In the final episode of our Life Is Messy series, we reflect on what it truly means to be loved as you are. Drawing from Matthew Kelly’s Life Is Messy (pages 168–195) and the wisdom of The Velveteen Rabbit, we explore how God’s love doesn’t make life perfect — it makes us real.

We talk about why shabbiness doesn’t cancel beauty, how wisdom is formed through storms, and why the valleys matter just as much as the peaks. From learning to remember people and stories honestly, to resisting distraction, unforgiveness, and perfectionism, this conversation invites us to choose meaning over control.

As we close this series, our hope is that you walk away with a healthier relationship with your own brokenness — trusting that you are loved as you are, in every season, and that what makes you real is also what makes you beautiful.

In this episode of The Open Doors Podcast, we continue our conversation through Life Is Messy by Matthew Kelly (pages 138–168) and explore the difficult but healing work of forgiveness.

Forgiveness isn’t easy—especially when we’ve been hurt, betrayed, or disappointed by those closest to us. We talk about how unforgiveness can quietly affect us emotionally, physically, and spiritually, and why forgiveness is not excusing behavior, but choosing to let go and surrender.

This conversation also dives into boundaries, people-pleasing, and the struggle to say no without guilt. After pain or trauma, finding your voice can feel overwhelming—but your needs matter, and your voice matters. We reflect on how our identity is not found in our yes or our no, but in who God says we are.

If you’re learning to forgive, struggling to speak up, or longing for healing and freedom, this episode is for you.

In this episode of The Open Doors Podcast, we continue our conversation through Life Is Messy by Matthew Kelly, diving into Part 4 (pages 138–167). Together, we explore how fear and perfectionism shape our thoughts, expectations, and daily choices—and how they often leave us feeling overwhelmed, stuck, and disconnected from God’s peace.

We talk about the lies fear tells us about ourselves, why unhealed wounds can be transferred, and how the pressure to be perfect is not from God. This episode invites us to break free from unrealistic expectations, trust God’s timing, and learn what it looks like to live in balance—keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus rather than swinging between obsession and giving up.

If you’re feeling exhausted from trying to get everything right, this conversation is a reminder that healing and freedom happen one faithful choice at a time—and that every moment is an opportunity for God to bring beauty from the ashes.

In this episode of The Open Doors Podcast, we continue our Life Is Messy conversation by Matthew Kelly (Part 3) and lean into what healing really looks like when it’s lived out in community.

Healing doesn’t happen in isolation. It happens through connection — with God and with others — as we learn how to love well, receive love honestly, and find joy and freedom along the way. Together, we reflect on how our past pain and grief can be acknowledged and honored without becoming the place we stay stuck.

This conversation invites you to gently look back, recognize how God has already been at work in your healing, and take faithful steps forward — not rushing the process, but trusting that growth comes through love, connection, and hope.

If you’ve ever wondered how to walk through pain without letting it define you, this episode is for you.

In this episode, we continue our journey through Life Is Messy by Matthew Kelly (pages 40–76) and take an honest look at the storms that shake us, the betrayals that wound us, and the empty places we try to fill with everything but God. If you’re longing for encouragement, deeper trust, and a renewed sense of peace, this conversation offers Christian hope, Catholic wisdom, and meaningful insight for navigating the mess within and around us.

We explore how Jesus meets us in the void, steadies us in the storm, and offers the promise of peace that the world cannot give. Perfect for anyone seeking God’s presence, healing, and clarity in their most difficult seasons.

In this episode of The Open Doors Podcast, we dive into Life Is Messy by Matthew Kelly (pages 3–40) and explore the question so many believers ask: Where is God when life doesn’t make sense? If you’re walking through confusion, uncertainty, or a season that feels overwhelming, this conversation offers Christian encouragement, faith-based hope, and practical spiritual insight for navigating life’s messiest moments.

We talk about how God meets us in chaos, why difficult seasons don’t mean He’s absent, and how hope begins to rise even when circumstances stay unclear. This episode is perfect for anyone searching for God’s presence in hard times, wanting to grow spiritually, or looking for uplifting biblical perspective in the middle of their struggle.

In this episode, we open up about the places in our lives that feel cracked, messy, or “not enough” — and how those are often the exact places where God meets us most tenderly. When we stop hiding our broken pieces, we begin to see the beauty God is shaping within them.

We talk about the pressure to appear strong, the moments we’d rather keep buried, and the surprising ways God turns weakness into witness. If you’ve ever felt too broken, too behind, or too imperfect, this conversation is a reminder that God doesn’t avoid our brokenness — He transforms it.

So many of us quietly carry the weight of people pleasing — wanting to be liked, accepted, understood, or approved. But God invites us into something so much better… freedom.

In this episode, we talk about what it looks like to break free from the pressure to please everyone and step into the peace, confidence, and identity God already gave you. We share real stories, honest struggles, and the freedom that comes when you finally release what isn’t yours to carry.

If you’re longing for less pressure and more peace, this one is for you.