In last week’s episode, we left off admitting we were heading into the 4th of July weekend completely flying blind with zero concrete plans. Honestly? We thought it might be a recipe for total chaos. But instead, it turned into an unexpected masterclass in tranquility.

This week, we are sitting at the kitchen table to chat about what happens when you step off the high-production holiday treadmill. From Creed’s very first trip to the water park and Cecilia showing off her summer swimming skills, to a wonderfully low-key first birthday, backyard burgers with friends, and an epic Sunday afternoon nap, our planless weekend taught us a massive lesson about present-moment contentment.

We dive deep into the wisdom of Ecclesiastes 3 & 4, contrasting the cultural demand to grab "two handfuls of toil and chasing after the wind" with the holy invitation to embrace "one handful of peace." Pull up a chair as we unpack why choosing a low-key calm is a radical act of faith, how unhurried rhythms protect your family's sanctuary, and how slowing down makes room for authentic community to thrive.

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Talk about a week of fast-moving transitions! 🎢 In this episode, we are coming to you live while Ashley multi-tasks by crafting Cecilia's pageant People's Choice donation can right at the desk. ✂️ We are diving headfirst into a massive week of family milestones: from celebrating Creed's official 1st birthday party at the church (featuring a homemade cake treat saga that resulted in a hilarious neon-green diaper mystery 🦠), to Cecilia closing out her summer T-ball season and jumping right into nightly swim lessons! 🏊‍♀️

Plus, we are taking a look at Proverbs 31:25 and Ecclesiastes 3:1 to talk about navigating changing parenting seasons with a sense of humor and finding peace when everything is moving at warp speed.

👀 SPOILER ALERT: When we recorded this episode, our 4th of July plans were a total moving target and completely un-locked-in. We did end up pulling together a really cool holiday plan at the last second, but you’ll have to tune in next week for Episode 11 to find out what we ended up doing! 🎆

💡 Tech Note: We are actively testing out some new audio gear and setups behind the scenes to upgrade our sound quality for you guys—thanks for growing with us at the kitchen table!

Find us on social media:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SundayFaithWeekdayChaos
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sundayfaithweekdaychaos
• YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@SundayFaithWeekdayChaos
• Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sunday-faith-weekday-chaos/id1896942152

Welcome back to the kitchen table! This week, the weekday chaos brought some incredibly heavy weather to central Illinois. With our state hitting a staggering stat of over 190 tornadoes this year, we share our raw experience of praying through the latest storm system. We dive into a vulnerable, honest conversation about the hard questions of prayer—what it feels like to be spared with only a few downed tree limbs, knowing our neighbors in Effingham, Louisville, and surrounding communities took direct hits. Instead of easy answers, we lean into Isaiah 43:2 and unpack what it means to find God’s presence directly inside the storm cell with us, while calling on our podcast family to lift these communities up in prayer.

Then, we pivot to a massive, joyful family milestone: Cecilia went to her very first overnight church camp! We share the funny side of parental nerves and the total victory of her staying all night and coming home on fire for Jesus. Finally, we look at the global stage of the FIFA World Cup. From Scottish fans drinking Boston dry to visitors discovering the true warmth of American culture, we talk about how breaking stereotypes through pure kindness perfectly mirrors our call to live out the Gospel. It's less about preaching at people, and more about letting them see Christ through our everyday hospitality.

Scriptures Mentioned in This Episode:

• Isaiah 43:2 (God's promise of presence inside the rising waters and fire)

• Hebrews 13:2 (The unexpected power of showing hospitality to strangers)

Pull up a chair and join us! Connect with our community and keep up with the family milestones right here:

✨ CONNECT WITH US ON OUR PAGES:

• Facebook: facebook.com/SundayFaithWeekdayChaos

• Instagram: instagram.com/sundayfaithweekdaychaos

• YouTube Channel: youtube.com/@SundayFaithWeekdayChaos

Welcome back to the kitchen table! This week, the weekday chaos came for us in full force, starting right out in the poultry yard. We finally tackled our big chicken butchering day, but it didn't start without a fight. After our turkey fryer burner rebelled, a chaotic emergency trip to town for parts failed, and we had to swallow our pride to borrow a friend's burner—setting us back hours. Looking back, we realized a big mistake: we delayed our typical pre-harvest prayer. We unpack why prayer is a necessity, not an accessory, when navigating the daily grind.

Then, we transition from processing chickens to a major milestone for our family: Matthew's vasectomy. While Ashley can eviscerate a meat bird without batting an eye, holding her husband's hand during a minor procedure nearly had her hitting the floor! We get real about the deep, biblical reasoning behind this decision—it isn't about physical procedures, but about sacrificial love, protecting Ashley's health after past pregnancy challenges, and practicing wise stewardship over the beautiful family God has already given us.

We wrap it all up with a beautiful silver lining of forced rest, family time, a 3rd-place ribbon for Ashley’s chocolate pie, and some patriotic costume wins with the kids at the America 250 celebration!

Scriptures Mentioned in This Episode:

• Ephesians 5:25 (Sacrificial love and protecting your family)

• Proverbs 24:3-4 (Wise stewardship of the blessings we have)

Pull up a chair and join the conversation! Don't forget to follow our new official pages on Facebook and Instagram @sundayfaithweekdaychaos to keep up with the mess, the ministry, and the family milestones.

From deserted country road rescue missions to a literal mountain of upcoming vegetables, the chaos is real this week on the homestead! In this episode, we officially debut our new weekly recap segment, Critter & Chaos Chronicles, sharing the story of the tiny kitten we found in the middle of the road and how Matt accidentally tracked 27 total rows of corn and beans to harvest at the exact same time.

Then, we dive into a topic we mention all the time but have never fully broken down: Life Groups. We’re pulling back the curtain on what a Life Group actually is, why we believe they are essential to a Christ-like walk, and how finding or building an intentional community can become the bedrock of your journey through the Word of God.

Plus, don't miss Matt's 60-Second Homestead Hack at the end of the episode, where he shares how a simple piece of PVC pipe can completely save your back during planting season.

Welcome to Sunday Faith, Weekday Chaos—where Faith meets Family, and spinning in circles meets Sunday School!

The waters are rising, the grass is growing, and the chaos is at an all-time high this week on the homestead. Join Ashley and Matthew as they recap a wild week packed with intense local flash floods, graduation season madness, and a laundry list of personal "firsts."

In this episode:

• The Zero-Turn Terror: Ashley's first time behind the handles of a mower with incredibly sensitive steering levers.

• Sweet & Savory Wins: The perfection of a first-ever homemade chocolate pie and the pressure of smoking a premium Cowboy Ribeye.

• Sunday Faith: Ashley steps way out of her comfort zone to teach Children’s Church (age 4 - Kindergarten) for the first time.

Using Joshua 1:9 and Proverbs 3:5-6, we reflect on how stepping into uncharted territory requires total reliance on God. When you feel like you're spinning in circles, how do you hand over the controls?

Want to weigh in? Drop us a review or message us on our pages to answer the Question of the Week: What is a "first" you’ve been putting off because you're scared of the learning curve?

“Where faith meets family… and the chicken coop learns how to fly.”

This week, the Brooks homestead officially took flight—literally. We’re opening up the kitchen table to talk about the morning our chicken coop decided to become a kite, right as we were fully ready to head out the door for the day. Cue the sudden, chaotic rescue mission to round up a very confused flock. (Don’t worry, no chickens were harmed!)

Once the sky cleared and the birds were secure, we moved on to our summer garden plans. Or at least, it would have been a calm conversation if we didn't get into a massive debate over exactly how many pepper plants Matthew brought home.

🚨 THE OFFICIAL PEPPER UPDATE: You’ll hear us completely disagreeing on the count during the episode, but the moment we hit stop, Matthew went out to the garden to count them. The final number? 20 plants. Exactly what Ashley said.

Grab your coffee and join us as we laugh through the morning madness and dive into 1 Thessalonians, reflecting on how to stay grounded and find true peace when life unexpectedly scatters your plans.

“Where faith meets family… and chaos meets the calendar.”

Ever feel like the week is winning? You aren’t alone. In Episode 4, we’re recapping a week that was moving at a breakneck pace—from the kids' non-stop schedules to the general homestead hustle.

Matthew and Ashley sit down at the kitchen table to share the funniest (and most stressful) highlights of the recent whirlwind. But more importantly, we’re talking about those "full circle" moments where our faith is finally catching up to our reality. We’re diving into how we’re learning to stay grounded and find actual peace, even when the calendar refuses to slow down.

Grab a seat and join the conversation!