Some days, family life feels more like chaos than connection, doesn’t it? There are dishes in the sink, sharp words we wish we could take back, kids who don’t always get along, and moments where we wonder, Is this really what a ‘strong family’ is supposed to look like?
If you’ve ever felt that tension, this week’s episode of The Love Offering Podcast is especially for you. I’m talking with Jessica Smartt about her new book, Come On Home, and her message is such a relief: your family doesn’t have to be perfect to be strong.
A strong family isn’t built on flawless behavior, matching outfits, or a constantly peaceful home. It’s formed in the ordinary, imperfect moments—apologies after arguments, prayers whispered in the hallway, small traditions that make your people feel seen and safe, and a steady love that says, “You belong here, no matter what.”
If you’ve ever:
- Wished your home felt more like a haven than a battleground
- Wondered if it’s “too late” to change the culture of your family
- Carried guilt over what hasn’t gone the way you hoped
Jessica’s words will encourage you. In our conversation, she shares:
- Thirteen foundational traits that help families grow strong in real life, not ideal life
- Honest stories from her own family and from other families with all kinds of backgrounds
- Practical ideas for building a connection between siblings and creating a home your kids want to come back to
- Hope for breaking unhealthy family patterns and offering your children a new legacy of faith and grace
What I love most is Jessica’s reminder that God is at work in the middle of the mess. The disappointments, the conflicts, the things you wish you could redo—He can use all of it. Your faithfulness today, even in small ways, can ripple into future generations.
Friend, it’s not too late.
Not too late to start praying more intentionally for your family.
Not too late to repair a strained relationship.
Not too late to create rhythms that make your home gentle, welcoming, and full of grace.
Your family doesn’t need you to be perfect—just present, prayerful, and willing to keep loving.
Listen to the episode here.
Cheering you on as you build a strong, grace-filled home,
Rachael
Summary
In this heartfelt episode of the Love Offering Podcast, Rachael Adams and Jessica Smartt explore the essence of building a grace-filled family. They discuss the challenges and joys of creating a home environment that prioritizes love and connection over perfection. Through personal stories and biblical insights, they emphasize the importance of prayer, intentionality, and the legacy of faith. Whether you’re navigating the ups and downs of family life or seeking inspiration for your spiritual journey, this conversation offers wisdom and encouragement for every listener.
Takeaways
A wise woman builds her house, but a foolish woman tears it down.
Cultural influences can subtly lead us to destructive behaviors.
It’s important to reflect on how we treat our loved ones.
Aligning with God’s principles is crucial for a fulfilling life.
Social media can distort our understanding of what is normal.
We must be aware of the subconscious actions that affect our homes.
Building a supportive environment requires intentionality.
Understanding wisdom is key to personal growth.
Our actions can have a profound impact on our families.
Faith should guide our decisions and relationships.
Transcript (AI Generated)
Rachael Adams (00:01.416)
Welcome to the Love Offering Podcast. I’m your host, Rachel Adams, author of Everyday Prayers for Love, learning to love God, others, and even yourself. Each week, we dive into meaningful conversations about how to live out the greatest commandment, loving God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and loving our neighbors as ourselves. Whether through inspiring stories, practical tips, or biblical truths, I hope to encourage you to love boldly, live faithfully, and reflect God’s love in your everyday life. My guest today is Jessica Smartt.
She is a beloved author and mom who writes with warmth, wisdom, and humor about family, faith, and meaningful connection. Her newest book is titled Come On Home, a grace-filled guide to raising a family who loves and likes each other. Well, hi Jessica, and welcome to the Love Offering Podcast. I’m so happy to have you.
Jessica Smartt (00:49.384)
Yeah, it’s fantastic to be here and chat with you. And I’m sure you have regular listeners that don’t know you in person, but for anyone who doesn’t, Rachel is the real deal. She is just as kind and loving as she comes across. So sometimes when you’re listening, you’re like, I wonder what that person is like in real life. But Rachel is, it’s very kind, and a dear friend. So, you guys are lucky to get to listen to her.
Rachael Adams (01:17.514)
Well, thanks. Well, I feel the same way about you. We’ve been fortunate to be in a mastermind together. And then we had the opportunity to meet in person at a lake house. And that was such a treat. And so I, that’s why I’m excited about this, this book is that you aren’t just talking the talk, but you’re walking the walk. And I’ve seen that in your life. And so, for those who don’t know you yet, tell us a little bit about your family and what you do daily. What makes Jessica smart? Jessica smart.
Jessica Smartt (01:53.174)
Yes, well, I have three kids. So we’re in the middle stage of parenting. We have a 16-year-old, a 14-year-old, and an 11-year-old. And we live on a family compound, we call it, with my parents across the street and then my two sisters. So 10 kids are running around. There are 11 cats; it may be 12. We’ll lose some, get in some, and horses and dogs and all that kind of stuff. We homeschool our kids, and then I’ve written a couple books, help out at our homeschool co-op, and do laundry, and those are the things that I can do.
Rachael Adams (02:36.058)
So tell us about your upbringing. I’d be interested to hear about your mom and your dad. You obviously have a really close-knit family even still. So tell us about how you were brought up.
Jessica Smartt (02:56.244)
Yeah, yes, so there are four of us in my family. I’m the oldest, and then two girls and a boy. And I probably had a unique childhood because my dad traveled and worked a lot and was very busy. And I have a lot of memories of just wanting to leave him little notes, or of my brother smuggling his bear in his bag when he went on these long trips. And I would sneak down and like smell his pillow because it smelled like his cologne. So it was hard. He looks back and was very successful, but he definitely knows he missed out. And he’s a fantastic grandfather, which is cool to see him, you know, find some kind of redemption in a small way. But he was a very present and loving father when he was there. He was like this larger-than-life personality when he was home. So my mom was the one who kept the ship afloat. She’s a very steady presence, and it was like that’s what she did. She took care of the kids, and that’s even now, her family is the most important thing. You know, people would have said You should get out more. You should do, she did a little bit, but really it was like, that’s what she did, and I always think it’s kind of worked out for her in the end because we’re all very close. She has reaped you know what she has sown, she’s poured into us, and you know, now to be able to pour into all of these grandkids and stuff. So she was the glue that held everything together. And yeah, we’re still close with all of our siblings. It’s certainly like you live on a compound. There’s always going to be issues, right? So it’s not like this. Everything is perfect all the time. But it’s definitely a gift, and it’s cool to see what my parents have built and passed on to other generations.
Rachael Adams (00:43.359)
I love hearing about your upbringing, but we’re going to take another brief break to listen to a word from today’s sponsor. And when we come back, we’ll talk about what it really means to build a strong family, not a perfect one, but a grace-filled one.
Rachael Adams (01:03.815)
Welcome back to the Love Offering podcast. I’m here with Jessica Smartt. And before the break, we were talking about your upbringing; now, let’s talk about what it means to build a strong, grace-filled family in the middle of real life. So I attended a Lisa TerKeurst conference, and during it, she talked about the story of Joseph and how dysfunctional his family was. And then she said, if we went around the room of every single woman, each woman, if she handed them the microphone, they would talk about how dysfunctional their family is, too. And so it’s so important that we start there and realize there is no perfect family. Like, we all have something we’re carrying and all struggle because we’re all human. And so for the woman listening, that’s like, I want to create a beautiful home environment, but what does that even look like in the midst of my real-life mess? What would you say to her?
Jessica Smartt (02:09.698)
Well, I opened the book by talking about my grandmother, who just loved us so well and is the matriarch we have. She had seven kids, 23 grandkids, and 15 great-grandkids, and just so many of them walking with the Lord. But her life was really, really, really hard. Like more complicated than almost anyone I know today because they faced a lot of poverty. She had a challenging marriage, a very chaotic life. But she clung to Jesus, and she just loved whoever walked in the house, whoever was there, and she loved us really, really well. So it’s a deep source of comfort to me that, even when things make life complicated, God can actually use that. Now, when I look at my Grammy, I’m like, my goodness, praise the Lord. Like, he obviously did that. It wasn’t because she had this perfect life. He did something despite her weakness. And so, I look to that for such an example in my own life, and my mom was the same. And there are probably people listening right now who feel like they’re annoyed by this conversation. They don’t want to think about it. They have many unmet expectations or complex relationships.
Jessica Smartt (03:27.618)
But we all carry something. Like I could tell my stories, you could tell your stories. We all have that difficult thing that I think Satan likes us to make us feel like, you can’t really have a strong family because blank. Well, that’s why everyone does. And there are always ups and downs in seasons, and we’re seeing the little snippet of what’s current. Still, there’s a much bigger story being written like that kind of cliche thing about the upholstery when you flip over the cross stitching, and it’s like this big hot mess, and then look over, and it’s this beautiful picture. And again, it’s cliché, but it’s so true with the Lord that we’re seeing the little picture right now of the stress and disappointment and, you know, conflict, but he is writing a bigger story. And as you said, with Joseph, that’s a great example because he brought something so amazing out of something like they literally threw him in a pit to kill him. So I think if he can overcome that, he can overcome what we are facing.
Rachael Adams (04:24.523)
Yes. Yeah, no, absolutely. And I’m just thinking about the title of your book, Come on Home. What do you think makes a house a home? It really is more about how you make people feel in your home than about the things or even the activities.
Jessica Smartt (04:44.076)
Yes, there’s a lot there because I do think the actual home needs to be inviting. If you want people to come home, they should like it. And one of the chapters is about making your little nest. But not everyone in the world can enjoy it as much as your family does. And so, looking at each member of the family, like, how can I love them well? Some people like clutter, some don’t, and some really love food and whatever. So there’s a part of that that I don’t wanna brush over.
I would be silly to say it doesn’t matter at all. Your house can be like a total tornado, and everybody will be happy. That’s not true. But we’ve all been in houses that are prim and proper and so structured that we did not feel welcome. And my mom modeled this so well, because her home is beautiful, but you feel like you can tuck your feet under you with a cup of coffee and sit there, and she’ll listen to you. She always modeled that people were more important than things.
And that’s hospitality, right? Like, really loving the people and not performing. So, it’s the same thing with our kids, but yeah, it can be hard because we want to work hard and make this beautiful setting. But people live here, and they make messes, and they get on our nerves, and that’s all very natural, right?
Rachael Adams (06:00.565)
This past week was my husband’s birthday, and I had worked for two days, getting him gifts, cleaning the house, and going to the butcher shop to get some seafood. And so we’re in Kentucky, and so seafood is hard to come by. The butcher convinces me to get the crab claws instead of the crab legs because he says they’re already cooked and you can crack them with a spoon. And so I’m like, this is perfect. I don’t have to cook it, and it’s going to be easy for everybody to eat, and tons of meat. And so I bring it home. I have everything out and displayed beautifully for all our guests. And so everybody starts tapping it with their spoons. It’s making a mess. It’s not cracking.
And so I’m like, okay, everybody give me your crab claws. I’m going to start with my meat mallet and pound these well. Shells are going everywhere. It’s in my hair. It’s in like on my sweater. All of a sudden, I feel like this pain in my thumb, and I’m like, ah, that really hurt. And I thought I caught it with the meat mallet. So then I’m like finished, you know, banging on those, these claws, and I take it back to the table, and my daughter is like Mom, is that the cocktail sauce or are you bleeding? And so I literally had bled over all of this, this crab meat. And so I, in that moment, Jessica, I wanted to cry. There were tears in my eyes if I, if I was, I’m like going to get the bandaid because I had tried so hard, spent a lot of money, a lot of time, a lot of effort wanting to create this beautiful memory and this time in our home for my husband and for my family.
And then it turned out to be a complete disaster. And I do that on so many levels when I romanticize how I want my family to be or want an event to be. And then it doesn’t turn out that way. And I’ve heard before, like the discrepancy or the distance between your expectation and the reality is where disappointment lives. And I think I live there quite a bit because I try to control things so much that when it doesn’t end up exactly the way that I thought it would or precisely in the opposite way that I thought that it would, it ends up like just really, I don’t know, defeating. And so I want you to speak into that a little bit about what perfection looks like to us, and kind of releasing a little bit of that control. And then to laugh at ourselves when things don’t go right.
Jessica Smartt (08:25.75)
Yes, and I will say that that guy told you a fib because you don’t just spoon on crabs to get them open. I was raised in Maryland, and he was not telling you the truth. So it’s not your fault that you serve them bloody crab. But you’re exactly right. And I love that story because how many moms have not felt that over some birthday or Christmas or something, you pour your heart into it, or vacation. So many things happen on vacation. It’s a very natural feeling. But as you were talking,
Jessica Smartt (08:55.946)
I thought about Jesus, and it came to mind like he lived his entire life pouring himself out, and how did we respond? Like he could have so easily looked and said, I made them this, you know, I’ve taught them, and I’ve shown them these miracles, and I serve them, I wash it, and look what they’re doing. Like he lived his entire life that way. And how he was able to do that was because the joy set before him, you know, and because he was obedient to the calling that God has put on his life. And so, there’s no like secret answer to making moms not want to cry in the kitchen when a big memory thing is going wrong. But the only solution is that we get our commands, fulfillment, purpose, and joy from God, not from anyone else on earth. And so it doesn’t matter if you’re talking about a mom or a teenage girl who’s looking for it in, you know, her relationship with her boyfriend, or you know, any other fill-in-the-blank of like a dynamic, nothing on earth is gonna really satisfy us. There’s not gonna be any meal that’s so perfect and no event that’s so perfect that it’s gonna meet you for the rest of your life. And so praise be to God that he gives us a deeper meaning and a deeper calling. And it stinks, it’s hard. And I don’t know what it’s like when I see a lot of your listeners have kids that are leaving the home, that are in college, and like you want so much more than they’re giving in that season. And the only way that you can keep giving without getting what you want is if you’re letting the Lord fill you up. And I don’t know what that looks like. So I will probably come and ask you for help when I get to that stage in life. I know that, maybe I sound so naive, but it’s biblical that, you know, we don’t get our fulfillment out of all of these little things in life going perfectly.
Jessica Smartt (10:57.568)
We get it because God is gonna fill us up, and he is our portion and our cup, and he’s put the boundary lines in pleasant places, and we look at him and not at whatever’s going wrong in our house.
Rachael Adams (11:10.231)
Yeah. And we learned to laugh about it. We all think it’s funny now. And I actually asked my husband, “What did we do for your birthday last year?” He said, You know, I don’t really remember. I’m like, well, we’re going to remember this one. It wasn’t a good memory, but we’ll definitely remember it. And you know, as you’re talking, go ahead. No, I was thinking about what you were talking about, you know, our relationship with the Lord, and when I think of your title, Come on Home. I think that’s what the Lord is speaking over us, too. This really is our temporary home, and we have an eternal home in the earth. And I love the picture he paints of him preparing a place for us with many rooms, and of our eventual home being a heavenly one. And so this idea of home is even deeper than we realize here on earth, like what we’re creating and the legacy and generations we are affecting based on how intentional we are and what we’re doing in our homes. That’s really impactful to think about.
Jessica Smartt (12:11.03)
Yeah, I love that so much. And that’s, yeah, that was a theme I tried to bring out, kind of. It’s like, it might all fall flat in our own homes because there’s no formula. Like, I know really amazing parents who have done everything right. And they’re, you know, grieving like a prodigal or just, just even lost. Like we have dear friends at church who lost their daughter to cancer, and you can’t ever fix that. But there’s always a brokenness this side of heaven. And so we make this cozy home for our kids. We want them to come home. That is good work. That is a purposeful work that can reap benefits across generations. So it’s not that it doesn’t matter, but no matter what, God is calling us to our eternal home. Because even the best moms I know, like my mom and my Grammy, whose work on earth ended, are welcomed into our eternal home. And if we really believe what we say we believe, that matters so much more than anything that we’re doing here. But as I say in the book, that somehow doesn’t make things on earth matter less. It makes them matter more because you’re like, I have the freedom. I don’t have to wrap up my identity, and I have the freedom to love my kids without worrying about how it ends, because this is just a tiny blink on earth.
But we are doing things that are impactful in continuing to love. And I’ve watched my mom now, we’re all in our 40s. And so I’ve watched her through a lot of stages where people were checked out and struggling really significantly with things, or not in the mood to listen to what she had to say. And she was very faithful in continuing to love them. And she always says, You’ve got to keep the doors to the relationship open. You continue to love. Of course, that doesn’t mean confrontation sometimes and saying, I’m seeing something here or you hurt me or whatever, but just continuing to love over the years. I think we kind of don’t see that big picture often, but we are all living such a long story with our kids, not only here on earth, but it’s going to be longer because, you know, we have heaven to enjoy that as well.
Rachael Adams (14:32.043)
Yeah, well, we’re going to take another brief break to hear a word from today’s sponsor. And when we come back, we’ll talk about discipline and connection.
Rachael Adams (14:42.771)
Welcome back to the Love Offering podcast. I’m here with Jessica Smartt. And so I would love to talk about this idea of, yes, we want to create a great home environment. Yes, we want to love our children well and make great memories, but like, how do we start to help them build relationships with one another? Like the fact that your subtitle talks about actually loving and even liking each other. How does that look in your own home?
Jessica Smartt (15:13.804)
Well, I’d be remiss not to mention prayer because, you know, we’re always brushing over that. But I read a praying life, and he, I don’t know if you’ve read that, but he talks about these little prayer cards that he makes where he continues to pray scripture over different areas of his life. You definitely have to read that book. It is so good. And so I implemented that system and just really faithfully, regularly prayed for things I wanted to see, you know, in our home and our kids. And God has answered those prayers, you know, just continuing to pray specifically for like this kid and this kid. And it’s just really, really cool how he has answered that. So that’s step one, right? But there are many practical things you can do. And the overarching principle I’ve adopted is to make sure they understand: this is your job right now. Like, my job is to be a wife and a mom, and your job is to be a really good big brother or whatever. That’s your calling. That is more important than the sports teams that you play on and the activities that you’re doing, and even your schoolwork. This is your calling from God. And if you’re not gonna do this, then some of those other things can take a pause, and like kind of having a little moment of like, you’re not gonna go run out and do all your other stuff if you’re not loving the people in your life. Well, we can just put in a quick time-out because, fast-forward 10 and 20 years, we wanna raise people who have marriages where they’re loving the people in their own homes. And so that character starts now to remind them that real godly people are loving the people in their homes and then going out to do their other stuff.
So that looks like a lot of different things throughout the ages and stages. But I remember my mom kind of calling me out on that in high school, like, you’re not really loving your little sister very well. And as a firstborn who was like perfect, I was devastated that I was getting reprimanded, but it stuck in my mind, right? And she was pointing out, you’re being a little bit of a hypocrite because you’re gone and doing all this stuff, and you’re kind of being mean to your little sister, and that’s hurtful to her. So just creating a culture where it’s not okay. Because of our busyness, it’s easy to drift from one thing to another and be very busy, but not really do the important stuff. So to have the guts to say, like, it’s so true that discipline hurts the mom more than the kid, right? Like, it’s annoying to be, like, actually, we’re not gonna do this thing. We’re not, cause you’re acting this way, and it’s not okay. So that’s like a negative. On the positive side, like I’ve seen some cool, I don’t know if you’ve ever done this, Rachel, but where they’re like, if siblings go out, I’ll pay, you know, and around Christmas, we always do like the name draw, Secret Santa, and that’s really fun, or like acts of kindness throughout the holidays or even Valentine’s Day, we kind of do like a Secret Santa Valentine’s version, which there should be a better name for, I don’t know why I don’t have one, but.
Rachael Adams (18:23.309)
Well, you, you’ve not mentioned this, but people may know you from memory making mom. And so you are really good at making memories with your children. But you’re right on the discipline. The Lord disciplines those whom he loves. We’re disciplined. There are consequences, but that is his love. And that’s our love for our family and wanting something more for them. And you’re right. It’s developing their character. I’ve said so many times that I feel like marriage and motherhood are God’s way of sanctifying us. Really, it’s making us more like him. And so on that note, is there a biblical concept of love that applies to this topic?
Jessica Smartt (19:05.678)
Well, as I’ve thought about being a wife and a mom, this might seem like a weird answer, but this is a verse that I think has maybe been the most significant one for me in this past year in Proverbs, when it says, A wise woman builds her house, but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands. And you read that at first, and you’re like, what in the world? Who would tear down their house with their hands? But we can, subtly and subconsciously, do things that tear our own house down and are not loving to the people in our own home. And I have no idea what that looks like for all of our listeners right now. But I do know that the culture is very opposed to many of the principles in the Word of God. And if you’re getting your orders from what people are doing on Instagram and what all my neighbors are doing, who really don’t know the Lord at all, you’re going to be living, or at least thinking, as usual, a very different life than what God calls us to. And so, really taking the time to be in his word every day and getting his instructions on how to spend my time. And because so much of today’s culture is me, me, me. Like, how do I feel, what are my activities, how do I look, and all my appointments? And like that, it’s subconsciously tearing your house down, in a way. If you’re living this thriving, happy life.
And there are a lot of people in your own home that are really struggling, like nobody would intentionally tear down their house. But if I’m not investing in, and really that verse, the Lord really has used that in my marriage of really thinking about whether I’m building up my marriage or tearing it down by my own hands, by things that I’m feeling and doing and that aren’t loving my husband. So I know that’s a complicated answer, and I went all over the place. Still, I really think like just getting rooted again in looking around and thinking, am I actually loving my family, or am I doing what I want personally? And really being in the Word of God so that he is giving you your instructions first. Because when you open your phone or go out into the world, they’re going to be telling you a lot of other things are more important. So you have to be grounded in the word absolutely.
Rachael Adams (21:23.755)
Yeah. Well, and I love how much your faith has inspired what you want to do in your home. You’ve talked about prayer. You’ve talked about time and scripture. You’ve talked about God being your eternal home and God having a basis for your identity in him. And so that really is the foundation. and that’s what we want to pass along at the end of the day. That’s what we want to pass along. That’s the legacy that we want to give to our children. And I’m just mindful that the enemy would love nothing more than to tear apart our families. That is his goal. And so what you were talking about and what we’re talking about today in your book and on the podcast, it is such important work. God loves the family, and it means that he first started the family all the way back in Genesis, and that was really important to him. And so this is something that really deserves a lot of our focus now and moving forward.
Jessica Smartt (22:18.306)
Yes, I love that idea of legacy because it can encourage us when we’re feeling disappointed, when we’re feeling hurt, when we’re not getting our expectations met, when we’re tired, whatever the thing is, kind of having that long view of what we’re building gives us fire underneath. And I was listening to, I don’t know if your kids are into Forrest Frank, he’s having a moment right now, Christian music, but he has a song that the first part of it is his grandfather talking to him. He calls his grandfather as he’s landing, actually in Charlotte at the Billy Graham Parkway, because his grandfather had been an advisor to Billy Graham and even spoke in the Billy Graham Crusade. And so you hear his grandfather praying over forests, just telling him, like, ‘we’ve been praying for you for years, right?’ And we’re so proud of you and how you’re impacting the next generation.
And if you know Farah’s story, he’s great now. He’s a huge number-one Christian musician, but he had many periods when he wasn’t walking with the Lord. And his grandparents continued to pray for him every single day and had no idea that he would now be releasing music and that all kinds of kids are getting inspired. It’s like this whole movement, with just the faithfulness of that grandfather, who walked with the Lord for years and years and years. Then he prayed for his grandkids. And who knows the impact?
Who knows the impact that your grandkids are gonna have, or mine, or one of the kids that our grandkids have? Like, it’s so cool to think that the things we’re faithfully doing could be impacting people a hundred years from now, that’s nuts. And so it really encourages us to keep going. And you know, whatever that looks like, God is so good at giving us our specific. He answers particular prayers for wisdom. Like, what does that mean today, God? Like, what do I do? What do you want me to do? So.
Rachael Adams (24:19.55)
Yeah. Yeah. This work really matters. What you’re doing really matters. And I’m just thinking, like, for the woman, that’s like, our home is a mess right now. And don’t give up. Start to do what Jessica’s told you to do in this episode: to pray and get in God’s word. And once you receive God’s love, let that love overflow to the people around you. So, such a meaningful conversation, so much at stake. So Jessica, tell us something you are loving right now.
Jessica Smartt (24:49.61)
This is the most cliché answer a 40-year-old woman could give, but I am loving the weighted vest I walk around with. Every time they’re really kind of having a moment. But honestly, like, I think it’s changed my life because I had gone to the classes, the hardcore, like. It was like, it gives me headaches, and my body was like, no, but walking and with the weighted vest, there’s all kinds of science and stuff, but it has affected my mood and my outlook, and I feel like it’s improved my anxiety, and so I love my weighted vest. That’s my thing.
Rachael Adams (25:23.583)
Okay, well, so I’m a walker. I’ve tried to get like my 10,000 steps in a day, but I don’t have a way to invest. So did you?
Jessica Smartt (25:28.778)
I know, remember you did. You need to ask for one for Christmas.
Rachael Adams (25:33.011)
Okay, I’m gonna add it to my Christmas list. Okay, and we’re gonna include it. Will you send us a link to the one you have, and then we’ll include it in the show notes. Okay. Well, that’s it. And okay. Well, I’m excited. This is I’ll report back if I can tell a difference. I know I’m gonna stay connected with you. I’m sure listeners will want to, so tell us how we can best do that and get a copy of your new book. Come on home.
Jessica Smartt (25:58.966)
Yes, so come on home on Amazon and wherever books are sold, and then also you might enjoy memory-making mom and let them be kids. And I would love to hear from anyone on Instagram. I’m usually good at checking messages. So let me know if you have any questions or what you enjoyed. I’m Jessica.smartt with two T’s.
Rachael Adams (26:19.669)
Well, would you pray for us as we close?
Jessica Smartt (26:24.468)
Lord, it’s impossible to know the many burdens, concerns, and joys that every person listening is going through, but I know that you are good and kind and faithful. And I particularly pray for the woman who feels at the end of her rope, discouraged and overwhelmed. And I pray that you would bring light into her home and that you would show her how, by faithfully persevering, she can continue to make an impact not only in her kids’ lives, but in their children and their children. And Lord, you are that God who cares for generations and works through families. And so I pray that you would just bind Satan in the ways that he’s trying to trip us up in all the things that he does, and that you would be with those women and with all of us, that you would help us to find joy in our eternal home and joy in our physical home too. In your name, amen.
Rachael Adams (27:19.719)
Amen. Well, thanks, friend. I appreciate your wisdom and all of the great practical tips that you’ve given us.
Jessica Smartt (27:40.898)
Thanks for having me.
Rachael Adams (27:43.621)
Thank you so much for listening to the Love Offering Podcast. I hope today’s conversation encouraged and inspired you to love God, love others, and even love yourself a little more. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend and leave a review. It helps others find the show and spreads the message of love even further. To connect with me, visit me on my website at rachelkadams.com. While you’re there, be sure to download the Love Offering Calendar, a free resource filled with simple daily ways to love those around you. Don’t forget to pick up a copy of my book, Everyday Prayers for Love, and Jessica’s book, Come On Home, a grace-filled guide to raising a family who loves and likes each other. Both are available now wherever books are sold, and we pray they inspire you to build a home rooted in grace and love. A special thank you to Life Audio for supporting this podcast and making it possible. To find more great podcasts, visit lifeaudio.com. Thanks again for joining us today. Until next time, let’s make our lives an offering of love.
