353: My Trip to Focus on the Family (+ Crazy Travel Stories)

This episode of The Crystal Paine Show is honestly a little bit of everything - from chaotic travel stories to some really meaningful reflections from my recent trip to Focus on the Family, but I have to start off by telling you all about my travel adventures because I am apparently incapable of taking a trip without something happening. My flight to Focus on the Family was surprisingly uneventful, but another recent trip involved traffic, completely full airport parking garages, a frantic search for a parking spot, a shuttle bus, and me running through the airport trying to make my flight. Then, of course, there was the rental car that I genuinely thought wasn’t starting, only to discover that I had apparently been driving a hybrid before I realized it was already on!

Underneath all those stories, however, there were some things happening in my heart that I really wanted to share. My time at Focus on the Family gave me a chance to reflect on what God was doing, some of the opportunities He was opening up, and the ways He was taking care of me in little moments when I felt overwhelmed. I also got to do something that was outside my usual comfort zone: talk about marriage and money on a marriage podcast. That combination can bring up a LOT of baggage, and I open up about why I was nervous about having that conversation and why, once I got into it, I realized just how passionate I am about helping couples have healthier conversations about money.

Jesse and I also talk about my new book, The 7 Habits of Financially Healthy Women, the preorder bonuses we’ve created, and why I wanted those resources to be genuinely practical rather than just another thing to consume and forget, and finally, I get to share how meaningful it was to have my assistant, Jenny, travel with me for the first time! There was a lot packed into these few days, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to bring you along for all of it, so grab your coffee, settle in, and come hang out with us. As always, feel free to also reach out with your thoughts!

In This Episode

[5:09] - I recount my recent airport trip where tight timing and limited flights made missing my flight especially stressful.

[8:17] - Hear how I left plenty of time for my flight, only to encounter unexpectedly heavy traffic!

[3:20] - I encourage people unable to foster to support foster families with practical, ongoing help.

[5:14] - We are talking today about Jesse’s recent CrossFit competition!

[7:37] - Jesse reflects on how h