Have you ever felt stuck trying to make the right decision — afraid one wrong move could mess everything up?

In this honest and practical conversation, Meredith Brock and Cailah Garcia sit down with author and speaker Grace Valentine to talk about what it looks like to make decisions with God instead of with anxiety.

Through personal stories (including a hilarious texting mishap), biblical wisdom, and a deep dive into Proverbs 3:5-6, Grace reminds us that decision-making was never meant to be something we navigate alone. When we try to decode every outcome or gather endless opinions, we often spiral into chaos instead of stepping into wisdom.

If you’re facing a big decision right now — or simply feeling overwhelmed by uncertainty — this episode will help you pause, seek God’s voice, and move forward with faith instead of fear.

You’ll learn:

• Why trying to figure everything out on your own often leads to anxiety and overthinking.
• How Proverbs 3:5-6 gives a clear framework for navigating life’s decisions.
• What the difference is between seeking opinions and seeking godly wisdom.
• Why surrendering control is often the first step toward peace.
• How God can give you peace even when the decision in front of you feels uncomfortable.

Resources From This Episode:

• Connect With Grace Valentine. Follow her for more encouragement and biblical wisdom on navigating life’s biggest decisions.
  Instagram: @thegracevalentine
  Facebook: @GraceValentine
  Website: https://www.gracevalentine.org
• Encouragement for Today Devotions. Start your day grounded in God’s Word. Subscribe to receive short, Scripture-based devotions delivered straight to your inbox each morning — meeting you with biblical Truth right when you need it
• Come Close to Jesus — A Brand-New Resource From Lysa TerKeurst. When life feels heavy or uncertain, prayer can be the place where everything begins to shift. When you give today, you’ll receive Come Close to Jesus as our thank-you — a Scripture-rich prayer resource designed to help you quiet the noise, find the words when prayer feels hard, and draw near to the God who is always ready to meet you. Give now and receive your copy today.
• Click here to download a transcript of this episode

Want More on This Topic?

• Listen to Dr. Joel Muddamalle answer the question, “Why Am I So Afraid of Failure?” on The Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast.

If you’ve ever sat down to pray and felt unsure of what to say — or wondered whether God is actually listening — this episode is for you.

In this honest and hope-filled conversation, Kaley Olson and Cailah Garcia sit down with Lysa TerKeurst to talk about what prayer really is: not a performance, not perfect words, but daily dependence on a God who is already near.

Together, they explore how to pray when you’re spiritually tired, how to discern whether you’re hearing God or just your own thoughts, and why asking for “daily bread” might be the most grounding prayer you can pray. If you’ve been wrestling with big unanswered prayers or quiet doubts, this episode gently reminds you that Jesus already came close to you — and He is not waiting for you to have it all together before you come to Him.

You’ll learn:

• Why prayer is meant to be a conversation — not a performance.
• How praying Scripture helps you align your heart with God’s will.
• A simple daily prayer Lysa prays before her feet hit the floor.
• How to discern whether a thought is consistent with God’s Word and His ways.

Resources From This Episode:

• Come Close to Jesus: What to Pray When You Need the Lord to Still Your Thoughts, Calm Your Heart, and Guide Your Way by Lysa TerKeurst. When you don’t know what to pray, this Scripture-rich prayer book offers guided prayers and biblical Truth to help you still your thoughts, calm your heart, and draw near to God — even in the middle of real life. It’s yours today when you give a gift to help another woman come close to Jesus again. Give now at www.proverbs31.org/give.
• Click here to download a transcript of this episode

Want More on This Topic?

• If you’re wrestling with what you’re walking through, listen to this episode: “When God Doesn’t Remove the Hard Thing — But Meets You in It.”

Our thoughts are busy places — full of worries, assumptions, memories, and what ifs that can quietly shape how we live and respond to the world around us. And while no one has a perfectly manicured mind, Scripture reminds us that we don’t have to be ruled by every thought that shows up.

In today’s episode, our friend Max Lucado joins us to share a hopeful, practical message about renewing your mind and learning to take your thoughts captive. Drawing from Romans 12 and other powerful passages, Max walks us through three simple but life-changing tools to help you identify toxic thought patterns, uproot lies, and replace them with God’s Truth.

You’ll learn:

• How to recognize patterns and start interrupting the destructive cycles in your life before they take hold.
• Tools to help you to renew your mind and walk into lasting transformation.
• Ways you can uproot the negative underlying beliefs behind your emotions and develop ways to replant truth in their place.
• You don’t have to accept every thought you have.

Partner With Us:

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by anxious thoughts, stuck in negative self-talk, or frustrated by emotional overreactions, this conversation will give you language, clarity, and next steps for moving forward with greater peace and freedom. That’s why we created a free downloadable resource called “I’ll Go First.”It is a simple, guided conversation tool designed to help you open honest, meaningful dialogue about what’s really going on beneath the surface. Whether you’re wrestling with your own thoughts or walking alongside someone who is, this resource gives you practical questions and biblical encouragement to begin the journey toward healthier thinking together.

Resources From This Episode:

• Continue doing deep work by also listening to “Tools to Fight Anxiety and Better Your Mental Health” with Rebecca Maxwell, available on the Therapy & Theology podcast and on YouTube.
• If you’re looking for a practical next step to help quiet anxious thoughts, check out Tame Your Thoughts by Max Lucado.
• Help women experience God’s nearness in this and every moment. Receive Come Close to Jesus as our thanks for your gift today.
• Send this episode to a friend who needs encouragement and God’s Truth today.
• Subscribe to the Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast to never miss an episode of hope-filled stories as we unpack the Truth and learn to live it out together.
• Click here to download a transcript of this episode

If you hoped this year would feel lighter by now — but you’re still in the same hard place — this episode is for you.

In this honest and hope-filled conversation, Meredith Brock and Kaley Olson sit down with Sarah Freymuth to explore what God may be doing when the struggle doesn’t lift. Through Scripture and personal experience, Sarah reminds us that unanswered prayers aren’t signs of God’s absence — they can be invitations to deeper trust. If you’ve been asking “Why me?,” this episode gently invites you to shift the question to “What now, God?” and discover how God meets us in the valley.

You’ll learn:

• Why God doesn’t always remove the hard thing — and what He may be doing instead.
• How pain can reveal where we’ve placed our dependence.
• The heart-shifting difference between asking “Why me?” and “What now?” to God.
• How Scripture can become a lifeline when faith feels exhausted.
• What it looks like to experience God’s presence even when circumstances don’t change.

Resources From This Episode:

• All the Hard Things: by Sarah Freymuth
  Walking through a season that feels heavy and unending? This 50-day devotional offers scripture, honest reflection, and gentle encouragement to help you keep going — one faithful step at a time — when the valley feels long.
• Therapy & Theology Podcast
  If today’s conversation stirred up deeper emotions or questions, this podcast can help. Hosted by Lysa TerKeurst, licensed counselor Jim Cress, and Dr. Joel Muddamalle, Therapy & Theology helps you work through what you’re walking through with biblical Truth and therapeutic insight.
• Help women experience God’s nearness in this and every moment. Receive Come Close to Jesus as our thanks for your gift today.
• Click here to download a transcript of this episode

Want More on This Topic?

• Listen to a deep dive on trusting God in hard situations in this episode of the Therapy & Theology podcast: “How Can I Trust God When I Don’t Understand What He Allows?”

We talk about grace a lot — but do we actually understand it? For many of us, grace feels like the doorway into faith … yet something we quietly try to “maintain” through our own effort. What if God never intended you to earn what He freely gives?

In today’s episode, writer and Bible teacher Kristel Acevedo joins Meredith Brock and Kaley Olson for a deeply clarifying conversation about the kind of grace Scripture describes — the grace that saves us and keeps us. Through biblical teaching, real-life stories, and practical wisdom, Kristel helps us see why striving leaves us exhausted, how sanctification actually works, and why resting in God’s unshakable love is the starting place for real spiritual transformation.

If you’re tired of trying to be “good enough,” wrestling with shame, or wondering whether you’ve used up all of God’s patience, this episode will breathe fresh hope into your heart. Grace isn’t a one-time gift. It’s the ongoing work of God in you — today, tomorrow, and every day after.

You’ll learn:

• What Scripture means when it says we are saved by grace — and why that same grace is what transforms us daily.
• The difference between working for God’s acceptance and living from your secure identity in Christ.
• How sanctification really happens, and why slowing down helps us recognize the Holy Spirit’s work in us.
• Why sharing grace with others matters, and how God can use your life to draw people to Himself.

Resources From This Episode:

• Help women experience God’s nearness in this and every moment. Receive Come Close to Jesus as our thanks for your gift today.
• Connect with Kristel Acevedo by following her on Instagram for biblical encouragement and practical teaching. Explore more of her work at KristelAcevedo.com, and make sure to check out her newest Bible study, A Way in the Wilderness.
• Discover the Every Woman’s Bible. This is a study Bible created by over 100 women scholars, writers, and contributors from around the world. It is packed with notes and devotionals offering cultural, historical, and literary insight. Learn more at EveryWomansBible.com.
• Click here to download a transcript of this episode

Want More on This Topic?

• Listen to “Are We Missing Jesus as We Work for Jesus?” with Gloria Umanah on The Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast.

What if your confidence in Jesus didn’t have to rest on feelings alone — but on real, compelling evidence? In this episode, Kaley Olson and Meredith Brock sit down with Dr. Joel Muddamalle to explore why Christians can trust both the Bible and the historical Jesus with clarity and confidence.

Joel unpacks the surprisingly strong historical, textual, and archaeological evidence surrounding Scripture, the overwhelming support for the resurrection, and why even secular scholars take the Gospels seriously. You’ll walk away not just informed but anchored — reminded that the story of Jesus isn’t fragile, mythical, or wishful thinking. It’s trustworthy. It’s verifiable. And it changes everything.

You’ll learn:

• How the Bible’s accuracy and fulfilled prophecies point to Jesus as a real, historical person.
• Why the Gospels can be trusted — backed by archaeology, thousands of manuscripts, and even secular scholars.
• What makes the resurrection not just a belief but a well-supported historical event.
• How solid evidence can strengthen your faith and give you confidence when questions or doubts arise.

Resources From This Episode:

• Download the free First 5 app: Begin a daily rhythm of studying God’s Word with clear, trustworthy teaching that helps you grow with confidence. Perfect for starting (or restarting!) your Bible study habits this year.
• Follow Dr. Joel Muddamalle: Get accessible, thoughtful theology through his Instagram and free Substack — practical tools to help deepen your understanding of Scripture every week.
• Help women experience God’s nearness in this and every moment. Receive Come Close to Jesus as our thanks for your gift today.
• Click here to download a transcript of this episode

Want More on This Topic?

• Listen to “Am I Reading My Bible Right?” — a conversation between Dr. Joel Muddamalle and Shae Hill from The Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast.

Christmas is the story of Love stepping toward us — yet for many of us, love is still the place where our deepest questions live. Why is it hard to give? Why is it even harder to receive? And what does Advent have to do with it?

In this final Advent episode, Kaley Olson, Wendy Blight, and Ellen Adkins explore what Scripture reveals about the human heart — and why Jesus came to transform it from the inside out. You’ll get a freeing look at why hostility toward God shows up in all of us, how the Holy Spirit enables a new kind of love we could never muster on our own, and a tender invitation to receive the love God is offering right now.

With biblical teaching, honest reflection, and a prayer for anyone longing for a fresh start with God, this episode reminds us: His love isn’t distant or conditional. It’s personal, present … and it’s meant for you.

You’ll learn:

• Why Scripture says our natural hearts resist God — and how Advent reveals Jesus’ plan to transform them.
• What God’s steadfast love looks like throughout the Bible and why we often struggle to receive it.
• How the Holy Spirit enables us to love God and others in ways we cannot on our own.
• A simple prayer and practical steps for beginning or renewing a relationship with Jesus this Christmas.

Resources From This Episode:

• Join us for Advent in the First 5 app!
  Download the free app, and spend five minutes each day studying God’s Word with women around the world.
• Go deeper with our brand-new Advent study guide, More Than a Manger.
  Experience the Christmas story with fresh eyes through rich biblical teaching and meaningful daily reflections.
• Help more women access biblical Truth this season.
  Your generosity fuels everything we do — from free podcasts to devotions to study resources.
  [Give to Proverbs 31 Ministries today.]
• Click here to download a transcript of this episode

Want More on This Topic?

• Listen to “The Secret to Really Loving Your Neighbor” with Jada Edwards on The Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast.

Joy sounds simple at Christmastime … until life brings loss, disappointment, or unanswered prayers. In this Advent episode, Wendy Blight joins Kaley Olson and Ellen Adkins to share how Jesus brings joy — not to replace suffering but right in the middle of it. Through Wendy’s honest personal story and a biblical look at joy throughout Scripture, you’ll discover how true joy isn’t rooted in circumstances — it's rooted in the presence of Jesus who meets us, sustains us, and carries us through things we never asked for.

A powerful message for anyone who’s wondering how joy is possible in a season that feels anything but joyful.

You’ll learn:

• Why biblical joy is more than a feeling — it’s something God gifts us through His Spirit.
• How joy grows in seasons of pain, unanswered prayer, or physical and emotional suffering.
• Why lament isn’t the opposite of joy — it's often the doorway to it.
• Practical ways to shift your gaze from your circumstances to Christ.
• What Scripture teaches about a future joy that no loss or sorrow can take away.

Resources From This Episode:

• Join us for Advent in the First 5 app!
  Download the free app, and spend five minutes each day studying God’s Word with women around the world.
• Go deeper with our brand-new Advent study guide, More Than a Manger.
  Experience the Christmas story with fresh eyes through rich biblical teaching and meaningful daily reflections.
• Help more women access biblical Truth this season.
  Your generosity fuels everything we do — from free podcasts to devotions to study resources.
  [Give to Proverbs 31 Ministries today.]
• Click here to download a transcript of this episode

Want More on This Topic?

• Listen to this Therapy & Theology episode titled “How Can I Trust God When I Don’t Understand What He Allows?”