Hey friends,

On today’s episode of the Anchored by the Sword Podcast, I’m joined by Ben Espinoza, pastor, author, husband, and dad, to talk about his brand new book:

📖 Good News About Self-Care: How Nurturing Your Soul, Your Self, and Your Sanity Honors God

And let’s be honest… “self-care” is one of those phrases that gets thrown around a lot.

For some people it means bubble baths, manicures, and getting away for the weekend.

And while there is absolutely nothing wrong with those things, this conversation goes so much deeper.

Ben shares his own story of hitting a wall during the pandemic while juggling a major job transition, family responsibilities, stress, anxiety, lack of sleep, and the weight of everything happening in the world at the time. What started as physical symptoms eventually led him to realize something important:

He didn’t really know how to care for himself in a healthy, God-honoring way.

In this episode, we talk about:

• How stress can show up physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually

• Why so many of us have learned how to achieve, but not how to steward ourselves

• What self-care looks like from a Biblical perspective

• Why caring for yourself is not selfish

• The importance of Sabbath, solitude, rest, play, and healthy relationships

• Why God has given us tools like therapy, counseling, community, and medication when needed

• How putting God first realigns everything else

• Why true self-care starts with our relationship with the Lord

One of the biggest takeaways from this episode is this:

If we are made in the image of God, then caring for ourselves well is part of honoring the God who made us.

Ben does such a great job reminding us that biblical self-care is not just about escaping life for a minute. It’s about learning how to live in a healthy rhythm with God, with ourselves, with other people, and with the world around us.

We also talk about how easy it is to get caught in hustle mode, productivity mode, and survival mode—and how quickly everything feels off when God is no longer at the center.

This is such an important conversation, especially for those of us who are used to taking care of everyone else while quietly running ourselves into the ground.

Friend, rest is not weakness.
Healing is not failure.
And taking care of yourself is not selfish when it is done God’s way.

Bio:

Benjamin D. Espinoza is passionate about developing the next generation of leaders for the church and society. He currently serves as lead pastor of Avon Wesleyan Church in Avon, New York and previously served in a number of executive-level roles at Roberts Wesleyan University in Rochester, New York. An ordained Wesleyan minister, Ben regularly consults with leaders and organizations in the areas of diversity and belonging, organizational structure, and management.

Espinoza is married to Hannah, who is much smarter than he, and they are the proud parents of two small but energetic boys. 

Anchor Verse:

Acts 20:24

Connect with Ben:

Website: https://benespinoza.com

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Benjamin D. Espinoza: books, biography, latest update

***We love hearing from you! Your reviews help our podcast community and keep these important conversations going. If this episode inspired you, challenged you, or gave you a fresh perspective, we’d be so grateful if you’d take a moment to leave a review. Just head to Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen and share your thoughts—it’s a simple way to make a big impact!*** 

Hey friends,

On today’s episode of the Anchored by the Sword Podcast, I’m joined by my new friend Hannah Castiaux, I had the chance to be on her podcast, and now she’s here on mine — and this conversation was such a good one.

We talked about her book Intentionally Designed: Ditching the Lies and Labels and Living Free in Christ, but we also went deeper into the freedom story behind it all.

Hannah shares about growing up in a Christian home, but really coming to know Jesus in a deeper way as she got older. She also opens up about how one comment made on a playground when she was a little girl started a cycle of insecurity, people pleasing, striving, and believing lies about herself.

And honestly? So many women are going to relate to that.

In this episode, we talk about:

• How words spoken over us can shape the way we see ourselves

• The struggle of people pleasing and always trying to earn approval

• Why so many women know they’re a child of God, but don’t actually live like it

• The freedom that comes from understanding who God says you are

• The importance of going back to the root and asking, “Who told you that?”

• Why identity in Christ is deeper than your title, your platform, your role, or your accomplishments

• How comparison, perfectionism, and performance can quietly keep us bound

• The beauty of going back to Genesis and seeing how God originally designed us

One of the biggest takeaways from this conversation is this:

Your identity is not in what you do.

It is not in what people call you.

It is not in your titles or your achievements.

Your identity is rooted in being a daughter of God.

Hannah also talks about how easy it is to become a “well-oiled machine” in life and ministry — always doing, always moving, always helping — and how God gently reminds us that before we are workers, leaders, wives, moms, authors, or podcasters… we are His.

We also touched on the story of Esther, the importance of cultivation, and how obedience matters more than comparison.

This episode is for the woman who is tired of trying to prove herself.

The woman who has believed lies for too long.

The woman who is ready to walk in freedom and finally live like she belongs to God.

Bio:

Hannah Castiaux is a follower of Jesus, author, speaker, and podcaster who is passionate about helping women break free from lies, labels, and shame so they can walk in true freedom and live the life God intentionally designed for them.

Through her writing, teaching, and the God's Glory in Your Story podcast, Hannah encourages women to return to what's already true about who they are in Christ-rooted in identity, purpose, and grace. Her heart is to create spaces where women feel seen, known, and invited into deeper relationship with God. Hannah and her husband live in the Sierra Nevada foothills of California, where they are actively involved in ministry and are passionate about building the Kingdom of God.

Anchor Verses:

2 Corinthians 12:9

Connect with Hannah:

Website: https://godsgloryinyourstory.com

IG: https://www.instagram.com/godsgloryinyourstory

FB: https://www.facebook.com/hannah.castiaux/

***We love hearing from you! Your reviews help our podcast community and keep these important conversations going. If this episode inspired you, challenged you, or gave you a fresh perspective, we’d be so grateful if you’d take a moment to leave a review. Just head to Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen and share your thoughts—it’s a simple way to make a big impact!*** 

Hey friends,

I am so excited about today’s episode.

I got to sit down with Kirby Kelly—author, podcaster, and someone whose heart for Jesus and people just shines through everything she does. 

She has a brand new book coming out next week called: The Fabric of Hope: How God Weaves Redemption Into Every Season.

And let me tell you… this conversation is powerful.

Not only is she releasing a book, but she’s also about to become a mom—so we talked about what it looks like to walk through two “births” at the same time… one in ministry and one in real life. 

Kirby shares her story so openly—growing up in a home marked by addiction, loss, grief, and questions for God.

And if you’ve ever asked:

“God, where are You in this?”
“How could anything good come from this?”

You are not alone.

In this episode, we talk about:

-Walking through trauma, loss, and unanswered prayers

-What it looks like to trust God when life doesn’t make sense

-The difference between wishful thinking and real, biblical hope

-How God doesn’t just redeem at the end—but in the middle

-Grieving and rejoicing at the same time

-What it looks like to hold both pain and joy in one season

One of the most powerful truths from this episode:

God doesn’t waste anything. Not your pain. Not your story. Not your questions.

Kirby shares how even though her story didn’t wrap up in a perfect bow, she has still seen God’s redemption woven through every season—including now, as she prepares to welcome her daughter while grieving the loss of her mom.

Friend, if you are in a hard season right now…

If you’re wondering where God is…

If you’re holding grief and hope at the same time…

This episode is for you.

Listen now and be reminded:

Even when life feels messy…
God is still weaving something beautiful.

Bio:

Kirby Kelly is a speaker, author, podcast host, and content creator based in Dallas, Texas, who has spent over a decade using digital platforms to equip, empower, and engage a global audience with the truth of the Gospel. With a B.A. in Communication and Biblical Studies from Dallas Baptist University and an M.A. in Theology, Kirby has built a ministry that blends theological depth with cultural relevance. Her online presence spans Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and her podcast Bought + Beloved, where she helps listeners and viewers deepen their love for God and knowledge of the Word. Kirby has authored two books with W Publishing: You Can Be Free and The Fabric of Hope. From everyday evangelism to her online uploads, Kirby hopes to see this generation live saved, set free, and sent forth in their unique God-given calling.

Anchor Verses:

Romans 15:13

James 4:15 

Connect with Kirby:

Website: https://kirby-kelly.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kirbyisaboss

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/kirbyisaboss

TikTok:   https://www.tiktok.com/@kirbyisaboss

***We love hearing from you! Your reviews help our podcast community and keep these important conversations going. If this episode inspired you, challenged you, or gave you a fresh perspective, we’d be so grateful if you’d take a moment to leave a review. Just head to Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen and share your thoughts—it’s a simple way to make a big impact!*** 

Hey friends!

On today’s episode of the podcast, I’m joined by Jen Oshman—author, wife, mom, Bible teacher, and the author of the new Bible study Very Good: What the Bible Says About Being a Woman, which releases Wednesday, April 1.

This conversation is such an important one.

If you’ve ever wrestled with questions about being a woman, your place in the Church, your worth, your gifts, or what God actually says about women in Scripture, this episode is for you.

Jen shares her powerful story of coming to faith, walking through a complicated upbringing, and learning what it means to fully surrender her life to the Lord. We also talk about her years serving overseas, raising daughters across different cultures, and what led her to create this Bible study that walks women through Scripture from Genesis to Revelation.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Jen’s personal faith journey and how God met her in broken places
• The freedom that comes from realizing “you are not your own”
• Why Genesis matters when talking about women and their role
• How culture has shaped the conversation around women
• Why so many women feel unseen in the Church
• The beauty of women being created as intentional, valuable, God-designed image bearers
• Why the truth that women are “very good” matters now more than ever

One of my favorite parts of this conversation is the reminder that women were never an afterthought in God’s design. We were created with purpose, value, strength, and dignity—and that truth should shape how we live, serve, and walk in the world.

Jen also shares why this conversation matters deeply in the Church right now, especially in a culture that keeps distorting identity and confusing what God has made clear.

If you’ve ever felt unseen, sidelined, or unsure of where you fit, I hope this episode reminds you of this one powerful truth:

God made you on purpose, and He calls what He made very good.

Bio:

Jen Oshman is an author, speaker, church planter’s wife and mom of four daughters. She has served as a missionary and church planter for over two decades on three continents. She currently resides in Colorado, where she is the director of women’s ministry at Redemption Parker, which her family planted eight years ago. Jen’s book titles include Enough About Me, It’s Good to Be a Girl, Cultural Counterfeits and Welcome.

Anchor Verse:

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Connect with Jen:

Website: https://www.jenoshman.com

IG: https://www.instagram.com/jenoshman/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/jennifer.owenoshman

***We love hearing from you! Your reviews help our podcast community and keep these important conversations going. If this episode inspired you, challenged you, or gave you a fresh perspective, we’d be so grateful if you’d take a moment to leave a review. Just head to Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen and share your thoughts—it’s a simple way to make a big impact!***

Some stories stay with you… and this is one of them.

Today on the Anchored by the Sword Podcast, I’m joined by Haylee Graham, author of the upcoming book: Take the Horse and Run: The Incredible True Story of a Horse Fighting for His Life—and the Girl Who Would Stop at Nothing to Save Him (releasing April 7!)

And let me just say this…

I planned to just skim the book to prepare for this interview…
But I ended up reading the entire thing in one sitting because I could not put it down.

This story is raw, gripping, and full of redemption.

In this episode, Haylee shares her journey of:

Growing up in chaos, instability, and searching for meaning
Battling depression, anxiety, and a suicide attempt
Encountering God in her lowest, darkest moment
Finding healing and identity in Christ
And the powerful role her horse, Cartier, played in her story

What I love most about this conversation is how it reminds us that:

God will meet us wherever we are
Even when we don’t recognize Him, He is still present
And sometimes… He shows up in the most unexpected ways

For Haley, that looked like a horse.

For you, it might look different—but the truth remains the same:

God is always working
God is always pursuing
And God is always redeeming

Haylee’s story is a beautiful reminder that even when life feels broken beyond repair, God is still the Master Weaver—bringing everything together for good.

Listen now and be reminded:

Even in your darkest moments…
God is still there, still working, and still writing your story.

Bio:

Haylee Graham, daughter of actor Gary Graham and actress Susan Lavelle, is an award-winning author, screenwriter, and speaker who has written professionally for over a decade. A member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, she has penned four young adult novels and earned literary accolades from the International Christian Film Festival, IndieX Film Fest, CARE Awards, and the 168 Film Festival. Haylee's work has appeared in Chicken Soup for the Soul andGoodNews Northwest, and she has been featured on the KTLA 5 Spoken Dreams podcast series, as well as in publications such as The Los Angeles Tribune, Voyage LA, and Bold Journey magazine.

Her short film Out of the Quiet received over twenty-eight awards and nominations at major film festivals across the country, while her latest film Planted swept the 20th Annual 168 Film Festival with honors including Best Screenplay and Best Film of the 168 Festival.

Take the Horse and Run, her debut memoir, is the extraordinary true story of her bond with Cartier—the beloved horse whose online presence has drawn a fan base of thousands of followers and millions of views. The memoir has been adapted for the screen as The Horse Thief by Writers Guild of America screenwriter Dan Goforth (Walk. Ride. Rodeo.).

Anchor Verses:

Psalm 62:6

Jeremiah 29:11

Connect with Haylee:

Website: https://www.hayleegrahamwrites.com

IG: https://www.instagram.com/hayleegrahamauthor

Preorder Take the Horse and Run: https://a.co/d/0iLLJuQQ

***We love hearing from you! Your reviews help our podcast community and keep these important conversations going. If this episode inspired you, challenged you, or gave you a fresh perspective, we’d be so grateful if you’d take a moment to leave a review. Just head to Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen and share your thoughts—it’s a simple way to make a big impact!***

There are some conversations that are hard… but so necessary.

Today on the Anchored by the Sword Podcast, I’m joined by Alisha Roth, author of the brand new book: Courageous Divorce: A Christian Woman’s Guide to Healing, Rebuilding, and Embracing an Abundant Life (releasing this Tuesday!)

In this episode, Alisha shares her deeply personal story—growing up strong in her faith, longing to do everything “right,” and then walking through a marriage that became unhealthy, painful, and ultimately unsafe.

This is a conversation about the things we don’t always talk about in the Church…

The hidden struggles.

The shame.

The silence.

And the feeling of being completely alone.

Alisha vulnerably shares:

✨ Her journey through marriage, brokenness, and divorce

✨ The reality of abuse and the confusion many women face

✨ The weight of shame—and how God meets us in it

✨ The stigma of divorce in Christian spaces

✨ Rebuilding faith after everything feels like it’s falling apart

✨ Finding authentic community and healing on the other side

✨ Hope for women who feel stuck, afraid, or unsure of what to do next.

One of the most powerful reminders from this episode:

👉 You are still loved.

👉 You are not disqualified.

👉 And God is still making a way—even here.

Alisha’s story is a testimony that even after deep pain and brokenness, God can restore, rebuild, and bring beauty again.

If you—or someone you know—is walking through divorce, questioning what comes next, or feeling alone in the process…

This episode is for you.

Bio:

Alisha Roth is a writer and editor. She loves to write about homeschooling, raising children, spirituality, and sharing an honest look into her life of divorce, co-parenting, love, and evolving faith. As a woman and a mother to five daughters, she's passionate about encouraging women to empowerment and wholeness. She is the author of Courageous Divorce and has been a contributor and editor for a parenting and homeschooling magazine, with several of her articles also being printed in HarperOne publications. You can also find her essays in the book Homegrown and The Way Back to Ourselves and Being Human magazines.

Anchor Verses:

Isaiah 43:19

Ezekiel 37

Connect with Alisha:

Website: https://www.alisharoth.com

IG: https://www.instagram.com/littlewomenfarmhouse

LINKTREE: https://linktr.ee/littlewomenfarmhouse

***We love hearing from you! Your reviews help our podcast community and keep these important conversations going. If this episode inspired you, challenged you, or gave you a fresh perspective, we’d be so grateful if you’d take a moment to leave a review. Just head to Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen and share your thoughts—it’s a simple way to make a big impact!***

What if the way we’ve been taught to hustle isn’t the way God intended us to live?

In today’s episode of the Anchored by the Sword Podcast, I’m joined by returning guest and friend Erin Harrigan, who was previously on Episode 273 where we talked about redefining success and trusting God’s timing. Erin is back to share about her brand new book, Redefining Hustle: Navigating Success with Jesus.

So many of us live in a culture that tells us to work harder, move faster, and rely on ourselves to get ahead. But Erin reminds us that while God created us with ambition and purpose, He never intended for us to hustle the world’s way.

In this conversation we talk about:

✨ The difference between pursuing success and navigating success with Jesus

✨ Why hustle isn’t the problem—but how we hustle matters

✨ Learning to surrender control and let Jesus be the true captain of the ship

✨ The struggle of self-sufficiency and trusting God instead of ourselves

✨ Setting healthy boundaries in work and ministry

✨ Finding harmony instead of “work-life balance”

✨ Why abiding in Christ changes everything about how we lead, work, and live

If you’ve ever felt the pressure to keep running, keep producing, and keep striving, this episode is a reminder that God never asked us to carry the weight of the world on our shoulders.

Instead, He invites us to walk with Him, trust His direction, and allow Him to lead the way.

You don’t have to hustle harder to prove your worth.

You simply need to stay connected to the One who already holds the plan.

🎧 Listen now and be encouraged to let Jesus lead your work, your calling, and your pace.

Bio:

Erin Harrigan equips high-achieving Christian women to stop striving in their own strength and start leading, working, and building with Jesus at the center. Through private and group coaching, speaking, podcasting, and writing, Erin empowers sisters in Christ to redefine hustle to navigate success with Jesus.

Erin hosts the award-winning podcast, Redefining Hustle: Navigating Success as a Christian Woman, and her books include:

Redefining Hustle: Navigating Success with Jesus

Pursuing Success God’s Way: A Practical Guide to Hustle with Heart (in print and audiobook)

The Redefining Hustle Journal: 90 Days To Define, Direct, Bring Discipline To, and Develop Your Business With God

We Lead: Building Connection, Community, and Collaboration for WOMEN IN BUSINESS, Volumes 1-3 (contributing author).

Erin loves the beach, tacos, singing along to Broadway show tunes, and living in Southern Maryland with her husband Brian and their Bernedoodle, Rory.

Anchor Verses:

John 15: 4-5

Psalm 127: 1-2

Connect with Erin:

Website: https://erinharrigan.com

IG: https://www.instagram.com/erindharrigan

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@erinharrigan?si=7dxgGJuUjdr2zHqJ

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinharrigan/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/share/1DjWXj5U8s/?mibextid=wwXIfr

***We love hearing from you! Your reviews help our podcast community and keep these important conversations going. If this episode inspired you, challenged you, or gave you a fresh perspective, we’d be so grateful if you’d take a moment to leave a review. Just head to Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen and share your thoughts—it’s a simple way to make a big impact!*** 

This week’s episode is a special reshare of one of the most impactful and frequently revisited conversations on the podcast. It was chosen by Alexis Kimble, a member of the Anchored by the Sword ministry team, because of how deeply it continues to resonate with listeners.

Some episodes stay with you long after you hear them. This is one of those.

In this powerful conversation, I sit down with Kimberly Haar, licensed professional counselor and author of Healing from Life’s Deepest Hurts: Reclaiming Your Life After Grief, Loss, or Trauma. Kimberly shares her personal story of surviving unimaginable trauma and the journey of healing that followed.

Her story is not just about survival—it’s about redemption, restoration, and the faithfulness of God in the darkest valleys.

One of the truths that rises to the surface throughout this conversation is this:

God never wastes our pain.

Through honest reflection and professional insight, Kimberly reminds us that healing is possible even after deep wounds. She shares how God met her in the midst of trauma, how faith played a role in her healing, and how others can begin walking their own path toward restoration.

It’s no surprise this episode is one that many listeners have returned to again and again.

If you’ve walked through grief, trauma, abuse, or loss, this conversation is a reminder that you are not alone—and that hope is still possible.

In This Episode, We Talk About

• Kimberly’s personal story of trauma and survival

• How God meets us in the darkest moments of life

• The process of healing after grief, abuse, and loss

• Why pain does not have to define your future

• Practical and faith-based encouragement for those walking through trauma

• Finding hope and restoration through Christ

No matter what you’ve walked through…

Your story is not over.

Your pain is not wasted.

And healing is possible.

Bio:

Kimberly Haar, LPC, LMFT, is a survivor of domestic violence, a licensed professional counselor, and a licensed marriage and family therapist with nearly two decades of experience helping others find healing and wholeness in life. She holds an MA in Marriage and Family Therapy from Southern Nazarene University and is a featured cohost on Oasis Radio Network. Kimberly's therapy practice is located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where she continues to inspire hope and strength in those facing life's challenges.

Anchor Verses:

Psalm 23

Psalm 34:18

Connect with Kim:

Website: https://kimberlyhaar.com

IG: https://www.instagram.com/kimberly.haar

FB: https://www.facebook.com/KimberlyJHaar/

***We love hearing from you! Your reviews help our podcast community and keep these important conversations going. If this episode inspired you, challenged you, or gave you a fresh perspective, we’d be so grateful if you’d take a moment to leave a review. Just head to Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen and share your thoughts—it’s a simple way to make a big impact!***

In this episode of Anchored by the Sword Podcast, I’m joined by Willow Weston, whose brand-new book Collide: Running Into Healing When Life Hands You Hurt released today, March 10. Willow shares her powerful story of how God met her in the middle of deep pain and completely transformed her life.

Growing up in a difficult environment with an alcoholic parent, Willow carried years of unspoken hurt and brokenness. By the time she reached college, the weight of those secrets had become overwhelming. But God had a different plan for her life—one that began with a “crazy Christian lady” named Cindy who simply invited Willow into her home, listened to her story, and introduced her to Jesus.

Through that relationship, Willow began asking deeper questions about faith, purpose, and healing. At 21 years old, she surrendered her life to Christ, and everything changed.

In this conversation, Willow shares how her personal healing journey led to the creation of Collide Ministries, which now serves thousands of women each year.

Together we talk about:

• Why avoiding pain actually causes more pain

• The difference between asking God for healing and participating in healing

• How unresolved hurt can impact our relationships, families, and even our physical health

• The importance of safe community and letting others carry our burdens

• Why you don’t have to have everything figured out before God can use your story

Willow reminds us of a powerful truth:

Jesus never avoided pain—He ran straight toward it.

And if you’ve been avoiding your own wounds, today might be the day God is inviting you to step toward healing.

If you’re feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure where to start, this episode is for you.

Your healing matters.

And you are worthy of it today.

Bio:

Willow Weston is an author, a speaker, a podcast host, and the founder of Collide, a ministry impacting women nationwide. With decades of experience, Willow brings passion and truth, sharing her own journey of pain to inspire others to invite Jesus into their brokenness so they, too, can experience healing. Willow leads conferences that empower, heal, and transform women. She has authored several Bible studies, including The Birds and the Lilies; Personal and Powerful; Go Ahead; Yes, You; and Collide and Converse.

Willow loves telling stories and inviting others to share theirs. She's a spelling bee champ but loses miserably in Trivial Pursuit. She can throw a mean dinner party but is a criminal at the local library. She has a hippie name and once lived on a school bus as a kid. Willow frequents coffee shops more than she'd like to admit and sits across from hurting people in the hope that they will find help for their pain. She uses china on Wednesdays and loves making the ordinary feel extraordinary. Willow battles insecurity and old wounds every day, just like you probably do too.

She collided with Jesus in college, and He became her direction, her healer, her hope, and her rescuer. Jesus met her in her brokenness and has used her there too. She's been married for more than 30 years and has two kids who teach her more about God and life than she could ever teach them. Willow is as real as you get, obsessed with hosting parties, coffee, the beach, and a good, good story.

Anchor Verse:

Deuteronomy 30:3

Connect with Willow:

Website: https://www.willowweston.com

Ministry Website: https://wecollide.net

IG: https://www.instagram.com/willowanneweston

***We love hearing from you! Your reviews help our podcast community and keep these important conversations going. If this episode inspired you, challenged you, or gave you a fresh perspective, we’d be so grateful if you’d take a moment to leave a review. Just head to Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen and share your thoughts—it’s a simple way to make a big impact!*** 

Today’s episode is a reshare from the Anchored by the Sword Podcast archives, and it was chosen by one of our amazing team members, Lacy Velton, as one of her favorite episodes.

And once you hear Grace’s story… you’ll understand why.

In this powerful conversation, I sit down with Grace Wabuke Klein, whose life story is one of courage, faith, forgiveness, and trusting God through every season.

Grace was born in Uganda during the brutal dictatorship of Idi Amin. Her father was a professor and Christian leader, which meant their family was in serious danger as educated Christians were being targeted and killed. Through prayer, wisdom, and what can only be described as God’s intervention, her family escaped across the border into Kenya and eventually made their way to Duluth, Minnesota.

Grace shares how her parents prayed Psalm 91 daily, trusting God for protection and deliverance during an incredibly dangerous time.

From escaping political persecution… to navigating racism as the only Black student in her classroom… to learning forgiveness from the example of her parents… Grace’s story is one of choosing faith over bitterness.

We also talk about her journey into full-time ministry, where she served on church staff for 16 years before partnering with her husband in ministry that helps churches across the country.

One of the most powerful parts of our conversation is Grace’s story of waiting on God for marriage. She didn’t get married until she was 42 years old, choosing to trust God’s timing instead of settling. After decades of prayer, God brought her husband Phil into her life in a way she never expected.

Through that journey, the Lord asked her a question that changed everything:

“Do you want a faith that is two years deep… or two decades deep?”

Grace’s book walks through life in four seasons — Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer, helping readers understand that every season of life has purpose, growth, and lessons that God uses to shape us.

If you’re in a season of waiting, healing, uncertainty, or hope… this conversation will encourage your heart.

Because the truth is:

God sees you.

He hasn’t forgotten you.

And the chapter you’re in right now is not the end of your story.

Bio:

Grace Wabuke Klein and her husband Phil lead focus412, a ministry that helps churches grow. Through this ministry, they have worked with some of the largest and most influential churches across the country. Grace was born in Uganda during the tyrannical reign of Idi Amin, and her family fled to the United States and settled in Minnesota. Grace has a bachelor’s degree in U.S. History from the University of California, Berkeley, and earned a Master’s in Intercultural Studies from Fuller Theological Seminary. She was on the pastoral leadership team at Faith Church in West Covina, California.

For more than 15 years, she had the honor of empowering thousands in their leadership and spiritual growth. Grace and her husband have been married for over five years and reside in Birmingham, Alabama.

Anchor Verses:

James 4:8

Philippians 4:13

Amos 9:13-14

Connect with Grace:

Website: https://www.gracewabukeklein.com

IG: https://instagram.com/gracewabukeklein

***We love hearing from you! Your reviews help our podcast community and keep these important conversations going. If this episode inspired you, challenged you, or gave you a fresh perspective, we’d be so grateful if you’d take a moment to leave a review. Just head to Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen and share your thoughts—it’s a simple way to make a big impact!***