Minimalist Moms Podcast | Purposeful Life & Parenting Tips

Today’s guest invites us to consider this question: What if God is not absent in your hardest seasons - but actively at work, stitching together something beautiful in the middle of it? In this conversation, Diane sits down with author Kirby Kelly to talk about her new book, The Fabric of Hope, and what it looks like to trust God in the middle of life’s hardest seasons. We talk about what it looks like to move from anticipating trauma and living in anxiety to casting our burdens onto Christ, supported by both faith and counseling.

Links Discussed in This Episode |
Checkout the podcast storefront for recommendations from Diane.
Book: Blessed Are The Spiraling by Levi Lusko
Book: Grieve, Breathe, Receive: Finding a Faith Strong Enough to Hold Us by Steven Carter
Connect with Kirby:
Website
Instagram
Podcast: Bought and Beloved
Book: The Fabric of Hope: How God Weaves Redemption into Every Season

About Kirby|
Kirby Kelly is a speaker, author, podcast host, and content creator based in Dallas, Texas, who has spent over a decade using digital platforms to equip, empower, and engage a global audience with the truth of the Gospel. With a B.A. in Communication and Biblical Studies from Dallas Baptist University and an M.A. in Theology, Kirby has built a ministry that blends theological depth with cultural relevance. Her online presence spans Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and her podcast Bought + Beloved, where she helps listeners and viewers deepen their love for God and knowledge of the Word. Kirby has authored two books with W Publishing: You Can Be Free and The Fabric of Hope. From everyday evangelism to her online uploads, Kirby hopes to see this generation live saved, set free, and sent forth in their unique God-given calling.
Episode Sponsors |
The Minimalist Moms Podcast would not be possible without the support of weekly sponsors. Choosing brands that I believe in is important to me. I only want to recommend brands that I believe may help you in your daily life. As always, never feel pressured into buying anything. Remember: if you don't need it, it's not a good deal!
Enjoy the Podcast?
Post a review and share it! If you enjoyed tuning into this podcast, then do not hesitate to write a review. You can also share this with your fellow mothers so that they can be inspired to think more and do with less. 
Order (or review) my book, Minimalist Moms: Living & Parenting With Simplicity.
You can contact me through my website, find me on Instagram, Pinterest or like The Minimalist Moms Page on Facebook.

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com/MINIMALIST
* Check out BetterHelp: https://www.betterhelp.com
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What if the key to better health isn’t found in a pill bottle - but in community, creativity, and connection? Today I’m joined by author and researcher Julia Hotz to talk about her new book, The Connection Cure, where she uncovers how movement, nature, art, service, and belonging can transform our well-being.
From dementia care farms in Norway to social prescribing programs around the world, Julia shares powerful, real-life stories of how people are healing through human connection. We dive into how prescribing joy, purpose, and relationships could radically shift how we think about healthcare.
Links Discussed in This Episode |
Book: Outlive by Peter Attia
Book: The Nature Fix by Florence Williams
Book: Heartbreak by Florence Williams
Book: Your Brain on Art: How Art Transform Us by Ivy Ross
Book: Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World by Vivek Murthy
Book: The Power of Fun by Catherine Price
Connect with Julia:
Website
Book: The Connection Cure: The Prescriptive Power of Movement, Nature, Art, Service, and Belonging
Instagram

About Julia |
Julia Hotz is a solutions focused journalist based in New York. Her stories have appeared in The New York Times, WIRED, Scientific American, The Boston Globe, Time, and more. She helps other journalists report on the big new ideas changing the world at the Solutions Journalism Network. For her insights on social prescribing, she has been invited to advise health and community organizations, teach in medical schools, deliver talks at TEDx, university symposiums, and international conferences, and write editorials for publications including The Wall Street Journal, Slate, and more. She proudly serves on the board of Walk with a Doc, and as an advisor to Social Prescribing USA.
Episode Sponsors |
The Minimalist Moms Podcast would not be possible without the support of weekly sponsors. Choosing brands that I believe in is important to me. I only want to recommend brands that I believe may help you in your daily life. As always, never feel pressured into buying anything. Remember: if you don't need it, it's not a good deal!
Enjoy the Podcast?
Post a review and share it! If you enjoyed tuning into this podcast, then do not hesitate to write a review. You can also share this with your fellow mothers so that they can be inspired to think more and do with less. 
Order (or review) my book, Minimalist Moms: Living & Parenting With Simplicity. You can contact me through my website, find me on Instagram, Pinterest or like The Minimalist Moms Page on Facebook.

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com/MINIMALIST
* Check out BetterHelp: https://www.betterhelp.com
* Check out Boll & Branch: http://bollandbranch.com/minimalist
* Check out Wayfair: https://www.wayfair.com

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Today’s guest says that when we talk about addiction, we often focus on the individual but rarely on the people standing right beside them.
The parents, the spouses, the friends… who so deeply want to help, but often feel like they’re walking on eggshells - unsure if what they’re doing is actually supporting healing… or unintentionally making things harder.
In this episode, I’m joined by Caroline Beidler, a licensed social worker and author of When You Love Someone in Recovery, to talk about what it really looks like to support a loved one through recovery in a way that fosters connection, not fear.
If you love someone in recovery - or want to better understand how to show up with clarity and compassion - this conversation is such a valuable resource.
Links Discussed in This Episode |
Checkout the podcast storefront for recommendations from Diane.
Recovery.com
Connect with Caroline:
Website
Instagram
Book: When You Love Someone in Recovery: A Hopeful Guide to Understanding Addiction

About Caroline|
Caroline Beidler, MSW, is an author, speaker, and managing editor of Recovery.com, where she combines research and expert insight on addiction and mental health. Drawing from her own recovery journey, she is the founder of the Women's Recovery Leadership Foundation and helps others find healing through her newsletter and podcast, Circle of Chairs, which reaches thousands weekly. Caroline’s next book, When You Love Someone in Recovery, a compassionate and practical guide to understanding addiction and supporting loved ones through recovery, hits shelves April 2026. She lives in eastern Tennessee with her husband and seven-year-old twins.
Episode Sponsors |
The Minimalist Moms Podcast would not be possible without the support of weekly sponsors. Choosing brands that I believe in is important to me. I only want to recommend brands that I believe may help you in your daily life. As always, never feel pressured into buying anything. Remember: if you don't need it, it's not a good deal!
Enjoy the Podcast?
Post a review and share it! If you enjoyed tuning into this podcast, then do not hesitate to write a review. You can also share this with your fellow mothers so that they can be inspired to think more and do with less. 
Order (or review) my book, Minimalist Moms: Living & Parenting With Simplicity.
You can contact me through my website, find me on Instagram, Pinterest or like The Minimalist Moms Page on Facebook.

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com/MINIMALIST
* Check out BetterHelp: https://www.betterhelp.com
* Check out Boll & Branch: http://bollandbranch.com/minimalist
* Check out Wayfair: https://www.wayfair.com

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In this episode, Diane sits down with Casey and Meygan Caston, co-founders of Marriage 365 and authors of The Marriage Habit, to explore why modern relationships often feel strained - and what we can do about it. They share how today’s culture of constant distraction, convenience, and digital noise can quietly pull couples apart, leading to what they call “the drift.” But more importantly, Casey and Megan offer tools to rebuild connection. If you’ve ever felt like you and your partner are just a little out of sync, this conversation is a really helpful place to start.
Links Discussed in This Episode |
Checkout the podcast storefront for recommendations from Diane.
Previous Episode: Cultivating an Intentional Marriage (EP264)
Connect with Marriage365:
Website
Instagram
Book: The Marriage Habit: 10 Simple Practices to Build a More Intentional, Thriving Relationship

About Marriage365|
Casey and Meygan Caston are the founders of Marriage365, an online platform for couples looking to overcome the obstacles keeping them from a connected, thriving marriage.
Episode Sponsors |
The Minimalist Moms Podcast would not be possible without the support of weekly sponsors. Choosing brands that I believe in is important to me. I only want to recommend brands that I believe may help you in your daily life. As always, never feel pressured into buying anything. Remember: if you don't need it, it's not a good deal!
Enjoy the Podcast?
Post a review and share it! If you enjoyed tuning into this podcast, then do not hesitate to write a review. You can also share this with your fellow mothers so that they can be inspired to think more and do with less. 
Order (or review) my book, Minimalist Moms: Living & Parenting With Simplicity.
You can contact me through my website, find me on Instagram, Pinterest or like The Minimalist Moms Page on Facebook.

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com/MINIMALIST
* Check out BetterHelp: https://www.betterhelp.com
* Check out Boll & Branch: http://bollandbranch.com/minimalist
* Check out Wayfair: https://www.wayfair.com

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

What if love isn’t something you simply find - but something you learn? In this episode, Diane sits down with relationship expert Robin Ducharme, author of Real Love Ready, to explore the idea that healthy, fulfilling relationships are built through something she calls “relational literacy.” Robin shares how our earliest relational patterns shape the way we show up in love, parenting, and everyday interactions - and why healing those patterns is one of the greatest gifts we can give our children. If you’ve ever felt stuck in relationship patterns or wondered how to create deeper connection in your home, this conversation offers both a hopeful reframe and practical tools to begin.
Links Discussed in This Episode |
Checkout the podcast storefront for recommendations from Diane.
Esther Perel
Robin's Resource: A Course in Miracles
Connect with Robin:
Website
Instagram
Podcast: Let's Talk Love
Book: Real Love Ready: A Guide to Relational Literacy

About Robin|
Robin Ducharme is the founder and CEO of Real Love Ready, a company that helps people turn relationship theory into real-life skills. A former matchmaker and love coach, she is the host of Let’s Talk Love, a podcast about relational literacy. She also hosts the Ask the Experts series on Instagram, where she collaborates with relationship thinkers from around the world. Robin is the creator and producer of the popular In Bloom Summit, held in Vancouver, BC, and streamed globally each spring. Her forthcoming book, Real Love Ready, is set for release in April 2026.
Episode Sponsors |
The Minimalist Moms Podcast would not be possible without the support of weekly sponsors. Choosing brands that I believe in is important to me. I only want to recommend brands that I believe may help you in your daily life. As always, never feel pressured into buying anything. Remember: if you don't need it, it's not a good deal!
Enjoy the Podcast?
Post a review and share it! If you enjoyed tuning into this podcast, then do not hesitate to write a review. You can also share this with your fellow mothers so that they can be inspired to think more and do with less. 
Order (or review) my book, Minimalist Moms: Living & Parenting With Simplicity.
You can contact me through my website, find me on Instagram, Pinterest or like The Minimalist Moms Page on Facebook.

Our Sponsors:
* Check out Avocado Green Mattress: https://avocadogreenmattress.com/MINIMALIST
* Check out BetterHelp: https://www.betterhelp.com
* Check out Boll & Branch: http://bollandbranch.com/minimalist
* Check out Wayfair: https://www.wayfair.com

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy