Contributors

IMG_8412

Lisa Speers

Lisa considers herself a “writer-in-progress.” As creator of The Evolving Nest, she hopes The Evolving Nest will be the conduit through which others feel compelled to share their story. She resides in Oregon, and recently recommitted to her husband and best friend for the 28th year; together they have 3 growing children who still live full or part-time in their nest. Lisa also contributes to Her View From Home. She’s motivated by the quote, “What will the world miss if you don’t tell your story?”-Donald Miller

avatar for Esther GoetzEsther Goetz (5)

Esther is a wife to one and a mom to four grown children (ages 20-28).  She was born a missionary kid in war-torn Ethiopia, but has become a potato chip-eating, football-loving American, Christian wife and mom who has a fierce passion for marriage and family. She’s a little snarky, a little sappy, a little strong and hopefully more than a little Spirit-led.  She’s been driven to her knees in prayer and to raise her hands in praise.  She’s speaks words of hope and wisdom where the heart meets the home and faith touches the family. You can read more of Esther's beautiful writings at the following: The Dolly Mama Blog, Instagram: Moms of Bigs, Instagram: The Dolly Mama, Facebook: Moms of Bigs, Facebook: The Dolly Mama

avatar for Stephanie RileyStephanie Riley (3)

“I have been married to my husband, John, for 24 years- the guy I had to coach through two girlfriends before he figured out I was the one. We have a son that is 22, and a daughter who is 19, so we are halfway experiencing the “empty nest” stage of life.  I embrace all things family, home, and “cozy”, have serious attention deficit due to delight when surrounded by nature or animals, and get a kick out of hanging with our kids - even as they turn into young adults.  Zephaniah 3:17 speaks of God singing over us, and in Genesis we find God instructing Abraham to name his first-born the word that literally translates to “laughter”.  While I will have to wait for Heaven to implement any sort of singing others would benefit from, I can laugh- and certainly smile- and hope to use these gifts to navigate through the highs and lows of life.

avatar for Debbie PratherDebbie Prather (3)

Debbie Prather is a Christ-follower, wife, mother, and freelance writer. She and her husband celebrated thirty years of marriage in February 2020. Debbie is a bible study leader, community volunteer, and loves to connect heart-to-heart with those God places in front of her. She and her husband, Craig, adore their growing family, they've gained two daughters-in-law in the past two years, and Debbie shares her reflections on faith, grief, adoption, parenting, marriage, and injustice at https://742iloveyou.com/.

avatar for Ali FlynnAli Flynn (3)

Ali Flynn Ali lives in New York with her four teenage daughters and husband. She is excited to share with you the joys and hardships of motherhood with an open heart, laughter, and some tears. Ali is a monthly guest contributor for Westchester County Moms and has been seen on Filter Free Parents, Grown and Flown, Today Parents, Love What Matters, and Her View From Home. You can also find her at hang.in.there.mama with Ali Flynn on both Facebook and Instagram where she keeps motherhood real.

avatar for Stacey ChenevertStacey Chenevert (2)

My name is Stacey Chenevert and I'm a relationship coach specializing in Affair Recovery.  I'm also the founder of Women with Scars Affair Recovery. https://womenwithscarsaffairrecovery.com Eight years ago I had an affair and it nearly destroyed my life and my marriage. So trust me when I say I know what it is like to suffer in silence, wondering if you'll ever be able to get over the affair and save your marriage. Looking back now, I can say that the journey to recovery was hard but it was worth the fight. My marriage is fully healed and we thank God for the wisdom he gave us. Now my heart and my mission are to help other women who've had an affair find healing for themselves and their marriages without the fear of judgment, as they learn to live beyond the affair.

avatar for Melissa NeebMelissa Neeb (2)

Melissa Neeb is a Minnesota native and lover of nature, WW2 memoirs, rescue dogs, photography, and thrifting. Melissa and her husband have two teenagers who are the great loves of her life. She is passionate about advocating for addiction recovery, writing about parenting, life, faith, and everything in between. You can read more by Melissa on Facebook, Instagram, and on her website at Faith in the mess.

avatar for Sydnei KaplanSydnei Kaplan (2)

Sydnei Kaplan is Mom to two of her greatest blessings - both in college - and wife to David. She left a marketing career when she became a mom and never looked back. Along the way she discovered her soul’s true calling and found joy not just in raising her own children, but in supporting friends along their journeys. Currently she is a part-time preschool assistant and has rediscovered her passion for writing at Mom in the Moment, her recently launched blog. You can also find her words on Collegiate Parent, Living the Second Act, The Real Deal of Parenting, Grown and Flown and Her View From Home. 

avatar for Jennifer ThompsonJennifer Thompson (2)

Jennifer Thompson is a freelance writer, preschool art teacher and mother of four with a heart for Jesus. Her work can be found on a number of blogs and parenting publications. Recently relocated from Indianapolis to Nashville, Tennessee. She is a passionate storyteller and believes every person has an important story to tell. We grow when we share. And even more when we listen.  She can be found on her blog at Truly Yours Jen and on Facebook and on Instagram

avatar for So Very WhitneySo Very Whitney (2)

Whitney Westbrook writes about navigating midlife, mostly with grace. Because midlife is relentless and irreverent, and because we should all talk about it out loud more. Follow her for more misadventures and insights on all things midlife. https://www.facebook.com/SoVeryWhitney/

avatar for Jason GilesJason Giles (1)

Jason has been married to his beautiful wife for 25 years and is the father of two 20-something daughters. He's a COO and has been with the same company for 27 years. In his spare time, he loves to learn, think, work-out, cook, ski and golf. "I'm convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you...we are in charge of our attitudes." -Charles Swindol

avatar for AnonymousAnonymous (1)

After raising her two children, the author is enjoying her next phase of life with her college-age children and her new husband. During her bleakest of moments, the writer came across this quote which she still leans on today, "What lies behind us, and what lies before us are but tiny matters compared to what lies within us."-Ralph Waldo Emerson

avatar for Char MoeChar Moe (1)

Char holds a degree in both Communication and Psychology which, in an unexpected and statistically rare twist, turned out to be useful. The other tools most utilized in her bag of tricks include a love of family, unsolicited blunt honesty, and the ability to see the humor in just about everything. Finding joy in the everyday has been challenged many times over the years as life dealt out its lumps and bumps, but none more so than the heartbreak of becoming a widow. As a daughter, middle of five and self-proclaimed family problem solver, life continues to provide endless opportunities to find laughter in the lessons.

avatar for Megan SpeersMegan Speers (1)

Megan lives in the Sunshine State with her husband Jeff and three young, active kiddos. She is passionate about her family, friends, fitness, food, and faith. With her English degree, she enjoys writing about her experiences and how important “enjoying the journey is and not the destination.”  She hopes to relate and bring normalcy to others through the wonderful chaos of life!

avatar for Mark MeyersMark Meyers (1)

Mark has been married to his beautiful wife Amy for almost 25 years.They have 3 children, two in college and a sophomore in high school.He is a family physician where he uses his Biology degree daily, but enjoys putting the other half of his double major, a Classics degree, to work with occasional writing.Spartan racing pulls together his love of history with his love of the outdoors.When not running the trails he is liable to be wake surfing, snow skiing or hunting with his family.Or maybe curled up with a good book.

avatar for Sunshine & CoffeeSunshine & Coffee (1)

Hello! I am a wife, mom, and friend. I have a deep love for my family, and also happen to really love a good cup of coffee, and doing almost anything outdoors. I am currently the “CEO” of my household. I spend my time as the runner of errands, personal uber of kids, do-er of laundry, keeper of memories, creator of family traditions, and maker of fun. As an avid reader, I enjoy reading anything I can and thought I should attempt writing something, so I could add “writer of blog posts” to my list. I hope you enjoy! “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” - Maya Angelou

avatar for Tiffany KongTiffany Kong (1)

My name is Tiffany and I’m the founder of Discoveringwe.com. One of my passions in life is helping wives, specifically newlywed wives, learn to thrive in their marriages. The first few years of marriage can be tough, so I’ve made it a mission of mine to provide resources to inspire hope, healing, and happiness and to help women who need a little encouragement when building their marriage foundation. My marriage, like all marriages, is not perfect but through my own self-discovery, I’ve learned what I need to do as a wife to love and support my husband so we can create the marriage we’ve always wanted. Although my focus has always been on newlywed wives, I’ve received messages from women in all walks of marriage life who have found DiscoveringWE a helpful resource in their marriages. Once you get married, it’s not all about “ME” anymore, it’s about discovering “WE”.

You can read more about Tiffany and learn more at www.discoveringwe.com

-Tiffany

avatar for Lisa QuigleyLisa Quigley (1)

First and foremost, Lisa is a follower of Jesus. She is thankful on a daily basis for the mercy and grace her Saviour has given her. Lisa has been married to her husband, Dennis for 22 years. In the summer of 2020, they have a goal of hiking the TOP 10 BEST HIKES IN OREGON. Lisa is mother to two children, a daughter in college and a son in high school. She is presently a stay at home wife/ mom, taking care of as much as she can, while her husband works those long hours in tax accounting. 

avatar for Valeria TiptonValeria Tipton (1)

My name is Valeria Tipton. I am the author of the blog Heartbreak to Hallelujah (http://www.heartbreaktohallelujah.com/). I am a 36-year-old widow but I mostly identify as a mom. When my husband of nearly half my life passed away unexpectedly I thought God you promised you would make all things good but I don’t see how this could be good. However, because I know God I decided I would write down my journey because while losing my husband could never be good, God is.  I know He keeps His promises and I will find good in this journey and that is what I hope to share with others in a way that is real and sometimes messy but always blessed.

avatar for Craig ReinhartCraig Reinhart (1)

Corporate Real Estate advocate for emerging and established companies, passionate about my family and pursuing my life passions...You can read more by Craig at  https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigreinhart  or discover his latest passion at bendsauce.com

 

avatar for Camille OgdenCamille Ogden (1)

Camille Ogden, M.A. is the founder of Camille Creative Co., a freelance creative writing firm. She has a column in the Register Guard in Eugene Oregon titled, The Way We Lead and enjoys merging her professional pursuits in higher education, leadership, and development with her creative passions and talents. She holds degrees in strategic communication, English literature, creative writing, religion, and philosophy. When they aren't at home living the country life, Camille and family can be found boating on the nearest lake or relaxing oceanside.

avatar for Christopher D. ConnorsChristopher D. Connors (1)

Christopher D. Connors is the bestselling author of Emotional Intelligence for the Modern Leader and The Value of You. He is a keynote speaker, executive coach and business consultant that works with leaders at Fortune 500 companies, sports organizations, schools and universities. His writing has appeared in CNBC, Quartz, World Economic Forum, Virgin Media, Thrive Global and Medium. Christopher is happily married to his beautiful wife and is the proud father of three amazing, rambunctious baseball-loving boys. He lives in Charleston, South Carolina. Visit him: http://chrisdconnors.com

avatar for Amy SchmidtAmy Schmidt (1)

Amy Schmidt is an award winning podcaster,  best-selling author, public speaker,  TEDx Speaker, blogger and founder of the brand,  Fearlessly Facing Fifty™.  She launched her business and brand six months before turning 50. Her mission is to encourage women over forty to push fear aside and find that hidden treasure of confidence, that may have been pushed aside for awhile and not let this time of life allow them to lose their identity. Amy is committed to challenging the narrative at midlife from crisis to opportunity. Amy’s weekly podcasts have an audience that continues to grow at record speeds reaching thousands every week. Her interviews arm you with insight and value, leave an imprint on your heart, and inspire you to take action.  Amy uses her personal storytelling and authentic self to empower women to take charge of their life in the middle, at a time when women can begin to feel invisible.  Amy’s podcasts inspire women to step outside their comfort zones, and is as approachable and genuine as what you read in her book.  Amy offers a variety of workshops on The Power of Mentorship, Intro to podcasting, and Cannonballing with confidence.  She is the real deal. Amy has a trusted following and built a community around inspiring others. Her work has been published in Grown and FlownScary MommyToday Parents, and many others.  She is a regular contributor on numerous syndicated talk shows, and loves sharing her story to inspire others. Amy loves to connect with her followers and encourages emails to amy@fearlesslyfacingfifty.com.  You can also find her on socials.  Fearlessly Facing Fifty on Facebook, and Instagram: Amy.K.Schmidt

avatar for Jenni BrennanJenni Brennan (1)

Jenni Brennan is a psychotherapist, college professor, creator of Changing Perspectives (www.changingperspectivesonline.com), and co-host of The Changing Perspectives Podcast (https://podnews.net/podcast/1458220280). Jenni is passionate about exploring the topics of parenting, relationships, grief, and mental health through her writing and podcast episodes. 

Jenni lives with her husband, 2 teenage sons, 3 dogs, and 2 cats in Boston, Massachusetts. You can follow Jenni on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/changingperspectivespodcast and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/changingperspectivesblog/

avatar for Alison SwanAlison Swan (1)

Alison Swan is an Oregon native and lover of the mountains, skiing, hiking, tennis, and sunshine. Alison and her husband have three young adult children. She is most passionate about deepening her friendships with her husband and grown children, Jesus, mental health awareness, and encouraging women with hope and connection. You can find Alison at WhereWomenWalk on Instagram.

avatar for Danielle SilversteinDanielle Silverstein (1)

Danielle Silverstein is the co-founder of the Marriage and Martinis podcast and community with her husband, Adam. The Marriage and Martinis podcast is an attempt to present a real, authentic marriage at its core: the love, hate, teamwork, struggles, laughter, humiliation, and ever-changing dynamics that comprise spousal relationships. Join Danielle and Adam as they explore every hilarious, heartfelt, shocking, embarrassing, and completely inappropriate facet of marriage and parenting. It's a bumpy ride but it's worth it!

Together they've succeeded in gaining over five million podcast downloads since they launched in 2018, and have an engaged community of over 400,000+ followers and growing. You can listen to the Marriage and Martinis on all the podcast platforms including: Apple Podcasts and Spotify as well on social media:  Instagram, Facebook, and Linkedin

avatar for Ranae AspenRanae Aspen (1)

Ranae Aspen lives in the middle of Nebraska in the heartland of America. She shares her home with her husband Dan, and teens Daniel and Leslie. Sunset Acreage is home to fruit trees, chickens, cats and rescue dog Sampson. Ranae is passionate about sustainable living and sharing her life’s journey to help others thrive in this crazy thing called life. She loves writing!  You can connect on Facebook at  https://www.facebook.com/ranaeaspenwriter/  You can also find her blog all about Sunset living at https://raspen2.wordpress.com/ .

avatar for Stephanie J. ThompsonStephanie J. Thompson (1)

Stephanie J. Thompson is an ordained pastor, speaker, writer, and mental health advocate. She is a member of the Redbud Writers’ Guild, and her pieces have appeared on various sites including The Redbud Post, Her View From Home, The Mighty, and Perennial Gen. Stephanie resides in the south suburbs of Chicago with her husband and three young adult children. A few of her favorite things include beaches, historical fiction, and iced coffee. When all three line up, she is in her happy place.

She blogs at http://stephaniejthompson.com/ and can be followed on Twitter @s2thomp and Facebook: Stephanie J. Thompson Speaker and Writer

avatar for Stephanie J. ThompsonStephanie J. Thompson (1)

Stephanie J. Thompson is an ordained pastor, speaker, writer, and mental health advocate. She is a member of the Redbud Writers’ Guild, and her pieces have appeared on various sites, including The Redbud Post, Her View From Home, The Mighty, and Perennial Gen. Stephanie resides in the south suburbs of Chicago with her husband and three young adult children. A few of her favorite things include beaches, historical fiction, and iced coffee. When all three line up, she is in her happy place.

She blogs at http://stephaniejthompson.com/ and can be followed on Twitter @s2thomp and Facebook: The Delicate Dance of Parenting and Stephanie J. Thompson Speaker and Writer

avatar for Tania CarriereTania Carriere (1)

Tania Carriere combines life coaching, leadership, wellness, and travel to help you be your best self through her retreat and consulting business, Advivum Journeys

She shares her experiences, insights, and inspirations around leadership, communication, change, purpose, and vision. Tania's impactful keynote and facilitated sessions draw her audiences into reflection, self-awareness, and intention.  You can read more by Tania on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram

avatar for Matt LongtinMatt Longtin (1)

Matt Longtin of Matthew D. Longtin, LLC has been a family law attorney for 25 years in Eugene, Oregon, and has been married to Sandie, his partner in love, life and adventure, for over 27 years. The Evolving Nest recently had the pleasure of talking with Matt and his lovely wife about why, in his experience, he feels relationships break down. It is a topic he has personally spent a lot of time thinking about, and we are honored that he willingly shares his wisdom with all of us. -Matt Longtin can be reached at https://www.longtinlaw.com/

avatar for Mary Jo ShoreMary Jo Shore (1)

Dr. Mary Jo Almeida-Shore is a writer, editor, and mother of two grown boys. Dr. Almeida-Shore is a founding editor of the Miamisocialholic and has been a contributor to Us Weekly, Miami Community News, the Miami Sun Post, The Miami Herald’s Miami.com, Time magazine publications,  NBC Universal, Haute Living magazine, and many more. Dr. Shore earned her Doctorate degree from Florida International University in Curriculum and Instruction. In addition to her journalistic endeavors, she has served as an educator for the Miami-Dade County Public School System: five years as a teacher and fifteen as a vice principal.

You can find Mary Jo on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Pin It