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In this heartfelt episode, Nikki shares an honest conversation about the tension so many mothers feel but rarely name, the joy and grief that exist side by side as our children grow and begin to let go of our hands.

From sending a child off to college to watching her youngest drive away for the first time, Nikki reflects on the moments that feel both painful and beautiful at once. She introduces the phrase “excruciatingly beautiful” to describe this season of motherhood where pride, loss, love, and change collide.

This episode is an encouragement to every mom navigating transitions, whether you’re holding a newborn, dropping off a kindergartener, or launching a young adult. You are not alone in what you feel, and you don’t have to choose between celebrating your child and grieving what’s changing.

Motherhood was never meant to be easy, but it is always sacred, always meaningful, and often… excruciatingly beautiful.

Hannah Noelles - American Idol Audition:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DURzx1MkT93/

Song on Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/track/6IVVZIm95vjLL9Vmmch30X?si=2fa701e63f1c44aa

Song on Apple Music:

https://music.apple.com/us/song/string-cheese/1812956887

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As we wrap up our three-part series on starting the new year with clarity and purpose, this episode focuses on one essential question: How do we stay in our race when the excitement fades and the work gets hard?

We explore why we often expect quick results in the beginning but underestimate what steady faithfulness can produce over time. Through personal stories, practical analogies, and biblical wisdom, this conversation invites you to trade the racehorse mentality of burnout and comparison for the pack horse rhythm of balance, perseverance, and long obedience.

We talk about learning to be bad before becoming good, how discipline shapes both character and calling, and why progress is still happening even when you can’t see it yet. You’ll be encouraged to evaluate what you’re carrying, quiet the noise of comparison and distraction, and live with the wisdom that your days are numbered.

This episode will help you refocus on what truly matters, recommit to the priorities you set at the beginning of the year, and walk forward with confidence, consistency, and peace.

Breathing Room by Andy Stanley:

https://series.northpointministries.org/breathing-room

Reflection Questions:

• Am I running like a racehorse or walking like a pack horse?
• What noise do I need to quiet so I can stay focused on my race?
• What am I carrying that God never asked me to carry?
• What does balance look like to me in this season of life?
• Where do I need to trust that God is still working—even when I don’t see evidence yet?
• How can I measure faithfulness instead of perfection?
• Am I living with the wisdom that my days are numbered—and do my actions reflect that?

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In part 2 of our 3-part series on goal setting and vision, we’re talking about clarity and how clear, God-given direction can simplify your life in a way that feels like peace. When you don’t know where you’re headed, everything gets heavier: indecision, overthinking, people-pleasing, and yeses that don’t align with what truly matters.

Today, I share a powerful conversation with my husband that changed how I make decisions. We talk about a “clarity test”, a simple filter you can run every opportunity, request, goal, or commitment through: Does this align with the mission of our home and the direction we believe God is leading our family… or not?

I also read parts of my personal 10-year vision (2036), a detailed “movie script” of the life we’re prayerfully working toward: a marriage that stays prioritized, a home marked by hospitality, children and grandchildren who are loved and strengthened, health that supports a vibrant future, a business built with integrity, and generosity that stays joyful. And I’m very clear about this: this isn’t “manifesting.” This is stewardship, planning with faith while holding everything with open hands before God.

We’ll walk through the four pillars that keep me anchored (the responsibilities only you can carry), and I’ll share practical examples of how clarity shapes everyday life: how I show up in my kitchen, how I protect time with my husband, how I parent adult kids with grace, how I communicate when things get heated, and how I set goals that match the legacy I want to live.

If you’ve been overwhelmed by goal-setting or you’ve felt scattered, pressured, or distracted… this episode will help you step back, get honest, and get clear so your yes can be yes, your no can be no, and your days can finally match what you say you value.

Next week in Part 3, we’ll talk about finishing your race strong—how to stay engaged when motivation fades and the year gets heavy.

“The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.” Proverbs 16:9

Questions That Keep Your Direction Clear (True North):

If I fast-forward ten years, what kind of person do I most want to be?
What do I want people to experience when they are in my presence?
If my life produced fruit I could see only in eternity, what would I hope that fruit is?
At the end of my life, what would I most regret having neglected?
What do I believe God is inviting me to build, cultivate, or steward in this season?
What does faithfulness look like for me right now — not success, not speed, just faithfulness?

Questions That Align Your Daily Life With Your Long-Term Vision:

Did my choices today move me 1% closer to the life I believe God is calling me to?
Where did I say “yes” to something that pulled me off course — and why?
What small, ordinary obedience did I practice today?
Did I prioritize what matters most — or what was most urgent?
Did my schedule reflect my stated values?
What went well today?
Where did I drift?
Where did I align with my vision?
What will I do differently tomorrow?

Questions That Hold Your Plans Loosely Before God:

Am I clinging to my plan — or holding it with open hands?
If God changed this tomorrow, could I still say “He is good”?
What am I most afraid of losing — and what does that reveal?
Am I building my identity on outcomes or on obedience?
If my circumstances shifted, would my purpose still stand?
“Lord, I make plans in faith — but I trust Your leading more than my blueprint.
Shape my steps, even when they differ from my strat

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