Return to Jesus Podcast (Season 2, Episode 20): Showing Up, Holding On: Joy in the Ordinary with Lauren Fernandez

Hey friend,You’re in for such a rich conversation this week. I sat down with Lauren Fernandez — author, mother of five, and a woman who knows what it means to hold both joy and pain in the same breath.Lauren shares so openly about her journey of faith, what it looks like to keep showing up in dry seasons, and how joy isn’t about everything being perfect. It’s about trusting that God is still working, even when things feel messy or mundane. Together we talked about the power of remembering God's promises, the importance of sharing our stories honestly, and how we can each find purpose right where we are — dishes in the sink and all.Here are two takeaways I hope stick with you:✨ Joy isn’t the absence of pain. It’s rooted in hope — and you can hold both joy and grief at the same time.✨ Your ordinary matters. God meets you in the carpool line, the quiet morning moments, and even in the overwhelm. None of it is wasted.This conversation felt like a deep breath and a gentle reminder that faith isn’t always loud — sometimes it’s just the quiet decision to keep showing up.Truly Yours, Jen