As we continue to move into the holiday season, Sarah Clarkson joins Jennifer Pepito in episode 110 of the Restoration Home Podcast. We're excited to bring another episode rich with the magic and mores of a peaceful Christmas. 

Sarah offers a unique perspective on celebrating Christmas, holiday traditions from the Clarkson home, and bringing different cultures and customs into her family's celebration.

Beyond the holidays, she also brings her love and passion for technological boundaries, creating purposeful space in her day, and finding ways to differentiate days for the sake of becoming more aware of ourselves, our families, and our lives. 

This is a great conversation, and we hope it blesses and inspires you. 

This podcast is made possible by the Peaceful Press!

With Winter and Winter Holidays around the corner, check out the Peaceful Press resources and blogs for good literature, engaging ways to celebrate, and the Four-week Autumn Guide.

Purchase any Christmas Guide Volume 1 or Volume 2 and receive a copy of the Unearthing Wonder Advent Guide. 

 In this episode–

• The importance of Advent 
• Slowing down Christmas 
• Creating a why for technological fasts 
• Clarkson family traditions
• Your children are never to old to celebrate with you
• Reclaiming Quiet by Sarah Clarkson
• Find out more about Sarah at her website and "From the Vicarage"

You can learn more about Jennifer here-

Jennifer's Instagram

You can learn more about Sarah here-

Sarah's Instagram

Some Amazon Affiliate Links.

Many of my adult friends have an ambivalent relationship with the Christmas season. Why is that? It's often because their mothers were stressed and anxious about achieving a "perfect Christmas." 

In a recent discussion, Diane Boden, the creator of the Minimalist Mom's Podcast, joined Jennifer Pepito to talk about how to create a minimalist Christmas. The focus is on planning, creating meaningful moments for your family, and choosing what brings you joy and connection.

During the holiday season, there are numerous external pressures—from the vast selection of Christmas decorations at stores like Target to expectations from family and the community. It's easy to say yes to everything, buy more than you need, or feel guilty about your actions.

Don't let yourself fall into that trap. Avoid letting the pursuit of the "perfect holiday season" turn you into a frazzled mom. Instead, aim for simplicity so your children aren't left wishing for more relaxed times and a happier mom.

This great conversation is made possible by the Peaceful Press!

With Winter and Winter Holidays around the corner, check out the Peaceful Press resources and blogs for good literature, engaging ways to celebrate, and the Four-week Autumn Guide.

Purchase any Christmas Guide Volume 1 or Volume 2 and receive a copy of the Unearthing Wonder Advent Guide. 

 In this episode–

• Plan your holiday season for the best Christmas
• Pine and fir make great holiday decorations 
• There is a mental and emotional cost to material things, so be aware of that when you are shopping
• Check your motivations when you purchase, plan or participate in the holidays 
• Remember to take time for yourself in the Holiday season 
• The Christmas Planner

You can learn more about Jennifer here-

Jennifer's Instagram

You can learn more about Diane here-

Diane's Instagram

Some Amazon Affiliate Links.

The holiday season is just around the corner, and it's easy to feel overwhelmed, but it doesn't have to be that way! We want to help you create joyful memories for you and your children. Join Jennifer and Emelie for an exciting discussion on how to stay healthy and make the most of this beautiful time of year. Plus, don't miss our insightful chat with Megan Ziegenfus about empowering our daughters to understand hormones! Let's embrace the season with positivity and joy!

This great conversation is made possible by the Peaceful Press!

With Winter and Winter Holidays around the corner, check out the Peaceful Press resources and blogs for good literature, engaging ways to celebrate, and the Four-week Autumn Guide.

Autumn Guide,  Christmas Guide Volume 1 and Volume 2

 In this episode–

• How to protect your physical health during the holidays 
• The importance of stewarding what your children consume for the sake of their emotions and well-being in the Holiday season 
• Creating a memorable Christmas with the Peaceful Press resources, even in your biggest season
• Part of giving your children a magical Christmas is protecting their health. 
• Christmas doesn't have to ruin your health or family connection
• When we give our children happy memories, we give them a savings account of joy to draw from when life gets hard. 
• Make a primitive oil lamp with the Peaceful Press.
• The Connection Challenge 
• The Christmas Planner
• Body Talk Basics with Megan Ziegenfus
• The Peaceful Press Cookbook

You can learn more about Jennifer here-

Jennifer's Instagram

You can learn more about Emelie here-

Emelie’s Instagram

You can learn more about our special guest, Megan Ziegenfus, here-

Megan's Instagram

Some Amazon Affiliate Links.

The wonderful Barb Roose, author of Stronger than Stress: 10 Spiritual Practices to Win the Battle of Overwhelm, joins Jennifer Pepito for episode 107. This hard-hitting episode is all about stress! It is so timely to transition into the holiday season. Barb is full of profound wisdom and helpful insight on stress, what it is, what it isn't, and how to deal with it.

As mothers, we can be conduits of Christ-centred peace or agents of chaos. This episode is for you if you are struggling with the latter or want to be more of the former. 

This great conversation is made possible by the Peaceful Press!

With Winter and Winter Holidays around the corner, check out the Peaceful Press resources and blogs for good literature, engaging ways to celebrate, and the Four-week Autumn Guide.

Autumn Guide,  Christmas Guide Volume 1 and Volume 2

 In this episode–

• If you, as a mother, are under chronic stress, ask yourself if you are trying to be everything to everyone and then start stepping back from that place because only God can fill that place.
• Stress is not bad; it is a gift from God to know when we are too deep.
• Don't let lies or the fruit of stress dictate how you view your children.
• Whimsy can diffuse a stressful situation quickly.
• We cannot live to do the will of our children and our husbands, nor can we act as though keeping them safe and happy is our job. 
• Stronger than Stress: 10 Spiritual Practices to Win the Battle of Overwhelm by Barb Roose

You can learn more about Jennifer here-

Jennifer's Instagram

You can learn more about Barb here-

Barb's Instagram and website

Some Amazon Affiliate Links.

Sometimes, in the nitty gritty of parenting, we get so focused on what isn't happening, or we focus on our current "reality" rather than the promises of God. This can cause us to spiral into fear, control, panic, and reactionary decision-making. Our children are the actual sufferers when we allow this spiral to happen. What would happen if, instead, we started to step back in those moments and ask God to show us what he is doing or asked him for advice on how to deal with or respond to a learning struggle, a child with hard-to-manage emotions, or any one of the plethora of problems that come up in life? What if we learned to tune in and attach to our children 

The wonderful Deb Weakly, creator of Help Club for Moms, joins Jennifer in episode 106 to talk about how big God is, his faithfulness, and the process of trusting him in our parenting and mothering story. There is so much hope in this episode, and we hope that wherever you are in your parenting journey, you are blessed by this conversation. 

This great conversation is made possible by the Peaceful Press!

With Winter and Winter Holidays around the corner, check out the Peaceful Press resources and blogs for good literature, engaging ways to celebrate, and the Four-week Autumn Guide.

Autumn Guide,  Christmas Guide Volume 1 and Volume 2

 In this episode–

• God wants to be involved in every aspect of our lives, including planning our school
• Your children should never be exposed to the disrespect of being your "problem child." 
• How to protect your children's relationship with each other 
• We need to focus on what our children are good at it  
• Trusting God with our children
• Learn to connect with your children rather than react to them 
• Check out Deb's book, Help Club for Moms

You can learn more about Jennifer here-

Jennifer's Instagram

You can learn more about Deb here-

Deb's Instagram 

Some Amazon Affiliate Links.

Welcome to episode 105 of the Restoration Home Podcast. What a conversation we have for you today.

We had the honour of hosting Katy Faust of the "Them Before Us" movement. She comes on with heart-hitting facts about the cost of divorce, the crisis in a divorce generation, and the irreplaceable role of fathers. 

Today, 50% of divorces are over low-level conflicts that build, and the long-term cost of a self-serving "happiness' decision is our children's physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. 

Katy and Jennifer offer advice on better communicating with our husbands, the point of fathers, and the importance of putting our children first in every decision.

This great conversation is made possible by the Peaceful Press!

With Winter and Winter Holidays around the corner, check out the Peaceful Press resources and blogs for good literature, engaging ways to celebrate, and the Peaceful Press four-week Autumn Guide.

Autumn Guide,  Christmas Guide Volume 1 and Volume 2

 In this episode–

• Fathers and mothers each bring unique childrearing traits to the table; one is not better than the other, and neither is replaceable. 
• Children must come before adults in our policies, beliefs, and choices. 
• Love your children by respecting their father and choosing the narrative you spin about him carefully.
• It is children who bear the lifetime cost of a divorce, and step-parents rarely have your child's best interest at heart. 
• We need to get serious about sustaining marriages in the church and honouring fathers' unique and vital role. 
• Tips on how to communicate with your husband 
• Them Before Us by Katy Faust and Stacy Manning
• Check out Empowered Wife by Laura Doyle Keys to the Kingdom and the Queen's Code by Allison Armstrong for great books on understanding men and becoming more capable of navigating a gracious relationship with your husband. 
• Check out The Men We Need by Brant Hansen for an incredible book on manhood. 
• Order Katie's new book, Pro-Child Politics

You can learn more about Jennifer here-

Jennifer's Instagram

You can learn more about Katy here-

Katy's Instagram and website

Some Amazon Affiliate Links.

We are delighted to welcome Sally Clarkson back to the Restoration Home Podcast! She is a dear friend and our first repeat guest on the podcast. She has recently published a new book, Well Lived: Shaping a Legacy of Gratitude and Grace. 

Her newest book is a memoir and an inspiration to mothers young and old, new and veteran. She joins Jennifer to talk about living a life of generosity and faithfulness. We often live our lives going from goal post to goal post, waiting until we've "arrived" or we're "done". However, as wives and mothers of faith, the journey is life itself, and we're called to run well until the run is complete. 

Sally Clarkson's gentleness and wisdom, shared through her personal stories, is a wonderful encouragement, and we are so excited to offer this episode to our community. 

Episode sponsored by the Peaceful Press!

With Winter and Winter Holidays around the corner check out the Peaceful Press resouces and blogs for good literature, engaging ways to celebrate, and the Peaceful Press four week Autumn Guide.

Autumn Guide,  Christmas Guide Volume 1 and Volume 2

 In this episode–

• Create a vision of who you want to be in your family and the atmosphere you want to carry into your family.
• Model your motherhood after women of character.
• We need to plant the flag in our lives for what we believe and know to be accurate and hold fast, even when our circumstances or emotions aren't matching.
• You have the agency and capacity to build an incredible life. 
• You are not the victim of your life.
• It is a more fulfilling way to live when we choose to grow into being like God. 
• We are excited about Sally's newest book, Well Lived: Shaping a Legacy of Gratitude and Grace. 
• Two of our favourite books by Sally are Different and Awakening Wonder. 
• Check out Jennifer's new book Habits for a Sacred Home, which is available for pre-order on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
• You can learn more about Jennifer here-

Jennifer's Instagram

You can learn more about Sally here-

Sally's Instagram and website

Some Amazon Affiliate Links.

Have you ever wondered what fear was doing to your brain? Are there times when you have felt like you were on a perpetual rollercoaster of hard days? Does it sometimes feel like your days, weeks, months blend together in a cacophony of disappointment, failure, fear, and stress? 

Chris and Jennifer Coursey creators of Thrive Today and the 28 Day Joy Challenge join Jennifer Pepito for an incredible and practical conversation about how to create more joy-filled lives. 

Episode sponsored by the Peaceful Press!

Are you starting to plan for next year's schooling and looking for homeschooling tips?? Check out the Peaceful Press's free How to Start Homeschooling Booklet. 

Looking for additional Science and Nature Studies? Check out the Peaceful Press Nature Book Flood. A year round study of God's creation through science experiments, great literature, and exploration of the outdoors. 

In this episode–

• When we spend time focusing on joyful moments of our day, our brain begins to look for and note those moments more than the bad parts
• Cuddling our spouse or our kids releases oxytocin which helps decompress and reduce stress 
• Practical ways to identify negative thought patterns and replace them with joy
• The importance of choosing what we focus on and our focus's effect on our emotions
• The 4 Habits of Joy-Filled People by Marcus Warner and Chris Coursey 
• Check out more books and resources by Chris and Jennifer

You can learn more about Jennifer here–

Jennifer's Instagram

You can learn more about Chris and Jen here–

Thrive Today

Some Amazon Affiliate Links.

Alyssa Bethke, author of When Doing it All is Undoing You, joins Jennifer Pepito to talk about how to avoid burning out in the pursuit of being a great parent. Sometimes we forget that offering our best to our children can only come when we have first taken care of ourselves emotionally, spiritually, and physically. This can feel challenging in the early days of motherhood, but it is so essential to carve out this time for the sake of our children and our family. 

This is a beautiful and practical conversation for moms at every stage of parenting and motherhood. 

Episode sponsored by the Peaceful Press!

Are you starting to plan for next year's schooling and looking for homeschooling tips?? Check out the Peaceful Press's free How to Start Homeschooling Booklet. 

Looking for additional Science and Nature Studies? Check out the Peaceful Press Nature Book Flood. A year round study of God's creation through science experiments, great literature, and exploration of the outdoors. 

In this episode–

• We must root ourselves in the Lord to show up well for our families
• More is not more, sometimes its less and painful for everyone  
• A list of very practical ways to find mentors and care for ourselves in a busy season
• The importance of being self-aware for our spiritual growth
• When Doing it All is Undoing You by Alyssa Bethke 

You can learn more about Jennifer here–

Jennifer's Instagram

You can learn more about Alyssa Bethke here–

Alyssa's Instagram

Some Amazon Affiliate Links.

What if homeschooling was hard simply because there were still some areas where past pain continued to steal the joy and whimsy from our present life? And what if taking our precocious, intelligent 4-year-old from preschool to 12th grade, without turning them into "barely interested test takers", was possible? What if everything we thought about education was a myth? What if a little more balance and less stress could have a whole lot of impact? 

In this delightful episode 101, Emelie and Jennifer talk about balance, baking bread, homeschooling, how life can steal our joy, why traditional workbook studies for our kids are detrimental to cultivating intelligence and much more. 

This episode is for every mom with a deep love for her family and a lot of work to get through daily. We understand that life is demanding, but it doesn't have to be draining. Enjoy this podcast's wisdom, insight and practical hopefulness to help calm your life down and find the space to focus on what matters.

Episode sponsored by the Peaceful Press!

Order Jennifer's new book Habits for a Sacred Home and get access to exclusive bonuses. 

Starting to plan for next year's schooling and looking for tips on how to homeschool?? Check out the Peaceful Press's free How to Start Homeschooling Booklet. 

Shop the Peaceful Press Elementary Bundles 

The Peaceful Press Spring Guide and the Peaceful Press Garden Guide 

 In this episode–

• Balance work, play, academics, house cleaning, just find that perfect middle
• Sometimes your highschool can be rigorous and sometimes it can be relaxed, your child won't fail if it varies 
• All work or all play make for too much sameness
• How our past experiences can sap our current energy for whimisical schooling 
• What does a great education look like for you?
• The benefits of learning through play 
• Looking for a simpler homeschool flow, check out the Peaceful Press Samples
• Habits for a Sacred Home by Jennifer Pepito 
• Simplifying Homeschooling to Avoid Burnout
• The Peaceful Press Chore and Routine Cards 
• Check out our Homeschool Planner on Amazon or the Peaceful Press Planner 

You can learn more about Jennifer here-

Jennifer's Instagram

You can learn more about Emelie here-

Emelie’s Instagram

Some Amazon Affiliate Links.

It's my pleasure to introduce Christie Thomas, the creator of Little Shoots and Deep Roots, as she joins Jennifer for an enriching discussion on nurturing and educating our children.

As parents, our deepest wish is cultivating a love for God and joyful righteousness in our children. However, we often feel overwhelmed by distractions, grapple with fears, confront feelings of inadequacy, or simply struggle to find the time. But in Episode 100, you'll discover empowering and actionable insights for embarking on family discipleship with small yet impactful steps, releasing self-imposed pressures, and embracing gradual progress towards daily connection as a family through spiritual practices and scripture memorisation.

Episode sponsored by the Peaceful Press!

Are you starting to plan for next year's schooling and looking for homeschooling tips?? Check out the Peaceful Press's free How to Start Homeschooling Booklet. 

Looking for additional Science and Nature Studies? Check out the Peaceful Press Nature Book Flood. A year round study of God's creation through science experiments, great literature, and exploration of the outdoors. 

In this episode–

• Fear is not our friend in discipling our children 
• Creating simple habits that we can sustain every day is the best way to disciple our children 
• Anchor points are small practices we build out that no matter how intense our schedule or low our emotions, we can consistently do as a family and alone. 
• Saying a simple prayer over our children each night before bed has big effects on their mental, emotional, and spiritual well being. 
• You aren't perfect, and there is no perfect way to raise a "godly" family, but as we continue to bring Christ into the centre of it small actions can have God results. 
• Check out Christie Thomas's free guide "Start Little"
• Pick up Christie's new book Little Habits, Big Faith

You can learn more about Jennifer here–

Jennifer's Instagram

You can learn more about Christie Thomas here–

Christie's Instagram

Some Amazon Affiliate Links.