Shows / A Heart That Beats for Home
A Heart That Beats for Home
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…
Episodes
- A Heart That Beats for Home
104. 6 Things to Stop Doing in Your Marriage (Part 2)
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 what our spouse needs…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
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…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
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…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
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…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
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…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
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…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
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…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
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…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
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…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
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…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
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…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
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…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
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…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
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…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
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…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
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…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
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…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
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…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
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…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
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…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
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…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
83. Meeting God in the Middle of the Mess with Devan Holman
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. Some days feel like you’re barely holding the house, the calendar, and your own heart together, and you…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
82. The Greatest of These Is Love: Raising Kids Who Know How to Love Well
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. Valentine’s week often centers around flowers, feelings, and romance. But what if love is meant to be…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
81. Excruciatingly Beautiful: When Joy and Grief Collide in Motherhood
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. In this heartfelt episode, Nikki shares an honest conversation about the tension so many mothers feel but…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
80. How to Thrive in 2026 Without Burning Out (Part 3): Staying in Your Race for the Long Haul
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. As we wrap up our three-part series on starting the new year with clarity and purpose, this episode…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
79. Get Clear in 2026 (Part 2): Vision That Simplifies Your Yes and No
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. In part 2 of our 3-part series on goal setting and vision, we’re talking about clarity and how clear…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
78. Run Your Own Race In 2026 (Part 1): Why Faithfulness Matters More Than Speed
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. As we step into a new year, many of us feel a mix of hope, pressure, exhaustion, and uncertainty. In this…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
77. From Perfection to Peace: A Season Finale for the Mom Who Tries So Hard
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. If perfection keeps stealing your peace, this episode hands it back. In this season finale, we look at a…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
76. Gratitude, Growth, And Grace - Reflections on 2025
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. When the calendar starts sprinting and the afternoons turn dark way too early, we get the chance to slow…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
75. Dwell Differently Co-Founder Natalie Abbott: Finding Peace in Scripture When Anxiety and Fear Feel Overwhelming
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. In this podcast episode, Nikki welcomes Natalie Abbott, co-founder of Dwell Differently, a ministry…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
74. Justin Whitmel Earley on The Body Teaches the Soul: Rhythms That Heal, Restore, and Shape Us
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. In this engaging conversation, Nikki Smith interviews Justin Whitmel Earley, exploring the profound…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
73. Beauty From Ashes Story - Redemption, Obedience and Redefining Success with Debbie Neal
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. Today I get to sit down with a dear friend of mine, Debbie Neal. For years, I’ve known Debbie as a woman…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
72. When God Rewrites the Blueprint: The Story Behind The House the Parks Built with Lindsay Parks
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. What happens when your “forever home” isn’t forever after all? We sit down with Lindsay Parks—wife, mom…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
71. More Than a Role: Actress Masey McLain Talks Faith, Purpose, and Trusting God Through Every Season
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. What if the season you’re calling a drought is actually sacred training? I sat down with actress and…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
70. A Mom’s Sacred Calling in a Get-Things-Done World
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. Some days the kitchen sparkles; an hour later, it’s crumbs and cups and quiet frustration. I share candid…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
69. Beauty From Ashes Story - Finding Hope After Losing Everything with Andrea Hryszczuk
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. What happens when you lose everything but discover what truly matters? In this deeply moving…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
68. When Life Burns Down: John O'Leary's Story of Faith and Resilience
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. What if your darkest moment became the spark that illuminated your greatest purpose? John O'Leary was…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
67. Embracing Life's Unpredictable Seasons
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. Have you ever had a season of life that looked nothing like you planned? That's exactly what happened…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
66. The Power of Pause: Finding Joy in Summer's Unstructured Days
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. Summer beckons – that magical time when routines relax and possibilities unfold like wildflowers. But how…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
65. The Package Deal: Marriage, Intimacy, and Keeping the Spark Alive with NFL Chaplains LaMorris and Megan Crawford
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. Lamoris and Megan Crawford return for a candid, humorous, and deeply insightful conversation about…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
64. Beyond Contract: The Sacred Covenant of Marriage with NFL Chaplains LaMorris and Megan Crawford
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. From the projects of Chicago to the cornfields of rural America, Lamoris and Megan Crawford's love story…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
63. The Silent Weight We Carry: Understanding Mental Load in Relationships
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. The invisible weight of mental load is crushing marriages silently - creating resentment where there once…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
62. The Silent Weight We Carry: Understanding Mental Load in Motherhood
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. Have you ever found yourself wondering how you spent an entire day feeling completely exhausted yet…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
61. When Letting Go Is The Hardest (and Best) Thing You'll Do
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. Watching your child walk across the college graduation stage is a moment filled with contradictory…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
60. Do I Pass the Joy Test?
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. What if the atmosphere in your home isn't determined by circumstances, but by something deeper you can…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
59. Menopause, Mom Life, and My 5pm Wednesday Meltdown
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. Have you ever felt completely overwhelmed despite everything in your life looking "fine" on paper? This…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
58. Beauty From Ashes Story - Walking Through Fire: A Mother's Story of Faith During Childhood Cancer with Alex Woldhuis
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. Alex Woldhuis never expected to be sitting in a hospital room while doctors told her that her…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
57. Real Talk About Sibling Relationships with Olivia Smith - Part 2
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. In this fun continuation of my conversation with my 20-year-old daughter Olivia, we peel back the layers…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
56. Navigating Anxiety and Finding Joy with Olivia Smith
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. What happens when fiery mother-daughter personalities collide under one roof during the college years?…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
55. Roommates or Soulmates? A Marriage Check-In.
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. Dive into this heartfelt episode where we explore the canvas of marriage, navigating between being…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
54. Jesus Doesn't Care About Your Messy House with Dana K. White
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. Join us for a heartfelt conversation with Dana K. White, the creative genius behind "A Slob Comes Clean."…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
53. Beauty From Ashes Story: Kristina Weir - Looking for God Winks in the Depths of Suffering
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. Our guest, Kristina Weir, bravely shares her journey through two major health battles, beginning with…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
52. Cheers, Ears, and Prayers: 3 Concepts for Supporting Our Children Through the Tween, Teen and Adult Years
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. What if some of the most powerful tools you have as a parent are simply your words, your ears, and your…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
51. The Midlife Edit with Shannon Blas - Part 2
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. Shannon Blas joins us on an enlightening journey through the midlife transition as children leave the…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
50. The Midlife Edit with Shannon Blas - Part 1
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. Unlock the secrets to navigating midlife transitions with grace as we share a heartfelt conversation with…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
49. The Bladder Battle: Real Talk Around the Fear of a Cough or a Sneeze.
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. Urinary incontinence is a challenge many women face but often shy away from discussing. As someone who…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
48. Beauty From Ashes Story: Hadley Eddings' Journey of Loss, Restoration, and Faith in the Face of Tragedy
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. What if you could transform unimaginable grief into a beacon of hope? Hadley Eddings joins us this week…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
47. Welcome to Season Two!
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. Time is a precious yet fleeting element of life that shapes our experiences, especially within our…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
46. The Power of Patience and Gratitude in Marriage - Betsey Dirkse Part 2
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. After navigating the ups and downs of 31 years of marriage and ministry, Betsey joins us to share how she…
- A Heart That Beats for Home
45. Finding Joy in Everyday Life with Betsey Dirkse
We would love to hear from you! Text us any feedback. Join us for a heartwarming episode of A Heart that Beats for Home as we are joined by the delightful…