She's In The City By Nasheville

Not everyone is a type-A planner. We know this. But we also know that as women who run companies, support charities, raise children, and keep households afloat, having a plan is how we make things happen. We crave plans because they offer us a delightful illusion of control. If I know what to do to make this right, maybe I won’t worry about what could go wrong? Right? Wrong. If this year has taught us anything, it’s that control is an illusion and plans are never concrete. They’re more like a map drawn in the sand on a windy day. Both as individuals and as a company, we’ve had to pivot and slow down and rethink how we serve, how we run, and how we facilitate community.  We’ve had personal setbacks and slowdowns to face and re-navigate. And like you we often feel like, “what’s the point?” Is it even possible or worthwhile to make plans with the way the world is right now?  While we can’t offer a fail-proof solution to these questions, we do want to shift the conversation a bit. What if we started focusing more

The current landscape of our culture has adopted some pretty disheartening and regrettably true monikers over the past decade, a decade redefined and reshaped by social media. Outrage culture. Cancel culture. Us against them. The list goes on and on.  And while genuine conflict with those we are in close relationship is both natural and often necessary, we’ve gone on full attack in this behind-the-screen war zone without any training for how to “fight well” online. True conflict can sharpen relationship. But is the social media boxing ring threatening the way we as a society, as individuals, and as people called to love our neighbors navigate disagreement? Let’s be perfectly clear: turmoil online is almost never the kind that sharpens or depends relationship. But it’s real, it’s rampant, and it’s right in front of us on a seemingly daily basis. Everyone has a voice, a keyboard, and a louder opinion than the next guy. This week on She’s in the City we dive into some hard, real talk on how to handle this online

Peer pressure doesn’t end in high school. How much do we wish this statement weren’t true? How great would it be if the mean girls and homecoming courts and rush weeks really did stop after high school or college? As much as we long for comparison to miraculously dissipate post-classroom, we know all to well that real, adult life is laced with comparison, social expectation, and cultural demands to do and be more. Or be and do differently. This week on She’s in the City, Brooke and I have some real talk about how we’ve experienced peer pressure in a few (of endless) different areas. Social media and life beyond the squares I love the way Brooke is constantly reminding us, life is more than “the squares.” We live in an unprecedented time in which anything and everything we do can be cropped, filtered, and sugar-coated with the touch of a finger. And we’d be lying if we said we weren’t grateful for those precious apps that trim a bit of the fat off. But the pressure of social media comes not from the ability t

If you’re anything like us, this year continues to feel like one we’re just trying to survive. And if we’re honest, any ideas of thriving seem pretty off the table. But this week’s guest, Jennie Lusko, is here to put some fuel back in our tanks and remind us that every day provides space for us to flourish. In her recently published book, Fight to Flourish she grapples with the tough but literal life changing question: What if the struggles of life aren’t a barrier to thriving but an invitation into your most vibrant days? Jennie’s call to explore this biblical truth of sanctification through struggle came not just from her work in ministry, but from fighting through her own horrific heartbreak. Just a few weeks before Christmas 2012, Jennie and her husband very suddenly lost their five-year old daughter, Lenya. She knew well God was near, that she wasn’t alone, and that God loved her deeply, but still questions and sorrow plagued. “What does this mean? How do I keep going? How do I get up the next morning?

As we approach the mid-point of 2020, I think we are all craving an intermission. Any sort of small break from quarantine, health threats, cultural crises and shutdowns. But even with the stress this year has incurred, it has also ushered in some time and margin to reset ourselves and our priorities if we’re willing to do a little work. This week we talk with Lisa Whittle, author, speaker, ministry leader, who shares her journey into writing (with 7 published books and studies under her belt) including her most recent publication, Jesus Over Everything. And isn’t this what we all need right now, sisters?!? Jesus over everything is a book, study, podcast, and absolute answer for uncluttering the crazy and deescalating the stress of this season. If this m.o. doesn’t get you on board, I don’t know what will: “IN A CULTURE THAT CARRIES THE CONFUSION OF OVERINDULGENCE, ENDLESS OPTIONS AND INFLUENCER VOICES, THE JESUS-FIRST LIFE CLEARS OUR MINDS AND HEARTS OF NOISE SO OUR SOULS CAN FIND TRUE MEANING AND REST.” I kn

Well, it’s CMA Fest week, and for the first time in my literal lifetime, it’s not happening. We all hate it; Nashville hates it; country fans hate it. But in spite of missing our favorite Broadway weekend of the year, we’ve got one of the city’s most genuine, successful, talented female singer/songwriters with us today to talk all things music, creativity, and, you guessed it, Enneagram. You may not know Jessi Alexander, but you absolutely know her music. Born in Jackson, TN to what she calls a “blue collar but richly creative family,” music, particularly country music, captivated Jessi as a West Tennessee kid. She’s since been in Nashville for 20 years and has been a Grammy nominee as well as a CMA & ACM song of the year award winner. She’s written with and for a countless number of top tier recording artists, a few of which you might recognize: Miley Cyrus, 2009, "The Climb"      In her early twenties, Jessi found herself at rock bottom, struggling to keep her contract as a songwriter all while being he

Well we’re almost through May, but we’re still here. Life is giving us glimpses of normal, but the unknown is still hugely blanketing our lives, our work, our families, and dreams. This week we welcome Jessica Carey, wife, mom, speaker, and author of Chart a Course, which released in late 2019. (Fun Fact: her book hit #1 in New Releases for Religious Studies in the first week on Amazon!) Chart a course offers an empowering look at being intentional with our now and at uncovering God’s plan for our future. The truths and teachings in its pages, while penned before this global pandemic, apply in a myriad of ways to the current anxieties and crisis we’re still facing. In the book and in this episode, Jessica gives tools, tips, and personal testimony on finding courage to follow the dreams that God has written on our hearts. Each of ours is different, but each of us has his divine signature of purpose that is worth find and following. The core steps of her teaching is this: Prepare - There is far more power in

This girl! Kat Harris has quickly become our favorite Texan gone New Yorker after our chats this week and next. She’s the founder of The Refined Woman and host of The Refined Collective podcast, the vision for both of which is “to equip and empower single women of faith to walk in their worth and navigate their season grounded in freedom, vision, practical tools, and the occasional dance party!” Can we get an “amen!”? This week Kat talks with us about the incredible power we all have simply through intentional prayer. It seems as though God has pressed the ‘pause’ button on the entire planet. Although inconvenient and albeit scary times, it’s also an incredible opportunity to lean in, seek God, and invite His presence into our lives in bigger ways. Often it’s in the unknown that God leads us back to Him. Oswald Chambers says it like this: “We are uncertain of the next step, but we are certain of God.” Many of us are doers, fixers. And in this time when we can’t “do” a lot, the best thing we can do is pray to

This girl! Kat Harris has quickly become our favorite Texan gone New Yorker after our chats this week and next. She’s the founder of The Refined Woman and host of The Refined Collective podcast, the vision for both of which is: “to equip and empower single women of faith to walk in their worth and navigate their season grounded in freedom, vision, practical tools, and the occasional dance party!” Can we get an “amen!”? This week she’s here to be real with us about being single and quarantined and how that can feel just about as fun as being in solitary confinement. As if dating wasn’t hard enough, now we have to stay at home while we watch all our friends in relationships and with kids posting all sorts of lovey-dovey pics on social media during this time. In other words…it’s lonely. How can we be intentional with this time? How can we put ourselves out there where when we can’t get out there? Is there anything we can do to take advantage of this time? Yes. 100%. There’s no better time to work on ourselves th

With two guaranteed weeks of quarantine left, I know we’ve got some moms feeling absolutely out of control out there! Whether you’re still working or not, you’ve now become the lunch lady, the dry cleaners, the entertainer, and the teacher all at the same time, with no breaks or activities outside your home. We know y’all need some support! This week on the podcast, we have Rachel Van Kluyve, founder of Crate & Cottage, as well as an author, interior designer, real estate professional and full-time mom. Unlike most of us, however, she’s well accustomed to having her two boys around as she’s homeschooled them both for the past five years. Here’s a few tips from the pro on how to keep your kids learning at home: Give yourself much grace! There is power in structure. A lot of kids need to do their work quickly and early in the morning. If academics feel overwhelming, take this time to teach them life skills instead. And bottom line: what do you want them to remember most from this time? Focus on that

This weekend ushers in the most holy day of the Christian faith. A day that this year, because of the pandemic we’re facing, will look different than it has ever and will ever look again in our lifetimes. So we’re putting it all out there. How is Easter going to look in isolation? How do we keep this pinnacle day of the resurrection special and sacred and set apart? How do we encourage individuals who may not be able to be with family this year, and how do we include our children in Easter Sunday activities and worship? Can this anxious and uncertain global context in which Easter falls this year stir our hearts more deeply than it would if business were as usual?  We believe God is working big time in all these questions, as well as the millions more we may be asking this year. We believe in the right-now power of divine disruption and in the potential that chaos can have as a catalyst for good. This week’s She’s in the City guest says it best:  “I don’t think God is surprised by any of this. I think He’s tr

Are you frustrated with weight loss? Are you tired and constantly losing energy? Are you worn out from trying so many different diet plans? Aren’t we all! We’ve decided to kick off March by kicking out old diet tricks. We’ve heard the names a thousand times – keto, paleo, and the newest hip way to eat (or not eat), intermittent fasting. But how much do we really know about each system? They may help us lose a pant size, but what are they doing to our organs and our brain? Why do we expect that what worked for our friend will work for us? This week we welcome Christi Lee Bowling of Prime Wellness. Christi is a registered dietitian and nutritionist whose mission is to help others live a healthier, happier life by uncovering the optimal diet for their body. But when she says diet, she doesn’t mean Weight Watchers. When she says diet, she means resetting our minds, not to follow rules and log carb intake but to reshape our relationship to food, subsequently alleviating pressure to keep the rules that never got us

We’ve all been at the blood curdling crossroads of conversation where we blurt out, “You have no idea where I’m coming from!” And the Enneagram tells us, that’s actually true! This ancient, now resurgingly popular system of understanding how individuals see and do life tells us that each of us falls into one of nine primary “types.” Which means unless you’re in conversation, relationship, or conflict with someone of your same type (i.e. same way of processing the world), they likely don’t much of an idea where you’re coming from. Okay, so we’ve confirmed there’s a problem, but where’s the hope here? How can another personality test help mend the broken lines of communication and expectation in our marriages, friendships, and work spaces? Evan Barbee, Nashville enneagram consultant and teacher, shares with us just how this system of understanding ourselves and others holds the power to navigate relationships as well as to heal old wounds in previously broken ones. And don’t be overwhelmed by the science behind

We’ve all uttered those words, “Hey, I’m just asking for a friend, but …” It’s the universal pre-requisite for a question too embarrassing, too cringe-worthy to ask. And this week, we’re asking some of the most uncomfortable questions of all. We’re talking all about sex. This week’s guest, Christian marriage and sex therapist, Angie Landry, straight up tell us: “PEOPLE DON’T KNOW HOW TO TALK ABOUT SEX.” While none of us particularly hold dear the day we got the birds and bees talk, this discomfort with talking about sex far exceeds just our 5th grade sex-ed class. Why do we feel so exposed, out of place, even ashamed to discuss this physical form of love and engagement, especially those of us raised in traditional faith communities. As both a sex therapist and a Christian, Angie explains that her “ultimate goal is to meet people where they are and help them get to a place where they feel good about themselves.” And like most things, this starts with clearer and more honest communication. But as believers, how

We’ve all uttered those words, “Hey, I’m just asking for a friend, but …” It’s the universal pre-requisite for a question too embarrassing, too cringe worthy to ask. But should they be embarrassing? Should these real issues we wonder and worry about in private really be kept so private? Or are these physical, emotional, and mental struggles we face far more pervasive than we think? For the next few months, we’re going to change direction and partner up with local Nashville women’s health and wellness collective, FYI. We’re going to sit down with some of their experts and teachers and talk through the real issues that plague us and sabotage our self-confidence. We’ll ask real questions from real women about sex, intimacy, dieting, therapy, and more. We are here to learn right along with y’all about many of the tough topics we find ourselves “asking for a friend.” So stay tuned! And while you follow along with She’s in the City, go check out FYI and the incredible services, space, and solace they’re providing

We all know the blockbuster hit movie, The Blind Side. And while Tim McGraw and Sandra Bullock may have stolen our hearts on screen, the real pulse behind this powerful story of adoption, compassion, and redemption all begins with Leigh Anne Tuohy. A southern powerhouse beyond compare, Leigh Anne’s story began with a simple prompting to “turn around.” One night driving down a familiar street in her hometown of Memphis, she saw the young man who would later become her son. We’ve all felt these intuitive prompts from the Holy Spirit, but so often we dismiss them out of fear, inconvenience, or any number of other reasons. Leigh Anne didn’t, and now millions know her story, champion adoption, and fight on behalf of the millions of kids falling through the cracks of the foster care system. Humble and hilariously self-deprecating, she admits, “Trust me, we were not driving down the street looking for a large African American kid to adopt. We didn’t even like our own kids that much.” But she was obedient and open mi

Two years ago Jess Clarke was a mid-twenties, Nashville native working a 9-5 sales job. Though always a smiling beacon to those around her, she couldn’t imagine the light she would soon shine in the public eye when she first met the former Bachelor, Ben Higgins. Jess gives us an inside look at the two’s unlikely, Instagram meet-cute and as well as their instant Nashville to Denver love story. And to anyone struggling in a long distance relationship, Jess speaks to the great depth that can develop between long distance couples when faith and intentionality take center stage. She laughs as she tells about the chaos of her overnight “fame” after Ben announced their relationship publically, surging to over 50k followers under 12 hours. Though being in the public eye was never something she wanted or expected, Jess says she’s grateful for the platform and voice it allows. Her key to staying grounded? Embrace it but don’t be consumed by it. When often asked how she feels about being an influencer, she chuckles sayi

We all find ourselves in the same place today – between a finish line and a starting line. The close of a decade and the unfolding of a new one. Whether or not you were able to find rest as the year and holidays came to a close, we could all use a few renewing rhythms for rest to kick off 2020. We’re starting this year with best-selling author and speaker, Rebekah Lyons, who encourages us all to “take inventory,” which if you’re anything like me sounds like a nightmare of numbers, color-coordinating pantries, and realizing you may be more of a hoarder than you let yourself believe. But Rebekah in her newest released book, Rhythms of Renewal: Trading Stress and Anxiety for a Life of Peace and Purpose, distills this idea of spiritual and relational reflection into four simple questions we can consider to better start this new decade with transparency, peace, and renewal. She simply asks herself and asks the Lord to direct her in: WHAT’S RIGHT? WHAT’S WRONG? WHAT’S CONFUSED? AND WHAT’S MISSING? While seemingly

So many of us find ourselves in positions as mothers, women in ministry, or simply as the friend who everyone seems to call when something falls apart. And God calls us to love our neighbors as ourselves and to serve not wait to be served, so how on earth are we supposed to find rest when we keep putting others before ourselves?   The reason this topic is so depleting and guilt-laced is not because we feel undeserving of rest; it’s because we feel others deserve to rest before we do. It’s rooted in our inherent female desire to be caretakers, though often the last one to be taken care of is us.   Listen in this week as our guests are honest about how consistency doesn’t seem possible and how sometimes rest comes in fast and furious of moments of simply telling the Lord you’re grateful.   And the best news of all? Rest can look like whatever it needs to for you! As long as it replenishes your mind, body, and soul in the Lord, rest can be anything that restores you – worship or prayer, exercise or naps, clean e

At age 29, Jaclyn is the Director of Publicity of Shorefire Media Nashville. We met more than 10 years ago in a PR 270 course at University of Tennessee, a class that clearly fared much better for her career than mine! What she’s accomplished in the past seven years of work in publicity and media tops the charts for most in her industry and certainly at her age. (Yes, I’m bragging on my friend, but yes, that’s also 100% true!).  But among the many “pinch me” experiences her work allows are also demanding deadlines, endless expectations, and lots of plane tickets. She recounts one of her most hectic weeks of 2019 where she spent 5 days in Atlanta promoting the Super Bowl musical performances followed by 6 days in LA for the Grammys, a quick turn around in Nashville, and a subsequent 4 more in NYC to follow. This isn’t her every week, but in the midst of a lifestyle that can get you to the top but leave nothing in the tank, we talk with Jaclyn about how to find rest when you’re killing it at work so that your w