The Encourager Podcast: Equipping Christian Moms to Harmonize Work and Home

So far on the Encourager, we have talked all about children and business.  This week I felt it necessary to have a chat about those wonderful spouses of ours!  Your partner can be your greatest asset and support to your business.  Cluing them in on your passions and goals can help you too see eye to eye and prevent unwanted tension.  My episode this week shares some tips I have learned through my entrepreneurial venture alongside my husband.  We didn’t do everything right in the beginning; but after twelve years I believe we have developed a helpful system that is worthwhile to share with you! *This episode is sponsored by Rebekah Scott Designs ™.  Find at shoprsd.com* Check out the reflection guide on my website under the “Encourager Podcast” tab. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

It is harvest season in the Midwest! The fact that my “harvest season” for my business coincides with my husband’s occupation may be a coincidence; but it only reiterates the importance of planning ahead for busy seasons!  Whether it is life or work, we all have eventful times of the year that require extra preparation and coordination.  My episode this week is geared at providing tips for big events in your industry. Specifically, I highlight planning ahead, estimating inventory demands, alerting loved ones for the impact, and wrapping up with the event with helpful organizing and financing tips.  You don’t want to miss the details in this one! *This episode is sponsored by Rebekah Scott Designs™.  Find at Shoprsd.com.* Check out the reflection guide in the “Encourager Podcast” on my website. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

As a business owner, you are given lots and lots of advice--some good and some not. However, I am going to look at the positive side today in hopes of giving YOU some of the best tips I have gathered in my 12 years of work. Specifically, I outline the importance of becoming the status quo in your industry, staying true to your mission and vision, creating a business that others regard in the highest sense, hiring out the details so everyone can use their strengths, and lastly making sure the kids are given the appropriate attention to feel loved.  These five things, in my opinion, are the reasons Rebekah Scott Designs has been so successful.  Your business can be as well!   Join me today to learn more! *This episode is sponsored by Rebekah Scott Designs™.  Find at shoprsd.com* Check out the reflection guide for this episode under the “Encourager Podcast” tab. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Taking a new spin on our interviews this week, I feel so encouraged share this powerful episode on happiness with Mike Ferry.  Mike Ferry is a father of four, a veteran middle school teacher, and also the author of Teaching Happiness and Innovation. His book’s vision is helping children develop habits of happiness and innovation.  During the episode we both share our philosophies of happiness and gratitude and how those concepts help to promote success.  The ideas we discuss in this podcast can easily be applied to your children’s lives but also to your own.  As Mike would say, it is never too late to develop creativity and grow your happiness! *We apologize for the release delay of this interview. Technical difficulties.* *This episode is sponsored by Rebekah Scott Designs™.  Reflection guide in the Encourager Podcast tab on the bottom of the website.* Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

As moms, we tend to put our husbands and children first.  We work and work so hard that we don’t realize what we are missing, we don’t notice why we are so off…Then, the lightbulb flashes and the thought occurs that our needs have been put on the back burner. However, most of us don’t take that light bulb moment and ACT on it.  Instead we think to ourselves, “I just don’t have time for hobbies right now.”  This couldn’t be farther from the truth! Stacy Curtis reminds us this week that our passions are what energize and lift us from the path of burnout. Using her passion of writing as a source of income and creative outlet, Stacy shares in this episode how she remains organized while still making time for her corporate job and family. *This episode is sponsored by Rebekah Scott Designs™. Find at shoprsd.com* Check out the show notes under the “Encourager Podcast” tab on my website. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

This week on “The Encourager” I focus in on expounding my priorities.  Being a servant of God, a wife to Nicholas, a mother of four, and owner and designer of Rebekah Scott Designs are the key components of me that guide my life. Everyone has their own priorities; but sometimes they can be hard to identify. One helpful tip (that I explain during the podcast) for pinpointing your priorities are listing off your deal breakers.  We have to be able to narrow down deal breakers so that we can clearly see our priorities. I hope today’s episode can help kick-start your priority list or fine tune the preexisting one! *This episode is sponsored by Rebekah Scott Designs. Find at shoprsd.com* Check out the show notes under the "Encourager Podcast" tab on my website. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Joining us on "The Encourager" this week is the resourceful Tiffny Hagan. An expert in virtual office assistance, Tiffny shares her story and wisdom about organization and dealing with pesky paperwork.  Today's ever-present technology can certainly enhance productivity, however, many of us (myself included) get too wrapped up in our devices.  We can lose the power of control and focus in our businesses, families, and relationships if we let technology consume our time. Tiffny's business, Virtual Office Advantage, is her way of helping businesses of all kinds organize and prioritize the influx information.  Listen this week to learn how to efficiently handle email, to create a hanging folder system in your home or business, and ultimately how to take back control!   *This episode is sponsored by Rebekah Scott Designs. Find at shoprsd.com* Check out the Reflection Guide under the "Encourager Podcast" tab on my website. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

 This week on “The Encourager” I highlight the importance of a brain dump. Personally, I will go crazy if I try to keep all the reminders and to-do items inside my head!  Find out within the episode about the where, what, and why’s of my brain dumps. Closely connected to brain dumps are the distractions that keep us from accomplishing our to-do lists. Email, social media, TV, etc. get the best of us working moms if we allow them to!  Tune in to hear how I have limited distractions during the day so that you can apply a few techniques to your life.  *This episode is sponsored by Rebekah Scott Designs™. Find at shoprsd.com*  Check out the show notes under the “Encourager Podcast” tab on my website.   Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Bringing tons of excellent advice on how to purify your kitchen, Kelly the Kitchen Kop is our wonderful guest on the show this week.  What I love about the show this week is Kelly has advice for anyone who wants to make a change, large or small, in their diet and cooking.  Of course moms (and dads) want what is best for our families to stay healthy! This episode highlights some of the basic steps we can implement to achieve a healthier life. Sharing her expertise through advice on the show, her book (found in the show notes), and her blog, Kelly opens eyes about the misconceptions of healthy food, warns to stay away from packaged, preservative-packed foods, and instead advocates real food. Listen to the show to pick up helpful tips for your lifestyle and afterwards follow up on the show notes to check out Kelly the Kitchen Kop's helpful resources. *This episode is sponsored by Rebekah Scott Designs™ Find at shoprsd.com* Check out the show notes on her website under the "Encourager Podcast" tab.   Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

  *This episode is sponsored by Rebekah Scott Designs™.  Find at shoprsd.com*   Don’t panic!  Derailments happen to everyone—even the most organized, patient mother. This week I share a recent (mini)crisis in my business while providing 5 critical steps that allowed me to get back on track.  These steps can be applied to any variety of derailments caused from work, home, or family situations. I believe derailments are God’s way of slowing us down, humbling us, and reminding us to keep our focus on Him. The most important thing to do in these situations is to find your calm. Tune in to learn about my 5 key steps to get back on track along with a few personal tidbits I implement for my employees and myself when chaos arises.   Check out the reflection guide on the “Encourager Podcast” tab on my website.   Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.