Welcome to the episode of Out of the Ordinary that you-our listeners!-made with us. You all asked the best questions and offered the perfect conversation starters (and finishers!) ... We have arrived at the end of Out of the Ordinary, but every ending is a new beginning. This week, with your help, we share what our ordinary lives are like today, ho…

We felt a pang as we hit record today. This is the second to final episode of 6 years of our conversations. But because conversation with a friend always does good work–we love the place where we landed. We pretty much landed this episode in heaven, didn’t we? In our second-last episode we reminisce about our six-year journey, the impact these conv…

How's that for a title? But, friends, it's absolutely true. No spoilers here, but please don't miss the last ten minutes of this episode. Today we're also delighted to bring you along on a face-to-face, Lisa-Jo and Christie, book celebration day. a day of freedom (instead of fear) is possible because God heals the past how to ask friends for the su…

Today we're delighted to bring you a special audio excerpt from Lisa-Jo's new book, It Wasn't Roaring, It Was Weeping that went on sale this week. Step into the South African outback via a storm that started brewing in Maryland. From Lisa-Jo: I grew up in a family obsessed with stories. My mom used to take me out of school to see “important movies.…

This was a breakthrough kind of episode. A little bit like 6 years of therapy condensed into half an hour. We hope it offers you as much of an "Aha" moment as it did for us! In this week's conversation: What if your past isn't your past? What if you could go back to the worst bits in your story and re-write them? What if your pain isn't fossilized?…

We're not sure why it took us so long to figure this out (and understand how much it matters!), but of course this podcast is like a weekly memoir of ordinary life. Here's what that means for you ... In this week's conversation: Christie and Lisa-Jo explore an epiphany: they've been recording a podcast memoir all these years! Memoir-writing nudges …

Only a longtime friend can get away with asking some of the questions Christie asked Lisa-Jo today. We hope they are a balm to your own scarred places. In this week's conversation: A kind of live therapy takes place between Lisa-Jo and Christie Failure turns out to be a powerful catalyst for new things Growth looks unlike what we expect else maybe …

Today's episode began with big smiles, journeyed through tears, and ended with laughter. In this week's conversation: Lisa-Jo explains why her new book is an Ebenezer stone Christie and Lisa-Jo realize each witnessed God making things new this week personal stories of church hurt and church healing what it looks like when God makes the sad things o…

In today's episode Lisa-Jo shares the story of how God brings each of us to a feasting table, set with a chair all ready and prepared. And what happens if you're willing to sit down. In today's conversation: Lisa-Jo finds herself unexpectedly back in a courtroom setting When your hometown is no longer your hometown. The difference between an invita…

In today's episode we unpack: The surprising work Christie has been doing How good it is to feel seen and to have our unique gifts acknowledged If God is a creator, shouldn't we embrace the creators in our communities? How to start this conversation where you are Podcast links: We are now ad-free! You can help support our show with a one-time donat…

Life is full of surprises, and often, it's in the most unexpected moments that we find profound meaning and guidance. In today's conversation Christie and Lisa-Jo discuss one specific instance that arrived much later in Christie's life than might be typical and how these instances are opportunities to stay receptive and attentive to God at work in …

In today's episode Lisa-Jo and Christie realize they have both learned how to avoid disappointment and prepare to be happy on a special day ... Lisa-Jo is astonished to learn this about Philadelphia Christie shares everything she's discovered about celebrating milestones These friends ask: how can we better communicate expectations and desires in r…

In today's episode Lisa-Jo and Christie unwrap a Peck of Purple Peppers and share the story of a sentimental seed and the final book in a gardening trilogy. It's a book launch gift haul -- unwrapped on air. Which of the the three Jane Austen gardening sisters in Christie's Trilogy are YOU? How to name a book The powerful narratives that seeds and p…

In today's episode Lisa-Jo and Christie celebrate a four-year project that is finally complete. What's it like to stand at the finish line? A conversation between friends on the creative process and completing a trilogy Thanks to Lisa-Jo, Christie discovers that her book is like a Jane Austen heroine Which of these three books with their distinct p…

Lisa-Jo has a personal epiphany in the bathtub this week and Christie offers insights on the healing that comes from addressing our shadows. We're facing our demons this week -- from the safety of the bathtub! Lisa-Jo looks in the mirror of her past and doesn't like what she sees Christie points us to the cyclical nature of life that can bring orde…

In today's episode, Lisa-Jo and Christie do something they've never done before ... they invite a third friend into the conversation! This special episode was recorded in person in the Black Barn! We are together again in the Black Barn! Meet our friend and special guest Emily Graffius Find out what it's like behind the scenes of the podcast We ans…

In today's episode, Lisa-Jo and Christie reflect on the emotional and creative journey of writing and releasing their upcoming books. They discuss the concept of impact, the pressures of going viral, and the deeper significance of friendship and service. Discussion of the process of writing and releasing a book Personal stories behind the books Emo…

We are back after a five-month hiatus, and we have so much to tell you. About rest. About work. About creativity and parenting teenagers and the very Big Milestones coming up for us this year. If you've been feeling overwhelmed and overcommitted, this conversation between two old friends is for you. The difference between stuffing vs savoring. What…

Who needs rest from creating? In the beginning, God didn't just rest from work but He rested from creating. After burn out, Lisa-Jo and Christie wrap their arms around us and give us grace to pause. Whether you're entering a season of creation or needing a break from creating we can all relate. Sometimes a season calls for a stop. for a pause. for …

This is a story about how to make ordinary life a little bit easier. LJ and Christie laugh, talk, and recommend equipment for ordinary living: shoes, headphones, jasmine!, and more. Also, we learn that Lisa-Jo has never heard the memorable 1980s advertising slogan: "Calgon, take me away!" Podcast links: Follow Lisa-Jo on Instagram @lisajobaker and …

What does it mean to pursue goodness? Have we slighted it? Let's stay rooted in our deep and worthy ordinary virtues even though they aren't on a typical list for new year's resolutions. "I'd really like to be like Ted Lasso." Do you agree with Christie on this? Ted Lasso makes goodness and kindness appealing and powerful. *viewer discretion advise…

This is a story about a book Christie loved and Lisa-Jo did not. Actually, here are stories about quite a few books! Because these are the childhood favorites that helped make us the women we are. In this week's conversation, we discover just how much our favorite books reveal about our deepest selves and our relationships. Christie and Lisa-Jo tra…

This is a story about painting a dining room nearly charcoal black. And the hundreds of hours it took. This is a story about how it turned a dining room into an everyday extravagance. This week Lisa-Jo and Christie remember the great farmhouse dining room painting saga of their first Thanksgiving in Pennsylvania and how it nearly ruined Christie an…

If you're like us then you also associate summer with certain foods. And therefore with certain memories. These are the foods and memories that have shaped our summers for decades. We hope listening leaves you hungry. And also, makes you remember. The tastes of your favorite summers and the memories that you can bite into when you close your eyes a…

This is the story of our first critic. Once upon a time in a coffee shop in Chicago when Christie was a brand new English Literature professor a stranger asked her a question about reading and writing. He was pointed. He had opinions. He was her first critic. We've come a long way since then. And gathered many, many more reviews. And we've gotten b…

This is the story of the labels people pin to us - to our bodies or our lives, or our families or our homes - and that we sometimes start to believe must be true. This is the story of starting to say that we will not be accepting those labels today, thank you very much. Today Christie and Lisa-Jo each share stories about labels they had unknowingly…

This is the story of the secret shame we all carry about our houses. And the one thing that can free you from it. This is a story about Christie's house Maplehurst being adrift in a sea of mud and construction and the pungent smell of mushroom farms nearby. And what Lisa-Jo's daughter said to change how Christie sees/smells her house. There is noth…

This is the story of a Jasmine-scented South African summer night. This is a story about disappointment in God, and this is a conversation about the dreams that do NOT come true. Christie and Lisa-Jo recorded this episode the week of Christie's twenty-second wedding anniversary. They marveled over the long years of their friendship, and all the dre…

We know friendship isn't always easy. Today we are identifying an issue we all face but as always, there's no prescription. Picking friendships back up after a hiatus isn't always easy. Not all of us live around family and we need friends to fill the gaps. Even some of us have family close by and guess what? We still need friends. You'll leave toda…

What do you need today? Today we chat about reclaiming space in our souls. There's rest that can come from order in our homes or offices but also rest that can come from order in your soul. Lisa-Jo's husband gave her a simple response that helped her soul last week and we know it'll help your soul too! If you feel like you're going to work or your …

Motivation matters and Christie and Lisa-Jo are giving you a shot of it today. Quick and painless! Lisa-Jo and Christie are keeping us company as we struggle with the clutter that has ensued through this year or two or three. Don't worry because we have guilt-free solutions. We're given revolutionizing yet simple tips today to gain peace in our spa…

Lisa-Jo and Christie give us an invitation to declutter our souls. Whether you're finishing something or in the middle or very beginning, you need the grace and perspective of this episode! When we finish a hard thing, even when we finish it well, it doesn't always feel how we want it to feel. Sometimes when we make it across a minefield, we might …

If you're feeling forgotten or unseen, this episode will encourage you. Christie fascinates us with her travels and all the unique details we can only learn from her perspective. How did the Good Shepherd connect the dots for Christie and her husband in their time in England? Christie encourages our souls as she finds emblems of connection with bro…

Who else is so tired? How can we find rest? Not everything in the past three years has been lost. We have to find out where it's hiding. Sometimes God invites us outside our rhythm and when we get intentional, we see God showing up. So much has happened for all of us in the past three years. Some of that is the disconnection of the body and our sou…

What does it mean to live and not just survive? We're eternal creatures with souls. Christie says that our soul is the life of the body. Lisa-Jo asks, "How can we rest without checking out?" Step outside of your normal rhythms. What does rest look like when we turn to the Lord? What extra burdens are we putting on ourselves. If you feel like you're…

Does anyone have complicated feelings about motherhood, whether it's your own mother or being a mother? Did you know Lisa-Jo hadn't always dreamed of being a mom? Lisa-Jo's first book is on motherhood, Surprised by Motherhood: Everything I never Expected about Being a Mom. Lisa-Jo reads a letter she wrote to her mom that she hasn't read in a decade…

Anyone need a Mother's Gift idea? Christie's newest book: A Home in Bloom: Four Enchanted Seasons With Flowers is a perfect gift idea for yourself and the women in your circle. Want to know how to find fresh ideas? Need inspiration to write? Christie and Lisa-Jo lead you through the Director's Cut version behind the scenes of how Christie wrote her…

Lisa-Jo and Christie talk about everything from carpool to tea time and everything in between as they help us grow a daily life that matters. At the end of the day, we don't make things grow. So much of ordinary life is receiving growth from God. External measures are not necessary for growth. It really is the internal restructuring of our souls th…

What gift can Lisa-Jo give to her neighborhood? What about you? You can borrow Lisa-Jo's dad's advice and his three non-negotiables in life. Do you agree with him? Let's get back to the basics. His advice is a balm for our bodies and souls. We're made for significance. Our design is a reminder that we aren't built to work 24/7. Every little bit of …

What gift can Lisa-Jo give to her neighborhood? What about you? Christie has her new book, A Home in Bloom: Four Enchanted Seasons With Flowers, that we can purchase today! It's an enchanted book for anyone! You don't have to be a gardener to be blessed by this magical way of feeling seen, no matter the weeds in your life or yard. There's no shame …

The Lover of our souls has been in the midst of our humanity. The Lord loves our listeners. So much will be evident to you in this episode!! To step into conversation with Christie, is to step inside her garden. God has created us to steward living things. Christie's new book (releases April 11!): A Home in Bloom: Four Enchanted Seasons With Flower…

Christie and Lisa-Jo are taking you behind the scenes today of the pod. Do we make money on the pod? Have you ever wanted to start a podcast? We share a little of what's involved. Also, if your yard or your heart feels a little sad, growth comes slow, don't give up hope! Remember how far you've come. Spring will burst forth...it's coming! Trees can…

How much do you love coffee or wine? Lisa-Jo and Christie are having are riding the sluggard, struggle bus during Lent sometimes and they have helpful nuggets of truth to share with us. In our self-care culture, it's easy to let our sinful nature take us right back to ourselves rather than the cross. There's a difference in self-care that's life gi…

What makes your daily life rich? Practicing gratitude as a discipline is the vibe for today. Lisa-Jo and Christie have a list that you will appreciate. You'll leave feeling lighter and happier as you smile and laugh along! Please tag us with your tiny happy things in your life right now. Anyone else struggling with your Lent sacrifice like Lisa-Jo?…

Object lesson today is we don't need to white knuckle life. Have you gotten something wrong this week? Wherever you are in your life, we can all relate to the days when we can't move forward as planned. You think it's going to get nice and it doesn't. Can you believe what happened in Lisa-Jo's kitchen? Baking with love versus science makes for a fu…

Christie has a rare, special guest. They talk about how nothing ever stays the same. Building something good takes time and thoughtfulness, which involves their home at Maplehurst. They recap the past decade and what's to come while giving tips to us all, no matter our stage of life. Our place can have an awakened spiritual life! Rest is needed in …

Did you know this new word that Christie learned from Lisa-Jo today? You're safe in this conversational space. Wait until you're cozy and alone to listen today as we go deep and possibly dark for a bit. When we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we don't walk alone and God walked through the valley first. Today we acknowledge the reali…

What did Christie say to shock Lisa-Jo? No one knew this fact about her husband. "How do you recognize "enough" when you have it?" In the second half of life Lisa-Jo and Christie ponder how we let go of the season of hunger to settle for what's right in front of us. This season is more settled with a deeper and targeted work without a hungry need t…

How did a podcast comment show Lisa-Jo and Christie's blindspot? Creativity gets more deep and less wide with age. No matter your season, this episode is here to encourage you. Don't let the anxiety of finding the "one right road" stress you out. The end goal isn't to be the best version of you but you're part of something bigger, it's part of join…

Why did Lisa-Jo say she feels like a grandmother? As we get older, does the settlement in our age mean we're less creative? If we feel tired does that mean we're past the most creative season in our lives? Lisa-Jo and Christie dig into the facts that we're made in the image of our Creator. Our limits may adjust and our spectrum of change may be dif…