Our Hardest Year Yet and What It Taught Us… (We Risked Everything)

Our Hardest Year Yet and What It Taught Us… (We Risked Everything)

Author: Jeanine Amapola December 30, 2025 Duration: 1:11:06
This week, Kaleb and I sat down and recapped the highlights and lowlights of 2025—from the terrifying lows (law school denial and NICU stay 😭) to the sweetest highs (baby Duke, our move, and big answered prayers!). We talk through the wild risks we took this year, the emotional toll of change, and what it really looked like to walk in faith even when things didn’t go as planned. We're just trying to give you a transparent look at our life this year. As you step into the next year, we'd encourage you to also take a look back at the past year and look for where God was at work — even if it was a tough one. 💛 In This Episode 00:04:50 – Reflecting with Humor (and Honesty) 00:07:30 – Selling the House & Decluttering the Past 00:13:30 – Moving Pregnant + Panic on the Road 00:31:00 – Law School Denied: Kaleb’s Breaking Point 00:43:00 – NICU Trauma: Baby Duke’s Scary Start 00:53:00 – Adjusting to Parenthood & Surviving Finals 00:59:00 – What We Got Right: Faith, Growth, and Teamwork 01:03:00 – Big Failures + What We’re Taking Into 2026 01:06:00 – Teasers for 2026 + A Big THANK YOU Our Sponsors ⁠⁠Wayfair⁠⁠⁠: Get last-minute hosting essentials, gifts for all your loved ones, and decor to celebrate the holidays for WAY less. ⁠⁠⁠Clear Focus Bible for Kids⁠⁠⁠: In a world full of distractions, give your child the gift of focused reading with the NIrV Clear Focus Bible for Kids. ⁠⁠⁠Hosanna Revival⁠⁠⁠: Use my code Jeanine15 for 15% off your entire order at checkout. Mercy Ships: Please donate today at ⁠⁠⁠MercyShips.org/podcast ⁠⁠⁠ Omaha Steaks: Visit ⁠⁠⁠OmahaSteaks.com ⁠⁠⁠for 50% off sitewide during their Sizzle All the Way Sale. And for an extra $35 off, usepromo code FUN at checkout. If you’d like to partner with Jeanine as a sponsor for the Happy & Healthy podcast, fill out our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Advertise With Us⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ form! Follow us on Instagram!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Happy and Healthy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jeanine⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jeanine and Kaleb⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on TikTok! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Happy and Healthy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jeanine Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeanine Amapola has built a life around sharing real stories and practical wisdom, and now she’s bringing that same warm, conversational energy to Happy & Healthy with Jeanine Amapola. As a Texas-born creator and author with a community of millions, Jeanine knows that genuine growth happens at the intersection of faith, culture, and everyday life. In this podcast, you’ll find candid discussions that feel like a coffee chat with a thoughtful friend, covering everything from personal faith and spiritual practices to navigating modern relationships and societal pressures. The conversations are rooted in a Christian perspective but are designed for anyone interested in building a more intentional and joyful life. You’ll hear Jeanine’s own experiences, lessons learned from both stumbles and successes, and insights on how to cultivate resilience and purpose. It’s more than just advice; it’s about finding a healthier mindset and a happier heart through authentic connection. Tune in for a space where self-improvement meets spirituality, all explored with Jeanine’s characteristic positivity and honesty.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Happy & Healthy with Jeanine Amapola
Podcast Episodes
Toxic Patterns Ruining Your Life and Family (And How to Break Them) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:52
In today’s solo episode, I dive deep into something that's been heavy on my heart lately — especially as a new mama — and that is breaking generational curses. I'm talking about how to identify the patterns in your famil…
Asking My Husband What Men REALLY Think… Part 3 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:21
In today’s episode, Kaleb is BACK and we’re diving deep into the male brain—again. I know you guys love these episodes, so we’re giving the people what they want. We tackled everything from why men say “I need space,” to…
Exposing Our Messiest and Funniest Moments of 2 Years of Marriage [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:59
Wow, I can’t believe Kaleb and I have officially been married for TWO years! In this episode, we’re spilling ALL the tea – the highs, the lows, and the hilarious little quirks of doing life together. We’re getting real a…
The Realities of Life After Having a Baby That No One Tells You [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:00
In today’s episode, I’m getting real about my journey through postpartum and five months of being a mama. Motherhood is beautiful, but WOW, it’s also the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I open up about sleep deprivation, m…
Reacting to Controversial TikToks as a Christian [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:37
Hey friends! I'm mixing it up this week and I'm reacting to TikToks and IG reels that have been all over my feed lately! From whether having a boyfriend is “embarrassing” to the whole “Hatch is demonic” controversy, and…
What To Do When You Don’t Like Your Life Ft. Rachel Awtrey [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:21
I got to sit down with my sweet friend Rachel Awtrey to talk about what it really means to love your life—even when you don’t like it all the time. We went deep into the hard stuff: grief, spiritual warfare, motherhood,…
When Success Costs You Your Family and Mental Health with Dani Austin [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:31
Welcome back to Happy & Healthy! In this super honest episode, I sit down with my longtime friend and fellow content creator, Dani Austin Ramirez. We go way back — like 2014 YouTube quirky days 😂 — and wow, has her life…
I’ve Been Struggling… When Life feels Hard & God feels Far [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:11
Welcome back to Happy & Healthy! I didn't post an episode two weeks ago, and when I asked y’all what you wanted, so many of you just said “we wanna hear what’s going on in your life!” So here it is!I cover a lot in this…