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A Heart That Beats for Home

Nikki Smith

Hey friend! I’m Nikki Smith—wife, mom of three, entrepreneur, and host of A Heart That Beats for Home. Over the years, God has used marriage, motherhood, business, and everyday life to stretch me, grow me, humble me, and draw me closer to Him. This space is a reflection of the journey I’m still on—growing, learning, and leaning into much-needed grace. I have a heart to keep investing intentionally in my marriage of 26 years with the man God has given me as a partner and best friend, to walk faithfully toward the season of empty nesting, and to grow deeper in relationship with my adult and soon-to-be adult children. More than anything, I’m passionate about drawing closer to my Heavenly Father—truly knowing Him in a way that is real and active in my everyday life—and reflecting Him in all my relationships, actions, and plans.

Each episode is a real, hope-filled conversation about the things that matter most: building strong families, walking faithfully in the gift of marriage, parenting intentionally through every stage, and keeping Christ at the center of it all. Alongside my own story, you’ll hear from amazing guests who share a deep passion for nurturing strong families where Jesus is glorified. Their wisdom, vulnerability, and encouragement will remind you that you’re not alone in this journey.

Whether you’re single, newly married, raising little ones, building a business, or walking through a new season, you’re welcome here. This is a space for women who love their families fiercely and want to lead with purpose—honoring God in the roles He has placed us in, faithfully shepherding the souls in our homes, and nurturing an environment that reflects the fruit of the Spirit and a life that glorifies Him.

One day at a time, may we become women who cultivate hearts that beat for home.

Thanks for being here,

Nikki

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Yesterday · 38 min
103. 6 Things to Stop Doing in Your Marriage (Part 1)
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. What if some of the biggest changes we could make in our marriages started not with our spouses, but with us? After nearly 27 years of marriage, I've learned that a healthy marriage isn't built by two perfect people. It's built by two imperfect people who are willing to keep growing, extending grace, and choosing each other through every season of life. Recently, while studying Ephesians with a group of younger married women, two words stood out to me: grace and peace. They're gifts we've so freely received from the Lord, but how often are we intentionally extending those same gifts to the people closest to us? In this first episode of a two-part series, we're talking about three habits that can quietly create frustration, resentment, and unnecessary conflict in our marriages—and what we can start doing instead. In this episode, we'll talk about: Stop speaking with a harsh or critical tone. Start choosing your tone before you choose your words. Even when our concerns are valid, how we communicate them matters. Stop assuming the worst about your spouse. Start extending grace and assuming good intentions. A bad moment or a bad habit doesn't automatically mean someone has a bad heart. Stop keeping score. Start approaching marriage with generosity instead of comparison. Different seasons require different sacrifices, and marriage isn't always a perfectly balanced 50/50. We'll also discuss how to navigate recurring disagreements, why our words can either build up or tear down our spouses, and the importance of recognizing the contributions each person brings to the family. One reminder I keep coming back to is this: “We judge ourselves by our intentions and others by their behavior.” How might our marriages change if we extended the same understanding and grace to our spouses that we so often give ourselves? This episode isn't about getting everything right or placing the responsibility for a healthy marriage on one person. It's about inviting the Lord to show us where we can grow. Your challenge this week: Choose just one of these three areas and intentionally practice doing something differently. And be sure to join me next week for Part 2, when we'll cover the final three habits. Please note: This conversation addresses everyday challenges in otherwise healthy marriages. It is not intended as guidance for abusive, coercive, or unsafe relationships, which require appropriate support and intervention. If this episode encourages you, I'd love for you to share it with your spouse or a friend who might benefit from the conversation. Thank you for being part of the A Heart That Beats for Home community! Related podcast episodes- Episode 35 — 25 Things I've Learned in 25 Years of Marriage: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-heart-that-beats-for-home/id1719372285?i=1000670768048 Episode 62 — The Mental Load of Motherhood: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-heart-that-beats-for-home/id1719372285?i=1000704716966 Episode 63 — The Mental Load in Relationships: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-heart-that-beats-for-home/id1719372285?i=1000705675501 JOIN ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Follow Along @ - https://www.instagram.com/nikkicronksmith/
October 15 · 32 min
102. The Little Things That Quietly Tear Down Our Homes
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. Have you ever stopped to consider the little things that might be quietly stealing joy from your home? We spend so much time trying to protect our families from the big things that we can overlook the small attitudes, habits, distractions, and compromises that slowly begin to take root. In Song of Solomon 2:15, we're reminded to catch the little foxes that spoil the vineyards. And while this beautiful imagery originally speaks to protecting love, I believe there's a powerful lesson here for us as wives and mothers. This week, I'm inviting you into another conversation filled with a little coffee, conviction, and confession as I share four areas the Lord has been working on in my own heart. We're talking about forgetting whom we're really serving, allowing grumbling and complaining to become part of our everyday lives, losing the joy of serving our families, and becoming so distracted by good things that we lose sight of the most important things. Because sometimes the very life we once prayed for can begin to feel like a burden when we lose sight of the blessing. And sometimes, without even realizing it, we can be working so hard to build beautiful homes while allowing little attitudes and habits to quietly tear down what we're trying to build. My hope is that this conversation won't leave you feeling condemned, but encouraged to examine your heart, recognize what needs attention, and invite the Lord to continue refining you. Because the goal isn't simply to do all the right things for our families. It's to love them well in the process. Let's be women who intentionally cultivate homes filled with joy, gratitude, peace, and love. I'm so grateful you're here, friend. Scripture referenced Song of Solomon 2:15 — Catch the little foxes that spoil the vineyards. Colossians 3:23–24 — Working wholeheartedly for the Lord. Philippians 2:14 — Doing all things without grumbling. Galatians 5:13 — Serving one another through love. Ephesians 5:15–16 — Walking wisely and making the best use of time. Proverbs 14:1 — The wise woman builds her house. Proverbs 4:23 — Guarding your heart. Luke 6:45 — The mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart. JOIN ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Follow Along @ - https://www.instagram.com/nikkicronksmith/
October 8 · 37 min
101. Stop Fixing Everything: Giving Our Kids Room to Grow
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. As our kids get older, one of the hardest parts of parenting is knowing when to step in and when to step back. This week’s episode came out of a conversation I had with a girlfriend about that exact tension. When do we let our kids make their own decisions? When do we allow natural consequences to do some of the teaching? And how do we begin releasing control without releasing the responsibility we still have as parents? I want my kids to fail at home. Not because I want life to be hard for them, but because home is one of the safest places for them to make manageable mistakes, learn how to repair what went wrong, build resilience, and discover that they are capable of figuring things out. In this episode, we talk about: Why releasing control happens through hundreds of small moments Moving from being our kids’ manager to becoming more of a coach and mentor The “freshman, JV, varsity” approach to increasing responsibility as our kids mature How to decide which mistakes are safe enough to let our kids make Three questions to ask when deciding whether to step in Why constantly rescuing our kids can actually make adulthood harder Teaching teens to communicate with teachers, make appointments, manage responsibilities, and clean up their own mistakes How failure can build confidence, independence, responsibility, and resilience Why our expectations can grow while our love and support remain completely steady We don’t have to solve every manageable problem for our kids. We can guide them. We can ask good questions. We can share wisdom. We can protect them when the stakes are truly high. And then, sometimes, we have to give them enough room to try. Because ultimately, we aren’t raising children who will always need us to manage their lives. We are raising future adults who need to know: I can think through this. I can make a decision. I can own the outcome. I can repair a mistake. And I can try again. Maybe the question for us isn’t, “Did I do everything I could to make sure they made the right decision?” Maybe it’s, “Did I say what mattered, give them the guidance they needed, and leave enough room for them to grow?” JOIN ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Follow Along @ - https://www.instagram.com/nikkicronksmith/
October 1 · 1 hr 4 min
100. 100 Episodes Later: The Words I Still Carry With Me
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. 100 episodes. It’s honestly a little hard to believe we’re here. When A Heart That Beats for Home began nearly three years ago, I knew I had a heart for encouraging women to cultivate strong marriages, intentional families, and homes centered around biblical truth. What I didn’t know was where God would take it. One hundred episodes later, this little podcast has been listened to in 97 countries, 2,228 cities, and six of the seven continents. We’ve shared 63 solo episodes and welcomed guests for 37 interviews—and somehow this community continues to grow. More than the numbers, though, I’m overwhelmed by the stories. The messages from women who heard exactly what they needed in a difficult season. The conversations that have made their way into marriages and parenting and friendships. The listeners who have shared an episode with someone they love. And the incredible privilege I’ve had of sitting across from people whose wisdom has changed the way I think and live. So for episode 100, we’re going back into the archives. I’m sharing five conversations that have stayed with me long after I stopped recording—truths I still repeat, share with friends, and come back to in my own marriage, parenting, faith, and life. We’ll revisit Marc and Lori’s powerful picture of strengthening a marriage by “overseeding” the good instead of becoming consumed with pulling weeds, along with the reminder that our feelings can be strong without always being true. We’ll hear from Betsy Dirkse about recognizing and honoring the weight our spouses carry—and the importance of seeking to understand one another instead of only focusing on what we ourselves are carrying. Justin Whitmel Earley reminds us that “the Lord is more gracious than we are hardworking,” that we can create healthy ruts of habit for our children without believing their entire future rests on our shoulders, and that while our habits don’t change God’s love for us, our love for God should absolutely change our habits. We’ll return to one of the most difficult and beautiful conversations I’ve ever had, with Hadley, whose story of unimaginable loss taught me something I have repeated countless times since: God does not give us today the grace we would need for tomorrow’s tragedy. He gives us the grace when we need it. We do not have to live today afraid that we couldn't survive something God has not asked us to walk through. And finally, I’m sharing part of one of the most personally meaningful interviews I’ve ever recorded—my conversation with John O’Leary. We talked about our dads, Parkinson’s, suffering, faith, and wrestling with the question of “why?” That conversation eventually led to an experience with John and my own dad that I will treasure for the rest of my life. These are only five moments out of 100 episodes, but they represent so much of what I pray this podcast will always be: a place where we learn from one another, tell the truth about real life, point one another toward Jesus, and become more intentional about the homes and relationships entrusted to us. To every person who has listened, shared an episode, sent me a message, left a review, encouraged me, or simply pressed play week after week—thank you. Here’s to 100 episodes. And, Lord willing, there is so much more to come. If A Heart That Beats for Home has encouraged you, would you take a moment to rate and review the show on the podcast platform where you listen? Those ratings and reviews help more people discover the show—and ultimately help these conversations find their way into more homes. Thank you for being part of this community. 🤍 Marc & Lori’s full marriage episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-heart-that-beats-for-home/id1719372285?i=1000757475559 Betsy Dirkse full episode: Part 1- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-heart-that-beats-for-home/id1719372285?i=1000676940174 Part 2-https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-heart-that-beats-for-home/id1719372285?i=1000677761988 Justin Whitmel Earley’s full episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-heart-that-beats-for-home/id1719372285?i=1000734194249 Check out a few of my favorite books of Justin’s: Habits of the Household: https://amzn.to/4AH1hkW The Body Teaches the Soul: https://amzn.to/4jfDLph Hadley’s full Beauty From Ashes episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-heart-that-beats-for-home/id1719372285?i=1000684221659 John O’Leary’s full episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-heart-that-beats-for-home/id1719372285?i=1000727335069 Soul on Fire Movie — https://johnolearyinspires.com/soulonfire/ JOIN ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Follow Along @ - https://www.instagram.com/nikkicronksmith/
September 24 · 42 min
99. The Stories Our Children Will Need When Life Gets Hard
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. What are the “stones” in your family, the stories you never want your children to forget? In Joshua 4, God instructed the Israelites to take twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan River and build a memorial. Why? So that one day, when their children asked, “What do these stones mean?” they could tell them the story of God’s faithfulness. In this deeply personal episode, Nikki reflects on the stones within her own family: miscarriage and postpartum depression, closed doors that became protection, unexpected redirection, hospital rooms, a heart attack, pulmonary embolisms, and seasons when the ending was anything but certain. But God’s faithfulness cannot be measured only by whether a story ends the way we hoped. Sometimes the stone says, “Look what God fixed.” Other times, it simply says, “God was with us there.” This conversation is an invitation to remember where God has met your family, and to intentionally pass those stories on to your children. Because someday they will face their own closed doors, unanswered prayers, hospital rooms, and Jordans. When that day comes, may they have stones to look back on that remind them: God was with us there. God was faithful there. God did not abandon us there. And He will be with you here, too. In this episode: Why God repeatedly calls His people to remember How rejection can sometimes be God’s protection Recognizing God’s faithfulness even when circumstances do not change Why our children need to see us depend on God Practical ways to preserve and share your family’s faith stories The difference between protecting children from adult burdens and allowing them to witness authentic faith A simple challenge to identify one “stone” and share its story with your family this week Scriptures referenced: Joshua 4:4–7 Deuteronomy 6:7 Deuteronomy 31:8 Psalm 46:1 Resources mentioned: Five-Year Prayer Journal - https://hosannarevival.com/collections/one-thing-i-ask/products/one-thing-i-ask-5-year-prayer-journal-edinburgh-theme Podcast - Deep Dive: Encouragement for the Weary: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/deep-dive-encouragement-for-the-weary/id1458672189?i=1000785448263 2 Week Sermon on God's Faithfulness- https://redeemerrockford.church/sermon/faithful-a-look-back/ https://redeemerrockford.church/sermon/faithful-a-look-forward-god-will-be-faithful/ If you are walking through a difficult season—or if you have questions about what it means to have a relationship with Jesus—please reach out. Nikki would be honored to connect with you, pray with you, or help you find a Bible and a place to begin. Next week, join us as we celebrate the 100th episode of A Heart That Beats for Home and revisit some of the most meaningful lessons and conversations from the past three years. JOIN ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Follow Along @ - https://www.instagram.com/nikkicronksmith/
September 17 · 28 min
98. Beyond ‘Fine’: How to Have Deeper Conversations With Your Kids
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. We all want deeper relationships with the people we love, but sometimes we’re waiting for meaningful conversations to happen instead of learning how to invite them. In this episode, Nikki explores the art of asking good questions and how simple curiosity can help our children, teenagers, spouses, and friends feel truly known, heard, and seen. She shares seven practical ways to move beyond questions that produce one-word answers and create conversations that build genuine connection. You’ll learn why our questions need to grow as our children grow, how to ask the important second question, and why listening without immediately correcting, advising, or trying to fix the problem matters so much. Nikki also discusses staying curious about your spouse, becoming a safe place for honest answers, and building enough margin into family life for meaningful conversations to unfold. Loving someone isn’t only knowing who they’ve been, it’s staying curious about who they’re becoming. This week, choose one person you love, ask a question you’ve never asked before, and then stay long enough to truly listen to the answer. JOIN ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Follow Along @ - https://www.instagram.com/nikkicronksmith/
September 10 · 32 min
97. Nothing Humbles You Quite Like Your Kids
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. What happens when you ask your kids what you do that makes them cringe? For this episode, the answer came from a simple phrase: “my mama heart.” What started as a funny conversation with a daughter turned into a much bigger realization... of course our kids don’t fully understand the mama heart yet. They haven’t experienced one. Motherhood changes the way a heart operates. We feel their disappointments, celebrate their wins, worry about things completely outside of our control, and sometimes find ourselves wanting to step in and fix what may not actually be ours to fix. This episode explores the joy, worry, pride, fear, letting go, and deep love that come with a mama heart, along with four practical reminders for navigating it all: • Name what you’re actually carrying. • Ask, “Is this mine to carry?” • Don’t confuse feeling it with fixing it. • Give your mama heart somewhere to put it all. From knowing when to step in and when to simply stand close, to learning to surrender the things we cannot control, this conversation is a reminder that we can love our children deeply without carrying everything for them. And maybe that phrase our kids think is a little cringey? Someday, they’ll understand. Show Resources: Praying the Scriptures for Your Children: https://amzn.to/4ysaJqK Praying the Scriptures for Your Teens: https://amzn.to/3UyziDN Praying the Scriptures for Your Adult Children: https://amzn.to/4A7fnw0 JOIN ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Follow Along @ - https://www.instagram.com/nikkicronksmith/
May 21 · 50 min
96. Why Mom Sets the Tone of the Home: Tips to Thrive This Summer
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. Biblical Resources for Families: Favorite Children's Bibles: The Biggest Bible Story: https://amzn.to/3uHo1o5 The Biggest Bible Board Book Version: https://amzn.to/3ThT2YU The Biggest Bible Story Storybook: https://amzn.to/4bYDEbx The Jesus Storybook Bible: https://amzn.to/3UT37Nm Seeds Family Worship Music: https://seedskidsworship.com/product-category/music/ On Spotify : https://open.spotify.com/artist/5kV2pC0biCYFh3y9HxgNkS On Apple: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/seeds-family-worship/251295888 Scripture Lullabies: On Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/3egDut5sE3JIphJpVLO0z4 On Apple: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/scripture-lullabies/464465134 Praise Baby: On Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0uIyzjmP48YI0dpgdAjdeI On Apple: https://music.apple.com/us/album/sleepytime-lullabies/372543219 Abby Houston - Melodically Memorizing: On Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1CcoMJoJtlZrt2w6XSbj6c?si=9kKzk_T-Tc2JWQq2CQFVog On Apple: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/abby-houston/1173348681 Favorite Books: You are Special by Max Lucado: https://amzn.to/497d6VM You are Mine by Max Lucado: https://amzn.to/4nJTJrW Because I Love You by Max Lucado: https://amzn.to/4v2vffW Tale of the Poisonous Yuck Bug: https://booksrun.com/9780310709558-tale-of-the-poisonous-yuck-bugs-based-on-proverbs-12-18-insect-inside-series-the This week on A Heart That Beats for Home, we’re talking about the emotional atmosphere inside our homes and the powerful role peace plays within the walls we live in every day. As moms, we often carry more influence over the tone of our homes than we even realize. In this episode, Nikki shares practical ways we can intentionally cultivate peace instead of chaos, connection instead of control, and emotional safety instead of tension, especially heading into the busy summer months when routines shift and emotions can run high. Through personal stories, biblical encouragement, and honest reflections on motherhood, Nikki walks through practical ways to reset when we feel overwhelmed, how to slow the emotional pace of our homes, why quick repair matters so deeply, and the importance of creating homes where people feel safe, seen, and able to exhale. The episode closes with a deeply personal reflection on her children’s recent baptisms and the reminder that the ordinary rhythms of motherhood, bedtime routines, conversations, songs, and small moments, are often the very places where God is quietly doing kingdom work. This episode is an encouragement to every mom who has ever wondered if the little things matter. They do. Podcast Episode with Justin Whitmel Earley: (box breathing reference) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-heart-that-beats-for-home/id1719372285?i=1000734194249 Podcast Episode with Marc & Lori Maillefer: (Creating an Environment of Peace/ Candlelight Dinners) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-heart-that-beats-for-home/id1719372285?i=1000757475559 Bible Verses: Proverbs 15:1 Proverbs 14:1 Proverbs 17:1 Galatians 5 Deuteronomy 6:7 JOIN ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Follow Along @ - https://www.instagram.com/nikkicronksmith/
May 14 · 1 hr 5 min
95. Protecting Our Children in a Digital Age with Ryann Bauer
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. This week on A Heart That Beats for Home, I’m joined by Ryann Bauer for one of the most powerful and important conversations we’ve had on the podcast. Ryann shares her deeply personal story of childhood abandonment, depression, self-harm, and becoming a young mom, and how God slowly redeemed her pain and turned it into purpose. What began as heartbreak has now become a passionate mission to protect children and raise awareness around human trafficking, grooming, and child exploitation. Together, we talk honestly about the realities parents are facing in today’s digital world, from gaming platforms and social media apps to the subtle signs of grooming that so many families miss. Ryann shares firsthand stories from her work alongside Dark Horse and law enforcement, helping educate parents and communities on how predators are accessing children online and what we can do to better protect them. This conversation is eye-opening, emotional, practical, and incredibly needed. We also talk about Ryann’s vision for Freedom Bridge, a restoration ranch for survivors of trafficking and exploitation, where healing, purpose, mentorship, and faith can help women and children rebuild their lives. More than anything, this episode is a reminder that we cannot parent from fear, but we must parent with awareness, wisdom, and intentionality. I pray this conversation encourages you to lean in, ask hard questions, stay engaged in your children’s digital lives, and remember that our homes can be places of safety, truth, and healing. Dark Horse Global: https://darkhorseglobal.org/ JOIN ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Follow Along @ - https://www.instagram.com/nikkicronksmith/
May 7 · 59 min
94. Consistency, Grace, and the Legacy of Home with My Mom, Monique Cronk
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. This week’s episode is one of the most meaningful conversations I’ve ever shared on the podcast. In honor of Mother’s Day, I’m sitting down with my own mom, Monique, for a conversation about motherhood, faith, marriage, family, loss, legacy, and the beauty found in ordinary everyday life. My mom was married at 18 years old and went on to raise five daughters over nearly three decades of nonstop parenting. She shares openly about seasons of infertility and miscarriage, raising a family on a very tight budget, building a home centered around faith, and the lessons she learned through the many different stages of motherhood. From little girls gathered around the kitchen table to now watching grandchildren and even great-grandchildren grow, her life is a beautiful reminder that consistency, prayer, grace, and simple everyday faithfulness leave a legacy far greater than perfection ever could. Throughout this conversation, we reflect on what made our home feel so safe and connected growing up, how faith was woven naturally into everyday life, why relationships matter more than rigid rules, and how parenting changes as children become adults. We also talk about grief, hard seasons, trusting God through uncertainty, and the importance of staying present in the years that often feel exhausting while you’re living them. There are so many moments in motherhood that can feel mundane, repetitive, and unseen. But looking back now, so much of what felt ordinary at the time became the very foundation of the relationships, memories, and faith that continue to shape our family today. My prayer is that this episode encourages you, whether you are a young mom in the thick of raising little ones, navigating the teenage years, missing your own mother this Mother’s Day, longing to become a mom, or simply needing the reminder that the work you are doing inside your home matters deeply. This conversation is tender, honest, emotional, and full of wisdom I know I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life. I’m so grateful I get to share it with you. JOIN ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Follow Along @ - https://www.instagram.com/nikkicronksmith/
April 30 · 37 min
93. Connecting with Your Teen and Young Adults in Ways That Last
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. This week’s episode is a continuation of a conversation that I truly believe every parent of teens and young adults needs to hear. After revisiting one of the very first episodes of this podcast last week, I was reminded just how relevant these principles still are, and how much they continue to shape the way I parent today. So this week, we’re finishing that conversation. In this episode, we walk through three powerful ways to build deeper, lasting connection with your teens and young adults—especially in seasons that can feel overwhelming or uncertain. We talk about: Why living by example matters more than anything we say The importance of connecting more than correcting How to create real, meaningful connection with your kids The difference between monologue vs. dialogue in parenting Recognizing when your child needs to vent vs. receive advice Parenting each child individually based on their unique needs One of the most powerful reminders in this episode is the idea that parenting is like gardening. Each child has different needs, different wiring, and different ways they grow best, and it’s our role to pay attention and nurture them accordingly. Whether this is your first time hearing this conversation or a revisit, my prayer is that it meets you right where you are and gives you one or two simple takeaways to help strengthen connection in your home. Because at the end of the day… connection is what lasts. JOIN ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Follow Along @ - https://www.instagram.com/nikkicronksmith/
April 23 · 41 min
92. Parenting Teens Without Constant Conflict: Where to Hold the Line (and Where to Let Go)
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. This week’s episode is a little different, and one I’m really excited to bring back. As I was preparing to record a new episode on the topic of principles vs. preferences in parenting, I went back to revisit what I had already shared in the very early days of this podcast… and I was reminded just how much this conversation still matters. In fact, it felt too important to try to recreate. So today, we’re revisiting one of the very first episodes of A Heart That Beats for Home, a conversation around building connection with our teens and young adults, and learning how to choose what truly matters. We’re diving into: The difference between principles and preferences in parenting How trying to “be right” can damage connection Practical examples of where to hold firm—and where to let go Why protecting relationship should often take priority How to navigate the emotional intensity of the teen years Creating a safe space so your kids come to you first Whether you’ve been here since the beginning or you’re newer to the podcast, I truly believe this is one of those conversations that hits differently depending on the season you’re in. Sometimes we don’t need new information… we need the right reminder. JOIN ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Follow Along @ - https://www.instagram.com/nikkicronksmith/
April 16 · 37 min
91. Navigating Life in Seasons of Soaring and Struggling
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. As this episode goes live, I’m celebrating my 48th birthday, and I felt a strong pull to pause what I had planned and just sit down for a real, honest conversation with you. Looking back over the last 48 years, one thing is so clear: life is not a straight line. It’s a mix of seasons. Seasons of soaring and seasons of struggling. Times where we feel like we’re thriving in one area while quietly falling apart in another. In this episode, I’m sharing personal reflections from my own life in areas like physical health, mental health, marriage, motherhood, and business. The highs, the lows, and the lessons that have come from both. We talk about the pressure to “balance it all,” the reality that something often gives, and how learning to prioritize what matters most is far more important than trying to do everything perfectly. I also share openly about some of the hardest seasons I’ve walked through, including postpartum depression and times of deep struggle, and how God used those moments in ways I never could have seen at the time. If you’re in a season where you feel like you’re dropping the ball, stretched thin, or wondering when things will feel lighter again, this episode is for you. A few takeaways I hope you hold onto: Give yourself grace in the struggle Pay attention to the people you surround yourself with Trust that God is working in every season And remember... spring always comes. Resources Mentioned in Episode: Forever Photo Solutions - https://www.forever.com/sign_up?referral_token=nicole-smith--1 Brick: https://www.getbrick.com/NIKKI27406 JOIN ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Follow Along @ - https://www.instagram.com/nikkicronksmith/
April 9 · 43 min
90. When You Lose It as a Mom (And What to Do Next)
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. Have you ever had a moment where you just snap—and the second it’s over, you wish you could take it all back? In this honest and personal solo episode, I’m sharing a moment from last week where I lost my cool as a wife and mom—and what God has been teaching me through it. Because the truth is, so many of us are trying to hold it all together, and when we don’t, we often carry shame instead of allowing it to lead us into growth. We talk a lot about getting things right, but today we’re talking about what to do when we get it wrong. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, dysregulated, frustrated, or like you’re failing in your home, this conversation is for you. I walk through what led to that breaking point, the warning signs I ignored, and the practical tools I’m learning to put in place so I can respond differently next time. We dive into how most blow-ups aren’t about one single moment, but the buildup of exhaustion, unmet expectations, and unspoken needs. I share the importance of naming what’s actually going on beneath the surface, creating space to pause and regulate, and learning how to reframe the thoughts in our mind before they spiral into something bigger than they need to be. We also talk about what it looks like to take real ownership when we mess up—being quick to repent, slower to repeat, and repairing connection without excuses. And most importantly, we unpack the difference between living in grace versus shame in motherhood. Shame tells us we are the problem, that we’ve failed, and that we’ll never change. Grace reminds us that we are growing, that one moment does not define us, and that with God’s help, we can continue becoming the women, wives, and moms we are called to be. This episode is a reminder that the goal is not perfection—it’s progress. It’s about creating a home where love, safety, and grace are felt, where repair is normal, and where our kids don’t remember a perfect house, but a peaceful and secure place to grow. If you’ve been feeling stretched thin or discouraged in this season, I pray this conversation meets you right where you are and encourages you to keep going, one small step of growth at a time. JOIN ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Follow Along @ - https://www.instagram.com/nikkicronksmith/
April 2 · 1 hr 1 min
89. Don’t Burn Down Your Own House: Fighting for Your Marriage with Lindsey Maestas
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. In this episode, I sit down with Lindsey Maestas for a conversation that feels both honest and deeply hopeful for anyone navigating the realities of marriage. Coming off our Marriage Through the Decades series, this conversation couldn’t be more timely. Lindsey brings both truth and tenderness as she shares from her own story—walking through seasons of exhaustion, disconnection, and even moments where their marriage felt like it was on the brink. We talk about what really leads marriages toward breakdown—not the big, obvious issues, but the subtle patterns of contempt, resentment, and unmet expectations that quietly build over time. Lindsey shares openly about the moment she nearly “burned her own house down,” and the turning point that led her and her husband back toward healing. In this episode, we dive into: • Why contempt is one of the most dangerous patterns in marriage • How unmet needs often show up as frustration or resentment • The power of asking “why” beneath your reactions • Practical ways to rebuild connection when things feel distant • What it looks like to choose love when it doesn’t feel natural • How serving one another can shift the entire tone of a relationship • The role of physical and emotional connection in marriage • What to do when you feel like you’re the only one trying • Why leaving doesn’t solve what hasn’t been healed Lindsey reminds us that marriage isn’t about perfection—it’s about perseverance. It’s about choosing, again and again, to build instead of tear down. If you’re in a hard season, or even just feeling the slow drift that can happen over time, this conversation will both challenge and encourage you to lean back in and fight for what matters most. Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Find and Follow Lindsey at: Website - https://sparrowsandlily.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/livingeasywithlindsey/ Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/living-easy-with-lindsey/id1481805272 Dont Burn Your Own House Down - https://amzn.to/4sXuJik JOIN ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Follow Along @ - https://www.instagram.com/nikkicronksmith/
March 26 · 1 hr 2 min
88. Marriage Through The Decades: 44 Years of Marriage and the Practices That Make Love Last with Marc & Lori Maillefer
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. n the final week of the Marriage Through the Decades series, Nikki sits down with Marc and Lori Maillefer, a couple who have been married for 44 years and who have played a deeply meaningful role as mentors in Nikki and Jed’s life. Their marriage has been shaped by decades of ministry, raising five children, navigating grief and hardship, and learning to continually choose one another through every season of life. With humility and honesty, Marc and Lori share the rhythms and practices that have sustained their marriage over more than four decades. From simple habits like walking together and prioritizing family meals to deeper commitments like forgiveness, repentance, and extending grace in seasons of conflict, they offer wisdom gained through years of living out their faith in the everyday moments of marriage. They also speak candidly about communication, trust, and the importance of cultivating healthy rhythms that protect a relationship—whether that means going to bed at the same time, protecting time together, or creating a family culture centered around connection rather than correction. Through stories from their early years of marriage, raising children, and now entering a season of empty nesting and grandparenting, they remind listeners that strong marriages are not built on perfection but on commitment, humility, and God’s sustaining grace. For couples who feel discouraged or weary, this episode offers both encouragement and perspective. Marc shares a powerful image of two doors—repentance and forgiveness—reminding listeners that reconciliation and renewal are always possible through Christ. Whether you are in your first years of marriage or decades in, this conversation is a beautiful reminder that God is faithful to restore, strengthen, and grow a marriage when we continue to seek Him together. Episode 5 - 4 Questions That Can Help You Move Forward with Confidence: https://www.buzzsprout.com/admin/2232091/episodes/14423409-5-4-questions-that-can-help-you-move-forward-with-confidence Episode 20 - Navigating Love Languages in Parenting and Marriage: https://www.buzzsprout.com/admin/2232091/episodes/14924383-20-navigating-love-languages-in-parenting-and-marriage JOIN ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Follow Along @ - https://www.instagram.com/nikkicronksmith/
March 19 · 58 min
87. Marriage Through the Decades: Trusting God in Every Season with Loren & Sue Tucker
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. In week three of the Marriage Through the Decades series, Nikki sits down with Loren and Sue Tucker, a couple who have been married for 35 years and whose influence has stretched across generations. This conversation is especially meaningful as Loren and Sue were Nikki’s youth pastors during some of the most formative years of her life. With warmth, wisdom, and humility, they reflect on marriage, parenting, empty nesting, grandparenting, ministry, and the faithfulness of God through every season. Together, they share what it looked like to raise four children with intentionality, how they learned to release fear as their children grew into adulthood, and why asking good questions became such an important part of their family culture. They talk honestly about the challenge of letting go of control, the beauty of watching adult children build lives and families of their own, and the joy of welcoming grandchildren. Loren and Sue also speak candidly about the realities of marriage over time, including the need to deny self, guard your thought life, communicate with wisdom, and keep your eyes fixed on Christ. This episode is filled with practical encouragement for couples in every season, from raising teenagers to navigating an empty nest. More than anything, it is a conversation about faithfulness—faithfulness in marriage, faithfulness in parenting, faithfulness in ministry, and the steady grace of God that carries us through it all. Loren and Sue’s story is a beautiful reminder that strong marriages are not built on perfection, but on humility, growth, deep trust in the Lord, and a willingness to keep showing up for one another year after year. JOIN ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Follow Along @ - https://www.instagram.com/nikkicronksmith/
March 12 · 54 min
86.Marriage Through The Decades: Protecting What You’ve Built in Marriage with Eric & Lindsay Parks
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. In week two of the Marriage Through the Decades series, Nikki sits down with Eric and Lindsay Parks for an honest and encouraging conversation about what it looks like to protect what you’ve built in marriage and family life. Married for 23 years and raising five children, Eric and Lindsay share wisdom from a season filled with busy schedules, teenagers, college students, work demands, and the everyday realities of building a strong home. Together, they talk about why a healthy marriage is foundational to a thriving family, how caring for their individual walks with the Lord strengthens their relationship, and why prioritizing faith, family, and intentional connection has mattered so deeply through every stage. This episode explores the importance of affirming one another in marriage, creating peace in the home, and staying rooted in what truly matters rather than getting swept up in productivity and cultural pressure. Eric offers thoughtful perspective on providing for a family while remaining present at home, and Lindsay shares what it has looked like to faithfully pour into her role as a wife, mother, and homemaker while also stepping into creative work and new opportunities. Their conversation also touches on communication, intimacy, serving one another well, and the power of small, daily choices that strengthen a marriage over time. Throughout the episode, Eric and Lindsay offer practical encouragement for couples in the thick of raising children and managing full lives. They remind listeners that marriage takes intention, communication, sacrifice, and the willingness to keep fighting for what has eternal value. This conversation is a rich reminder that while no marriage is perfect, a Christ-centered home built on love, humility, and shared priorities creates a legacy that lasts far beyond the day-to-day demands of life. The Best Yes: Making Wise Decisions in the Midst of Endless Demands by Lysa TerKeurst https://amzn.to/4lrwDVJ Find and Follow Lindsay Parks at: https://thehousetheparksbuilt.com/ JOIN ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Follow Along @ - https://www.instagram.com/nikkicronksmith/
March 5 · 1 hr 4 min
85. Marriage Through The Decades: Choosing Each Other When It’s Not Easy with Cody & Lyndsey Tinsley
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. Over the next four weeks, we’ll hear from four couples in four different decades of marriage, from 11 years all the way to 44. Each story is unique, but they share a common thread: faith, real struggles, and the grace it takes to keep choosing each other through every season. To begin the series, I’m joined by Lyndsey and Cody, who have been married for 11 years and are raising two young kids. Lyndsey is an entrepreneur and mom at home, and Cody works in the oil and gas industry while also pursuing graduate school. Like many young families, their life is busy and full. In this conversation, Lyndsey and Cody share their honest story, from a fun blind-date beginning and a whirlwind engagement, to the challenges that came from very different upbringings, busy schedules, and the slow breakdown in communication that eventually brought their marriage to a breaking point around the seven-year mark. What makes their story so powerful is what happened next. Through prayer, humility, and a renewed commitment to seek God first, they began rebuilding their marriage in a completely new way. Cody shares how surrendering control and pursuing a personal relationship with God transformed how he shows up as a husband and father, while Lyndsey reflects on the importance of grace, understanding love languages, and protecting time together in the middle of busy family life. Their story is a beautiful reminder that marriages rarely fall apart overnight—but healing and restoration can begin in the smallest steps of faith, humility, and choosing each other again. Next week we continue the series with another couple in a different decade of marriage. I can’t wait for you to hear what they share. EPISODE RESOURCES: Carletta Nelson Podcast Episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-heart-that-beats-for-home/id1719372285?i=1000651405059 Love Languages Podcast Episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-heart-that-beats-for-home/id1719372285?i=1000656490803 5 Love Languages Books: https://amzn.to/4rVjkPQ https://amzn.to/4uc9mLc Children’s Bibles: https://amzn.to/46Hacpq https://amzn.to/4l8Rg97 JOIN ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Follow Along @ - https://www.instagram.com/nikkicronksmith/
February 26 · 21 min
84. Marriage Through the Decades Series
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. What if one of the greatest gifts we can give our children isn’t a perfect childhood, but a healthy marriage to grow up inside of? In this special kickoff episode, we’re introducing a four-week series called Marriage Through the Decades. This series isn’t about picture-perfect relationships or pretending anyone has it all together. It’s about real couples in real seasons who keep choosing each other—again and again. Over the next four weeks, you’ll hear from four couples married across four different decades: • 10–20 years • 20–30 years • 30–40 years • 40+ years From raising young children to navigating teens, launching adults, and stepping into retirement, each season looks different. But the foundations of friendship, faithfulness, intentionality, and commitment remain steady. In this episode, we talk about why marriage shapes the atmosphere of our homes, how our kids learn love and conflict resolution by watching us, and why protecting your relationship, even in the busiest seasons, matters more than we often realize. This conversation is about being intentional, not impressive. Marriage is hard, but it is worth fighting for. Next week, we begin with a powerful story of restoration from a couple who nearly lost their marriage in the first decade, and what it looked like to rebuild what felt completely broken. Join us as we walk through the decades together. JOIN ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Follow Along @ - https://www.instagram.com/nikkicronksmith/

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