

For The Love With Jen Hatmaker Podcast
Jen Hatmaker
New York Times bestselling author Jen Hatmaker and her longtime friend, Amy Hardin, have arrived in the middle years — and they couldn’t be happier about it. Each has navigated the ins and outs of life — from careers, to parenting, marriage (and, for Jen, divorce), spiritual evolution, and the joys of being hardcore Gen Xers.With each weekly episode, Jen and Amy serve as our “everywoman” guides to all the seasons — past, present, and future — as they walk excitedly and tenaciously into the second half of life.While Jen and Amy have plenty of wisdom to share — and some pretty hilarious stories, too — they don’t claim to know it all. That's why they invite some of the most interesting and accomplished guests to the podcast, bringing insight, expertise, and understanding to the most relevant topics of our time. From Jen and Amy’s compelling conversations with guests to their witty banter (and the occasional eye-rolls at the absurdities of life), they’re here reassure you that you’re not alone in this game of life. It’s “For the Love” of all that is good, justified, exasperating, exhilarating, real, fun — and so much more.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Sep 28, 2021 • 47min
The Lion King’s Brandon McCall on Fulfilling a Life-Long Dream
DescriptionWhen it comes to living out life-long dreams, that’s always a goal we support here at For the Love. And do you know what we love just as much as seeing someone succeed? Broadway! We’re back with another week of the For the Love of Broadway series just as the whole country is celebrating the return of Broadway’s best. This week we take another peek behind the curtain to find out what it’s like to go through audition after audition, wondering if you’ll ever “make it there,” and then have it all end up with nabbing the role you’d always dreamed of as a child. That scenario happened to Brandon McCall, aka, Simba in The Lion King, and his story just makes our hearts full as to what is possible if we run toward a dream. Brandon takes Jen behind the scenes and shows us what it’s like to audition for Disney, what it looks like to be “show ready” for audition after audition, and finally the thrill of playing a role he’s dreamed of since watching his first Broadway show as a kid. Brandon shows us that dreams really can come true--right under the neon lights of Broadway. * * *Thank you to our sponsors! Butcher Box | Sign up at butcherbox.com/forthelove and get 2 pounds of ground beef free in every order for the life of your membership. ABLE | Get 20% off sitewide with promo code 20Jen at livefashionable.com. Jen Hatmaker Book Club | Join the sisterhood in nerdiness today at jenhatmakerbookclub.com. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 21, 2021 • 51min
Hamilton’s Christopher Jackson on Knowing Who You Are—On and Off Broadway
Pull your tickets out and silence your cell phones as we dive into another episode in our For the Love of Broadway series! As live theater comes back into all of our lives, we’re going straight to the heart and soul behind it. The actors, the writers, the composers—all work together to put these fantastic and magical shows out day in and day out, and we want to know what inspires them to do it. Maybe it’s always been their dream to hit the big stage, maybe it’s something they stumbled upon. Or perhaps, like our guest today, singing became a passion when he was charged with singing at the family business. As a young boy, Christopher Jackson began performing at services for his family’s funeral home business. And while that’s not the most jolly kick-off to his career, it gave him the confidence and courage to head to New York at 17 and star on Broadway by 22. Oh and also—no big deal—he’s been in some small productions like The Lion King, In The Heights and Hamilton. This week, Jen and Christopher talk about that dream that starts as a tiny seed and carries you to a destination you could have never imagined, those magical and life changing moments (like being a black man playing President George Washington performing in The White House for the first black president, Barack Obama) and what it means to widen your world to other mediums, all while trying to stay grounded outside of the roles being played to fully embrace your identity apart from the lights of Broadway. * * * Thank you to our sponsors! Noom | Start building better habits today. Start your trial today at Noom.com/FORTHELOVE. Third Love | Head to thirdlove.com/FORTHELOVE for 20% off your first order. Rothy’s | Head to Rothys.com/FORTHELOVE to find your new favorites today. Betterhelp | Join over 1 million people taking charge of their mental health at BetterHelp.com/forthelove. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 17, 2021 • 55min
[BOOK CLUB BONUS] Elizabeth Acevedo’s “Clap When You Land”
Calling all book nerds! Are you looking for a place where your book-loving heart can flourish? Join us at jenhatmakerbookclub.com, and become one of our sisters in nerdiness. For August 2021, Jen and the club read Elizabeth Acevedo’s Clap When You Land. Elizabeth Acevedo is an internationally known New York Times bestselling author. Her writing is inspired by her Afro-Dominican roots, along with her upbringing in New York City as the daughter of Dominican immigrants. She is formally trained in performing arts, but later received her MFA in creative writing. And here's the thing, she writes novels in prose. Her book Clap When You Land shows readers that relationships are anything but easy. Familial relationships, relationships to the landscape, the relationship you have with yourself. This book dives deep into what it means to know and be known, and how our circumstances directly impact that. Jen and Elizabeth chat about what it’s like to write a book in prose, how young people teach adults, and why it’s so important to develop strong connections with the women in your life. * * * Thank you to our sponsors! Jen Hatmaker Book Club | Join us at jenhatmakerbookclub.com and become one of our sisters in nerdiness. ABLE | Get 20% off sitewide with 20JEN at livefashionable.com. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 14, 2021 • 1h 3min
The Double Name Witches, ft. Wicked’s Mary Kate Morrissey and Ginna Claire Mason
This week we are rolling back the curtains and kicking off a brand new series, For the Love of Broadway...so dim the lights and get ready for the absolute blast we are going to have here! To kick off this series we are welcoming two of Broadway’s best—Mary Kate Morrissey and Ginna Claire Mason, aka, Elphaba and Glinda. You know, the witches from Wicked? Yeah, those ones. Mary Kate and Ginna Claire, affectionately referred to as MK and GC, are going to take us through their journeys to the big stage and bright lights. We also get to learn all about the business, Double Name Witches, they started last year teaching the next generation of performers and how that work has enhanced their own abilities on stage and off. But more than that, we get to learn about the connection these real-life besties share and how that has saved them both many times. Jen, MK, and GC chat about the anxiety of live performance, why live theater is more important now than ever before, and how we can all get ready to experience our first show again after the Great Pause. * * * Thank you to our sponsors! Best Fiends | Download the 5 star-rated puzzle game, Best Fiends free today on the App Store or Google Play. Stamps.com | Stop wasting time at the Post Office. Visit stamps.com with promo code FORTHELOVE to start your trial today.ABLE | Get 20% off your order with promo code, 20JEN, at livefashionable.com. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 10, 2021 • 25min
Antoni Porowski [BONUS] “Antoni: Let’s Do Dinner” Cookbook Chat
Happy unscheduled podcast goodness day to you all—we’ve got a super fun bonus episode for you! This week we are welcoming the one and only Antoni Porowski to the show. You know and love him from the delightfully heartwarming Netflix show, Queer Eye, where he works as the food and wine expert, teaching people the power of caring for all bodies—inside and out. Not one to just have a day job, Antoni is also in the throes of releasing his most recent cookbook, Antoni: Let’s Do Dinner. This book features easy peasy recipes that will leave you feeling satisfied and ready to take on each day. Jen and Antoni chat about their favorite kitchen tools, the time it takes to put recipes together, and why sharing food is a form of self love for yourself and others. * * * Thank you to our sponsors! ABLE | Get 20% off with code 20Jen at livefashionable.com. Jen Hatmaker Book Club | Join the sisterhood in nerdiness at jenhatmakerbookclub.com. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 7, 2021 • 1h 2min
Moving Forward After Pain Rips Your Script: Maggie Smith
It’s so hard but so true: growth often comes from the most painful parts of life. An untreatable diagnosis, a painful divorce, the loss of savings that took a lifetime to build—when the script we write for ourselves is ripped apart by the unthinkable, we’re forced to rethink everything, like who we are, what we value, and where we spend our time. Moving the boulders of our identity requires us to push ourselves in ways we never asked for. And as frustrating as it can be, the pushing brings us closer to the person we’re meant to be—that’s what our guest, poet Maggie Smith, reminds us. Jen reveals how she unexpectedly found and fell in love with Maggie’s work (spoiler alert: it’s Shauna Niequist’s fault!). Maggie and Jen talk about what it was like for each of them to weather the loss that comes from divorce, and the fresh hope weaving its way through their rebuilding. Maggie reveals that more than ever, she feels more confident than ever to take on whatever life throws at her, even when her script is flipped. * * *Thank you to our sponsors! Chime | Get started today at chime.com/forthelove. Betterhelp| Get 10% off your first month at betterhelp.com/forthelove. Chime is a financial technology company. Banking services provided by The Bancorp Bank or Stride Bank, N.A.; Members FDIC. Eligibility requirements and overdraft limits apply. Overdraft only applies to debit card purchases. Limits start at $20 and may be increased up to $200 by Chime. Early Direct Deposit depends on the payer. Out-of-Network cash withdrawal fees apply. Third-party and cash deposit fees may apply. Go to Chime.com/FORTHELOVE for details. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 31, 2021 • 1h 4min
Fighting Fear of Failure and Taking the Leap with Jamie Kern Lima
Taking a leap in the face of uncertainty is scary. It’s hard to envision a life in which you are living your dream, especially if your current reality is not living up to your expectations. But, what if it all works out? What if everything you are dreaming of comes to fruition and you get the life you want? Wouldn’t that be worth the leap? That’s just another facet of flipping the script of our lives and we are so inspired by women across the world that take that leap into the unknown with the hope that things are better on the other side. This week, we are talking to one of those “leapers” who started a cosmetics company in her living room, who kept getting told “no” by the big beauty brands of the world, and persevered despite personal and professional rejection to build a multi-billion dollar cosmetics company with a heart. Jamie Kern Lima is the founder of the internationally known beauty brand, IT Cosmetics. As Jamie struggled to believe in herself enough to keep her dream alive--even after she was told she didn’t have the “look” to be selling cosmetics--she decided to trust her gut enough to let it guide her through the sea of rejections she received while trying to grow her business. And through this journey, she also realized that the beauty industry needed to change--and that no one should be showing women an unrealistic, unattainable “look” and making them feel less than if they didn’t fit the mold. Jamie would come out winning by standing her ground to show “real women” (including herself) of all shapes, sizes, skin types and colors as part of her brand, and her determination to make every woman feel beautiful and to trust themselves to know what is best for their lives is her mission and message to this very day. * * *Thank you to our sponsors! Noom | Start building better habits today. Start your trial today at Noom.com/FORTHELOVE. ABLE | Get 20% off with code 20Jen at livefashionable.com. Jen Hatmaker Book Club | Join the sisterhood in nerdiness at jenhatmakerbookclub.com. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 27, 2021 • 55min
[BOOK CLUB BONUS] Gabrielle Hamilton’s “Blood, Bones & Butter”
Calling all book nerds! Are you looking for a place where your book-loving heart can flourish? Join us at jenhatmakerbookclub.com, and become one of our sisters in nerdiness. For July 2021, Jen and the club read Gabrielle Hamilton’s Blood, Bones & Butter. Gabrielle Hamilton is a chef, author, and restaurant owner based in New York. Her roots in food and cooking were heavily influenced by her mother’s French origins, and created a unique relationship between Gabrielle and food. She was used to foraging and using everything from their garden, never letting anything go to waste. This understanding of food translated into a career as Gabrielle made her way into professional kitchens. She is a James Beard award winner, the winner of the 2018 Outstanding Chef award, and whipped her way right into the literary space. Jen and Gabrielle dive into the impact food has in relationships, the troubles found during parenting, and what comes next for her restaurant after a forced shut down. * * *Thank you to our sponsors! Butcher Box | Sign up at butcherbox.com/forthelove to get your first box today! Jen Hatmaker Book Club | Join us at jenhatmakerbookclub.com and become one of our sisters in nerdiness. ABLE | Get 20% off sitewide with 20JEN at livefashionable.com. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 24, 2021 • 53min
Renovating Lives and Homes with HGTV’s Mina Hawk
Fresh starts, new beginnings, and renovations. As we continue to dive into all the ways we can “flip the script” in our lives, we’re taking on one that is pretty literal—refreshing and renovating homes. Whether it’s something small like shuffling the furniture around in our living room to give a new perspective, or adding a new color of paint to our walls, we can all attest to how good it feels to freshen a space. Taking it to the next level—renovating a space—by maybe taking a room or a whole house to the studs and building something new can be daunting, but the rewards can be more than just the joy of something different, and can translate to practical things like more functional space, modernization, and even adding more value to your home. Our guest this week knows a thing or two about building something beautiful and new to refresh and restore a living space—we have none other than HGTV’s Mina Hawk from the show Good Bones. Mina decided to flip the script in her own life, and with no construction experience, taught herself the craft and embarked on the task of flipping homes that were once considered lost causes and turning them into places for their owners to live and grow for years to come. Mina continues to forge into new areas in —writing her very children’s book Built Together. This story gives kids a fresh look at what family actually means—showing readers that families are just as different as homes. Jen and Mina are diving into all of this and more and they talk about what home and community actually mean, and why creating close familial and neighborly bonds is so important. * * * Thank you to our sponsors! ThirdLove | Head to thirdlove.com/FORTHELOVE for 20% off your first order. Betterhelp | Join over 1 million people taking charge of their mental health today at betterhelp.com/forthelove. Rothy’s | Head to Rothys.com/FORTHELOVE to find your new favorites today. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 17, 2021 • 54min
Everything’s A Gift: Steering Our Lives Through Light & Through Darkness with Amy Grant
Continuing on in our Flip the Script series, we look at not only the things that happen “to us,” but the things that happen “by us.” Our guest this week epitomizes a life that includes those things we weren’t expecting that alter our course (for her, it was a heart defect diagnosis) and those things that are very intentional, like new efforts to find balance and taking responsibility for steering our own lives. Singer/songwriter Amy Grant is no stranger to our show, or to our community. She’s that friend so many of us have walked with via her music, through her writing, through just the way she negotiates the world in a way that is present, centered and grateful. Amy has walked through her share of flipped scripts—including the end of her first marriage (she and Jen share their common experiences there), the aging of her parents and the final lessons they taught her, and most recently, the heart surgery she would have never expected to happen—in 2020 no less—right in the heart of the COVID-19 pandemic. Amy and Jen talk about what happens during seasons of loss and upheaval and how they listen to their bodies, their hearts and trusted friends’ voices to empower themselves to steer out of the storm. In it all, Amy believes that “the next opportunity, the next enlightenment, the next ‘everything’ for all of us is within reach.” * * * Thank you to our sponsors! Best Fiends | Download the 5 star-rated puzzle game, Best Fiends free today on the App Store or Google Play. Stamps.com |Stop wasting time at the Post Office. Visit stamps.com with promo code FORTHELOVE to start your trial today. Chime | Join the millions on Chime. Apply now at chime.com/FORTHELOVE. Chime is a financial technology company. Banking services provided by The Bancorp Bank or Stride Bank, N.A.; Members FDIC. Eligibility requirements and overdraft limits apply. Overdraft only applies to debit card purchases. Limits start at $20 and may be increased up to $200 by Chime. Early Direct Deposit depends on the payer. Out-of-Network cash withdrawal fees apply. Third-party and cash deposit fees may apply. Go to Chime.com/FORTHELOVE for details. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices


