The Second Cup Show Deidre Braley

Jessica is a straight-talking writer, pastor, runner (and American Ninja Warrior, whaaaat?!), and mom to five: two adopted, two autistic, and one typical teen boy.
She is a champion for foster care and adoption. She is also a champion for moms discovering their God-given purpose and calling—within AND beyond their mothering.
I have to warn you: you’ve got to listen to this one at your own risk. You will likely feel challenged & convicted to go do whatever it is that you’ve been setting aside for years now, because it hasn’t been the right time.
Do you know someone who would be encouraged by this episode? Please share it with them!


In this episode, we talk about:
* That time Jessica planned a 110-mile run (in 1 DAY) to raise awareness for foster care & adoption
* God’s original intent for men & women & marriage & calling, as evidenced by creation
* P.S. you might be surprised what the Hebrew translation for “helpmate” is when God created woman in Genesis
* Parenting not as the end goal, but as training wheels for laying down our lives for others throughout our whole lives
* Doing what we can with what we have, and what happens when God’s exponential nature is applied to it.
* Mom guilt—and how to get free of it
Connect with Jessica:
* Get her book, Unlimited Motherhood
* Listen to her podcast, The Full Spectrum Parent: A Faith-Based Autism Parenting Podcast
* Find out more about her life & the All 4 One Run she cofounded with her husband on her website
* On Instagram, @jessicahurlbut



This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thesecondcup.substack.com/subscribe

Join Matthew Nash , Sarah Steele, Kristi Clark, Kim D. Butler, Mary Folkerts and me for Part II of this conversation where we each share an original, never-before-shared poem and the story behind its conception. Consider this your backstage pass to being part of a community of poets. And if you missed Part I, listen to it below!

I try not to pick favorites, but…
…how can I not be over-the-moon excited to share the rest of this amazing conversation with you?
If you listened to the first part of this conversation in Episode 10, then you know we teased you BIG time by talking about our muses and the evolution of our poetic selves—but left the actual sharing of poetry for THIS EPISODE.
AND THESE POEMS ARE STUNNERS. You NEED them in your life.
So here’s the rest of the conversation, friends. Join our proverbial circle and come get cozy with:
…the poems.
…the stories.
…and the amazing people behind them.

Which poem resonated most with you? Show a little love in the comments below!

The kindest this you could possibly do is to engage with this post. Share it with someone who would love it, comment or click that little heart, and subscribe! Thanks for being here.

Connect with the poets:

* Matthew Nash: On Insta @matthewnash1, on his website for Kardia Community
* Sarah Steele: Buy her book, An Ocean Without
* Kristi Clark: On Insta @pine_and_tide
* Kim Butler: On Insta @kim.d.butler, on her website The Whiteboard Room
* Mary Folkerts: On Insta @maryfolkerts, on her website
* Deidre Braley: On Insta @deidressecondcup, buy her book, The Shape I Take
P.S. Be sure to subscribe to The Second Cup Show wherever you listen to podcasts so you don’t miss our next episode with Jessica Hurlbut, author of Unlimited Motherhood


This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thesecondcup.substack.com/subscribe

GUYS. It’s National Poetry Month.
Back when I was an elementary school teacher, April was my favorite month because it was a multi-week opportunity to educate kids on the power of poetry and to help them realize that
a.) poetry is for the people
b.) poetry is for rebels
And we did it UP. The kids would work all month on original poetry, and then we’d invite all their families in for Poetry Cafe Night, where we’d pour hot cocoa and pretend we were beatniks. The kids would perform their poetry while we beamed with pride.
Well, being a part of The Second Cup Poetry Jam & Slam community kind of feels like that, except we mostly drink caffeine instead of cocoa.
This episode has major acoustic story hour vibes.
Today, five of my favorite poet friends from our Jam & Slams join The Second Cup Show to talk all things poetry, like:
* Our personal journeys to becoming poets
* How our ideas of poetry are evolving
* Who our muses would be like if they were people
Join , Sarah Steele, , , Mary Folkerts and me for Part 1 of this conversation that honors the art of poetry and the value of sharing it with others. Consider this your backstage pass to being part of a community of poets.
The kindest this you could possibly do is to engage with this post. Share it with someone who would love it, comment or click that little heart, and subscribe! Thanks for being here.


P.S. Be sure to subscribe to The Second Cup Show wherever you listen to podcasts so you don’t miss PART 2 of this episode when it airs next week. Every poet guest will share an original poem, and you won’t want to miss a single one of those stunners.
Connect with the Poets
* Matthew Nash: On Insta @matthewnash1, on his website for Kardia Community
* Sarah Steele: Buy her book, An Ocean Without
* Kristi Clark: On Insta @pine_and_tide
* Kim Butler: On Insta @kim.d.butler, on her website The Whiteboard Room
* Mary Folkerts: On Insta @maryfolkerts, on her website
* Deidre Braley: On Insta @deidressecondcup, buy her book, The Shape I Take



This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thesecondcup.substack.com/subscribe

Share this with a mom who needs to hear it!

God asks me to be faithful with what he’s given me—NOT what he’s given someone else.
Lara d’Entremont

My stance on talking about motherhood is that it should never, never be sugar-coated. When we aren’t honest about the ways our humanness intertwines with parenting, we do a disservice to mothers everywhere.
That’s why I want you to listen to this conversation with Lara d’Entremont. She wrote the book A Mother Held: Essays on Motherhood and Anxiety and she holds nothing back. Lara is super honest and super courageous as she talks about her personal experiences with pregnancy loss, anxiety and depression, difficulties with breastfeeding, obsessive compulsions, and so much more. What I love best is that she doesn’t offer pat answers or false positivity; no, she is a woman who has worked through these struggles with fear and trembling and has come out on the other side, ready to help us through it, too.
In this interview, we talk about:
* What The Velveteen Rabbit can teach us about postpartum body image
* The myth of self-sufficiency
* Learning to stop “shoulding” ourselves
* Why it’s okay to set the bar reeeeeeaalllllly low when it comes to hospitality
* Our rational and irrational fears as parents (and how to handle them as they come)
What resonated most with you? Let us know in the comments below!
Show Notes
Connect with Lara on her website
Connect with Lara on Instagram @lara_dentremont
Buy A Mother Held on Calla Press Publishing
Connect with Deidre on Instagram @deidressecondcup
Buy The Shape I Take on Bottlecap Press (Deidre’s poetry collection on motherhood)


This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thesecondcup.substack.com/subscribe

Do you remember being a kid and playing outside in the cold?
You’re vaguely aware that your hands are raw and your nose is dripping, but you’ve gotten used to it and so you keep playing, until someone finally calls you in. It’s not until you kick off your boots and feel the warmth of the kitchen that you realize just how cold you really were.
Well, this episode is kind of like that—coming inside after playing out in the cold for a long time.
I don’t know about you, but when it comes to living & loving & creating & dreaming in this big ‘ole world, sometimes I feel like I’m out there playing in the cold. I find myself asking questions like, “Does my day-to-day even matter?” and “Am I doing enough with my life?”
Sometimes I panic and think, “NO! IT DOES NOT, AND I AM NOT!” Then I try to strong-arm my dreams into existence. I try to prove my worth.
It’s exhausting out there. And cold.
But in today’s conversation, it feels like Paige is standing at the doorway of the warm kitchen, saying, “Come in! You’ve been out there too long.”
And so I hope you will.
We talk everything from redefining the constructs of success to the woes of self-promotion.
Paige shares about her 9-year journey to a deal for her book, “He Knows Your Name,” and what she learned after meeting Miss India and some of the country’s most impoverished women—in the same day.
We discuss whether God looks at Instagram #s and how we can reframe the way we see rejection.
And, the part I love best: Paige shares a very practical strategy for feeling (not just knowing about) Jesus’ love for yourself.
So come on in. If you’ve been playing in the cold for a while, too, this one’s for you.
Oh, a p.s.?
I am giving away a copy of He Knows Your Name: How 7 Nameless Women of the Bible Reveal Christ’s Love For You.
Do you want to maybe win it? Just comment “YES” below and I’ll put your name in a hat! I’ll announce the winner in next week’s letter!
SHOW NOTES
Paige’s website
Connect with Paige on Instagram
Connect with Deidre on Instagram
Get a copy of Paige’s book, “He Knows Your Name: How 7 Nameless Women of the Bible Reveal Christ’s Love For You.”


This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thesecondcup.substack.com/subscribe

I needed a valid excuse to shamelessly reach out to all the people I think are really cool and ask them all my nosy questions. Creating a show seemed like the perfect solution.
So here it is.
You’re the first to see this.
If you’ve been around here for at least 10 minutes, then you know that there’s little I’d rather talk about than really great books. Especially the ones that can challenge us, encourage us, and help us experience God in new ways.
That’s why I am so excited to welcome Walter Shaw as the very first guest onto the show today.
I first discovered Walter on his Instagram account, @wtsreads, and became an instant follower and fan when I realized that he was sharing books on theology that I had never encountered before. He encourages his people to read more, shares key takeaways from the books he’s currently reading, and shares practical tips on prayer and other spiritual disciplines. He also has a YouTube channel that serves as a book vlog. 


This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thesecondcup.substack.com/subscribe