🎧 Show Notes

Anxiety can be overwhelming — it paralyzes our actions, steals our peace, and convinces us of lies about our future. In this raw episode, I share the fear-filled season when my husband Jeff faced life-threatening health issues and how anxiety tried to control me. From sleepless nights and “worst-case” thinking to tears in church, I share what it looks like to wrestle with anxiety as a believer.

But more importantly, I share how God met us there. Through His Word, through prayer, through wise counsel, and through the daily practice of surrender, fear began to loosen its grip. If you’re walking through overwhelming anxiety, this episode will remind you: God is with you in the fear, and you can take back your thoughts with His truth.

Scripture Highlights:

• “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” — 2 Timothy 1:7
• “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, declares the Lord.” — Isaiah 55:8
• “When I am afraid, I put my trust in You.” — Psalm 56:3

Key Takeaways:

• Anxiety often looks like fear of “what’s next,” fueled by irrational, fatalistic thoughts.
• It can affect every part of life — eating, sleeping, worshipping, even leaving the house.
• God’s Word is the only true weapon against fear.
• Wise counsel and community can help re-anchor your heart to God’s truth.
• Healing is not “one and done” — it’s a daily practice of choosing faith over fear.

Action Step: This week, pay attention to your thoughts. Notice when fear starts spiraling. Don’t let those thoughts grow. Instead, combat them with God’s Word — out loud if you need to. Replace lies with truth and watch peace take root where anxiety once ruled.

SHOW NOTES

When God Doesn’t Answer Your List: From Demands to Deep Trust

In this episode, I share what my first prayers looked like after Monica’s death—raw, desperate, and full of demands. From pleading for miracles to panicking over future loss, I’ll tell you how my relationship with God shifted from transactional to transformational.

I’m reading from the final chapter of Dying to Be Healed, where I open up about how Monica’s faith journey—and eventual death—led me to chase after God with a new purpose.

This isn’t a tidy testimony tied up with answers, but a reminder that peace doesn’t come from getting what we ask for—it comes from trusting the One we ask.

And often, the greatest healing doesn’t happen in the way we expect.

📖 Scripture of the Week

“Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” — Hebrews 4:16

Take time this week to reflect: Are you asking God more for things… or for more of Him? Let your prayers shift from demands to drawing near.

SHOW NOTES

In today’s episode, I share what it felt like to return to church and work after losing Monica. I’ll explain the disconnect between those inside the “fishbowl” of grief and those viewing from the outside.

Using the unlikely example of Krispy Kreme doughnuts, we’ll explore why having information about grief is not the same as living it. You’ll hear about the power of compassionate presence, the frustration of well-meaning but hurtful comments, and the difference between education and revelation when it comes to comforting someone who is grieving.

Bible Verse for Reflection: "Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn." —Romans 12:15 (NIV)

Action Step

Think of someone in your life who is grieving. Reach out and offer a simple gesture: let them know you’re thinking of them and would be honored to listen if they want to talk about their person. It’s not about fixing—just about being present.