I think most of us would admit that interruptions can be frustrating. We like knowing what’s coming. We like having a plan. And if we’re really honest, sometimes we like being in control.

But what if some of the interruptions we’re trying so hard to avoid are actually invitations from God?

In this episode of Perspectives Into Practice, I sit down with my friend Dawn for a beautiful conversation about learning to trust God when life doesn’t go according to our plans, and how God has taught her to see interruptions as opportunities for growth instead of something she needs to fight against.

After years of moving, unexpected changes, difficult seasons, and trying to hold everything together herself, Dawn reached a point where she realized she couldn’t control what was happening around her. What began as a desperate moment became a shift in the way she approached her entire relationship with God.

Instead of turning to Him only when something went wrong, she began waking up each day and asking Him to lead it.

And slowly, her perspective began to change.

We talk about what it looks like to wait on God instead of worrying, to pause instead of immediately trying to fix everything, and to trust that an interruption might actually be God redirecting our steps.

Dawn also shares four things God has been teaching her in this season: waiting on Him, leaning into interruptions, remaining willing to grow no matter our age, and taking our thoughts captive when our feelings don’t line up with what Scripture says is true.

One of the things I love most about this conversation is Dawn’s reminder that transformation with God doesn’t always happen overnight. Sometimes it looks much more like a tree growing. Little by little, season after season, God changes the way we see Him, ourselves, and the circumstances around us.

If your plans have changed, something unexpected has interrupted the life you thought you were going to have, or you’re simply tired of trying to control everything around you, I pray this conversation encourages you to loosen your grip and ask a different question:

God, what are You trying to show me here?

In this episode, we discuss:

• Trusting God when life doesn’t go according to plan
• Seeing interruptions as opportunities for spiritual growth
• Letting go of control and allowing God to direct your steps
• Praying instead of worrying
• Waiting for God’s direction before moving
• Learning to recognize God’s goodness
• Allowing God to continue changing and growing us in every season of life
• Taking our thoughts captive and returning to the truth of Scripture
• Why our feelings about God aren’t always the truth about His character
• Living one day at a time instead of getting overwhelmed by the future
• Finding peace when circumstances haven’t changed
• Practicing what God teaches us in our everyday lives

Friend, sometimes the biggest shift isn’t in our circumstances. It’s in the way we see them.

The interruption may still be inconvenient. The plan may still change. We may still have questions we don’t have answers for. But when we begin our days asking God to lead instead of asking Him to bless the plans we’ve already made, we make room for Him to redirect us.

And sometimes that redirection is exactly where the growth happens.

If God has been writing a story in your life that could encourage another woman, I’d love to hear it. Visit PerspectivesIntoPractice.com to learn more about becoming a guest on the podcast.

And if you’re looking for a place to continue growing in your faith alongside other Christian women, I’d love to invite you into The Story Haven. It’s a free online community where we encourage one another, grow in God’s Word, share what He’s doing in our everyday lives, and walk through life together. Join us at TheStoryHaven.net.

If this episode encouraged you, share it with a friend whose plans may look a little different than she expected right now.

I call it the “yes, but not quite” season. You’ve said yes to God. You know He’s stirring something. You can sense that there’s something ahead, but you’re still living in the middle where the details haven’t come together yet.

I first talked about this back in Season 1, Episode 31, where I shared more of my own experience walking through a “yes, but not quite” season. If this conversation feels familiar to where you are right now, I’d encourage you to go back and listen to that episode too.

In this episode of Perspectives Into Practice, I sit down with my new friend Carolyn Jones to talk about what it looks like to actually live in that space, trusting God without trying to force the next step.

Carolyn is currently working in two very different worlds, serving as the executive director of a Christian nonprofit while also working in customer service at a car dealership. On paper, those pieces might not seem to fit together. But as Carolyn shares story after story of the people God has placed in front of her, we see that there is purpose in where God has us right now, even when we know it isn’t where we’ll stay forever.

We talk about recognizing the people God has actually called us to pour into instead of believing every need is ours to meet. Carolyn shares how simply being faithful in her workplace has opened doors to conversations about Jesus, Scripture, church, and faith with people who may never have walked into a traditional ministry setting.

We also talk about the other side of the “not quite,” when God begins giving us glimpses of what might be next.

For Carolyn, that came through an unexpected opportunity to attend the National Religious Broadcasters Convention, where God opened doors she couldn’t have orchestrated herself. It became a beautiful reminder that when something is truly from God, we don’t have to manipulate circumstances to make it happen.

And maybe that’s the hardest part.

Sometimes faithfulness looks like moving forward. Sometimes it looks like staying exactly where God has placed us while keeping our hands open and trusting Him with what comes next.

If you’re in a season where you know God has called you to something, but you don’t know when or how it’s going to happen, I pray this conversation reminds you that waiting isn’t wasted time. God is still working, connecting pieces, preparing people, opening doors, and using you right where you are.

In this episode, we discuss:

• What it means to be in a “yes, but not quite” season

• Trusting God when you don’t know what’s next

• Being faithful where God has placed you today

• Recognizing your everyday mission field

• Following the Holy Spirit instead of trying to meet every need

• Sharing your faith naturally through relationships

• Why waiting on God is active, not passive

• Resisting the temptation to manipulate circumstances

• Recognizing God’s provision and confirmation

• Trusting God with the small things

• Why faithfulness today prepares us for what’s next

• Letting God connect the pieces we can’t see yet

One of my favorite reminders from this conversation comes from Zechariah 4, “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit.” Carolyn reminds us not to despise the small things because we don’t always know which small act of obedience will become an important link in something much bigger God is building.

Friend, you don’t have to force what God has already planned. If He’s calling you, He will lead you. If He’s leading you, He will confirm it. And if He confirms it, He will provide for it. Your job is to stay close to Him, remain faithful where you are, and keep walking with open hands.

If you want to hear more about walking through a “yes, but not quite” season, be sure to go back and listen to Season 1, Episode 31.

You can learn more about Carolyn at https://www.inezhjonesintl.com/.

If God has been writing a story in your life, I’d love to hear it. Visit PerspectivesIntoPractice.com to learn more about becoming a guest on the podcast.

And if these are the kinds of conversations you’ve been craving, I’d love to invite you into The Story Haven. It’s our free online community for Christian women who want a place to have real conversations about what God is doing in their lives right now, grow in Scripture, encourage one another, and learn together how to actually live out our faith in everyday life. You can join us at TheStoryHaven.net.

If this episode encouraged you, follow the podcast and share it with a friend who might be living in her own “yes, but not quite” season right now.

In this episode of Perspectives Into Practice, I sit down with my new friend, Briana Bass, for an honest conversation about what God taught her through burnout, unexpected life changes, and learning to trust Him one step at a time.

When Briana found herself exhausted, overwhelmed, and holding tightly to a future she thought was already planned, God gently began asking her to release her own expectations and trust His better plan. What followed was a season of moving, changing jobs, finding a new church community, and discovering that God's timing is always worth waiting for.

Together, we talk about why surrender isn't about giving something up as much as it is about making room for what God wants to give us. We discuss the fear of the unknown, learning to hear God's voice in everyday decisions, praying honestly through uncertainty, and why waiting is often one of God's greatest tools for growing our faith.

Briana also shares an incredible story of how God asked her to wait before pursuing a seminary program, only for Him to reveal His perfect timing years later through an unexpected full scholarship. It's a beautiful reminder that when God says "wait," He's never withholding His best from us. He's preparing us for it.

If you've been wrestling with unanswered prayers, uncertain decisions, burnout, or wondering whether you can truly trust God's timing, I pray this conversation encourages you to loosen your grip, open your hands, and discover the peace that comes from surrendering your plans to the One who sees the whole picture.

Friend, if you've been trying to figure everything out on your own, I hope this conversation reminds you that you don't have to carry the weight of your future by yourself. God is faithful. His plans are better than ours, His timing is perfect, and every surrendered step draws us closer to Him.

If this episode encouraged you, I'd love for you to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs this reminder today.

If God has been writing a story in your life, I'd love to hear it. Visit PerspectivesIntoPractice.com to learn more about becoming a guest on the podcast.

And if you're looking for a place to keep growing in your faith after the episode ends, I'd love to invite you to join us inside The Story Haven. It's a free online community where women encourage one another, share stories of God's faithfulness, study Scripture together, pray for one another, and learn what it looks like to put our faith into practice in everyday life. We'd love to welcome you. Learn more at TheStoryHaven.net.

In this episode of Perspectives Into Practice, I sit down with my new friend Stephanie for a powerful conversation about trusting God through delayed healing, unexpected suffering, and learning to surrender one day at a time.

After surviving an aggressive battle with breast cancer years earlier, Stephanie experienced another life-altering medical crisis when her heart suddenly stopped during a routine doctor's appointment. Following nearly an hour of CPR, weeks in intensive care, multiple surgeries, and months of rehabilitation, she found herself learning to walk, breathe, speak, and live differently than before.

But this conversation isn't just about physical healing.

It's about what God teaches us when healing is slow.

Together, we talk about why delayed healing doesn't mean God is absent, how surrender often begins where our strength ends, and why our worth can never be measured by productivity or performance. Stephanie vulnerably shares how God has been teaching her to stop striving, embrace stillness, celebrate small victories, and trust His character even when life unfolds differently than she hoped.

If you're walking through chronic illness, recovering from trauma, waiting on God to answer a prayer, or simply feeling discouraged by a season that seems to last longer than expected, this episode will remind you that God is just as present in the process as He is in the miracle.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Trusting God through delayed healing and long recovery
• Finding hope during chronic illness and medical uncertainty
• Why God is present in the process, not just the miracle
• Learning to surrender control one day at a time
• The difference between striving and resting in God's presence
• Finding your identity beyond productivity and performance
• Celebrating small victories during difficult seasons
• How God uses weakness to reveal His strength
• Patient endurance and trusting God's timing
• Practical ways to remain anchored in Scripture during hard seasons

Friend, if you've been asking God why healing feels slow, I hope this conversation reminds you that His silence is not His absence. Even when progress feels small, He is faithfully working beneath the surface. Healing often happens little by little, and God wastes nothing when we choose to trust Him one surrendered step at a time.

If this episode encouraged you, I'd love for you to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs hope today.

Do you have a story in your own life weighing heavy on your heart to share? If so, I'd love to hear it. Visit PerspectivesIntoPractice.com to learn more about becoming a guest on the podcast.

And if you're looking for a place to keep growing in your faith beyond the podcast, I'd love to invite you to join us inside The Story Haven. It's a free online community where women gather to encourage one another, share what God is doing in their lives, pray together, dive deeper into Scripture, and continue putting our faith into practice every day. You can learn more and join us at TheStoryHaven.net. We'd love to welcome you!

In this episode of Perspectives Into Practice, I sit down with my friend Angela for a deeply encouraging conversation about trusting God through seasons of grief, uncertainty, and change. After losing both of her parents within fifteen months, watching her oldest child move across the world, facing health challenges, and entering a new season of empty nesting, Angela shares how God has faithfully met her in the middle of it all.

Together, we talk about what it looks like to honestly lament before God while still holding onto hope. We discuss Psalm 23, Lamentations 3, the beauty of remembering God's faithfulness, and why His goodness and mercy continue to pursue us even when we can't see them.

Angela also shares a powerful and deeply personal story from her father's final days, one that forever changed her understanding of God's presence, mercy, and eternal hope. It's a beautiful reminder that God never leaves us alone in our suffering. Learn morea bout what God is doing in her at www.rethinkingmythinking.com.

If you're walking through grief, navigating a difficult transition, caring for aging parents, becoming an empty nester, or simply wondering where God is in your current season, I pray this conversation reminds you that His presence is often His greatest gift.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Trusting God through grief and major life transitions
• Finding hope in Psalm 23 and Lamentations 3
• How to lament honestly without losing faith
• Remembering God's faithfulness in difficult seasons
• God's goodness and mercy in the middle of suffering
• Empty nest transitions and caring for aging parents
• The importance of staying rooted in Scripture and prayer
• Practical ways to keep your eyes on God instead of your circumstances
• Why God's presence is greater than having all the answers

Friend, if life feels overwhelming right now, I hope this conversation reminds you that God is still pursuing you with goodness and mercy. Even when you can't see Him working, He is faithful. Keep bringing your heart to Him, keep remembering His character, and trust that He is writing a story far bigger than what you can see today.

If this episode encouraged you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs hope today.

If God has been writing a story in your life, I'd love to hear it. Visit PerspectivesIntoPractice.com to learn more about being a guest on the podcast.

In this episode of Perspectives Into Practice, I sit down with my new friend, Hadassah, for a deeply encouraging conversation about trusting God when we don't understand His timing. Through her journey of losing her husband, walking through grief, battling anxiety, and learning to surrender control, she shares how God has faithfully taught her that peace isn't found in having all the answers, but in knowing the One who holds them.

Together, we talk about God's perfect timing, learning to trust His character instead of our circumstances, and why surrender is something we practice moment by moment. Hadassah reminds us that healing is rarely a straight line, that God's presence is enough even in our hardest seasons, and that we don't have to understand everything in order to trust Him.

We also discuss practical ways to stay grounded in seasons of uncertainty through Scripture, prayer, journaling, and choosing to remain connected to God throughout the day. Whether you're grieving, struggling with anxiety, waiting on unanswered prayers, or simply wondering what God is doing in your life, I pray this conversation reminds you that He is working in every detail, even when you can't yet see the whole picture.

In this episode, we discuss:
- Trusting God's timing instead of our own
- Finding peace during grief and loss
- Surrendering control to God
- Overcoming anxiety through prayer and Scripture
- Learning to trust God without having all the answers
- Healing after the loss of a spouse
- God's faithfulness in every season
- The importance of daily rhythms of prayer, Bible study, and journaling
- Finding hope while waiting on God
- Living with continual surrender and abiding in Christ

If this conversation encouraged you, I'd love to invite you to be a guest on Perspectives Into Practice. Every woman has a story of what God is teaching her right now, and I'd be honored to help you share yours. You can learn more at PerspectivesIntoPractice.com.

In this episode of Perspectives Into Practice, my friend Desiree joins me for another honest conversation about physical health, spiritual health, and the quiet ways God invites us into deeper obedience. As she shares her journey through perimenopause, hearing challenges, and learning to care for her body differently, we discover that God's invitation to wholeness reaches far beyond our physical health.

Together, we explore the story of the man at the Pool of Bethesda and Jesus' powerful question, "Do you want to be made well?" We talk about what it means to move beyond simply surviving, how compromise can slowly become a lifestyle, and why obedience often begins with small, daily decisions that shape the direction of our lives.

We also discuss surrendering habits that no longer serve us, learning to recognize what belongs in a previous season, and trusting that God never asks us to release something without leading us toward something better. Whether you're wrestling with your physical health, spiritual growth, anxiety, people-pleasing, or simply feeling stuck, I pray this conversation encourages you to seek God's wisdom and trust His gentle invitation toward true wholeness.

In this episode, we discuss:
- What Jesus meant when He asked, "Do you want to be made well?"
- Physical health, spiritual health, and biblical stewardship
- Obedience over comfort
- Breaking free from survival mode
- Letting go of compromise and unhealthy habits
- Navigating perimenopause with faith
- Renewing your mind through Scripture
- Walking in peace instead of striving
- Recognizing when God is leading you into a new season
- Trusting God's process even when change feels difficult

If this conversation encouraged you, I'd love to invite you to be a guest on Perspectives Into Practice. Every woman has a story of what God is teaching her right now, and I'd be honored to help you share yours. Learn more at PerspectivesIntoPractice.com.

In this episode of Perspectives Into Practice, I sit down with my new friend, Andrea, to talk about what it looks like to navigate those beautifully complicated seasons with faith instead of fear.

Andrea shares what life has looked like as her daughter prepares to graduate from high school, and the tension of holding joy, sadness, anticipation, and overwhelm all at the same time. Together, we explore the emotional weight of motherhood, learning to release our children into God's hands, and trusting Him with the future when everything feels like it's changing.

We also talk about the mental load so many women carry, practical ways to move from anxiety to prayer, and how simple daily rhythms like writing things down, spending time in God's Word, and staying present can help us walk through full seasons with peace instead of pressure. If you've ever felt stretched by the responsibilities of life, overwhelmed by everything on your plate, or uncertain about what comes next, I hope this conversation reminds you that you were never meant to carry it all alone.

You'll hear encouragement about trusting God one day at a time, finding peace in the middle of transition, and remembering that God is faithfully growing us through every season, even the ones that feel bittersweet.

In this episode, we discuss:
- Navigating life transitions with faith instead of overwhelm
- Trusting God as our children grow and become independent
- Holding joy and grief at the same time
- Turning anxiety into prayer
- Practical ways to stay present instead of worrying about tomorrow
- Finding peace through Scripture and prayer
- The mental load of motherhood and learning to surrender it to God
-Embracing new seasons with hope and expectation

If this conversation encouraged you, I'd love to invite you to be a guest on Perspectives Into Practice. Every woman has a story of what God is teaching her right now, and I'd be honored to help you share yours. You can learn more at PerspectivesIntoPractice.com.

In this episode of Perspectives Into Practice, I sit down with friend, Jody for an honest conversation about what happens when God reveals that faith is about more than checking spiritual boxes. Together, we explore the difference between performing faith and truly abiding in Christ.

Jody shares how retirement created space for her to recognize that although she was faithfully participating in Bible studies, devotionals, and prayer, she had unknowingly settled into a passive faith. Through a season of reflection, God began showing her that He wasn't asking for more activities. He was asking for more of her heart.

We also talk about surrender, control, prayer, grief, and the ongoing process of spiritual refinement. Jody vulnerably shares how losing her daughter in 2018 deepened her faith and how God continues to use both her pain and her healing to draw her closer to Him. This conversation is a beautiful reminder that our stories are never finished and that God continues shaping us in every season of life.

If you've ever struggled with striving, perfectionism, spiritual performance, or wondering why your faith feels stuck despite doing all the "right" things, this episode will encourage you to slow down, listen for God's voice, and pursue a deeper relationship with Him.

In this episode, we discuss:
• Moving from a checklist faith to an authentic relationship with God
• The difference between spiritual activity and spiritual intimacy
• Learning to surrender control and trust God's leading
• How prayer deepens our connection with God
• Walking through grief while holding onto faith
• God's ongoing work of refining and transforming us
• Finding purpose in every season of life
• Why your story isn't over yet

Friend, if you've been feeling spiritually dry, exhausted from striving, or longing for something deeper in your walk with God, I pray this conversation reminds you that God doesn't want your performance. He wants your heart.

If this episode encourages you, please share it with a friend, leave a review, and subscribe so you don't miss future conversations.

And if God is teaching you something in your own life right now, I'd love to hear your story. Visit PerspectivesIntoPractice.com to learn more about being a guest on the podcast.

Looking for a place to rest, reflect, and reconnect with God? I'd also love to invite you to join us for the upcoming Wholeness in the Wilderness Retreat, a peaceful weekend designed to help women encounter God in the middle of life's wilderness seasons.

Together, we talk about the tension between faith and doubt, learning to surrender control, and trusting God one step at a time when the future feels unclear. Heather shares powerful stories of God's faithfulness, the simple rhythms that help her stay grounded, and the reminders God has given her along the way that He is still present, still working, and still leading.

If you've ever felt stuck in the messy middle, waiting for direction, grieving a loss, or wondering how to trust God when you can't see the whole path ahead, this conversation will encourage your heart. You'll be reminded that God rarely gives us the entire roadmap. Instead, He invites us to walk with Him one faithful step at a time.

Key topics from this episode include:
• Trusting God during major life transitions
• Letting go of control and surrendering the outcome
• Navigating grief with faith and hope
• Recognizing God's presence in everyday moments
• Building practical rhythms that strengthen your faith
• Finding peace in seasons of uncertainty

If this episode encouraged you, I'd love to invite you to share your story on the podcast. Some of the most powerful conversations come from ordinary women experiencing God's faithfulness in everyday life.

And if you're longing for rest, renewal, and deeper connection with God, join me for the Wholeness in the Wilderness Retreat. Learn more about the retreat and how to become a guest on the podcast at PerspectivesIntoPractice.com.

In this episode, I sit down with my friend Heather for an honest conversation about comfort, peace, obedience, and the deeper work God wants to do in our hearts. What started as a struggle with health goals and consistency became a powerful lesson about hidden patterns, striving, and the subtle ways comfort can keep us from experiencing the freedom God has for us.

Heather shares how God revealed an unexpected idol in her life, why she had been asking the wrong questions, and how everything began to change when she stopped focusing on the surface problem and started inviting God into the deeper issue. Together, we explore the difference between comfort and peace, why recurring struggles often point to something beneath the surface, and how repentance and forgiveness can lead to lasting freedom.

We also talk about anxiety, fear, trusting God's process, and learning to recognize the cycles that keep showing up in our lives. Heather's vulnerability and practical wisdom offer encouragement for anyone who feels stuck, frustrated, weary, or unsure why they keep facing the same battles.

If you've ever wondered why some prayers seem unanswered, why growth feels harder than it should, or how to move from striving into genuine peace, this conversation will encourage you to slow down, ask God deeper questions, and trust that He is always leading you toward freedom.

As Heather reminds us, peace isn't always comfort. Sometimes the very thing God is using to grow us is the thing we're tempted to avoid.

I'd love to hear what stood out to you from this conversation.

And if God is teaching you something in your own life right now, I'd love to invite you to be a guest on the podcast and share your story. Sometimes the lesson you're learning is exactly what someone else needs to hear.

Also, registration is still open for the Wholeness in the Wilderness Retreat, happening June 25-28 near the Oregon coast and California Redwoods. If you're feeling weary, stretched thin, spiritually dry, or simply longing for intentional time with God, I'd love to have you join us. Learn more at PerspectivesIntoPractice.com and click Retreat.

Key Moments

• Heather shares how God revealed a hidden pattern connected to comfort.
• The surprising difference between comfort and true peace.
• Why asking better questions can lead to deeper breakthroughs.
• How fear, anxiety, and striving often point to deeper heart issues.
• A powerful story about choosing ministry over personal plans.
• What it means to notice unhealthy cycles and pray differently.
• Why repentance and forgiveness remain powerful tools for freedom.
• Practical encouragement for anyone feeling stuck in recurring struggles.

In this episode of Perspectives Into Practice, you’ll hear an honest conversation with Sherrika about what it looks like to trust God one step at a time, even when the path feels uncertain. If you’ve ever questioned whether you’re hearing God correctly, struggled with waiting, or wondered why His provision doesn’t look the way you expected, this episode will encourage you.

Together, we explore the tension between obedience and control, faith and fear, and trusting God when circumstances seem to be falling apart instead of coming together. Sherrika shares powerful stories of stepping out in faith, launching an event with countless obstacles, navigating seasons of surrender, and learning that God’s faithfulness often looks very different than what we imagine.

You’ll be reminded that God rarely asks you to understand the entire journey before taking action. More often, He invites you to trust Him with the next step. As Sherrika shares, sometimes the greatest act of faith is simply moving forward with what God has already shown you and trusting Him to reveal the rest in His timing.

In this conversation, you'll discover:

• How to trust God when His direction feels unclear
• Why obedience often requires deeper surrender than expected
• What to do when God's provision doesn't look like what you hoped for
• How to recognize God's voice through relationship and time with Him
• Why waiting for the full plan can keep you stuck
• How worship, prayer, and Scripture sustain you during difficult seasons
• The importance of taking the next faithful step, even when you're unsure

If you're walking through a wilderness season, facing a major decision, or feeling called into something that stretches your faith, this episode is a reminder that you are not alone. God is faithful, even when you cannot see the whole picture. He is present in the unknown, and He will guide you one step at a time.

If this episode encourages you, please share it with a friend who needs this reminder today.

Have a story about what God is teaching you in this season? I'd love to hear it. Visit PerspectivesIntoPractice.com to learn more about being a guest on the podcast.

And if you're longing for a chance to slow down, reconnect with God, and find renewal in the middle of your own wilderness season, I'd love to invite you to the Wholeness in the Wilderness Retreat, June 25-28. You can find all the details at PerspectivesIntoPractice.com under the Retreat tab.

In this episode, Brenda shares her journey of leaving a job in obedience to God, stepping into writing and ministry, and then wrestling with anger, disappointment, financial uncertainty, and feeling spiritually disconnected when things did not unfold the way she expected. Together, we talk about what it looks like to navigate seasons where prayer feels empty, Scripture feels distant, and God’s voice seems hard to hear.

In this episode, we discuss:

• What to do when obedience does not lead to the outcome you expected
• How journaling and writing can help clear spiritual and emotional fog
• The danger of viewing our relationship with God as transactional
• Why community is essential during difficult faith seasons
• Lessons from Joshua 3 and 4 about waiting on God’s instruction
• How to recognize God’s presence in unexpected places
• Practical encouragement for women feeling spiritually stuck, weary, or disconnected

This conversation is full of gentle wisdom, honest vulnerability, and practical faith for women walking through uncertainty, burnout, disappointment, or spiritual dryness. If you have ever wondered, “God, where are You?” this episode will remind you that He is often closer than we realize.

If your heart has been craving renewal, rest, healing, or simply quiet time with the Lord, I would also love to personally invite you to my intimate women’s retreat, Wholeness in the Wilderness, happening this June 25-28, 2026 near the California redwoods along the Oregon coast. It will be a peaceful, Spirit-led weekend filled with meaningful connection, nourishing meals, ocean air, and space to breathe and reconnect with God. You can learn more at PerspectivesIntoPractice.com click the Retreat.

And if you’ve been listening to the podcast thinking, “I have a story like that too,” I would love to hear from you. Perspectives Into Practice is all about real women sharing real stories of how God is working in everyday life. If you’d be interested in being a guest on the podcast, reach out through PerspectivesIntoPractice.com. Your story may encourage someone more than you know.

We dive into the challenges of parenting adult children, learning how to release them to the Lord, and finding purpose in seasons that feel quieter than before. We also talk about discernment, gratitude, silence, journaling, and how God often speaks in subtle ways when we slow down enough to listen. If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, stretched thin, or unsure of what God is doing in your current season, I pray this conversation reminds you that you do not have to see the whole road ahead, just the next faithful step.

In this episode, we talk about:
• Navigating the empty nest transition with faith
• Trusting God with your adult children
• Letting go of control and unrealistic expectations
• Learning to hear God’s voice in quiet moments
• The importance of discernment before saying yes
• Gratitude journaling and daily prayer rhythms
• Parenting through every phase of life
• Finding peace when life feels uncertain
• Why small acts of obedience matter
• Being gentle with yourself in difficult seasons

If your soul is craving rest, renewal, and space to reconnect with God, I’d love to personally invite you to the Wholeness in the Wilderness Retreat happening June 25 through 28 near the California Redwoods and Oregon Coast. You can find all the details at PerspectivesIntoPractice.com under the RETREAT tab.

And if God has been writing a story in your life and you’d like to share it, I’d love to invite you to be a guest on the podcast. Your story matters, and someone else may need the perspective God has given you.

We talk about hearing God’s voice, speaking life over ourselves, finding purpose right where we are planted, and learning to bloom without striving for recognition. Susan shares wisdom about prayer, spiritual growth, identity in Christ, and how God’s love meets us personally and individually. This conversation is full of encouragement for anyone who has ever felt overlooked, uncertain, or simply hungry for a deeper relationship with God.

If you’ve been longing for more peace, more awareness of God’s presence, or reassurance that He is still speaking and working in your life, this episode will remind you that faith is not something we outgrow. It deepens, softens, and grows as we continue to walk with Him.

In this episode, we discuss:
• How to recognize God’s voice in everyday life
• Growing spiritually in every season
• Speaking life over yourself through Scripture
• Blooming where God has planted you
• Finding peace, purpose, and identity in Christ
• Letting go of condemnation and embracing God’s love
• Walking by faith and trusting the Holy Spirit

Whether you are in a season of growth, waiting, healing, or rediscovering your faith, I pray this conversation encourages you to lean in and listen for the Lord in the simple moments of your day.

Don’t forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with a friend who needs encouragement today.

If you’ve ever thought about sharing your story and the ways God has worked through your life, I would truly love to have you as a guest on Perspectives Into Practice. These conversations are real, faith-filled, and centered around how small shifts in perspective can lead to meaningful change.

And if you’re longing for rest, renewal, and deeper connection with the Lord, I’d love to invite you to the Wholeness in the Wilderness Retreat happening June 25–28. It’s going to be a beautiful time of reflection, encouragement, worship, and healing alongside other women walking through wilderness seasons. Visit PerspectivesIntoPractice.com and click on “Retreat” for all the details.

We talk about the tension between reaction and response, and how easy it is to believe the lie that we can’t control our reactions. But through this conversation, you’ll hear how God gently reveals what’s underneath, our selfishness, expectations, and desire for control, and invites us into something different.

Mia shares what God has been teaching her in this season of marriage, and how learning to pause, be silent, and rely on the Holy Spirit has shifted the way she responds in hard moments. Because real growth often happens in that small space between what we feel and what we choose.

We also talk about what it means to trust God enough to stop, even in busy seasons. Not perfectly, but intentionally. Learning to rest, to listen, and to sit with Him instead of always striving.

One of the biggest themes in this episode is learning to embrace weakness instead of hiding it. Because Scripture reminds us: “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

When we stop trying to hold everything together, we begin to see that God’s strength shows up most clearly right there in the broken places.
We also touch on the daily reality of this walk. Choosing to put on the armor of God, choosing to fight differently, and remembering that this is not something that comes naturally. It is something we walk out with Him, one moment at a time.

Key themes in this episode:

• Dying to self in real life
• Trusting God instead of controlling outcomes
• Responding vs reacting
• The power of silence and pause
• Resting and practicing Sabbath in busy seasons
• God’s strength in our weakness
• Letting go of perfection and embracing surrender

If you’ve ever felt stuck in your reactions, overwhelmed by your emotions, or unsure how to actually live out your faith in the moment, this conversation will meet you right there.

If sharing your story has been on your heart, even just a little, I would love to invite you to be a guest on Perspectives Into Practice. You can reach out at perspectivesintopractice.com.

I also want to personally invite you to the Wholeness in the Wilderness retreat on June 25. This is a space to step away, slow down, and be with the Lord in a real and intentional way. If your heart has been craving rest and renewal, this might be exactly what you need.

I’ve realized that the heaviness I’ve been feeling is coming from carrying things I was never meant to carry. Trying to hold it all together. Trying to figure everything out. And in the middle of it, God has been gently inviting me back, not with pressure, but with a quiet, come back to Me.

We talk about what it looks like to release control, slow down, and trust Him even when things feel unclear. About how sometimes the weight we feel is simply a sign we’re holding too much, and how His voice is found in surrender, not striving.

I also share about the Wholeness in the Wilderness retreat, happening June 25 through June 28 in the Redwoods. It’s a small, intentional space to step away, slow down, and be with the Lord.

If you’ve been craving that kind of space, I’d love to invite you.

And if you have a story of what God is doing in your life, I would love to invite you to be a guest on the podcast. Reach out at perspectivesintopractice.com.

Friend, maybe the heaviness you’re feeling isn’t because you’re doing something wrong.

Maybe you’re just carrying something that was never yours to hold.

We dive into surrender, obedience, and learning to let go of control, especially in seasons that feel uncertain or uncomfortable. Kate shares how God has been teaching her to rely on Him fully, even when things don’t make sense, and how anchoring herself in Scripture and speaking truth over her life has shifted everything.

We talk about the power of God’s promises, rooted in Numbers 23, and the reminder that if He said it, He will do it. He is steady, faithful, and unchanging.

Kate Massey is a counselor with a heart for helping others walk in truth and healing. You can learn more about her at https://www.katemassey.org/.

If you’ve ever felt a nudge to share your story, this is your invitation. Head to PerspectivesIntoPractice.com, I would love to connect with you.

Here's the thing I love about our conversation - we move from an honest, messy place into scripture and then into practice. Kristin calls her seasons "weight training" because waiting builds strength the way lifting does. She uses a slow cooker versus Instapot image (and yes, we both laughed because food analogies are my love language) to explain that some promises marinate. That metaphor stuck with me because it honored the slow, faithful work of God without pretending waiting is easy.

We also talk about the ways God nudges us when we slow down. Kristin told the story about sitting in church hearing Isaiah 40:31 and then seeing three eagles on the drive home. That was a literal chin-check moment - God lifted her head and shifted her gaze. I told her about feathers appearing in my life, and how I keep them in my car as reminders that God is present, noticing the minute things.

One of the most tender pieces of this episode is the language we use for how God speaks. Kristin calls some of those moments "God's lyrical alarms" - a song that wakes you gently with truth. We both agreed that the world teaches speed and immediacy, but God often shows up in pauses, nudges, and tiny signs. I asked hard questions out loud, like why some promises seem to come quickly for others. She answered with humility and the reminder that trust is the practice God is shaping.

If you're wondering what to do when you're stuck between prayer and promise, we land on simple practices you can try this week. Try these few things I shared with Kristin and you can put into practice right away

• Lift your eyes - literally look up when you walk, notice what God might be pointing to.
• Keep a record - jot down small signs, songs, feathers, or moments that feel like God's whisper.
• Choose patience as training - treat waiting like strength building rather than punishment.
• Listen for lyrical reminders - a song, a phrase, a dream can re-center your heart toward trust.

I weave scripture through the conversation and we reference Isaiah 40:31 as a promise that waiting is not wasted. You will hear vulnerability, honest questions, and the kind of encouragement that feels like a friend sitting across from you with a cup of tea. You see, I don't pretend waiting is painless, but I do believe God is at work inside it.

If you're in a season of not-knowing, this episode is for you. It's practical, it is gentle, and it points you back to noticing the small, real ways God speaks. Come listen, take notes, and try one practical step this week. Please listen, share with a friend who needs this, and leave feedback about this episode so we can continue these conversations together.

I remember Melissa sharing how she didn’t grow up in church, how she met Jesus when she met her husband, and then how illness became the place she could no longer keep God at arm’s length. She said when she woke up in the middle of the night, often the Lord would meet her there. Those quiet, tender interruptions shaped her faith and taught her to be led by the Holy Spirit. Can I tell you something? Those middle of the night moments have been the making of so many of us.

Here’s the thing, healing wasn’t only about the physical. Melissa found a life saving infectious disease doctor who walked with her through late stage neurological Lyme disease, but God then asked her to press into mental and spiritual healing. He told her to use the horses. That sounded strange at first, but obedience led her to get certified in trauma recovery with Unbridled in Minnesota and to begin a ministry on the ranch. It was outside of her comfort zone, and she felt like an introvert being gently pushed. Sometimes God will do that - He will nudge, He will push, and then He will give the peace to take the step.

Scripture kept coming up in our talk. I thought of Psalm 30:11 where God turns mourning into dancing and clothes us with joy. That truth threaded through Melissa’s story. She described supernatural peace the morning the local news arrived to film her with the horses - a push from God that also became a gift to help her move forward and to teach others how to choose joy while walking through hard seasons.

If you want something you can put into practice, here are a few things Melissa and I talked through that you can try this week:

• Be still in the night - if sleep won’t come, spend a few minutes with Scripture and invite the Holy Spirit to speak.
• Say yes to small obedience - share one part of your story or one honest post, even if you’re scared.
• Use what you have - your gifts, your home, your experience can be a lifeline for someone else.
• Pursue whole healing - physical care and medical wisdom are important, but don’t skip the mental and spiritual work.

You see, choosing joy is not pretending pain isn’t real. It’s trusting God in the middle of the muck and letting Him rebuild what feels broken. Melissa’s life on the ranch, her horses, and her obedience became tools God used to restore rhythm and hope. If you’re stuck, I want to whisper this to you: obedience opens doors, and God will provide the peace and the means to walk through them.

I hope this episode gives you practical next steps and a fresh dose of courage. We talked about real things - diagnosis, therapy, training, fear, and the slow, beautiful work of God. Please listen to the full conversation with Melissa on this episode, share it with a friend who needs to hear about choosing joy, and leave feedback so we know how this spoke to your own life. Thank you for listening, sharing, and for the ways you encourage this community.

Can I tell you something? There was a moment in our talk that stopped me. Sharon told how, as a deacon moderator, she began texting everyone in her geographic region and asking, "How can I pray for you today?" She didn’t rush past the answers. She waited, sat down, wrote a thoughtful prayer, and sent it back. People responded with honest needs, wounds, and requests. One woman took a simple card to a cancer checkup and said it steadied her. That story stuck with me the whole week.

There’s a biblical rhythm here. Ecclesiastes speaks about a three strand cord being not easily broken, and I keep coming back to that verse, Ecclesiastes 4:12. When we connect two hearts and lift them to God, something stronger forms. Obedience to God, even in tiny ways, ties us together in a bond that carries blessing beyond what we can see.

Here's the thing I want you to try this week. You don’t have to overhaul your life. You can begin with a five minute yes. If someone asks you to pray, don’t say yes and hope you remember later. Text back, write a short prayer, or speak it into your phone and send the voice message. That small, immediate response makes the person feel seen, and it trains your heart to be faithful.

I remember the awkwardness of thinking I needed a big platform to make a difference. Sharon’s gentle obedience reminded me that faith in practice looks ordinary. It looks like a chart that helps you pray for family, a spreadsheet that keeps you honest, or a devotional slipped into the hands of a stranger on a cruise. The outward action is small. The spiritual consequence is large.

• Try asking, How can I pray for you today? in a text or message
• When someone answers, take a moment to write a prayer and send it back
• Keep a log or thread so you can follow up and ask, How is that going?

These are simple steps, but they produce connection. They invite God to show up. They also protect you from the slipshod promise of saying, "I’ll pray for you," and never following through. Most of all, they remind us that obedience is how we show love to God and to one another.

So I don’t know about you, but I feel encouraged to be faithful in the small things again. If you want a scripture to tuck in your heart while you start, hold on to Ecclesiastes 4:12 and let it remind you that our prayer connects us to God and to one another in a way that lasts.

This episode of Perspectives Into Practice features Sharon’s stories, practical ideas you can use immediately, and gentle invitations to make prayer a habit that blesses you and others. I hope it encourages you to say yes when God nudges you, even if it’s only for five minutes. Please listen to the episode, share it with a friend who needs a gentle nudge, and leave feedback to let us know how saying yes is changing your life.

Margie is a Texa Rican, married 25 years, and a mom of four. For years her life looked a certain way - the house, the plans, the remodels, the busy-ness of family life. As the kids started to leave home she realized that the life that looked right on the outside wasn’t fully reflecting what she and her husband felt on the inside. They planned a dream trip to Fiji, and when they finally slowed down and really got quiet, God spoke. Not through a dramatic sign but through worship, community, and that gentle nudging that says, let it go. Sell the house. Move.

You see, God often meets us in the ordinary quiet. In our conversation Margie said something simple and true: God speaks loudest when we actually get quiet. They were in a church where everyone from the youngest to the oldest was singing and it felt like the voice of God coming through that moment of worship. They came home convinced and then watched the logistics line up in ways that felt completely guided - an immediate offer, buyers with a newborn, contingency timelines that resolved in days, not months. It was one of those moments where the details felt signed, sealed, and so very sweet.

Here's the thing I can't stop thinking about: obedience often feels risky and messy before it feels freeing. Margie told me about listing the house, juggling holidays, trusting friends who helped pack, and a friend who said, we either get stressed for nine days or get stressed for nine months. She chose the nine days. That practical friend-say was such a gift because obedience didn't mean reckless panic; it meant choosing trust over control and taking practical steps forward.

Scripture kept coming to mind as I listened. Proverbs 3:5-6 invites us to trust the Lord with all our heart and not lean on our own understanding. Psalm 46:10 reminds us to be still and know that He is God. Margie’s story is a tender example of both scriptures working together - stillness to hear, trust to act.

If you want to put this into practice in your life, here are a few things I said to myself and to you as I reflected on her story:

• Carve out a real quiet - not short bursts of noise reduction but intentional time to listen. Pray with an open question like, what do you want me to let go of?
• Test what you hear against Scripture and community. Ask a trusted friend or pastor to listen to what you sense and to help you weigh it with biblical wisdom.
• Make a practical plan for the obedience you sense. Break it into small tasks so obedience becomes a series of doable steps instead of a looming leap.
• Let go of the need to control outcomes. Surrender looks like trusting God with the timing and the details, even when it stretches your comfort.

Margie’s timeline was messy at times. The family had a conference, holiday travel, and unexpected deadlines. But she also had friends, a realtor who asked hard questions, and neighbors who showed up. Can I tell you something honest? Trusting God is rarely a solo sport. We need people to pray, to help pack boxes, to remind us of truth when we want to cling to the familiar.

I think many of us will relate to that misaligned feeling Margie described - when life looks okay but doesn’t reflect your heart. If that’s you, maybe the first faithful thing isn’t to overhaul your whole life but to get quiet, ask God one question, and listen. You might be surprised how God meets you in the small moments and then changes the big picture.

So what did I want you to take away from this episode? I want you to hear that God is present in the ordinary, that obedience can feel both uncertain and guided, and that practical steps matter. Trusting God doesn’t make the push easy but it does make the path honest and often unexpectedly joyful.

Friends, if this episode stirred something in you, I hope you'll sit with Margie's story, journal one small next step, and reach out to a friend who can pray with you. And now, I'd love for you to listen to the full conversation, share it with someone who needs encouragement, and leave feedback about this episode so we can keep bringing these real-life perspectives into practice. Please listen, share, and leave feedback about this episode.

I begin with a little fun fact because I love those moments that make us smile. Pat grew up in a football-loving family and then had a ballerina for a daughter. You see, that unexpected twist showed up in our conversation as a reminder that life’s seasons often bring surprising gifts and new rhythms. That little anecdote is a doorway to a deeper story about how God moves when we make room for someone else to step in.

Pat walked with the Lord in a season of faithful service and leadership. Over time she sensed God raising someone else up - a woman she’d helped, trained, and cheered on. I remember asking Pat when she first knew God might be asking her to let go. Her answer was tender: she had seen God at work in another person and knew it was time to release the role. Emotions came up - fear of the unknown, worry about how others would view the transition, even concern for the friendship itself. Those are real, normal things we wrestle with.

We talk about what it felt like to move from pressure to peace. For Pat that meant staying faithful in prayer, sitting with Jesus in the mornings, and intentionally choosing to be a witness rather than to direct the next season. She asked the Lord to sanctify her ego, to shape her ambitions so the posture would be humility and praise. That prayer felt like a hinge moment - it moved her from performance to presence.

Scripture helped steady both of us. Proverbs 3 5-6 reminds me to trust the Lord with all my heart and not rely on my own understanding. That verse kept showing up as Pat described the delicate balance of supporting a friend while also stepping back. When we fix our eyes on the Father rather than on applause, identity stops being tied to a title and becomes rooted in who God says we are.

Here are practical ways we learned to put perspective into practice:

• Pray first and often - make your morning time with Jesus the place you process feelings and decisions.
• Invite accountability - have one friend who will speak truth when your ego gets loud.
• Pass on what matters - share mentorship, not ownership, so the next leader can grow without people-pleasing.
• Be a witness - show up to cheer, not to control, and hold gratitude for what God does through others.

Pat shared a raw moment about jealous thoughts before the first event she attended where the new leader led. Can I tell you something? That honesty was freeing. We both talked about how God meets us in those moments when we name the feeling and turn it over. That practice keeps faith from becoming self-centered and reorients our heart toward the Father.

If you’re sitting with a role that’s shifting or an identity that feels uncertain, I want you to know I’m walking with you in spirit. You don’t have to have it all figured out. Keep coming to the Word, keep asking God to sanctify your desires, and keep being generous with what God has given you. There is life and joy on the other side of the letting go.

Join Pat and me for this episode of Perspectives Into Practice to hear the full conversation, the tender stories, and the practical next steps you can try this week. Please listen, share with a friend who needs this, and leave us feedback about how this episode landed with you.

I remember Kathleen sharing about an unwanted divorce she lived through and how scripture memory became the lifeline that pulled her out of fear. She said simple verses like When I am afraid I put my trust in you changed the shape of her mornings. Instead of waking up braced for battle, she began waking up with a Psalm or a promise tucked in her chest, and that shifted everything.

Here's the thing, the Bible gives us language and rhythm so we can hear God more clearly. When scripture is internalized it becomes a filter for competing voices. As Romans 8:1 reminds us there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, and that truth protects us from accusations that would steal our peace.

One small story from Kathleen stuck with me. She told about a contractor who came looking for payment. On impulse she sent him away and then felt the quiet nudge not to withhold good when you have it in your power to act. She called him back and paid the balance. That moment came from a verse turned habit, which is exactly how Proverbs 3:27 shows us to steward what is in our hands. You see how practical faith looks in an ordinary kitchen conversation?

If you want something you can do this week try these simple steps I talked about on the episode

• Choose one short verse to memorize - something you can fit in your pocket or on a note card
• Repeat it aloud in the morning and before bed until it starts to come to mind naturally
• Meditate on the phrase - let it shape your thoughts for five minutes rather than racing through study
• Look for one small obedience prompted by that verse and act on it

No grand program required - just faithful repetition and small response. Kathleen calls scripture memory and meditation twin powers. I think that's right because when what you believe is held in your heart it changes how you respond to fear and to people, and it deepens intimacy with God.

We also talk about what to do when memorizing feels legalistic or boring. Be gentle with yourself. Start with verses that speak mercy and delight. Put them in places you already go like your phone lock screen or your kitchen timer. Little anchors make big differences over time.

So what might you carry this week? Which verse will be the one you pull out when doubt whispers? Which short promise will you practice until it becomes a reflex? Can I tell you something, friends - God meets us in these small rhythms and uses them to turn awareness into practice.

I hope this episode gives you both the encouragement and the practical next step to live more aware of God's presence. Come listen to the full conversation with Kathleen on Perspectives Into Practice. Please listen, share, and leave feedback about this episode.

Can I tell you something? Val's story is not a neat testimony of answers arriving like clockwork. It's messy, faithful, and very human. She described last year as a season of swimming against the current. Her health, job, and hope felt battered. At a prayer event she prayed for a friend and then, to her surprise, could not name a request for herself. The words that came out were clarity. When someone prayed that back over her she felt a weight lift, even though uncertainty remained. That moment captures a truth I keep coming back to as a follower of Jesus: sometimes faith asks us to step without having the whole plan in place.

We talked about control in a way that felt honest and tender. Val shared that she has been a control person for most of her life, even in grief after losing a child 13 years ago. You see, control can become a false safety net. When her work hours were cut and money looked unstable she braced for a fight at home, but instead she discovered that God used that disruption to create new space and unexpected blessing. That was one of those gentle reminders that God often rearranges our plans so we can actually live the life he has for us.

I pulled out a scripture with her about the pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire that led the Israelites, because it fit so well. Exodus 13:21 shows a God who goes before his people visibly, and yet even seeing God with them did not keep them from fear or stubbornness. Val said that she doesn't have a pillar of fire, but she has learned to look for the little markers of God's presence and to let those markers guide her next steps. That felt like permission to me: permission to move without having every single answer, because God will be faithful step by step.

Here are some practical ways we talked about putting this into practice in everyday life:

• Ask for clarity specifically - name it out loud and invite someone to pray it back to you.
• Create margin so you can notice God working - simplify a schedule, protect a morning, or pause before reacting.
• Practice small obedience - take the next right step even if the roadmap is fuzzy.
• Parent with grace - be your child’s mother not their martyr, allowing them safe space to grow.
• Lean into community - let trusted friends speak God's eyes and ears into confusing seasons.

Here's the thing: faith is often quieter than we expect. It doesn't always arrive as a thunderclap, but God gives us what we need for the next step. If you feel stuck where control and fear are louder than God's voice, try praying for clarity and then watch for the small invitations to move. I really do think joy waits on the other side of that obedience.

Friends, this episode is a gentle call to get out of your own way and to trust that God will lead you when you ask for clarity. I hope Val's honesty encourages you to ask for what you need and to accept help when it comes. Please listen to the conversation, share it with someone who needs to hear that they're not alone, and leave feedback about what spoke to you in this episode. I'd love to hear your takeaways and how God is inviting you to take your next right step.

Here's the thing I kept hearing in Lori's voice: she wasn't angry in a dramatic way. She felt overlooked, misunderstood, and sometimes bypassed. Those are the little cuts that add up. She carried a story about who she was and who other people were that shifted after loss. And that's where identity in Christ becomes more than a phrase. It's the steadying truth when the world redefines you.

Biblical truth keeps showing up in our conversation. Ephesians 4:31-32 says to put away bitterness and be kind and forgiving. That verse isn't a checklist to shame you. It's a lifeline that God offers so you can be free to do the work he's called you to do. When I listen to Lori, I hear a woman who chose obedience even when apology never came. She chose the small, daily acts that rewired her heart toward wholeness.

So what does that look like in practice? I want you to be able to take something from this episode and actually use it in your life. You're not getting platitudes. You're getting tender, real steps born from a lived story, from nights of wrestling and mornings of showing up anyway.

• Name the hurt. Say it out loud in prayer. When you name it, it stops hiding in the dark.
• Ask God what freedom looks like for you. Sometimes freedom looks like forgiveness, sometimes it looks like boundary, and sometimes it looks like brave acceptance.
• Decide before feelings do. Emotions will pull you back to resentment, but obedience to God moves you forward.
• Keep short accounts. Regularly confess the little resentments so they don't become a mountain.
• Invite service. Look for one small way to love where you once felt wounded. That rewrites the story.

You see, Lori's story reminded me of band practice at dawn, the rigor, the showing up. That picture kept returning because the same discipline that made music out of many parts can make new life out of fractured belonging. She didn't wait for people to change. She let God change how she moved through the world.

Along the way, we talk about identity, prayer, and the awkwardness of being vulnerable when you worry you might be unwanted. Have you ever held back because you thought your struggle would be too much for someone else? I do too, and I'm honest about that in this episode. Vulnerability doesn't mean careless exposure. It means choosing trusted people and choosing the Lord first.

This episode is full of tender storytelling, biblical perspective, and practical encouragement you can try this week. If you're carrying an unnamed hurt, or if you feel stuck waiting for an apology that may never come, listen to Lori. You'll hear a woman who moved from carrying a weight to carrying God's call with both humility and courage.

I'd love for you to join this conversation. Listen to the episode, share it with a friend who needs permission to let go, and leave feedback about what helped you most. Your listening matters to me and to Lori, and your words help other ladies take the next step toward wholeness.

I remember the scene she described - a quiet afternoon at the library, a book about the fear of God, and the story of Esther landing right on her lap. Esther 4:14 came alive for her in a fresh way - the reality that God's positioning sometimes asks us to step where there is risk and no obvious personal gain. That concrete image helped her move from paralysis to a humble yes, even when doubts and fear of rejection loomed large.

You see, we also talked about the cleansing of the temple (Luke 19:45-46) and how Jesus kept his mission even while people rejected him. Marchette shared how lying awake at night, wrestling with feelings of rejection, she found comfort in the fact that Jesus understood those emotions yet stayed focused. That didn’t cancel her feelings. Instead she learned to bring them to the Lord and not let them be the decision maker.

Here's the thing I keep coming back to: faith isn't the absence of feeling. Faith is the decision to follow God when feelings press hard to the contrary. In our conversation we named how emotions can become a kind of idol if left unchecked. We also named the beautiful flip side - emotions offered to God can become fuel for obedience and compassion rather than barriers.

From our chat, you’ll get practical, simple ways to put that perspective into practice in everyday life. These are the sorts of steps I wish someone had handed me in a tidy list when I was learning to say yes sooner. I offer them here the way Marchette lived them out.

• Name the feeling - speak it out and place it before God instead of letting it dictate your action.
• Remember your mission - remind yourself why God might be asking this of you and who might be impacted beyond you.
• Take the next small yes - obedience is often a series of tiny steps, not one giant leap.
• Practice quiet resolve - pray, trust, and keep showing up even if you don't get immediate affirmation.

Friends, this episode is tender and real. We talk about fear of rejection, the temptation to trust what we see instead of what God has said, and how to keep showing up even when obedience looks like stepping into the unknown. I share questions I asked aloud, and Marchette shares honest moments where she almost quit but chose to trust instead.

If you find yourself stuck between fear and a calling, this conversation will encourage you to bring your feelings to God, remember his promises, and obey the next thing he asks. You're not alone in that middle place, and God sees the honesty of your heart. We'd love for you to listen, share this episode with a friend who needs the encouragement, and leave feedback so we can keep bringing conversations that help faith meet real life.

I remember listening and thinking, Can I tell you something? The truth is, spiritual attacks often don't arrive with thunder. They arrive quiet, like an urgent thought, a tension in your chest, or a dream that leaves you unsettled. Bethany reminded me of 2 Samuel 11 where a single choice led David into a season of consequence. That scripture isn't a guilt trip; it's a teaching moment that shows how small choices can open doors when we are not paying attention.

Here's the thing I loved about Bethany's sharing - she doesn't stop at the problem. She walked us through how she learned to tell the difference between a thought from God and a thought that needs to be tested. She talked about being born at 24 and a half weeks and how God used that story to give her perspective and compassion for others who feel stuck in negative cycles. You see, the enemy wants us to stay small and reactive. God wants us awake and intentional.

I also brought up James 4:7 where we are invited to submit and resist. That practical posture matters here. It's not mystical. It's choices. It's small pauses. It's learning to cross reference scripture like Bethany does, to compare what a thought says with what God has already said about your identity and your fruit.

If you want to put this into practice, try these simple steps I share in the episode with Bethany:

• Pause for five seconds before you react, breathe, and name the thought.
• Ask whether the thought aligns with scripture and the fruit of the Spirit.
• Tell the thought what the Bible says about you out loud or in prayer.
• Replace the grasping thought with one truth you can act on - a kind word, a helpful boundary, or a moment of rest.
• Keep a short list of verses nearby for the moments when your mind races.

Friends, I don't pretend this is easy. We practice. We fail. We get up and practice again. Bethany shared how her dreams used to be dark and how reactionary responses used to rule her day. Now she chooses differently, and that freedom grows. I think you will find her honesty encouraging and her methods usable in your life tomorrow.

So if you've been stuck wondering whether your thoughts are from God or not, this episode offers gentle tools, biblical context, and a real-life example to help you sharpen your discernment. You don't have to live in the same patterns. You get to choose differently, one thought at a time.

I'd love for you to listen in, share this episode with someone who needs a little clarity, and leave feedback about what helped you most. Thanks for joining us on Perspectives Into Practice - press play, share, and let us know what moved you.

I love that tangible moment because it shows how God meets us in small, very human places. Desiree walked through seasons of loneliness, wrestling, and even stepping away from faith as a teen. She ended up pregnant, scared, and full of opinions from everyone around her. In the middle of that mess she cried out, and she remembers a vision of Jesus reaching down, asking her to take His hand. He said keep the baby and promised to be father and husband in ways she could not yet see.

That moment of saying yes was not a tidy proof that everything would be easy. It was messy and raw. She still wrestled, questioned, and sometimes wondered if God was really there. But she kept moving toward him. That steady, imperfect movement is one of the most faithful responses we have. It reminded me of Proverbs 3 5 6 where we are invited to trust the Lord with all our heart and not rely on our own understanding. Desiree's yes was not the end of doubt, it was the start of a faith that grows through the confusion.

Here is what I kept hearing from her story and what I want you to take away. First, obedience often arrives without a full map. You won't always get the directions first. Second, God uses small, ordinary things to remind you of who you are. Third, wrestling does not mean failure. It often means you're alive in your faith.

• Practical next step one - keep showing up. Even tiny choices to turn toward God matter.
• Practical next step two - pay attention to small promptings. A store, a picture, a word can be the way God speaks.
• Practical next step three - find community who will walk with you when the steps feel unclear.

Desiree was honest about depression and doubt. She said she had moments where she felt nothing had changed. That honesty matters because it gives us permission to be real with God and with each other. I want you to hear that faith does not eliminate hardship. It changes how we carry it.

So what might this look like for you this week? Maybe you say yes to a small obedience - an apology, a phone call, a quiet hour with Scripture. Maybe you trust God with the next right step instead of demanding the whole plan. You don't have to know the final chapter to take the next page.

As we close, I invite you to rest in the truth that God is present even when the path is unclear. If you find yourself wrestling, reach out, tell a friend, and keep leaning in. Desiree's story is a reminder that our yes is met by a God who keeps his promises and walks with us through the ordinary and the unexpected.

Friends, I hope this episode encourages you to trust in small next steps and to hold on when you can't see the outcome. Listen to Desiree's story, share it with someone who needs to hear they're not alone, and leave feedback to let us know how this episode landed with you. Please listen, share, and leave feedback about this episode.

I remember the part she told me about growing up with music, being curious, and how trauma nudged her toward answers that felt immediate but weren't life giving. She lost her father young and later her husband unexpectedly. Those losses became doorways to psychic readings, tarot, crystals, the law of attraction, and all the new age language that promises control and peace. You hear the longing in her voice. You see how easy it is to be seduced by practices that make sense to the mind but don't actually bring wholeness.

Here's the thing that stopped me in our conversation. Andrea described a morning in February of 2021 when she came out of her silent practice and felt God speak one sentence to her. He told her this is her year to unlearn. That phrase is a gift and a challenge. It reminded me of Hosea 4:6 where God warns that people perish for lack of knowledge. Andrea's lack was not ignorance of facts alone, it was not yet knowing the deeper life available in Christ.

We talked about what it looks like to have faith that is real and practical. She told stories about Clubhouse rooms and finding Christians who spoke Scripture into the cracks of her life. She told of waking up to worship without alarms and how scripture sung can get under your skin in a new way. That small moment of being invited into community helped her move from seeking to belonging.

If you are listening and you feel pulled between spiritual systems and a hunger for God, I want you to know I see you. You can practice trusting God in small, tangible ways that change your inner landscape. Andrea's turn toward faith wasn't a single dramatic event so much as a series of gentle course corrections rooted in truth and companionship.

Practical steps we pulled from Andrea's story

• Slow down the shiny searches and notice what you are longing for. Name the need.
• Create a simple rhythm of scripture and short prayers. Start with Psalms or gospel verses that sit well in your mouth.
• Find a safe community that will speak biblical truth and pray with you aloud.
• Give God permission to unlearn habits. Expect replacement with something better, not emptiness.
• Practice small acts of obedience that teach your heart to trust, like thanksgiving each morning or a five minute prayer break.

You see, faith grows in ordinary practice not in clever techniques. Andrea's transformation involved grief work, honest confession of what she had embraced, and steady surrender into relationship with Jesus. That is the wholeness we long for. That is real faith in practice.

I share this episode because I want you to leave with hope and a few doable next steps. If you feel unsure where to start, try Psalm readings sung or spoken, tell one trusted friend about what you're doubting, and let God guide the unlearning process. Growth in faith is often quieter than we expect but it is no less real.

Thank you for listening to this conversation with Andrea on Perspectives Into Practice. Please listen to the full episode, share it with friends who might need encouragement, and leave feedback so we can keep bringing honest, practical stories of walking with God. I'd love to hear what you learned and what steps you're taking next.

Can I tell you something? Tara did not arrive at a confident yes overnight. She walked through a life altering car accident that left her with a traumatic brain injury. She wrestled with language, balance, vision, anxiety, and depression. Those hard realities cleared every distraction and brought her face to face with a God who was patient and faithful. Through that slow, humbling preparation she began to see that God was not asking for perfect, he was asking for willing.

I remember listening to her describe how God had prepared her without rushing. She talked about seasons of being pushed into solitude so that she could hear voice over noise. That preparation is often invisible and unglamorous. But friends, the scripture that kept coming up in my mind as Tara spoke was 2 Corinthians 12 9 where God says my grace is sufficient and my power is made perfect in weakness. That truth shaped her yes and it can shape yours.

We talked about the specific moment that felt like permission to step forward. Tara had been a teacher for 15 years and was used to scripting everything. She prepared notes and outlines and then a women's retreat came. She had two sessions prepared and no time to finish the third because life had been messy and her mother had been very sick. She stepped up anyway, asked God to speak through her, and for the first time she got out of her own way. What came out was less scripted and more Spirit led and it became the most powerful of her messages.

Here's the thing I want you to hold onto. Saying yes does not mean you suddenly feel ready. Sometimes saying yes is a series of smaller surrenders. If you want to put this into practice, try a few tangible steps that helped Tara and could help you.

• Pray smaller prayers if you need to - ask for a willing heart rather than perfect words
• Return to scripture daily - let promises anchor you when fear speaks
• Take one small yes - try a short talk, a small group, a single volunteer slot
• Invite community to speak into your discernment and to hold you accountable
• Expect weakness - remember that God’s power shows up most clearly there

I share this with the same warmth I felt sitting across from Tara. We want tidy timelines and clean narratives, but God often prepares us in seasons that feel messy. What matters is that we show up and trust in a God whose grace meets us right where we are. I think you will find encouragement in Tara's courage and in the way God turned limitation into an open door.

If this episode resonated, please listen, share it with a friend, and leave feedback about what encouraged you today. I’d love to know how you’re learning to say yes in the middle of uncertainty and how this conversation landed with you. Listen, share, and leave feedback about this episode.

I remember the exact moment I realized this space was working. We hit listeners in over 17 countries and over 1,500 clicks and listens, and I sat there feeling humbled and a little stunned. Here's the thing, I always said if this reached one person it would be worth it, but God has been graciously doing more. You sharing episodes, texting a friend, and naming what He's doing in your life has been the music in my day.

You see, this podcast exists because perspectives shape how we live and practice is where faith becomes real. We don't stop at inspiration. We ask the practical question how do we live this out now? That question is what shaped season one and what will steer season two.

Over and over guests reminded me of big truths. Alana taught me that blessing can come with weight and responsibility yet God still multiplies our obedience. Amanda showed how learning to hear God's voice changes the way we say yes and no. Danielle reminded me that grief does not disqualify you from purpose. Brianna's gentle nudge to begin with worship rather than striving keeps coming back to me. Michelle challenged me to ask God to let us see others through His eyes, and that changes everything.

One thread I keep coming back to is this promise of presence even when clarity is absent. Proverbs 3 5 and 6 has been a guide for me lately. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, do not lean on your own understanding. That trust looks like small steps of obedience even when we don't have the whole map.

If you're wondering whether you have a story to share, let me give you practical prompts that helped others speak up. Sit with these and see what rises.

• What has God been teaching you lately?
• Where have you noticed a shift in how you respond or trust Him?
• What feels different in your faith than six months ago?
• Where might God be asking you to take a small next step?

These are not heavy or dramatic things. Sometimes it looks like learning to rest without guilt, setting one healthy boundary, or choosing obedience in a small unseen moment. If that feels small, good. Those small things are the practice that shapes the life of faith.

Can I be honest? Many women say they don't have a story or they don't feel ready. Friend, you already are chosen. Your voice matters even if it shakes. God qualifies the called. If you want help noticing what God is doing in your life, reach out. I love coaching and sitting with women to name the God's work that's already happening.

So as season two begins, my prayer is simple. I want this to stay a place where we notice God in the daily, put faith into practice, and lean into one another as the body of Christ. If this episode nudged something in you, would you listen, share with a friend, and leave feedback? It helps others find the encouragement they need, and it helps me keep showing up for you. Thanks for being here. Please listen, share, and leave feedback about this episode.

Here's the thing, walking with God is not meant to be passive. In this episode I share how the Lord impressed on me that He wants all of us, not a little part tucked away for convenience. I talk about Revelation 3:16 and how the scripture calls out lukewarm faith. That verse struck me hard. It felt like a loving wake up call to stop coasting and start standing - to stop performing for people and to begin living from the inside out.

I tell the story of what that looked like for me. I was doing all the church things, but inwardly I felt spiritually empty. When I finally stopped to pray and asked God what He wanted, He said He wanted more. That invitation to more forced me out of a comfort that was keeping me small. When I surrendered and chose to stand, it shifted everything - my marriage, my parenting, my friendships. Some relationships were pruned because they had stayed for convenience, and that was painful and good at the same time.

If you're listening and thinking that sounds a lot like where you are, I want to offer practical next steps you can put into practice right away. These are simple, faithful rhythms that helped me move from passive to active faith.

• Start small with consistent scripture time, not binge reading but steady hiding scripture in your heart.
• Pray with authority and honesty. Name what you believe and ask God to help you stand.
• Pay attention instead of coasting. Notice where you are comfortable and ask God if comfort has become a barrier.
• Re-evaluate friendships that keep you safe but not growing. It is okay to let some relationships change.
• Say yes to God even when it is inconvenient. Obedience is often uncomfortable at first but leads to real change.

I share how this looked in everyday life, not as a checklist but as real, messy obedience. You don't have to wait for January 1st to take one brave step. Maybe you start with a single prayer of surrender, or a commitment to memorize a verse this week. Maybe you choose one conversation to change, one habit to stop, one habit to begin.

I want to encourage you, ladies, that choosing to stand is worth it. It will stretch you, and it will refine you, and on the other side you will find a truer, richer relationship with Jesus. I don't have all the answers for exactly how God will move in your life, but I can tell you from my own story that when I stopped being passive, God showed up in ways I didn't expect.

Thanks for listening to this part of our year-end series on religion versus relationship and what it looks like to be a woman who stands. If this episode stirred something in you, take one of the practical steps today. Then come back and tell me about it. Please listen, share this episode with a friend, and leave feedback so I know how this is landing in your life.

We walk through David's story in 1 Samuel 17 and talk about how a shepherd boy became the face of courage for a people who felt paralyzed by fear. David wasn't polished for battle by human standards. He was overlooked, teased by his brothers, and even ill fitted for the king's armor. Yet he trusted God, grabbed a sling and a stone, and showed up. Here's the thing - that story isn't just ancient biography. It becomes a present-tense invitation to walk by faith when everything around you says you are too small or ill equipped.

Scripture anchors our chat. We land in Ephesians 6 and talk about putting on the armor of God. That passage reminded us that sometimes the armor looks like prayer, like Scripture memorized in the midnight hour, like the steady courage to show up for others. David's training was in the fields protecting his sheep. His everyday tasks were preparing him for a specific call. I kept thinking about how God uses the mundane to prepare the mighty.

I share a personal example from my own life - times when I felt tiny and unwilling to take center stage. I felt like a shepherd not a soldier. Ladies, friends, I know that tension. We favor the safe path. But when the call comes, listening is the first brave act. David listened even when everyone else told him no. That listening birthed obedience, and obedience put him on the field.

Practically, Bryanna and I wanted this episode to leave you with tangible next steps. So we talked through things you can do this week to cultivate that warrior posture without turning into someone you are not. It starts small and builds. You don't need someone else's armor. You need the tools God gives you, however humble they look.

• Guard your quiet time - let Scripture and prayer shape your first responses.
• Practice small acts of courage - speak truth, offer help, hold a boundary.
• Remember past victories - God has shown up before, he remembers.
• Refuse borrowed identities - don't wear another person's expectations as your armor.

I also want to say this plainly: courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is obedience in the face of fear. You can still be tender, you can still be gentle, and you can still be a warrior. When we trust in God rather than our own size or resume, the story changes. You become the one someone else reads about and says, I want to know how she kept going.

So as you walk out your calling, pick up your sling. It might be a Bible and a prayer, a phone call to a hurting friend, or a firm no that protects your family. Walk by faith. Let this episode be a hand on your shoulder telling you that God is preparing you in small, ordinary places for a holy purpose.

If this conversation resonated, join us for the full episode where Bryanna and I share more stories, scripture and encouragement. Listen, share with a friend, and leave feedback about this episode so we can keep bringing faith into practice together.

Can I tell you something? The phrase religion versus relationship isn't just a sermon title for us. Bryanna shared a season that felt like a breakup - twelve years in a church where she served, led young adults and children's ministry, and then began to see people she loved show their true colors. They were showing up to fill seats, not hearts, and that realization has a weight to it. I felt that with her.

Here's the thing: scripture matters. We talked about Proverbs 27:17, iron sharpens iron, because part of the pain comes when those around us who are supposed to sharpen and encourage us are using faith as a label instead of a living connection. We also talked about the Pharisees, because sometimes people around the pews know the language but not the heartbeat. There is a difference between quoting a verse and being shaped by the Spirit.

I remember asking Bryanna about the moment she knew she couldn't keep pretending. For her it was a women's conference where the room pulsed with hungry hearts and the Holy Spirit moved - it was the contrast that woke her up. For my part, traveling and trying churches across the country has shown me how often sermons are motivational speeches instead of scripture-driven truth. When worship is shallow and teaching is thin, your soul notices.

So what can you do if you recognize this in your life? What helped Bryanna and what I keep returning to are small, practical steps you can try this week.

• Pray honestly and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal what you need, not what looks good.
• Evaluate your community - are people sharpening you or just filling seats?
• Look for churches where scripture is read and applied, not just paraphrased.
• Give yourself permission not to fake it - faith needs authenticity, not performance.
• Find one tangible way to serve where you can both receive and give support.

Those moves aren't dramatic. They're not a checklist to prove you're holy. They're invitations to let your relationship with God shape the rhythms of your week instead of letting external expectations drive you. If you're in a season of disappointment or confusion, remember that leaving a place that hurts you doesn't mean leaving God. It can mean stepping toward a fuller experience of the Holy Spirit and truth.

I share this as someone who wants faith to be real in everyday life. If you're tired of religion and longing for a relationship, I'm with you. In this episode Bryanna and I tell stories, name the hard feelings, and point to practices that helped us stay connected to Jesus even when the people around us didn't match our longing.

Please listen, share, and leave feedback about this episode.

I remember Emily telling me how she had been diligent with parental settings and how she let her oldest son practice spiritual discernment with boundaries in place. When he mentioned a new game called 99 Nights in the Forest, she did what many of us do and trusted the safeguards. But there was a soft Holy Spirit warning - the deer walked on its hind legs - and that tiny whisper should have been enough. It wasn't. A few months later, after nightmares and unsettling moments, Emily listened to that inner alarm and watched the game. What she saw was dark imagery, occult-style scenes, and elements that were not honoring to God.

Here's the thing, ladies - guilt showed up first. She asked, how could I let this happen? But friends, grace met that guilt. The Holy Spirit reminded her that warnings had come, and he met her with a gentle call to turn something hard into something helpful. That is the posture I want us to take. We give ourselves grace and then we go do the work of protecting and teaching.

You see, Emily used that moment to open a real conversation with her kids. She walked them through what she saw and asked a simple but powerful question: who is on the throne of your heart? When her children answered Jesus, she used the imagery to help them identify distortions and to learn the word stop. Stop became a spiritual safety word - a way for them to pause, ask their mama, and check their hearts before continuing.

Scripture warns that when people have no king, they do what seems right in their own eyes (Judges 21:25). We are called to lead our children toward the King, not toward whatever is trending. That looks like patient conversations, consistent boundaries, and teaching discernment. It also looks like allowing kids to practice faith while they still have training wheels spiritually - riding beside them until they can actually stop, name what feels off, and choose rightly.

Practical steps from our conversation you can start using today:

• Use the strictest parental controls and regularly review game content.
• Watch new games together before allowing play and discuss any imagery you see.
• Require kids to ask permission for new games and friends online, and follow up.
• Teach a safety word like stop for immediate discernment and pause.
• Frame boundaries around what honors God, not simply what is forbidden.

Can I tell you something? This isn't about fear. It's about stewardship. It's about helping our children learn to see through distortions and to choose what aligns with Jesus. Be patient with yourself when you miss something. Give grace, repent where needed, and then step forward with practical vigilance.

If this episode encourages you, join us. Listen to the full conversation with Emily on the Perspectives Into Practice podcast, share it with a mama who needs encouragement, and please leave feedback about this episode. I'd love to hear how you're applying these ideas in your home.

Can I tell you something? There is a tender power in quiet obedience. We talk about obedience like a series of actions, but in this episode Allison and I keep returning to a quieter truth - obedience often looks like slowing down, being still, and letting God do the transforming work inside us. Psalm 46:10 came up in our conversation - be still and know that I am God - and it felt like the map for the season she walked through.

Allison shares how the idea for her podcast Run Your Story arrived unexpectedly and how her husband, a practical, faithful man, supported her by buying the domain before she could talk herself out of it. That tension - the part of us that says I am not qualified and the part that senses God has given a mission - is so real. She leaned into prayer, trusted the confirmation of godly friends, and found that saying yes looked less like ambition and more like surrender.

We also dug into something sacred that happens when people share their stories in community. Allison talks about runners who have carried heavy things - addiction, depression, feelings of unworthiness - and how sharing those stories changed the way she sees others. She said God sees us as who we'll be one day, not only who we are now. That perspective shifts how we love, listen, and carry one another.

• Practical ways Allison practiced surrender - create quiet margins in your day, bring small prayers into ordinary routines, and let running or a steady rhythm be your worship time.
• How community became a healing space - invite others to tell their stories, build simple rituals of listening, and refuse to rush the telling.
• Steps to respond when God nudges you - name the prompting, bring it to trusted people, pray with honesty, then take one small obedient step.

Throughout the episode I share questions to help you apply this: What quiet margin can you create this week? Who is a safe person to share a small step with? Where have you been asking God for permission to be still instead of do more? These are the kinds of practical, tender prompts Allison and I wrestle with.

My hope for you after listening is that you carry less performance and more presence. This episode is for women who want faith that works in real life, who want practical rhythms that lead to healing, and who long for community that sees them fully. I think you’ll find both permission and encouragement in Allison’s story and in the small, tangible practices we talk about.

Please listen to this conversation, share it with someone who needs a reminder that God meets us in the quiet, and leave feedback to let us know how the episode landed with you. We'd love to hear your thoughts and stories.

Here’s the thing about community leadership - it’s gloriously messy. Michelle told the story of the Swarm starting in a parking lot idea, turning into a camping weekend, and growing from 22 rigs to over 300 while still keeping the same feel. You see that word rig? That’s what our people call their buses, vans, RVs, whatever they live in. I love that detail because it roots the conversation in real-life rhythms, not abstract theory.

I remember asking Michelle how she stays kind when leadership gets hard. She shared a gut-level moment when she had to protect the safety of others. Someone made people feel uncomfortable and Michelle had to say no to that person coming to an event. She didn’t act on rumor. She checked with three other people, reached out to leaders of related communities, and asked God for discernment. That careful, prayerful, neighbor-loving approach is how boundaries and compassion walk together.

We weave Scripture through that story. Galatians 6:2 talks about carrying one another’s burdens and that helped shape how Michelle framed the decision. It’s not about punishing or public shaming. It’s about making space where women and single people can feel safe, honored, and welcome. Leadership that loves is protective and tender at the same time.

If you want to put this into practice tomorrow, here are a few small steps we talked about during the episode:

• Listen first, then verify. Ask others and gather context before deciding.
• Pray for discernment and humility, not for confirmation bias.
• Set caps and structures that preserve the community's core feel as you grow.
• Invite feedback and create clear ways for people to speak up when they feel unsafe.

Those are practical, actionable choices. They’re not flashy, but they build trust over time. I asked Michelle about growth management and she said they cap numbers intentionally so the event can keep its heart. That’s leadership saying no so the wider yes can stay healthy.

Friends, if you lead anything or care about the people in your life, this episode will encourage you to hold both mercy and discipline in the same hand. I share some of my own awkward leadership flubs too, because I don’t want this to sound perfect. Can I tell you something? God meets us in the middle of the hard choices, and we can learn to lead in a way that honors people and honors truth.

So come sit with us, hear Michelle’s stories of rigs and rock crawling and tender leadership, and walk away with practical steps you can try this week. Please listen, share this episode with a friend, and leave feedback so we can keep these conversations going and get better together.

Karol opens up about the hard decisions, the seasons of waiting, and what it looked like to surrender her will to God while still showing up with love. She also shares what life with God has looked like after Moise’s passing, including the ache of losing a child, the untangling of identity, and the steady hope of heaven. If you are facing real-life challenges, this episode is a gentle reminder that God is near, and he is still at work.

If you have a story to share or want to reach out, please contact us.

My friend Jamie shares her story with honesty and hope. We talk about the weight of shame, the slow process of healing, and the freedom that comes when we stop trying to carry it all alone. We also talk about what it means to walk with God in real life, to surrender, and to receive forgiveness as something God truly gives.

If abortion is part of your story, you are not disqualified from God’s love. You are not too far gone. Jesus meets us in our brokenness, and He can lead you toward wholeness one step at a time.

If you are ready to take a next step and want help finding support and resources, please reach out. You do not have to walk through this alone.

You will hear how a 60-day challenge became a turning point, not just for intimacy, but for reordering priorities and choosing a life with God inside everyday marriage decisions. Elisa also shares simple, doable ideas for date nights, putting your spouse on the calendar, getting off your phones, and starting meaningful conversations again.

If you feel stuck in distance or sameness, I hope this episode reminds you that God is present, and small acts of obedience can lead to real growth over time.

If you want to share your own story or reach out, contact us.

Shayna also shares how gratitude, community, prayer, and Bible study helped her reconnect with real faith. We talk about trust in God when life feels out of control, and how God can meet you with grace before you even have words for belief. Shayna offers a simple journal prompt for anyone walking through healing, uncertainty, or deep sorrow.

If you are walking through loss, or you love someone who is, I hope this conversation brings faith encouragement and a steady reminder that you are not alone.

If you want to share your story on the podcast, you can reach out.

Andy describes crying out to Jesus in the everyday places, in the closet, in the car, in the quiet moments where you are just trying to make it through the night. We talk about the difference between pleading for our plan and choosing trusting God with His plan. We also discuss control, learning to listen, and how God meets us with peace, not shame.

If you are facing real-life challenges, or you feel scared to let go, I hope this conversation brings faith encouragement and a steady reminder that you are not alone. If you have a story you want to share on the show, please reach out. Your perspective might be exactly what someone needs today.

Dominika shares a recent story from her business journey where she hit a slow month, wrestled with anxiety, and had to decide between self-reliance and trusting God. We talk through how to return to God’s perspective, how to quiet distractions so you can actually listen, and why Scripture, especially “be anxious for nothing,” speaks directly to finances too. We also touch the Book of Proverbs and how biblical wisdom brings clarity to everyday christianity and faith in real life.

If you are trying to grow closer to God in your money mindset, this conversation will help you breathe again and take one simple next step toward trusting God.

If today’s episode stirred something in you and you want to share your story, reach out. I would love to hear from you.

In this episode, Lauren shares her story of suffering through a sudden health crisis that took away her ability to walk and speak almost overnight. In the middle of fear and unanswered questions, she chose trust in God. She held tight to Scripture, kept showing up one step at a time, and learned what obedience to God can look like when life feels fragile. We also talk about healing and faith, and how faith growth is often forged in the seasons we never would have chosen.

If you are facing real-life challenges, navigating life uncertainty, or trying to stay steady when circumstances feel loud, I hope this conversation brings you real encouragement. You are not alone. God is still present, and your faith can grow even here.

If you have a story of God meeting you in a hard season, I would love to hear from you. Please contact us and share what you have walked through.

Emily also shares the simple, biblical practice that helped her reconnect with God through Scripture, journaling, and everyday moments she calls everyday epiphanies. We talk about spiritual growth that is not performative, and what it looks like to live faith in real life with authenticity. We also touch on therapy, marriage strain after loss, and why honesty can be a turning point in your faith walk.

If today’s episode brings up something tender for you, you do not have to carry it alone. If you want to share your story or ask a question for a future episode, please contact us.

We talk about what it looks like to keep walking by faith when you feel unsure, when you are stretched thin, and when you realize you cannot do it in your own strength. Bethany also shares practical ways she found support through community, built a hybrid rhythm for her family, and learned to release control without giving up on growth in faith.

If you are in a season of life uncertainty, wondering if you heard God right, or simply needing faith encouragement for the day you are in, this conversation is for you.

If you have a question or want to share your story, contact us.

I share part of my own story. I thought my path was set in birth work. Then God called me into ministry, writing, and speaking. It came through small steps of obedience, a lot of uncertainty, and more than a few setbacks. Looking back, I can see how those moments built real faith and growth in faith, one decision at a time.

We will also sit with Scripture that steadies our hearts when we feel weak or unqualified, and we will talk about how God meets us in surrender, not perfection. If you need faith encouragement for your faith walk, this is for you.

If you are in a yes but not quite season and you want prayer, or you want to share what you said yes to this week, contact us.

In this episode, I sit down with my friend Anna to talk about suffering, trust in God, and the long road of special needs parenting. Anna shares the moment she learned something was wrong in pregnancy, the shock of the NICU, and how her perspective shifted as new diagnoses and surgeries kept coming. We talk honestly about fear, exhaustion, and the daily choices that keep you grounded when tomorrow feels uncertain.

Anna also opens up about the scriptures that held her up, including the God who sees, and the steady reminder that the Lord was with Joseph. If you are carrying something heavy, I hope this conversation helps you breathe, pray again, and keep taking the next faithful step.

If this episode encouraged you and you want to share your story or ask a question for a future episode, reach out.

We talk about how to discern conviction versus people pleasing, how to respond with grace when comments turn harsh, and why caring for your temple can be an act of worship instead of an idol. Kelsey also shares what helps her persevere through depression, spiritual attack, and the pressure of being watched. We end with a hope-filled reminder that obedience is often not just for you. God uses it to reach someone else.

If you need prayer or want to share what God is doing in your life, reach out.

You will also hear about healing and faith in small, real ways. A child’s prayer. A joke told to every nurse. A moment of calm in the middle of uncertainty. Hadessa reminds us that real faith can be simple, and that God is close even when our bodies are weak and our hearts are tired.

If you are walking through illness, caring for someone you love, or trying to hold onto hope when you do not have answers, I pray this conversation gives you faith encouragement for today. If you want to share your story or ask a question for a future episode, please contact us.

We look at Jesus and his interactions with Mary and his family, and we tease out the difference between pleasing parents and honoring them. We talk about why obedience to God matters most, how to define a boundary in a clear and healthy way, and how healing can include both compassion and distance. If you feel stuck between faith and family expectations, I hope this brings you practical clarity and real faith encouragement.

If you are in an unsafe or abusive situation, please reach out to someone who can help you right away. You are not broken for needing support. If you want to share what this brought up for you, or ask a question for a future episode, contact us.

We explore the difference between pleasing parents and honoring them, especially when compliance was tied to safety. We talk about the original context of the commandment, why it can feel so confusing in adult life, and why God’s presence is still real in the middle of grief and messy family dynamics. This episode is honest about suffering, and it is also hope-forward about healing and faith.

If this topic touches a tender place for you and you want to reach out, you can contact us.

Ashley tells the story of two miscarriages and how God met her in weakness through Scripture, through community, and through small, tangible reminders of his care. We talk about Romans 8:26, what it means to keep showing up when you cannot find the words, and why your feelings are real but they are not the final truth.

This conversation is gentle, practical, and hope-forward. If you are trying to grow closer to God in a hard season, my prayer is that you leave with a steadier perspective and simple next steps for your faith walk.

If this episode brings up tender emotions and you want support, please contact us.

We talk about what grief can look like beyond losing a person. We talk about the loss of seasons, relationships, health, home, and expectations. Danielle shares the simple, honest perspective that helped her stop staying stuck, and how God used her story to bring healing and faith to others through a devotional she never planned to write.

If you are trying to walk with God through grief, I hope this conversation gives you language, hope, and a next step. You are not disqualified because you are hurting. God can meet you right here, and He can grow something steady in you as you keep walking.

If you want to share what you are carrying, or you want support as you take your next step, reach out.

Alana shares how a perspective shift helped her keep walking with God in a painful season. We talk about being thankful in the storm, not for the storm. We also talk about how our words shape our hearts, how gratitude can fight pride, and how choosing gratitude can protect your joy when life feels overwhelming.

If you are facing real-life challenges and you need faith encouragement for your faith walk, I hope this conversation meets you with clarity and hope. If you want to share your story or ask a question for a future episode, reach out.

In this episode, I am joined by my friend Tiffany, a mom of four who has visited 48 national parks with her family. We talk about what it looks like to walk with God in creation, even when the hike is hard, the weather is not cooperating, or the kids are sure they are done. We also share simple ways to unplug, slow down, and notice God’s creativity and care, whether you are in Glacier or in your own backyard.

We cover how time outside can shift your perspective, why it helps us feel grounded, and how enjoying God’s world can help us grow closer to God in everyday life. If you are looking for faith encouragement that is practical and doable, this conversation will meet you right where you are.

If you want to share a story, ask a question, or tell us what you would love to hear next, reach out.

We talk honestly about the questions people ask, the assumptions that can sting, and what it looks like to walk with God with real faith when your life does not match the expected script. Christina shares how healing has shaped her choices, how she and her husband have grown closer to God together, and why childfree women can be a gift to christian community. We also offer practical ways churches can make space without pushing women into boxes.

If you have ever felt unseen, pressured, or “less than,” this conversation is for you. If you are a mom, it is for you too. There is room for faith in real life, and God meets us in every path.

If this episode brought something up for you and you want to share your story, reach out.

We look at a few biblical anchors that have carried me, like Psalm 13, Psalm 34:18, Romans 8, and the quiet whisper God used with Elijah. I also share simple, practical things that are helping me keep a steady perspective when life uncertainty is loud: walking, worship in the background, asking for help, resting when I need to, and thanking God for one small moment of grace every day.

If you are walking through real-life challenges and you need faith encouragement, I want you to hear this clearly: peace does not always show up with clarity, but God is still near. If you want me to pray with you, please reach out.

We get practical about how God speaks through the Bible, and also through seeing, hearing, knowing, and feeling. Alana shares how she learned to ask, “Is this from God, from me, or from the enemy?” and how to slow down, test what you sense against Scripture, and seek wise community. We also talk about spiritual warfare, emotional overwhelm, and why growth in faith usually happens through practice, humility, and support.

If you are in survival mode, we say it clearly: start with the Word. If you are ready to grow, invite the Holy Spirit to help you recognize God’s voice and trust in God one step at a time.

If you want support and community as you learn to hear God and walk it out, reach out.

Tiffany shares what happened the morning of the fire, what it felt like to stand helpless and watch their home burn, and how Christian community showed up with real, practical care. We also talk about what Scripture teaches us about suffering and trusting God, and why stories like Job and Joseph can steady our hearts when we do not understand the why.

If you are walking through real-life challenges, rebuilding after loss, or just trying to hold on to real faith in a hard season, I hope this conversation helps you take the next step with God.

If you want to share your story or ask a question for a future episode, reach out.

We also talk honestly about how small moments can include hard days too. If you are battling anxiety, heavy thoughts, or just trying to take the next right step, you are not alone. We talk about how worship can shift your spiritual perspective, invite God’s presence today, and help you keep walking with God one choice at a time.

If this episode encouraged you, share it with a friend who needs faith encouragement. And if you want to reach out, contact us.

In this episode of Perspectives Into Practice, I sit down with my friend Shannon from 24/7 Marriage to talk about faith in practice inside your relationship. We talk about building a strong foundation from the Bible, not from the world’s shifting definition of love and commitment. Shannon shares what it looks like to walk with God as a couple through everyday pressures, and why daily habits like prayer, technology boundaries, and worship can change the atmosphere of a home.

We also talk about covenant. Not a contract. Covenant love means there is no back door. It is a choice to keep showing up, especially in the valley. Shannon explains how husbands can lead with steadiness, how wives can pray with wisdom and humility, and why Christian community matters when you feel stuck or alone.

Finally, we unpack the difference between compassion and empathy, and how empathy can transform the way you love your spouse in suffering, stress, addiction, depression, and uncertainty. This is hope-forward, practical, and honest. You are not meant to do marriage alone.

If you want to share a question or a topic you would love us to cover next, contact us.

Brianna shares pieces of her testimony, including seasons of homelessness, addiction, and mental health struggles, and how God met her there and led her into a new life. We talk about what it can look like to walk with God in real faith, especially when you feel stuck in your thoughts. We also get practical about spiritual growth: simple prayers in everyday moments, remembering what God has already brought you through, and speaking life instead of repeating the enemy’s accusations.

If you are working through your past, carrying guilt, or trying to believe that you can be made new, this conversation is for you. You are not disqualified. God is still writing your story.

If you want to share your story or ask a question for a future episode, contact us.

Amanda opens up about the pruning that happened in her heart. She talks honestly about anger, the pull toward comfort, and the kind of spiritual growth that often comes through pressure. We also talk about why community matters, how to guard what you are letting into your mind and spirit, and how Scripture can steady you when you are walking through a valley.

If you are in a season of uncertainty, I hope this conversation helps you take one next step. God is trustworthy, even when the path feels confusing.

If you have a question or want to share what you are walking through, reach out.

Alana shares practical pictures that helped her shift from overwhelmed to overflowing, like letting God rebuild what is broken, adjusting expectations, and learning to sit with the Lord in the ashes without shame. You will also hear why worship matters, how the Bible helps you discern conviction from accusation, and why small steps of obedience can rebuild your faith walk over time.

If you are walking through a hard season and you need faith encouragement, you are not alone. If you want to reach out, contact us.

Alex shares a personal story about job and city changes, and how obedience to God sometimes looks like taking one small step at a time. We connect it to the picture of stepping out of the boat, and we talk through practical ways to keep trusting God when your emotions are loud. We also share a few Bible verses that have helped anchor us, including reminders that God is with you, and that He has not given you a spirit of fear.

If you are trying to walk with God in a season of change, I hope this conversation feels like a steady hand and a deep breath. If you want to share what you are learning, or you need prayer, reach out.

We talk about why reading the Bible matters when you want to recognize God’s voice, how to tell the difference between your own thoughts and the Lord’s leading, and why God often uses everyday moments to grow our faith. Amanda also shares how rest and making space can quiet the noise so you can listen, and how God’s grace meets us even when we are not sure we got it exactly right.

If you have been craving faith encouragement and you want to grow closer to God in real life, this episode is for you.

If you would like to share your story or ask a question for a future episode, contact us.

I share a few real life examples from my kids and the simple ways they described being a servant. We look at Jesus’ example, and we talk about how faith in practice shows up through patience, listening, prayer, and meeting practical needs without needing recognition. We also talk about healthy boundaries, because serving with joy is different than saying yes to everything.

We will sit with Colossians 3:23 and how our daily work can become worship when we are walking with God. I also share a story from our family’s Habitat for Humanity build and what God did in my heart, even when I could not see the finished outcome.

If you are craving a faith walk that feels honest and doable, this episode will help you shift from “I have to serve” to “I get to serve” and grow closer to God right where you are.

If you have a question or want to share what God is teaching you, please reach out.

We discuss how serving with the right people can strengthen your faith walk, why gratitude changes your attitude, and how joy and happiness are not the same thing. We also talk about listening for God’s direction, taking thoughts captive, and choosing practical ways to serve that fit your season and your gifts. From greeting at church, to helping at a library, to checking on a friend who is having a tough week, these small steps can become a steady pattern of faith in practice.

If you are longing to grow closer to God and live out real faith in everyday life, this conversation will encourage you to start where you are and serve with love.

Want to share what you are serving through right now, or ask a question for a future episode? Please contact us.

Angela shares how she learned her gifts (administration and hospitality), what it looked like to say yes to leadership in a homeschool community, and why trust in God matters when the what-ifs feel loud. We also talk about humility, sanctification, and how growth in faith often comes through simple, steady obedience in everyday places.

If you are not sure where you fit, we give practical starting points: look for the needs around you, pay attention to what brings joy, pray honestly, and start small. We also talk about raising kids with a serving mindset, and why christian community is one of the best places to practice a faith walk in real life.

Want to share what gift you think God is stirring in you, or ask for prayer as you take a next step? contact us.

In this episode of Perspectives Into Practice, I sit down with my friend Laura, author of The Path to Rest. We talk about practical spirituality for real faith in a 24/7 culture, and what it means to trust in God when your body and your heart are tired. Laura shares her personal story of burnout, health struggles, and the slow work of reversing self-reliance.

Together we open the Bible and look at examples of people who faced exhaustion and pressure, including Elijah, Moses, and even Jesus. We talk about Sabbath, delegation, worship, and the kind of daily returning to God that helps you walk with God instead of trying to carry everything alone. If you are longing to grow closer to God, this conversation will meet you with hope and simple next steps for faith in real life.

If you have a question or want to share your story, contact us.

We also talk about asking for God’s perspective when you feel like you are failing, and how trust in God can shape your tone, your discipline, and the emotional atmosphere of your home. Alanna shares the Scriptures that anchor her and the practical questions she asks the Lord moment by moment so her parenting can reflect real faith, not just good intentions.

If you need a reset today, this is your reminder to check back in with God, receive grace, and then give what you have been given.

If you want to share your story or ask a question for a future episode, reach out.

We talk about how comparison can slowly bury who God created you to be, and how getting back into the Bible helps you replace harsh self-talk with what God says is true. Alyx shares practical ways to take thoughts captive, go-to Scriptures that anchor her, and why God’s heart toward you is not distant or disappointed. He is near. He is faithful. And He invites you to rest.

If you are longing for faith encouragement and real faith that meets you in real life, this conversation will help you take the next step in spiritual growth and a steady faith walk.

Have a question or want to share what God is teaching you? Please contact us.

We look at what the Bible says about surrender and following Jesus, including Matthew 16:25 and John 14:6. If you have felt like something is missing, you are not alone. A relationship with Jesus is not a bonus add on. It is the center of the Christian faith.

We also make space for a simple, honest prayer for anyone who wants to begin again or begin for the first time. If you prayed along, I would love to hear from you and celebrate with you. Please contact us so I can pray with you and encourage you as you take your next steps in your faith walk.

Friend, you do not have to stay stuck in going through the motions. Today can be a real turning point. Keep talking to God. Keep opening the Word. Keep choosing to walk with God in real life.

Alana shares her story of becoming a mom in ways she did not plan, and how those seasons exposed fear, pressure, and places where her faith walk needed to go deeper. We talk about shifting your perspective, learning to trust in God not only in trials but also in blessings, and building your life with God in practical ways.

You will hear why the bible and the word of God became a steady foundation for her, how Jeremiah 29:11 speaks to seasons that feel like exile, and simple, real-life steps for creating space to seek God with your whole heart. If you are tired, carrying a heavy load, or trying to practice faith in real life, I hope this conversation gives you clarity and hope.

If you have a question or want to share what you are walking through, contact us.

I also tell you a little about my family, our full time RV life, and a simple example from travel days that changed when we stopped rushing and started asking better questions. What can we learn from this? What can we do differently next time? Those questions have a way of growing real faith, building trust in God, and helping us live life with God instead of just thinking about Him.

If you are in a storm or in a peaceful season, I want to invite you into a steady rhythm: talk to your Heavenly Father, open your Bible, and learn His voice. You are not alone, and your story matters more than you think.

If you want to share your story or ask a question for a future episode, reach out.

Each episode is like sitting down with a friend to talk about faith in real life. We will share honest stories, talk through what we learned, and end with something you can actually do to strengthen your faith walk and walk with God in your daily life.

If you want to grow closer to God and live out real faith with practical next steps, hit follow and share this show with a friend. Want to connect or share your story idea? contact us.