Ordinary People. Ordinary Things. With Melissa Radke

It's doubtful we have a lot of young 20-something men listening to this podcast, but for those who are out there, listen to this show. For those of you who aren't 20-something males, you probably have a 20-something male in your life that you love, and you need to listen to this podcast too.  It's beautiful to see someone tell the story of how the church wasn't always kind to them and how people weren’t always kind to them. But Jesus was always kind to them. The church and the people are just a building and humans who can be frail and faulty. In spite of this, this Cavanaugh James turned around and served people in the church. I found this refreshing and beautiful. All of this depth came from a millennial. Cavanaugh James is the author of the book Higher Power Has a Name. He is a writer and renaissance Millennial who loves to communicate truth through vulnerability and humor. He is equal parts writer, singer, and joke-teller; utilizing all three loves on social media, in the local church, and whenever given a

Have you ever taken a personality test? I've taken 47 billion. I think it's because I've hated my personality for so long. I'm not kidding. I thought I was way over the top, and my laugh was obnoxious, and I was too high maintenance. I took every personality test known to man. Honestly, it didn't make me feel any better.  I was trying to figure myself out, because I disliked myself. I thought the answers in the test would tell me how to fix myself. But that's not me anymore. I don't want to change myself. I don't want to waste another second not being me. I still want to grow, mature, and refine myself, but I wanted to do it being me. Now, if I do a personality test, it's because I want to know what makes me tick. This is where the Enneagram comes in. Beth and Jeff McCord are here, and they are the founders of Your Enneagram Coach a website that not only helps people find out what their type is, but helps couples find out how to interact with each other no matter what type they are. They have even written a b

I often get asked why I chose Ordinary People Ordinary Things for the name of this podcast. I wanted to do a podcast, because I like to hear myself talk, and I have some pretty good things to say along with some ridiculous things to say. I'm not famous. I'm not wealthy. I'm just ordinary me, so that's how I named the show. I interview ordinary people, and chances are, you are ordinary too. Some of the best lessons I've ever learned were from ordinary people.  When we take a second look, we realize that the things we do everyday aren't ordinary at all. Maybe it takes fresh eyes to see that my role as a parent is a living breathing miracle, and I'm lucky to get to do it. There are miracles all around us in the ordinary. This is why today's guest is so important. Lisa Jo Baker is a fangirl of ordinary life, author, speaker, co-host of the Out of the Ordinary Podcast and champion of women and Netflix. Lisa-Jo lives just outside of Washington DC with her husband of over 20 years and 3 of the loudest kids you've ev

If you follow me on Facebook Live, you know that I have been teaching and gearing up for my course INK Replacing What Stained You With What Can Change You. I launched this course for the first time back in May of this year. Hundreds of people took the course and loved it and benefited from it. Women, we know that when we buy something we tell the truth.  The feedback, reviews, and encouraging words that we received from INK only solidified that the course was God given and God inspired. The thing that most people want to know before they purchase anything is what will it be like. So today, we are doing something a little different and giving you a sneak peek. Each lesson in INK is in video and audio format. So, today's show is going to be the audio version of week one lesson one.  Show Notes: [07:24] I've always wanted David's name on my ring finger.  [09:48] A couple of years ago, I made this video of me alone in this room. The video was about what happened to me the year I turned 41. The video was titled E

Lindsay Teague Moreno is an author, speaker, mom, and entrepreneur. She calls herself a momtrepreneur. She is the author of Getting Noticed and her new book Boss Up. She is also the host of the Boss Up podcast. Boss Up is all about helping women think big, dream big, and put their businesses on the map.  In this episode, Lindsay shares her story and how she felt like she wanted more after having twins and becoming a mother. She had guilt about these feelings, until she discovered that she had a whole tribe that felt the same way. She has since become a multimillion-dollar-producing business owner and wants to help other women do the same. I just love her, and you will love this episode.  Show Notes: [05:46] Lindsay loves women between the ages of 30 and 40 who have young kids and are living in the trenches and have a desire for more. [06:03] There are a lot of moms who love nothing more than being a mom. Lindsay thought that would be her when she had twins.  [06:22] She realized that she loved the babies mo

Anger, rage, and screaming were some of the things I dealt with when I was neck deep in depression. I should say, these are some of the things those around me dealt with. My depression comes out in waves of anger. Today's guest is Natalie Hixon who is a certified professional life coach. I am so excited to have her on the show today, because she specializes in helping women overcome destructive anger and burnout.  The theme for season 2 was body, mind, and soul. I was upset because I didn't have a theme for season 3, but everything came together. Season 3 is really about cleaning out our hearts, homes, and souls. It's about ridding ourselves from junk and clutter that threaten our health and relationships. Burnout, self-destructive patterns, addiction, and anger will destroy who you are and what you're setting out to do. This is why I’m so honored to have Natilie on the show to share her story today. Show Notes: [03:39] Natalie lives in Montana. This is one of my bucket list states. [04:58] Natalie married M

I can't believe we are already in our third season. I started this on a whim. I can't believe we've made it this far and how well the podcast has done. A lot of money and time go into this, and we really appreciate you listening and telling your friends about the show. I'm really proud of what we are doing with the show, and I really really appreciate it when you share, review, and subscribe to the show.  I care about being real. I have real problems, because I'm in a real marriage and parent real human kids. I have real fears, anxieties, and real weight problems. On this podcast, you get real. I'm also shocked about how much I love doing this podcast. I love people and their stories. I love seeing how they relate to the rest of us. With this podcast you get real people and their stories. On this season 3, we’ll have some incredible and inspiring guests and some episodes will feature chats between me and David.  Show Notes: [03:52] In season 3, we will have inspiring guests that people can relate to no matte

This show is going to be a bit different. It is my book birthday. It is launch day of my book Eat Cake. Be Brave. Imagine that you have been keeping a diary since 7th grade, and it was made public. That is kind of how I’m feeling. I’m sharing today, and all of my launch day feelings and emotions with my wonderful husband David and you my wonderful listeners. You can find Melissa here: Podcast Web Page Facebook Page @MsMelissaRadke on Instagram @msmelissaradke on Twitter Show Notes [02:33] The first time Melissa and David met was on a bus in school. She'll never forget his first words, “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?” [03:48] What does Eat Cake. Be Brave. Actually mean? [04:11] When Melissa turned 41 she was about to blow out the candles on her birthday cake, and she wished for bravery. [06:09] She wished to be brave for 12 months. After blowing out her candles, she went back to her room and began to journal what bravery meant to her. The rest is history. [07:01] All we need is a flicker of bravery and going upstream wh

Doing these podcasts with my family is going to be the death of me. Love us or hate us we are The Radkes. This episode of The Radkes features two mile markers in our lives. Rocco has been wanting a knife for over a year, and he finally gets one. I've been wanting to sing at Minute Maid Park for over 40 years, and I finally get to.  Like most dreams, you have to work for them. Rocco had to learn proper knife instruction, and well, I had to go to the bathroom. Trust me, working for one of these dreams was harder than the other. This episode features my two favorite men on the entire Earth. The Attorney General David Radke and my tiny precious wonderman Rocco Radke.  Show Notes: [01:59] Rocks, Rock Star, and Bubba Blue are some of Melissa's favorite nicknames for Rocco.  [03:10] We kick off with the bump your cup song. We were heading to Rocco's game, and I had to ask if he was wearing his cup. Which led to this spontaneous song.  [05:01] Rocco can scream very high, for now.  [06:05] Remi is at camp this week.

There's something you should know about the Radkes. We don't have it all together. All of the Perfection that you see when you look at us isn't real. When you see me making a sandwich in my car that is because I really and truly made a sandwich in my car. You may be wondering why I didn't buy a Lunchable. The truth is the idea didn't dawn on me until later. You don't have to worry about hurting our feelings this is our life and what-you-see-is-what-you-get.  Sure, I want to be the kind of mother that has a perfect craft room and makes cupcakes with perfect fondant frosting. Sure, I want to be the person who shows up early in case you need help setting up for the party. Sure, I want to be all of these things, but I'm not. Who better to tell you that than the Core Four of me, David, Remi, and Rocco. We are discussing all of the things that happen on your worst first day of school. Show Notes: [05:02] Melissa doesn't understand David's fascination with fantasy football. [05:59] David has created a spreadsheet f

We are talking about everything that happened in episode 4 of this week's episode titled Tell It To The Judge. This episode centered around my ability to judge hush puppies. Don't be jealous, because this is a God-given gift. It's also about mine and David's inability to have a regular date night. We've tried, but it can't be done. It's only possible to have a regular date night if you don't have kids, pets, or bills. I don't know how people make a regular Tuesday night date night work. We're going to be talking about this and also how to keep that dating spark alive when you've run out of everything to do in your town. Show Notes [02:19] Today's guest is David Radke. [03:20] Melissa loves this episode. It made Lufkin look really good. [04:00] There are a lot of people who don't enjoy living in Lufkin, Dallas, or anywhere else for that matter. [05:30] There are a lot of things to do in Lufkin. There are a lot of organizations to be a part of. For the size of our town, the amount we give to charity is really

This week's episode of the Radke's entitled Driving Me Crazy is simply about the things we hide. I really did let my license expire, and I hid it from David Radke for over a year. Why? Because I knew he would do what he did and get all Law and Order on me. So, I had to put it off as long as I did. Sometimes, I may also hide beauty products from David Radke. We are getting older, but men don't get it. David and I talk about my beauty product purchases, and it’s all in good fun. You’ll have to listen to the end to see if any compromises were made. My good friend Jen who was driving the McLaren last night, stops by and we talk about cars, friendship, our text group, the show, how much fun we had at the grocery store, and our mutual love of Lufkin, Texas. Show Notes: [02:04] David got the mail on the day the notice about my license showed up. [03:20] David would prefer that Melissa had a valid license and drove well. [04:16] In high school, Melissa was voted worst driver two years in a row. [05:12] Some of the t

Welcome to After the Show of The Radkes. If you are looking for an explanation for episode 2 Mommy Issues, you have probably guessed by now that there is no explanation. Just like there isn't an explanation for anything else we do on the show. It's really just our lives, our family, and the lovely town of Lufkin, TX. This week we faced a problem that is rampant among families everywhere, and that is mothers. Either you are one or you got one. That's the thing about mothers. You get messed up by one, then you turn around and mess somebody else up. It's really just a vicious cycle. No one parents with perfection. This episode brought out some emotion in me. Talk about my daughter and I cry. Talk about my mother and I cry. Hopefully, you will be entertained by the family dynamic of three generations and feel the love that we share for each other. Show Notes: [03:21] Melissa, David, Remi, and Melissa's Mother Annette are here to talk about the show. [04:15] Melissa is always wanting Remi to be more girly. [05:08

Our new show The Radkes is now airing on the USA Network. This is an unscripted show about our family. Real people experiencing real everyday life. The show, is just like the podcast, which is just like our real lives. For the next few episodes while our show is airing, we’ll be doing a series of podcasts about the previous night’s show. Episode 1 is called Melissa Explains It All, and it’s all about me trying to have “the talk” about sex with my daughter Remy. I did what I could and then deferred to my Aunt Melba who has become a social media and Radkes star in her own right. On this podcast, I have the Attorney General David Radke, and two special guests. My daughter Remy Hope Radke and my Aunt Melba. If you haven’t seen the first Network Episode of The Radkes, it might be fun to watch it before listening to this podcast. If you listen to the podcast first, don’t worry, the show isn’t as embarrassing as it sounds. It’s really just ordinary people living their lives and doing what other ordinary people do. W

Recently, my family of four went on the biggest adventure that we have ever been on. We filmed a television show. I know other families have done this. They've done it longer than us, and they've done it better than us. For us, this was a pretty big deal. From the moment the first crew member showed up at our home, we felt like we were embarking on a journey. I couldn't imagine three other people who I'd rather be on this journey with than David, Remy, and Rocco. On day four, I heard them refer to us as the Core Four. It felt like the four of us were embarking on an adventure that very few people would ever go on. I don’t think I’ve ever felt closer to my Core Four than I did during that time. Today’s episode is all about the Core Four and our adventure. Show Notes: [05:10] Melissa starting doing videos about three or four years ago. We've had a ton of content. It's funny, relatable, and real. Then Melissa's book came out. A production company reached out to us about three years ago. [06:35] They pitched to

Every scar you have tells a story. Sometimes being vulnerable and telling your story is what you and those around you need. When people are vulnerable with us, we are reminded that we are not alone. The reason I'm talking about this is because my friend Kayla Stoecklein is here to share a story that isn't easy to share. She shares her story in an effort to help others who may be going through painful situations. She is the perfect example of first the pain, then the rising. Kayla is a recently widowed mom of three busy boys (ages 2, 4, and 6). Prior to the loss of her husband, she was a pastor's wife and stay at home mom. She is now in the process of reinventing her life, figuring out who she is, and what she is passionate about, and what she is gifted at. She is passionate about people, addicted to life change, and defiantly choosing joy everyday as she chases after what she calls "a happy beautiful life" after loss. Her life mantra is "God's Got This." Show Notes [03:33] Melissa met Kayla at the Dream Big

Are you trying to juggle work, family, home and all of your obligations? Too often we try to do everything and please everyone and end up feeling guilt or shame for not being able to do it all. My guest today has practical tips and advice for any of us who feel like we are stretched too thin. It’s such a pleasure to have Jessica Turner on the show today. Jessica is a wife, mom, sister, friend, marketing professional, blogger and best-selling author of the books The Fringe Hours and Stretched Too Thin. In this episode, we talk about her new book. We also talk about why some moms who work-at-home don’t really consider themselves working moms. We talk about automating, prioritizing, getting help, and giving yourself permission to say no. We talk about those important things that we all need to do to help keep ourselves sane and at our best. Show Notes: [05:25] It's still a tug-of-war with working moms and stay-at-home moms. Working is bringing in an income. [06:11] Women who work at home don't see themselves as

Making friends isn’t always that easy. Especially, adult friendships. When you meet someone you click with, hang on to them. When I was on my book tour in Nashville, I met today’s guest. Annie F. Downs is a best-selling author, nationally known speaker, and podcast host based in Nashville. She is the host of the That Sounds Fun podcast and I was a guest on that show. Our conversation was like two girlfriends having a chat. Today, we want you to be part of our conversation. We have fun as we catch up on our latest pop culture interests. We talk about how it’s good to open yourself up to people who have different opinions and not to be closed off about your beliefs. We talk about faith and communicating with God and understanding how to recognize those nudges. We mostly talk about life and friendship and invite you to go on the journey with us. I also send out an invitation to take the time to meet someone new or connect with an old friend. Show Notes [04:29] Annie goes by Annie F. Downs, because there's a fam

I am Southern, and there are benefits and drawbacks to that, but the food is a benefit. Today’s guest is like a kindred spirit. A sister I didn’t know I had. I had been following Amy Hannon on social media, but I was still surprised and delighted when out of the blue, she sent me a copy of her new book. Amy’s book is a cookbook called Love Welcome Serve: Recipes that Gather and Give. The recipes are amazing, but her message of intentional kitchening is even better. Amy Hannon is a business owner, entrepreneur, author, and a genuinely gracious and caring soul. She is the owner of Euna Mae’s a kitchen boutique named after her grandmother. She hosted a cooking show on a Northwest Arkansas NBC affiliate producing over 160 episodes. She is the author of Love Welcome Serve a comfort food cookbook that is all about sharing, gathering, and family. Today, we talk about recipes, what it means to serve, and we get to the heart of intentional kitchening. Show Notes [05:11] Amy feels like she knows Melissa. Melissa wante

Erin Arruda is here today. We met during a conference, and we both liked each other instantly. One of the chapters in my book, that has gotten a lot of feedback from both women and men is the chapter titled Lovers and Leavers. Erin’s story goes well with that chapter. Erin found redemption and happiness, but it wasn’t an easy journey, and it certainly wasn’t easy to talk about. Erin openly shares her story of life, love, guilt, shame, and redemption on today’s show. She also talks about her book Unadulterated: His Scandalous Grace—Your New Identity and how she found her way back to the lord and happiness. Erin is now happily married with three beautiful daughters. She loves her friends, and holds them close in her heart and home. I hope you enjoy this inspirational conversation with Erin. Show Notes [04:26] Melissa and Erin instantly bonded over books and the desire to tell their stories. [05:55] Erin was raised in church with two sisters and a brother. Somehow along the path she started associating church