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

Hey friend,

This episode is a little different, it’s just me, and I’m inviting you into something personal.

As the holiday season unfolds, I wanted to pause and reflect with you. No guests, no plans, just an honest conversation from my heart. This year has brought some unexpected challenges, the heartbreaking loss of my mother-in-law, some health scares, and the kind of moments that remind you how much we need rest, community, and the peace only Jesus can give.

If the holidays feel a little heavy for you too, if the joy is mixed with grief, or the traditions feel like pressure instead of comfort, I want you to know you’re not alone. In this episode, I share what I’m learning about accepting help, letting go of the stress I usually carry, and finding the sacred in the simple.

Here are two things I hope you’ll carry with you:

You don’t have to do it all. Let the simplicity of Christ’s birth remind you that peace often comes when we release expectations and return to what truly matters.

It’s okay to need help. Community is a gift, and learning to receive is just as holy as learning to give.

I close this episode with a prayer for peace and acceptance, for you, for me, and for all of us navigating the holidays with tender hearts.

Let’s keep returning to Jesus, together.

Truly Yours,

Jen

Grab your copy of Return to Jesus HERE - https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/747877/return-to-jesus-by-jen-thompson/

Grab your copy of Grace in All Places HERE -

https://amzn.to/48n3Bli

Jen Thompson contact information:

www.trulyyoursjen.com

www.jenthompsonauthor.com

email - jen@trulyyoursjen.com

Follow me on Facebook and Instagram!

Hey friend,

I’m so excited to share this beautiful and deeply honest conversation with Jillian Benfield. She’s a writer, speaker, disability advocate, and mom who knows what it’s like to walk through unexpected seasons — and still find joy on the other side.

Jillian and I talked about the idea of living with awe not in the big, flashy moments, but in the ordinary rhythms of life. She shared how her morning routine overlooking the river grounds her, how she's learned to hold grief and gratitude together, and why it’s okay if your life looks different than you imagined.

We also talked about the danger of toxic positivity and how important it is to let our scars remind us not only of what we’ve endured, but also of how we’ve healed.

Here are two takeaways I hope land gently in your heart:

You can hold both joy and sorrow. Life isn’t either-or it’s, both-and. And God meets us in that sacred in-between.

Pay attention to awe. When we slow down enough to notice beauty, even in the chaos, we remember that God is still near.

Jillian's vulnerability, wisdom, and truth-telling will stay with you long after the episode ends. I pray this one helps you breathe a little deeper and return to Jesus, no matter what kind of season you're walking through.

Truly Yours,

Jen

Grab your copy of Return to Jesus here - https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/747877/return-to-jesus-by-jen-thompson/

Jen Thompson contact information:

Blog - www.trulyyoursjen.com

Website - www.jenthompsonauthor.com

email - jen@trulyyoursjen.com

Follow me on Facebook and Instagram!

@trulyyoursjen

Jillian Benfield contact information:

FREE Ebooks: www.JillianBenfield.com

Facebook: @jillianbenfield

Instagram: @jillianbenfieldblog

Hey friend,

This conversation is tender, beautiful, and one I think you’ll carry with you for a while.

I sat down with Chelsea Ohlemiller, a grief advocate, speaker, and author whose journey through the loss of her mother reshaped how she lives and loves today. Chelsea shares so honestly about the ways grief shows up, sometimes quietly, sometimes like a storm, and how it can actually live alongside joy. Yes, both. At the same time.

We talked about giving ourselves permission to feel happy again, the guilt that sometimes comes with that, and how writing became a healing outlet for her in the middle of the mess.

Here are two takeaways I hope stay with you:

Grief and joy are not opposites, they can walk hand-in-hand. Feeling joy after loss doesn’t mean you’ve forgotten. It means you’re still living.

There is no perfect timeline. Your grief journey is yours alone, and there is no “right” way to walk through it.

Chelsea’s words will make you feel seen and less alone, especially if you're holding heartache of your own. This episode is for anyone who’s loved deeply and lost someone who shaped their world.

Let’s keep learning to return, even to joy, one gentle step at a time.

Truly Yours,

Jen

Grab your copy of Return to Jesus here - https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/747877/return-to-jesus-by-jen-thompson/

Check out her Website, Happiness, Hope & Harsh Realities: www.hopeandharshrealities.com

Follow Chelsea on Facebook: @hopeandharshrealities

Follow Chelsea on Instagram: @hopeandharshrealities

Follow Chelsea on TikTok: @chelseaohlemiller

Hey friend,

You know those conversations that feel like a deep breath and a warm hug at the same time? That’s exactly what this episode with Laura L. Smith felt like.

Laura is a gifted author and speaker who’s passionate about helping women uncover the truth of who they are in Christ. In today’s episode, she and I talk about how we can find joy in our everyday moments, even the ones that feel slow or frustrating. We dive into what it means to wait well on God, how to be brave even when we're afraid, and why building community and friendships is more than just a “nice idea” it’s essential.

Here are two takeaways I hope you carry with you:

✨ Prayer doesn’t need to be fancy or formal. It’s a real conversation with a real God who cares deeply about your real life.

✨ There is joy to be found right where you are. Even in the ordinary, even in the waiting, even in the hard, joy is there, if we slow down enough to see it.

Laura’s heart for women and her love for God’s Word shine through every story she shares. If you’ve been longing for a reminder that God sees you, hears you, and is walking with you — this is the episode to press play on.

Truly Yours,

Jen

Grab your copy of Return to Jesus today! https://amzn.to/48GFONu

Laura L. Smith contact information:

Instagram @laurasmithauthor

https://www.instagram.com/laurasmithauthor/

https://www.laurasmithauthor.com/

And the first chapter of Brave Woman, Mighty God for FREE https://forms.gle/iGe1KnjucM89a1nB7

Hey friend,

I cannot wait for you to hear this conversation with my friend Leslie Means. If you’ve ever read a post on Her View From Home, then you’ve already been impacted by her work. Leslie is the founder of that beautiful community and platform, and she’s spent years creating space for women to share their honest, real-life stories, especially the ones tucked into the ordinary moments of motherhood and midlife.

In today’s episode, Leslie and I talk about the surprising joys that come with slowing down, the beauty of storytelling, and how the simplest moments often hold the most meaning. We talk about what it means to keep showing up, even when life feels loud or a little lonely, and how choosing vulnerability can be the very thing that opens us up to deeper connection.

A couple takeaways I hope stay with you:

✨ It’s okay to hold both joy and sadness. Life is layered and messy, and God meets us in all of it.

✨ Your story matters. Sharing what you’ve lived through might be the very thing that helps someone else feel less alone.

About Leslie Means:Leslie is the founder of Her View From Home, a platform that invites women to share their personal stories of motherhood, faith, grief, and growth. She is a writer, speaker, and community builder who believes that storytelling is one of the most powerful tools for connection and healing. Her work has encouraged millions of women to embrace their stories and know they aren’t alone.

Leslie’s wisdom and warmth are such a gift, and this episode will leave you breathing a little deeper and remembering the beauty of simply showing up in your own life.

Truly Yours,

Jen

Grab your copy of Return to Jesus: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/747877/return-to-jesus-by-jen-thompson/

Grab your copy of So God Made a Grandma: https://amzn.to/4600XAI

Check out Her View From Home - https://herviewfromhome.com/

Follow Leslie on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/share/14RKEv5YsN4/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Follow Leslie on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/leslielmeans?igsh=MWYzMXcwYXNwbWVyaA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

Hey friend,

You are going to love this conversation with Tabitha Yates. She is an author, speaker, and mental health advocate who is passionate about bridging the gap between faith and emotional wellness. Her book Jesus and Therapy invites readers to explore healing through both spiritual practices and therapeutic tools. Tabitha is also a mom, and she shares how motherhood has been one of the most powerful catalysts in her journey of self-love and growth.

In this episode, we talk about the deep kind of joy that isn’t dependent on circumstances, but one that’s discovered through healing. Tabitha shares her story of walking through trauma, the challenges of writing her book, and how she’s learned to embrace continued healing without shame. It’s an honest, powerful conversation about how God meets us in our pain and invites us into wholeness.

Here are a couple of things I hope you carry with you:

Your story, even the painful parts, has purpose. Sharing it might be the very thing someone else needs to hear so they can take their next step toward healing.

Healing is ongoing and holy work. There’s no shame in needing time, space, therapy, or community. God is present in every part of that process.

If you’ve ever felt like your pain disqualified you, or wondered how God could use your story, this conversation is for you. Let’s keep returning to Jesus, even in the hard places.

Truly Yours,

Jen

Grab your copy of Return to Jesus - https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/747877/return-to-jesus-by-jen-thompson/

Grab your copy of Jesus and Therapy and check out more from Tabitha Yates!

Jesus and Therapy- https://a.co/d/hjmRica

Website- www.theredeemedmama.com

Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/TheRedeemedMama

Instagram- Tabitha Yates (@tabitha_yates_author) • Instagram photos and videos

Tik Tok- Tabitha Yates, Author (@tabitha.yates.aut) | TikTok

This is the last episode of the season! Thank you for tuning in to Season 1 of the Return to Jesus Podcast. Stay tuned for a bonus episode between Seasons 1 and 2 with author, Laura Smith.

Thank you for all the ways you continue to support me and this journey. My heart is so grateful!

Also, my book, Return to Jesus: An Invitation to Abide with Him in Every Beautiful, Stressful, or Tedious Moment is officially released! Yay! Be sure to grab your copy today! https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/747877/return-to-jesus-by-jen-thompson/