I got the book immediately started taking notes, highlighting, writing things to myself outside of your words, which should encourage you because they're causing me to think in some new and exciting ways. And I'm just really proud of the book and I thought, dang.

Somebody needs to talk to her on her podcast about these words.

Welcome to the fierce free and full of fire series on the For the Love podcast with Me, Jen Hatmaker. I'm so happy you're here today.

Today, my hilarious friend Melissa Radke interviews me about my book, fierce free and full of fire and manages to pry a few other things out of me.

Hi, everyone. And welcome to For the Love. I know what you're thinking right now. You're thinking, wait, that is not Jen Hatmaker. That voice is way too sexy. And I get that. I actually 100% agree with that.

So no, it isn't Jen Hatmaker instead. It's a friend of hers. My name is Melissa Radke. Now, I'm just going to go out ahead and tell you there's a very real possibility that you have no idea who I am. But let me just get this out of the way. You're going to love me. You are. You are going to fall absolutely slap dab and love with me. Although none of that matters right now.

The only thing you're thinking is where is Jennifer and Hatmaker? I listen to this podcast for Jen Hatmaker and listen. I get that. I do too. I'm a For the Love listener. I've been listening to her for a really long time.

The first time I ever heard the name Jen Hatmaker was in a little book called Seven and experimental mutiny against excess. I'm not sure if you're familiar with that book. But honest to God, it's a wonder her and I are friends to this day.

Anyone who knows me can tell you firsthand. I believe in excess in all things words, hairspray, Netflix, less is not more. More is more. And I sat through an entire Bible study praying that Jen Hatmaker would suffer a bad perm or at the very least get stripped throat. That is honest to God how I felt about that Bible study.

But I couldn't help falling in love with her. She has a way with words and soon I was either following her online where I was reading her words or I was traipsing off to hear her speak those words wherever Jen Hatmaker was planning on being or teaching I wanted to be there front and center taken notes.

Four years ago I began traveling and speaking myself and then the things came, you know, then the social media came and then the book deal came and then my family had a reality show on USA Network and my social media numbers went up and up and it was around that time that Jen was doing a series on this very podcast this one right here.

And it was a series called for the love of laughter and at the end of a series she would ask the community who they wanted to hear from. And she asked them who and when you know it they voted on me. I was who the people wanted which really felt like sweet vindication after not being voted cheerleader in the ninth or 10th or even the 11th grade. Okay moving on.

Jen Hatmaker was doing what I wanted to do before I knew I even had it in me to do it Jen Hatmaker was was treading into territories that I had no idea I would one day venture into Jen Hatmaker was skating on the thin ice that one day I would need to skate across.

That's what Jen Hatmaker is. She's the one who went first through the triumph through the tears through the fire there she went ahead of us.

And that is why I told Jen when your book comes out I'm interviewing you right there on your podcast for your people we will celebrate the books the lessons and the life of a friend who went first.

And then love this enough to come back and tell us how we can do it. I hope today that as you hear me conduct this interview with our friend Jen that you feel a little bit like it's you doing the questioning chances are you and I are a lot of like.

We're strong at times we're bold at times we're also timid and afraid and nervous and then I'm flinching we are all of those things rolled into one on any given day aren't we.

We just really want to know that it's okay. I bet like me you want to be fierce free and full of fire.

You just want to have coffee with someone who went first. Well if that's the case pull up a chair and fill your cup because Jen Hatmaker has come back to give us a first hand god to being our glorious selves and like my sweet daddy put it she is loved as well and for a good long time.

My friend Melissa welcome to the for the love podcast and and of strange twists of events you're in charge today I was just about to say excuse me you welcome for the love podcast I'm really happy to be here thanks for having me.

I'm so happy to be here thanks for having me.

I'm so happy to be here thanks for having me.

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