Dear Daughters

Estate sale shopping is an exercise in creativity. It’s about connecting the dots of the stories behind the treasures you find. Welcome to The JOY Series on the Dear Daughters Podcast! I want you to have the joy in your life that you are seeking. So we’re going to talk about the secrets to getting more joy in your everyday life by creating a home you love. This week, Tori Dear is with me to talk about the joy of antiques, thrifting, and estate sale shopping. Listen in as we talk about everything from my favorite estate sale finds and stories to my estate sale routine (including a McDonald’s coffee run of course) and tips that may help you in your estate sale endeavors. I hope this inspires you to explore new places and I hope that you find little treasures that bring a bit more joy to your home. But, here are just a few of my top secrets to shopping an estate sale well. 1. Find a website that works for you with tracking down estate sales in your area! I use EstateSales.Net, plug in my zip code, and see what’

Your physical space is a place for peace and joy because things in our physical space hold connection to relationships and emotions. Welcome to The JOY Series on the Dear Daughters Podcast! I want you to have the joy in your life that you are seeking. So we’re going to talk about the secrets to getting more joy in your everyday life by creating a home you love. This week we’re going to dive into organization and how it can bring peace and joy to your home. Meet Jenny Aldridge, my guest this week on the Dear Daughters Podcast. Jenny says that she looks at the world so differently than she did three years ago … before she jumped out of the boat so start a new business. Jenny is an organizational coach. She helps people organize their closets and kitchen pantries to shed the negative and bring peace and positivity to their spaces. And she does it all with so much love and acceptance. Listen in as Jenny talks about home organization, from why we hold onto things that can cause us clutter and stress to how an orde

What you surround yourself with every day has lasting power. Welcome to The JOY Series on the Dear Daughters Podcast! I want you to have the joy in your life that you are seeking. So we’re going to talk about how to find joy, how to recover joy, how to keep joy…the secrets to getting more joy in your everyday life. This week we are going to talk about finding joy at home and I am so excited to introduce you to my guest, Whitney Walker. Whitney is a boutique residential interior designer and works out of her studio, Farrington Lane. She lives in Austin with her husband, Bill, and their three young boys. Does your home bring you joy? Whitney says that the key to a home you love is to invest in things you love that enhance your daily life. Start by identifying the intention of your home and what level of investment you want to make. Maybe the first step is just a pretty piece you find at an estate sale or maybe you’re ready to invest in a major change. Listen in as we dive a little deeper into the things that ca

Welcome to The JOY Series on the Dear Daughters Podcast! I want you to have the joy in your life that you are seeking. So we’re going to talk about how to find joy, how to recover joy, how to keep joy …the secrets to getting more joy in your everyday life. The first part of The JOY Series is about finding joy at home. My home brings me such joy. It’s where my people gather, where little treasures are, where memories are created. I love home.  You know what helps create joy in your place? Pray for your home. I prayed for all my homes, from our first house in Austin to our current home, to the Franklin. God has given me so much to be grateful for and that gratitude brings so much joy into our home. I pray that your home brings you joy, too. I hope that you let yourself dream big about and pray big for a home you love. SHOW NOTES Become a Newsletter Friend to stay in the know and get weekly-ish encouragement! Stay at the very charming Franklin in La Grange, Texas! We’re now taking inquiries… Join us Sundays onl

How do I sort through all the hard things that have accumulated in my life the past few years? Thanks for joining me in this mini-mester on the Dear Daughters Podcast these past few weeks as I tackle your deepest questions and biggest tangles. Let’s wrap up our time with one more question I get all the time. This week’s question is: How do I sort through all the hard things that have accumulated the past few years? How do I understand the why behind all the suffering? You need soul alignment to help you sort through all the really big, hard questions in your life. There are three questions I want to address to help you find soul alignment: How should I think about suffering? How should I feel about suffering? What should I do about suffering? I pray that your heart and mind align with God’s purpose in your story. I pray that you allow yourself to feel the heaviness of suffering and allow the grief to bring us through to the other side of suffering … and that it softens your heart and leads you to help other

Why can’t I find or make time for myself?  That’s a question I get from women quite a lot. So let’s talk about it and see if you can wonder a bit on the why beneath it. It’s the last week of this mini-mester on the Dear Daughters Podcast. I’m so grateful you’re here, friend. Let’s keep tackling your deepest questions and biggest tangles. Three ways to make time for you starts with soul goals. You need prioritize the inside health of who you are (those soul-ish parts of you) … your heart, mind, will, and personality. Time to play, to be quiet and to experience joy. Can you think of a time that we need more soul care than right now? It’s all about the little things that bring rest and delight into your life and create a cozy place for people to be invited into. Soul Goal #1: Schedule you into your calendar. Excuse: I’m too busy. You make time in your daily schedule to brush your teeth, to eat, to work and take care of your family … you prioritize a lot of things but what about your soul? You don’t think you’re

Do you get a little prick in your heart when you think about someone you have unresolved conflict with? I’m so grateful you’re here, friend. Let’s keep tackling your deepest questions and biggest tangles in this mini-mester on the Dear Daughters Podcast. This week’s question is: What do I do when I have unresolved conflict in my relationships? You need soul space. You need space to sort things out so you can walk in wisdom in the midst of unresolved conflict. When you have unresolved conflict, you need to start with two things. You need a listener … a mentor, pastor, spiritual director, therapist, depending on the longevity and severity of the conflict … to help us gain wisdom and perspective. You need an appointment with them to make space for yourself to catch up with all the pain. Sometimes we need to address conflict head on … sometimes we need to address it gently … and sometimes we don’t need to address it with the other person at all. But to know how to address the conflict we need to be walking in w

Why is the world so confusing? Welcome back to week two of this mini-mester on the Dear Daughters Podcast! Let’s keep tackling your deepest questions and biggest tangles. This week’s question is: What do I do when the world so confusing? You need soul perspective. The kind that brings peace and rest and joy again. There are two “worlds” you live in: 1) The Big Wide World … in your neighborhood, city, state, across the country, and across the globe. You don’t have much control over this world. And you have to remember that you are getting glimpses of this world through other peoples’ perspectives. 2) Your Small World … your personal world, your relationships, your choices, etc. You have more influence here but it is not meant for you to manage on your own. O LORD, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me. Psalm 131:1 Confusion and chaos

Have you been feeling extra stressed out and exhausted lately? Welcome back to the 2022 mini-mester on the Dear Daughters Podcast. I’m tackling your deepest questions and biggest tangles every Monday and Wednesday for the next couple weeks.  This week’s question is: Why am I so stressed out and exhausted? The answer is simple: You need REST. God modeled rested in the very beginning of creation on the seventh day. When Jesus was exhausted, he went away. We were created to need rest, body and soul. You need a Sabbath. You need a God date. A day to enjoy and delight in the little things that refresh your body and soul. You can take a break from everything in your life because God is in control. All those things are part of the beautiful process started by God … and he will complete that process, too. So I hope you feel encouraged and hopeful about your one beautiful life. And if right now, you don’t feel like your life is very beautiful … I want you to remember that you’re still in the middle of your story. SHOW

Have you ever wondered what you’re supposed to do with you life? This next couple weeks on the Dear Daughters Podcast, I’m taking these kinds of questions head-on in a mini-mester kind of way. That’s what I’m talking about on the podcast this month to celebrate 2022. Join me here Monday and Wednesday for the next couple weeks as I dive in with your biggest questions, your deepest tangles.  The number one question I get from women is: What am I supposed to do with my life? I love when women ask that question because it shows me their heart. It means that they are earnestly wanting to know the right thing to do—the thing that will please God. It means they are asking: What is my soul purpose? Here are the three truths you need to know … and what I’m talking about on the podcast today. You were made by God.  You were made for God.  You were made to love God.  I pray that you know those three truths and filter everything in your life through them … because that’s where your soul purpose is found. SHOW NOTES Ge

After the last two episodes about holiday blunders and setting healthy boundaries during the holidays, this week we’re talking all about Christmas! I’m sharing a few important reminders for the Christmas season, like to keep Christmas simple and to not miss the wonderful gift of Jesus. And I share three secrets to the season. I’m also answering some questions like, Christmas Day or Christmas Eve? and matching pajamas or ugly Christmas sweater? So thanks for listening in! I hope that you experience the joy and wonder and peace that Jesus brings. SHOW NOTES Listen to Episode 162: Setting Healthy Boundaries During the Holidays. Listen to Episode 163: Learning from Holiday Blunders. Become a Newsletter Friend to get a weekly-ish dose of encouragement and find out about all the workshops and events coming up. Follow me on Instagram. Learn more about other ACF Ministry Partners here. Listen to more of Sara Davis Regan’s music. :) Join us Sundays online at my home church, Austin Christian Fellowship.  

Holidays are just a little bit happier with pie, don’t you think? In last week’s episode we talked about holiday blunders. The week before we talked about setting healthy boundaries during the holidays. This week we’re talking about all things pie! Maybe you’re a pie expert or maybe you’re like Tori and you’re making a pie for the very first time. Either way, this episode is for you! I’m sharing tips and answering questions you asked. Here are just four of the things I want you to know—and there’s plenty more, so listen in… Try a custard pie first (like pumpkin or buttermilk)—they’re the easiest kind of pie. The pie crust might just be the most important part of the pie. Use a glass pie dish (go thrifting or estate sale shopping to find one). If it looks a little messy, that screams homemade pie. I’m praying that your holidays are filled with joy and wonder and peace—and pie! And I hope you are surrounded by friends and family who will share that pie with you. SHOW NOTES Listen to Episode 162: Setting Hea

You want to be your best but sometimes the holidays can mess with your best intentions. In last week’s episode we talked about setting healthy boundaries during the holidays. This week, I'm here to talk about all the things we tend to do that can make the holidays more difficult (I’m calling them “holiday blunders”)—and how to experience the holidays in a healthier (and more enjoyable) way. Here are some of the blunders. Can you identify with any of these? Forcing old family expectations. Missing the point of gift-giving. Trying to be someone you’re not. Taking on more than you can handle—and not asking for help. Not discussing expectations. Ignoring grief that is triggered by the holidays. Giving the holidays more significance than any other days of the year. I hope this helps you experience the holidays in a new way. I pray that we are able to set healthy expectations and keep the holidays simple so we can fully enjoy this beautiful season. And I continue to pray that your holidays are filled with joy and

Ready or not we’re headed into the holiday season once more! I hope the next couple episodes of the podcast help you to have the most beautiful holidays. The holiday season is joyful and wonderful but it can also be stressful and exhausting if your priorities get out of whack. That’s why I want to take a couple minutes to talk about setting healthy boundaries. Here are a few things discussed in this holiday episode: Why boundaries are important during the holidays. How to stay connected to God during the busyness of the holidays. How to give a kind “no” when it’s one thing too many. How to choose where to spend your energy during the holidays. Ways to honor and set aside time with your priority people. Ways to set a boundary in conversation. How to practice soul care before the holidays. I hope that you get to spend time with family and friends and all the people you love this holiday season. I hope that your holidays are filled with joy and wonder and peace. My prayer for you and for me is that we are able

This week I am sooooo excited to spotlight Brandy Barr’s incredible story on the Dear Daughters Podcast. She found the way to extend ongoing forgiveness and grace after her husband’s infidelity. I am honored for her to share her hard yet hopeful story with you. Brandy is a spiritual mama. Here are a few things you should know about Brandy: She was born and raised in Tyler, Texas, and moved to Austin in 1993 after she married her high school sweetheart. After 7 years of marriage, she discovered that her husband cheated on her. After counseling and another betrayal, they divorced. She is the mother of two boys, Taylor (21) and Jackson (16). . Then something happened that surprised even Brandy. God prompted Brandy to get to know the woman her husband remarried. Here are a few of the incredible things that followed: Brandy invited the woman and her daughter to church. Brandy baptized the daughter. The women asked Brandy for forgiveness … and she was able to extend grace. She accepted Christ and Brandy baptized

Anxiety can make you feel all alone. Like you’re the only one. But you’re not. You are not alone. I had the privilege of meeting some of the loveliest, bravest women at my workshop last month and I want to spotlight some of the important things we uncovered together. Here are a few of the things to know… You can be free. You are not alone. There is joy on the other side of anxiety. Listen closely to the hope you hear from God.  Finding peace and freedom isn’t one size fits all. I pray that you can find joy and freedom and peace … it’s not one size fits all, so my prayer is that you discover the steps you need to take, however big or small, so that you can love and live your one beautiful life. SHOW NOTES Become a Newsletter Friend to get a weekly-ish dose of encouragement … and find out about the next workshop. Follow me on Instagram. Support and learn more about Apartment Life. Learn more about other ACF Ministry Partners here. Listen to more of Sara Davis Regan’s music. :) Join us Sundays online at my ho

Welcome to the Dear Daughters Podcast: Round Top Round Table edition! My daughters Sara and Emily are here with me to inspire you to all kinds of creativity! And we’re also here to let you in on all our secrets to make the most of the Round Top Antiques Fair. Emily revealed that she feels like the best version of herself at Round Top (and loves the kettle corn). Sara loves staying in Round Top because she gets to flex a different creative muscle and be imaginative there. I love how freeing Round Top feels. It’s a whole beautiful experience! We hope you get to experience that feeling someday, too, in your creative mecca – wherever it may be. SHOW NOTES Check out more about the Round Top Antiques Fair. Visit Rachel Ashwell’s Shabby Chic website. Check out the Vintage Round Top. Become a Newsletter Friend to get a weekly-ish dose of encouragement … and stay up to date on all the fun things. Visit Emily’s beautiful site. :) Support and learn more about Apartment Life. Learn more about other ACF Ministry Partners

Welcome to my first Spotlight Mentor Session. If you’re on the lookout for a mentor, it’s an opportunity for you to hear what it would be like to have a mentor sit down with you and ask questions about your life. If you’re curious about being a mentor, it’s a chance for you to hear how easy and natural it is to create space for a younger woman to reflect on her life. I’m thrilled for you to meet Jaclyn. She’s 19 years old. She goes to the University of Texas. She loves Jesus. And she has a lot of questions about life and loves the opportunity to sit with someone a little older and wiser to talk to about all the things. I think a lot of us wish for that, too. Let’s start with who a mentor is… Someone a couple steps ahead of you. Someone who is curious about your life. Someone willing to listen and ask the right questions. Someone who wants to be with you in the good as well as the messy parts of your life. This week we’re drinking coffee and talking through a few of Jaclyn’s questions: What does it look lik

Raise your hand if your kids are teaching you things about yourself that you didn’t know you needed to know. Thanks for listening in to the Dear Daughters Podcast! I’m so glad you’re here for the Spotlight Series. This week, let me introduce you to my new friend, Sarah Bragg. Sarah Bragg is a mom, a horsewoman, an author, and an encourager. She just moved from Atlanta back to Tennessee, where she grew up. Sarah has been married to her husband Scott for 16 years. They have two daughters in middle school, Rory and Sinclair, and a hound dog named Murray. She wrote a new book called A Mother’s Guide to Raising Herself and hosts a podcast, Surviving Sarah, to encourage women to grow and become their most authentic selves … and equip them to do more than just survive life. Join me and Sarah as we talk about what we can learn as we parent … not just about how to be a better parent but also about how to become our most authentic selves. We talk about the importance of being kind to ourselves and we talk about how t

How do you find freedom from your fears…and stay free? What things can you do to help you manage anxiety? And how do you best love someone who struggles with fear and anxiety? These are the questions you asked and I’m here to answer them! Thanks for listening in to the Dear Daughters Podcast! I’m so glad you’re here. Especially because we are starting a Spotlight Series this September. To start things off we’re highlighting YOU and will answer all sorts of questions that you are wondering. We’re continuing to field your questions related to various topics this season. This week we are continuing to talk about fear, worry, and anxiety. If you missed the first part of this episode, be sure to go back and listen here. These are a few things we talk about this week: How trauma and anxiety in your mind connects to trauma and anxiety in your body. How a creative outlet or hobby can help you handle fear. How to walk in freedom from your fears and anxiety. How to love someone who struggles with fear and anxiety. I