The Soapbox

Happy Mothers Day! I am so excited to introduce you to my very own mom!!! This episode is full of honest confession about the temptation to worry about your kids and try to control their little (and big) lives. But you will hear my mom share her story of God gently leading her to more peace and freedom in motherhood!Keep up to date with all things You Are Family by signing up for our monthly newsletter (full of free monthly resources!) and follow us on instagram!

Jodie Berndt is an author and a speaker, but most importantly a wife, mom, and grandma! Her popular books “Praying the Scriptures” were birthed through her own mothering journey. She joins us on the Soapbox like an old friend sharing stories and encouragement with laughter and relatability. You will love her! Grab one of her books when you finish the episode to help you find specific scriptures for your children.Learn more about Jodie by visiting her website, instagram, facebook or twitter!Keep up to date with all things You Are Family by signing up for our monthly newsletter (full of free monthly resources!) and follow us on instagram!

Meredith Perryman, mom of 4, said she simply couldn’t share her soapbox without her daughter. This is a super special episode where you'll get to hear a mom and daughter tag team telling their challenging and beautiful story. They share with honesty and humility. You will hear Meredith’s surrender as a mom watching her daughter's physical and mental health challenges and Ellie's personal experience woven throughout. Although your opportunities for surrender may be very different, every mom knows that surrender is part of our every day. You will see the hand of God in their story in undeniable ways. Don't miss the end of this episode where you will hear Meredith and Ellie testify to who God has been! You will leave hopeful and certain that He is mighty to save, heal, and redeem!You can learn more about Living Room Sessions, the retreat Meredith runs with You Are, Inc., at youareinc.com/livingroom Check out Meredith's book, The Whole Story on Amazon and her latest ministry happenings by visiting her website: meredithperryman.com

Brittany is a mom of 6 precious children still under her roof! She spends her days homeschooling, cooking, cleaning, and encouraging others walking through their own pain as she shares her story of God’s faithfulness. She has walked through profound seasons of grief—becoming a young widow, raising three young boys as a single mom, remarriage, and blending a family deeply affected by trauma. As you hear her share, you will be splashed with contagious hope as she declares the faithfulness of God. She is committed to run the race in front of her and encourages us to run ours! It's clear that her eyes are fixed on Jesus and I am confident it will encourage you to do the same, whatever situation you are currently in. The Brooker Family has taken all they have experienced in grief and minister to and support widowers through their ministry, Refuge Widowers.You can learn watch and learn more about Brittany's story here and follow her on Instagram here. To learn more about Refuge Widowers by visiting their website: www.refugewidowers.com or their instagram. King Camp Registration is NOW OPEN! Learn more and register today ⁠here⁠! And be sure to follow You Are Family on ⁠Instagram⁠ to keep up with the latest news and for our free monthly resource email.

Melany Wolfe has been married to Brian for 25 years, has 6 children, 2 granddaughters, and is the director of Aggieland Pregnancy Outreach. She shares the hard and beautiful of involving her kids in the ministry she is specifically called to. She talks adoption, unplanned pregnancy, and inclusivity. Her family story makes me think about Psalm 37:26 “All day long he shows compassion and lends to others, and his children are blessed.”Learn more about the ministry of Aggieland Pregnancy Outreach here. King Camp Registration is NOW OPEN! Learn more and register today here! And be sure to follow You Are Family on Instagram to keep up with the latest news and for our free monthly resource email.

Terri Steele, mom of 5 and children’s minister, joins us and unpacks the reality that the same Holy Spirit in us is available to our children. Terri herself walks in childlike humility and this episode will widen your eyes and build your faith! Have fun!!King Camp Registration is now open for July 6-9, 2026!! If you have kiddos ages 5-11, be sure to sign them up!! Head here to learn more and register today.Stay up to date with all things You Are Family by following us on Instagram or sign up for our free monthly resources for parents and families.

What a treat to interview the mom of one of your favorite Soapbox guests (Melissa Darst)! Ms. Becky is a Gigi is here to remind us that teaching our kids respect still matters. She gives a gentle nudge to keep teaching the kids in our life manners. Ms. Becky models a life of looking people in the eye, writing the thank you note, and taking the time to see and value those around her. She believes these are some of the ways of old the are worth hanging on to.King Camp Registration is now open for July 6-9, 2026!! If you have kiddos ages 5-11, be sure to sign them up!! Head here to learn more and register today.Stay up to date with all things You Are Family by following us on Instagram or sign up for our free monthly resources for parents and families.

Laina Graf, mom of 5 and Honey to almost 9 grandchildren, joins us to share the importance of processing hard and playing hard through all the years of mothering. She has been in ministry for decades, both internationally and in her own backyard in California (literally). She is a culinary wonder, but mostly an expert in loving people. She heard a mentor say that healthy families do lots of things, but they all do two things well… process hard and play hard. This transformed the way she mothered and still does. Listen to her connect these dots with all different ages and stages. King Camp Registration is now open for July 6-9, 2026!! If you have kiddos ages 5-11, be sure to sign them up!! Head here to learn more and register today.Stay up to date with all things You Are Family by following us on Instagram or sign up for our free monthly resources for parents and families.

Emilie McCormack, our fabulous, fun mom friend is back in the South after years in the Northwest and we are happy about that! You’ll quickly see why! Emilie carries passion, wisdom, and humility. As a mom of 5, she has so much practice looking for the God-given gifts in each child and calling them out. She gave some incredible one-liners you’ll want to write down. You’re going to finish this episode with new questions to ask your kids and new things to ponder with God! Enjoy! Emilie serves college students at Texas A&M and Blinn alongside her husband, Brian, Executive Director of Breakaway Ministries. Learn more about Breakaway at breakawayministries.org. You can also see what she's up to on Instagram here!To stay up to date on all things You Are Family, be sure to follow us on Instagram and sign up for our monthly email full of free resources for parents and families!And be sure to join us for You Are '26, Feb. 6-7, 2026! You Are is an intergenerational, interdenominational women's gathering centered on Jesus. Head to www.youareinc.com to learn more and register today.

Brenna Stull, mom of 7, kicks off 2026 on the Soapbox with vision for a family functioning as a team. Brenna is passionate about moms not doing everything. If you’re a mom who exhales at that thought but isn’t sure how to not do it all, you will love this episode. Brenna’s  excitement is contagious and her stories are inspiring. You will finish the episode thinking about your own family working together more in 2026. Check out to Brenna Stull’s Coach Mom book and learn more about her ministry at www.brenna-stull.comHere is the link to get 25% off the Coach Mom Tribe Vault!Don’t miss You Are Conference happening Feb.6-7, 2026 in Bryan, TX! Special guests Christy Nockels, Cynthia Berry, Stephanie Lee, Lizi Bailey and more! Learn more and grab your tickets at youareinc.comStay up to date with all things You Are Family on Instagram and sign up for our free monthly email full of resources and fun for you and your family!

Drumroll please… it’s our first mother/daughter duo on The Soapbox! Cindy is a humble mom of 4 adult children who shares how the Holy Spirit invited her into a very specific posture with her children as a young mom. Bethany testifies, real-time, to her mom’s legacy- both in her life and as a mother and grandmother. We even left some bonus chatter on the Holy Spirit because it was too good not to share! You will absolutely be blessed by their wisdom and relationship!If you're in Bryan/College Station be sure to check out Bethany's dance studio, Suzanne's School of Dance, if you've got some little dancers in your home.We'd love for you to join us for You Are 26 on February 6-7! You Are is a 2-day intergenerational, interdenominational women's gathering centered on Jesus. To learn more and register today visit us at youareinc.comMake sure you're up to date with all things You Are Family by following us on Instagram and signing up for our free monthly resource email, full of Christ-centered discipleship resources for your family!

Susan West is a vibrant, alive, intentional “Mia” to many. She is young at heart and rich in wisdom. Susan explores marriage and motherhood, and the way your marriage really can set the tone in your home. You will hear her humility as she traces their own story (of 52 years in love!!!) and want to take notes. Susan touches on communication, expectations, dates, appreciation, common interests, forgiveness, and more. She and her husband have given attention to their marriage for decades and those around them have reaped. Stay up to date with all things You Are Family by visiting us at www.youareinc.com/family, follow us on Instagram, and sign up for our monthly newsletter full of discipleship and fun resources for parents and children!

We welcomed another wonderful Christine Hoover to The Soapbox and you’re going to be fast friends! Christine is a Church girl from ATX, an author, and most importantly, a boy mom! She vulnerably shares the importance of doing her own heart work as she has mothered. Christine and Kelsey discuss pain points in their own stories, idols, and opportunities to grow in wholeheartedness. Christine graciously shares how to know when there’s more underneath a reoccurring thought or feeling in motherhood and some ideas of where to go from there. Learn more about Christine’s ministry and check out her books at www.christinehoover.com or follow her on Instagram. Stay up to date with all things You Are Fam by subscribing to our monthly email full of free resources for you and your family! And be sure to follow us on Instagram!

Just wait till you hear Jamie Wells- the joyful, childlike, cali-girl artist, who lives fascinated by God!!! Jamie’s eyes are opened wide and I marveled just listening to her. Jamie shares that she’s mothered a little outside of the “box” in hopes her kids SEE the story of faith all around them!To learn more about Jamie and her incredible art, check her out Instagram @jamiewellsart or visit jamiewells.com Stay up-to-date with all things You Are Family by following us on Instagram or visiting us at youareinc.com!

Marian Jordan Ellis was our very first Soapbox Live guest! And lucky for you- this is a live recording! As you hear the women laughing along with us, I hope you can imagine them taking notes and nodding along too! Marian became a bonus mom later in life and then got to have another little girl at 43! She is full of wisdom and humility and will no doubt, leave you with more faith that the holy spirit has everything needed for mothering our young ones!Learn more about Marian’s ministry at thisredeemedlife.org. Follow all things You Are Family on Instagram or sign up for our monthly email full of free resources just for you!

Tamara Menges joins us for a special episode of The Soapbox to share about an opportunity for local BCS families to serve together called Kindness for Christmas. She and her daughter are using their gifts to prepare a space of kindness. You will be inspired to hear the ways Tamara is coming alongside her daughter’s gifts, and offering her own, to serve people. Check out Kerrington’s Kindness Shop here and Tamara’s floral business here. Be sure to follow You Are Family on Instagram to stay up to date with all things You Are Fam! And if you haven’t subscribed to our monthly email, you’re missing out on free resources to encourage discipleship in your home! Sign up here!

Julie Dickerson graciously encourages every mom to talk about God in the mundane moments of life with kids of all ages. She has older kids and has been faithfully following Jesus since she became a mom, so she has so many hacks and practical ways to point kids to look at God. Julie dives into the meat and potatoes of every day discipleship of the kids in our lives. Julie is clear that we all have something to share about God-no matter how long we’ve been walking with Him. Resources Julie mentioned:Table Top TruthsDwell Bible AppBe sure to follow You Are Family on Instagram to stay up to date with all things You Are Fam! And if you haven’t subscribed to our monthly email, you’re missing out on free resources to encourage discipleship in your home! Sign up here!

Jean Marie, mom of 3, wants to encourage all the moms to keep walking with the Lord, even with a limp. She normalizes limping and shares vulnerably about learning to struggle well from the earliest days of motherhood through infertility, adoption, and the unique struggles of a transracial family. She shares ways she's helped her kids recognize and work through weakness as well. She will make you feel right at home with her no matter where your limping is. Jean Marie covers the bases from embracing weakness, to tackling hard things to teaching our kids the importance of “walking with a limp” and sticking with the Lord. If you'd like to learn more about Impact Retreat that Jean Marie mentions, you can head here.Do you have your ticket for The Soapbox Live happening Sept 18? It's a free event, but seats are limited so grab your ticket here. Stay up to date with all things You Are Family by subscribing to our monthly newsletter here and following us on Instagram.

Jamie Brown- mom of an only- joins us to share the why of knowing our kids. She, like most of us, has a kid wired very opposite of her. She is the champion of who God created her kid to be and left me even more convinced on my own kids exact wiring! She not only shares the why, but lots of practical hows in discovering more of our individual kids hearts. Head to youareinc.com to learn more about all things You Ate Family and grab your tickets for the Soapbox Live event!

Kari Breed is a mom of 3 and founder of a Christian Montessori school in North Carolina. She spends her time thinking about the next generation and lives with great intention. She shares about how the ripples from faithfulness in our homes can influence kingdom family! Kari’s  friendship with Jesus always leaves me wanting to know Him even better! Save the Date: Join us September 18th from 7-9PM at The Boathouse at Millican Reserve for The Soapbox Live! We’ll have a live interview, exciting guests, yummy treats, and more! Registration details coming soon. Be sure to stay up to date with all things You Are Family by following us on Instagram or signing up for our free monthly resource email here! 
Some of Kari’s recommendations for intentional parenting:https://open.spotify.com/track/7CVLxsSOKpHjxehV7HFird?si=xxH_PiAp5SvaXx6BqflroIwDon’t Make Me Count to Three by Ginger Hubbard (https://a.co/d/7LyxyVm)Shepherding A Child’s Heart by Tedd Tripp (https://a.co/d/dNJVGba)How to Really Help Someone with a Problem by Danny Silk (https://youtu.be/DsJzKZV_Nso)

Wynne Elder is a mom of 4 whose family was built non-traditionally, through adoption + IVF.  Her kids range in age and her schedule is full. Her life could feel frantic, but she believes motherhood doesn’t have to be that way. Wynne is free and fun and loves being a mom. She shares how good rhythms have made motherhood even more enjoyable for her. She says, "rhythms are the quiet framework of a beautiful and intentional life." You will love hearing her passion and you will want to follow her on Substack where she shares stories, seasonal tools & everyday rhythms that will no doubt inspire AND help you in your home! https://open.substack.com/pub/wynneelder

For our 10th episode Melissa Darst, one of my most passionate FRIENDS and the very inspiration for the SOAPBOX joins us a little differently! She shares a slew of soapboxes- everything from closets should be organized to the value in traditions! She could have kept going, but rest assured you’ll get to hear from her again! You are going to love hearing all the things, small and big, that she values!

Kelsey sits down with Carmen Maxwell , Assistant Director at SOS Ministries and spiritual mama to countless people, passionately shares the beauty in the female side of god that is on display through women! she is here to encourage us to trust what He has put in us and her faith will build yours! I am confident she will keep you on your toes and leave you wanting to know Jesus more and more!Learn more about SOS at saveourstreetsministries.org/. And be sure to stay up to date with all things You Are Family by following us on Instagram or signing up for our free monthly resource email here!

Join Kelsey as she hears from our friend Lizi Bailey about her longing as a mom to see her kids be kids. She is passionate about kids knowing they’re made and loved by God - just as they are. She is resolved to NOT parent from a place of fear. Lizi is a mom of 5, grandmother to 1 and wife to Matthew. She’s served as a musician and worship leader and is currently getting her masters in counseling. We’re so glad to have her with us!Be sure to check out Lizi’s music by searching Lizi Bailey wherever you stream your music!And stay up to date with all things Soapbox and You Are Fam by following us @youarefam. And don’t miss out on King Camo 2025! Head here to learn more and register your kiddos for the best 4 days of the summer!

Join Kelsey as she chats with Jeff and Shaunti Feldhahn… yupp, you heard right… it’s our first dad on The Soapbox! And it’s oh, so good! Jeff and Shaunti are NYT bestsellers and social researchers from Atlanta, GA. They spend lots of time in the marriage and family world, so we wanted to hear from them both!! They breakdown the importance of not freaking out, no matter how old your kids are. We hope it gives you practical vision and deeply encourages you to hear from both a mom and a dad today!To learn more about Jeff and Shaunti’s work head here. Stay up to date with all things You Are Family at youareinc.com or follow us on Instagram here.

Nancy shares about the profound impact of praying through the seasons of her children (and now, her grandchildren) lives. She describes how each stage of their life has invited her to seek the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit to guide in how to best intercede. She also shares about how much God has done in her own heart as she has prayed consistently for her children. Nancy graciously and humbly invites moms into prayer for their children! For the prayer resource Nancy mentioned, be sure to subscribe to our monthly email here.Be sure to check out all things You Are Family and follow us on instagram.

Join Kelsey as she asks Kathy all the questions about prioritizing family through the years. Kathy is a mom to seven children, and grandma to two and counting. She shares that she dreamed of being a mom and is clearly still loving it!

Join Kelsey as she learns from mom of 2, Kristin Bryant, about God designing us for dependence on Him and how good that design is. She shares how God has taught her time and time again that He really has all she needs as she's mothered her sweet daughter and her precious son with special needs.

Join Kelsey and mom of 3, author, and LPC., Christine Wolf Hoover as they talk through the reality that we are going to mess up. Christine shares about her own freedom as she started owning that she was going to mess up in motherhood, as much as she really didn’t want to.Learn more about Christine at www.christinewolfhoover.com and check out her brand new book, Soul Adventuring: Your Guide to Living with Bravery and Joy today!Stay up to date with all things You Are Family at www.youareinc.com

Join Kelsey as she interviews mom of 4 and Founder and CEO of You Are, Inc., Stephanie Lee. Proverbs 18:21 says that "life and death is in the power of the tongue". Steph shares her deep conviction to speak life over her kids and teach them to speak life over one another as well. To learn more about all things You Are, Inc. and You Are Family head to www.youareinc.com!

Welcome to The Soapbox! We wanted to take chance to introduce ourselves as we launch the first podcast, hosted by You Are Family. You Are Family is the family ministry of You Are, Inc. In this first episode, you'll meet You Are Family Director, Kelsey Smith and Stephanie Lee Founder & CEO of You Are, Inc. You Are, Inc. exists to create spaces and resources for women and families to encounter God, connect with one another, and to be equipped and empowered to advance God’s Kingdom and impact future generations. Through King Camp, Talitha Cumi, The Matchstick Project and more, You Are Family is a place for the whole family to grow in their discipleship to Jesus. Learn more about all things You Are Family at ⁠youareinc.com