and finding meaning in life - the deep waters. With Bo Stern-Brady as my guest, I know you will find some gold in the midst of this conversation. Bo is the author of Beautiful Battlefields, When Holidays Hurt and Ruthless. She has been a pastor for a few decades and speaks nationally. She’s a mom, step-mom, and a grandma. Jeff and I have been through some deep waters of suffering lately, and after spending two decades helping people grieve and heal from the losses of this life, the theology of suffering never gets old. I love this conversation because Bo, a wise sage for today, gets honest about her own niave views of suffering until her first husband was diagnosed with ALS and then passed away leaving her to raise her children as a single-mom. Nothing brings us face to face with Jesus like suffering. Bo and I talk about the ways we fight suffering, try to control it, and what myths we need to let go of in the midst. Bo shares insights about the greatest temptations people face when they are suffering, tips for suffering well, and how to walk alongside a friend or loved one who is going through a season of deep loss.

Bo reminds us that no matter why we have suffering - because of our own choices or the brokenness of this world - the question is not about "why" did this happen but "how" can we let it uncover more of our truest identity. In addition to suffering, Bo talks about leadership and spirtual formation and what every human being needs at the core of their existence. Listen in friends. This episode is one you'll want to play on repeat. And, will you do us a favor and share with a friend who is suffering and needs a word of hope today? This won't be trite. But like a balm for the soul. As always, leave a review! It helps us meet new listeners along the way.

To connect with Bo Stern-Brady, visit:

ONLINE -

bostern.com

SOCIAL -

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/bstern?fref=ts

Twitter - https://twitter.com/Bostern

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/bosternbrady/

BOOKS -

Beautiful Battlefields

Ruthless

When Holidays Hurt

OTHER -

Writer for the SoulSpace app

Founder of She-ology

We LOVE that you have decided to join us this week for the Living Wholehearted Podcast. We hope you enjoyed the conversation, tips, and resources to help you transform every relationship that matters most to you. If you think this will help someone you know, make sure you send it their way or share on socials. Tag us @living_wholehearted and @terramattson! Don't forget to FOLLOW/SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss an episode and help spread the word by leaving us some stars on a review. Thanks for partnering with us to help more leaders, just like you, who want to live and lead with integrity at home, work and in the community. You can always subscribe to our monthly newsletters at livingwholehearted.com. And, if you are a girl mom, check out mycourageousgirls.com.

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

RESOURCES

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

Dear Mattsons

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

Living Wholehearted is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be visit www.ChristianParenting.org

Episode 171 Grace at Work: The Secret to Getting More from Your Job than a Paycheck with Dr. Tim Kimmel and Michael Tooker

Tue, 07 Mar 2023 06:00:00 +0000

Some consider work a part of the Fall. The toil. The hardship. It’s a means to an end. Others wake up and love what they get to do. It’s a call. A passion. It’s more than a paycheck. It definitely feels like a divine opportunity. Some are fighting for their identity at work and others are using it to numb out. We call that workaholism. Wherever you are on the spectrum, we think today’s conversation has something for you. We are going to talk about how to find grace at work and create a culture where people are more than means to end. Our guests today are Dr. Tim Kimmel and Michael Tooker, co-authors of the book, Grace at Work: The Secret to Getting More from Your Job than a Paycheck.

Dr. Tim Kimmel is the founder and Executive Director of Grace Based Families, a ministry that aims to see families transformed by God’s grace into instruments of reformation and restoration. Tim and Grace Based Families conduct marriage and parenting conferences across the country and the world to address the unique pressures experienced by today’s families.

Michael Tooker has spent most of his career in the highly competitive world of corporate America. He’s seen firsthand the impact work culture makes on employee contentment and the company’s bottom line. After 25 years, Michael recently moved from a corner office to serving at one of the largest churches in America, Scottsdale Bible Church in Arizona. Regardless of the type of workplace, he understands that a culture of grace makes all the difference.

Michael shares his own story of workaholism and redemption in his marriage. Dr. Kimmel brings a lens of seasoned wisdom. And as always, we just keep it real. Listen in as we talk about how to find purpose, meaning, and grace in our work spaces, no matter where we work.

To connect with Dr. Tim Kimmel, visit:

ONLINE –

www.gracebasedfamilies.com

SOCIAL –

LinkedIn- Tim Kimmel

Facebook – Tim Kimmel & Grace Based Families

Twitter - @timkimmmel

Instagram - @gracebasedfamilies

BOOK -

Grace at Work: The Secret to Getting More from Your Job than a Paycheck

PODCAST -

Grace Based Families - Special Series: Grace at Work

To connect with Michael Tooker, visit:

SOCIAL –

LinkedIn- Michael Tooker

Facebook – Michael Tooker

BOOK -

Grace at Work: The Secret to Getting More from Your Job than a Paycheck

PODCAST -

Grace Based Families - Special Series: Grace at Work

We LOVE that you have decided to join us this week for the Living Wholehearted Podcast. We hope you enjoyed the conversation, tips, and resources to help you transform every relationship that matters most to you. If you think this will help someone you know, make sure you send it their way or share on socials. Tag us @living_wholehearted and @terramattson! Don't forget to FOLLOW/SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss an episode and help spread the word by leaving us some stars on a review. Thanks for partnering with us to help more leaders, just like you, who want to live and lead with integrity at home, work and in the community. You can always subscribe to our monthly newsletters at livingwholehearted.com. And, if you are a girl mom, check out mycourageousgirls.com.

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

RESOURCES

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

Dear Mattsons

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

http://cpguides.org

Living Wholehearted is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be visit www.ChristianParenting.org

Episode 170: A Conversation around Theology and the Roles of Women with Erin Lane

Tue, 28 Feb 2023 06:00:00 +0000

“Your biological clock is ticking.” “You’ll regret not having kids.” Any woman who even hints she is maybe questioning whether or not she wants to have kids has heard some form of these cultural scripts. Our guest today asks, “Is it possible to do something more meaningful than mothering?” (Hint: the answer is yes.) The conversation today is for anyone—whether mom or non-mom, stepparent or foster parent, infertile or ambivalent—who has been shamed, in particular by American Christianity, for not feeling what they’re “supposed to feel” about motherhood. Our guest for this episode is Erin S. Lane, a writer, theologian, and someone other than a mother. She is the author of Someone Other Than a Mother: Flipping the Scripts on a Woman’s Purpose and Making Meaning Beyond Motherhood. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Davidson College and a master’s degree from Duke Divinity School, both with a focus on gender studies. Mentored by Parker J. Palmer and the Center for Courage & Renewal, she works as a vocational retreat facilitator, helping people discern their wildest questions of purpose.

To connect with Erin Lane, visit:

ONLINE -

www.erinslane.com

SOCIAL -

Facebook - @heyerinlane

Twitter - @heyerinlane

Instagram - @heyerinlane

BOOK -

Someone Other Than a Mother: Flipping the Scripts on a Woman's Purpose and Making Meaning beyond Motherhood

==========

If you are a female leader and looking for a way to connect with us, our Executive Coaches, Connie Armerding, Rhonda Began and I, Terra Mattson, will be leading a 6-month group coaching session. It will run from February through July, meeting on the 2nd Tuesday of the month, 9:00 - 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. You can register anytime. It’s only $45/month and we will be covering all those unique challenges women face as leaders. Register at livingwholehearted.com.

We LOVE that you have decided to join us this week for the Living Wholehearted Podcast. We hope you enjoyed the conversation, tips, and resources to help you transform every relationship that matters to you. If you think this will help someone you know, make sure you send it their way or share on socials. Tag us @living_wholehearted and @terramattson! Don't forget to FOLLOW/SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss an episode and help spread the word by leaving us some stars on a review. Thanks for partnering with us to help more leaders, just like you, who want to live and lead with Integrity at home, work and in the community. You can always subscribe to our monthly newsletters at livingwholehearted.com. And, if you are a girl mom, check out mycourageousgirls.com.

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

===========

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

RESOURCES

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

Dear Mattsons

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

http://cpguides.org

Living Wholehearted is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be visit www.ChristianParenting.org

Episode 169: Tips and Tricks for Raising Daughters with the Founders of Courageous Girls, Jeff & Terra Mattson

Tue, 21 Feb 2023 06:00:00 +0000

Being a girl can be hard - especially in a world of confusing messages. We wanted to jump onto today's episode to share some insights from years of raising our own two daughters, teaching others about raising girls, and the deeper needs all women have (young and old). Whether you are raising daughters or working with girls (of any age), this episode is for you. From anxiety and big emotions to changing bodies, healthy boundaries and more…we hope to give you some tools you can use today!

We are Jeff and Terra Mattson, a husband and wife team who co-founded Living Wholehearted, an professional counseling and executive development firm, and Courageous Girls, an online resource helping moms walk with their daughters at every stage of her growing years. We are the hosts of the weekly Living Wholehearted Podcast and the Dear Mattsons parenting advice series on Youtube. Jeff (MA ORGL) is an Organizational Development and Leadership Coach and Terra (LPC, LMFT) is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Executive Coach. As authors, speakers, and social-entrepreneurs, we have developed organizations that help leaders, like you, live and lead with integrity at work, home and in the community. We have each invested more than two decades in leadership coaching and trauma-informed therapy and have helped national organizations and churches navigate many difficult leadership crises from the ground up. Our professional experience and research have formed a unique perspective on the relationship between leadership, integrity and trauma. As parents of two teen daughters and twenty-plus years of marriage, we have skin in the game! Between our speaking, publishing, executive coaching, managing our team, our business and non-profit, we get what it’s like to juggle the many aspects of a complex life!

We hope Terra’s book, Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace, and our co-authored book, Shrinking the Integrity Gap: Between What Leaders Preach and Live (October 2020, David C Cook), will be an evergreen resource for you as you grow in bringing all of who you are before God and others. If you are a mom of daughters, make sure you visit mycourageousgirls.com to start your Courageous Girls group or cpguides.org to get the Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters Courses produced by Christian Parenting. If you are a leader looking for resources, go to livingwholehearted.com for all kinds of holistic ways to meet your needs. We are honored to serve thousands of you each month through this podcast and hope you’ll stick around! If you like what you hear, leave us a review or share on your socials. Tag us @terramattson and @living_wholehearted when you do.

==========

If you are a female leader and looking for a way to connect with us, our Executive Coaches, Connie Armerding, Rhonda Began and I, Terra Mattson, will be leading a 6-month group coaching series that will run from February through July 2023. It meets virtually on the 2nd Tuesday of the month, 9:00 - 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. You can register anytime. It’s only $45/month and we will be covering all those unique challenges women face as leaders. Find out more at livingwholehearted.com.

==========

We LOVE that you have decided to join us this week for the Living Wholehearted Podcast. We hope you enjoyed the conversation, tips, and resources to help you transform every relationship that matters most to you. If you think this will help someone you know, make sure you send it their way or share on socials. Tag us @living_wholehearted and @terramattson! Don't forget to FOLLOW/SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss an episode and help spread the word by leaving us some stars on a review. Thanks for partnering with us to help more leaders, just like you, who want to live and lead with Integrity at home, work and in the community. You can always join our monthly newsletters at livingwholehearted.com. And, if you are a girl mom, check out mycourageousgirls.com.

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

===========

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

RESOURCES

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

Dear Mattsons

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

http://cpguides.org

The Living Wholehearted is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be visit www.ChristianParenting.org

What Makes a Healthy Marriage and Tips for Couples Who Work Together with Jeff & Terra Mattson

Tue, 14 Feb 2023 06:00:00 +0000

Marriage. Work. Life. It’s hard to juggle it all, especially if you have chosen to work together as husband and wife. Today, we are unpacking some of the myths around being a husband and wife team and looking at the layers of a healthy marriage through the lens of the Gottman’s Relationship Sound house. You want real insights about growing a healthy marriage? Listen in to this episode and then choose one thing to take into your world this week.

==========

If you are a female leader and looking for a way to connect with us, our Executive Coaches, Connie Armerding, Rhonda Began and I, Terra Mattson, will be leading a 6-month group coaching series that will run from February through July 2023. It meets virtually on the 2nd Tuesday of the month, 9:00 - 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. You can register anytime. It’s only $45/month and we will be covering all those unique challenges women face as leaders. Find out more at livingwholehearted.com.

==========

We LOVE that you have decided to join us this week for the Living Wholehearted Podcast. We hope you enjoyed the conversation, tips, and resources to help you transform every relationship that matters most to you. If you think this will help someone you know, make sure you send it their way or share on socials. Tag us @living_wholehearted and @terramattson! Don't forget to FOLLOW/SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss an episode and help spread the word by leaving us some stars on a review. Thanks for partnering with us to help more leaders, just like you, who want to live and lead with Integrity at home, work and in the community. You can always join our monthly newsletters at livingwholehearted.com. And, if you are a girl mom, check out mycourageousgirls.com.

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

===========

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

RESOURCES

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

Dear Mattsons

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

http://cpguides.org

Living Wholehearted is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be visit www.ChristianParenting.org

Episode 167: Raising Amazing Kids Who Like Their Family and Do The Dishes Without Being Asked, with Dave and Monica Swanson (aka: Boy Mom)

Tue, 07 Feb 2023 06:00:00 +0000

Parenting is not easy. Let’s just start there.

And yet, being a parent is one of the most important leadership roles we can have. Parents remain the most powerful and important influence in their kids’ lives. Many parents lose sleep over their responsibility, wondering if they’re providing the right boundaries, discipline, and examples to ensure their children have a bright future. Commonly known as the GIRL MOM with Courageous Girls and the Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters courses, the number one question I, Terra, get asked is, “Where are the resources for boys?” Well, good news…today we are talking about raising amazing kids with the official BOY MOM.

Yes, today we’ve got author and podcaster, Monica Swanson, as well as her husband, Dave.

Monica and Dave Swanson co-authored a book, Raising Amazing: Bringing Up Kids Who Love God, Like Their Family, and Do the Dishes WITHOUT BEING ASKED. They combined years of research with personal stories and step-by-step, practical advice to give parents the help they’re looking for as they seek to raise amazing kids. They have been living their best Hawaiian life with their 4 sons for the last 22 years. Monica is the host of the Monica Swanson Podcast (previously the Boy Mom podcast) and author of, BOY MOM: What Your Son Needs Most from You.

Monica is passionate about cheering on parents to pour into their kids' lives in a way that inspires and shapes them into young adults they are proud to launch into the world.

To connect with Monica Swanson, visit:

ONLINE -

monicaswanson.com

SOCIAL -

Facebook - Monica Swanson

Twitter - @thegrommom

Instagram - monicaswanson_

Youtube - Monica Swanson

PODCAST -

The Monica Swanson Podcast

BOOKS -

Raising Amazing: Bringing Up Kids Who Love God, Like Their Family, and Do the Dishes WITHOUT BEING ASKED

Boy Mom: What Your Son Needs Most from You

==========

If you are a female leader and looking for a way to connect with us, our Executive Coaches, Connie Armerding, Rhonda Began and Terra Mattson, will be leading a 6 month group coaching session. It starts February 14th, 9:00 - 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. Registration opens February 1. It’s only $45/month and we will be covering all those unique challenges women face as leaders. Register at www.livingwholehearted.com.

We are so grateful you are joining us! We hope you enjoy what you hear and if you think this will help someone you know, make sure you send it their way or share on socials. Tag us @living_wholehearted! We love your reviews and appreciate the ways you are helping us share the message of Living Wholehearted. You can always join our monthly newsletters at livingwholehearted.com or if you are a girl mom, check out mycourageousgirls.com for more!

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

==========

We LOVE that you have decided to join us this week for the Living Wholehearted Podcast. We hope you enjoyed the conversation, tips, and resources to help you transform every relationship that matters to you. Don't forget to FOLLOW/SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss an episode and help spread the word by leaving us some stars on a review. Thanks for partnering with us to help more leaders, just like you, who want to live and lead with Integrity at home, work and in the community. For more about our resources, visit www.livingwholehearted.com.

Grateful for you!

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

RESOURCES

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

Dear Mattsons

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

http://cpguides.org

Living Wholehearted is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual advice to help you grow into the parent you want to be visit www.ChristianParenting.org

Episode 166: Wisdom for Parents of Gamers with Drew Dixon

Tue, 31 Jan 2023 06:00:00 +0000

Thanks for being a part of our Living Wholehearted community, shrinking the gap between what we preach and how we live. This week, we are talking about video games! Are you a parent who is confused by all the controversial opinions about video games? Are they okay for our kids? When do they become a problem? Which games should our kids play? We have friends and clients who confront these questions daily. To shed some light and offer some wisdom on this topic, Drew Dixon is our guest for this episode.

Drew is an Executive Editor at Penguin Random House. He is an accomplished freelance writer and editor, with articles published in Relevant, Christ and Pop Culture, World Magazine, Christianity Today, and Paste Magazine. He is a public speaker, co-host of Humans of Gaming, co-founder of Love Thy Nerd, and he has traveled all over the world to spread the Gospel at nerd conventions. Drew also is the author of the recently released book Know Thy Gamer: A Parent's Guide to Video Games.

To connect with Drew Dixon, visit:

WEBSITES

https://lovethynerd.com/author/drewdixon/

SOCIALS

Twitter: @_DrewDixon, @LoveThyNerd

Instagram: @LoveThyNerd

Facebook: @lovethynerd

BOOKS

Know Thy Gamer: A Parent's Guide to Video Games by Drew Dixon (B&H Books, September 6, 2022)

========

At Living Wholehearted, we believe that as a parent, you are a leader and how you lead matters! If you are needing more resources to grow as a parent, check out all our resources at www.livingwholehearted.com and sign up for our monthly newsletter. You might love our Dear Mattsons parenting advice videos under the resource tab with answers to real questions from real parents.

The application process for our next Wholehearted Leadership Cohort is open for the month of January. If you get our newsletter, you would already know! That’s www.livingwholehearted.com or follow us on Instagram @living_wholehearted or @terramattson

We LOVE that you have decided to join us this week for the Living Wholehearted Podcast. We hope you enjoyed the conversation, tips, and resources to help you transform every relationship that matters to you. Don't forget to FOLLOW/SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss an episode and help spread the word by leaving us some stars on a review. If today's episode particularly resonated with you, share with a friend or post on social media. Tag us @living_wholehearted! Thanks for partnering with us to help more leaders, just like you, who want to live and lead with Integrity at home, work and in the community. For more about our resources, visit www.livingwholehearted.com

Grateful for you!

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

INSTAGRAM

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

FACEBOOK

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

WEBSITES

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

RESOURCES

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

Dear Mattsons

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

http://cpguides.org

Episode 165: The Unique Challenges of Female Leadership with Connie Armerding

Tue, 24 Jan 2023 06:00:00 +0000

How familiar are you with the unique challenges of women in leadership? From childcare concerns, to re-entering the workforce after years devoted to parenting, to the lack of resources and training available for women leadership. This conversation is one we have in our coaching practices with female leaders over and over again. Today, we decided to bring one of our very own Living Wholehearted Executive Coaches on the podcast to talk more about this.

To connect with Connie, visit:

ONLINE -

https://www.conniearmerding.com

SOCIAL -

Facebook - @connie.armerding

Twitter - @ConnieArmerding

Instagram - @carmerding

Register for once a month virtual group coaching with other female leaders. This 6 month group coaching starts February 14 with Connie Armerding, Rhonda Bega, and Terra Mattson is only $45 a month. Register today. If you want to know more about Living Wholehearted and the resources we offer, from our books and e-Courses, to our professional counseling and leadership development services, go to livingwholehearted.com and sign up for our monthly newsletters. Each month you will be connected with resources and on-going support for your journey toward living more wholehearted. The application process for our next wholehearted leadership cohort will begin this summer. If you get our newsletter, you will be the first to know! That’s www.livingwholehearted.com or follow us on instagram @living_wholehearted.

To connect with Jeff and Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

Instagram

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

#living_wholeheartedpodcast

#shrinkingtheintegritygap

Facebook

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

Websites

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

MyCourageousBook.com

Resources

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

Dear Mattsons

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

Episode 164: The How and Why of Sabbaticals: Rhythms of Rest for Leaders with Rhonda Began

Tue, 17 Jan 2023 06:00:00 +0000

Rest is a discipline. Sometimes we are so responsible, our leadership feels so important, that we forget that even God, Himself, rested. Really, who doesn’t need rest? And let’s be honest, we are not God. Rest is meant to be a gift to us. So why do we fight it so much? Today we are going to talk about Sabbath and taking Sabbaticals and how to do that well. We’ll discuss why organizations, especially those who profess to follow Jesus, should consider Sabbaticals as practice and how Sabbatical coaching can help us learn to rest well - all so that we can return to our work and call with a renewed passion.

We all need people in our lives who not only cheer us on but help us see where we can grow and develop to be our best selves. Rhonda Began has a passion for walking alongside others; empowering them to be the best leaders they can be. She has over 30 years of experience in church ministry settings developing staff and volunteers to create and maintain strong organizational structures while caring for the whole person.

Her desire to see people find a pace of life and work that brings them peace, and allows them time for what’s most important, is at the heart of her coaching and consulting. A self proclaimed “energizer bunny”, Rhonda uses her own experience, learning to slow down and find healthy rhythms to overcome burnout and fatigue, to help others find a pace of life and work that brings them peace and allows them time for what’s more important.

To connect with Rhonda, visit:

Website

https://www.livingwholehearted.com/rhonda-began-bio

Social Media

Facebook - @Rhonda Dyrkach Began

Instagram - @BeganRhonda

If you want to know more about Living Wholehearted and the resources we offer, from our books and e-Courses, to our professional counseling and leadership development services, go to livingwholehearted.com and sign up for our monthly newsletters. Each month you will be connected with resources and on-going support for your journey toward living more wholehearted. The application process for our next wholehearted leadership cohort is open for the month of January. If you get our newsletter, you would already know! That’s www.livingwholehearted.com or follow us on instagram @living_wholehearted.

To connect with Jeff and Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

Instagram

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

#living_wholeheartedpodcast

#shrinkingtheintegritygap

Facebook

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

Websites

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

MyCourageousBook.com

Resources

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

Dear Mattsons

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

www.ted.com/talks/sasha_shillcutt_resilience_the_art_of_failing_forward

Episode 163: Boundaries & Leadership with Dr. Sasha Shillcutt

Tue, 10 Jan 2023 06:00:00 +0000

When someone asks you for help, what do you say? For many, the answer is typically “yes” - especially for women! And many of us have an “if not me, then who?” mindset - especially high-capacity leader types. Reality is that when we consistently say yes and prioritize the needs of others, we often find ourselves exhausted, overcommitted, and empty. Anyone? Today, we are talking about much-needed boundaries. Ironically, it’s a misunderstood concept.

Dr. Sasha Shillcutt is with us today to offer her insight. Dr. Shillcutt is a renowned cardiac anesthesiologist, professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, bestselling author, and CEO/Founder of Brave Enough. Sasha’s TEDx talk titled Resilience: The Art of Failing Forward has been viewed by more than 50K. Her writing has been published in both the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine and JAMA. She’s the author of the new book, Brave Boundaries: Strategies to Say No, Stand Strong and Take Control of Your Time (HCI Books, September 6) and host of The Brave Enough Show podcast.

Sasha is also a Christian, wife, and mother, who has walked through seasons of loneliness, anxiety, and complete burnout. She has written this book, Brave Boundaries, out of a tender place in her heart for the woman who has found herself in a similar place.

To connect with Dr. Sasha Shillcutt, visit:

Websites

becomebraveenough.com

Social Media

Facebook - @sasha.shillcutt

Twitter - @SashaShillcutt

Instagram - @becomebraveenough

Resources

Book - Brave Boundaries: Strategies to Say No, Stand Strong, and Take Control of Your Time: The Key to Living Empowered

Podcast - The Brave Enough Show

TEDx - Resilience:The Art of Failing Forward

If you want to know more about Living Wholehearted and the resources we offer, from our books and e-Courses, to our professional counseling and leadership development services, go to livingwholehearted.com and sign up for our monthly newsletters. Each month you will be connected with resources and on-going support for your journey toward living more wholehearted. The application process for our next wholehearted leadership cohort is open for the month of January. If you get our newsletter, you would already know! That’s www.livingwholehearted.com or follow us on instagram @living_wholehearted.

To connect with Jeff and Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

Instagram

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

#living_wholeheartedpodcast

#shrinkingtheintegritygap

Facebook

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

Websites

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

MyCourageousBook.com

Resources

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

Dear Mattsons

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

http://cpguides.org/

Episode 162: Detoxing from Insecurity and Standing in Confidence with Amanda Pittman

Tue, 03 Jan 2023 06:00:00 +0000

Are you a woman who feels bombarded with narratives about how you should look, behave and live? Do you feel exhausted by trying to live up to opposing expectations from social media feeds, entertainment, and peer groups? Do you find yourself struggling with insecurity, self-doubt, and negative self-talk? You’ve come to a safe place… and if you are a guy tuning in today - stay with us! This might be just what you need to equip you to be a good partner and a strong advocate for the women in your life.

Sharing her own journey toward confidence, and wisdom she’s gained along the way, Jeff and Terra’s guest today will challenge you and encourage your soul whether you are a woman, raising a woman, married to a woman, or working with women.

Amanda Pittman is a wife, mother, author, ministry leader, speaker, and entrepreneur. Her book is called Stand in Confidence: From Sinking in Insecurity to Rising in Your God-Given Identity. Released September 6, 2022, it is the very first title published under the Esther Press imprint with David C Cook.

She is the founder of Confident Woman Co., a ministry that equips women to stand confidently upon the finished work of Jesus. Through Confident Woman Co., Amanda hosts retreats, conferences, online events, coaching programs, podcasts, videos and more. Amanda is the host of Confident Woman Podcast and the author of five books, including Stand in Confidence (September 2022) and 100 Days of Life-Changing Confidence (Fall 2022). Amanda and Michael Pittman live near Dallas, Texas, with their children Elijah and Lily.

To connect with Amanda Pittman, visit:

ONLINE -

https://www.confidentwomanco.com/

SOCIAL -

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/groups/confidentwomanco

Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/confidentwomanc

Instagram - @amandapittman

YouTube - @AmandaPittman

BOOK/PODCAST -

Stand in Confidence: From Sinking in Insecurity to Rising in Your God-Given Identity (September 6, 2022)

Podcast - Confident Woman

Are you a mom raising a daughter and wanting to grow in your own confidence? Check out mycourageousgirls.com and the new Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters courses (CPGuides.org).

Follow @mycourageousgirls or Terra @terramattson

Subscribe to the #living_wholeheartedpodcast anywhere you find your podcasts (link in bio)

To connect with Jeff and Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

Instagram

@TerraMattson

@Living_Wholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

#living_wholeheartedpodcast

#shrinkingtheintegritygap

Facebook

@WeAreLivingWholehearted

@MyCourageousGirls

Websites

LivingWholehearted.com

TerraMattson.com

MyCourageousGirls.com

MyCourageousBook.com

Resources

Shrinking the Integrity Gap

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace

https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

Dear Mattsons

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters

http://cpguides.org/

Episode 161: Detoxing from the Complicated and moving back to Loving God and Loving Others with Brittany Ann

Tue, 27 Dec 2022 06:00:00 +0000

This conversation is a great refresher for busy moms who need to slow down and get back to a rhythm with God and His Word. Sometimes we overcomplicate things and it helps to go back to what Jesus says is the greatest commandment: to love God and love others. As you end your year, moms, consider your rhythms with God, His Word and those who help you grow toward Him. Our guest, Brittany Ann, speaks to how to discern God’s will, His voice, and how to not be a weird Christian or fight every battle you see in the world. Brittany Ann is an ECPA bestselling author, speaker, and founder of EquippingGodlyWomen.com, a popular Christian-living website dedicated to helping busy Christian moms find practical ways to go "all in" in faith and family. You can learn more about Brittany’s latest books, Fall in Love with God’s Word and Follow God’s Will, on her website.

To connect with Brittany Ann, visit:

ONLINE -

https://equippinggodlywomen.com/

SOCIAL -

Facebook - @equippinggodlywomen

Twitter - @equipGodlyWomen

Instagram - @equippinggodlywomen

Pinterest - @equipgodlywomen

BOOKS & PODCAST -

Follow God's Will: Biblical Guidelines for Everyday Life

https://equippinggodlywomen.com/follow-gods-will/

Fall in Love with God’s Word

https://equippinggodlywomen.com/love-gods-word/

Podcast - equippinggodlywomen.com/podcast

If you want to know more about Living Wholehearted and the resources we offer, from our books and e-Courses, to our professional counseling and leadership development services, go to livingwholehearted.com and sign up for our monthly newsletters. Each month you will be connected with resources and on-going support for your journey toward living more wholehearted. The application process for our next wholehearted leadership cohort is coming soon. If you get our newsletter, you will be the first to know! That’s www.livingwholehearted.com or follow us on instagram @living_wholehearted.

To connect with Jeff and Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

Instagram

Facebook

Websites

Resources

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

Episode 160: Detoxing from a Digital World: For parents and kids alike with Arlene Pellicane

Tue, 20 Dec 2022 06:00:00 +0000

We are in the middle of a short series on detoxing. Today, we are talking about detoxing from the digital world. Don’t worry, this is not a guilt-ridden episode on why all digital devices are bad and from the pit of hell. But it is timely as you consider what you are buying for your kids during the holiday season and as you think ahead about setting new healthy rhythms in your home for next year. We are personally still detoxing from habits we formed during the pandemic - hours of hallmark christmas movies, netflix series and yes, reruns of Survivor. So, no judgment from us. However, in all reality, in this digital age, children, with developing brains, are spending more time interacting with screens than ever before. There is less time playing outside, reading a book, or interacting with family. We have lost basic things like looking each other in the eye while we talk, and finishing a conversation about our days before we hit the pillow. Though technology has its benefits, it also has its harms. So we want to shore up some of our thinking and habits.

Arlene Pellican is a speaker, author and podcaster. Her latest book, Screen Kids: 5 Relational Skills Every Child Needs in a Tech-Driven World was co-authored with Gary Chapman. She’s been honored to speak, write books (translated into over 10 languages), and appear on several media outlets like the Today Show, Wall Street Journal, Focus on the Family, Fox & Friends, TLC’s Home Made Simple, FamilyLife Today, and The 700 Club. She hosts The Happy Home podcast. She has been on the writing team for Proverbs 31 Ministries and Girlfriends in God. She earned a BA from Biola University and a MA from Regent University.

Her happy place is with her husband of more than 23 years, James, and their three children, Ethan, Noelle and Lucy. They live in San Diego with their Goldendoodle named Winston.

Learn more about Living Wholehearted at www.livingwholehearted.com and Courageous Girls at www.mycourageousgirls.com

To connect with Arlene Pellicane, visit:

ONLINE -

http://www.arlenepellicane.com/

https://www.happyhomeuniversity.com/

BOOKS -

Screen Kids - https://5lovelanguages.com/screenkids/

https://arlenepellicane.com/books/

PODCAST -

The Happy Home

https://www.accessmore.com/pd/https/arlenepellicanecom/podcasts/

RESOURCES -

https://gabbwireless.com/

Promo code ARLENE to save $50 on watch or phone

If you want to know more about Living Wholehearted and the resources we offer, from our books and e-Courses, to our professional counseling and leadership development services, go to livingwholehearted.com and sign up for our monthly newsletters. Each month you will be connected with resources and on-going support for your journey toward living more wholehearted. The application process for our next wholehearted leadership cohort is coming soon. If you get our newsletter, you will be the first to know! That’s www.livingwholehearted.com or follow us on instagram @living_wholehearted.

Subscribe to the #living_wholeheartedpodcast anywhere you find your podcasts

To connect with Jeff and Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

Instagram

Facebook

Websites

Resources

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

https://www.drronarcher.com/

http://cpguides.org/

Episode 158: The Power of One Man with Dr. Ron Archer (the Mattson’s favorite from the LW podcast library)

Tue, 06 Dec 2022 06:00:00 +0000

For years, the Mattsons have claimed that most high-capacity leaders have a trauma story (though many would never call it that). This episode is not only telling of this research, but it’s profoundly encouraging to anyone with a story who needs a reminder of how God uses it ALL. Jeff and Terra, co-hosts of the podcast, had an incredible time listening to Dr. Ron Archer share his powerful story. It first aired during Super Bowl week back in 2021. Though we generally stick with 30 minute interviews, the Mattsons let Dr. Archer roll as they just couldn’t stop listening and craved more. Dr. Ron Archer is a world-renowned inspirational speaker, business executive, and author. He was an NFL chaplain, pastor, and world leader, advising several U.S. presidents, training top executives of multiple Fortune 500 companies and military leaders. His debut biography, a story of poverty, hardship, and overcoming all odds, What Belief Can Do, was published in February 2020 with Salem Books. His latest book is, The Power of One Man: How God Uses Men Like You to Change the World. Dr. Archer’s story went viral and he has traveled the globe inspiring millions with his testimony.

“Ron’s newest book [makes] it clear that all men were born with a God-given mission, a message to fulfill their divine design...this book will help your husband, brother, son, or nephew to transform their pain into power and their wounds into wisdom. Get this book into the hands of a broken man in your life and watch God show up.”—STEVE ARTERBURN, president of New Life Ministries and host of New Life Live!

To connect with Dr. Ron Archer, go to:

ONLINE -

https://ronarcher.org/

BOOKS -

What Belief Can Do

The Power of One Man: How God Uses Men Like You to Change the World

And don’t forget, If you like what you hear, make sure you leave a review and share this podcast with the world. THANK YOU ahead of time. And as mentioned in the episode, if you are a leader looking to know your story, wiring, and how to cultivate healthy relationships at home, work and in your community, consider joining us for the 2023-2024 Wholehearted Leadership Cohort. Go to www.livingwholehearted.com to join the waitlist or apply in early January 2023.

To connect with Jeff and Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

Instagram

Facebook

Websites

Resources

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

http://cpguides.org/

Episode 157: Trauma-Informed Theology (part 2) with Kimi & Joel Harris (most popular episode from the LW archives)

Tue, 29 Nov 2022 06:00:00 +0000

We are diving into an important topic today addressing abuse and how the church can grow in health and wholeness in our response to survivors. We talk about why victims do not speak up, helpful messages from the pulpit and not so helpful messages. We address how a person can find healing from their abuse and the compassion needed for the long journey. Listen to the first half of this vital conversation in last week’s episode #62.

In part 2, we are talking specifically to leaders and how the church can better come alongside those who have been abused in the church. Joel and Kimberly Harris are transplants fromPortland, Oregon to South Dakota, where Joel is a pastor and worship leader. They have three girls, whom they homeschool. As a family, they value the power of music and storytelling and love to share good books with each other. Kimberly has written for various publications, including Christianity Today and Crosswalk, covering topics such as how abusers groom churches, biblical comfort in suffering, and empathy.

To Connect with Kimi or Joel visit:

ONLINE -

https://www.kimiharris.com/

SOCIAL -

Instagram - @kimi.n.harris

Twitter - @joelharris411

To learn more about this topic, read our book, Shrinking the Integrity Gap: Between What Leaders Preach & Live (currently a steal at $4.99 on kindle) and Mending the Soul, by Steve Tracy.

Jeff and Terra love creating resources for leaders in the home, work, and community. Are you a woman who is leading and looking for a coaching community to help you live more fully into your design, your call, and your priorities? Email info@livingwholehearted.com and consider joining our first women’s ONE-YEAR leadership cohort led by Terra Mattson and Connie Armerding. There is room for only 12 leaders and the cohort begins in January 2023.

To find more about all our services, from executive coaching and the Wholehearted Leadership Cohort, to professional counseling and Courageous Girls groups, sign up for the monthly newsletters at www.livingwholehearted.com or follow us on Instagram @living_wholehearted. You can also follow Terra on Instagram @terramattson. (Jeff isn’t on social media for his own personal boundaries, but Terra shares once in a while about his fishing adventures and more.)

If you like what you are hearing and find this helpful in ANY WAY, please leave us a review and make sure you subscribe so you don’t miss an episode. As mentioned in the episode, if you are a leader looking to know your story, wiring, and how to cultivate healthy relationships at home, at work and in your community, consider joining us for the 2023-2024 Wholehearted Leadership Cohort. Go to www.livingwholehearted.com to join the waitlist. Applications will open in January 2023.

To connect with Jeff and Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

Instagram

Facebook

Websites

Resources

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

http://cpguides.org/

Episode 156: Trauma-Informed Theology (part 1) with Kimi & Joel Harris (most popular episode from the LW archives)

Tue, 22 Nov 2022 06:00:00 +0000

After launching the Living Wholehearted Podcast two years ago, the Mattsons are airing their first reruns. The Trauma-Informed Theology episodes from January 2021 were the most listened to podcasts of all time. It might seem odd, but the truth is, people are becoming more and more aware of how trauma is affecting all of who we are - even our understanding of God, the church, and our communities.

Our guests on this episode help us dive into an important discussion; How do we help sex abuse survivors, as well as prevent more abuse in the church? This is never an easy topic, but a vital one we are passionate about and think it’s a key to shrinking all our integrity gaps. Today we have Joel and Kimberly Harris who are transplants from Portland, Oregon, to South Dakota, where Joel is a pastor and worship leader. They have three girls, whom they homeschool. As a family, they value the power of music and storytelling and love to share good books with each other. Kimberly has written for various publications, including Christianity Today and Crosswalk, covering topics such as how abusers groom churches, biblical comfort in suffering, and empathy. Through their own story of abuse and seeing the unraveling of larger systemic wreckage, they still love God and the Church. They are helping survivors find their voice and want to see more leaders (who may also be abuse survivors) learn how to respond in helpful and healing ways. Whether you are a parent, ministry leader, business leader, or anywhere in between, please listen in.

For more resources on this topic, read Shrinking the Integrity Gap: Between What Leaders Preach & Live by Jeff and Terra Mattson, and Mending the Soul by Steve Tracy.

To Connect with Kimi or Joel visit:

ONLINE -

https://www.kimiharris.com/

SOCIAL -

Instagram - @kimi.n.harris

Twitter - @joelharris411

To find more about Living Wholehearted and our services, from executive coaching and the Wholehearted Leadership Cohort, to professional counseling and Courageous Girls groups, sign up for the monthly newsletters at www.livingwholehearted.com or follow us on Instagram @living_wholehearted. You can also follow Terra on Instagram @terramattson. (Jeff isn’t on social media for his own personal boundaries, but Terra shares once in a while about his fishing adventures and more.)

To connect with Jeff and Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

Instagram

Facebook

Websites

Resources

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

http://www.kaylacraig.com/

http://cpguides.org/

Episode155: Fostering Being Still and Knowing God With Our Kids: Liturgies for Parents with Kayla Craig

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 06:00:00 +0000

Have you not known the words to pray? Have you been so exhausted in your parenting journey, all you needed or wanted was for someone to read your mind and care for you? Well, this conversation will not only be a breath of fresh air, but one that will nourish any season you are in as a parent. Whether you are changing diapers, teaching your child to drive, or preparing to send them off to college, there is a message for you.

Terra and Kayla Craig explore the power of liturgy prayers. Terra and Kayla share a little of their own spiritual journeys and how that is shaping the way they parent and move in and out of helping their kids grow in their walk with God. This episode is the perfect start to a season of gratitude this Thanksgiving and one you can share with any weary parent!

Kayla Craig is a modern liturgist, a mother of four, and the author of To Light Their Way: A Collection of Prayers and Liturgies for Parents. She also hosts the weekly Liturgies for Parents Podcast and is a part of the Christian Parenting Network family!

She writes about parenting and Christian spirituality. Her work is inspired by her life as a full-time journalist turned work-at-home mom to wonderfully curious kids. Her work has appeared in Alabaster Co., The Upper Room, (in)Courage, BHG.com, PBS KIDS for Parents, Motherly, Red Letter Christians, Christ + Pop Culture, and in countless newspapers across the United States. She is also co-founder of Upside Down Podcast, an ecumenical gathering of Christian women exploring faith and culture. (They’ve had half a million downloads and are going on hiatus after their sixth season.)

To connect with Kayla Craig, visit:

ONLINE -

SOCIAL -

Instagram - http://instagram.com/kayla_craig

Instagram - www.instagram.com/liturgiesforparents

BOOKS/PODCASTS -

To Light Their Way: A Collection of Prayers & Liturgies for Parents

http://www.kaylacraig.com/book.html

Upside Down Podcast

http://www.upsidedownpodcast.com/

Liturgies For Parents Podcast

http://www.kaylacraig.com/liturgies-for-parents-podcast.html

To connect with Jeff and Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

Instagram

Facebook

Websites

Resources

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

http://cpguides.org/

Episode 154: Boundaries: Loving Others Without Losing Who You Are with Lysa TerKeurst

Tue, 08 Nov 2022 06:00:00 +0000

Do you ever wonder if boundaries are unloving or selfish? Do you have trouble deciding if it’s time to bring closure or continue to work on a relationship? What does the Bible even say about relationships when they become unsafe or unsustainable? Then, once you discern it's time for change, how do you set boundaries? Based on our stories, our wirings, and our theology, we can get confused and stuck - and even lead others to paralysis.

Our guest today, Lysa TerKeurst, deeply understands these hard questions in the midst of relational struggles. But after thousands of hours of counseling intensives and extensive theological research that transformed the way she defines healthy relationships, Lysa is now more committed than ever to loving people well without losing the best of who she is.

Lysa TerKeurst is president of Proverbs 31 Ministries and the author of more than twenty-five books, including It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way and the #1 New York Times bestsellers Forgiving What You Can’t Forget and Uninvited. Her new release, coming this month (Nov 2022) is titled, Good Boundaries and Goodbyes; Loving Others Without Losing The Best of Who You Are.

As president of Proverbs 31 Ministries, Lysa and her team have led millions to make their walk with God an invigorating journey through Encouragement For Today daily devotions, the First 5 Bible study app, online Bible studies, The Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast, social media channels, speaker/writer training, and more.

Each year, Lysa speaks at more than 40 events across North America. She has a passion for equipping women to share their stories for God’s glory through Proverbs 31 Ministries’ annual She Speaks Conference and through the ministry’s membership site for writers, COMPEL Training.

Lysa has 5 grown kids with families of their own, and 3 beautiful grandchildren.

To connect with Lysa TerKeurst, visit:

ONLINE

https://lysaterkeurst.com/

SOCIAL

Facebook - @LysaTerKeurst

Twitter - @LysaTerKeurst

Instagram - @LysaTerKeurst

BOOKS

New Release - Good Boundaries and Goodbyes; Loving Others Without Losing The Best of Who You Are (Nelson Books, imprint of Thomas Nelson, 11/8/2022)

https://www.p31bookstore.com/collections/lysa-terkeurst-books-and-bible-studies

Being a leader isn’t easy. Being a wholehearted leader means learning how to have healthy boundaries and modeling that to all who follow you - from your kids, to employees, to your followers online. If you want to know more about how to grow as a wholehearted leader and learn more about our resources, check out www.livingwholehearted.com or follow us on instagram @living_wholehearted.

And for all you moms of daughters, this very topic is one of the reasons Terra started Courageous Girls. We have groups of moms and daughters gathering all over the world as moms are intentionally pursuing their daughter’s heart and helping her understand God’s word and how it applies to building healthy relationships with God, herself and others. This conversation is woven throughout those lessons starting from second grade through high school. You can learn more at www.mycourageousgirls.com.

Subscribe to the #living_wholeheartedpodcast anywhere you find your podcasts

To connect with Jeff and Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

Instagram

Facebook

Websites

Resources

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

https://www.tonijcollier.com/

http://cpguides.org/

Episode 152: Broken and Leading: When, how and who to be vulnerable with along the way with Toni Collier

Tue, 25 Oct 2022 05:00:00 +0000

This is one of co-host, Jeff Mattson’s favorite interviews! The Mattsons want everyone to meet Toni Collier, a hope coach (don’t you just love that term?!) and founder of Broken Crayons Still Color, an international women’s ministry to help women process their brokenness and reclaim hope. Toni is full of passion and she talks about the moment she realized that God is in the business of using broken people. And yet, leading from a place of brokenness is not where He leaves us or wants us to stay. God invites us to do the hard work our healing journeys require, so we don’t leak their pain and unhealth in funky ways. We all know we don’t need more leaders in the world who are ignorant of their pain and propagate unhealthy systems. Toni shares why counseling is so important, about the differences between healthy and spiritually abusive churches, red flags for toxic communities, and when you know it’s the right time to share your pain publicly and when it’s only appropriate for your closest friends.

Toni Collier is a popular speaker and consultant who helps organizations with creative marketing, leadership, student ministry, and strategic planning. She’s also the author of, Brave Enough to Be Broken: How to Embrace Your Pain and Discover Hope and Healing (Nelson Books, Nov 2022). It’s her passion to show women that they can be both broken and beautiful as they work out their healing at the feet of Jesus. Toni teaches regularly at Story Church Atlanta, founded by her husband, Sam Collier. Toni and Sam live in Atlanta with their daughter, Dylan, and new baby boy, Sam Jr.

To connect with Toni Collier, visit:

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/colliertoni

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tonijcollier/

Brave Enough to Be Broken: How to Embrace Your Pain and Discover Hope and Healing (Nelson Books, Nov 2022)

https://www.tonijcollier.com/booksanddevos

To connect with Jeff and Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

Instagram

Facebook

Websites

Resources

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

https://www.nicolejacobsmeyer.com/book

Want to learn more about becoming a healthy and whole leader? Go to livingwholehearted.com and make sure you leave a review or share this episode. It’s a message worth spreading!

Episode 151: When Life Is More Than You Can Handle with Nicole Jacobsmeyer

Tue, 18 Oct 2022 05:00:00 +0000

Do you ever feel like God is giving you more than you can handle? In your trials and suffering, do you find yourself doubting and questioning His goodness, or even his existence? Where is God in the suffering? Maybe you are at a loss when it comes to figuring out how to walk alongside others who are in pain? Or maybe you are just tired of the myths around suffering and the trite sayings that come in replacement of true lament?

You are not alone. Suffering is one of the number one reasons people leave their faith, rather than cling to it. Some in the western church believe that if God is in it, it should be easy. Even Job spends days defending his suffering before his friends. We need a stronger theology of suffering and today’s episode leans into these concerns. Whether you are a parent, a leader, or someone who is just taking your life day-by-day as the waves of grief, loss, and doubt come faster than you can catch your breath - this episode is for you.

Terra interviews Nicole Jacobsmeyer, who is well acquainted with suffering. She gathered so much experiential wisdom, encouragement and insight through her long journey of suffering. Nicole is a homemaker, chocolate chip cookie lover, entrepreneur, bible study teacher and writer. She is the author of Take Back Your Joy: Fighting For Purpose When Life Is More Than You Can Handle (David C. Cook, 2022). She believes that no matter what trials you’re going through or how difficult your past was, Jesus can help you overcome it to walk in victory. Through her authenticity in sharing her own struggles, Nicole encourages women to keep going when all seems lost. She believes that it’s possible to find lasting joy and purpose in Christ and that He is good no matter what life brings our way.

To connect with Nicole, visit:

ONLINE -

nicolejacobsmeyer.com

SOCIAL -

Facebook - @NicoleRJacobsmeyer https://www.facebook.com/NicoleRJacobsmeyer

Instagram - @nicole.jacobsmeyer https://www.instagram.com/nicole.jacobsmeyer/

BOOK -

Take Back Your Joy: Fighting For Purpose When Life Is More Than You Can Handle

To connect with Jeff and Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

Instagram

Facebook

Websites

Resources

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

http://cpguides.org/

Episode 150: Shepherd of leaders: the Heart of the Father with Steve Witmer

Tue, 11 Oct 2022 05:00:00 +0000

Are you a pastor or ministry leader who is longing to have someone see you, understand your needs and remind you of who you are and to whom you belong? Sadly, pastors, ministry leaders and their families often find themselves isolated, struggling, and burned out.

Everyone wants to be a healthy, wholehearted leader, who lives their life with integrity. Not just for a season, but for the long-haul. Some would say it’s not how you start, but how you finish the race that matters most. Those who serve in pastoral ministries and faith communities seem to have a harder tension at times. It takes work, intentionality, self-awareness, humility…and wise mentorship - something many leaders forsake because of all they have on their plate.

We are passionate about helping leaders do their deeper story work to help them run and finish their race well, and avoid (or in many cases, recover from) burnout. And we are passionate about helping leaders take time for their own personhood, humanity, and soul care.

Our guest for this episode shares a similar passion for helping leaders. Today, Steve Witmer, dives in and reveals how he knows your kind intimately. Not only does Steve offer insight into the needs and longings of a ministry leader's heart, he also shares a blessing just for you. Listen in. You will not only be inspired and encouraged, but you might even begin some healing today.

Steve Witmer is a pastor, coach, and mentor to many. He works with Focus on the Family - Canada, and is a shepherd of shepherds. A lifetime of ministry experience has given Steve, and his wife Becky, a compassionate concern for the emotional and spiritual health of pastors and their families. They have a genuine love for ministry leaders and are known as "Papa" and "Nana" to many. Steve, in partnership with Becky, has served for more than 45 years in a variety of ministry roles. After 5 years with YWAM, they served in roles such as Senior Pastor, Missionary Director in Fiji, and Pastoral Care Coordinator for their associated network of churches. Sensing that they were entering a new season of life after 14 years as Senior Pastors in their current church, Steve and Becky transitioned to the role of Associate Pastors for the same congregation for 2 years. This season enabled them to invest time and energy into missions endeavors, the care of pastors and emerging leaders and serving churches in the roles of Transitional Coach and Interim Pastor. In 2022 they celebrated 47 wonderful years of marriage. They are blessed with two married daughters and five delightful grandchildren.

To connect with Steve Witmer, shoot him an email at: switmer@telus.net

Are you interested in having a mentor or a coach to walk with you as a leader in ministry. Go to livingwholehearted.com to learn more about our coaching and our cohorts. Jeff and I started Living Wholehearted in 2011 to bring holistic care to leaders who are often alone in holding the complexity of their relationships, their organizational needs, and their stories. We have some new initiatives for women in leadership coming this new year! So excited to begin sharing those with you soon.

We help leaders know their stories, their wirings, and how to have healthy relationships so they can live and lead with integrity at home, work and in the community. Go to www.livingwholehearted.com and sign up for our monthly newsletters and follow us on instagram @living_wholehearted and @terramattson.

And if you know someone who needs to hear the heart of the father and the encouragement we have received from Steve Witmer today, share this podcast or leave a review. We are honored to walk with you each week, helping us all become more wholehearted leaders.

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

Instagram

Facebook

Websites

Resources

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

http://cpguides.org/

Episode 149: Beyond Awkward Side-Hugs: Healthy Gender Relationships in a Sex-Crazed World with Bronwyn Lea

Tue, 04 Oct 2022 05:00:00 +0000

The relationship between men and women in the church has some history, to say the least. Do you find yourself wondering why it's so much more complicated than it needs to be? Especially as we labor together in the workspace. Questions rise around stereotypes and gender roles, marriage and singleness. Confusion and frustration surround the conversation and it gets muddled as we continue to see the headlines about church leaders crossing sexual boundaries...again. That's why we invited Brownyn Lea, who serves as an editor for Propel Women and a member of the pastoral team at her local church. She is also the author of Beyond Awkward Side Hugs: Living as Christian Brothers and Sisters in a Sex-Crazed World. Bronwyn's insights will bring refreshing clarity for you, in your own sphere of influence, and will also provide some language that will help your kiddos experience something different.

Bronwyn Lea was born in South Africa where she studied law and went to seminary, she now lives in Northern California with her fellow South African husband and three tweens and teens who keep her laughing and on her knees in prayer. Bronwyn cares deeply about believers learning to pursue wisdom in everyday living, soul-healthy leadership, and cultivating rich community within the family of God.

Stay for the BONUS at the end of this episode as hosts, Jeff and Terra Mattson, continue the conversation after the interview with a few "after thoughts" about when awkward side hugs might be appropriate and the post-covid world we live in right now (where touch is just awkward anyways).

To connect with Bronwyn Lea, visit:

ONLINE -

www.bronlea.com

SOCIAL -

Facebook - @bronleablog

Instagram - @bronwyn_lea

BOOKS -

Beyond Awkward Side Hugs: Living as Christian Brothers and Sisters in a Sex-Crazed World

To connect with Jeff and Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

Instagram

Facebook

Websites

Resources

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

http://cpguides.org/

Episode 148: Building a Business Without Losing Your Integrity (or your sense of humor) Molly Stillman

Tue, 27 Sep 2022 05:00:00 +0000

If you’ve seen Molly Stillman on social media, you know what you are in for. Her heart, passion, and humor is a gift to anyone who follows. Jeff and Terra enjoyed hearing the backside of Molly’s story, how she became a Christian and her journey to building a content driven business through blogs and podcasting, all with a purpose. If you are an entrepreneur, an aspiring creative, or a parent who has some desires in your heart but are not sure where to start, this episode is for you. Molly shares how she has remained a person of integrity as she is public facing and the key ingredients to helping her stay true to her first love, Jesus. Stick with us and you’ll hear Molly’s advice for anyone aspiring to follow in her footsteps. Her insider tips are worth the wait!

Molly Stillman is the founder and creator of Still Being Molly, a life and style blog started in 2007, and the host of the Business with Purpose podcast, started in 2016. She is a speaker, teacher, writer, and loud laugher with a passion for inspiring women to know that they were created on purpose, with a purpose, and for a purpose. Molly’s writing has appeared in publications such as Patheos, ChristianParenting.org, Compassion International, Faith Wire, and Scary Mommy. She is honored to have been featured in such publications and media as US News & World Report, The 700 Club, Cary Magazine, Midtown Magazine, and was named as one of “the Carolina’s 75 Most Stylish People” by Carolina STYLE Magazine. She is a wife to John, mama to Lilly and Amos, dog mom to Tater and Audrey, lover of Jesus, Diet Coke and all of the Chipotle burritos.

To connect with Molly Stillman, visit:

ONLINE -

https://www.stillbeingmolly.com

SOCIAL -

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/stillbeingmolly

Twitter - https://twitter.com/stillbeingmolly

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/stillbeingmolly

PODCAST -

Business with Purpose

https://www.stillbeingmolly.com/business-with-purpose-podcast/

If you want to know more about Living Wholehearted and the resources we offer, from our books and e-Courses, to our professional counseling and executive coaching services, to our 2-year Wholehearted Leadership Cohort experience, go to livingwholehearted.com and sign up for our monthly newsletters. Each month you will be connected with resources and on-going support for your journey toward living more wholehearted. If you get our newsletter, you will be the first to know about all the great things we’ve got in the pipeline! That’s www.livingwholehearted.com or follow us on instagram @living_wholehearted.

To connect with Jeff and Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

Instagram

Facebook

Websites

Resources

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

Known: How Believing Who God Says You Are Changes Everything - https://www.aubreysampson.com/known/

http://cpguides.org/

Episode 147: Principles that shape a leader of integrity (and what runs interference) with Aubrey Sampson

Tue, 20 Sep 2022 05:00:00 +0000

The Mattsons are speaking with a kindred heart in this episode as Aubrey shares her own leadership journey and the principles she believes shapes a leader of integrity. Aubrey speaks from her experience of trying to prove herself as a leader, achieving and hiding in the shadows of performance. She attributes much of this to the shame she felt from her story of sexual assault. She tells of a season of great accomplishment met with deep sorrow and how her healing and forced rest has become the cornerstone of her intimacy with God. She shares how leaders can fight the temptations and pressures to build a brand over a faithfulness to their God and local community. Aubrey is passionate about leading a multi-ethnic church community and she tells how, as white pastors, she and her husband have taken intentional steps to creating a leadership that reflects their community.

If you are a leader caught in the performance based trap, running from shame, or looking for inspiration in the face of a busy season, or you just want to hear how one woman is leading in the heart of Chicago, you need to listen to this podcast. Learning to lead from being known by our Creator rather than trying to be known by the world is a transformational posture that breathes life and integrity.

Aubrey Sampson co-planted and serves on the teaching and preaching team at Renewal Church. She is an award-nominated author, a contributor to Propel Women and Christianity Today, Ann Voskamp’s A Holy Experience, Proverbs 31 and more. She is the co-host of The Common Good Talk Show and the Nothing is Wasted Podcast. Aubrey preaches and speaks around the country at churches and ministry events. She and her husband and three sons live and minister in the Chicagoland area. Aubrey’s books include: Known: How Believing Who God Says You Are Changes Everything, The Louder Song: Listening for Hope in the Midst of Lament, and Overcomer: Breaking Down the Walls of Shame and Rebuilding Your Soul.

To connect with Aubrey, visit:

ONLINE -

https://www.aubreysampson.com/

SOCIAL -

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/aubsamp/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/aubsamp

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/aubsamp/

BOOKS/PODCAST/RADIO -

The Common Good Talk Show - https://1160hope.com/content/all/thecommongood

Nothing is Wasted Podcast - https://www.nothingiswasted.com/podcast

The Louder Song: Listening for Hope in the Midst of Lament (NavPress, 2019) - https://www.aubreysampson.com/louder-song/

Overcomer: Breaking Down the Walls of Shame and Rebuilding Your Soul (Zondervan, 2015) - https://www.amazon.com/Overcomer-Breaking-Walls-Shame-Rebuilding/dp/0310342589/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=overcomer+aubrey+sampson&qid=1592054361&sr=8-1

Want to grow as a leader? Consider joining our Wholehearted Leadership Cohort. Our 2023-2024 Wholehearted Leadership Cohort application is closing soon! If you are interested in taking a 2 year journey with other leaders from around the nation, check out the details on our website. You will get 15 one-to-one coaching sessions with one of our trauma-informed executive coaches, monthly group cohort meetings on a platform designed to create dialogue and community, and 4 in-person retreats in the beautiful Willamette Valley of Oregon. Learn more at www.livingwholehearted.com.

To connect with Jeff and Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

Instagram

Facebook

Websites

Resources

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

https://www.theunderstandingmagazine.com

http://cpguides.org/

Episode 146: How Our Stories Fuel Our Leadership with Scott Hatley (Part 2 of 2)

Tue, 13 Sep 2022 05:00:00 +0000

What beliefs do you hold about people with disabilities? Do you want to see positive change in education, the workplace, and the world for people with different abilities? Jeff Mattson hosts part 2 of a conversation with Scott Hatley. A native and resident of Portland, Oregon, Scott was born with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. He is Co-Founder and Executive Director of INCIGHT. In this episode, you’ll hear how Scott’s story influenced his call as he wanted more than what he saw others with disabilities experiencing. God seems to use what we see as limitations, disabilities, or struggles as the very vehicle to His call for our lives…if we are open to the adventure. Scott's commitment to positive change is evident in his collaborative creation of INCIGHT’s mission. Scott serves on the Board of Directors for Exceed Enterprises and serves on the Partnership Council for All Hands Raised. He is recognized by several organizations for his service to the Disability Community, including the Muscular Dystrophy Association (Personal Achievement Award and 2004 national finalist), Exceptional Parent Magazine (2006 Distinguished Service Award), Oregon Parent Training and Information Center (2007 Youth Achievement Award) and Exceed Enterprises (2013 Londahl-Risley Award).

To connect with Scott Hatley, visit:

ONLINE -

https://www.incight.org

SOCIAL -

LinkedIn - Scott Hatley (https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-hatley-bb79974)

Our 2023-2024 Wholehearted Leadership Cohort application is open through September 15, 2022! If you are interested in taking a 2 year journey with other leaders from around the nation, check out the details on our website. You will get 15 one-to-one coaching sessions with one of our trauma-informed executive coaches, monthly group cohort meetings on a platform designed to create dialogue and community, and 4 in-person retreats in the beautiful Willamette Valley of Oregon. Learn more at www.livingwholehearted.com.

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

Instagram

Facebook

Websites

Resources

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

Shrinking the Integrity Gap e-Course https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

Dear Mattsons https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

https://www.theunderstandingmagazine.com

http://cpguides.org/

Episode 145: When Our Stories Fuel Our Leadership with Scott Hatley (Part 1 of 2)

Tue, 06 Sep 2022 05:00:00 +0000

What beliefs do you hold about people with disabilities? Do you want to see positive change in education, the workplace, and the world for people with different abilities? Jeff Mattson hosts part 1 of a 2 part conversation with Scott Hatley. A native and resident of Portland, Oregon, Scott was born with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. He is Co-Founder and Executive Director of INCIGHT. In this episode, you’ll hear how Scott’s story influenced his call as he wanted more than what he saw others with disabilities experiencing. God seems to use what we see as limitations, disabilities, or struggles as the very vehicle to His call for our lives…if we are open to the adventure. Scott's commitment to positive change is evident in his collaborative creation of INCIGHT’s mission. Scott serves on the Board of Directors for Exceed Enterprises and serves on the Partnership Council for All Hands Raised. He is recognized by several organizations for his service to the Disability Community, including the Muscular Dystrophy Association (Personal Achievement Award and 2004 national finalist), Exceptional Parent Magazine (2006 Distinguished Service Award), Oregon Parent Training and Information Center (2007 Youth Achievement Award) and Exceed Enterprises (2013 Londahl-Risley Award).

To connect with Scott Hatley, visit:

ONLINE -

https://www.incight.org

SOCIAL -

LinkedIn - Scott Hatley (https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-hatley-bb79974)

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

Instagram

Facebook

Websites

Resources

https://davidccook.org/shrinking-integrity-gap-book/

https://www.livingwholeheartedstore.com/e-courses

Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace https://mycourageousgirls.com/shop/p/book-courageous-being-daughters-rooted-in-grace

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLdPzQ_cUwCbRc-MQ40KL3a6ze06CiY38l

https://www.georgefox.edu/academics/undergrad/departments/religion/faculty/joseph-clair.html

http://cpguides.org/

Episode 144: Leadership at the University & Beyond with Joseph Clair

Tue, 30 Aug 2022 05:00:00 +0000

Jeff Mattson sits down with Joseph Clair, Executive Dean at George Fox University, to discuss life and leadership on the university campus and beyond. Joseph shares how he has integrated his passion for faith and learning, stemming from his own story, finding Christ in high school and being hungry for knowledge and intellectual challenge. He wants students to have the same experience where they do not have to compromise one or the other. Joseph also shares his observations on the changing landscape of college life for students from a pre-pandemic to a post-pandemic world. As an expert student of the Scriptures, Joseph shares his love for Augustine wisdom and what Augustine might say to both emerging and seasoned leaders today. Any leader who has a passion for the next generation, or a parent who is preparing to launch a child into adulthood, will find this podcast to be a powerful catalyst in your own leadership journey.

A native Oregonian, Joseph Clair followed his educational pursuit all over the world and earned degrees in both England and the United States. He became professor of Theology and Philosophy and now Executive Dean at George Fox University after receiving his doctorate in Religion, Ethics, and Politics from Princeton University in 2013. He earned his bachelor's degree at Wheaton College (IL), a master’s in theological studies from Duke, a master’s in philosophy at Fordham, and a master's in philosophy of religion from Cambridge where he studied as a Gates Cambridge Scholar. He is the author of Discerning the Good in the Letters and Sermons of Augustine (Oxford University Press, 2016) and On Education, Formation, Citizenship, and the Lost Purpose of Learning (Bloomsbury, 2017) along with numerous articles and essays on faith, culture, and ethics. He is currently co-authoring an essay on Christian medical ethics entitled, Love Your Patient As Yourself, due out in 2023. In his spare time, he likes to spend time with his wife, Nora, play with his four kids, fly fish Oregon's many rivers, and work on his hobby farm.

To connect with Joseph Clair, visit:

ONLINE -

SOCIAL -

Twitter - @_JosephClair_

Facebook - @joseph.clair.98

BOOKS/ESSAYS -

Discerning the Good in the Letters and Sermons of Augustine (Oxford University Press, 2016)

On Education, Formation, Citizenship, and the Lost Purpose of Learning (Bloomsbury, 2017)

Love Your Patient As Yourself (essay due out in 2023)

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

Instagram

Facebook

Websites

Resources

https://karenjhardwick.com/

Episode 143: How to become a more connected leader with Karen Hardwick

Tue, 23 Aug 2022 05:00:00 +0000

Leaders often operate like “lone rangers”. How about you? Do you desire to be more connected, to grow in healthy interdependence? Do you long to be seen, known, and understood? Listen in as Terra talks with her guest, Karen Hardwick, an author, leadership consultant, podcast host, and speaker. Karen shares years of wisdom about how to become a healthy, well-connected leader. The conversation draws from her new book, The Connected Leader: 7 Strategies to Empower Your True Self and Inspire Others.

To connect with Karen Hardwick, visit:

ONLINE -

SOCIAL -

https://www.instagram.com/karenjhardwick/

https://www.facebook.com/KarenJHardwickInc

https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenjhardwickinc/

BOOK -

https://www.amazon.com/Connected-Leader-Strategies-Empower-Inspire/dp/164293982X

If you are a mom raising girls, you know how hard it is in today's world to find a trusted guide. There are so many confusing messages. That's why I created these resources: Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters.

Go to CPGUIDES.ORG to learn more.

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

Instagram

Facebook

Websites

Resources

http://reggiedabbsonline.com/

Episode 142: It’s Not Just Black and White: A Conversation About Race with Reggie Dabbs & John Driver

Tue, 16 Aug 2022 05:00:00 +0000

The Mattsons loved this challenging and encouraging dialogue about race within the United States and the Church. Having a deeper understanding of racism and its effect on our communities is essential for every wholehearted leader. So, today we have two guests: friends and co-authors, Reggie Dabbs and John Driver, to discuss their new book, Not So Black and White: An Invitation to Honest Conversation. This episode is a must listen - full of wisdom, practical insights, and encouragement for each and every one of us to step into those difficult, but necessary conversations.

“When was the last time you changed your mind about anything? Having uncomfortable conversations can feel like the worst thing. But reading a book about race that makes you uncomfortable can be the best thing for you—if you have the courage to keep reading.”

Reggie Dabbs has been one of the most sought-after public school and event speakers in the United States and around the world for more than two decades. Reggie shares his own astonishing story of tragedy, redemption, and hope with millions of people each year. John Driver M.S. is an award-winning writer and collaborator of more than twenty five books. He serves as an executive and teaching pastor and hosts the weekly podcast Talk About That.

As fathers and as men of the church who have both served in the public arena, they explore not only racism, but also many volatile topics these conversations spark in the broader culture today. Not So Black and White takes readers through the history of slavery, the Civil War, Jim Crow law, and more, because without knowing our history, it can be difficult to know what needs repairing.

To connect with John Driver or Reggie Dabbs, visit:

ONLINE -

https://johndriver.com/

SOCIAL -

https://www.instagram.com/johndriver/

https://www.facebook.com/johndriverwrites

https://www.instagram.com/dabbsreggie/

https://www.facebook.com/reggiedabbsonline

BOOK -

https://www.amazon.com/Not-Black-White-Invitation-Conversations/dp/0310363403

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

Instagram

Facebook

Websites

Resources

Episode 141: A roadmap for LESS conflict using the Core Values Index (part 2 of 2-part series)

Tue, 09 Aug 2022 05:00:00 +0000

This second part of the Core Values Index series addresses the very heart of conflict. Did you know every wiring has a unique type of conflict strategy? Using the wisdom of the Core Values Index, Jeff and Terra explore how our unique wiring gives us clues about why we act the way we do and how we can better navigate our relationships - at home, at work and in the community. If you missed episode 140, make sure you listen before diving into this one.

If you are not familiar with the Core Values Index, the Mattsons have used this time-tested assessment for the last 12 years in their counseling and organizational development practices, helping parents, couples, families and organizational teams grow in their understanding of self and others. The CVI is over 97% reliable and helps us understand what motivates us and what brings anxiety. Listen in as Jeff and Terra share insight about how Merchants, Builders, Innovators and Bankers navigate conflict. This conversation is sure to help you understand your wiring and grow in compassion and empathy for yourself and others.

For more information about the Core Values Index, listen to episodes 2-5 of the Living Wholehearted Podcast

Jeff Mattson (MA ORGL) and Terra Mattson (MA LPC, LMFT) are the husband and wife team who co-founded Living Wholehearted and Courageous Girls. Living Wholehearted is a professional counseling and organizational leadership development firm outside Portland, Oregon, and Courageous Girls is a global movement and curriculum helping moms walk with their daughters at every stage of their growing years. Terra is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Licensed Professional Counselor, Executive Coach, speaker, and author of Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace (David C. Cook, 2020). Jeff is a former pastor, executive coach, organizational development consultant, and speaker. Together they co-authored Shrinking the Integrity Gap: Between What Leaders Preach and Live (David C. Cook, 2020).

As spokespeople for ChristianParenting.org and national speakers, they are now reaching millions of leaders and parents. Their audience is expanding daily with new initiatives like the American Association for Christian Counselors’ Nathan Project, helping pastors live with integrity, and the Christian Parenting Dear Mattsons YouTube series, answering real parenting questions from real parents. With two decades of experience in leadership coaching and trauma-informed therapy, they have the privilege of training and equipping leaders in for-profit and not-for-profit spheres, helping them address the people-issues that keep them up at night. They believe that wherever you go, who you are matters more than your title.

Terra recently partnered with Christian Parenting to create one-to-one courses for moms to walk with her daughter at every stage of her growing years. It’s called “A Christian Parenting Guide: Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters”. Go to CPGUIDES.ORG to learn more.

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

Instagram

Facebook

Websites

Resources

Episode 140: Living by our design through the lens of the Core Values Index (part 1 of 2-part series)

Tue, 02 Aug 2022 05:00:00 +0000

Living with integrity is not just about living from the right motives. It’s about living within one’s design and learning to love your limits. Have you ever wondered how your wiring impacts the way you communicate, your energy levels, your passions, your anxieties and your greatest contributions to any community? This week, Jeff and Terra take time to share insights, based on their experience using the Core Values Index (CVI), that will impact every relationship that matters to you. If you are not familiar with the Core Values Index, the Mattsons have used this time-tested assessment for the last 12 years in their counseling and organizational development practices, helping parents, couples, families and organizational teams grow in their understanding of self and others. The CVI is over 97% reliable and helps us understand our innate wiring. Listen in as Jeff and Terra share a bit about the four CVI types: Merchants, Builders, Innovators and Bankers. Listen in on this two week series to help you better understand who you are, how you operate, and next week, how you can better navigate conflict!

For more information about the Core Values Index, listen to episodes 2-5 of the Living Wholehearted Podcast.

Jeff Mattson (MA ORGL) and Terra Mattson (MA LPC, LMFT) are the husband and wife team who co-founded Living Wholehearted and Courageous Girls. Living Wholehearted is a professional counseling and organizational leadership development firm outside Portland, Oregon, and Courageous Girls is a global movement and curriculum helping moms walk with their daughters at every stage of their growing years. Terra is an Executive Leadership Coach, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Licensed Professional Counselor, speaker, and author of Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace (David C. Cook, 2020). Jeff is a former pastor, executive coach, organizational development consultant, and speaker. Together they co-authored Shrinking the Integrity Gap: Between What Leaders Preach and Live (David C. Cook, 2020).

As spokespeople for ChristianParenting.org and national speakers, they are now reaching millions of leaders and parents. Their audience is expanding daily with new initiatives like the American Association for Christian Counselors’ Nathan Project, helping pastors live with integrity, and the Christian Parenting Dear Mattsons YouTube series, answering real parenting questions from real parents. With two decades of experience in leadership coaching and trauma-informed marriage and family therapy, they have the privilege of training and equipping leaders in for-profit and not-for-profit spheres, helping them address the people-issues that keep them up at night. They believe that wherever you go, who you are matters more than your title.

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

Instagram

Facebook

Websites

Resources

Episode 139: Why Leaders Need Rest & Play AND How We Actually Do It

Tue, 12 Jul 2022 05:00:00 +0000

Join Jeff and Terra for a conversation about why it’s so hard for leaders to rest and play. They address two common lies leaders believe: The first, “If I don’t do it, no one else will … do it, do it right, or do it well.” The second lie, “I am what I do” and playing and rest feels outside my sense of self or identity. Though it’s common for leaders to regularly fire on all cylinders, to live in a constant state of busyness, the Mattsons are calling wholehearted leaders to LEARN how to rest and play. This is crucial not only for their own ability to lead well and finish the race set before them, but also so they can model healthy rhythms to those they lead. You’ll hear practical tips as well as a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the Mattson’s personal journey around enjoying rest and play.

In light of practicing rhythms of rest and play, the Mattsons are taking the rest of July off from recording podcasts. There will be a short break and the next episode will air the first week in August. Take the time to visit our library of 138 podcast episodes already recorded. We are excited about what is ahead and we look forward to bringing you more incredible interviews and insights to help YOU be the leader you would follow.

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

Instagram

Facebook

Websites

Resources

Episode 138: Raising Girls in Today’s World: A Conversation with the Host’s Daughter

Tue, 05 Jul 2022 07:15:14 +0000

Adonia Mattson is Jeff and Terra Mattson's oldest daughter. She's 15 and just finishing her freshman year of public high school outside Portland, Oregon. Listen in as Terra interviews Adonia about the impact of their years having intentional conversations. She talks about confidence, identity, comparison, pressures, and she shares an inside peek at Jeff and Terra's marriage. Adonia leaves parents with a word of encouragement. Terra hopes that this open and honest conversation with Adonia will not only encourage your parenting journey today, but will inspire you to lead well and pursue your daughter's heart.

Terra is the author of Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace and the co-founder of Courageous Girls, providing free group curriculum for building intentional mom-daughter communities. If you are interested in starting a Courageous Girls group visit mycourageousgirls.com today! With the help of Christian Parenting, Terra also created courses just for moms, Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters, to help courageous mamas strengthen their one-to-one relationships with their daughters. Go to CPGUIDES.ORG to learn more.

If you are a mom raising girls, you know how hard it is in today's world to find a trusted guide. There are so many confusing messages. That's why Terra Mattson, host of the Living Wholehearted Podcast, co-founder of Living Wholehearted and Courageous Girls, created these resources: Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters.

Go to CPGUIDES.ORG to learn more and get online access today!

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

Instagram

Facebook

Websites

Resources

Episode 136: How Fathers Can Shrink Their Integrity Gaps

Tue, 21 Jun 2022 05:00:00 +0000

Do you enjoy the episodes when the Mattsons jump on the podcast to share their own insights and the principles they live and lead from? Well today is one of those days.

Terra and Jeff are honest about their own humanity as they come alongside leaders from all over the country. So, Terra thought it would be fun to interview Jeff about his own journey as a dad to their two daughters as well as the many struggles and triumphs he sees walking alongside men who are attempting to shrink their own integrity gaps at home. Jeff shares a bit of his own personal losses with his father and how that has shaped his view of fatherhood for the better. He also talks about the role dads can play in the global Courageous Girls movement Jeff and Terra founded years ago. Being a dad is one of the most significant leadership roles any man can have. If you are dad, want to be a dad, have a dad, or you are enjoying the role as a grandad these days, listen to this episode. You will be encouraged and you will learn some key principles about what it means to be a dad who lives and leads with integrity.

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

Instagram

Facebook

Websites

Resources

Episode 135: What Christians Actually Think About the Value of Life with Natasha Smith

Tue, 14 Jun 2022 05:00:00 +0000

At first glance, pro-life and pro-choice ideologies appear staunchly opposed to each other. But what if life and choice didn’t have to be in opposition to one another? What if a woman’s life, and the life of the unplanned unborn, could both thrive simultaneously?

Terra flies solo today as she interviews Natasha Smith, co-author, with Brittany Smith, of Unplanned Grace: A Compassionate Conversation on Life and Choice (David C. Cook, 2021). Natasha also served on staff at Save the Storks, a pro-life nonprofit that exists to support pregnancy centers nationally, change the narrative around unplanned pregnancies and depoliticize the topic of abortion. After listening to today’s episode, check out episode 122 where Terra interviewed CEO of Save the Storks, Diane Ferraro.

Whatever your story or wherever you stand in the abortion debate, we invite you to listen with a heart and mind open to learning.

Natasha worked with Save the Storks for five years as the Creative Projects Manager and the Church Resource Manager. She supports the pro-life movement by telling stories through writing, video, and photography. After so many interactions with women who nearly chose abortion, Natasha compiled their stories and co-authored Unplanned Grace: A Compassionate Conversation on Life and Choice to help people understand how complex and nuanced a woman’s decision is and how we can offer holistic support. She continues to speak and write on pro-life issues with the hope of cultivating a compassionate approach to women facing unplanned pregnancies. Her academic background is in communications and biblical theology and is currently seeking a Masters in Old Testament from Denver Seminary. You can learn more about her other writing and photography at nasfocus.com.

To connect with Natasha Smith, visit:

ONLINE -

savethestorks.com

Nasfocus.com

SOCIAL -

@SaveTheStorks

BOOK -

Unplanned Grace: A Compassionate Conversation on Life and Choice (David C Cook, September 2021)

Unplannedgracebook.com

If you want to know more about Living Wholehearted and the resources we offer, from our books and e-Courses, to our professional counseling and leadership development services, go to livingwholehearted.com and sign up for our monthly newsletters. Each month you will be connected with resources and on-going support for your journey toward living more wholehearted. And if you want to participate in one of the monthly group coaching sessions, registration is open, and you can join anytime. The application process for our next Wholehearted Leadership Cohort (a two-year leadership development experience) begins this summer. If you get our newsletter, you will be the first to know! That’s www.livingwholehearted.com or follow us on instagram @living_wholehearted.

AND - If you are a mom raising girls, you know how hard it is in today's world to find a trusted guide. There are so many confusing messages. That's why I created these resources: Helping Moms Raise Confident Daughters. Go to CPGUIDES.ORG to learn more and check out terramattson.com to learn more about her efforts to raise up healthy female leaders.

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

Instagram

Facebook

Websites

Resources

Episode 134: Faithfully Different: Living From a Biblical Worldview in a Secular World with Natasha Crain

Tue, 07 Jun 2022 05:00:00 +0000

In an increasingly secular society, those who have a biblical worldview are now a shrinking minority. As mainstream culture grows more hostile toward the Bible’s truths and those who embrace them, how can Christians stand firm as they face the mounting pressures—from family, friends, media, academia, and government—to change or even abandon their beliefs? Today the Mattsons talk with Natasha Crain about leading well in the midst of our modern American culture, both in our homes and in our communities. Natasha Crain recently published a book, Faithfully Different: Regaining Biblical Clarity in a Secular Culture.

Make sure you listen to the full interview as Jeff and Terra take time at the very end to reflect on their conversation with Natasha, offering their own insights about faith in this changing culture.

Natasha Crain is a speaker, author, blogger and podcaster whose passion is to help Christians think more clearly about holding to a biblical worldview while navigating an increasingly challenging secular culture. A marketing executive and adjunct marketing professor before she transitioned to the full-time ministry of writing and speaking, Natasha holds an MBA in Marketing and Statistics from UCLA, a BA in Economics from USC and a certificate in Christian Apologetics from Biola University. She and her husband have been married 22 years and have three kids—a son and daughter who are 13 (twins) and a daughter who is 11. They live in southern California.

To connect with Natasha Crain, visit:

ONLINE -

natashacrain.com

SOCIAL -

Facebook - @natashacrainauthor

Instagram - @natasharcrain

YouTube - @natashacrainauthor

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

Instagram

Facebook

Websites

Terramattson.com

Resources

https://www.drjimdenison.com/

Episode 133: Hope

Tue, 31 May 2022 06:08:07 +0000

Have you lost hope in the midst of all the “crazy” in the world today? Are you looking for some insight into how we got here? Jim Denison, who wakes up every morning to write a reflection on the current culture and politics of the world, joins us to share his insights. After decades of leading from a global platform, Jim's perspective might sharpen your awareness and give you clarity about your own leadership and place of influence in the world. He explains “the four earthquakes” from his most recent book: The Coming Tsunami: Why Christians Are Labeled Intolerant, Irrelevant, Oppressive, and Dangerous - and How We Can Turn the Tide. Jim even encourages parents on how they can engage their kids with hope for tomorrow.

Jim Denison, PhD, is an author, speaker, and the CEO of Denison Ministries, which is transforming 6.8 million lives through meaningful digital content. Dallas-based Denison Ministries includes DenisonForum.org, First15.org, ChristianParenting.org, and FoundationsWithJanet.org. Dr. Denison speaks biblically into significant cultural issues and is the author of over 30 books. Prior to launching Denison Forum in 2009, he pastored churches in Texas and Georgia. Jim and his wife, Janet, live in Dallas, Texas. They have two married sons and four grandchildren.

To connect with Dr. Jim Denison, visit:

ONLINE -

https://www.denisonforum.org/

https://www.thecomingtsunami.com/

SOCIAL -

Facebook - www.facebook.com/denisonforum

Twitter - https://twitter.com/jimdenison

Instagram - www.instagram.com/dr.jimdenison

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/denisonforum

If you want to know more about Living Wholehearted and the resources we offer, from our books and e-Courses, to our professional counseling and leadership development services, go to livingwholehearted.com and sign up for our monthly newsletters. Each month you will be connected with resources and on-going support for your journey toward living more wholehearted. And if you want to participate in one of the monthly group coaching sessions, registration is open, and you can join anytime. The application process for our next wholehearted leadership cohort will begin this summer. If you get our newsletter, you will be the first to know! That’s www.livingwholehearted.com or follow us on instagram @living_wholehearted

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

Instagram

Facebook

Websites

Resources

www.beautifullybrokenmovie.com

Episode 132: Beautifully Broken - finding beauty and healing through suffering with Randy Hartley

Tue, 24 May 2022 05:00:00 +0000

One of the greatest questions for many is, “If God is a loving God, why is there so much suffering in the world?” Though we would love to answer this question in a 30 minute episode and set the record straight for us all…this is a complex question that many more qualified individuals have tried to explain, including C.S. Lewis, Tim Keller, and Max Lucado. Instead, we are going to look at suffering from a different angle and process the truth lived out by so many: suffering is not the end of the story.

In episode 132, Terra Mattson sits with Randy Hartly as he recounts the moment he found out his daughter was molested and the days he witnessed forgiveness in the face of the Rwandan victims. The Rwandan Genocide is one of the worst examples of evil in human history. Almost one million people were slaughtered in 100 days because a population was vilified, demonized and dehumanized over an extended period without sufficient push-back from what was likely a silent majority. Suffering happens on many levels, individually and corporately. This episode will not only bring hope to you, in whatever story you are living, but maybe give you the resources you need to walk with others going through such pain.

Randy Hartley lives in Nashville, Tennessee, where he has been a financial planner for thirty-eight years. Randy also serves as Chairman of Legacy Mission Village, the refugee ministry founded by William and Ebralie Mwizerwa. He and his wife, Darla, have three children—Alyssa, Andrea, and Nate. Randy was the executive producer for the film Beautifully Broken, which was released in 2018. He has now written a memoir called Beautifully Broken: The Story of Two Fathers Fighting to Save Their Families and the Unlikely Journey That Changed Them Both (Fedd Books, 3/29). Beautifully Broken not only tells the Hartley family’s story, but recounts the Mwizerwa family’s escape from the genocide in Rwanda and their journey to Nashville, before the two families ever met. With the help of 18-time New York Times best-selling author Ken Abraham, Randy and William Mwizerwa share the story that brought their families together.

The story isn't over. Listen in and leave a review.

To learn more about Randy Hartley and the Beautifully Broken book, movie and study guide, visit:

ONLINE -

SOCIAL -

Facebook - @BBrokenMovie

Twitter - @BBrokenMovie

Instagram - @BBrokenMovie

BOOK -

https://www.beautifullybrokenmovie.com/book

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Episode 131: Church Hurt, Trauma and Grace with Amber Jones

Tue, 17 May 2022 05:00:00 +0000

Spiritual abuse and church wounds are far too prevalent. The question for many is how does one not leave their faith altogether or how do they avoid carrying such toxicity to others? With stories like the one told in the The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill Podcast, many wonder if they can ever trust again.

Today’s conversation is about a story of spiritual abuse and the grace found when we choose to face our stories of trauma and heal. Terra Mattson interviews Amber Jones, founder of GraceStory Ministries, an organization helping people who’ve been wounded in the church and aren’t sure how to find help. If you’ve silently suffered, or tried to speak up against unhealthy dysfunctional patterns in your home or spiritual community, this podcast is for you. If you are a parent who wants to grow healthier relationships with the kids in your home, or a parent looking for a pathway to restoration with your adult children, this episode is for you. And, if you are a spiritual leader who longs to live more wholehearted, this episode is for you.

Amber says, "Trauma isn't the event but the meaning we take away from the event." Listen in as Amber walks us through the dysfunctional past of her American Christian leader's family and the healing she courageously chased. In addition to being the founder and president of GraceStory Ministries, Amber is a peer psychoeducator and considers herself blessed to be an advocate for families and individuals who are in need of hope. Amber authors the GraceStory Instagram blog, My_Grace_Story, and hosts the Gracestory Podcast where she draws from her own journey toward healing and the expertise of professionals.

If this podcast is helpful, we’d love to hear from you through a review!

To connect with Amber, visit:

ONLINE -

SOCIAL -

Facebook -

@GraceStoryMinistries

Instagram -

@GraceStoryMinistries

@my_grace_story

YouTube -

@GraceStoryMinistries

PODCAST -

GraceStory Podcast

If you want to know more about Living Wholehearted and the resources we offer, from our books and e-Courses, to our professional counseling and organizational and leadership development services, go to livingwholehearted.com and sign up for our monthly newsletters. Each month you will be connected with resources and on-going support for your journey toward living more wholehearted. And if you want to participate in one of the monthly group coaching sessions, registration is now open. The application process for our next Wholehearted Leadership Cohort will begin this summer. If you get our newsletter, you will be the first to know! That’s www.livingwholehearted.com or follow us on instagram @living_wholehearted

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http://www.johnsowers.com/

Episode 130: Say All the Things: A letter to his daughter with John Sowers

Tue, 10 May 2022 05:00:00 +0000

At the end of our parenting journey, there are so many things we hope to have said, done, and passed on to our kids. Are you a parent or grandparent who needs a little extra inspiration and courage to share your heart with your kids? This is the show for you!

The Mattsons had a powerful conversation with Dr. John Sowers about his crazy love for his daughters, intentional parenting, and his latest book, Say All the Unspoken Things: A Book of Letters (Thomas Nelson, February 1, 2022). Dr. John Sowers is the author of several books and launched The Mentoring Project, to mentor at-risk youth, with author Donald Miller. He has taught college, directed a homeless shelter and was the multi-language Director for Billy Graham in Los Angeles and New York. Dr. Sowers served on a White House Task Force and also received the Champion of Change award from President Obama for his work, but his favorite accomplishment is being a dad to his three daughters. We think you will love this interview!

If you like what you heard, make sure you share it! Write a review and send this episode to a friend. If you want more from Jeff and Terra Mattson, become a part of the Living Wholehearted community with our monthly newsletters and be first to know about our services to help leaders live and lead with integrity. Go to www.livingwholehearted.com

To connect with John Sowers, visit:

ONLINE -

SOCIAL -

Facebook - @mynameisjohnd

Twitter - @johnsowers

Instagram - @johnsowers

BOOK -

Say All the Unspoken Things: A Book of Letters (Thomas Nelson, February 1, 2022)

To connect with Jeff and Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

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https://jaypayleitner.com/

Dear Mattsons (youtube series)

Episode 129: Tips & Tricks to Healthier Conflict with Jay Payleitner

Tue, 03 May 2022 05:00:00 +0000

Conflict. You either stir it up or avoid it. But few of us know how to move through it well. What if we told you that conflict is a necessary ingredient for healthy relationships?

Jeff and Terra Mattson interview Jay Payleitner with a focus on his most recent book, "Don’t Take the Bait to Escalate: Conflict is Inevitable. Being a Jerk is Optional." Jay unpacks four factors anyone can use to help de-escalate a conflict. From marriage to work relationships, this conversation applies to everyday issues. From which peanut butter to buy, to bigger challenges, like when it’s time to walk away from a toxic relationship, Jay uses biblical clarity and forty decades of marriage and relationship ministry to offer us a reframe on how conflict plays an important role in our lives.

Jay Payleitner is one of the top freelance producers for Christian radio and a long-time affiliate of the National Center for Fathering and Iron Sharpens Iron. He is also a prolific speaker and author who has sold more than half a million books.

If you want to grow in your conflict resolution skills, consider one-to-one coaching with our executive leadership coaching team or join one of our monthly group coaching sessions. Sign up for our monthly newsletter where you will learn about all our services at www.livingwholehearted.com

To connect with Jay, visit:

ONLINE -

SOCIAL -

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jaykpayleitner/?ref=mf

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jaypayleitner

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/JayPayleitner/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5U-CJJ-6d_ykbZI_GA-x7w/featured

BOOKS -

Don’t Take the Bait to Escalate: Conflict is Inevitable. Being a Jerk is Optional.

52 Things Kids Need from a Dad

The Power of Agur

What if God Wrote Your Bucket List?

To connect with Jeff and Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

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Resources

The Influential Christian: Learning To Lead From The Heart

Dear Mattsons (youtube series)

Episode 128: Healthy Leaders Cultivate Empathy with Michael Andrews

Tue, 26 Apr 2022 05:00:00 +0000

When it comes to healthy communication and conflict resolution, we believe there is one vital ingredient - EMPATHY! This is a skill that every leader needs to develop and yet, it’s one of the hardest to integrate into our everyday lives.

If you are looking for some practical ways to grow your empathy IQ, this episode is for you. Michael Andrews shares his wisdom and insight about the power of empathy and the impact it has on those we lead. Michael has taught and preached in a number of churches across the country over the past 30 years. He retired as an engineer from the telecommunications industry, after directing several research and development projects. In addition to his degrees in electrical engineering, Michael has a Master of Divinity and a Doctor of Ministry from Duke University Divinity School. He is an ordained minister and recently published a book, The Influential Christian: Learning To Lead From The Heart.

To find out more about Michael and his resources, visit:

ONLINE -

Mwandrews.com

SOCIAL -

Facebook - mwandrewsauthor

Twitter - @mwandrews1

Instagram - michaelwandrews

LinkedIn - Michael W. Andrews

BOOK -

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www.healthhopeandinspiration.com

Dear Mattsons (youtube series)

Episode 127: It is Well With My Soul: Cancer, Suffering, and Hope with Rev Percy McCray

Tue, 19 Apr 2022 05:00:00 +0000

Suffering is not something we long for. In fact, we often run, avoid, hide, and pretend all day long. But when someone hears the big C diagnosis - CANCER - suffering is no longer a word or a concept they can ignore. It becomes a new reality. That is why our guest, Dr. Reverend Percy McCray started the award-winning Health, Hope & Inspiration podcast and pursued a life of ministry - dedicated to serving cancer patients and their families.

Cancer is the number 2 killer next to heart disease. Research shows that 1/3 of all people will be diagnosed with cancer. Cancer is not something we need to fear or ignore, but rather to be a part of serving and learning from those who are suffering.

Reverend Percy McCray Jr., has spent more than 20 years ministering to thousands of cancer patients and their caregivers at Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA). He recognizes cancer care ministry as a special calling from God and considers faith a key—but often overlooked— component of cancer treatment. He now serves as the Director of Faith-Based Programs at CTCA® and provides leadership to the pastoral care staff at all five CTCA hospitals. Rev. McCray also oversees Our Journey of Hope®, a nationwide cancer care ministry training and support program. In addition, he hosts Health, Hope & Inspiration, an award-winning podcast developed to help people find answers to questions about cancer, cancer prevention and overall healthy living.

In this episode, Rev McCray shares about how believers are to suffer well and move through grief and loss. He addresses when cancer survivors live and when they go home to Jesus. He says some are not giving up, they are just being called up. For anyone who has personally battled cancer, is walking with a loved-one who is fighting cancer, has lost someone to cancer, wants to help those with cancer or just plain fears getting cancer. This episode is for you!

To connect with Rev. Percy McCray and with Our Journey of Hope, visit:

ONLINE -

www.ourjourneyofhope.com

SOCIAL -

Facebook -

@HHIpodcast (https://www.facebook.com/HHIpodcast/)

@OJOHministry (https://www.facebook.com/OJOHministry)

PODCAST - Health Hope & Inspiration with Rev. Percy McCray

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Episode 126: Getting Lost in Celebrity and Found By Grace with Michael O'Brien

Tue, 12 Apr 2022 05:00:00 +0000

Michael O'Brien would take his place, front and center stage, leading thousands in worship as the lead singer of Newsong. Then he would run to the back of the bus with shame and awareness of the hidden life he was trying to bury. Those "dark ages" in his life, where he believed the lie that God needed him to keep doing “all the things” almost led to the end of his marriage and the breakup of his family. That was a turning point for Michael. In this episode he shares the hope he and his wife have found together after thirty-plus years of marriage. It's so easy to compartmentalize our lives, but God's grace invites us to another way, a better way of living.

Michael O’Brien has served as a leader for over 20 years through his gift of music. Years ago, he made a specific shift in his career - reprioritizing his calendar and putting his focus back on his marriage and his children. He spent 7 years as the lead singer of the Christian band Newsong. His 2007 album, Something About Us, and 2010 album, Be Still My Soul, capture the rebirth of romance in his marriage, as well as their renewed sense of hope and healing. Michael O’Brien is a Grammy award nominee and a Dove award winner, but more importantly, he is a man of great passion, wisdom and faith.

To connect with Michael O'Brien, visit:

ONLINE -

https://www.michaelo.org

SOCIAL -

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/michaelobrienfanpage

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mobrien800/

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/mobrien800

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Episode 125: The Pitfalls That Take Down Pastors with Dr. Michael MacKenzie

Tue, 05 Apr 2022 05:16:48 +0000

Living Wholehearted cares deeply for leaders because we know when a leader lives and leads with integrity, everyone in their wake benefits. When they don’t, everyone in their wake pays. It’s just a matter of time. The news headlines continue to be filled with stories of leaders who waited too long to do their own inner life work and we think it’s time to reverse the trend.

In episode 125, Jeff talks with a kindred leader working in similar trenches. Dr. Michael MacKenzie is the Executive Director of Marble Retreat, an intensive counseling center for Christian leaders, and the supervisor of the Doctorate of Ministry Pastor Care track at Lincoln Christian University. Dr. MacKenzie has been a licensed professional counselor for 25 years, specializing in caring for pastors. He has also been a chaplain and ordained pastor himself. As an author, speaker and teacher on ministry and counseling issues in various settings, this conversation will be relevant to our listeners on many levels. Michael recently published a book, Don’t Blow Up Your Ministry: Defuse the Underlying Issues That Take Pastors Down, addressing the common pitfalls pastors face, how to avoid them, and how to find healing and recovery after a fall.

To find out more about Dr. Michael MacKenzie and his ministry go to:

ONLINE -

www.marbleretreat.org

SOCIAL -

Twitter - https://twitter.com/MichaelCMac

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/michael.mackenzie.106/

BOOK -

Don’t Blow Up Your Ministry - https://ivpress.com/don-t-blow-up-your-ministry

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What If It’s Wonderful?: An Invitation to Release Your Fears, Choose Joy, and Find the Courage to Celebrate

Dear Mattsons (youtube series)

Episode 124: Finding Courage to Celebrate with Nicole Zasowski, M.A. LMFT

Tue, 29 Mar 2022 14:07:14 +0000

The Mattsons sit down with Nicole Zasowski to talk about cultivating joy. Life can be hard. Trauma interferes with our hope. We start to expect the next disappointment or “the next shoe to drop”. Nicole Zasowski, a licensed marriage and family therapist, and author of What If It’s Wonderful?: An Invitation to Release Your Fears, Choose Joy, and Find the Courage to Celebrate (Thomas Nelson, March 8, 2022), invites us to practice the discipline of celebration. Even the word “discipline” makes Nicole cringe, but she shares the gold she finds on the other side. She opens up about her own losses and how she reached a point of not wanting to miss her God-given life in the throes of her grief. Nicole offers insights to why we struggle with celebration, how joy is really the most vulnerable place we can find ourselves, and how we can stay stuck in the shadows of our stories. Nicole says that the center of our joy determines the satiation of our joy, offering practical ways we can choose rhythms that foster, even double, our joy. Don’t miss this episode! If you like what you hear, make sure you share the link and leave a review!

To connect with Nicole Zasowski, visit:

ONLINE -

nicolezasowski.com

SOCIAL -

Facebook - @nicolezasowskiwriter

Instagram - @nicolezasowski

BOOKS -

From Lost to Found

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ariseministriescollective.org

Dear Mattsons (youtube series)

Episode 123: Women Making A Difference in the Fight Against Sex Trafficking with Lisa DaSilva

Tue, 22 Mar 2022 05:00:00 +0000

If you’ve been keeping up with our podcasts, you will notice that this is the third episode in our March series about women in leadership. We have been taking time to talk about the various topics that are near and dear to many women and those who are leading the way. Do you ever wonder how you can make a difference, use your voice, or be used by God? This episode is for you.

Today’s guest is Lisa DaSilva, a wife, mom of two teenagers, and advocate for women to love God with their heart, soul and mind as they engage in responsible study of His Word. With an M.Ed in Curriculum Development and a teacher by trade and passion, Lisa writes, speaks, and teaches the Bible to anyone who will read or listen. She is the director of Arise Ministries Collective in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. Women are good at dismissing their contributions to the world, but Lisa believes every woman has a voice and she longs for the day when they find freedom to use it for the glory of God and the furthering of His Kingdom. In this episode, Lisa shares the value of staying rooted in God’s Word, her own journey to leadership and starting Arise, as well as how she is stepping into hard areas where women are found voiceless. She partners with Thefreedomchallenge.org and is climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro to help free those who are sex trafficked. Her most recent Bible study is called What the Lord Requires: A Six-Week Study of Micah 6:6-8.

You can find out more about Lisa DaSilva and her ministry at:

ONLINE -

Thefreedomchallenge.org

SOCIAL -

Instagram - @ariseministries

BOOKS -

What the Lord Requires: A Six-Week Study of Micah 6:6-8 (amazon link)

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Resources

https://optionline.org/center-locator

Dear Mattsons (youtube series)

Episode 122: Abortion, Adoption, and Leading a non-profit with Diane Ferraro, CEO of Save the Storks

Tue, 15 Mar 2022 05:00:00 +0000

We have been talking about women in leadership this March because we are launching the Living Wholehearted Group Coaching Sessions for women in leadership this Spring. Whether you are a parent leading the most important organization on the planet (the family) and want to be better equipped to help your children understand the issues surrounding abortion, a leader working in controversial spaces, a female leader growing in your confidence, leading in the non-profit world, or if abortion is part of your personal story, this podcast has something for you.

Our guest in episode 122 is Diane Ferraro, CEO of a unique pro-life non-profit, Save The Storks.

Diane has been a key member of the executive and leadership teams at Save the Storks since 2018. Before joining Save the Storks, she served in various critical roles at large corporations, including overseeing marketing and communication efforts at a national retail chain based in Southern California.

Diane is a life-long pro-life advocate, largely because of her own experience, being adopted as a baby after her mother chose life for her.

Listen in as Diane shares her story and how her compassion for those facing unplanned pregnancies has expanded. She describes how this compassion has created a deeper longing for the Church to come alongside moms who choose life for their unborn child. Diane shares what she has learned as a leader in the for-profit and nonprofit sectors and what she sees as one of the greatest challenges for female leaders in today’s norms.

Want to join our virtual group coaching sessions each month for female leaders? Our team at Living Wholehearted would be honored to walk with you. Check out more at www.livingwholehearted.com and find a group that is the right fit for you.

To learn more about…

Pregnancy options, resources or support after an abortion:

https://optionline.org

Call our helpline at 1-800-712-4357 to sort through your concerns.

To find a local Pregnancy Resource Center:

For individual counseling:

If you are in the Portland, Oregon area, visit www.livingwholehearted.com

To find out more about Diane or Save The Storks:

ONLINE -

Website (Diane) - https://www.dianeferraro.com

Website - https://savethestorks.com

SOCIAL -

Twitter (Diane) - https://twitter.com/dianeferraro

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SaveTheStorks

Twitter - https://twitter.com/savethestorks

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/savethestorks/

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYu5nomth5OqTOspTyJp0Yg

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Dear Mattsons (youtube series)

Episode 121: Lies Women Tell Themselves with Dr Saundra Dalton-Smith

Tue, 08 Mar 2022 06:00:00 +0000

Welcome to the second episode in our March series focusing on women in leadership.

Shame, perfectionism, body issues, control … issues women commonly battle … issues that have become magnified over the last years of this pandemic season. Millions upon millions of women are struggling like never before with their mental health. They're believing lies about the limitations placed on their lives, and these lies are choking their joy - crippling their ability to love and be loved - draining the life out of their lives.

Today, in episode 121, we have Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith, who has wisdom to share with us on these topics and more. She is a board-certified internal medicine physician, author and popular speaker who shares biblical truths to help heal the body, mind and spirit. Dr. Dalton-Smith transparently shares how her past pain has been redeemed through the practical application of God's word. She has practiced clinical medicine for over 20 years and serves as an adjunct faculty member at both Baker College and Davenport University in Michigan where she teaches courses on health, nutrition and disease progression. The author of 'Set Free to Live Free', 'Come Empty' (named the 2016 Golden Scroll Nonfiction Book of the Year and 2016 Illumination Award Gold medalist), and 'Sacred Rest', she has shared her tips on merging faith and medicine with over 16,000 health care professionals to encourage the current and next generation of doctors to treat the whole person.

You can find out more about Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith and access her resources at:

ONLINE -

SOCIAL -

Facebook - @drsaundradaltonsmith

Instagram - @drdaltonsmith

BOOKS -

Set Free to Live Free - amazon link

Come Empty

Sacred Rest

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Episode 120: The Ins and Outs of being a Women in Leadership with Connie Armerding & Audra Mahoney

Tue, 01 Mar 2022 06:00:00 +0000

Co-host and founder of Living Wholehearted and Courageous Girls, Terra Mattson, is kicking off a March series focusing on women and leadership. Most of you listening this month are probably women, but if you are a man, don’t turn this episode off! You will better understand your colleagues and bosses, your sisters and your wife, and be better equipped to raise healthy daughters if you keep listening this month!

Terra is excited to have Living Wholehearted teammates, Audra Mahoney, MA LPC Associate and Connie Armerding, MA on the podcast. Audra and Connie are both female leaders who walk with leaders and understand the unique challenges women face in both the home and workplace as they trust God to live out of the call on their life. In episode 120, these three women talk about the reality of juggling motherhood, marriage, and their responsibilities. They share about their own journey toward understanding healthy leadership as well as the common lies they have faced (and are facing) as they shrink their own integrity gaps.

Audra Mahoney has a Masters in Professional Counseling. She has worked in as a Child Protective Services Social Worker and she received certified training in domestic violence, substance abuse, child abuse, and addiction and taught human sexuality courses at a NW college. She is a certified Mending the Soul facilitator, passionate about spiritual formation, and one of our faithful counselors at LW. She is also a speaker and an ordained minister with the Foursquare Church and has served on the National Cabinet and Divisional Council Boards. She and her husband, Andy, are lead pastors of a local church in Portland, Oregon, and are raising 3 kids. We will have Andy and Audra coming back to talk about leading as a couple later this year.

Connie Armerding is on our LW team as Executive Coach & Leadership Consultant. She is a published writer, speaker, and Licensed Pastor. She has published with Propel Women, Patheos, and is a key contributor to the Friendzy Social Emotional Learning Curriculum produced by Joy of It. Her passion is for equipping ministry and marketplace leaders through creating spiritually and emotionally healthy cultures among leaders and in their communities. She holds degrees from Wheaton College in Interpersonal Communication (BA) and a Masters in Leadership (MA 2022). She is raising four children with her husband, Taylor, here in the greater Portland area.

You can find out more about Connie & Audra on our website, https://livingwholehearted.com/about/our-team/.

You can also connect with Connie online at, https://www.conniearmerding.com.

Want to join our virtual group coaching sessions each month for female leaders? Check out more at www.livingwholehearted.com and find a group that is the right fit for you.

Subscribe to the #living_wholeheartedpodcast anywhere you find your podcasts (link in bio)

Instagram

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Episode 119: Leading Out of His Strength: Ceasing to Strive with Ruth Chou Simons

Tue, 22 Feb 2022 06:00:00 +0000

Do you find yourself worn out, feeling like you are running on empty? Whether your work is centered around our household, business, ministry, education or out in the community, most of us can relate to that feeling of exhaustion that results from constant striving. Could God’s grace satisfy our insatiable hunger to be more, do better? Could God’s grace lead us to rest? In this episode, we explore these questions.

Ruth Chou Simons is our guest on today’s episode. The theme of Ruth’s newest book, When Strivings Cease (released in October, 2021), will bring you a sense of relief and insights to how to receive the gift God is always offering. Ruth is a bestselling and award-winning author of several books — including GraceLaced, Beholding and Becoming, and Foundations. She is an artist, entrepreneur, and speaker, using each of these platforms to spiritually sow the Word of God into people’s hearts. Ruth and her husband, Troy, are grateful parents to six boys – their greatest adventure.

ONLINE -

https://gracelaced.com

SOCIAL -

Facebook - @GraeLaced - https://www.facebook.com/gracelaced

Instagram - @RuthChouSimons - https://www.instagram.com/ruthchousimons/

BOOKS/PODCAST -

https://ruthchousimons.com/books/

GraceLaced Podcast

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Episode 118: The Summits and Valleys of Marriage with Bryan and Kristen Jones

Tue, 15 Feb 2022 06:00:00 +0000

In honor of Valentine's week, Jeff and Terra want to help spur you on in your marriage. This is not your typical advice; “date your spouse once a week” or “make sure you do the dishes”. This is a real conversation with the Mattson's good friends, Bryan and Kristen Jones, about the highs and lows in their twenty years of marriage. Sometimes we just want fun dates, long walks on the beach, beautiful flowers just because (all good things) - but the reality of experiencing true intimacy in any marriage takes more honesty, work, and courage than most of us could even imagine at the beginning of our relationships. The Jones are parents to three kids, leaders at a Christian University in Seattle, WA, and mountaineers who have summited seven mountains. They faced a devastating fall 7 years into their marriage when Bryan admitted he was sexually addicted to pornography, masturbation, and was tempted by emotional affairs. Kristen shares how she faced this reality head on and what helped her move through the pain and not around it. Together they have learned to see their shared meaning in the great outdoors as they help their own children learn to do hard things.

Episode 118 is for anyone who is married, wants to be married, or pondering if they should stay married. Whether you have faced similar addictions and betrayal, or want to help your kids grow their confidence to do hard things, Bryan and Kristen's vulnerability will be an encouragement to anyone who needs inspiration to keep going in their marriage.

If you want to reach out to Bryan or Kristen Jones, you can go to instagram to find Kristen @kristengoetzjones and Bryan on Facebook @Byan.jones.7739.

If you want to know more about what we are up to at Living Wholehearted and all our resources, go to www.livingwholehearted.com and subscribe to our monthly newsletters.

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http://www.ainsleybritain.com

Dear Mattsons (youtube series)

Episode 117: Dating, Love, Abuse, and Healthy Boundaries with Ainsley Britain

Tue, 08 Feb 2022 06:00:00 +0000

With Valentine’s Day quickly approaching, we decided to focus for a moment on dating, love and healthy boundaries. We love Ainsley’s new up and coming book title: Don’t Date a BooBoo Dude: Raise Your Standards, Realize Your Worth, and Remove Shame From the Dating Game. And that summarizes the conversation on today’s episode with the Mattsons.

Jeff and Terra sat down to talk virtually with Ainsley Britain, a well known social media influencer who is helping raise the bar for teens and young adults who want direction when it comes to love and dating. Terra met Ainsley at a gathering of women authors, and was struck by her message and passion. Listen in as she shares her own journey in dating, abuse recovery and tips on dating from her new book for parents raising teens and young adults looking to date. (Due to Release Aug. 2022, David C. Cook). Ainsley is an Author, Podcast Host, and Enneagram Coach, helping young adults embrace their confidence, date healthy and discover their identity in Christ in every area of her work. With extensive training with Josh Shipp, SheSpeaks, and Your Enneagram Coach, she is a trusted guide many can learn from today.

You can find Ainsley at:

ONLINE -

SOCIAL -

Instagram @ainsleyb

PODCAST -

Wild Confidence

Are you an emerging female leader, like Ainsely, who would love to benefit from coaching from Living Wholehearted? We have started our new group coaching calls with leaders like Terra Mattson and Connie Armerding. We’d love to see your face and help you grow in your own integrity and wholehearted leadership so that all in your wake will benefit. Follow Terra Mattson @terramattson or Living Wholehearted @living_wholehearted

Seats will fill fast, so learn more at www.livingwholehearted.com.

Episode 116: Choose Love with Papa Joe Bradford

Tue, 01 Feb 2022 06:00:00 +0000

"Being offended can be a pathway to love."

In this episode, Papa Joe Bradford shares how to grow our capacity to love according to 1 Corinthians 13, a passage often recited but not easily lived-out in our daily relationships. He shares how his experience in prison taught him that he is not big enough to fail God. From that moment forward, he has been on a journey of humility. Papa Joe addresses common scenarios people face, how love can help us overcome temptations, and how to lean into the power to say no to evil and avoid being offended. He talks about when one is offended, how to move through that situation with maturity. Becoming great at love is an area where every single one of us has room to grow. From ministry leaders to parents to those dealing with conflict at work, this episode is for you.

Joe Bradford is a man who knows what it’s like to grow up neglected, find oneself in prison, and question God’s love. From enduring poverty and parental abandonment as a child, to working to earn a college scholarship, to spending 18 months in federal prison for computer hacking (where he decided to turn his life around), to launching a beautiful ministry with his wife - Papa Joe’s personal story is one of inspiration and unconditional love. He is a dad to eight kids of his own, and the inspiration for the major motion picture Unconditional. He is called “Papa” by countless numbers of children who he and his wife, Denise, have cared for through their ministry, Elijah’s Heart, founded in 2005. Joe Bradford has recently authored a new book, titled Love or War? Choose Love: Strategies that Overcome Daily Life Struggles.

Find Papa Joe Bradford at:

ONLINE:

https://www.papajoe.org

Elijah’s Heart - https://www.elijahsheart.com

SOCIAL:

Facebook - @elijahsheart - https://www.facebook.com/elijahsheart/?ref=page_internal

BOOKS/MOVIE/TV:

Unconditional - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mkG7jajCtk

Love or War? Choose Love: Strategies that Overcome Daily Life Struggles

https://www.papajoe.org/love-or-war-choose-love

Clip from Good Morning America - https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/news/video/author-shares-message-hope-healing-81678094

Episode 115: A conversation about Leadership, Jesus and the LGBTQ+ community with Richard Dahlstrom

Tue, 25 Jan 2022 06:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Jeff and Terra dive into a conversation many leaders want to have but are uncertain where to begin or how to do it well. They discuss the tension pastors and Christian leaders experience in trying to hold true to God’s Word and leaning into the complex challenges of their communities, such as the LGBTQ community and their real needs. There are very few who know how to love well, without confusing love with “no limits”. This intro may have already triggered some of you as leaders practice and hold a wide variety of beliefs. Please hang around for a bit. We hope you will find this conversation helpful wherever you land in your theology. Our guest is very familiar with leading in uncomfortable places for many decades and his principles might be helpful and even challenging to some.

Pastor Richard Dahlstrom was the senior pastor for Bethany Community Church, a multi-site campus church in the heart of Seattle, Washington, for over 25 years. He is a gifted author, speaker and teacher, with a heart full of grace. He is the author of several books, including, “The Colors of Hope: Becoming People of Mercy, Justice and Love” and “The Map is Not the Journey: Faith Renewed While Hiking The Alps”

Richard believes healthy people are the foundation of healthy marriages, family systems, businesses, and faith communities. His desire to guide people toward wholeness finds expression in teaching, coaching, guiding Ancient Paths experiences, and writing. Married for 40 years to Donna Dahlstrom, he and Donna have three grown children and three grandchildren. He is also the founding Director of Spirit Soul Body, an organization with a mission to bring people one step closer to wholeness. An avid outdoorsman and climber, you’ll often find Richard climbing, skiing, or hiking.

Find Richard Dahlstrom online at: https://www.spiritsoulbody.org

Bethany Community Church - https://www.churchbcc.org/about-us

Books on amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Richard-Dahlstrom/e/B001JS5M46%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share

Episode 114: Ingredients for Healthy Succession Planning with Robby Angle and Bruce McNicol

Tue, 18 Jan 2022 06:00:00 +0000

Change is hard. Handing off the baton of an organization is even harder. Are you in a season of transition? When do you know it's time to release something and pursue another calling? Maybe you are a senior leader who is considering whether or not it’s the right time to begin succession planning. Maybe you are the next president or CEO of an organization and you are carefully striving to honor the past while innovating for the future. Regardless, this episode with co-founder of Trueface Ministries, Dr. Bruce McNicol, and current President/CEO, Robby Angle, is one you don't want to miss. They talk about principles for healthy transitions and how to manage change well. Bruce shares how he planned for his succession and he highlights the role of providential help along the way. Robby describes Bruce’s role and his humility throughout the succession and the importance of communication and patience in this process.

Robby is the President and CEO of Trueface. He lives in Dawsonville Georgia with his wife Emily and their 8 children. Prior to serving at Trueface, Robby served for over 7 years as Director of Adult Ministry Environments and Director of Men’s Groups at North Point Community Church in Atlanta, Georgia founded by Andy Stanley. Prior to joining North Point, Robby and his wife, Emily, both worked in professional counseling and aid work, where they served with Samaritan’s Purse in Pakistan and Myanmar overseeing international disaster response teams. Robby and Emily received a Masters in Community Counseling from Appalachian State University. Angle also holds a business degree from the University of Florida, and a Certificate in Bible/Biblical studies from Dallas Theological Seminary.

Bruce McNicol is the Co-Founder (with Bill Thrall) and President Emeritus of Trueface. God has used Bruce’s teaching wisdom, global vision, and business skills to help Trueface offer break-through experiences of grace for many thousands around the world. With degrees in finance law, theology, leadership and organizational development, Bruce’s gifting to write to diverse readers and leaders has proved true in the best-sellers he has co-authored: The Cure, The Ascent of a Leader, Bo’s Café, Behind The Mask, The Kingdom Life, and High Trust Cultures. Having lived in Portland, Los Angeles, San Francisco Bay Area, Chicago, and Phoenix, Bruce has gained a variety of interests through the years, including international cultural trends and needs, music, hiking, reading, comedy, and sports. His constant interest is his wife Janet, who is a home-maker, nurse, and mentor, as well as their three adult children and their growing families.

Learn more about trueface.org and all their incredible resources.

Jeff and Terra and their professional team of executive coaches and organizational development experts are here to help you in any season of transition in your leadership. Learn more at www.livingwholearted.com

Episode 113: The Power of Time Budgeting & Our Core Value Index (Part 2)

Tue, 11 Jan 2022 06:00:00 +0000

It’s the beginning of the year and as you are considering what goals to set or reset, the Mattsons thought it would be the perfect time to discuss the skill of TIME BUDGETING. In Part 2 of this conversation, Jeff and Terra explore the impact of one’s Core Value Index on the way they view and steward time. If you are not familiar with the Core Values Index, the Mattsons use this time tested assessment in their twenty years of practice, helping parents, couples families and organizational teams grow in their understanding of self and others. The CVI is over 97% reliable and helps us understand what motivates and brings anxiety. Listen in as Jeff and Terra make some key connections between how we best manage our time as a Merchants, Builders, Innovators or Bankers and how one might lead or parent others who are different from them when it comes to their CVI.

Jeff Mattson (MA ORGL) and Terra Mattson (MA LPC, LMFT) are the married co-founders of Living Wholehearted LLC and the Courageous Girls movement and the weekly hosts of the Living Wholehearted Podcasts. Jeff is an Organizational Leadership Coach and Terra is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who is now solely working with executives. With a team of 11, Living Wholehearted helps leaders in a variety of settings, from corporate offices to leadership retreats and individual counseling. Jeff and Terra have each invested more than two decades in leadership coaching and trauma-informed therapy – and have helped national organizations and churches navigate difficult leadership crises. Their professional experience and research have formed their unique perspective on the relationship between leadership, integrity and trauma. They are parents to two teen daughters, speakers, authors, executive coaches, and business owners who get what it’s like to juggle many aspects of one’s lives.

With the help of Terra’s book, Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace, and their co-authored book, Shrinking the Integrity Gap: Between What Leaders Preach and Live (October 2020, David C Cook), the Living Wholehearted Podcast is reaching a growing number of leaders in the home, at work, and in the community. The Mattsons are also spokespeople for Christian Parenting, which reaches 1 million parents and produces the Dear Mattsons youtube series. One of the Mattsons primary goals is to share Biblical, clinical and relational wisdom to help leaders live and lead with integrity, addressing the real struggles that keep people up at night. Jeff and Terra believe that when a leader shrinks the integrity gap between what they preach and how they actually live, everyone in their wake benefits. And when they don’t, everyone in their wake pays. It’s just a matter of time.

Episode 112: The Power of Time Budgeting

Tue, 04 Jan 2022 06:00:00 +0000

It’s the beginning of the year and as you are considering what goals to set or reset, the Mattsons thought it would be the perfect time to discuss the skill of TIME BUDGETING. Like budgeting money, time is a resource we often believe we have little or none to give away. Leaders are at the top of the list, running ragged and sacrificing what they say they love the most at the end of each day. So in this episode, Jeff and Terra talk about the art of stewarding our calendars, giving practical tips to shrink the integrity gap when it comes to budgeting time. From day-to-day disciplines to planning out annual Big Rocks, the Mattsons believe that every wholehearted leader understands the value and stewardship of time.

Episode 111: The Way of Excellence: what the world needs from leaders today with Mike Kai

Tue, 28 Dec 2021 06:00:00 +0000

It’s the end of 2021! Can you believe it? We want to end this year on a high note. This episode will not only encourage you as a leader, but bring a little of the Aloha spirit to your life today, especially to all of you knee-deep in winter chill.

All the way from Hawaii, the Mattsons are joined by pastor, businessman, author and family man, Mike Kai. He truly is a man who “pursues every matter with excellence as if it were for the Lord”. Mike shares honestly about his struggles in the earlier years of life and how God clearly showed him a way to lead and how to do it with excellence. Mike’s principles of “excellence” might not be what you think. In fact, this episode is for anyone who is hungry to lead well and with great purpose regardless of your background, training, or experience.

Mike Kai is currently the pastor of Hawaii’s Inspire Church - which began as a small congregation in Hawaii in 2001 and has become a thriving 6,000+ member multi-site congregation. Mike is also the founder of Inspire Collective and Inspire Network. He is passionate about building the worldwide Church, leaders and a culture that will last.

Mike Kai is the author of The Pound for Pound Principle and Plateaus, as well as his newest book, That Doesn’t Just Happen: How Excellence Accelerates Everything (Inspire Books, August 3, 2021). You will find Mike speaking at conferences and to congregations all over the world, conducting some of his favorite conversations with pastors and leaders. Mike and his wife, Lisa, reside in Honolulu and are the proud parents of three daughters and grandparents of two grandchildren.

You can find more from Mike Kai at:

Mike Kai - https://www.mikekai.tv

Inspire Church - https://www.inspirechurch.live

Inspire Collective - https://www.inspirecollective.com/

Inspire Network - https://inspirenetworkllc.com/

That Doesn’t Just Happen: How Excellence Accelerates Everything (Inspire Books, August 3, 2021)

Are you a leader who wants to live and lead with integrity? Consider subscribing to our weekly newsletters where you will learn more about how to be the kind of leader you would follow. www.livingwholehearted.com

Episode 110: Singing in the Dark: A Story of Trust When We Cannot See with Ginny Owens

Tue, 21 Dec 2021 06:00:00 +0000

In this episode, the Mattsons talk with singer/songwriter, author, teacher, and advocate, Ginny Owens!

If you don’t know, Ginny Owens has spent the past two decades sharing her heart with listeners and readers. As a toddler, Ginny picked out melodies on the piano before she was able to put words together in a sentence. Even as vision left her eyes — due to a degenerative eye condition that left Ginny completely blind by age three — songs began to emerge from her fingertips.

In 2000, she was named the Gospel Music Association’s New Artist of the Year. Ginny has composed for such artists as Michael Card, Michael W. Smith, JJ Heller, and Rachael Lampa. In May, 2021, Ginny released her first EP of modern hymns and praise songs, Sing Hope in the Darkness and then created a solo-authored book, Singing in the Dark: Finding Hope in the Songs of Scripture (David C. Cook, 2021). She also released FAITHFUL: Go and Speak, book and album collaboration with Amy Grant, Ann Voskamp, Trillia Newbell, Ellie Holcomb, and Christy Nockels, just to name a few. Ginny contributed a chapter to the book, and co-wrote multiple songs on the album.

Her unique musical style and inspirational lyrics have transcended genre definition and taken her to diverse venues that include the White House, the Sundance Film Festival, Lilith Fair and the National Day of Prayer in Washington, D.C. Ginny has also been an adjunct professor at her alma mater, Belmont University, served as a worship leader, partnered with non-profits, and authored two books.

You can find her most recent releases anywhere you buy books or listen to music:
Singing in the Dark: Finding Hope in the Songs of Scripture, book and EP

FAITHFUL: Go and Speak, book and album collaboration

Connect with Ginny Owens online at:

Website: www.ginnyowens.com

Instagram: @GinnyOwensOfficial

Facebook: @GinnyOwensMusic

Twitter: @GinnyOwens

Youtube: @GinnyOwensMusic

To learn more about what we are doing at Living Wholehearted, go to www.livingwholehearted.com, or connect with us at:

Instagram

Facebook

Shrinking The Integrity Gap e-Course

Episode 109: How Legacies Start: A Mexican-American Story with MŌRIAH

Tue, 14 Dec 2021 06:00:00 +0000

So often we get lost in our own narratives and forget those who have gone before us. The Mattsons were honored to hear MŌRIAH share the legacy of her grandparents and their sacrificial journey to help her become the woman she is today. From earning a college degree to becoming a recording artist, leadership takes many different forms - some more glamorous than others, but all deserving recognition.

Listen to today’s episode as the talented, well-known Christian artist and American Idol Alumni, MŌRIAH, shares why she is passionate about women, diversity, and bringing hope to those who are experiencing pain. MŌRIAH Smallbone is a Mexican-American recording artist, actress and producer from Los Angeles, CA. After signing with SONY/Provident in Nashville, TN, her sophomore album, BRAVE, hit number 9 on Billboard’s CCM charts, which included a collaboration with Grammy Award-winning rapper Andy Mineo. Her film credits include the starring role in Because of Gracia (2017) and a role depicting the legendary singer Loyce Whiteman in an upcoming Ronald Reagan biopic alongside Dennis Quaid (Reagan, 2022). In 2021, MŌRIAH produced K-LOVE/AccessMore’s most successful podcast, BECOMING:us, alongside her Grammy-winning husband, Joel Smallbone, of FOR KING & COUNTRY. She will release her first live EP, Live from the Quarry, on December 3, 2021, which features a guest appearance by her husband.

The new album centers on contentment. Like many, MŌRIAH experienced an array of emotions in 2020—feeling angry, hurt, scared, insecure and remorseful. Yet all of those phases were necessary steps on her journey to a greater sense of calmness and gratitude. It was when she learned to settle into the present moment, and make peace in the tension, that she began to teem with authentic creativity, love, kindness and goodness. In time, she was able to work from a place of abundance rather than scarcity. MŌRIAH shares, “Nothing can fix a broken heart more than knowing that it’s loved, that it’s seen, and that its pain is felt. Now that I feel this more deeply than ever before, I can create from a place of rest. This entire EP is a celebration of being known, seen and loved.”

Learn more about Live from the Quarry at www.moriahsmallbone.com

Facebook @MoriahMusic

Instagram @MoriahSmallbone

Twitter @MoriahSmallbone

Are you an emerging leader who wants to grow in integrity, shrinking the gap between what you are passionately preaching and how you are living? Living Wholehearted is here to help! From books, e-courses, and cohorts, to one-to-one coaching and counseling, Living Wholehearted is coming alongside leaders like you so that everyone in your wake benefits! Find us at www.livingwholehearted.com and subscribe to our monthly newsletters or follow us:

Instagram

Facebook

https://www.dishitgirl.com

Shrinking The Integrity Gap e-Course

www.mycourageousgirls.com (for moms of daughters)

Episode 108: Creating Healthy Rhythms around Food and Family with Dina Deleasa-Gonsar

Tue, 07 Dec 2021 06:00:00 +0000

Today’s episode is a conversation about creating meaningful rhythms around food and family. Whether you are running around with your head cut off because of your busy family schedule, or you have become more isolated due to the culture shifts of a global pandemic, we think this episode will be encouraging and life-giving to you today.

Our guest is Dina Deleasa-Gonsar, the creator, writer, and television personality behind the popular food blog DishItGirl.com. Dina is known for sharing her family traditions and modern twists on recipes along with an inside look at her real life as a mom and wife. When in the kitchen, Dina brings her recipes to life with her personal anecdotes and honest, quick wit. Whether she’s whipping up something quick for dinner or pulling out all the stops for a family celebration, she inspires at-home cooks to get creative and try dishes that will become a staple in their house. Dina knows life isn’t always glamorous, so she strives to keep her content relatable, making sure to dish out her real life that goes on behind the scenes of social posts and media platforms. Her family is at the center of everything she does and this can be seen during her time on the E! Network show “Married to Jonas,” which she appeared on alongside her sister. More recently, she was named Best Home Cook by the Hallmark Channel’s Home & Family, and has contributed her recipes to the Today Show, Fab Fit Fun, Living Naturally Magazine, Hidden Hills, Cook’s Cook, Eat Up New York, and Jersey Bites, among others. Whether it’s a 4-course meal or simply breakfast for dinner, with DishItGirl, Dina hopes to keep it real, with real-good food along the way. She currently lives in New Jersey with her husband, Brian, and daughter, Siena.

Pinterest @DishItGirl

Twitter @DinaDeleasaG

Instagram @dishitgirldina

Episode 107: Unexpected Beauty: What We Can Learn From Parents Raising Special Needs Children with Amanda Cunningham

Tue, 30 Nov 2021 06:00:00 +0000

Do you ever wonder how the unexpected shifts in our story will be used for His glory? This podcast is for you! Jeff and Terra have a life-giving conversation with Amanda Cunningham, founder of The Glory Days Co., a company that provides organizational tools for parents and caregivers of children with special needs. Amanda not only shares the gift of these resources with our audience, but she shares openly about her unexpected journey with her daughter Rory. Amanda’s story reveals how God weaves everything - our story, gifts, and talents - together to create something beautiful.

Amanda’s daughter, Aurora “Rory”, was born with an unexpected diagnosis of Down Syndrome. The early months following Rory’s birth were filled with confusion and overwhelm as Amanda attended multiple doctor and therapy appointments, while wading through the newness of becoming a stay-at-home mom of two. When looking for tools to support her in this new role as a special needs parent, she found nothing. Desperate, Amanda created an organizational system that is now The Glory Days Daily Planner - the first daily planner for children with special needs. This planner launched an entire line of products which serve parents who are living the day-to-day with a special needs child in their home. Amanda and her husband live in West Virginia with their three kids.

Find Amanda at:

ONLINE - www.theglorydaysco.com
SOCIAL - @theglorydaysco

We are grateful to you for supporting and listening! When you become a subscriber to the Living Wholehearted monthly newsletters, you’ll learn more about our executive coaching, counseling, wholehearted leadership cohorts or the Dear Mattsons youtube series with @christianparenting_org. Or you can pick up one of our books, Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace and Shrinking The Integrity Gap. Our most recent resource is the Shrinking The Integrity Gap eCourse as a companion to the book. We highly recommend taking the eCourse with a mentee, mentor, or your leadership team. When you subscribe to our Living Wholehearted newsletter, you receive both FREE resources and on-going discounts. Go to livingwholehearted.com to join our community of wholehearted leaders in the home, work and community.

https://www.mycourageousbook.com

Episode 106: Sweet Like Jasmine: Healing from Childhood Trauma

Tue, 23 Nov 2021 06:00:00 +0000

The Asian-American story is not often talked about. There are many reasons why, but in this episode, Jeff and Terra talk with Bonnie Gray, who courageously writes and shares the hope and healing from her own childhood abuse and crisis of identity. This interview touched the lives of Bonnie, Jeff and Terra and we think it will be a gift to you too.

Bonnie is the author of Whispers of Rest, Finding Spiritual Whitespace and Sweet Like Jasmine: Finding Identity in a Culture of Loneliness. An inspirational speaker and podcast host of Breathe: The Stress Less Podcast, Bonnie touches thousands of lives using storytelling, soul care, and prayer. Bonnie’s global following of readers come to her for inspiring Christian content in her authentic, unique voice. Her writing has been published and syndicated across a broad online audience. Bonnie lives in California with her husband and two sons.

Bonnie grew up as a Chinese-American daughter of a mail-order bride and a busboy working in San Francisco’s Chinatown. In this episode she shares about her childhood, the effects of abuse, trauma, racism, and how she found grace-filled healing after trying to perform.

You can get Bonnie’s book, Sweet Like Jasmine: Finding Identity in a Culture of Loneliness, anywhere books are sold.

Connect with Bonnie online at:

www.thebonniegray.com

For more resources on abuse, trauma, and Christ-centered holistic counseling for leaders like you, go to www.livingwholehearted.com

Episode 105: Sexpectations, The Bible, and Reclaiming Your Married Sex Life with Debra Fileta & Gary Thomas

Tue, 16 Nov 2021 06:00:00 +0000

The Mattsons invited Debra Fileta and Gary Thomas to talk about their new book, Married Sex: A Christian Couple’s Guide To Reclaiming Your Love Life.

For far too long, the church has remained silent on the topic of married sex. That’s why we are doing a very short, but important series on sex in marriage. The importance of saving sex for marriage is famously preached, but what about savoring sex after marriage? What happens when people who have been taught that their sexual desires are bad get married and want to instantly awaken their sex life? What happens when the church fails to promote the enjoyment of God’s greatest physical gift to humanity? At best: mediocre sex. At worst: no sex. What happens when our expectations meet reality and we have to work at a our sex life.

Debra Fileta is a licensed professional counselor, national speaker, relationship expert, and author of True Love Dates, Choosing Marriage, Love in Every Season, as well as Are You Really OK? She's also the host of the hotline style Love + Relationships Podcast. Her popular relationship advice blog, TrueLoveDates.com, reaches millions of people with the message that healthy people make healthy relationships.

Gary Thomas is a writer in residence at Second Baptist Church in Houston, Texas, and an adjunct faculty member teaching on spiritual formation at Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon, and Houston Theological Seminary in Houston, Texas. He is the author of 20 books, including When to Walk Away, Sacred Pathways, Cherish, and Sacred Marriage (over one million copies sold). He has a master's degree from Regent College and was awarded an honorary doctorate in divinity from Western Seminary. Gary has spoken in 49 states and 10 different countries.

Find Debra online:

Facebook or Instagram @DebraFileta

Find Gary online:

Garythomas.com

Facebook @AuthorGaryThomas

Twitter @garyLthomas

Instagram @garythomasbooks

We love our listeners and our audience continues to grow. Welcome to our community! Join our monthly newsletters or subscribe to our weekly podcasts at livingwholehearted.com where you can learn more about how we are helping leaders like you, live and lead with integrity in the home, work and community. You can also follow us @living_wholehearted and @terramattson on Instagram or jeffterramattson and wearelivingwholehearted on Facebook.

Episode 104: Sex is Complicated: Let’s Talk About It with Mike Novotny

Tue, 09 Nov 2021 06:00:00 +0000

We are in the middle of a short series on sexuality and what the Bible has to say about it. According to George Barna's American Worldview Inventory 2021, nearly half of all theologically born-again individuals (43%) say premarital sex is morally acceptable. Millions of Christians, married couples included, still struggle in their own bedrooms. The epidemic of pornography continues to grow. Recent research revealed that a popular pornography site processes 81 million daily average visits. 50,000 searches per minute!

Today Jeff and Terra are joined by Mike Novotny. Mike is a pastor at The CORE, a church in downtown Appleton, WI, as well as spiritual leader and lead speaker for Time of Grace, a media ministry that reaches people more than a million times each month through weekly television broadcasts and podcasts. He enjoys spending time with his wife and two daughters, continuing his streak of 37 years of playing organized soccer, running long distances and reading any nonfiction he can get his hands on. Mike is used to tackling taboo topics with an open Bible, including: anxiety, sexuality, gender, depression, divorce, suicide, addiction, abuse, abortion, pornography, and more. He has authored many books over the years, the most recent is entitled: Sex is Complicated: Let's Talk About It.

For different people, sex can be exciting, interesting, bittersweet, triggering or even urgent. And it's a topic that's still unfortunately not talked about enough in the church.

But you know who is talking about it? Everyone else. And who is profoundly influencing thought on it in our culture? Everyone else. So...let’s dive in!

Find Mike Novotny online at:

Instagram @pastormikenovotny

timeofgrace.org

Facebook @timeofgrace

If you need more resources on recovery from pornography, sex addiction, and sexual betrayal, check out our podcast library with other resources to support you in your healing journey.

Become a subscriber to the Living Wholehearted monthly newsletters at livingwholehearted.com. And, check out the brand new Shrinking The Integrity Gap eCourse, a great companion to the book, Shrinking the Integrity Gap: Between What Leaders Preach and Live. Sexuality is just one facet of our integrity gaps and we are here to help you be the leader you want to follow. Go to livingwholehearted.com to learn more.

FB: https://www.facebook.com/estherlittlefield

Episode 103: Awareness is Curative for Your Marriage with Dr. Les Parrott

Tue, 02 Nov 2021 05:00:00 +0000

Join Jeff and Terra for a conversation with professor, author, speaker and relationship expert, Dr. Les Parrott, on practical tips for a healthy relationship, including the most common issues couples face. In this episode, Les explores the unique challenges for leaders and their marriages as well as the key factors define healthy relationships. As Les said many times throughout this episode, awareness is curative.

Dr. Les is a clinical psychologist. Dr. Leslie is a marriage and family therapist. Married in 1984, the Parrotts bring real-life examples to their speaking platform - with a presentation that is grounded, insightful and cutting-edge. The Parrotts have been featured in USA Today and the New York Times. Their television appearances include CNN, The View, The O’Reilly Factor, The Today Show and Oprah.

Part of Les and Leslie’s vision for building stronger, life-long marriages is to equip a band of more than a million marriage mentors who walk alongside less experienced couples. Research reveals that marriage mentoring is one of the best things we can do to cut the divorce rate and improve marriages – whether couples are engaged, newly married or married for decades.

There #1 New York Times best-selling books have sold over two million copies in more than two dozen languages, and include best-selling and Gold-medallion winner Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts. Other popular titles include Real Relationships, L.O.V.E., The Parent You Want To Be, Trading Places, The Complete Guide To Marriage Mentoring, Love Talk and Healthy Me, Healthy Us.

Learn more at betterlove.com

Follow Les and Leslie at @lesandleslie

Episode 102: Understanding the needs of boys & men with John Eldredge (author of Wild at Heart)

Tue, 26 Oct 2021 05:00:00 +0000

At Living Wholehearted, we believe deeply in learning to live and lead with integrity. And though most of us would say we believe this too, many of us have not been given the tools, the “how to”, or even good examples to follow. So instead, we hear messages like, “Stop that” and “Hide that” and “Quit doing that” without any insight into the why and the deeper needs of our humanity. In fact, we are living in a time when men and boys are experiencing the greatest mental health crisis we’ve ever known. We have invited a leading authority on masculinity to join us in a very important conversation.

Our guest today has had a significant influence on Jeff's journey and may have had an impact on you as well. We will be talking about the core needs of men and boys with best-selling author and counselor, John Eldredge. He is the president of Wild at Heart, a ministry devoted to helping people discover the heart of God and recover their own hearts in God’s love. John and his wife, Stasi, live near Colorado Springs, Colorado.

In this episode, John shares his own story, the cultural shifts impacting men and boys today, the effects of a global pandemic on males, and how they can learn to meet their relational needs. John also shares how women can help the men in their lives live more fully.

You can find John’s latest book Wild at Heart Expanded Edition (Nelson Books, March 2, 2021) or learn more at www.wildatheart.org

Episode 101: Building Intimacy in your Marriage with Dr. Michelle Engblom-Deglmann

Tue, 19 Oct 2021 05:00:00 +0000

Join Terra for part 2 of her conversation with Dr. Michelle. Discover some essential truths about building emotional intimacy in marriage. As an expert EFT (Emotionally Focused Therapy) therapist, Dr. Michelle helps us understand why couples fight and how that can be fuel for intimacy. She shares common relational patterns for couples for those who find themselves in the rut of life, with very little friendship or romance. Terra and Dr. Michelle vulnerably share honestly about their own marriage attachment patterns and hope that anyone listening will find grace for where they are in marriage.

Dr. Michelle Engblom-Deglmann is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and currently serves as the Living Wholehearted Clinical Director. In addition to being a professor, she is in private practice working with individuals, couples, and coaching/supervising therapists. She received a Bachelor's degree at the College of St. Benedict in Minnesota, followed by a Master's in Counseling Psychology at St. Cloud State University, with a certificate in Marriage and Family Therapy. She went on to become a licensed MFT, before receiving a Ph.D. in Family Therapy from St. Louis University. Dr. Michelle also teaches as a graduate professor in the Marriage and Family Therapy program at George Fox University. Prior to moving to Portland, she was a professor and Clinical Training Director at Simpson University in Redding, California. As a professor she has presented and published, both regionally and nationally, on topics of divorce, remarriage, trust, and attachment among others.

You can find Dr. Michelle at: http://www.michelleengblom.com

Episode 100: How to be a Healthy Helper - Avoiding Burnout

Tue, 12 Oct 2021 05:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Terra talks to Dr. Michelle about how to be a healthy helper in an anxious world. We explore the inner life of helpers (pastors, counselors, youth workers, psychologists, spiritual directors, nurses, doctors, etc…) and what they need to maintain their own integrity as they strive to balance the work they do and the life they live outside the office.

Dr. Michelle is an outdoor enthusiast and a marathon runner. She is a proud introvert who loves spending time with others, but thrives with time alone as well. When Dr Michelle is not teaching or working, she enjoys spending time with her husband and young daughter.

You can find Dr. Michelle at: http://www.michelleengblom.com or contact her directly at www.livingwholehearted.com

Episode 99: God Made You to Be You: Fighting the Lies of Comparison

Tue, 05 Oct 2021 17:23:05 +0000

Terra had a fantastic conversation today with podcaster/you-tuber/ best-selling author/mom, Jamie Ivey. Jamie loves creating things that help people believe the truths about who God made them to be. She does this mostly through her popular podcast, “The Happy Hour”, her new YouTube show, The Jamie Ivey Show, and through multiple books geared towards women. Now she’s taking this passion to a younger generation with her new children’s book, God made you to be you. As a mama to four kids, she knows the value in kids learning at a young age that God made them to be themselves! Her whole family, plus two dogs, live in Austin, Texas, and they all love to visit the West Texas desert as often as possible!

In this episode, you will hear more about how Jamie started her career and how she combats the lies of comparison in her own life and with her four teens. She shares about the difference between the cultural message, “You Be You,” and her recent book release that speaks to standing in the design God has for each of us. She shares honestly about current struggles to avoid comparison and she leaves leaders and parents alike with wisdom for the weary soul.

You can find all Jamie’s books and resources on her website, jamieivey.com or find her on socials at:

Facebook: @thejamieivey

Instagram: @jamieivey

Twitter: @jamie_ivey

Episode 98: The intersection of Biblical Truth and Neuroscience to Heal Toxic Experiences

Tue, 28 Sep 2021 05:00:00 +0000

The Mattsons invited Dr. Tiffany Tajiri to the podcast to talk about trauma, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and how God’s Word can help us restore our fractured pasts. Dr. Tiffany Tajiri is a licensed and board-certified clinical psychologist, a veteran US Air Force officer, and currently the chief of the largest behavioral health clinic at Fort Bliss, Texas. She is the CEO and founder of Stand Up and Recover, Inc., the creator of Rhythm Restoration, and co-author of Abundant Recovery curriculum at Abundant Church. She recently authored a powerful book, Peace After Combat; Healing the Spiritual & Psychological Wounds of War (David C. Cook, 2020).

Dr. Tiffany shares her experience with combat veterans who have confronted some of the most horrific places of pain in their stories and how they come to find wholeness, forgiveness, and peace again. She broadens her approach to those with any intrusive experiences, explaining Rhythm Restoration and how deeper healing is possible when we integrate God’s Word with the science of the mind, body, and soul.

You can find more of Dr. Tiffany’s work in her book, Peace After

Combat, anywhere books are sold.

You can also find her online at:

Instagram: DrTiffanyTajiri

YouTube: Dr. Tiffany

Website: DrTiffanyTajiri.com

Episode 97: Finding Our Purpose

Tue, 21 Sep 2021 05:00:00 +0000

What is my purpose? How do I find it? Will it change? Can I live without a purpose and what are the effects? Can I miss my purpose? In this episode, Jeff and Terra share their personal stories and how they stumbled upon their unique purposes. They share how they then cultivated a shared meaning as a married couple. They have helped thousands understand their purpose through exploring wiring, story, and God-given talents. The Mattson simplify the common questions and help listeners find freedom and peace, rather than striving and FOMO (fear of missing out). Listen in to better understand your own purpose and how to help those you lead in the home, work, and community do the same!

Jeff and Terra, the hosts of the podcast, are co-founders and co-owners of Living Wholehearted and Courageous Girls. Just celebrating 20 years of marriage, they met with a vision to utilize their education, wirings, and resources to help people dive deeper into relationships with God and others. Whether it’s marriage, parenting, friendships, or work, Jeff and Terra are passionate about connecting the dots between biblical, clinical, and relational wisdom.

If you do not know, Living Wholeheartedis a professional counseling and organizational development firm that helps leaders live and lead with integrity. Courageous Girls a global movement equipping moms to walk with their daughters at every stage of their growing years. Together, they are authors, national speakers, and executive coaches to leaders in a variety of sectors. They are also spokesperson for Christian Parenting and the hosts of the newDearMattsonvideo series. Terra is a licensed marriage and family therapist and licensed professional counselor and Jeff is an organizational consultant and leadership coach. You can read more in their books, Shrinking the Integrity Gap: Between What LeadersPreach and LiveandCourageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace, found anywhere you buy books.

For more on-going resources from Living Wholehearted or courageous Girls, go to www.livingwholehearted.com or www.mycourageousgirls.com to sign up for our monthly newsletters.

Episode 96: Cultivating Happiness in our Homes with Tristen Collins

Tue, 14 Sep 2021 05:30:00 +0000

We have been talking about so many heavy topics, we thought it was time to spend an episode discussing something we all desire...happiness. Some people cringe, thinking that happiness is a shallow and possibility immature emotion. Others sacrifice everything in order to attain happiness for themselves and their children. In this episode, we describe the definition and value of happiness, what the Bible has to say about it, and how we can practically cultivate it in our homes.

Our guest is Jeff and Terra’s friend and colleague, Tristen Collins. Tristen is one of our very first repeat guests and an expert in helping people process all their emotions (Check out her previous interview with her husband, Jon, in episode 16). Tristen is a therapist, a life coach, and author. She lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband, Jon, and their two boys. Jon is the co-founder of The Bible Project and together they wrote Why Emotions Matter. Like Jeff & Terra, Tristen is passionate about helping leaders shrink the gap between what they preach and how we live with clinical insights and biblical truth.

If this episode made you “happy,” consider leaving a review! Reviews always help others find this podcast and resource more leaders with help for the mind, body, heart, and soul.

To find out more from Tristen, visit:

whyemotionsmattter.com

tristencollins.com

Instagram @tristencollinslpc

Episode 95: Getting through the Hard Good of Life with Lisa Whittle

Tue, 07 Sep 2021 05:00:00 +0000

Lisa Whittle joins Jeff and Terra and shares her journey of losing her father and her upclose observations watching him do forty years of ministry. She speaks of the good and the hard of life with humor, depth, and practical wisdom. Lisa addresses how to manage emotions through the flood of grieving, loss, and difficult seasons. Listen in for hope and insight around finding purpose, what to do when you are weary and considering shutting down, or are facing an unpredictable future.

Lisa is the author of eight books; her most recent, The Hard Good: Showing Up for God to Work in You When All You Want to Do is Shut Down (released on September 7, 2021). Her wit and bold bottom-line approach have made her a sought-after Bible teacher. A pastor’s daughter and longtime ministry leader in issues relevant to the church, Lisa is the founder of Ministry Strong and the popular Jesus Over Everything Podcast, which debuted in the top 25 of Christian podcasts. Her love runs deep to see people pursue Jesus for life, grow deep roots of faith, and walk strong in the midst of a world that so often seems to have gone crazy. Lisa has done master’s work in marriage and family counseling, advocated for Compassion International, and been featured on numerous media outlets through the years. She and her family live in North Carolina.

If you like what you hear, consider leaving a review and subscribing to the Living Wholehearted Podcast!

Connect with Lisa Online:

Website: lisawhittle.com

Instagram: @LisaWhittle

Facebook: @LisaWhittleOfficial

Twitter: @LisaRWhittle

Jesus Over Everything Podcast: Apple Podcasts

Episode 94: God is My Defender - Trauma to Triumph with Rosie Rivera

Tue, 31 Aug 2021 05:00:00 +0000

Everything we do at Living Wholehearted and Courageous Girls is through the lens of trauma-informed theology. God draws near to the brokenhearted and wants to help those who are victimized. In episode 94, Terra talked with Rosie Rivera about her abusive trauma and her relationships with a God she so dearly loves. Rosia is the author of God Is Your Defender: Learning to Stand After Life Has Knocked You Down (Thomas Nelson, June 8, 2021). Through her own journey of trauma, she holds tight to the truth found in Exodus:

“The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

CEO of Jenni Rivera Enterprises, businesswoman, television personality, and social media influencer (with over a million followers on Instagram alone), Rosie is one of the most influential and inspirational Latinas in the world. In her new book, God Is Your Defender, Rivera openly shares about the tragic loss of her sister, internationally acclaimed singer Jenni Rivera, in a plane crash in 2012. This thrust Rosie into the spotlight and immediately subjected her to false accusations and lawsuits from people who were trying to take advantage of her in her time of grief and her new position as executor over her sister’s estate and CEO of Jenni Rivera Enterprises.

Rosie also opens up about her experience of childhood sexual abuse, being bullied on national television, and even reaching (and recovering from) the brink of divorce. Despite deep hurts like these, she has refused to be beaten down or silenced by the Enemy. Why? Because she knows God is her defender.

Follow on Instagram @rosieriveria or pick up her book, God is Your Defender, anywhere books are sold.

**Warning, this episode is graphic and may trigger anyone with a past history of abuse. Take your time pausing and grounding yourself as you listen and better understand the needs of survivors and the impact of trauma.

Episode 93: The Exodus Road with David Zach

Tue, 24 Aug 2021 05:00:00 +0000

Human trafficking, especially sex trafficking, is not an easy topic to discuss, but don’t skip this podcast! This issue touches the lives of all of us. This is not just a foreign issue - it affects communities and families everywhere. Tune in and learn how we can all participate in bringing justice, mercy and restoration.

Our guest for this episode is David Zack, the lead singer and songwriter for a rock band, and a volunteer with The Exodus Road, an organization bringing holistic and systemic change in the fight to end human trafficking. For the past six years David has helped develop strategic partnerships for TER and he serves as an investigator. He has worked undercover in hundreds of brothels. He has seen, with his own eyes, the terrible reality of human trafficking. Hear the story of how he was drawn to this work, and how his musical gifts and his passion for justice intersect.

For more info about The Exodus Road, check out: Instagram (@TheExodusRoad), the TER podcast, or the Front Line Stories page on TheExodusRoad.com website.

To get text updates about successful TER rescues, text “remedy” to (727)273-7283. For ideas about how to support the work of TER, go to remedydrive.com/action.

Episode 92: Teaching Our Children to navigate a Pornographic World with Josh Glaser

Tue, 17 Aug 2021 05:00:00 +0000

We all know that pornography is a problem in America. But what many parents don't know is that our kids (boys, and yes, girls too) are susceptible to getting addicted as young as nine years old.

To help us understand this topic, we are joined by Josh Glaser. He is a pastor, speaker, writer, and blogger. Josh has been with Regeneration Ministries since 1999 and has served as Executive Director since 2006. Josh is the author of “Rescue”, a year-round discipleship program for men seeking a deeper relationship with Jesus and freedom from sexual sin. He also recently co-authored (with Daniel Weiss) a new book titled, Treading Boldly Through a Pornographic World: A Field Guide for Parents.

This conversation is filled with grace. We understand this is a process, and it takes courage, but we can lead our children in this area. It begins with our willingness to face our stories. Join the conversation with us today and take a step forward in your journey.

Treading Boldly Through a Pornographic World: A Field Guide for Parents, can be purchased anywhere books are sold.

For additional resources, see the links below: https://www.facebook.com/JoshuaGlaser https://www.instagram.com/joshglaserofficial/ https://www.regenerationministries.org

Episode 91: Shame No More with Dr. Richard Shaw

Tue, 10 Aug 2021 05:00:00 +0000

How does one heal from a life of shame? Join us as we dive into a conversation with Dr. Richard Shaw, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Mental Health Counselor. He is also an ordained minister with the International Foursquare Church and he is an Associate Professor of Counseling at George Fox University. He has traveled extensively in the U.S. and overseas to teach and facilitate workshops for his groundbreaking work around shame and grace.

We believe shame and grace are at the root of many of our biggest challenges and deepest wounds, so today we are going to hear from an expert who has dedicated his life to helping people find healing through grace.

Dr. Richard Shaw’s new book is titled, “Shame No More - Framework For Healing With A Message of Grace.” For those who want to explore this topic even further, he also has a DVD video series (2015), “Shame No More - 6 Teachings For Those Seeking Grace & Truth In Their Key Relationships”. Go to www.shamenomore.com

Episode 90: Becoming a Woman Today with Bethany Beal of GirlDefined

Tue, 03 Aug 2021 05:00:00 +0000

Are you raising a daughter or mentoring girls? This podcast is for you. Being a girl and a woman today is hard and the messages women are hearing are so confusing!

Join Terra Mattson, co-host of this podcast as well as licensed marriage and family therapist, co-founder of Courageous Girls and author of Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace, for a conversation with Bethany Beal on what girls need today. Bethany, along with her sister, Kristen, launched GirlDefined Ministries in 2014. GirlDefined is helping the modern girl understand and live out God’s timeless truth for womanhood.

Take a deep breath, because we are diving into topics like; God’s design for women, sexuality, identity, beauty, relationships, romance and more.

Bethany and Kristen have published a new devotional called Shine Bright: 60 Days to Becoming a Girl defined By God. They are also hosting an upcoming GirlDefined conference. Of course, you can find GirlDefined online and on social media. See the links below.

Website https://www.girldefined.com/

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/girldefined/

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/ UCww9VDOBh5hfnsN6pPE6NpA

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/girldefined

Episode 89: Ethics of Podcasting: Tips, Tricks, and Truth Telling with Esther Littlefield

Tue, 27 Jul 2021 05:00:00 +0000

Have you ever wanted to start a podcast? Maybe you have a podcast and you are looking for some insider tips. Maybe you listen to podcasts and wonder how they juggle the tensions they hold leading and influencing many. Terra speaks with Esther Littlefield, a business and leadership coach who has years of experience. She offers practical insights and helpful principles to help anyone navigate common pitfalls.

Esther is a marketing strategist and business coach for Christian women who are ready to stop feeling scattered and confused about how to grow their business online. She’s the host of the award-winning Christian Woman Leadership Podcast and the Christian Woman Business Podcast.

She is passionate about helping women lead with confidence, shine online, and amplify their impact. She works with clients to help them cut through the confusion, find clarity, and develop confidence in their marketing strategy so that they can focus on what will truly help them create a business (and life) they love.

You can find Esther and all of her great resources at: Website: https://estherlittlefield.com/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/estherdlittlefield/ LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/elittlefield/

Mini-course to help someone start a podcast: http:// podcastinaweekend.com/

Episode 88: The Makings of the Living Wholehearted Lodge & Retreat

Tue, 20 Jul 2021 05:00:00 +0000

Jeff and Terra share the vision of the new Living Wholehearted Lodge and Retreat, coming Fall 2021. While they talk about their shared meaning as a couple, they discuss marriage principles based on the Gottman’s “sound relationship house” model and what lies ahead for the LW Lodge & Retreat.

Jeff and Terra, the hosts of the podcast, are co-founders and co-owners of Living Wholehearted and Courageous Girls. Just celebrating 20 years of marriage, they met with a vision to utilize their education, wirings, and resources to help people dive deeper into relationships with God and others. Whether it’s marriage, parenting, friendships, or work, Jeff and Terra are geeks for relationships and long to see more environments of grace and health. To help them achieve this, they created the Lodge & Retreat where couples, families, and leaders come to rest, restore, and rebuild what has been long lost from generations before.

If you do not know, Living Wholehearted is a professional counseling and organizational development firm that helps leaders live and lead with integrity. Courageous Girls is a global movement equipping moms with biblical, clinical, and relational wisdom to walk with their daughters at every stage of their growing years. Together, they are authors, speakers, and executive coaches to leaders in a variety of sectors. Terra is a licensed marriage and family therapist and licensed professional counselor and Jeff is an organizational consultant and leadership coach. You can read more in their books, Shrinking the Integrity Gap: Between What Leaders Preach and Live and Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace, found anywhere you buy books.

www.livingwholehearted.com or www.terramattson.com

Follow on Instagram:

Terra @terramattson

LW @living_wholehearted

CG @mycourageousgirls

Like on Facebook: Jeff Terra Mattson, Living Wholehearted, LLC My Courageous Girls

Episode 87: Every Moment Matters in Marriage with Todd & Brooke Tilghman

Tue, 13 Jul 2021 05:00:00 +0000

If you watch The Voice, you might already be familiar with our guests on this episode. Todd and Brooke Tilghman are parents to eight children. Having recently moved closer to Nashville for Todd’s leap-of-faith to pursue music full time, they now live in Tennessee. From 2011 to 2020, Todd was the pastor of Cornerstone Church in Meridian, Mississippi. He has the distinction of being the oldest winner, at age forty-two, in the history of The Voice. As a member of “Team Blake”, Todd was the winner of the show's eighteenth season in 2020. Todd has been singing in church since he was just eight years old, and he is currently writing and recording songs for his first album, to be released this year. Today our guests give a candid picture of what really matters, how they navigated depression, anxiety, stress, and a struggling marriage. They share with us some of the lessons they’ve learned along the way during their 20 plus years of marriage.

Keep up with Todd’s latest music releases on all streaming platforms. Learn more about Todd and Brooke’s new book, Every Little Win: How Celebrating Small Victories Can Lead to Big Joy, at www.everylittlewinbook.com. You can follow Brooke @brooketilghman and Todd at @todd_tilghman

Episode 86: Different - A Great Thing To Be! with Heather Avis

Tue, 06 Jul 2021 14:03:31 +0000

Heather Avis is our guest for today’s episode. She is leading the way in creating a world where the differences children see in themselves and others are celebrated and embraced!

Heather is the founder and chief visionary officer at The Lucky Few, a social awareness brand on a mission to make a more inclusive and loving world with an emphasis on shifting the Down syndrome narrative. She runs The Lucky Few's hit Instagram account and is the author of the children’s book, “Different - A Great Thing To Be!” and co-host of the podcast by the same name. A former education specialist teaching high school students, Heather is a mother to three adopted children (two with Down Syndrome) and has been interviewed on numerous media outlets including The Today Show, Focus on the Family, Hallmark’s Home & Family, and written for TIME. She lives in Southern California with her husband, Josh, and their three kids Truly, August and Macy, who is the inspiration for her book.

Heather’s joyful, rhyming children’s picture book “Different—A Great Thing to Be!” (WaterBrook/Penguin Random House) is on sale today. You can connect with Heather at: www.HeatherAvis.com & @TheLuckyFewOfficial

Episode 85: Leading for Change

Tue, 29 Jun 2021 05:00:00 +0000

How does one lead well when working with governors, mayors, advocates, faith leaders, community organizers, all with different and opposing worldviews, to find common ground for youth from marginalize populations? This honest conversation about leading with integrity in a complex, and often controversial, social arena is one you won’t want to miss.

In this episode, Jeff is joined by Mark Jackson, a native of Portland, Oregon. He holds credentials in Sociology, Communications, English and Black Studies. He was a participant in the Portland State University Leadership Fellows Program for Nonprofit Management and has decades of nonprofit leadership experience.

Mark Jackson co-founded REAP, Inc. (Reaching Empowering All People), a local organization that empowers and advocates for our most marginalized student populations. He currently serves as the Vice President/Executive Director for REAP Inc. He is a visionary leader in both the nonprofit and public sector who engages business leaders, educators, students, community leaders and parents. Mark is one of the leading voices for youth development, educational equity and community leadership in Portland, Oregon. His dream - To have a culture of equity in public policy and academia by having ALL students respected as leaders for change.

Listen in. This is a good one! To learn more about REAP, go to www.reapusa.org

Episode 84: The Freedom Fight and the Pornography Conversation

Tue, 22 Jun 2021 05:00:00 +0000

In this episode we are discussing an important topic that we believe needs to be addressed more openly, both inside and outside the Church - the struggle with pornography. This conversation is full of honesty and grace, not shame. Our goal is healing and freedom. You won’t be disappointed with this conversation!

To help us understand the growing epidemic of addiction to pornography, our guest is Ted Shimer. He’s the founder of The Freedom Fight, an online addiction recovery program. He has mentored young adults for nearly three decades with the collegiate ministry, Student Mobilization. He received his MABS from Dallas Seminary and is trained as a Pastoral Sex Addiction Professional-Supervisor. His discipleship background, theological instruction and world-class clinical training gives Shimer a unique and grounded approach to addiction recovery that is biblically-based, scientifically sound, gospel-centered and effective.

Ted’s new book, The Freedom Fight: The New Drug and The Truths that Set Us Free, addresses one of the biggest issues facing all of us today. You can find more information and recovery resources at: https://thefreedomfight.org

Episode 83: A Father’s Day Special: Featuring a dynamic dad-daughter duo

Tue, 15 Jun 2021 05:00:00 +0000

Are you a dad? Want to be a dad? Have a dad? This episode is for you! Father and daughter duo, Dr. Mark Pitts and Becky Thompson, have written The Midnight Dad Devotional for the dad who wants to be connected to His Father so He can love his children well. Becky Thompson is bestselling author and creator of the Midnight Mom Devotional community, gathering over one million moms in nightly prayer. Dr. Mark Pitts is a graduate of the University of Tulsa Law School, an ordained pastor and well-known Bible teacher in Okla-homa City, and lives with wife of 41 years. Listen in as Jeff, Terra, Mark and Becky discuss the difference between parenting and being a dad, the key ingredient to connection with our kids, and how and why prayer is at the center of it all.

It’s not too late to get your dad a copy of the Midnight Dad Devotional, found wherever you like to get your books. Remind your husband or dad that his prayers matter. His role matters. He matters.

You can learn more about Becky Thompson at beckythompson.com or go to the Facebook Midnight Dad Devotional community or Midnight Mom Devotional community where millions are praying each night.

Episode 82: Her Story, Bulimia & Body Image Issues with Terra Mattson, MA LMFT, LPC

Tue, 08 Jun 2021 05:00:00 +0000

In a world that determines the value of a person based on appearance, Terra exposes the subtle lies we’ve bought into regarding our body image, relationship with food, exercise and our emotions. In today’s episode, following Dr. Rhona’s episodes on food addiction, Terra shares her own story with her battle with bulimia as a teen. Her journey as a licensed marriage and family therapist and licensed professional counselor has led her to understand more of her own healing journey as she has walked with hundreds of men, women and teens over the years who have had similar struggles. At the root of all body image issues, Terra says, is a struggle to deal with and process our EMOTIONS.

Through the lens of trauma-informed neurobiology and healthy spiritual formation, she wrote the book Courageous: Being Daughter’s Rooted in Grace and co-authored Shrinking the Integrity Gap: Between What Leaders Preach and Live with her husband, Jeff. Jeff and Terra are the co-founders/owners of Living Wholehearted and Courageous Girls. Jeff and Terra are the weekly hosts of the Living Wholehearted Podcast. Listen in for more insights into your own relationship with your body and how to help those you love, children, friends, and spouses find healing, compassion, and hope.

Now an executive coach, author, and national speaker, Terra is integrating her years as a therapist in helping executive leaders address the many issues keeping them from living with integrity, working from a grace-based trauma-informed foundation. To learn more, follow on instagram @terramattson or @living_wholehearted or terramattson.com, livingwholehearted.com or mycourageousgirls.com.

Episode 81: Recovery from Food Addiction, Part 2 with Dr. Rhona Epstein

Tue, 01 Jun 2021 05:00:00 +0000

Body image issues are common among both men and women. Eating disorders and food addiction are on the rise. In this episode, part two (see episode 80 for part 1), Dr. Rhona connects the dots between the role of faith, the root of food addiction, and the key principles to the 12 step process.

This is an episode for anyone who is raising a child, facing addiction in their own story, or leading those who are vulnerable to this epidemic. Dr. Rhona Epstein began her recovery journey at seventeen years old after battling binge eating and bulimia from childhood. Affected so deeply by the recovery process, she was determined to devote the rest of her life to helping others out of the same insanity with food abuse and weight obsession.

Her goal was simple: to learn from chemical dependency treatment practices, and apply those ideas to treating addictive eating issues. She holds a doctorate in clinical psychology and her dissertation, Binge-Eating Disorder and the Twelve-Steps, focused on understanding the strategies commonly relied upon by successfully recovering individuals. Since 1994, Rhona has provided individual, couples, family, and group psychotherapy in Paoli, Pennsylvania. She is the author of three books: Food Triggers: End Your Cravings; Eat Well & Live Better; Satisfied: A 90-Day Spiritual Journey Toward Food Freedom; and The Satisfied Workbook.

Learn more about Dr. Rhona and find her resources at drrhona.com.

Living Wholehearted is celebrating their 10 YEAR anniversary this May!!! To celebrate, they are offering merch at 50% off. Go to the livingwholeheartedstore.com to find great deals.

Episode 80: Recovery from Food Addiction, Part 1 with Dr. Rhona Epstein

Tue, 25 May 2021 05:00:00 +0000

Body image issues are common among both men and women. Eating disorders and food addiction are on the rise. In this episode (part one of two), Dr. Rhona shares her story and explains the key symptoms of the controversial “food addiction” and why many of us need to rethink how we are looking at food and the recovery process. This is an episode for anyone who is raising a child, facing addiction in their own story, or leading those who are vulnerable to this epidemic.

Dr. Rhona Epstein began her recovery journey at seventeen years old after battling binge eating and bulimia from childhood. Affected so deeply by the recovery process, she was determined to devote the rest of her life to helping others out of the same insanity with food abuse and weight obsession.

Learn more about Dr. Rhona and find her resources at drrhona.com.

Living Wholehearted is celebrating their 10 YEAR anniversary this May!!! To celebrate, they are offering merch at 50% off. Go to the livingwholeheartedstore.com to find great deals.

Episode 79: Are You Really Okay? with Debra Fileta, LPC

Tue, 18 May 2021 05:00:00 +0000

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and the Mattsons invited Debra Fileta to talk about her new book, Are you Really Okay Getting Real About Who You Are, How You’re Doing, and Why It Matters. As you may or may not know, at Living Wholehearted, we are passionate about bridging the gap between mental health and clinical research and what God’s word has to say. We specialize in leaders because we know leaders are human too! According to Lifeway Research, 23% of pastors acknowledge they have personally struggled with a mental illness. 49% of pastors say they rarely or never speak to their congregation about mental illness. 65% of churchgoing family members of those with mental illness want their church to talk openly about mental illness. Historically, the church has not had the greatest reputation at responding well to mental illness or understanding the needs, oversimplifying and sometimes over spiritualizing and causing more harm.

Debra Fileta is a licensed professional counselor, podcaster, and the author of True Love Dates, Choosing Marriage, and Love in Every Season. She’s a passionate speaker about relationships and she and her husband, John, have been happily married for more than a decade. You can find Debra at www.areyoureallyokay.com

Living Wholehearted is celebrating their 10 YEAR anniversary this May!!! To celebrate, they are offering merch at 50% off. Go to the livingwholeheartedstore.com to find great deals. When you go to livingwholehearted.com and subscribe to our newsletter, you will be entered to win a copy of Debra’s book and Shrinking the Integrity Gap this month!

Episode 78: Leading with Humility with Craig Denison

Tue, 11 May 2021 05:00:00 +0000

Jeff and Terra love their work with leaders in the home, at work and in the community. Today, they are talking with Craig Denison, CEO of Denison Ministries, about leadership, parenting, and principles learned through his unconventional journey to executive leadership. Craig is a speaker, worship leader, and the author of First15 Daily Devotional - helping more than one million believers in hundreds of countries experience God in a fresh way every day. Craig currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Denison Ministries, an organization started by his father, Jim Denison, and includes First15, the Denison Forum and Christian Parenting. As you have probably noticed, the Living Wholehearted Podcast is powered by Christian Parenting and directly benefits from Craig’s leadership. You do too! Craig is a leader trying to balance the life of ministry and parenting, as he raises his two young boys in Texas alongside his wife, Rachel. This conversation about failing forward, succession, and leading fully where you are today will be life-giving to every leader, addressing how to stay grounded in the midst of all the pressure, stress, and strain leadership exerts on every part of a leader’s life.

For more information or resources, check out denisonministries.org or go to christianparenting.org. If you want to grow in your leadership, pick up your copy of Shrinking the Integrity Gap: Between what Leaders Preach and Live by the Mattsons.

Living Wholehearted is celebrating their 10 YEAR anniversary this May!!! To celebrate, they are offering merch at 50% off. Go to the livingwholeheartedstore.com to find great deals.

Episode 77: Finding Spirit-Help in a Culture of Self-Help with Jeannie Cunnion

Tue, 04 May 2021 05:00:00 +0000

Maybe you have been a follower of Christ for a long time and have never fully embraced the idea of the Holy Spirit, or maybe you are not familiar with the Christian faith and the concept of the Holy Spirit sounds hokey. In either case, we hope you will stick around for this entire episode. We think there is something for everyone today in our conversation with Jeannie Cunnion as she challenges us (with love) to consider ALL of who God is and what He offers through the Holy Spirit.

Jeannie Cunnion is an author, well known for writing stories that magnify the wild love of Jesus that has deeply impacted her own life. She is also a beloved Bible teacher and sought-after speaker who has been featured on outlets such as the TODAY show, Fox News, The 700 Club, and Focus on the Family. Jeannie, who holds a master’s degree in social work, worked as a counselor and trainer in the adoption field before writing. She is a wife to Mike and a mama to five boys she is crazy about.

You can find Jeannie’s most recent book, Don’t Miss Out: Daring to Believe Life is Better with the Holy Spirit, anywhere you buy books. If you sign up for our monthly e-newsletter at livingwholehearted.com, you will be entered into a drawing to win a free copy.

To learn more and connect with Jeannie, go to JeannieCunnion.com or Instagram/Twitter/Facebook @jeanniecunnion.

At Living Wholehearted, we are celebrating our 10 YEAR anniversary this May!!! To celebrate, we are offering merch at 50% off. Go to thelivingwholeheartedstore.com to find great deals

Episode 76: How to lead groups toward real and meaningful relationships

Tue, 27 Apr 2021 07:01:38 +0000

Ever been in that awkward small group? You know the one. No one shares, silence for days, and when someone does share, it’s about their aunt’s dog? Have you ever been the LEADER of one of those groups and just hit your head up against the wall wondering how to bring life and authenticity into the room? Well, we have some insights for you today. Our guest, Robby Angel, kindred fly fisher and lover of all things grace, is here to help!

Robby is the President and CEO of Trueface Ministries and the author of The Cure for Groups. He lives in Dawsonville Georgia with his wife Emily and their 8 children. Prior to serving at Trueface, Robby served for over 7 years at North Point Community Church in Atlanta, Georgia founded by Andy Stanley @andystandley. In his role, Robby utilized Trueface resources through his various positions as Director of Adult Ministry Environments and Director of Men’s Groups.

Both Robby and his wife, Emily, have a history of working in professional counseling and aid work, where they served with Samaritan’s Purse in Pakistan and Myanmar overseeing international disaster response teams. Robby and Emily received a Masters in Community Counseling from Appalachian State University. Angle also holds a business degree from the University of Florida, and a Certificate in Bible/Biblical studies from Dallas Theological Seminary.

Go to www.trueface.org to learn more or follow @truefacelife. Want to win a copy of The Cure for Groups? Sign up for our monthly newsletter at livingwholehearted.com and follow us @living_whole-hearted

Episode 75: Trauma-Informed Theology: Integration of mind, body, heart and soul

Tue, 20 Apr 2021 05:00:00 +0000

In this episode, Jeff and Terra are going to share some of their core beliefs and the foundations of their organizations Living Wholehearted and Courageous Girls.

Bridging the gap between biblical, clinical and relational wisdom, they explore the connections between the mind, body, heart and soul and how mental health and the Bible go hand in hand. They discuss the connection between consulting and counseling, leadership and trauma, mental health and theology.

Terra shares how she decided to enter the mental health field (reluctantly) and why Jeff chose the coaching field, but how the two have become the front door and the back door to a leaders heart. Listen in as they ex-plain “trauma-informed theology,” the leader and trauma cycle, and the connection be-tween mental health and discipleship. They address common myth and answer some of your most common questions.

Follow Terra @terramattson and Jeff and Terra are on Facebook at jeffterramattson. You can learn more about what we do at livingwholehearted.com and mycourageousgirls.com or terramattson.com

Episode 74: Tackling Big Topics: The future of Church, LGBTQ+ and Faith with pastor Bill Towne

Tue, 13 Apr 2021 05:00:00 +0000

In a world with so many unknowns and shades of gray, leadership hard. Everyone has an opinion and leaders are just humans who have said yes to the call. The Living Wholehearted Podcast brings leaders in the home, work, and community honest conversations and practical tools to help with the people issues keeping leaders up at night. After reflecting on a year of living and leading through a global pandemic, the Mattsons wanted to address two important relevant questions:

1) What does the future of the church look like in the months and years ahead?

2) What is the church’s right response to the LGBTQ+ community and those trying to grow in their faith journey?

Our guest, Pastor Bill Towne, helps unravel what’s at the heart of each of these questions. Whether you agree with Bill or not, he shares some incredibly loving and insightful wisdom, so listen in!

After almost forty years in full-time ministry and leading Rolling Hills Community Church (just outside Portland, Oregon), Bill has been engaging these questions with many leading pastors around the world, including colleagues from his alma mater, Western Seminary.

If you want to hear more from Bill, check out episode 17 and 18 where we unpack leadership, marriage, and identity with Bill and his wife, Kathy. You can find more from Bill Towne at www.rollinghills.org or follow at @rhchurch If you want more quality resources on the topics of church, faith, and the LGBTQ+ community, check out Biblical scholar, international speaker and author, Preston Sprinkle @prestonsprinkle with the Center for Faith, Sexuality, and Gender. His books include, People Be Loved, Living in a Gray World, and his most recent on transgender called Embodied.

Follow us @living_wholehearted, @terramattson, and @mycourageousgirls and follow/subscribe to our weekly podcast for more incredible interviews, including Preston Sprinkles coming late 2021. When you sign up for our monthly newsletters on our website, www.livingwholehearted.com, you join the movement to shrink our integrity gaps and you get entered to win a monthly give-away that includes books written by many of our podcast guests. This month we are giving away a copy of The Cure for Groups by Trueface President, Robby Angel (coming soon in Episode #76).

Episode 73: Love-Centered Parenting: Help for the Controlling Parent with Crystal Paine

Tue, 06 Apr 2021 07:05:00 +0000

Today, Jeff and Terra are unpacking the difference between parent-centered parenting and love-centered parenting with author and podcastor, Crystal Paine. It’s far too easy for any parent to get caught up in the non-essentials and more often than not, there is a marker in all our stories that helps us recognize what really matters. Crystal shares the 6 keys to communicating well with your children and offers many other insightful tools to help us raise children who know they are loved. We loved this line: “What would my loved self do today?” Parenting is hard work. One of the hardest leadership roles we know. Hope you can find one thing to help you experience more of the heart of God for all His children, big and small.

Crystal Paine is known as the founder of MoneySavingMom.com, host of “The Crystal Paine Show” podcast, and a New York Times bestselling author. Her desire is to help women across the globe live with more joy, purpose, and intention in their everyday lives. She lives with her husband and kids in the Nashville, Tennessee area. Crystal’s latest book, Love-Centered Parenting, is available now.

Learn more about Crystal at www.moneysavingmom.com

Episode 72: Signs of Hope: How Small Acts of Love can Change Your World with Amy Wolff

Tue, 30 Mar 2021 07:05:00 +0000

Do you ever wonder how you can be an agent of hope in a world of so much hard news? Maybe you are looking for your own signs of hope these days? This episode will not only inspire, but reminds all of us that hope comes in all shapes and sizes.

Amy Wolff is not only one of our neighbors and friends, she is a TEDx speaker coach and founder of the Don’t Give Up Signs Movement. Married and raising two beautiful Courageous Girls, she runs her own business, Distinction Communication and just published her first book, Signs of Hope: How Small Acts of Love can Change Your World. As always, Amy won’t disappoint as she shares in the most honest ways, spurring us all in how we can help a hurting world. Amy shares behind the scenes stories of her movement, the book, and the science of hope.

If you enjoy what you hear, we appreciate your reviews! We are also giving away a signed copy of Signs of Hope when you become one of our Living Wholehearted followers. Go to www.livingwholehearted.com to learn more.

You can follow Amy @amynwolff or the movement at @dontgiveupsigns. Learn more at www.dontgiveupsigns.com or www.amynwol ff .com

Episode 71: Living Unbroken: Reclaiming Your Life and Your Heart After Divorce with Tracie Miles

Tue, 23 Mar 2021 07:05:00 +0000

There are just some topics we talk about today that seem like a no brainer and a taboo topic all at the same time. One of those topics is divorce and with so many directions we could go, we are particularly discussing how one heals after the ending of a long-term marriage and emotional turmoil that follows and how the church can do a better job of supporting those going through divorce.

Our guest, Tracie Miles, shares her own personal devastation and heartbreak with divorce. In her book, Living Unbroken: Reclaiming Your Life and Your Heart After Divorce, she offers a biblically sound approach to how to trust God’s promises and restore one’s self-confidence in and through the midst of the emotional toll of a separation and divorce.

Tracie is a national Speaker and Author with the internationally known Proverbs 31 Ministries and has spent the last fifteen years encouraging women and men with the love and hope found in Jesus Christ. She is most known not only for her popular books but also for being a monthly contributing devotion writer for the Proverbs 31 Ministries Encouragement for Today daily devotions which reaches over four million per day with God's Word and are featured on BibleGateway and Crosswalk.

We are giving away a copy of Tracie’s book this month when you subscribe to our newsletter at www.livingwholehearted.com . Leave a review if this was helpful or share with a friend who is needing this hope today!

You can find Tracie at: www.traciemiles.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/traciemiles/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p31traciemiles

Twitter: https://twitter.com/traciewmiles

Episode 70: Integrity for the Musician/Worship Leader with Olivia Pothoff

Tue, 16 Mar 2021 07:05:00 +0000

Leading with integrity is rooted in a lifestyle and starts from the inside out. We love when we get to share stories of leaders who are living wholehearted and trying to match their inner world to their outer expressions. Artists, particularly musicians, have a unique battle. Olivia Pothoff has been singing since she was three years old and longed to be a musician who sang for Jesus. However, she wrestled with not wanting to be seen as self-promoting, prideful or a show off, a common struggle for many talented and humble musicians. She has discovered how to be free to be who God has designed her to be, staying rooted in her identity and mentoring others to do the same. Olivia is not only a powerful singer, songwriter, and teacher of God’s Word, she is currently the worship pastor at @journeysherwood outside Portland, OR. She is happily married to her husband, Mark and has three courageous girls. In Part 2, Olivia shares pearls of wisdom for any leader, but particularly for those who are passionate about music. You will be blown away by this episode and if you hang in there until the very end, Olivia will even sing for you!

This is a good one!

You can find Olivia’s music on Spotify, amazon, and YouTube or follow her on instagram, @oliviapothoff where you can find her most recent song with artist @joi.haley from our very own Courageous Gathering. To learn more about Courageous Gathering, go to www.livingwholeheartedstore.com.

Episode 69: Leadership, InCourage 2020, Trauma, and More with Musician Olivia Pothoff

Tue, 09 Mar 2021 08:05:00 +0000

When we planned InCourage 2020 (now called @courageousgathering) for March 13 & 14, little did we know what would lie ahead in 2020. On the eve of our rehearsal, the Oregon govenor said that groups could no longer gather in the state of Oregon due to the beginnings of what we would come to call - a global pandemic. Though women were flying in from around the country, we had everything in place for a powerful weekend of biblical, clinical, and relational wisdom with worship from artists like @joi.hailey and @oliviapothoff, keynote speakers like Living Wholehearted co-founder, @terramattson and Katherine Wolf of @hopeheals. Over 40 breakout speakers were ready to serve and then….everything came to a screeching halt. No live conference. Now what?

After a year, Terra and Olivia Pothoff come together to unpack what they both learned through the experiential lessons only learned through such a pivot. Now a virtual conference packaged for any small group or church to experience, the Courageous Gathering was meant to be a place where women could face the reality of how we suffer well. Little did Terra know that the ENTIRE conference would teach her and all those who were behind the scene how to truly trust God regardless of the outcomes. Olivia shares about her new found relationship with Joi and all the ways she has seen God’s hand in the outfall of that weekend. Listen in for a real, raw, and honest conversation from two leaders who love God and love women.

Olivia Pofhoff is not only a dear friend of Terra’s, but also a powerful singer, songwriter, and worship leader at @journeychurch. She has spent the past 15 years sharing music as a meaningful way to communicate the care and love of God. She is happily married to her husband, Mark and has three courageous girls. You can find Olivia’s music on Spotify, amazon, and youtube.

Episode 68: Fall in Love with God’s Word with Brittany Ann

Tue, 02 Mar 2021 08:05:00 +0000

The very word QUIET TIME can seem archaic in our day in age. However, as we unpack the link between psychology and theology and leadership at Living Wholehearted, a common thread in becoming wholehearted is knowing the One who made us and walks with us in our day to day lives. Whether you call it “renewing our minds” and “reframing” or “schemas” - reading the Bible is a central part of taking our thoughts captive, grounding our emotions, and developing our identity.

Maybe you are overwhelmed by where to start in reading your Bible or you have found yourself looking at the dusty book for some time with no desire or direction. Most followers of Jesus know that reading God’s Word is a powerful part of growing in our relationship with the One who loves us and knows us. However, if you have not been taught how or it has become a legalistic tool used against you, reading the Bible can seem intimidating and sometimes stifling.

In episode #68, Terra unpacks with our guest, Brittany Ann, how to fall in love with God’s Word for the first time or… all over again. She says whether you are seasoned or new at reading the Bible, there are ways we can all grow in uncovering the joy found in a living and breathing love letter from God.

Brittany Ann is an author, speaker, and founder of EquippingGodlyWomen.com, a popular Christian-living website dedicated to helping women be “all in” in faith and family. Brittany is the author of Fall in Love with God's Word: Practical Strategies for Busy Women and the creator of the 21-Day Bible Reading Challenge, a free challenge to help Christian women make regular Bible reading a priority.

Episode 67: My Wynter Season with Jonathan Pitts

Tue, 23 Feb 2021 08:05:00 +0000

We know we just had Jonathan Pitts on the podcast this last January. (Listen to episode #60). But we just wanted more! He just released his book, “My Wynter Season” and there was more to learn.

As you may remember, if you have been hanging with us for awhile, Jonathan is an author, speaker, and the executive pastor at Church of the City in Franklin, Tennessee. He previously served as the executive director at the Urban Alternative, the national ministry of Dr. Tony Evans. Jonathan has co-authored two books alongside his late wife, Wynter Pitts and his current book was released 2/1/2021. He is also President and co-founder of For Girls Like You, an equipping and resourcing ministry for tween girls and their parents.

Listen in as we talk about Jonathan’s book, his marriage to Wynter, and what leadership looks like when her personal life needs more attention. There is something for everyone in this podcast!

Subscribe to the Living Wholehearted Newsletter and become a part of wholehearted leaders everywhere who are shrinking their integrity gaps. We are drawing one winner each month to receive some of our favorite books from podcast guests, friends, and colleagues. This month we are giving away a copy of “My Wynter Season” and “Healthy Me, Healthy Us” by relationship experts, Les & Leslie Parrott. Winners will be announced each month on our socials IG @living_wholehearted @terramattson and FB @WeAreLivingWholehearted.com

Episode 66: Our Love Story, Part 2

Tue, 16 Feb 2021 08:05:00 +0000

We are Jeff and Terra Mattson, a husband and wife team who is helping leaders live with integrity. We started @living_wholehearted ten years ago to bring professional counseling and consulting to leaders who felt alone in the work they do both at home and in their work spaces. Now, we have a team of professionals, books, @mycourageousgirls, and this podcast. Though we share a passion for people, we are oldest children trying to play nice in our marriage. (wink) Our humanity gets in the way, just like yours. But we have learned a few things over our 23 years together. In episode #65, we share how we fell in love and decided to marry. We met at @seattle_pacific and resisted the “ring-by-spring” phenomenon of Christian universities, marrying one week after Terra’s graduation! In this episode, you’ll find Jeff tearing up as he shares the impact of his grandparents after 73 years of marriage. Coming from a divorced home, their example is the one that continues to inspire our marriage today. Whether marriage, dating, or wanting to be married, there is something in this episode for you. Lean into the hope that though relationships are hard, they are worth it!

We have started a monthly give-away to our favorite subscribers. Go to www.livingwholehearted.com to subscribe for our monthly newsletters, and you will be entered to win “Healthy Me, Healthy Us” by best selling relationship experts @leslie_parrott @lesandleslie or a copy of “My Wynter Season” by @pittsjr26, who is next week’s guest on episode #67.

Episode 65: Our Love Story, Part 1

Tue, 09 Feb 2021 08:05:00 +0000

As the founders of Living Wholehearted, Courageous Girls, and the Living Wholehearted Podcast, we wanted you to know a little more about our journey together. In fact, Valentine’s Day was our first date. Don’t be fooled... Jeff didn’t know it was Valentine’s Day! We are not just business and ministry partners, we are husband and wife. And WE STILL LIKE EACH OTHER after all these years. That’s a miracle in an age where fewer and fewer are getting married and staying married. What’s our secret. Lots and lots of.... You’ll have to listen to find out more.

Though our story is OUR story and not one to compare to, we think we have learned a few things over the years that is worth passing on. Though Terra is a marriage and family therapist and Jeff an executive coach, we have many humbly moments that keep us learning and growing.

In Part 1, we have fun reminiscing about the “first site” moment. We talk about why we “saved ourselves” for marriage and how we barely made it. Jeff might have been blushing here. We unpack the little things that keep us best friends and humble us in keeping the main things the main things.

Want to pick up a good relationship book this month? Read “How We Love” @howelovebook or Les & Leslie Parrott’s most recent book, “Healthy Me, Healthy Us.” @leslie_parrott @lesandleslie

Episode 64: The Power of One Man with Dr. Ron Archer

Tue, 02 Feb 2021 07:00:00 +0000

We had an incredible time listening to Dr. Ron Archer. It’s Super Bowl week and though you might not be interested in football, you will be blown away by our conversation. We usually stick with 30 minute interviews, but we couldn’t stop listening and craved more. So you bet we will have Dr. Archer back on the podcast!

Dr. Ron Archer is a world-renowned inspirational speaker, business executive, and author. He was an NFL chaplain, pastor, and world leader, advising several U.S. presidents and trained top executives of multiple Fortune 500 companies, including military leaders. His debut biography and life story of poverty, hardship, and overcoming all odds—What Belief Can Do—was published in February 2020 with Salem Books and his latest book is The Power of One Man: How God Uses Men Like You to Change the World. Dr. Archer’s story went viral and he has traveled the globe inspiring millions with his testimony.

And don’t forget, If you like what you hear, make sure you leave a review. These help others find messages like this! If you go to our website and subscribe to our www.livingwholehearted.com mailing list, you will be entered into our monthly book give-away where we will be mailing you some of our favorite books each month from authors we interview or on topics we know are relevant to the wholehearted leaders.

Episode 63: Trauma - Informed Theology Part 2 with Joel & Kimberly Harris

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 15:35:19 +0000

Find Kimi on Instagram and on her website. You can follow also go to Joel’s twitter.

For more resources, go to www.livingwholehearted.com. Check out our book, Shrinking the Integrity Gap: Between What Leaders Preach & Live (currently a steal at $4.99 on kindle) and Mending the Soul by Steve Tracy.

Episode 62: Trauma-informed Theology Part 1 with Joel & Kimberly Harris

Tue, 19 Jan 2021 08:05:00 +0000

Our guests are helping us dive into an important topic of how do we help sex abuse survivors, as well as prevent more abuse in the church. This is never an easy topic, but a vital one we are passionate about and think it’s a key to shrinking all our integrity gaps. Today we have Joel and Kimberly Harris who are transplants from Portland, Oregon to South Dakota, where Joel is a pastor and worship leader. They have three girls, whom they homeschool. As a family, they value the power of music and storytelling and love to share good books with each other. Kimberly has written for various publications, including Christianity Today and Crosswalk, covering topics such as how abusers groom churches, biblical comfort in suffering, and empathy. Through their own story of abuse and seeing the unraveling of larger systemic wreckage, they still love God and the Church. They are helping survivors find their voice and want to see more leaders (who may also be abuse survivors) learn how to respond in helpful and healing ways. Whether you are a parent, ministry leader, or leader, please listen in. You can find Kimi on Instagram and on her website and Joel on twitter https://twitter.com/joelharris411.

Episode 61: Recovery from Abuse & Addiction: A Story of Grace with Austie Eckley

Tue, 12 Jan 2021 14:21:55 +0000

In Part 1 of this discussion on abuse and trauma, we share a story with you that is far too common. You might not be someone who has faced addiction or has a story of abuse. However, we can guarantee that you know someone who has and they often do not look like they are trauma survivors. 1 and 3 girls are sexually abused and addiction follows most abuse survivors as they try to cope with the pain. Austie Eckley is a leader of women who loves passionately and fiercely because she knows what it’s like to need someone to see you despite your story. She knows what it’s like to need an example of Jesus’s love at the darkest hour. So we asked her to share her story with us and how she began her journey of Living Wholehearted, bringing all of who she was before our God. Austie Eckley, a mother of four little girls, talks about the earlier parts of her journey and how that plays a role in who she is today as a mother and shepherd of women. She lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband and sweet little girls. She is an artist who creates jewelry, art, makeup, and finds the best thrift store deals. Let’s take a few weeks to talk about something that may help shape your year - facing what is hard about your story (or another person’s story) and begin calling things what they are. We want to take the next couple podcasts to unpack more of the what, why, and how we heal from trauma. Leave a review. That will help others find this podcast. Check out more at www.austieeckley.com

Episode 60: Hope in the Darkness: When God uses life and death with Jonathan Pitts

Tue, 05 Jan 2021 08:05:00 +0000

What a powerful conversation with Jonathan Pitts. Jonathan shares the journey of loosing his wife unexpectedly and the process of coming alongside his four girls as they all make room for a new way of living. As a leader parenting daughters and co-founder of a ministry for tween girls, we felt like we were talking to a kindred friend. Jonathan is an author, speaker, and the executive pastor at Church of the City in Franklin, Tennessee. He previously served as the executive director at the Urban Alternative, the national ministry of Dr. Tony Evans. Jonathan has co-authored two books alongside his late wife, Wynter Pitts. He is also President and co-founder of For Girls Like You Ministries, an equipping and resourcing ministry for tween girls and their parents. Jonathan is the father of four daughters and was blessed with fifteen intentional years of marriage to Wynter. There is something for everyone in this podcast. Start your year off with a message of hope for such a time as this. Learn more at www.forgirlslikeyou.com or follow @pittsjr26

Episode 59: Hope in the Darkness: The Digital Dilemma with David Murrow

Tue, 29 Dec 2020 08:05:00 +0000

If you are like most parents, you were already battling the age of screen time way before a world pandemic. 2020 just sunk us into a deeper dependency on our devices as schools moved online, work meetings moved to zoom, and we were told to “socially distance.” In this episode, author David Murrow brings us hope in the midst of a confusing time. Know you won’t be shamed or guilted. You will be encouraged with practical help for the digital age we live in. In his recent book, Drowning in Screen Time, David unpacks the reality of our screen time and how we CAN lead our families back into a healthier relationship with our devices. As we all consider our new year’s resolutions or goals for the new year, this episode will bring clarity and direction for such a time as this. Why not start January 2021?

David Murrow is the author of several books, including the bestseller, Why Men Hate Going to Church and What Your Husband Isn’t Telling You (topics for another episode). He’s not a pastor, professor, or theologian. He’s just a guy in the pews noticing the disturbing trends in the church and he has been given a voice in the Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune, and New York Times. David is a television producer and writer by trade, working from every channel on the dial from ABC to the Travel Channel. He has watched the cascading shifts of screen time creep into every part of our world. He lives with his wife Gina in Alaska and enjoys his time with his three children and grandchildren.

We are so grateful for our listeners like you! Thank you for an amazing year and for joining us in the movement to shrink the distance between what we preach and live! When you leave a review, it helps us spread the message of living wholehearted. If you have been touched by Living Wholehearted and Courageous Girls in any way and believe in what we are doing to impact the home, work and community, consider helping us through an end-of-year donation. All support will help our non-profit initiatives in 2021. Go to www.livingwholehearted.com to learn more!

Episode 58: Hope in the Darkness: Trusting God through the Hard Part 2 with Ted & Ally Hotchkiss

Tue, 22 Dec 2020 08:05:00 +0000

Welcome to part 2 of trusting God through the hard. If you didn’t hear the beginning of Ted and Ally Hotchkiss’s story, take time to hear their love story (we all love a good love story). Stories of hope in the midst of darkness are reminders of how resilient we can be, regardless of our circumstances. Though we all want a comfortable, easy life (or so we think), the purpose of our lives is far greater than that. Sitting with those who suffer is truly sacred space. Join us as we all learn how to do that better with Ted and Ally Hotchkiss.

Ted and Allison live outside Portland, OR with their two little girls. Married 6 years, Ally lives with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS) and several other conditions and Ted is her full time caregiver. They have learned to trust God through the suffering and in their early thirties, they are learning rich principles about God, life, and relationships that many of us loose sight of in the midst of ordinary life.

To learn more about their story, you can follow Ally on IG @allyhotch. Ted and Ally recommend two books that have impacted them deeply: The Cure by Bill Thralls, Bruce McNicol and John Lynch and Suffer Strong by Jay and Katherine Wolff. Bill Thralls was a guest in Episode 56 if you missed his interview.

And as always, leave a review! We are so grateful for our listeners like you. When you leave a review, it helps us spread the message of living wholehearted and becoming leaders who live and lead with integrity in the home, work and community. And if you have been touched by Living Wholehearted and Courageous Girls in any way, we are looking for financial partners who can help us with our non-profit initiatives in 2021. Go to www.livingwholehearted.com to learn more.

Episode 57: Hope in the Darkness: Trusting God through the Hard Part 1 with Ted & Ally Hotchkiss

Tue, 15 Dec 2020 08:05:00 +0000

Trusting God through the hard is…well…hard. We are bringing you stories of hope through the darkness because we know that 2020 has taken its toll and winter can be a hard time for many. Though it’s the most wonderful time of the year and many wait all year long for the Christmas season, it can also bring difficult emotions and reminders of what life is not. For some, the hard doesn’t go away just because we put up our Christmas tree or run through the latest Hallmark Christmas movies (though they are a sweet break from the reality of life sometimes).

Today, we are talking about how to suffer well with Ted and Ally Hotchkiss. Ted and Ally live outside Portland, OR with their two little girls. Married 6 years, Ally lives with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS) and several other conditions and Ted is her full time caregiver. They have learned to trust God through the suffering and only in their early thirties, they are learning rich principles about God, life, and relationships that many of us loose sight of in the midst of ordinary life. Listen closely. These are episodes filled with gold nuggets for such a time as this!

To learn more about their story, you can follow Ally on IG @allyhotch.

Episode 56: Hope in the Darkness: The hope of GRACE with Bill Thralls

Tue, 08 Dec 2020 08:05:00 +0000

Jeff and Terra have been richly blessed by many leaders and mentors in their life over the years. Today, they unpack a simple yet profound message of grace with one of the leading experts on the subject, Bill Thralls. Though we often throw this word around, we rarely apply it to our lives and our realities. Grace is one of the greatest reasons we can hope in the midst of darkness. It’s the reason we celebrate this time of year.

As co-founder of Trueface in 1995, Bill's wisdom has been penned throughout The Cure, The Ascent of a Leader, Bo's Café, Behind The Mask, and High Trust Cultures. Bill's gifts and experiences also shine as he helps leaders establish trust in all their key relationships and nurtures grace-based environments. CEOs of international companies to heads of mission organizations and universities have discovered a life-long gratitude for spending time with Bill.

Prior to joining Trueface, Bill founded and then pastored the influential faith-community, Open Door Fellowship for over 20 years. In his spare time, Bill can be found fishing, golfing, crafting furniture for his family in his woodshop, and cultivating fruits, herbs, and vegetables in his fertile backyard garden. Bill and his wife, Grace have three grown children and nine grandchildren.

Learn more about

trueface.org or @truefacelife or pick up one of Bill’s books this season!

And if you want to grow in this way of life and sit with leaders like Bill, join us for the Wholehearted Leadership Cohorts 2021-2022. The application process is open now through 12/31/20. www.livingwholehearted.com

Episode 55: Hope in the Darkness: Grieving through the Holidays with Stan & Lori Thomas

Tue, 01 Dec 2020 08:05:00 +0000

The Christmas season is considered “the most wonderful time of the year.” And yet, it can also bring up enormous grief and reminders of loss as a song comes on the radio, the smells in the air remind us of what was. Living Wholehearted means we bring all of who we are to our lives, including the pain of our stories. We have the privilege of listening to Stan and Lori Thomas, as they share about how they are making it through the loss of their child. After losing their daughter, Aimee Brooke Thomas in 2013 to a car accident, they started a ministry called Hope for Grief. Lori is a singer/songwriter and Stan is now a mortgage broker, after 18 years in full-time pastoral ministry. The have been married 40 years and live in Eugene, Oregon. Though many marriages don’t make it through the loss of a child due to the sheer overwhelming grief, Stan and Lori want to help marriages survive one of the hardest losses anyone can face. Stan and Lori remind us that though we may never fix this kind of grief and “get over it”, we can learn how to move through it and find hope again. As Stan would say, “Don’t give up” and as Lori would say, “Find your trusted circle to help you grieve well”.

You can find Stan and Lori Thomas on Facebook or email them at hopeforgrief@gmail.com

If you are in need of support or resources, learn more at www.livingwholehearted.com and consider sharing this podcast with someone who might need hope today.

Episode 54: Kintsugi Principles: Beauty out of Brokenness Part 2 with Monte & Stephanie Schmidt

Tue, 24 Nov 2020 08:05:00 +0000

Monte and Stephanie found themselves at the edge of burnout. In part 2, we dive deeper into their recovery process and how Monte ended up being a counselor after decades of leading in business and full-time ministry. If you have not listened to Episode 53, stop and listen first. The Schmidts have been married 31 years and have five children, including two adopted girls with disabilities. Steph has been a stay-at-home mom for the past 25 years and Monte currently works as one of the professional counselors at Living Wholehearted, helping leaders move through seasons of pain and learning to live with integrity. From his own journey of depression, burnout, and shame, Monte and Stephanie share how their marriage withstood a darker season. Stephanie has become an incredible Kintsugi artist, creating handmade pieces of art to symbolize how God’s power is made perfect in our weakness. Steph leaves a piece missing from every single one of her hand-made designs to represent the unfinished work we all are in God’s grace. https://www.etsy.com/shop/NWHeartCreations
You can find Monte’s contact at the livingwholehearted.com website.

Episode 53: Kintsugi Principles: Beauty out of Brokeness Part 1 with Monte & Stephanie Schmidt

Tue, 17 Nov 2020 08:05:00 +0000

Monte and Stephanie found themselves at the edge of burnout. Monte was hiding for years as he served in various leadership roles, including ministry. Stephanie was unaware of Monte’s inner world until he hit a wall. Monte was adopted at birth and a depression survivor. This episode unpacks their journey together - through his healing journey. They have been married 31 years and have five children. Steph has been a stay-at-home mom for the past 25 years and Monte worked as a high school teacher & coach, Vice President of Columbia Funds, and then a full-time pastor for fourteen years before joining the Living Wholehearted Counseling team. He has a passion for cross-cultural experiences and ministries. Together, they have learned how to parent adopted kids with disabilities, mentor of many, and Steph has becoming an incredible Kintsugi artist.

You can find Stephanie’s art at her etsy store if you want a beautiful piece of art to symbolize how God’s power is made perfect in our weakness. Steph leaves a piece missing from every single one of her hand-made designs to represent the unfinished work we all are in God’s grace.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/NWHeartCreations

Episode 52: God’s Heartbeat for His Daughters with Susan McPherson

Tue, 10 Nov 2020 08:05:00 +0000

Susan has been in ministry for 19 years and has a passion for serving and equipping women in ministry. She is the founder and president of God Girl Nation community. Susan is on the sales and author acquisitions team at David C Cook, a non-profit Christian publisher, where she works with churches, ministries, and authors to develop resources that teach and make disciples for Christ. She also travels to speak and sing, bringing God’s word to life through her message of hope in Christ. Susan’s willingness to share her personal journey of faith brings an authenticity that connects with women of all ages. Susan has been happily married to her husband, Chip, for 28 years and blessed with three adult children. If you have a heart for woman, leading women, raising girls, or are an aspiring author, listen in as Susan shares her own story and well-earned wisdom.

To learn more about her ministry, go to godgirlnation.com or you can follow her on IG at

@susan.mcpherson3

To learn more about Courageous Girls, go to www.mycourageousgirls.com where you can find the online curriculum and Terra’s book, Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace.

Episode 51: Racial Reconciliation, Love, Listening & More with Joi Hailey

Tue, 03 Nov 2020 08:05:00 +0000

Sometimes we want to talk about hard issues, but we are unsure where to start or how to maintain civility while holding to our convictions. Joi Hailey, Associate Worship Pastor at Rolling Hills Community Church just outside Portland, OR, is an African American female leader who is engaging and helping others to engage in these hard conversations with love, compassion, and hope. She shares her own story of finding her voice. Racism is a part of our current reality and Joi brings fresh insights. Listen in as Joi and Terra try to model how to talk systemic racism, white privilege, social media, and other relevant issues for such a time as this. We think you will find courage and hope in this conversation.

You can find more about Joi’s music on youtube and itunes. Thank you for leaving a review. We all know these help others find the message of Living Wholehearted. We are so grateful for you and the partnership we have with our listeners.

Episode 50: Preparing Your Daughter for Womanhood with Robin Jones Gunn

Tue, 27 Oct 2020 07:05:00 +0000

Robin Jones Gunn is not only an award winning author of over 100 books, she is one of our daughter’s FAVORITE AUTHORS. Her well known Christy Millers series is a regular conversation in our home as we unpack the lives of Todd and Christy in ordinary moments. I just loved my (Terra’s) time with Robin, a kindred spirit, who loves women and their girls. Listen as Robin shares her spiritual journey, how she became an author and her latest book, Preparing Your Daughter For Womanhood, a book every mom of a young girl needs (make sure you get your copy!!). Robin openly shares her process of forgiving her own mom and unpacks how our own stories do not have to be repeated with our girls.

Robin has offered our audience (YOU!) a 10% off discount when you use the code TERRA at www.ChristyMillerShop.com! I am already creating my Christmas list for my daughters, nieces, those I mentor, and friends! You can follow Robin on IG @robingunn or FB @AuthorRobinJonesGunn. Learn more at www.robingunn.com

AND…if you are raising a daughter, make sure you check out www.mycourageousgirls.com where we have provided you with a roadmap for every stage of your daughter’s growing years. With curriculum from 2nd grade through High School, addressing all the conversations we need to have with our girls, from sexuality, friendship, social media, dating, big emotions, and more, you will feel prepared and blessed with a community of moms and daughters who are with you in the journey. You can even start a CG group in your own community. Find us on IG or FB @mycourageousgirls

Episode 49: Pardon the Mess with Cynthia Yanof

Tue, 20 Oct 2020 05:00:00 +0000

Sometimes we wonder about our significance and is God using us? Talking with Cynthia is like chatting with a good friend, who reminds us that all He needs is a willing heart. Cynthia Yanof is a relatable wife, mom, blogger, and the host of the Pardon the Mess podcast. A former lawyer, she is a part of @christianparenting.org helping parents in every stage of like know that their imperfect parenting is right on time. Married to her husband Mike for almost 20 years, Cynthia shares some of the insights of parenting during her senior in high school, middle school boy, and four-year old adopted son in the midst of 2020. You’ll enjoy her latest blog at christianparenting.org, “Four Tips From The Oldest Mom on the Playground.” For more from Cynthia, follow her @cynthiayanof or @pardonthemess

Episode 48: Encouragement for Youth Leaders & Parents with Jen Guldbrandson and Tyler Eaton

Tue, 13 Oct 2020 04:03:00 +0000

Youth are struggling with big needs right now. With a global pandemic, isolation, racial tensions, and more, teenagers are having even bigger emotions like anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideations. Youth leaders are often on the frontlines, joining the team to help our teens process life. We decided to talk with two of the best professional youth pastors we know, who have been in ministry for a long long time. They help us understand the needs of our teens and bring encouragement to youth leaders who are trying to figure out their place right now, may even be facing burnout. Most youth pastors only make it 2 years and we would love to see this statistic change. Pastors Jen Guldbranson and Tyler Eaton bring authentic and rich wisdom for parents, teens, and for those serving today. And… they happen to be our daughter’s youth pastors at Rolling Hills Community Church, just outside Portland, OR. So we are biased.

Thank a Youth Pastor today. They need our encouragement these days. Learn more at www.rollinghills.org or follow @rhstudents_ms

If you are a youth leader, grab Shrinking the Integrity Gap: Between What Leaders Preach & Live (at any retailer) and use this as a guide to help you navigate these rougher times. Infact, in the early chapters, we share some of our own experience as youth pastors in the heart of Seattle,WA and how that shaped much of what we do today. We are rooting for you!

Episode 46: Shrinking the Integrity Gap, Leading Leaders with David & Meg Robbins

Tue, 29 Sep 2020 04:03:00 +0000

We are releasing our first co-authored book, Shrinking the Integrity Gap, where we unpack the symptoms and antidotes to shrinking our integrity gaps between what we preach and live. Today we are talking with leaders of leaders, David & Meg Robbins. As the current President of Family Life and 20 year veterans of CRU, they have been married since 2001 and are raising four children. Leadership has it’s own set of struggles, with high expectations and stressors that com with running an organization that reaches millions nationally and internationally. David and Meg gives us insights to how they have learned to not take themselves too seriously, keep ordinary rythyms, and disciple in the midst of being human, vulnerable and even “weak.” You don’t want to miss this episode and be sure to share or leave a review.

Shrinking the Integrity Gap officially releases 10/1 and you have a couple more days to get your FREE audiobook with your pre-order. Get your copy anywhere you buy books or visit www.livingwholehearted.com to get the pre-order exclusives!  

Episode 45: Shrinking Our Integrity Gaps in our Marriages, Part 2 with Dave & Ann Wilson

Tue, 22 Sep 2020 04:00:00 +0000

The demands of leadership on any marriage is enormous. In part 2 of our Shrinking the Gap Series, Jeff and Terra continue their discussion with long-time pastors and leaders, Dave & Ann Wilson. Make sure you start with part 1 if you missed out. After 40 years of marriage and ministry, raising three boys, Dave & Ann are the Family Life Today radio hosts and founders of Kensington Church, a national, multicampus church that hosts more than 14,000 visitor. The Wilsons unpack when their marriage was on the rocks and they came face to face with their failing contributions right in the midst of starting a thriving church. Dave & Ann share, with great vulnerability, what they learned in their 40 years of ministry and what they want want all leaders to know. Listen in and take to heart their seasoned wisdom.

Tune into Family Life Today radio or podcast to hear more from Dave & Ann Wilson. Go to familylife.com to find the station and times near you. You can also follow the Wilsons at @daveannwilson on IG and Vertical marriage anywhere you buy books.

Make sure you share this episode and subscribe to the LW podcast. Join us in the movement to become wholehearted leaders in our homes, work and communities. Pre-order your copy of the Mattson’s new book, Shrinking the Integrity Gap: Between What Leaders Preach & Live and get the AUDIOBOOK FOR FREE! Find more details at www.livingwholeharted.com.

Episode 44: Shrinking Our Integrity Gaps in our Marriages, Part 1 with Dave & Ann Wilson

Tue, 15 Sep 2020 04:00:00 +0000

Jeff and Terra get the honor of interviewing long-time pastors and leaders, Dave & Ann Wilson. After 40 years of marriage and ministry, raising three boys, Dave & Ann are the Family Life Today radio hosts and founders of Kensington Church, a national, multicampus church that hosts more than 14,000 visitor. The authors of Vertical Marriage, they are the creative force behind the DVD teaching series Rock Your Marriage and The Survival Guide to Parenting. We had a powerful conversation in part 1, as Dave & Ann share the realities of marriage, ministry, and raising boys. Having a healthy marriage as a leader is not easy. Listen to this candid and refreshing conversation that only seasoned leaders can offer.

Episode 43: Who are Courageous Girls?

Tue, 08 Sep 2020 04:00:00 +0000

Living and leading in a world with so many confusing voices and messages for girls (and boys) today, Courageous girls was birthed out of raising our own two girls. Never intending to have this grass roots movement go beyond our own backyard, it’s now a global movement! Moms and daughters are gathering in intentional community and with a greater purpose to raise daughters who are confident, resilient and live out grace-filled relationships. Courageous Girls provides a step by step free curriculum, written by Terra, to help moms walk with their girls at every stage of their growing years. With every mom leading one lesson a year, these groups address the critical issues girls are facing today with Biblical, clinical, and relationship wisdom. Listen into episode 43, where Terra has a discussion with Courageous Girls Leadership coaches Stephanie West and Beth Kershner, about what daughters of all ages are facing in today’s culture and how Courageous Girls is helping both moms and daughters grow deeper roots in who God says He is and who He says. Whether you are a mom, husband, dad, grandparent, aunt, teacher, youth leader, this podcast will not only inspire you, but help you understand the needs of women and girls today. God is at work!

Learn more about Courageous Girls www.mycouragegirls.com or follow us @mycourageousgirls and @terramattson

Consider reading: Courageous: Being Daughter’s Rooted in Grace

Episode 42: Tools for Helping Our Anxiety

Tue, 01 Sep 2020 04:00:00 +0000

Anxiety is at the top of most conversations right now in light of a world pandemic. Unknowns are at every turn and whether you recognize you have anxiety or not, or are parenting a child or teen who struggles with anxiety, this season has created a whole new way of being for all of us. We are anxious about being anxious. Getting practical in episode 42, Terra puts on her clinical hat to help us learn how to reduce anxiety in our bodies and gain peace and presence to face our days. “Do not be anxiety…” was not a command in the book of Philippians but rather a recognition of our human condition to get anxious when things are not in our control. And, when were they really ever in our control? Learn how anxiety is an emotion that can be comforted and cared for and how to be place of peace for others.

For counseling and professional support, feel free to contact our clinical teammate www.livingwholehearted.com team or follow us @living_wholehearted or @terramattson.

As mentioned in the podcast, here are some great resources:

Terra Mattson, M.A. LMFT, LPC: Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace (Chapter 3 & 7)

Sissy Goff, MEd, LPC-MHSP: Braver, Stronger, Smarter: A Girl’s Guide to Overcoming Worry & Anxiety

Dr. Curt Thompson: Anatomy of the Soul and Anatomy of Shame

Dr. Rapee, Wignall, etc…: Helping Your Anxious Child: A Step-by-Step Guide for Parents

Max Lucado: Anxious for Nothing Study Guide: Finding Calm in a Chaotic World

Episode 41: Parenting in the Way They Should Go, Part 2

Tue, 25 Aug 2020 04:00:00 +0000

Have you ever wondered what our children are like? Well, today we invited them to tell you more about what it's like to have us as parents! Oh, you'll love it. In fact, Jeff even pulls a classic "builder/merchant" and owns it on the spot.

In part 2, we continue what it means to learn who God made our children to be, using the wisdom of the Core Values Index, and helping them to find their voice, honoring who they are and who they are in our families. When a child gets to practice their communication and conflict styles, learning style, motivation, gifts, and talents, when they grow old, they will have the confidence and the know-how and will likely take that into the world! Grace-based parenting invites our kiddos to be who God made them to be!

We are keeping it real today as Adonia shares what it's like to be the only "banker" in a family of "merchants."

Both girls share how they are learning to leverage the CVI to avoid comparison with others and see how God's plans are spot on for His purposes.

Subscribe to our podcast and share this with a friend, as we love helping you lead with integrity in the home, work and community! You can follow us at @living_wholehearted or @terramattson to stay connected throughout the week.

For more info or to take the CVI, click here. And... our latest book is finally on pre-order! Get your copy of Shrinking the Integrity Gap today!

Episode 40: Parenting in the Way They Should Go, Part 1

Tue, 18 Aug 2020 04:01:00 +0000

Don't you wish parenting was a one stop shop? Instead, it's more like a rollercoaster with unexpected twists and turns - sometimes you love it and sometimes you are begging for the exit. Today, it's just the two of us as we get the honor of dropping into thousands of homes with our official launch with the Christian Parenting Podcast Network! Now, if you are an aunt, grandpa, teacher, youth ministry leader, nanny, etc... you will want to listen too. Parenting is not just for the ones chasing children in their homes, as we all contribute into the growing lives in our community. In this particular episode, we are connecting the dots between the Core Values Index (CVI) and leading our children in the way they are bent - or made. When we do the intentional work to understand our own God-designed wiring and the unique wiring of our children, the often quoted Proverb 22:6, "if you train up a child in the way he should go, when he grows old, he will not part from it," begins to root in reality. Then, stick with us for next week as we keep real and interview our daughters.

For more info or to take the CVI, click here.

Our latest book is finally on pre-order! Get your copy of Shrinking the Integrity Gap today!

Episode 39 (Part 2/2): With Guest KathyGrace Duncan: Her Story of Grace

Tue, 11 Aug 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Episode 39Guest: KathyGrace DuncanTitle: Her Story of Grace, Pt 2 Questions about gender fluidity, sexuality, identity, grace...it's all in this episode. In episode 38, KathyGrace Duncan shares her story reclaiming her female birth name 27 years ago after living as a man for 11 years. Her's is a story of freedom through her relationship with Jesus. In this episode, she answers your most common questions. Though much of what KathyGrace shares may be controversial in today's culture, her story reminds us all that there is more to our identity formation than meets the eye and grace (as our friend Bruce McNicol likes to say) takes the long view. If you want to hear more of KathyGrace's story, make sure you subscribe to our podcast to tune in next week. You can also visit www.courageousgathering.com to download her breakout where she unpacks more of her story and answers common questions today. Feel free to email KathyGrace directly for your questions, at kathygrace@portlandfellowship.com For more books and resources, check out the Center for Faith, Sexuality, and Gender. with Dr. Preston Sprinkle.

Episode 38 (Part 1 of 2) with KathyGrace Duncan: Her Story of Grace

Tue, 04 Aug 2020 10:00:00 +0000

We live wholehearted when we bring all of who we are (mind, body, soul, and relationships) before God and others. We love sharing such stories of grace and hope with you! Listen in as KathyGrace Duncan shares her story reclaiming her female birth name 27 years ago after living as a man for 11 years. Hers is a story of freedom through her relationship with Jesus. Though much of what KathyGrace shares may be controversial in today's culture, her story reminds us all that there is more to our identity formation than meets the eye. She is currently the Women’s Ministry Leader at Portland Fellowship in Portland, OR where she facilitates discussion groups, co-leads a small group, mentors and teaches. She is also the Chairwoman of the Portland Fellowship Board of Directors.

If you want to hear more of KathyGrace's story, make sure you subscribe to our podcast to tune in next week for Part 2. You can also visit www.courageousgathering.com to download her breakout where she unpacks more of her story and answers common questions today. Feel free to email KathyGrace directly for your questions, at kathygrace@portlandfellowship.com For more books and resources, check out the Center for Faith, Sexuality, and Gender. with Dr. Preston Sprinkle.

Episode 37: A Season for Everything

Tue, 07 Jul 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Listen as Terra unpacks the importance of both rest and play in the life of every leader. In light of the topic and season, we have decided to take a few weeks off to practice what we preach and to enjoy some family time and relaxation in the great Northwest. With a few weeks off from the podcast, we encourage you to take the time to review some of your favorite interviews or use the time to digest the InCourage 2020 Gathering - an incredible resource gathering with over forty incredible experts speaking on topics we need to talk about. Go to www.incouragegathering.com to get your ticket! All sessions and breakouts will be on demand from July 10 to July 31st. After two years of planning, we are excited to see women finally gather all over to lean into who God says He is and who He says we are. Enjoy!

Episode 36: Courage, Mentorship & Diversity with Ebony Clark & Julia Adebawo

Tue, 30 Jun 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Get ready! Terra's conversation with Ebony Clarke, MSW, LCSW and her niece, Julia Adebawo, is going to challenge and encourage you. Ebony & Julia share from both expertise and personal narrative, unpack the gift of mentorship, the importance of knowing our stories, and valuing the diversity God has created to reflect His very image. These two brilliant women of color, from two different generations, guide us into deeper conversations and increased compassion for all the pain caused from years of racial injustices. Ebony Clarke, MSW, LCSW is a licensed clinical social worker who has 20 years of experience working in both publicly funded and non-profit mental and behavioral health arenas including services and supports, leadership, organizational development, people management, equity and inclusion. She has worked on local, county, and state government initiatives around diversity, equity and inclusion. She has a coaching and consulting practice, raising two sons, Matteo and Miles, and is married to her husband Matt. Julia Adebawo is a Nigerian female leader who now lives in Oregon, where she finished her college degree at OSU. She is passionate about being a voice for her people and has a very unique vantage point I think you will be honored to hear. Listen in... For more from Ebony, check out her breakout session on "Unity Through The Power of God's Love" at the InCourage 2020 Gathering. www.incouragegathering.com You can follow Julie Adebawo on instagram. To educate yourself around issues of systemic racism, especially toward the black community, click here for a list of books, podcasts, and more.

Episode 35: The Impact of Fathers with Guests Drs. Ken Canfield and Michelle Watson-Canfield

Tue, 23 Jun 2020 10:00:00 +0000

In honor of Father's Day, we had the privilege of interviewing a powerhouse couple and dear friends, Drs. Ken Canfield & Michelle Watson-Canfield. They are both authors and experts on fathers. Dr. Michelle is the founder of the Abba Project and the Dad Whisperer radio host. Ken has authored over a dozen books on fathering and grand parenting, starting the National Center for Fathering and grandkidsmatter.org Learn more www.kencanfield.com and http://www.drmichellewatson.com. Pre-order Dr. Michelle's newest book: Let's Talk: Conversation Starters for Dad's and Daughters. Dr. Michelle Watson-Canfield is speaking on Healing Our Father Wounds for our national women's simulcast on July 10 & 11. Get a group of friends or family together to experience this one-of-a-kind women's gathering and forty breakout speakers. www.incouragegathering.com

Episode 34 (Part 4): Sexual Wholeness Series: Healing From Sexual Brokenness with Dr. Sheri Keffer

Tue, 16 Jun 2020 10:00:00 +0000

We are finishing up our series on sexual wholeness. As we conclude, we need to talk about how partners heal from the trauma of betrayal. We are so grateful to share with you an incredible resource, Dr. Sheri Keffer! Not only does she have the credentials to back up her wisdom, she has the personal experience that shapes her heart, compassion, and call to this life work.

Dr. Sheri is a regular cohost of the nationally syndicated radio talk show New Life Live! with an audience of more than two million people each week. For nearly twenty years, she’s worked as a Doctor of Marriage and Family therapy in Newport Beach, California. Through her own personal story of recovery Dr. Sheri understands the trauma symptoms often associated with sexual betrayal and with extensive trauma training, she brings new tools and a fresh look at what’s needed not only to heal but heal well.

Dr. Sheri is a keynote speaker and recipient of 2019 IITAP Outstanding Publication Award for her book Intimate Deception: Healing the Wounds of Sexual Betrayal, Founder of BraveOne.com, the new BraveOne Community, and Bravery After Betrayal: It Takes Fierce Strength retreat where she unpacks how betrayal affects the mind, body, spirit, and sexuality. Dr. Sheri also holds a degree in theology from Fuller Theological Seminary.

You can register for the InCourage 2020 Gathering to hear more from Dr. Sheri Keffer, one of our outstanding breakout speakers. Visit www.incouragegathering.com to learn more! If you have a ticket by the end of June, you will be entered to win a signed copy of Dr. Sheri's book. All winners are announced @incouragegathering.

You can also follow Dr. Sheri on social media @drsherikeffer.

Make sure you share this podcast with someone who needs this message and feel free to leave us a review. You can visit us at www.livingwholehearted.com or follow Terra @terramattson to learn more about what we are up to in the days ahead!

Episode 33 (Part 3): Sexual Wholeness Series with researcher, therapist, minister, and author, Jay Stringer.

Tue, 09 Jun 2020 10:00:00 +0000

In part 3, we had the honor of interviewing researcher, therapist, minister, and author, Jay Stringer. Jay wrote Unwanted: How Sexual Brokenness Reveals Our Way to Healing, where he took his ground breaking research of over 3,800 men and women and addresses the key drivers of unwanted sexual behavior, including use of pornography, infidelity, or buying sex. Jay helps us discover the core of the struggles and key practical steps toward healing. If you are weary and tired of white knuckling your way through life or love someone who is struggling in this area, this podcast is for you! You can find @jay_stringer on Instagram or on Facebook under Jay Stringer or go to his websites www.jay-stringer.com and www.thejourneycourse.com for more resources! Don't forget, our first book is on PRE-ORDER today, Shrinking the Integrity Gap: Between What Leaders Preach & Live . We are so excited for what this resource will bring to leaders and their families.

Episode 30 (Part 2): The theology of suffering, single parenting & leadership with Author & Pastor Bo Stern

Tue, 19 May 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Bo Stern is a profound speaker, writer, and the founder of She.ology, an organization that empowers women to live out their place in the story of God. She is the author of three books, including Beautiful Battlefields, that focus on growth-through-suffering, a message developed and refined during her husband’s four-year battle with ALS. Her story and writing has been featured in countless publications worldwide, including the Huffington Post, Focus on the Family and NBC News. Join us in part 2 where we take a deeper dive into leadership and the power of words. Learn more about Bo and all she offers at www.bostern.com sheology.co or Soulspace App You can also register for Bo's breakout "Beautiful Battlefields" at the InCourage 2020 Gathering on July 10 & 11. This virtual women's conference has over 40 incredible speakers discussing topics every woman struggles with, but rarely discusses. Rooted in clinical, biblical and relational wisdom this conference is one-of-a-kind and you won't want to miss! You can also follow @incouragegathering for updates. www.christianbooks.com is giving 40% off to all our listeners from 5/5 - 5/25 on Terra's book, Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace. Use the discount code: COURAGEOUS

Episode 29 (Part 1): The theology of suffering, single parenting & leadership with Author and Pastor Bo Stern

Tue, 12 May 2020 10:00:00 +0000

In these next two episodes, we unpack suffering, single parenting, and what really matters most in the way we lead with author and pastor, Bo Stern. Bo is a profound speaker, writer, and the founder of She.ology, an organization that empowers women to live out their place in the story of God. She is the author of three books, including Beautiful Battlefields, that focus on growth-through-suffering, a message developed and refined during her husband’s four-year battle with ALS. Her story and writing has been featured in countless publications worldwide, including the Huffington Post, Focus on the Family and NBC News. Bo believes God is always good, coffee always works, and life always wins. Learn more about Bo and all she offers at www.bostern.com sheology.co or Soulspace App You can also register for Bo's breakout "Beautiful Battlefields" at the InCourage 2020 Gathering on July 10 & 11. This virtual women's conference has over 40 incredible speakers discussing topics every woman struggles with, but rarely discusses. Rooted in clinical, biblical and relational wisdom this conference is one-of-a-kind and you won't want to miss! You can also follow @incouragegathering for updates. www.christianbooks.com is giving 40% off to all our listeners from 5/5 - 5/26 on Terra's book, Couragoeus: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace. Use the discount code: COURAGEOUS

Episode 28: Behind the Scenes of Writing Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted In Grace

Tue, 05 May 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Terra flies solo in this episode as she shares her heart behind writing her first published book, Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace. From the why to the what, you'll get the unfiltered and raw version of Terra. It's just you, Terra and the mic. Meet the marriage and family therapist, social entrepreneur, wife, mother of two growing girls, and woman who faced her own story healing from with bulimia and performance-based faith. She will not stop until every daughter of every age knows she is loved, known, rooted and COURAGEOUS! You can get Courageous at any retailer. It's the perfect gift for any mom for MOTHER'S DAY! Christianbooks.com is offering a 40% discount to our LW listeners between 5/6 and 5/26. Discount Code: COURAGEOUS You can also follow Terra @terramatton or www.terramattson.com

Episode 27 (Part 2): Singleness, Racial Reconciliation and Trust with Guest Pastor and Communicator Ashley Bell

Tue, 28 Apr 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Ashley Bell is the Outreach Pastor at Cedar Mill Bible Church in Portland, OR. She speaks, writes, and is on the Joy of It Leadership Team. In Part 1, Ashley shares her story and journey of being single. In this episode, Part 2, we dive into the issues around racial reconciliation. Ashley shares more from her story and how the church is called to a posture of listening, lament, and being bridge builders in a world of division. If you want more, Ashley recommends reading Prophetic Lament: A Call for Justice in Troubled Times by Soong-Chan Rah (Forwarded by Dr. Brenda Salter McNeil from our alma mater, Seattle Pacific University) and Latasha Morrison's book, Be the Bridge. (P.S. Thanks for the grace for these two episodes. Covid19 has impacted our typical recording efforts with Internet bandwidth challenges. We hope you can still hear the wealth of wisdom from Ashley, and we hope to return to our familiar recording quality soon!) Check out more blogs from Ashley at https://www.joyofit.org/search?q=Ashley or Register for her InCourage 2020 breakout on July 10 & 11th: Single & Satisfied: Moving Beyond Mere Contentment to Fullness & Joy

Episode 26 (Part 1): Singleness, Racial Reconciliation and Trust with Guest Pastor and Communicator Ashley Bell

Tue, 21 Apr 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Ashley Bell is the Outreach Pastor at Cedar Mill Bible Church in Portland, OR. She speaks, writes, and is on the Joy of It Leadership Team uniting women for a greater purpose. As a single woman, Ashley gives both personal and biblical insights to being single and satisfied. In Part 1, we explore the ways the greater Church can respond to the needs of those who are single and wisdom for seeking a life of integrity. In Part 2 (coming next week), Ashley will help us build bridges and enter deep into the call of racial reconciliation. We explore listening, lament, and unpack more of the greater dialogue for those that are just entering into this conversation. So much to learn! Let's dive in, because this is really good! (P.S. Thanks for the grace for these two episodes. Covid19 has impacted our typical recording efforts with Internet bandwidth challenges. We hope you can still hear the wealth of wisdom from Ashley, and we hope to return to our familiar recording quality soon!) Check out more blogs from Ashley at https://www.joyofit.org/search?q=Ashleyor Register for her InCourage 2020 breakout on July 10 & 11th: Single & Satisfied: Moving Beyond Mere Contentment to Fullness & Joy

Episode 25: Candid Covid-19 Conversations with Jeff & Terra (Part 2)

Tue, 14 Apr 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Business is not as usual in these uncharted COVID-19 waters. However, we can still apply what we knew to be true in the light to darker days. Jeff and Terra continue their COVID-19 conversation as they discuss leadership at work, home and in our communities. They touch on everything from layoffs, how to make the most of the quarantine life, to helping our children adjust to the new routines. Jeff and Terra share principles they have learned from other challenging seasons in business and life (9/11, 2008 recession, and other epidemics) and hope to bring hope amidst this anxious period of life. Subscribe for more incredible interviews with wholehearted leaders who live and lead with integrity. Make sure you leave a review so others can join us in the movement to shrink the gap between what we preach and how we live. We are grateful for you! Future episodes include topics around singleness, racial reconciliation, sexual integrity, and more. Follow Terra on IG @terramattson or www.terramattson.com Follow Living Wholehearted on IG or FB @living _wholeheartedFollow Courageous Girls on IG or FB @mycourageousgirls Learn more at www.livingwholehearted.com

Episode 24: Candid Covid-19 Conversations with Jeff & Terra (Part 1)

Tue, 07 Apr 2020 10:00:00 +0000

In this episode, we are bringing you tools, tips, and honest talk. Healthy coping during this Covid-19 and quarantine life is key to our short-term and long term integrity. The way we are engaging our work, our homes, and our communities has all drastically changed and the impact is so real on every level. As a married couple, business partners, parents, and a counselor/coach to many, Jeff and Terra have an honest conversation. Our hope is to help you find some sense of peace and healthy new normals in the midst of all the abnormal and unknown.Subscribe for more incredible interviews with other Wholehearted Leaders who are choosing live and lead with greater integrity. Make sure you leave a review so others can join us in the movement to shrink the gap between what we preach and how we live. We are grateful for you! Follow Terra on IG @terramattson or www.terramattson.com Follow Living Wholehearted on IG or FB @living _wholeheartedFollow Courageous Girls on IG or FB @mycourageousgirls Learn more at www.livingwholehearted.com

Episode 23 (Part 2): The Don't Give Up Movement & Loving Well with Guest Amy Wolff

Tue, 31 Mar 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Amy's story reminds us that God uses it all. If you have not listened to part 1, STOP and start Episode 22 first. Part 1 is an absolute must.

Amy Wolff is not only a TED talk coach and co-owner of Distinct Communication, she is the founder of a global movement bringing hope through YARD SIGNS! In every language and in every state, these signs are reminding people of HOPE for such a time as this. Listen to part 2 as Terra and Amy unpack more about how the little things matter and what it looks like to engage those who are the least like us. From convicted civility to loving people well, Amy shares the lessons she is learning and how she is passing those onto her children in tangible ways. Check out more at:www.dontgiveupsigns.com & www.distinctioncommunication.comYou can follow Amy Wolff @amynwolff or @dontgiveupsigns Subscribe and listen to the Living Wholehearted Podcast anywhere you get your podcasts. Leave us a review on @itunes so others can learn about what it means to live and lead with integrity! We are in this with you. Follow Terra @terramattson or the Courageous Girls movement @mycourageousgirlsFollow Jeff & Terra and their team @living_wholehearted or go to www.livingwholehaerted.com

Episode 22 (Part 1): The Don't Give Up Movement & Loving Well with Guest Amy Wolff

Tue, 24 Mar 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Amy Wolff is not only a TED talk coach and co-owner of Distinction Communication, she is the founder of a global movement bringing hope through YARD SIGNS! In every language and in every state, these signs are reminding people of HOPE. Listen to part 1 as Amy shares a pivotal pain point in her own story when she witnessed her brother's drowning. Terra and Amy unpack questions around God, suffering and what it means to really love others well in the midst of pain and suffering. Note: This podcast was already scheduled to air for 3/24 before the global pandemic. We believe this message is right on time. May it speak to where you are today in the midst of all the fears, anxieties, and drastic changes occurring daily.

Check out Amy www.dontgiveupsigns.com & www.distinctioncommunication.comFollow Amy Wolff @amynwolff or @dontgiveupsigns Don't forget to subscribe to the #livingwholeheartedpodcast & leave us review! Follow Terra @terramattson or @mycourageousgirlsFollow Jeff & Terra @living_wholehearted

Episode 21 (Part 2): Integrity, Marriage, & Expectations with Shawn & Marina Mitchell

Tue, 17 Mar 2020 10:00:00 +0000

If you didn't catch part 1, make sure you hear more of the Mitchell's story! Part 2 gets real as Shawn and Marina share vulnerably about how some of their early marital expectations got played out in the reality of their marriage. They also share openly and honestly about one of the most common marital struggles they (and other couples) face: healthy sexuality. Marina mentions chapter 8 in Terra's book, Courageous: Being Daughters Rooted in Grace. Get your copy anywhere you buy books to learn more. Also, make sure you check out about the Mitchell's non-profit Catalyst Northwest, which helps many in the greater Portland area who cannot afford essential fixes to their homes with practical repairs and more: www.catalytsnw.org. In times like these, these kinds of ministries are coming alongside people in such tangible ways. Shawn and the Catalyst Team have been at it for years. If you want to learn about what we are up to, visit www.livingwholehearted.com or www.mycourageousgirls.com. You can also learn about our brand new non-profit partnership with The National Association for Family Ministries.

Episode 20 (Part 1): Integrity, Marriage & Expectations with Shawn & Marina Mitchell

Tue, 10 Mar 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Join us for this fun interview with a seasoned couple. You might remember Marina Mitchel in Episode 10 & 11. She brought her hubby along this time. We talk about many things, including how to live from who you are and taking steps toward your design. Learn more about their non-profit helping those with practical needs in home repair that can't afford to hire contractors: Catalyst NW Partnerships. If you want to learn more about what Jeff, I, and the Living Wholehearted and Courageous Girls Teams are doing, visit www.livingwholehearted.com or www.mycourageousgirls.com.

Episode 19 (Part 1): Conflict - Leaning In with Guests Courageous Girls Leadership Coaches Beth Kershner & Stephanie West

Mon, 02 Mar 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Truth be told, conflict done well builds the greatest intimacy and trust within relationships. But who likes conflict? Lawyers and... hmmm....? Most avoid conflict due to time, their experiences in their family-of-origin, the differences in hardwiring, and lack of modeling. Many of us have a false idea that having no conflict is a good thing when actually it means we are not getting beneath the surface or learning through practice. Others like the energy of the debate but lack tools to bring a healthy resolve. Join Terra, Beth & Steph as we have a candid conversation around navigating conflict well. When we lean in, we risk building healthier relationships with our spouses, our children, our friends, colleagues, courageous girls groups, and more. Terra has been a licensed marriage and family therapist helping thousands navigate conflict for years. She is joined by her friends and Courageous Girls colleagues, Beth and Steph, who together are helping hundreds of women and their daughters navigate the variety of conflict that arises through the journey of childhood, adolescents, and into being a woman. If you want more on the topic of conflict, then consider partnering with Courageous Girls as a CG Supporter and get exclusive content, like part 2 of this dialogue! Learn more www.mycourageousgirls.com or follow us @mycourageousgirls, @livingwholehearted or @terramattson

You Can’t Lead Well If You Neglect Your Marriage // Bill & Kathy Towne

Tue, 25 Feb 2020 10:00:00 +0000

We continue our conversation with Bill and Kathy Town, longtime mentors and leaders who have spent nearly four decades in ministry and marriage. Their honesty, humility, and deep faith invite us to see leadership, marriage, and family through a lens of grace, reality, and intentionality—not pressure or perfection.

We talk about the early missteps, the pressures of pastoral life, the seasons of exhaustion, and the painful wake-up calls that reminded them both: boundaries matter, identity matters, and intimacy requires honesty. Their willingness to name their limits, regulate their pace, and build rhythms that protect their souls offers practical wisdom for every leader who feels pulled in too many directions.

We also look closely at the heart of their marriage and parenting—keeping the main thing the main thing, protecting their relationship above all other commitments, inviting their daughters into meaningful conversations, and creating a home defined by laughter, humility, and emotional safety. And now as grandparents, they share how love expands but boundaries shift, and why respecting their adult children’s parenting choices is part of walking with integrity. Their story is a reminder that longevity in leadership and marriage is possible when we choose humility, identity in Christ, and grace-filled connection over image, performance, or urgency.

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Thanks for partnering with us to help more leaders, just like you, who want to live and lead with integrity at home, work and in the community. Go to livingwholehearted.com and sign up to receive our free leadership tips and updates delivered to you in our monthly newsletter. And, if you’re a girl mom, check out mycourageousgirls.com.

Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

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Leaders Don’t Need Perfection—They Need Integrity // Bill & Kathy Towne

Tue, 18 Feb 2020 10:00:00 +0000

We continue the month of love by sitting down with Bill and Kathy Town, a couple whose four decades of ministry have been marked by integrity, resilience, and a deep reliance on Jesus. Their honesty about leadership, marriage, and parenting gives us a rare, grounded, hope-filled look at what it really takes to serve faithfully for the long haul.

We reflect on Bill’s unexpected journey into ministry and Kathy’s powerful transformation from legalism to a heart awakened for marginalized women. Their story reminds us how God pursues us layer by layer, reshaping our assumptions, revealing our blind spots, and calling us to a life that looks like His—humble, surrendered, and grounded in love.

We also name the unique pressures ministry leaders carry: constant crisis, blurred boundaries, criticism, isolation, and the temptation to find identity in performance. Bill and Kathy share the practices that have sustained them—soul-level honesty, shared rhythms of vulnerability, wise boundaries, spiritual community, and a humble posture that embraces both human limitation and God’s unwavering grace. Their lives invite us to lead with integrity not by striving harder, but by letting God transform us from the inside out.

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Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

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Ignoring Your Feelings Isn’t Holiness—It’s Harm // Jon & Tristen Collins

Tue, 11 Feb 2020 10:00:00 +0000

We sit down with John and Tristan Collins, longtime friends and the husband-and-wife team behind Why Emotions Matter, to explore how our emotions shape our spiritual life, our relationships, and the way we lead. Their unique blend of theology, psychology, and lived experience helps us rethink what it really means to be emotionally healthy Christians.

We talk about the stories that formed them—theologies that ignored the body, family backgrounds that shaped their comfort with feelings, and the conflicts early in their marriage that revealed just how much we all need emotional awareness. Their honesty reminds us that suppressing emotions doesn’t make us stronger. Naming them, understanding them, and letting God transform them does.

From the Bible Project’s work to Tristan’s trauma-informed counseling lens, we unpack why emotions are not the enemy of spiritual maturity but a pathway to it. The Collins share practical insight on navigating anger, jealousy, shame, sadness, and unmet expectations—especially in seasons like Valentine’s, when emotions run high and assumptions run deep. Their wisdom brings us back to a foundational truth: we are embodied, beloved people, and our emotions are invitations from God to deeper connection, not signs of weakness.

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Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

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Women Don’t Need More Pressure // Summer Shore and Melissa Campbell

Tue, 04 Feb 2020 10:00:00 +0000

We sit down with Summer Shore and Melissa Campbell, the co-founders of Revive Ministries, to explore the kind of identity-grounded, Christ-centered leadership women desperately need today. Their friendship, spanning twenty years, has grown into a ministry that helps women find their God-given passion, purpose, and power—and their stories reveal why this calling matters so deeply.

We talk about the real struggles so many women face: codependency, father wounds, identity confusion, people-pleasing, and the slow process of healing that only God can orchestrate. As Summer shares how she rediscovered her true self, and Melissa reflects on the deep ache of abandonment and the miracle of God’s steadfast love, we’re reminded that our stories shape our calling—and God wastes nothing.

We also look ahead to the Revive Conference, a one-day gathering designed to refresh women who are road-weary and longing for renewal. With worship, keynote speakers, breakout sessions, and meaningful community, their vision is to help women rise in strength, reclaim their worth, and walk confidently in who God says they are. This conversation is a powerful reminder that God restores what we lose, heals what we hide, and leads us into abundant life one faithful step at a time.

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Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

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Your Child Isn’t “Acting Out”—They’re Asking for Connection // Sarah Dangaran and Roshana Grile

Tue, 28 Jan 2020 10:00:00 +0000

We explore how big emotions shape our children and teens as we sit down with two of our own play therapists, Sarah Dangaran and Roshana Grile. They share why play is a child’s natural language, how toys become a gateway to understanding their inner world, and what it looks like for us as parents to attune and truly see the heart beneath the behavior.

We talk about the realities families are facing today—anxiety, anger, transitions, meltdowns, and the exhaustion that comes when nothing seems to work anymore. Together, we unpack how shame, stress, and our own stories shape our parenting, and why emotional connection is the foundation every child is longing for.

We also explore practical tools for creating emotionally healthy homes: entering a child’s world with presence, speaking identity over them, repairing when we blow it, and remembering that healing comes through safe, engaged relationships. Whether we’re navigating toddler tantrums or the prickly season of adolescence, we’re reminded that it’s never too late to grow as parents and leaders.

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Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

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Why Spiritual Practices Aren’t the Healer // Rhonda Began

Tue, 21 Jan 2020 10:00:00 +0000

What does spiritual leadership look like when your adult kids no longer need you—but still deeply need your presence? In this vulnerable and wisdom-filled episode, we continue our conversation with Rhonda Began, a seasoned women’s pastor and mother of adult daughters, as she shares the emotional journey of burnout, the healing power of solitude, and the courageous work of becoming a safe, humble parent in adulthood. From sitting with uncomfortable feedback from her daughters to modeling curiosity and repair, Rhonda invites us to mother with open hands, soft hearts, and Spirit-led rhythms.

We talk about the impact of physical stress on the body, the beauty of practicing stillness, and how emotional awareness can help leaders avoid burnout before it spirals. Rhonda also shares a powerful perspective on why spiritual disciplines aren’t the healer—God is—and how we must return again and again to relationship, not performance. Whether you're a leader navigating anxiety, a parent trying to reconnect with your adult kids, or a woman longing for deeper community, this conversation is rich with honesty, grace, and practical hope.

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Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

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You Can’t Lead Well If You’re Burned Out // Rhonda Began

Tue, 14 Jan 2020 10:00:00 +0000

What does it take to finish well in ministry and life when burnout, disappointment, and unrealistic expectations threaten to take us out? In this deeply rich and honest conversation, we sit down with Rhonda Began—a seasoned women’s ministry pastor, leader, and mother of adult daughters—who shares candidly about her journey through decades of leadership in the church. With warmth, wisdom, and humor, Rhonda invites us into the rhythms that have helped her build emotional resilience, embrace her identity, and keep showing up as a whole person.

We talk about the cost of people-pleasing, the toll of ministry without rest, and the importance of surrounding ourselves with life-giving community. Rhonda’s story reminds us that healing doesn’t come from doing more, but from returning to the presence of God and honoring the limits He’s given us.

If you’re a leader longing to avoid burnout—or you’ve already hit a wall—this conversation offers the kind of grace and practical wisdom your soul’s been craving.

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Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

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Be Nice. Date Often. Stay Married. // Marina Mitchell

Tue, 07 Jan 2020 10:00:00 +0000

How do we stay connected in marriage when life is busy, emotions run high, and connection feels out of reach? In this heartfelt and wisdom-rich conversation, we continue our dialogue with Marina Mitchell—wife, mom, and fitness educator—as she invites us into the everyday habits that have built her 26-year marriage from the ground up. With honesty and grace, Marina shares how intentional date nights, emotional regulation, and the simple practice of “being nice” have helped her and her husband grow a thriving friendship through the highs and lows of real life.

We also explore the powerful connection between physical and relational health, how to engage in conflict without damaging intimacy, and why staying emotionally fit is just as important as staying physically strong. Marina’s insights are practical, faith-rooted, and refreshingly hopeful.

This conversation is for every couple wondering if healthy habits can truly transform their relationship. Spoiler alert: they can.

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Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

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Health Without Shame // Marina Mitchell

Tue, 31 Dec 2019 10:00:00 +0000

What if we’ve been going about health and fitness all wrong—not just in our methods, but in our motives? In this honest and empowering episode, we sit down with Marina Mitchell—wife, mother, fitness instructor, and master educator—to explore what it really means to pursue whole-person health from a grace-filled, Jesus-centered perspective.

Marina shares her personal story of body image struggles, the culture of shame that often surrounds fitness, and how the Spirit of God led her to reframe her motivations. With deep compassion and practical wisdom, she helps us untangle vanity-driven health goals from a lifestyle rooted in stewardship, identity, and long-term strength.

Whether you love exercise or dread it, this conversation invites all of us to move toward habits that help us become who God designed us to be—in our bodies, our marriages, and our everyday lives. You don’t want to miss this one.

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Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

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Sex Was God’s Idea // Melinda Arnold

Tue, 17 Dec 2019 10:00:00 +0000

How do we reclaim our God-given sexuality after trauma, distorted messages, or years of silence? In this deeply honest and grace-filled conversation, we sit down with Melinda Arnold, MA, LPC, CST, NCC—our resident sex therapist and passionate advocate for healing and wholeness.

Together, we explore the many layers of human sexuality, from the impact of trauma and church culture to the very real dynamics couples face around desire, shame, and identity. Melinda invites us to reframe sex as something designed by God for connection—not performance—and offers a hope-filled path forward, no matter our past.

Whether you’re married, single, healing, or raising kids, this conversation will challenge and encourage you to live more wholeheartedly in your body, relationships, and faith.

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Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

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Comparison to Confidence // Connie Armerding

Tue, 10 Dec 2019 10:00:00 +0000

Leadership is not about power or position—it’s about obedience, integrity, and stewarding our influence well. In this powerful conversation with writer, speaker, and curriculum developer Connie Armerding, we continue unpacking the unique journey of women in leadership. We discuss the cost of leadership, the weight of responsibility, and the importance of discerning God's timing in stepping into our callings. Connie shares wisdom on overcoming comparison, navigating seasons of motherhood and leadership, and building a supportive community. Whether you're a stay-at-home mom, a working professional, or a high-capacity leader, this episode will encourage you to lead with confidence, grace, and faith.

You can follow Connie on Instagram @carmerding or find her writing at www.conniearmerding.com

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Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

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Women & Leadership // Connie Armerding

Tue, 03 Dec 2019 10:00:00 +0000

Women in leadership face unique challenges, both internally and externally, but stepping into the spaces God has called us to requires courage, confidence, and community. In this conversation with writer, speaker, and curriculum developer Connie Armerding, we unpack the struggles many women face—doubting their place, battling comparison, and overcoming limiting beliefs. Connie shares her personal leadership journey, the importance of championing other women, and how trusting God’s design allows us to lead with integrity. We explore biblical examples of women who boldly stepped into their callings and discuss how embracing our God-given wiring helps us thrive in leadership, family, and ministry.

You can follow Connie on Instagram @carmerding or find her writing at www.conniearmerding.com

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Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

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RESOURCES

00:00 The Importance of Integrity in Leadership

01:24 Balancing Multiple Roles as a Woman

03:08 Overcoming Internal Challenges in Leadership

05:03 Empowering Women to Step into Their Leadership

06:41 The Need for Women to Champion Each Other

09:03 Teaching Children About Teamwork and Gender Roles

11:48 Navigating Gender Differences in Leadership

17:09 Celebrating Uniqueness in Gender Roles

21:39 Understanding God's Design for Men and Women

23:59 The Journey to Embrace Leadership

29:07 The Future of Women in Leadership

Core Values Index & Conflict Resolution

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 17:20:55 +0000

Conflict is inevitable, but how we navigate it can transform our relationships, leadership, and personal growth. In this episode, we explore how the Core Values Index (CVI) reveals the underlying triggers behind conflict and provides practical strategies for shifting back to the best of who we are. From understanding anxiety cues in our bodies to identifying our core conflict strategies—whether manipulation, intimidation, interrogation, or aloof judgment—we unpack how self-awareness can help us lead with integrity. Join us as we dive into the neuroscience of conflict, the power of shifting perspectives, and how honoring our core values creates healthier, more connected relationships.

Takeaways

Conflict is a natural part of relationships and should not be avoided.

Anxiety often manifests physically in our bodies before it escalates into conflict.

Understanding core values can simplify conflict resolution.

Healthy conflict strategies can lead to better relationships and outcomes.

Recognizing when our 'lid is flipped' helps us manage emotional responses.

Each core value has a corresponding conflict strategy that can be healthy or unhealthy.

Merchants may manipulate in conflict when their values are violated.

Innovators can become interrogators when feeling disrespected.

Builders may resort to intimidation when their power is threatened.

Bankers can withdraw and judge when they feel their knowledge is not valued.

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Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

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Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Living Wholeheartedly

01:12 Understanding Conflict and Core Values

02:47 The Role of Anxiety in Conflict

04:34 Neuroscience and Emotional Responses

07:14 Identifying Core Values in Conflict

09:26 Merchant Conflict Strategies

13:31 Innovator Conflict Strategies

15:09 Builder Conflict Strategies

23:19 Banker Conflict Strategies

26:35 The Importance of Shifting in Conflict

32:11 Conclusion and Resources

Connections on the Core Values Index

Mon, 11 Nov 2019 17:14:00 +0000

We continue our deep dive into the Core Values Index (CVI), exploring how our unique wiring impacts leadership, relationships, and decision-making. Understanding the way we prioritize tasks, engage with others, and process information can transform how we lead—whether at home, in business, or in the community. From the intuitive instincts of merchants and builders to the analytical depth of bankers and innovators, we unpack the powerful connections between these core value types. Join us as we discuss how self-awareness helps us lead with integrity, honor our strengths, and navigate conflict with wisdom.

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Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

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RESOURCES

00:00 Introduction to Living Wholeheartedly

01:12 Understanding Core Values and Leadership

02:09 The Creative Process: Merchants and Innovators

06:56 Practicality in Leadership: Builders and Bankers

09:26 Independence in Leadership Styles

12:11 Communication Styles and Conflict Resolution

15:01 Intuition in Decision Making

19:43 Cognitive Connections: Bankers and Innovators

23:44 Conclusion and Next Steps

The Core Values Index (CVI): Builders, Merchants, Innovators, and Bankers

Mon, 04 Nov 2019 10:00:00 +0000

Want to take the CVI test? Go here!

In this episode, we share about the importance of living from who you are (not who you're not). We share about the Core Values Index (CVI), an assessment tool we use in our counseling and organizational development practices that has replaced all the other personality-based assessments we've used over the last 20+ years. This is the second of a 4-part Podcast around this theme.

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Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

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RESOURCES

00:00 Introduction to Living Wholehearted Podcast

00:17 Exploring the Core Values Index (CVI)

02:25 Deep Dive into Builder Core Value

10:00 Understanding Merchant Core Value

17:38 Insights into Innovator Core Value

25:59 Examining Banker Core Value

32:44 Practical Applications and Conflict Resolution

33:12 Conclusion and Next Steps

The Core Values Index (CVI): Understanding Your Wiring

Tue, 29 Oct 2019 15:00:00 +0000

Want to take the CVI test? Go here!

We’re diving into the Core Values Index (CVI), a revolutionary tool with 97% reliability that reveals the unchanging ways we’re wired. Unlike other assessments, the CVI gets beneath personality and life circumstances to uncover what motivates us and helps us thrive. Jeff and Tara share how this tool has transformed marriages, parenting, leadership, and teams by helping us embrace our unique design and better understand those around us. Whether you’re leading at work or at home, the CVI equips you to live authentically, strengthen relationships, and honor the way God created you.

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Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

To connect with Jeff & Terra Mattson and Living Wholehearted, go to:

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FACEBOOK

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00:00 Introduction to Living Wholehearted Podcast

00:24 Understanding Core Values Index (CVI)

00:46 Reliability and Impact of CVI

02:10 Personal Experiences with CVI

05:49 CVI in Family and Parenting

07:09 CVI in Marriage and Relationships

08:43 Practical Applications of CVI

17:52 Core Values Explained

25:01 Conclusion and Next Steps

Welcome To The Living Wholehearted Podcast!

Thu, 10 Oct 2019 21:24:34 +0000

Welcome to the Living Wholehearted Podcast! We’re Jeff and Tara Mattson, and in this very first episode, we’re excited to introduce ourselves and share the heart behind Living Wholehearted. We’ll unpack what it means to lead with integrity—whether you’re a mom, a CEO, or someone striving to grow—and explore how relational wisdom impacts every area of life, both at home and in the workplace. We also share the story of Courageous Girls, a movement we started to help moms and daughters build grace-filled, resilient relationships. Together, we’ll define integrity, talk about the “integrity gap,” and invite you to join us on the journey of becoming the kind of leaders we’d all want to follow.

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Until next time, be the leader you would follow!

Grateful for you,

Jeff & Terra

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