Many people know God is loving and kind—but struggle to feel or trust that love in their most wounded places. For those impacted by trauma, religious abuse, legalism, or deep loss, God can feel distant, harsh, or unsafe.

In this moving conversation, host Jennifer Slattery sits down with author Sherri Hughes Gregg to explore how Jesus consistently reveals Himself as tender, compassionate, and near to the brokenhearted. Drawing from Sherri’s book The Compassionate Christ, her personal journey through divorce and cancer, and powerful Gospel narratives—including the leper, the grieving widow, and the Samaritan woman—this episode gently challenges fear-based views of God and invites listeners into healing truth.

Together, Jennifer and Sherri model how we can wrestle respectfully with Scripture, release shame-laden interpretations, and encounter Christ as He truly is: the One who comforts, restores dignity, and brings beauty from ashes.

Resource referenced: The Compassionate Christ: Draw Near to the Risen Savior (A 31-Day Devotional Retelling of Stories from the Life of Jesus)

Discussion/Reflective Questions:

1. When you think about God’s posture toward you, what emotions surface most easily—fear, comfort, suspicion, hope? Why do you think that is?

2. How have past experiences (family, church culture, trauma, or suffering) shaped the way you interpret Jesus’ actions and words in Scripture?

3. Which Gospel story mentioned in this episode—the leper, the widow, or the Samaritan woman—do you most relate to right now? What about it resonates with your current season?

4. Are there moments when suffering or disappointment has caused old fears or shame-based beliefs about God to resurface? How have you responded to those thoughts?

5. What would it look like to intentionally observe how Jesus interacts with wounded people in the Gospels, without filtering His actions through fear or self-condemnation?

6. Where might God be inviting you to receive comfort before resolution—to trust His nearness even while you wait for healing or answers?

7. What is one lie about God’s character you feel prompted to gently release—and one truth about His compassion you want to sit with this week?

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Do you struggle with prayer—what to say, how to say it, and whether God will respond? Does God ever feel distant or silent when you cry out to Him? In this episode, guest Rachel Britton shares why prayer often feels difficult, especially when we feel fearful, disappointed, or anxious, and she explains how simple, guided prayers can help us open our hearts wider to the Lord.

Together, Carol and Rachel explore what we can learn from biblical women who prayed through some of Scripture’s most painful and complicated moments:

• Rachel, a person of deep sorrow
• Leah, a person overlooked
• Jochebed, a person in the background
• Sarah, a person who doubted

Their lives reveal that God hears those of us who feel unseen, afraid, or unsure. Through their stories, Rachel invites us to grow in confidence—not by having perfect words, but by remembering we are perfectly loved.

Resource referenced: Pray Naturally: Finding Your Spiritual Confidence as a Woman Loved by God by Rachel Britton

Reflective/Discussion Questions

1. Which part of prayer feels hardest for you right now—finding the words, believing God hears you, or trusting Him with the outcome? Why?
2. When you think of praying bold prayers, what emotion rises first—fear, excitement, skepticism, or hope? What might God be inviting you to explore in that?
3. Is there a biblical woman’s story (Rachel, Leah, Jochebed) that mirrors a season you’re in? What does her journey teach you about God’s character?
4. In what ways have fear, disappointment, or past pain shaped the way you pray—or the way you avoid praying?
5. Rachel talks about being honest in prayer, even messy or raw. What would it look like to tell God the truth about something you’ve been holding back?
6. Where do you sense God inviting you to trust Him more deeply—not someday, but today—as you learn to pray more naturally?

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Find Carol McCracken:

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When anxiety tightens your chest and fear whispers that you’re alone, knowing who God is can steady your heart. In this deeply comforting conversation, Jennifer Slattery sits down with author and ministry leader Grace Fox to explore how the names of God reveal His nearness, power, and peace—especially in seasons of uncertainty, trauma, and unanswered prayer.

Grace shares how understanding God as Yahweh Shalom, Abba Father, Yahweh Roi (the Lord my Shepherd), and the God who is Light can reshape how we walk through hardship. From cultivating daily time with God in busy seasons to experiencing supernatural peace in the middle of a medical crisis, this episode gently reminds listeners that fear is not a sign of failed faith—but often a signal that we were never meant to carry our burdens alone.

In this episode, guest Grace Fox shares practical tools to quiet anxious thoughts, anchor themselves in truth, and learn how God often reveals His heart most clearly in life’s darkest caves. (Scroll down to download a free companion guide designed to help you process this episodes content more deeply and for more information on today's guest, Grace Fox.)

Key Topics Covered in today's episode:

• Why fear doesn’t mean you’ve disappointed God

• How the names of God reveal His character and care

• Finding peace while still “in process”

• God as Father for those wounded by earthly relationships

• How God brings light and beauty even in dark seasons

• Practical steps to experience peace amid chaos

Resource Referenced: Names of God: Knowing Peace: Devotional Study with Video Access (Names of God Devotional Studies Book 2) by Grace Fox

Download this episodes free companion guide HERE.

Discussion/Reflective Questions:

1. When anxiety rises, what does your first response tend to be—problem-solving, worrying, withdrawing, or turning toward God?
2. Which name of God discussed in this episode resonates most deeply with your current season, and why?
3. How might viewing God as a perfect Father challenge or heal wounds shaped by imperfect human relationships?
4. Where do you feel like you’re “in process” right now, tempted to believe you should be further along?
5. What would it look like to ask, “God, what do You want to teach me here?” instead of “Why is this happening?”
6. Are there areas of chaos in your life where you need to invite God’s light to bring clarity or order?
7. How might intentionally renewing your mind change the way you experience fear or uncertainty this week?

Connect with Grace Fox:

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Do you feel emotionally overwhelmed—like you’re carrying more than you can handle and one more hardship or problem might break you? Have stress, anxiety, or burnout caused you to react in ways that don’t feel like you?

In this episode of Faith Over Fear, Jennifer Slattery and Carol McCracken talk honestly about emotional overwhelm, emotional capacity, and why prolonged stress and hardship can push even faithful, capable people past their limits. Through personal stories of caregiving, trauma triggers, disrupted sleep, ministry pressure, and relational strain, they explain why “pushing through” often leads to exhaustion, shame, and broken connections.

Turning to Scripture, they explore the life of David—a man after God’s own heart—who also experienced seasons of intense fear, grief, and emotional overload. His story shows us that overwhelm is not a spiritual failure and that God meets us with grace, not condemnation, when we’re in survival mode.

This conversation offers biblical encouragement and practical tools to help you recognize when your emotional capacity is maxed out, calm anxiety throughout the day, reduce unnecessary stress, and reconnect with Christ’s presence in the middle of overwhelming seasons.

If you’ve been feeling worn down, reactive, or ashamed of how you’ve been coping, this episode will remind you: you’re not weak, you’re human—and you’re not alone.

Download a free resource designed to help you experience the peace of Christ in Your Most Emotionally Overwhelming Seasons.

Reflective/Discussion Questions:

• Where do you currently feel emotionally overloaded?
  What circumstances, responsibilities, or unresolved stressors might be adding weight to your “emotional bridge”?

• How do you typically respond when your emotional capacity is exceeded?
  Do you tend to withdraw, lash out, numb, overwork, or push through—and what has that response cost you?

• What stood out to you about David’s responses to overwhelm?
  How does his honesty with God challenge or free you in the way you pray, lament, or express emotion?

• Are there stressors in your life that could be reduced, paused, or removed—at least temporarily?
  What might it look like to honor your limits instead of judging them?

• What helps calm your body and mind throughout the day?
  Which practices—movement, rest, prayer, breathing, joy, community—might God be inviting you to return to or begin?

• Is there an area where shame has followed your past reactions to stress?
  How does this episode reshape your understanding of God’s grace toward you in survival seasons?

Find Carol McCracken:

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If the holidays leave you overwhelmed, overstretched, or anxious, you’re not alone. In this episode of Faith Over Fear, Jennifer Slattery and guest Kelly Hall unpack the story of Mary and Martha to reveal practical, grace-filled ways to reduce holiday stress, avoid codependent patterns, set healthy boundaries, and re-center on what matters most. Whether you’re navigating grief, family tension, perfectionism, or people-pleasing, this conversation offers gentle guidance to help you enter Christmas with more calm, clarity, and joy.

You’ll learn how to:

• Recognize your emotional capacity
• Resist the pressure to meet everyone’s expectations
• Simplify your celebrations
• Experience deeper peace by staying aligned with Jesus rather than holiday chaos

Scripture discussed:

Luke 10, Mark 1:35-39

Resources Recommended: Courageous Faith by Kelly Hall, Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World: Finding Intimacy with God in the Busyness of Life by Joanna Weaver

Free Bible Reading Plan: "Embracing Your True Self: Living in Your Christ-Centered Identity"

Free Resource: Practical Steps to Reduced Anxiety and Overwhelm This Christmas

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Unshakable Hope Podcast

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Discussion/Reflective Question:

1. What resonated with you most in this episode

2. Where do I feel the most pressure during the holiday season—and whose expectations are driving that pressure?

3. What signs tell me I’m reaching or exceeding my emotional capacity? How can I respond with grace rather than reacting from overwhelm?

4. In what situations do I tend to “Martha”—trying to control people or outcomes rather than pausing to sit at Jesus’ feet?

5. Where might I be slipping into codependent behavior (fixing, appeasing, rescuing) instead of allowing others to own their emotions?

6. What boundaries do I need to set this holiday season to protect peace, joy, and emotional/spiritual health?

7. What one simple shift could help me keep “the most important thing” at the center of my celebrations?

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In this inspiring conversation, Jennifer Slattery and guest Dawn Cazedessus explore how God heals the generational wounds, shame, and limiting beliefs to create a life of influence, purpose, and freedom. Dawn shares her journey from a trailer park in rural Louisiana to leading thousands as a CEO and regional director. Her story reveals how early adversity shaped her work ethic—but also how God transformed survival-driven striving into purposeful, Spirit-led leadership.

Listeners will hear Dawn’s vulnerable reflections on her positive and challenging childhood influences, scarcity versus abundant mindsets, and the emotional work required to renew her thinking and embrace her true Christ-centered identity. She speaks honestly about the discomfort of stepping into unfamiliar environments, the power of God-given hope, and the role of community in healing. Together, Jennifer and Dawn unpack how Scripture, neuroplasticity, and intentional growth plans help us move from “trailer park thinking” to the abundance mindset God desires for His children.

Whether you’re navigating hardship, battling internal lies, or longing to step into God’s purpose for your life, this episode offers practical wisdom, biblical encouragement, and life-changing hope.

Resource Referenced: Trailer Park CEO: 12 Leadership Cornerstones to Become a Godly Woman of Influence – A Diverse Leadership Tool Kit for Christian Women in Business by Dawn Cazedessus

Discussion/Reflective Questions:

1. Dawn shared how leaving the trailer park immediately didn't remove her "trailer park thinking". Where do you feel free externally but still stuck mentally or emotionally?

2. What limiting belief from your past most affects how you see yourself today? What does the truth of Scripture say regarding that belief?

3. What recurring thought patterns in your life need to be held up to God’s truth?

4. When have you felt uncomfortable entering a new environment or opportunity? What helped (or could help) you stay present and keep moving forward?

5. Who in your life models the kind of thinking, stability, or faith you want to grow into? What are some ways you can actively learn from them?

6. What situations trigger a scarcity mindset for you?
   What would it look like to adopt an “included” or abundance mindset based on Ephesians 3:20?

7. Dawn said Jesus was the first Person she could fully trust. How has trusting—or struggling to trust—God shaped your own story of growth?

8. What's one action step God might be inviting you to take having listened to this episode?

Find Dawn Cazedessus:

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Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.