• This whole podcast talks about how to find joy using the creativity that God gives us. Our conversation was so rich and filled with goodness, tips for finding more joy, and how to simplify our big dreams and use our gifting right where God has us — that we never got to an “official” Simply Joyful moment at the end!
• Wendy mentions her book Life Creative: Inspiration for Today’s Renaissance Mom, while explaining what a “Renaissance Mom” is.
• “I write about about parenting, and I find that it’s still tapping into the same skills of storytelling, but it’s all with the purpose of pointing women to Jesus.” — Wendy Speake
• “God did a good job when He gave you all those other passions and all those other abilities. And so I’m encouraging you to find a way, find a time, find a tribe, find a group of women that can cheer you on in those things that you used to love before you became a mom.” — Wendy Speake
• Wendy shares about her friend, Kristen Schell who used a turquoise table to begin practicing hospitality when she was a mom.
• Wendy talks about how the Great Commision starts at home with your kids and that you can use your talents and dreams during your season of motherhood to share God’s love with not only your kids, but with others…even when feeling “Confined, yet unhindered.”
• “The dream come true of motherhood intersects every other dream.” — Wendy Speake
• “This is the way God planned it, whether it’s jotting down the dreams in your notebook, or pulling out your sewing machine again, or working to invent new recipes, taking pictures, or pulling out the pottery wheel — or whatever it is, when you’re a mom, all the other dreams start at home, too. It starts here. But it can start.” — Wendy Speake
• “That Great Commission call actually starts at home. The Scripture says first in Jerusalem, and then in Judea and Samaria, and from there, out into the world (Acts 1:8). And Jerusalem is the home for the early church, and then Judea and Samaria are the neighborhoods … and then from there, out into the world.” — Wendy Speake
• “It is God’s power that can flow out of our homes.” — Wendy Speake 
• “I might not want to be auditioning for movies, I might not be throwing extravagant dinner parties, but this is creative me, doing something to show someone they’re loved by God.” — Wendy Speake
• Wendy answers Kristi’s question on what encouragement she has for moms who don’t know how to guard against the feelings and emotions that make them feel hindered and burdened: talk to your husband, let him know how you’re feeling during a time when communication is devoid of conflict and have some husband-and-wife teamwork for the next project you plan on doing.
• Kristi talks about how she was inspired hearing about Joanna Gaines's story in her new book The Magnolia Story.
• Wendy’s advice for moms who want to find balance is to redefine “balance.” She uses a life guard analogy to illustrate we need to surround our selves with people who encourage us to go out a little deeper…and sometimes remind us that we need to swim a little closer to shore.
• “Balance is looking at the broad picture. If you can take a broader look at your life … then you won’t be so tempted to feel like you’re failing at balance.” — Wendy Speake
• Acts 1:8 (ESV)
• Acts 28:30-31

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