Episode 5 opens with a quiet domestic scene—Jeremiah making his famous split pea soup as Liz comes home. Their conversation reveals how differently each family member views faith and calling. Liz is serving faithfully at church and preparing to sing her song “For Your Glory,” which she offers as an act of worship rather than self-expression. Meanwhile, Jeremiah proudly affirms her devotion, contrasting it with his concern for Michelle, who has gone away for the weekend to “sing at a church retreat.” The audience, of course, knows the truth: Michelle is not in Topeka—she’s at the American Idol auditions. Liz’s song becomes a gentle backdrop to this contrast, a prayer of surrender and a portrait of the kind of obedience Jeremiah longs to see in both his daughters.

The scene shifts to Wichita, where Michelle steps into her long-awaited moment. Standing before the American Idol judges, she delivers a stunning and soulful rendition of “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” The judges are impressed by both her talent and her courage in choosing such an iconic song, and she receives the coveted “Golden Ticket to Hollywood.” For Michelle, it’s validation—the world has noticed what she’s always believed was inside her. But for Jeremiah, when he learns the truth, it’s betrayal. Their confrontation at home erupts with years of tension: Michelle’s hunger for freedom versus Jeremiah’s fear of worldly corruption.

Jeremiah’s final act is not one of anger, but of anguish. Alone, he kneels in prayer and sings “Father, Keep Her,” a heartfelt plea to God to protect the daughter he can no longer control. His words reveal both surrender and sorrow—he cannot stop her from going, but he can entrust her to the One who never loses His children. As the episode closes, the contrast between Liz’s worship and Michelle’s rebellion becomes clear—not as good versus bad, but as two different ways of seeking purpose. Both sisters are gifted, both sincere, and both on a collision course with grace.

Episode 4 opens with Pastor Shepherd finding Michelle alone in the quiet of the church sanctuary, reading her mother’s journal and wrestling with what to do next. Their conversation becomes one of the most honest and intimate in the story so far. Pastor Shepherd challenges her not to ask what her mother gave up, but what she found—reminding Michelle that her mother’s choice to stay home wasn’t weakness, but a different form of faithfulness. He invites her to pray “honest prayers,” not the polished ones that sound right in church, but the messy, uncertain kind that open the heart to truth. Their duet, “Honest Prayer,” captures this tension—a conversation with God about identity, fear, and authenticity.

Later, Michelle runs into Suzanne, who gently warns her about the difference between opportunity and obedience. Suzanne reminds her that not every “yes” is God’s yes, urging her to “count the cost first.” The words strike deep, but Michelle can’t shake her growing sense of urgency. Everyone around her—her pastor, her friend, her father—seems to speak for God, yet none of them can silence the ache inside her. When she finds herself awake at 2 a.m., she calls Malik, who tells her to stop living for everyone else’s expectations and “do something just for herself.” His advice feels freeing, but it also tempts her to bend truth in the name of independence.

As the episode closes, Michelle stands in her room, surrounded by conflict and noise—her pastor’s call to pray, Suzanne’s warning to wait, Malik’s voice urging her to go. She begins to pack her suitcase, choosing to follow her dream, even if it means deceiving her father to get there. Her song, “Once in a Lifetime,” bursts forth as both an anthem and a confession—a declaration of courage shadowed by compromise. The lights fade on a young woman determined to chase her destiny, unaware of the cost her choice will carry.

Episode 3 opens with Michelle’s friend Tina bursting in with news that American Idol is holding auditions in Wichita—just thirty minutes away. For Tina, it’s destiny. For Michelle, it’s a dilemma. Torn between her father’s expectations and her own longing for independence, she wrestles with whether the dream of performing could actually be God’s call on her life. Tina insists that playing it safe would mean wasting her gift, and her song, “More Than This Town,” becomes an anthem for escape and self-belief. Her words both inspire and unsettle Michelle, stirring questions about faith, purpose, and fear.

Later, while helping her father with boxes for Goodwill, Michelle discovers something unexpected—a forgotten journal that belonged to her late mother. In its pages, she learns that her mother once auditioned for Nashville Star, chasing the same dream Michelle now secretly holds. The entries reveal both heartbreak and hope: her mother’s disappointment at rejection, her quiet submission to Jeremiah’s wishes, and her prayer that her daughters would one day have the courage she didn’t. The discovery transforms Michelle’s ambition from a personal craving into something deeper—a legacy waiting to be fulfilled.

Moved to tears, Michelle sings “Her Song in Me,” a tender ballad that weaves together memory and calling. The lyrics reflect her realization her mother’s unspoken dreams were not lost but passed down—an inheritance written in melody. Yet this revelation also complicates her struggle: is she honoring her mother’s legacy or repeating her rebellion? The episode ends with Michelle gazing out the window, holding the journal to her chest, whispering the final line, “I’m setting her soul free.”