Muddle Buddies with Jacy Luce

Muddle Buddies with Jacy Luce

di Jacy Luce

UPE: Getting Weird and Slowing Down

Christmas is a few days away, I’m wildly unprepared, and instead of something polished or festive, this week’s UPE is an invitation to stop. In this episode, we take a few quiet minutes together to breathe, notice what we’re carrying, and make space for both the heavy and the tender parts of this season. There’s no fixing, no learning, no productivity. Just a gentle pause, some grounding breaths, and a reminder that you’re not behind and you’re not alone. This episode includes intentional silence and reflection, so listen when it feels safe to slow down. Wherever Christmas finds you this year, I hope this space helps you feel a little more held in it.

Who Told You That: Faith, Feelings & the Fear of Being “Too Much”

In this week’s conversation, I sit down with my friend Kelli to talk about what we jokingly call being “toxically open” – oversharing, social hangovers, and that next-day spiral where you replay every word and wonder if you were “too much.” We explore how shame sneaks into our relationships, what it looks like to build safe community, and why the simple question “Who told you that?” can be such a game-changer for our view of ourselves and God. We also get into what it means to invite Jesus into our actual stories (not the cleaned-up versions), why many of us learned to intellectualize our feelings to survive, and how practices like silence, solitude, and “coffee with Jesus” can help us reconnect with our own hearts. Along the way, there’s talk of therapy, faith, IFS parts language, the gospel ladder, and finding little “taste like sugar” moments even in hospital waiting rooms. In this episode, we talk about: • Living “toxically open” & the social vulnerability hangover• Shame, self-abandonment, and learning we don’t have to shrink to be loved• Differentiating God’s voice from the voice of shame: Who told you that?• Intellectualizing feelings vs. actually feeling them (hi, fellow robots)• Community, safe people, and showing up for each other in the muddle If you’ve ever left a hangout thinking, “Was I way too much?” or wondered how God could really love the real you, this one’s for you.

UPE: Anxiety is Weird, Sugar is Sweet

This week’s Unforeseen Prior Engagement episode is coming to you from the very real, very tired middle of my life. It’s one of those weeks where everything feels a little heavier, the brain feels a little slower, and simply showing up feels like its own tiny victory. So instead of polished thoughts or tidy lessons, this episode is just me—tired, human, and telling the truth about where I’m at. I share a quick, ridiculous mess from the week, a small “Tastes Like Sugar” moment that reminded me why this community matters, and a whole lot of honest reflection about finding grace in the middle of exhaustion. If you’re stretched thin, overwhelmed, or just doing your best to take the next right step, come join me here. No pressure. No performance. Just a quiet moment to breathe, be human, and remember you’re not alone in the muddle.

Rollin’ Deep: Kiefer’s Handicapable Life & Big Ideas

What does it look like to live handicapable in a world that wasn’t built with you in mind? In this episode, I sit down with my friend Kiefer to talk about disability, accessibility, and advocacy in real life - not just on paper. Kiefer shares his story of becoming a quadriplegic after a spinal cord injury and how, 11 years later, he’s using his lived experience to speak up for accessibility, inclusion, and independence. We talk about what it’s like to move through everyday spaces like churches, apartments, gyms, outdoor trails, beaches, bathrooms, when you use a wheelchair and the world isn’t designed with mobility in mind. We also dig into how he’s stepping into disability advocacy: pushing for more accessible outdoor spaces, dreaming about adaptive fishing and hunting opportunities, and imagining what a nonprofit for accessible recreation could look like. Along the way, we talk about language (“disabled,” “wheelchair user,” “handicapable”), asking for help, and how to support people with disabilities in ways that honor their dignity and autonomy. In this episode, we explore: Life after a spinal cord injury and navigating the world as a wheelchair user What most people don’t realize about accessibility, ADA, and inclusive design Practical ways to support disabled friends without overstepping Why language matters when we talk about disability and identity How adaptive recreation (fishing, hunting, outdoor adventures) can create joy, not pity If you care about disability advocacy, accessibility, inclusive communities, or just want to understand how to love people better in their everyday realities, this conversation is for you. And follow Kiefer on @disabled.notdefeated on Instagram. Come join the conversation!

UPE: Crickets, Blunders & Laughter

This UPE is a snapshot of a week that felt unreasonably chaotic — starting with the moment a dead cave cricket fell out of my shoe at work. Nothing could’ve prepared me. Truly nothing. From there, the week continued with a rip in the worst possible spot in my jeans, an almost-disastrous autocorrect text, and a handful of other “are you kidding me?” moments. It wasn’t the worst week, just a weird one — the kind that leaves you laughing, unsettled, and grateful for people who let you tell your stories. If you’ve had a “what is happening?” kind of week, welcome. You’re not alone. Let’s get into it. 💛

Real Talk: Faith and Mental Health (with Alex Beil)

This week I’m joined by my friend Alex for a real, tender conversation about faith and mental health—no magic fixes, just honesty, humor, and hope. We talk about why “Jesus wept” matters for our grief today, how lament can be a faithful practice, and what it looks like to be a safe person before trying to be a “fixer.” We get practical too: community, small self-care rhythms, checking what we consume, and giving ourselves grace in the grey. ⚠️ Content notice: Between 10:00–12:05, I briefly share a story involving the loss of a baby. Please skip that section or move through it at your own pace. Stick around for a “Tastes Like Sugar” moment from Alex (hello, mid-century-modern joy!) and a shout to his reflective journal project, Coffee Date with Yourself. You can find Alex and all the fun things he’s working on over on Instagram at @beilpoetry. If this episode makes you feel a little less alone, subscribe, leave a review, or share it with a friend—we’re muddling through together. 💛

UPE: A Messy House and A Deep Breathe

This week’s mini episode is part gratitude, part real life. I’m celebrating one whole month of Muddle Buddies, and honestly, I’m still in that happy shock every time someone tells me they’ve been listening. 🥹 I share a quick mess (spoiler: my house and I are in a long-term relationship with chaos) and a quick sugar: a sweet reminder from my almost-five-year-old that even grown-ups sometimes need help taking a deep breath. If you’ve been feeling buried in clutter, literal or emotional, or just need a reminder that doing “one small thing” is enough, this one’s for you. Thank you for listening, for being here, and for making this first month so full of heart. 💛

Play More & Love Big — A Conversation with Taryn

In this episode, I sit down with my daughter Taryn for her very first time on the podcast — and it’s everything I hoped it would be: silly, honest, full of giggles, and surprisingly thoughtful. We talk about funny family moments, what it feels like to grow up, school favorites, church memories, why playing together matters, and what helps her feel most loved. It’s messy, sweet, unfiltered, and so very Muddle Buddies — just two buddies talking about life with open hearts and a microphone that keeps slowly sinking down mid-conversation. If you need something light and real today, pull up a chair. You’re invited to hang out with us!

Chick-fil-A Sauce in My Purse & Sabbath in My Soul

Adrianne joins me for a cozy, chaotic, very “banana brains” chat about real life in the busy fall season. She’s a wood artist ramping up for the holidays, a former music teacher riding the joy of her fourth-grader bringing home a trumpet, and a mom learning when to say yes—and when to say no. We talk ADHD energy, small-business pressure, setting boundaries (even with the good stuff), why Sabbath rest saves our sanity, and the gift of community when you’re poured out. We laugh about Hallmark movies vs. Criminal Minds, Chick-fil-A sauce stashes, and a Taylor Swift “wood” reel that brought pure, goofy joy. We also wade into friendship in the real world—how some are for a reason, a season, or a lifetime—and why letting others pour into us can be holy work. If you need warmth, a few belly laughs, and permission to rest, pull up a chair. You’re in good company. Find Adrianne on all the things! @theinspiredgrain @inspirehopepod

Unforeseen Prior Engagement: Insecurity & Couch Snuggles

Surprise! I know waiting two weeks between full episodes can feel like forever—so consider this my unofficial, unpolished love note to the in-between. Unforeseen Prior Engagements wasn’t originally part of the plan (shocking, I know), but life keeps interrupting my best intentions, and honestly… that feels on brand. So on the off weeks, you’ll get these mini episodes—quick check-ins where I share a mess I’m currently muddling through and a small sugar moment that made it worth it. No big production. No perfect outline. Just a tired human with a microphone, a cup of coffee, and a suspicion that someone somewhere is double-checking whether I’m allowed to be doing this. They’re short, honest, a little chaotic, and just enough to remind you that even when everything feels like an unforeseen prior engagement—there’s still sweetness running quietly underneath it all.
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