The Happy Hour with Jamie Ivey

Bailey’s If You Only Knew is her struggle with grief. After her husband passed away 4 years ago from cancer, Bailey started her life as a single mom and championing her husband’s legacy. However, it wasn’t until she was forced to be still that she realized that there were parts of her grief she hadn’t dealt with. I love Bailey’s message when she describes her realization of “if I press into the very thing I’m afraid of, maybe there’s something there for me”. Connect with Jamie Facebook // Twitter // Instagram // YouTube

My guest for The Happy Hour # 180 is Sonja Overhiser. Sonja is an author, recipe developer, podcast host, and healthy and sustainable food advocate. She and her husband Alex have created the A Couple Cooks website and the A Couple Cooks podcast that together provide recipes, conversation, and inspiration for healthy and sustainable eating. Sonja and I start off talking about how she discovered her passion for cooking through trying out recipes from cookbooks with her husband. We talk about the power of sharing a meal with others, and the walls that come down and community built up by breaking bread together. You'll be moved by Sonja's journey to becoming a momma as she takes us through her cancer diagnosis, infertility, and the road to bringing home her son. She shares about the difficulty of being in a "liminal space" where you're in transition, waiting and uncertain what God is leading you to next. Sonja and I got to chat about so many things on the show today from how what we eat connects to our faith, to the amazing and bittersweet moments that can happen in adoption. I'm so excited to share our conversation with you and know you're going to love it. Connect with Jamie Facebook // Twitter // Instagram // YouTube GET ALL THE LINKS FROM THE SHOW HERE!

In this episode of this series, Alli shares her story of walking through bankruptcy and losing their home. When it happened, she didn’t want to tell a soul, and she talks about her feelings of shame and embarrassment. Alli speaks such truth when she says “when you’re in it, the furthest thing in your mind is that God is going to use it”, but that she has seen how He has used that time in her life for so much good. Connect with Jamie Facebook // Twitter // Instagram // YouTube

My guest for The Happy Hour # 179 is Candace Payne. On the show today, you'll get to know the woman behind the Chewbacca Mask whose video became a viral sensation and the most-viewed Facebook Live video to date. Candace is a speaker and author of Laugh It Up: Embrace Freedom and Experience Defiant Joy, and the small-group curriculum, Defiant Joy: What Happens When You’re Full Of It. Candace and I start the show discussing all things movies by playing "Skip It or Ticket" and you'll learn how much I know about Star Wars (hint: I may have fallen asleep during one of the movies!). Candace shares how posting her Chewbacca Mask video changed her life literally overnight, and what it has been like to experience fame so quickly. Candace opens up about struggles her family has endured, including a time when they were homeless. Candace reminds us that through God we always have access to joy and freedom no matter the circumstances, and it's up to us to choose to fight for it. Candace will make you laugh and encourage you to embrace and experience joy, and I know you'll love my conversation with her. Connect with Jamie Facebook // Twitter // Instagram // YouTube GET ALL THE LINKS TO THE SHOW HERE

Ginger’s If You Only Knew is her struggle with social anxiety. Ginger talks about how she lost her hearing literally overnight when she was 4 years old and how she found herself pulling back and avoiding social settings. I loved when Ginger reminds us that “God’s in control of not just the big things, but the small things too… He’s the one that holds every bit of this in His hand”. Connect with Jamie Facebook // Twitter // Instagram // YouTube

We're switching things up a little bit today on The Happy Hour. My husband and best friend, Aaron, is guest hosting and interviewing ME. My very first book, If You Only Knew, released yesterday and I am feeling every possible emotion about the whole thing. On today's show, we talk about the book writing process and my heart behind the message of the book. Aaron also asks me about the most vulnerable chapter in the book, where I share a recent struggle. I'll be the first and last to say vulnerability is hardly ever easy, but always worth it. Guys, I really can't believe this book is finally out into the world. I cannot thank you enough for your support and you cheering me on. This has been such a labor, and such a joy, and such a rollercoaster and you guys have been amazing through it all. I am so so grateful. And if you haven't already, I would love for you to pick up a copy of the book today for you and a friend. You can do that right now right here! {You can listen to the show HERE. And of course, I would love if you would share with your friends. Just use the FB & Twitter links at the end of this post!} If You Only Knew Connect with Aaron Twitter // Instagram Connect with Jamie Facebook // Twitter // Instagram // YouTube GET ALL THE LINKS FROM THE SHOW HERE!

In my conversation with Shawn, she shares her story of how the secrets of abortion and struggling with alcoholism had kept her sick for so long. Shawn describes how she would share parts of her story, but it wasn’t until she told her story fully and let herself walk with Jesus through all of it, that she could start to receive healing. “God has used the darkest, saddest, the most horrible time of my life, and He has redeemed those things and now He is using those things for His glory”. Connect with Jamie Facebook // Twitter // Instagram // YouTube

Kat Harris joins me today for The Happy Hour #177. Kat is a Brooklyn-based photographer, educator, and Co-Founder of the online magazine The Refined Woman. Her mission is to empower women to embrace their beauty, identity, and value through the art of story telling. As you'll hear in our conversation today, Kat believes life happens in the in-between, and that there is no such thing as having 'arrived'. We talk about the idea of sustainable transformation and how she believes every opportunity is an opportunity for growth if we choose it to be. Kat shares all about being single and a virgin In New York City and how she fights to trust God in her singleness. She talks about her conviction to abstain from sex until marriage, what the Bible says, and how she plans to endure in a culture and city where it's not celebrated. I loved my conversation with Kat so much, and I just know you will too. Connect with Jamie Facebook // Twitter // Instagram // YouTube GET ALL THE LINKS FROM THE SHOW HERE!

In the third episode of this series, I talk with Lisa about her struggle with shopping. I think it will sound familiar to all of us when she describes how we can rationalize what we’re doing and try to place sin on a scale instead of just recognizing sin as sin. Lisa says, “bottom line, if anything gets between you and God, it’s gotta go.” Connect with Jamie Facebook // Twitter // Instagram // YouTube

My guest for The Happy Hour #176 is Candace Cameron Bure. Candace is an actress, producer, New York Times bestselling author, and loved by millions worldwide from her role as D.J. Tanner on the iconic family sitcoms Full House and Fuller House, Hallmark Channel movies, former co-host of The View, inspirational speaker and Dancing with the Stars Season 18 finalist. Candace is both outspoken and passionate about her family and faith. Guys, if you thought you loved Candace before, you are going to love her even more after listening to our conversation. She is as warm and genuine as we all imagined her to be. In our conversation, we talk about growing up on screen, taking a 10 year break to focus on her family, and the challenges of living a life of faith in the TV and film world. You'll hear about how she makes decisions on roles she plays in an effort to stay true to herself and honoring to God. We also talk about her book writing career and her newest book, Kind is the New Classy, releasing on April 24. Make sure to head over to Amazon to pre-order and reach out to Candace to let her know how much you loved hearing her on The Happy Hour! Connect with Jamie Facebook // Twitter // Instagram // YouTube GET ALL THE LINKS FROM THE SHOW HERE!