Grab your FREE conflict resolution cheat sheet to strengthen communication in your home!

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Episode 233 // Relationships grow (or fade) based on our communication and connection with each other. And a centerpiece of those conversations are the questions we’re asking.

You want to enjoy marriage, connect with your kids, have meaningful conversations - and to do that, you need to ask good questions!

So today, I want to share some tips from my experience as a family counselor, to help you ask better questions and connect with your family today.

We’ll tackle 5 tips for what NOT to do, and 5 tips for what to do instead. Ready? Let’s dive in!

hugs & blessings,

Jess

RESOURCES FOR YOU

FREE: Grab your FREE conflict resolution cheat sheet

DEVOTIONAL: Dive into the 40-day Communicating To Connect devotional on marriage communication.

LISTEN NEXT: 6 Tips For How To Stop Passive Aggressive Behavior In Your Christian Home (Episode 211)

GET MORE & SUPPORT THE SHOW

NEW in our Patreon community this year - daily(ish) devotionals to encourage your faith and family life: Support the show on Patreon today.

Please leave a 5-star review and share the link to this episode with a friend who needs encouragement today!

FIND EXACTLY THE RESOURCE YOU NEED: Faith | Marriage | Parenting | Emotions | Communication | Home & Family | Freebies | Devotionals | Blog | Pinterest

DISCLAIMERS

I am a licensed therapist in South Carolina, but this podcast is not therapy. I may use affiliate links and earn a small commission if you purchase through my links. Read my full disclaimers here.

MISSION

Love Your People Well is all about helping you ENJOY family life as you build healthy, happy, and holy family relationships. Keep Jesus at the center of it all and joy at the center of your days.

Find your resources, devotionals, and more support at www.LoveYourPeopleWell.com

Grab your FREE ebook! Building Your Mom Toolbox: The 5 Skills Every Mom Needs To Get Your Family Out Of The Rut And Reconnect

Dive into the Keep Your Cool, Mama! 40-Day Devotional On Emotional Control.

Episode 232 // Your life is BUSY. But you still have goals that you want to accomplish! Probably a few New Years resolutions, goals, commitments that are still important to you… even at the end of January.

So today, let’s tackle the 3 most common barriers that get in the way. What are they, and how can we kick those barriers to the curb and make progress on our goals?? I love brainstorming solutions - especially when they really work.

Let’s dive in, friend.

hugs & blessings,

Jess

RESOURCES FOR YOU

FREE: Building Your Mom Toolbox: The 5 Skills Every Mom Needs To Get Your Family Out Of The Rut And Reconnect Ebook

DEVOTIONAL: Dive into the Keep Your Cool, Mama! 40-Day Devotional On Emotional Control.

LISTEN NEXT: Let Proverbs 2 Shape Your Year With 3 Powerful, Practical Action Steps (EP 227)

GET MORE & SUPPORT THE SHOW

NEW in our Patreon community this year - daily(ish) devotionals to encourage your faith and family life: Support the show on Patreon today.

Please leave a 5-star review and share the link to this episode with a friend who needs encouragement today!

FIND EXACTLY THE RESOURCE YOU NEED: Faith | Marriage | Parenting | Emotions | Communication | Home & Family | Freebies | Devotionals | Blog | Pinterest

DISCLAIMERS

I am a licensed therapist in South Carolina, but this podcast is not therapy. I may use affiliate links and earn a small commission if you purchase through my links. Read my full disclaimers here.

MISSION

Love Your People Well is all about helping you ENJOY family life as you build healthy, happy, and holy family relationships. Keep Jesus at the center of it all and joy at the center of your days.

Find your resources, devotionals, and more support at www.LoveYourPeopleWell.com

Friends, today is a quick bonus episode.... to give my voice a break after being sick, and to give you a sneak peak of what's happening inside the Faith Fiver Club in 2025!

This year, the Faith Fiver Club perk is a daily-ish devotional just for Patreon supporters! With a private podcast + emailed devotional, you'll get encouragement for faith and family life every day.

It's never too late to join, and your support is a great blessing to me and my ministry!

Join the Faith Fiver Club Now! www.patreon.com/loveyourpeoplewell

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Wisdom & Folly, Life & Death (Proverbs 9:4 & 9:16)

“ “Let all who are simple come to my house!” To those who have no sense she says…” Proverbs 9:4 and again in Proverbs 9:16 (NIV)

This same verse shows up twice in chapter 9 of Proverbs. It shows up twice because the chapter is directly contrasting wisdom and folly. Both are personified as women, both set up their home and table, and both invite the simple to come in and eat with them.

The call is the same.

But the experience at the table and in the home is very, very different.

Wisdom invites the simple, those who have no sense, to learn from her. To walk with her, get to know the Lord with her, learn from her, and ultimately find life by following her ways. Folly, however, offers the temptation of stolen fruit and wine, promising it is delicious. But instead, she offers death.

When we consider the final outcome of these two options - wisdom and folly - our decision is obvious. Who would choose death over life and joy?

But when we first hear them calling - when we hear wisdom and folly both call to us, “Come to my house!” - in the moment, our temptation is toward what folly offers.

Wisdom invites us in, offering us food and wine but also calling on us to leave our simple ways and find life by following wisdom’s insight. If we are willing to change, learn, grow, try new things, and put in some effort, we can enjoy the good life she offers.

But Folly offers us sweet, wonderful food that we didn’t even have to work for. It is stolen - and delicious. It sounds easy and tempting. She does not offer death… but, as the Scriptures tell us, that is the end result.

As I read through this chapter and see the repeated invitation - from Wisdom and from Folly - I find a need to humble myself. I must admit that apart from the Lord, I am indeed someone with no sense. It is far easier to accept the stolen, sweet, delicious food than it is to put in effort, be willing to change, and accept the Lord’s correction.

But I want the life offered. I want that for my family. So do you. Which means, when we hear the invitation, the call to come, we must pray the Lord gives us eyes to see the full picture. Lord, help us to choose wisdom over folly. Life over death.

hugs & blessings,

Jess

© Love Your People Well LLC

Visit www.LoveYourPeopleWell.com for free resources, devotionals, and more.

This daily-ish devotional is published primarily for paid Patreon supporters. Some days will be made available to the public. No devotionals are published on Sabbaths (Sundays) and I'm confident I will miss other days here and there as well... therefore, daily-ISH.

💕 May God get the glory and may our families be blessed as we grow in our faith.