Mary Marantz's Blog: Slow Growth Equals Strong Roots, page 2
June 9, 2023
EP. 170: How Heartbreak Can Deepen Our Trust with Mattie Jackson
APPLE PODCAST | SPOTIFY | STITCHER SUBSCRIBE HERE LEAVE A REVIEW What did you envision your life would look like by this time?
Did you imagine a steady climb of the corporate ladder to ultimately land your dream role? Or, eagerly anticipate specific milestones and memories shared with the ones you love?
It starts young as we are asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” and over time, the idea of who we are becoming is translated into ambitions and goals that steer us toward our dream life.
The world is our oyster, right?
“And yet, as we grow and put our feet to the pavement of pursuing that life, the tension between the actuality of our dream and the reality of life becomes more apparent. The loss of the dream job, the closed door that solidifies this isn’t the direction anymore, or the unexpected death of a loved one.”What we once believed was possible now becomes the very thing we doubt as the unpredictabilities of life begin to edit the story we had written for ourselves. And as a complex, new thread of grief and loss quietly fills the longing’s absence, we are left wondering how to make sense of it all.
In the presence of deep loss, today’s guest felt exactly the same way. Amidst the tension of the God she knew and the reality she was living, the only way she believed she could make sense of the pain was by wrestling her way to answers.
Her story is one of redemption and vulnerability and her perspective is a guiding light on the path of loss and disappointment. That is why I am honored to be joined by Mattie Jackson (daughter of country music legend Alan Jackson) on today’s episode of The Mary Marantz Show.
Mattie Jackson is an author, podcaster, speaker, and co-founder of NaSHEville, a women’s philanthropic apparel brand serving orphans, widows, and victims of human trafficking. In her first book, Lemons on Friday: Trusting God Through My Greatest Heartbreak, released in November of 2021, she chronicles the first three years of grieving her husband and her marriage. As she shares her grief, her healing, and her unshakeable faith with the world, her single greatest desire is to lead people to hope. Like she says…
“If someone suffering any sort of loss can hear what I’ve walked through and see hope in my story, then maybe they can walk away seeing a little more hope in their own.”
Mary’s new book, slow growth equals strong Roots is HERE! Click HERE to Order your copy today!
In sickness and health.
For better or for worse.
Those were the vows Mattie believed would be the bedrock of an aging marriage not one at its very beginning. It felt unfair and confusing that just three weeks shy of their first wedding anniversary he was gone. Never would she have imagined that at the age of twenty-eight, she would be suddenly widowed and left without the miracle she had believed for this side of heaven.
“It was a struggle because it really felt like a parent saying no to this really desperate request and not giving an explanation. And my Mom said it best, that when you do trust God in this way and then you are the one who gets the no answer, how do you repair that relationship?”
[image error] 
Mattie had always known God was perfectly good and perfectly sovereign but now, how could both of those things be true?
Did He cause this to happen? Or, did He just allow it?
On shaky ground, Mattie needed something firm to hold on to but what used to hold her steady seemed to be in question as well. She longed for clarity.
What Mattie would soon uncover though was that that clarity wouldn’t actually be found in the pursuit of understanding but rather in her ability to hold space for herself and the honest questions that rose to the surface along the way.
So today, join Mattie and me as we discuss the purpose God brought out of her pain and how she is learning to move forward in faith, not fear.
Tune in to hear:
How God redeems in the details
The grief rhythm that helped her process her pain
Why answers won’t give us the comfort we long for
Mattie’s loss may not hold the same details as your own experience but I hope you see how it is your story too. Because to live in the depth of love and joy is to open ourselves to the risk of loss and sorrow. “But friend, the absence of the gift we long for doesn’t mean there isn’t also treasure to be found in the midst of our grief.”
I can’t wait for you to take a listen! And if you are looking to give up comparing, performing, and achieving for your worth, I think you’ll LOVE my new book Slow Growth Equals Strong Roots! Available now everywhere books are sold! And while you’re at it, take our Achiever Quiz to see which of the 5 Achiever Types you are….
More From This Episode: Connect with Mattie on Instagram and be sure to pick up her book, “Lemons on Friday: Trusting God Through My Greatest Heartbreak” wherever books are sold.
You May Also Like: The God of the Way with Kathie Lee GiffordBrave Enough to Be Broken with Toni CollierLearning To Love Who God Made You To Be With Lauren AlainaThe Case for Planting Deep Roots with Daniel GrotheFinding Strength To Take Back Your Story With Desiree Siegfried SUBSCRIBE TO THEEMAIL LIST JOIN THE INSIDER COMMUNITY
The post EP. 170: How Heartbreak Can Deepen Our Trust with Mattie Jackson appeared first on marymarantz.com.
May 31, 2023
EP. 169: 4 Things You Need to Know When It All Goes Wrong with Jillian Benfield
APPLE PODCAST | SPOTIFY | STITCHER SUBSCRIBE HERE LEAVE A REVIEW Seconds.
The time it takes to write a note, dial a phone number, and unlock the door.
The seemingly small, less meaningful moments that carry the unremarkable parts of our day.
And yet, it is those same fleeting moments that can hold the weight of life-changing circumstances that can single-handedly turn our world upside down.
“It is unimaginable that a life built with such care and intention over months and years can be so fragile and yet we have all seen that exact unraveling firsthand in the collective trauma we have experienced over the last three years.”What do we do with a reality that doesn’t feel real?
How do we keep moving forward when it feels like nothing is left?
At the point of absolute destruction there are more questions than answers and my guest, Jillian Benfield, is no stranger to the overwhelm of that season. Her raw and honest perspective has met me where I needed it most and I have no doubt it will meet you in the same way on today’s episode of The Mary Marantz Show.
Jillian Benfield is a former TV News anchor/reporter turned author, speaker, military wife, parent advocate, and mom of three living an unexpected life. In the last eight years, she and her family have lived in 5 different states, experienced a NICU stay and open heart surgery for their second child, a miscarriage, and then a rare diagnosis for their third child.
By far, the biggest, unexpected moment came though when, at 27 years old, she and her husband found out their second child, Anderson, would be born with Down syndrome …
…the most difficult and also the most beautiful experience of her life.
In her new book, The Gift of The Unexpected: Discovering Who You Were Meant to Be When Life Doesn’t Go As Planned, Jillian shares how she discovered who she was and who God wanted her to become as she opened herself to the pain of that season. She believes the unexpected can help us live into our God-dreamed entireties- that is if we resist society’s insistence to overcome the unexpected and undergo it instead.
Mary’s new book, slow growth equals strong Roots is HERE! Click HERE to Order your copy today! Because there can be a gift in the unexpected, you made new.
In 2013, Jillian was well on the path to the life she had dreamed of. The job, the husband, the family, all the makings of what we as a society would deem a successful life. But ever so slowly, everything started to change.
What she believed would be one unexpected circumstance turned into a wilderness of five years of trial. As she said:
“Even before my son’s diagnosis, I was in such a dark spot because of the realization that I was not going to have an enviable life anymore. That was what I put my worth in, what other people perceived about my life. If I had this desirable job, this great husband, these cute kids and we traveled and did all these things that looked good on the outside, and all of a sudden I wasn’t going to have that anymore then who was I?”
Piece by piece, the image she had worked so hard to build was dismantled until finally she was left with just herself. Armorless, honest and open.
This wasn’t a story she could tie up with a bow. The life in front of her was unrecognizable and she was beyond the point of having peace and counting it all joy in the middle of the pain as she felt was required of her.
Letting go would actually be what it took to start her on the journey of transformation…
“I believe one of the reasons Jesus lamented was so that we know how we are supposed to go through pain and that is to bring our full selves to him. We are not required to skip over these little deaths we experience in this life instead we are supposed to go all the way through it with God.”
[image error] So today, if you too find yourself surrounded by rubble and ash, Jillian’s healing story is precisely what you need to hear. On today’s episode, Jillian and I, discuss the possibility at the other end of your pain and the four things to cling to when it all goes wrong.
Tune in to hear:
The difference between overcoming and undergoing
Why you don’t have to call your unexpected circumstances good
What our grief can tell us about what we really have propped ourselves on
In the grip of pain and loss, we would give anything to live a different life or change our circumstances so that we can get back to ourselves.
But friend, give yourself over to the process.
Armorless. Honest. Open.
May this episode be your reminder: “There will come a moment, as hard as it is to believe right now, when you realize you wouldn’t trade your story any longer because of who you have become through it all.”
I can’t wait for you to take a listen! And if you are looking to give up comparing, performing, and achieving for your worth, I think you’ll LOVE my new book Slow Growth Equals Strong Roots! Available now everywhere books are sold! And while you’re at it, take our Achiever Quiz to see which of the 5 Achiever Types you are….
More From This Episode: Connect with Jillian on Instagram and be sure to pick up her new book, “The Gift of The Unexpected: Discovering Who You Were Meant to Be When Life Doesn’t Go As Planned“ wherever books are sold.
You May Also Like: The God of the Way with Kathie Lee GiffordHow to Stay Standing (When It’s All Falling Apart) with Alli PattersonWhen Life is More Than You Can Handle with Nicole JacobsmeyerBrave Enough to Be Broken with Toni CollierFinding Strength To Take Back Your Story With Desiree Siegfried SUBSCRIBE TO THEEMAIL LIST JOIN THE INSIDER COMMUNITY
The post EP. 169: 4 Things You Need to Know When It All Goes Wrong with Jillian Benfield appeared first on marymarantz.com.
May 25, 2023
EP. 168: Create Anyway- How to Stop Waiting on Perfect to Start w/ Ashlee Gadd
APPLE PODCAST | SPOTIFY | STITCHER SUBSCRIBE HERE LEAVE A REVIEW What does it take for you to start creating?
Do you need a specific rhythm or routine to help you settle into the process? Or, uninterrupted time in your favorite spot at home or out in nature?
Maybe, you are thinking, ‘Mary, I can’t even imagine having enough bandwidth to do anything more, there is not any margin in this season.’
Friend, I hear you.
“Creativity is messy, vulnerable, time-consuming, and hard work. It takes effort and courage to open ourselves to an imperfect process, let alone have the patience to see it through.”But what if we stopped viewing it as a hobby and started treating it as a sacred practice?
I had an epiphany in real time when I was on this episode talking to Ashlee… when faced with darkness God’s first impulse was to create.
That same longing is written into our DNA and is so much more than just a gift of expression but a reminder of the breath of Life in our bones. It is the invitation and revelation of beauty and hope in this world. Yet, somewhere along the way, what was meant for connection moved to only having value from its consumption.
We have this vision of ‘perfect’ and we chase the result that we believe will help our idea belong, be acceptable and be what we think it should be. But in carving to fit the mold, we end up removing everything that makes it interesting because what we are actually removing is what makes the creative process unique…ourselves.
When today’s guest noticed the pride and confidence her daughter had in the artwork she was creating she was stopped in her tracks.
As she watched her daughter hang the piece on the wall she realized there was no need to control the outcome for the eyes of others because the process was enough for her. This life-changing moment led Ashlee Gadd (founder of the motherhood storytelling blog Coffee + Crumbs) on a path of rediscovering the delight of creativity – and that is why I am so excited she is joining me today on The Mary Marantz Show to share her newfound sense of surrender.
Ashlee Gadd is a writer, photographer, and the ultimate hype girl for all things motherhood & creativity. Out of those two passions, she recently released her first book entitled, Create Anyway: The Joy of Pursuing Creativity in the Margins of Motherhood. One-part commissioning, one-part pep talk, Create Anyway will propel you forward with a renewed sense of energy, purpose, and enthusiasm for stewarding the creative dreams God has planted in your heart. Because no matter the season, creativity does not have to be at odds with your life.
Mary’s new book, slow growth equals strong Roots is HERE! Click HERE to Order your copy today!
For almost a decade, Ashlee found herself in the tension of creative work that felt selfish and motherhood that was supposed to be selfless.
The expectations she had of being a “good mom” had conditioned her to believe that all of her attention needed to be fixed on her kids and that what was creatively stirring inside her could only be explored in the margins of her day-to-day.
But then, this idea hit her hard:
“Over time, I came to realize that when I am creating in front of my kids, I am modeling more than just whatever act I am working on. I am modeling obedience, stewardship, and what it means to be a whole flourishing person. I want my kids to see me not just doing chores, vacuuming, doing the dishes, and all the other things I do around here. I want them to see me delighting in the things that I love to do and the creative acts that really light me up and fulfill me as a person.”
[image error] Ultimately, what Ashlee thought was taking her away from what she loved most around her was actually the exact way to reconnect and refuel not only herself but her family. So, if you like Ashlee, feel like your creativity has been limited to the margins of your life, today’s episode is for you.
Join Ashlee and me, as we lean into what really holds us back from creating and the challenges of carving out our own path.
On today’s episode, you will hear:
What developing film taught her about the creative process
The REAL reason you aren’t taking steps to start
How to grab onto stubborn hope
What the real cost of monetization is
The signs to look for when transitioning your passion to full time
So, whether you feel like you aren’t ready yet or your own expectations are limiting the process, let today be the permission you need to create anyway.
You were made for this. Creativity is calling, are you ready to answer?
May this episode be your reminder: “The truth is, there will always be a million reasons not to create but the time to start is now!”
I can’t wait for you to take a listen! And if you are looking to give up comparing, performing, and achieving for your worth, I think you’ll LOVE my new book Slow Growth Equals Strong Roots! Available now everywhere books are sold! And while you’re at it, take our Achiever Quiz to see which of the 5 Achiever Types you are….
More From This Episode: Connect with Ashlee on Instagram and be sure to pick up her new book, “Create Anyway:The Joy of Pursuing Creativity in the Margins of Motherhood” wherever books are sold.
You May Also Like: The God of the Way with Kathie Lee GiffordHow to Stay Standing When It’s All Falling Apart with Alli PattersonLearning To Love Who God Made You To Be With Lauren AlainaThe Case for Planting Deep Roots with Daniel GrotheFeeling Stuck? How to DO the Thing with Rebecca George SUBSCRIBE TO THEEMAIL LIST JOIN THE INSIDER COMMUNITY
The post EP. 168: Create Anyway- How to Stop Waiting on Perfect to Start w/ Ashlee Gadd appeared first on marymarantz.com.
May 16, 2023
EP. 167: How to Stay Standing (When It’s All Falling Apart) with Alli Patterson
APPLE PODCAST | SPOTIFY | STITCHER SUBSCRIBE HERE LEAVE A REVIEW What is the one part of your life that is not quite right? You know the one area…where life just isn’t working the way it “should”?
It is difficult to admit out loud but we all have something indicating at one point or another that we aren’t standing on solid ground. Maybe it is an unexpected panic attack, constant pressure to keep things from falling apart, or even, a life choice that has now led to some serious consequences.
We notice the subtle shifts beneath us but continue to keep pressing forward, spending more time focusing on presenting an unshaken exterior all the while hairline cracks are growing wider beneath us.
“Often it isn’t until the point of collapse that we realize that what we failed to pay attention to weren’t just isolated issues but signs that the foundation beneath us wasn’t as solid as we thought.”Armored with strength and confidence, today’s guest had a blueprint for life.
She was checking the boxes, crushing how you “should” build your future, and committing herself to the “right” way to do things.
In her mind, she was set for a strong life without hardship but she would soon find out she didn’t have the foundation to sustain any of it.
From the other side of collapse, my dear friend, Alli Patterson, is sharing the redeeming work of God in her life on today’s episode of The Mary Marantz Show.
Alli is a mother, friend, mentor, wife, speaker and now author of her first book, How to Stay Standing: 3 Essentials for Building a Faith That Lasts – a disarmingly honest look into her own struggles with marriage, work, parenting, and faith, and the three new rhythms she learned from it all for building daily connection with Jesus.
As Teaching Pastor at Crossroads Church in Cincinnati, and a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary, she is passionate about helping others build a life on the firm foundation of Jesus’ truth and grace through authentic teaching rooted in Scripture. She believes a life with Him is much more than a checklist of beliefs: it’s a life of honesty, joy, risk, adventure, and challenge in relationship with a living God.
Mary’s new book, slow growth equals strong Roots is HERE! Click HERE to Order your copy today! No sooner had Alli begun transitioning into the life she had dreamed of, the cracks began to reveal themselves. At the time, the well-intentioned strategies that made her life feel stable were just what everyone did to achieve their goals. But looking back she would tell you, they were all just a means to an end.
“For me it was the need to perform, to get it all right, to be approved of and to approve of myself. That I was secure, confident, doing it right, and therefore, going to be successful. I was yearning for evidence of that in the places I was going to fulfill those needs.”
She believed that she had control over her choices but in reality, they controlled her. The longings that promised her stability and security only left her more and more unsteady until one day it all came to a breaking point.
With nowhere else to turn, she prayed a dangerous prayer…
“I am done. I know whatever needs done here I can’t get myself out. I need You to get me out. Break me, God.”
[image error] Even as her fears became reality and Alli found herself in the midst of utter destruction, she came to realize that this collapse was in fact the grace of God in her life.
Join Alli and me on today’s episode as we discuss the importance of paying attention to your life and two key principles for building a firm foundation in Christ.
Tune in to hear:
What helped her find true freedom
How to overcome the temptation to keep pretending
The question you need to ask before you start building anything
Regardless of who you are or what you have done, trouble is inevitable in this life but course correction doesn’t have to happen at collapse.
Today is the day we look down and are honest about the foundation we are standing on and realign with the only Foundation worth building on.
May this episode be your reminder: “Are you willing to believe He is already at work redeeming the rubble?”
I can’t wait for you to take a listen! And if you are looking to give up comparing, performing, and achieving for your worth, I think you’ll LOVE my new book Slow Growth Equals Strong Roots! Available now everywhere books are sold! And while you’re at it, take our Achiever Quiz to see which of the 5 Achiever Types you are….
More From This Episode: Connect with Alli on Instagram and be sure to pick up her new book, “How to Stay Standing: 3 Essentials for Building a Faith That Lasts” wherever books are sold.
You May Also Like: The God of the Way with Kathie Lee GiffordBrave Enough to Be Broken with Toni CollierLearning To Love Who God Made You To Be With Lauren AlainaThe Case for Planting Deep Roots with Daniel GrotheFinding Strength To Take Back Your Story With Desiree Siegfried SUBSCRIBE TO THEEMAIL LIST JOIN THE INSIDER COMMUNITY
The post EP. 167: How to Stay Standing (When It’s All Falling Apart) with Alli Patterson appeared first on marymarantz.com.
May 9, 2023
EP. 166: Why Your BEST Days Are Still Ahead of You with Dawn Barton
APPLE PODCAST | SPOTIFY | STITCHER SUBSCRIBE HERE LEAVE A REVIEW Have you ever felt like you have lost yourself? That who you were and who are now just aren’t quite syncing up?
Even though aging is the lifelong companion we are born with, it always has a way of turning our world upside down.
For many years, it operates in the background without even a thought, and then just as we begin coasting along, used to living a certain way, it subtly begins to infiltrate our awareness.
Achy joints, brain fog, sleepless nights and inflammation like indicators on a dashboard begin notifying us that this body isn’t in the condition it used to be and a different season is ahead.
“The upheaval of our equilibrium can cause us to begin to reconsider everything, to lean into the fears of change and loss.”But today’s guest saw this crossroads in a completely different way.
Rather than a crisis, she saw the invitation to pivot and that is why I am thrilled to be joined by the warrior woman herself, Dawn Barton on today’s episode of The Mary Marantz Show.
Dawn Barton is a joyologist, speaker, motivator, cancer crusher, Jesus lover, and author. She is ridiculously passionate about working with women and coaching them to levels of success in their personal and professional lives that transcend their wildest dreams.
She is proud to use the experiences of her personal journey to help others find happiness and success even in the darkest of days. And, in her newest book, Midlife Battle Cry: Redefining the Mighty Second Half (releasing today!), is empowering women to embrace their Mid-Life years by reframing the obstacles before them as reasons to fully embrace joy wherever they can find it.
Mary’s new book, slow growth equals strong Roots is HERE! Click HERE to Order your copy today!
The loves and losses of the last few decades had created a life full of joy for Dawn but through it all, she began to slowly shift to the sidelines of her own life. After decades full of morphing and giving to those around her, when she faced the big 5 – 0 she barely knew the person she saw in the mirror. She says:
“A certain number appeared above my head, hovering there like a massive sad cloud. Fifty, you are turning fifty, it said, and you are done. As my birthday came and went, I found I was struggling with my identity and my purpose. I was flailing. I wondered if this was what they called a midlife crisis but that seemed a tad inadequate. This new season felt like an end of life. A great wall of depression rather than a temporary crisis.”
The color in her life had quite literally faded to black as the grief of this transition took hold. It wasn’t just her though.
As she spoke with friends and shared more of her own experience she was met with the same sentiment. They all were feeling the exact same way.
“I think what happens is we have this invisible line in front of us and to the left are all the great miracles of life, our careers, meeting our spouses, having children, etc., and then we believe that on the other side, it will be devoid of that.”
[image error] For Dawn, it was God’s great wake-up call to shake this belief loose and invite her to realize that that simply was not true.
There is no mid-life to God.
In fact, it was the turning point for her to actively choose to step forward rather than pull back from the magnificent, still unfolding story before her. An invitation to greater self-discovery and expansion, investment and growth, and most importantly, using the gifts she has graciously been entrusted to serve those around her.
I have been anxiously awaiting this conversation because it is something that is rarely talked about but is so incredibly necessary. In today’s episode, Dawn does not hold back on the necessity of sharing this journey in community and raves about the joy of rediscovering yourself again.
Tune in to hear:
What she learned from being asked to take the picture rather than be in it
The essential thing to do for authenticity in new seasons
What she would have encouraged her 20-year-old self to do
Why, in fact, we are more ourselves than we have ever been
Dawn’s battle cry is the reminder we all need that none of us have control of the time we have left but we do have the choice to live life to the fullest right now.
So lean in. Don’t disappear.
May this episode be your reminder: “No matter the age or stage, the best is yet to come!”I can’t wait for you to take a listen! And if you are looking to give up comparing, performing, and achieving for your worth, I think you’ll LOVE my new book Slow Growth Equals Strong Roots! Available now everywhere books are sold! And while you’re at it, take our Achiever Quiz to see which of the 5 Achiever Types you are….
More From This Episode: Connect with Dawn on Instagram and be sure to pick up her new book, “Midlife Battle Cry: Redefining the Mighty Second Half“wherever books are sold.
You May Also Like: Doing the Important Work You Are Called To with Hosanna WongLearning To Love Who God Made You To Be With Lauren AlainaThe Case for Planting Deep Roots with Daniel GrotheHow Your Small Yes Can Turn Into Big Impact with Natalie GrantThe Life Council: The 10 Friends Every Woman Needs with Laura Tremaine SUBSCRIBE TO THEEMAIL LIST JOIN THE INSIDER COMMUNITY
The post EP. 166: Why Your BEST Days Are Still Ahead of You with Dawn Barton appeared first on marymarantz.com.
May 2, 2023
EP. 165: The 5 Things Effective Leaders Do with Jessica Honegger & Liz Bohannon
APPLE PODCAST | SPOTIFY | STITCHER SUBSCRIBE HERE LEAVE A REVIEW Do you ever feel like building and scaling a business is easier for everyone else?
Does fear keep you stuck in what you know and within the boundaries of what only seems possible?
Friend, let’s just take a moment to name the truth.
Building a brand and business that can go the distance is HARD WORK.
From translating your passion into a mission to taking a fledgling idea to peak performance with a team you could have never imagined, no one can prepare you for exactly what your journey will hold.
It is when we take the time to let these questions surface outside of the space they hold in our heads and hearts that we are often reminded that we are not the only ones feeling this way.
I am right there with you.
“The road of an entrepreneur is long and winding but it is one that you don’t have to and shouldn’t walk alone.”In an age of the boasting self-made, solopreneur, today’s guests are two forces who have been shaking the rafters of the leadership arena to flip that script for good.
Liz Bohannon is the founder of Sseko Designs, an ethical fashion brand that enables women to continue their education and become leaders in their country by providing employment and educational opportunities. As a journalist-gone-shoe-maker, Liz is passionate about social enterprise, conscious consumerism, social justice, creative leadership, gender equity, risk-taking, and empowering women. She believes deeply that business is a powerful platform for social change and that girls are our future.
Jessica Honegger is a mother, author, podcast host, Founder and co-CEO of Noonday Collection. a “not-just-for-profit” business that designs and sells jewelry and accessories made by Artisans around the world to create dignified jobs for vulnerable communities. Noonday Collection develops Artisan businesses through fair trade, empowering them to grow sustainably and connecting them to a growing market for their goods. She is passionate about encouraging others to leave comfort, go scared, and step into a life of impact.
Mary’s new book, slow growth equals strong Roots is HERE! Click HERE to Order your copy today! For Liz and Jessica, courage cornered them early.
After experiencing the impacts of the exploitation of work in communities they loved and the confines of global poverty particularly on women and girls, there was no other decision to make but to take action.
As Liz and Jessica recounted the lessons they have learned, Jessica shared,
“We look at other people’s success and assume that they’re confident and that they weren’t scared to get on the stage or that they weren’t making a giant financial risk. But those are all just assumptions and stories that we’re creating about somebody that we don’t know…
“Ultimately, we all need to learn that courage is just going scared anyway. Fear will always be there. It’s just learning how to not give it control and power in your life.” (Amen!)
[image error] Say it louder for the people in the back! Wow, did this hit me.
Somehow along the way, we were conditioned to believe there is more value and success in being built already than in the building itself – that what is required of us is not only the gumption to go but also a complete understanding and skill set ready to execute the plan.
“I have yet to meet somebody that is all of the things and can do all the things across the spectrum. So who am I to think that I’m the unicorn?!” Liz said. “What I wish I would’ve spent less time doing in my career, was beating myself up and feeling a lot of shame about that. I expected myself to have a high level of excellence in all of the categories when that is a really tall order for anybody.”
The fact is, throughout their entire experience there has never been an absence of fear, critiquing voices, or self-doubt. But it was and is the inside work they have committed to do that has allowed them to condition themselves to respond in a way that has propelled their business forward.
On today’s episode, Liz and Jessica go on to share what has oriented them throughout their highs and lows and what guiding principles have shaped their leadership along the way.
Tune in to hear:
Why you need to count the cost of your business
How to take fear out of the driver’s seat
The purpose that comes with co-creating
What curiosity offers us in adversity
How collaboration over competition can enrich not only our leadership but our lives
Following the trail of their insatiable curiosity and filled with resolute purpose, Liz and Jessica leapt. Not just once but over and over again over the last decade.
So what are you waiting for? “Today is the day you begin to silence the limiting beliefs that have kept you standing still and take the leap. Because some of the most valuable lessons can only be learned in free fall.”
I can’t wait for you to take a listen! And if you are looking to give up comparing, performing, and achieving for your worth, I think you’ll LOVE my new book Slow Growth Equals Strong Roots! Available now everywhere books are sold! And while you’re at it, take our Achiever Quiz to see which of the 5 Achiever Types you are….
More From This Episode: Connect with Jessica and Liz on Instagram and be sure to checkout the new line up from Noonday Collection!
You May Also Like: How to Do Less, Better: 5 Mini Marketing Masterclasses with Jen Olmstead Learning To Love Who God Made You To Be With Lauren AlainaFeeling Stuck? How to DO the Thing with Rebecca GeorgeHow Your Small Yes Can Turn Into Big Impact with Natalie GrantThe Life Council: 10 Friends Every Woman Needs with Laura Tremaine SUBSCRIBE TO THEEMAIL LIST JOIN THE INSIDER COMMUNITY
The post EP. 165: The 5 Things Effective Leaders Do with Jessica Honegger & Liz Bohannon appeared first on marymarantz.com.
April 24, 2023
EP. 164: How to “Do Less, BETTER” with Jen Olmstead
APPLE PODCAST | SPOTIFY | STITCHER SUBSCRIBE HERE LEAVE A REVIEW Are you tired of trying to keep up with the never-ending cycle of content creation? Do you wish you had the freedom to focus on creating more of what you love and building an authentic business?
When it comes to communicating and promoting the value of what you offer, it can be downright overwhelming:
Post daily to feed the algorithm.
Curate a dozen reels with trending audio to boost your visibility.
Master the newest dance to scatter in your stories throughout the day.
Sound familiar?
“The narrative we are fed is the way to more is…more. And that diversifying and multiplying our output is essential to connecting us with our audience.”Well, can I be here to tell you that’s not true? Like I always say… “There is no amount of MORE that can ever make you stop feeling LESS than. That work has always been an inside job.” Can I get an amen?!
Today’s guest is none other than my marketing hero and design crush, Jen Olmstead. And she’s here to give us a MASTERCLASS on all things effective and efficient marketing.
Jen is the co-founder and lead designer of TONIC Site Shop, a template shop for the modern entrepreneur. You might have seen her work for clients like Jenna Kutcher, Chris Loves Julia, Jillian Harris, Bossbabe, Create Cultivate, Wit and Delight, and of course, Mary Marantz. 
Today’s episode is jam packed with time tested wisdom and insight that you will want to implement immediately. So grab a journal and your favorite pen and join Jen and I as we share what I am lovingly calling:
5 Mini Masterclasses for 2023.
Do Less Better: The One Thing Jen Started Doing That Changed Her Average Like Count from A Couple Hundred to 10,000
Stop Telling People You Like Coffee: Stop Doing THIS When Writing Your Bio and Start Doing THIS
Tell People What To Do: Specific Wording Swaps for Higher Conversions
Market With Confidence: If You’re Marketing Isn’t Working, You Might Be Doing THIS
Identify Your Low Hanging Fruit: Sometimes You’re Overlooking The ‘Easy’ Thing and Leaving Revenue on the Table
Mary’s new book, slow growth equals strong Roots is HERE! Click HERE to Order your copy today! If you, like me, are longing for a way to optimize your marketing without sacrificing your sanity, today’s conversation is exactly what you need to hear.
When Jen was at the crossroads of burnout from creating the filler content she felt she had to and still wasn’t seeing the needle move in her audience, she knew something had to change.
Here’s what she had to say about that:
“It was my first experience of: ‘Wait a second, if you don’t want to do that thing, find a way that you are going to enjoy it.’ So, I stopped sending out the newsletter I thought I was supposed to and started writing emails I would have actually wanted to read myself.”
[image error] We’ve been taught that all the tips and tricks are there to promote our growth when in actuality all they do is promote the growth of the platform we are sharing to. So, Jen and her team stopped playing the game. In a land of disposable content they didn’t want to keep filling the space but rather contributing value to it.
What she would uncover next was a fascinating journey of trial and error as she began to let go of what she felt like she “should” do and began being led instead by what she loved.
And this is where the 5 Mini Masterclass was born.
Tune to hear Jen bring down the house with marketing principles she has lived and learned from including,
The art of noticing
How your dream can become someone else’s
The time she peeled an orange for a fully capable adult
Why embracing your diverse talents is your superpower
The shadow of the fear of rejection
Let’s stop diverting our precious creative energy from what we really love to attempting to meet those elusive marketing “supposed to’s”.
Jen is a powerhouse pioneer and a deep well of creative innovation, but most importantly, she is living proof that in a world calling us to more production, we can not only survive but thrive by choosing to contribute more of ourselves.
May this episode be your reminder: “What everyone needs more of is not generic content, it’s more of you! “
I can’t wait for you to take a listen! And if you are looking to give up comparing, performing, and achieving for your worth, I think you’ll LOVE my new book Slow Growth Equals Strong Roots! Available now everywhere books are sold! And while you’re at it, take our Achiever Quiz to see which of the 5 Achiever Types you are….
More From This Episode: More about Jen: When she’s not designing, Jen splits her time cooking, homeschooling, trying to make Instagram fun again, and writing TONIC’s famous #longandweird newsletter, where she tells stories and nerds out about great marketing.
Connect with Jen on Instagram and be sure to check out Tonic Site Shop if you are in need of a luxe new website (they are the only ones I use!) Use the code “MARYSENTME” to get 15% off your order!
You May Also Like: Learning To Love Who God Made You To Be With Lauren AlainaThe God of the Way with Kathie Lee Gifford Feeling Stuck? How to DO the Thing with Rebecca GeorgeHow Your Small Yes Can Turn Into Big Impact with Natalie GrantFinding Strength To Take Back Your Story With Desiree Siegfried SUBSCRIBE TO THEEMAIL LIST JOIN THE INSIDER COMMUNITY
The post EP. 164: How to “Do Less, BETTER” with Jen Olmstead appeared first on marymarantz.com.
April 17, 2023
EP. 163: Feeling Stuck? How to DO the Thing with Rebecca George
APPLE PODCAST | SPOTIFY | STITCHER SUBSCRIBE HERE LEAVE A REVIEW Do you have a dream you cannot go a day without thinking about?
Do you feel stuck between dreaming and actually taking the steps you need to make it a reality?
Maybe it’s the book proposal that has greeted you every morning on your desktop for the last couple of years or the business plan that keeps getting put on the back burner.
Whatever the dream, we have all been there.
Between our doubts and fears and the very real reality of what it costs to bring something to fruition, there will always be obstacles that can keep us stuck.
“Truthfully, when something really matters to us, we would rather not show up at all… than to show up and risk getting it wrong. We would rather create nothing than create failure.” But friend, what if today was different?
What if instead of staring from the sidelines, you took faith-filled steps across the starting line of what’s been burning deep inside of you?
Are you ready?
When today’s guest found herself at this exact impasse, growing familiar with all the reasons why she couldn’t or shouldn’t move beyond the hidden dream in her heart, she knew she had to make a choice.
Would she stay dreaming or would she start doing… Mary’s new book, slow growth equals strong Roots is HERE! Click HERE to Order your copy today!
Rebecca George is an author, speaker, and host of the popular podcast, Radical Radiance. Her greatest joy is helping women pursue their passions in a way that builds God’s kingdom. Recently, as a part guide and part manifesto to pursuing the passions that stir your soul, she released Do the Thing: Gospel-Centered Goals, Gumption, and Grace for the Go-Getter Girl. In it, she is an encouraging voice in your ear to say, “Let’s not waste another minute of the all-too-brief time we have on this side of eternity.”
We don’t often like to admit it, but if we quiet ourselves and tune into what God has been stirring in our hearts, we know the next step.
From her own experience, Rebecca shared: “I’ve learned there are many flavors of deferred obedience, but they all stem from a similar root. We’re scared. We don’t know if our plan will work out and we fear the unknowns. What if the finished product is not what we expected? What if people think I’m crazy? What if I waste time, money, or resources along the way?”
[image error] It never fails, as we awaken to the dream God places within us, we quickly jump to sizing up the task ahead, our abilities, and even the ones around us running in a similar direction.
Wouldn’t that be like the enemy, though?
Many times his best tactic for keeping us stuck is keeping us focused on the limits of our calling and not the limitlessness of the One calling us.
The dream feels personal, and it should because God has ordained each of us to carry out a unique message that no other person can replicate. But ultimately, the dream is a conduit for us to, in worship, use our gifts and talents to the glory of God.
So, join Rebecca and I on today’s episode of The Mary Marantz Show as we discuss the three stages of being stuck, and some practical ways to move forward in faithfulness to what God is calling you to do.
On this episode you’ll hear:
How comparison is the invitation to celebration
The principal of spiritual sticktuitiveness
How to identify striving out of abiding
The power of defining our why
Rebecca’s tenacity and faithfulness is a catalytic force in the trajectory of the lives she encounters and today’s conversation is no exception. Tomorrow will always boast potential and possibility but today offers the precious resource of the present moment.
Friend, today is the day you own the dream you have been given and run with purpose-filled confidence the race before you.
May this episode be your reminder: “You are not just waiting on your dream, you are delaying being obedient to where God is asking you to go.”
Now is the time. Let’s do the thing!
I can’t wait for you to take a listen! And if you are looking to give up comparing, performing, and achieving for your worth, I think you’ll LOVE my new book Slow Growth Equals Strong Roots! Available now everywhere books are sold! And while you’re at it, take our Achiever Quiz to see which of the 5 Achiever Types you are….
More From This Episode: Connect with Rebecca on Instagram and be sure to pick up her new book, “Do The Thing: Gospel-Centered Goals, Gumption and Grace for the Go-Getter Girl” wherever books are sold.
You May Also Like: The God of the Way with Kathie Lee GiffordThe Life Council: 10 Friends Every Woman Needs with Laura TremaineI Guess I Haven’t Learned That Yet with Shauna NiequistLearning To Love Who God Made You To Be With Lauren AlainaHow Your Small Yes Can Turn Into Big Impact with Natalie GrantBrave Enough to Be Broken with Toni Collier SUBSCRIBE TO THEEMAIL LIST JOIN THE INSIDER COMMUNITY
The post EP. 163: Feeling Stuck? How to DO the Thing with Rebecca George appeared first on marymarantz.com.
April 10, 2023
EP. 162: The 10 Friends Every Woman Needs with Laura Tremaine
APPLE PODCAST | SPOTIFY | STITCHER SUBSCRIBE HERE LEAVE A REVIEW Who is on the other end of the call after you receive hard news?
Who is in your corner challenging and championing your future?
Who is your ride or die that never fails to leave you with unforgettable memories?
Whether a name comes to mind or not, these days we are all finding ourselves acclimating to the continually changing landscape of friendships.
For many of us the pandemic ushered in the reckoning of friendships as the distance challenged the foundations of our relationships. And for others, in the absence of genuine personal connection, we gave in to stronger scroll habits as we looked to get what we used to from real life friends through those we follow online. In other words…
“In a world that promises connection, we have only become more disconnected and as a result have slowly lost the ability and opportunity to flex our social muscles.”If I am honest, I find myself longing for my younger days, because it felt like building and sustaining relationships was so much easier. Opportunities to meet others met us right where we were and little effort was required to fan the flame of those friendships.
But, if you are anything like me, what I truly long for is not just presence but depth.
Making friends and doing the work of being a good friend is difficult, but it is essential. In fact, I might even dare to say your life depends on it and so that is why I am thrilled to be joined by my friend, Laura Tremaine, as today’s guest on The Mary Marantz Show.
Mary’s new book, slow growth equals strong Roots is HERE! Click HERE to Order your copy today! Laura is an author, avid reader, and the enthusiastic creator and host of the 10 Things To Tell You podcast – a show born out of her realization that sharing herself online and in person pulled her out of a long season of loneliness.
Her passion for helping others build deeper and more meaningful connections resulted in her first book, Share Your Stuff, and most recently, The Life Council: 10 Friends Every Woman Needs. In her newest book, Laura will inspire and equip you to be a better friend, make new friends, and appreciate how different types of friendships can bring a richness to your life like never before.
For Laura, adulthood brought many unanticipated challenges when it came to building friendships…
“Adulthood was my friendship rude awakening. I wasn’t automatically included in anything. It was supposed to be friendship freedom, but really it was friendship famine.” – Laura Tremaine
[image error] Despite her best efforts, when she thought her world would expand, she found it actually getting smaller. Between loneliness, seasonal changes, overwhelm, past hurt and even her location, she encountered countless hurdles in the way of her connecting with others.
What I find so encouraging about Laura’s story though is that rather than turning those hurdles into an excuse, she decided to be proactive about what wasn’t working.
As she says, “It’s not easy because we can’t control anyone else so we are creating the friendships and the relationships that we want.”
There is no one size fits all approach to friendship but what Laura offers us is an incredible example of what it looks like to intentionally discover and invest in the friendships around us.
So, join Laura and I, as we share our own trials and tribulations of friendship and dive deeper into what she believes are some essential characteristics of the life counsel advisory board of friends.
In this episode of The Mary Marantz Show, you’ll hear:
Practical ways to build connection into your scheduleHow to start over again with an old friendThe principal of holding space to grieve and to hopeWhen to walk away and how to process friendship trauma
Just like Laura, you may wish you had learned these guiding insights a long time ago but don’t take for granted the opportunity right in front of you.
May this episode be your reminder:
It is never too late to start over again, to step out from under our shame and to start prioritizing the relationships right in front of us. Whether it is reconnecting with an old friend or moving from stranger to acquaintance, take a deep breath and step. Because remember…
“A lot can come from those awkward five seconds, and we promise, no matter the outcome, it Will be worth it!”I can’t wait for you to take a listen!
And if you are looking to give up comparing, performing, and achieving for your worth, I think you’ll LOVE my new book Slow Growth Equals Strong Roots! Available now everywhere books are sold! And while you’re at it, take our Achiever Quiz to see which of the 5 Achiever Types you are….
More From This Episode: Connect with Laura on Instagram and be sure to pick up her new book, “The Life Council: 10 Friends Every Woman Needs” wherever books are sold.
You May Also Like: I Guess I Haven’t Learned That Yet with Shauna NiequistThe God of the Way with Kathie Lee GiffordLearning To Love Who God Made You To Be With Lauren AlainaThe Case for Planting Deep Roots with Daniel GrotheFinding Strength To Take Back Your Story With Desiree Siegfried SUBSCRIBE TO THEEMAIL LIST JOIN THE INSIDER COMMUNITY
The post EP. 162: The 10 Friends Every Woman Needs with Laura Tremaine appeared first on marymarantz.com.
November 8, 2022
EP. 157: Brave Enough to Be Broken with Toni Collier
APPLE PODCAST | SPOTIFY | STITCHER SUBSCRIBE HERE LEAVE A REVIEW Let’s go back in time for a second. Imagine it’s the first day of first grade at your new school. Anxiously scanning the room, you look for a place to sit. You walk past some tables. No eye contact. When finally, a girl with a sweet grin asks you if you want to sit down. Victory! You sit down and observe the social dynamics. Things are going well. The girls are mostly talking to each other, but they occasionally ask you a question about your old school. All is well until, from behind your back, you hear some snickering. Some whispering. You just know it’s about you. Incoherent, general babble ensues until you make out one singular phrase. “
She’s so
weird
.” Wait, what? Weird? Who said that? They don’t even know me. I’m new here! And just like that, you’ve been labeled “the weird, new kid.” Okay, you can come back to real life now. Now I know that wasn’t the most fun of exercises, but it illustrates something profound and timeless. “Our labels, whether chosen or unchosen, form how we think, who we become, and how we think about who we become.” Toni Collier, founder of an international women’s ministry called Broken Crayons Still Color, and I sat down to chat about rewriting these labels, finding healing, and ultimately, what it looks like to overcome the lies that are placed upon us… the heart of her new book Brave Enough to be Broken. Toni provides a gorgeous image about crayons – how when they’re taken out of the box, they are perfect and unblemished. How unused crayons can create perfectly straight lines, but are limited in how much surface area they can reach. She compares this to broken crayons – how their imperfect, worn edges allow for beautiful, unique, “not so perfect” images to be created. Just like us! If you’re ready to stop chasing perfection, Mary’s new book, slow growth equals strong Roots is HERE! Click HERE to Order your copy today! We are beautifully broken, and God wants to use us to create something beautiful and accessible. Toni also led me into a conversation taken from a focus of her new devotional “Overcomer: Defeating Anxiety and Abuse.” I don’t want to spoil it too much, and we talk about SO MUCH good stuff, but it emphasized a few key takeaways. Overcoming is who you are. Overcoming is what you do. Overcoming is active. “We must prepare, endure, and actively choose to live life on the offense in order to be prepared when the enemy comes to steal, kill and destroY.” 
[image error] So what does it look like to overcome?In this episode of The Mary Marantz Show, Mary chats with author, ministry leader, and speaker, Toni Collier. The two discuss Toni’s new book “Brave Enough to Be Broken“ as well as the new devotional “Overcomer: Defeating Anxiety and Abuse.” In this episode, author and speaker Toni Collier drops some serious wisdom on:Why rewriting our labels often requires long healing processes.How overcoming these false identities necessitates mountain-moving faith andHow to prepare in the “off season” May this episode be your reminder: “Sometimes OVERCOMING is painful, but it is always fruitful.”
I can’t wait for you to take a listen! And if you are looking to give up comparing, performing, and achieving for your worth, I think you’ll LOVE my new book Slow Growth Equals Strong Roots! Available now everywhere books are sold! And while you’re at it, take our Achiever Quiz to see which of the 5 Achiever Types you are….
More From This Episode: Connect with Toni on Instagram and be sure to pick up her new books, “Brave Enough to Be Broken” and “Overcomer” wherever books are sold.
You May Also Like: The God of the Way with Kathie Lee GiffordLearning To Love Who God Made You To Be With Lauren AlainaWhen Life is More Than You Can Handle with Nicole JacobsmeyerHealing > Hiding: How to Show Up as The Best You with Dr. Alison CookFinding Strength To Take Back Your Story With Desiree Siegfried SUBSCRIBE TO THEEMAIL LIST JOIN THE INSIDER COMMUNITY
The post EP. 157: Brave Enough to Be Broken with Toni Collier appeared first on marymarantz.com.
Slow Growth Equals Strong Roots
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