In episode 234, we interview Michelle Nietert, Christian author of Managing Your Emojis: 100 Devotions for Navigating Your Feelings. Michelle is on mission with helping kids take their big emotions to an even bigger God. Her newly released book/devotional helps with just that. “Managing Your Emojis with Michelle Nietert” is one of seven in our Author Mini Series 2023.
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About the Book
Learning to manage our emotions is a critical life skill, yet we’ve often missed equipping kids with these valuable skills before situations intensify into mental health issues. Managing Your Emojis will help kids discover that emotional control and happiness come from God’s love for them. Through short, accessible devotions kids will be encouraged to observe, name, and release their emotions while turning to God for the strength, love, and care they need as they begin the fast-moving process of growing up.
About the Author
Licensed Professional Counselor of 25 years, Michelle Nietert is the best selling coauthor of the Managing Your Emojis, God I Feel Sad and releasing Fall 2023- God, I Feel Scared: Bringing Big Emotions to a Bigger God series, Loved and Cherished, and the award-winning book for adults Make Up Your Mind.
Book Details
Michelle spends a bit of the episode talking about what she sees in her counseling practice. Over time, she has noticed a pattern: when parents don’t address their kids’ emotions and help them process, the children end up in her therapy office. Sometimes the feelings of kids can come as quite a shock, while others experience a slow onset. Either way, emotions can become controlling when they go unmanaged.
Michelle’s goal with her book helps kids take their emotions to God. They can use this devotional as a resource that points them back to the most life giving source, God. When we can help our kids look to Jesus for help, we can offer ways to cope with struggles. Faith over feelings is the best approach when it comes to mental, spiritual, and emotional health.
Feelings can seem really big, but we can’t let them dictate what we do. The Bible talks about how our emotions can mislead us, so looking to God will be the best resource. As Michelle says, “The feelings can be on the bus, but we’re not going to let them drive the bus.” Here are a few questions Michelle prompts us with about how we can be curious about our emotions and the emotions of our kids:
- Where is this feeling coming from?
- What is that feelings about?
- Do I want to keep this feeling?
- How can I change this?
A Word from the Author
Michelle’s closing words are for all of us. Sometimes when we’re struggling, we want to turn away from God, but we need to learn how to turn towards God in these times. Be encouraged through this resource and help teach your kids to turn to God too. Mentally healthy parents raise mentally healthy kids, and sometimes we all need help. Involve God because He brings a power that nothing else can.
We hope you enjoyed “Managing Your Emojis with Michelle Nietert.” We are so excited to release our Author Mini Series 2023! Episodes 229-235 feature seven Christian women authors who give us all the details on their latest and greatest tools. We know that you’re always looking for a way to grow your faith through Biblically backed resources. If you’re looking for a great gift for a friend (or yourself), resource for your children, or your next women’s Bible study, there’s something for you here! CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL MINI SERIES.
Links from the Show
- Managing Your Emojis Book
- Michelle’s site
- Michelle’s Instagram
- God I Feel
- National Institute of Mental Health
- Make Up Your Mind book
- Raising Mentally Healthy Kids podcast
- Witty & Gritty Instagram
- Witty & Gritty Podcast on Apple Podcasts
- Author Mini Series 2023
- Move Mountains Literacy
