This week on the Anchored by the Sword Podcast, I’m joined by Maddie Joy Fischer, whose brand new devotional Rest & Rely: A 60-Day Devotional to Replace Fear, Anxiety, and Worry with God’s Truth releases this Tuesday—and truly, the timing could not be more perfect.

As the holiday season approaches, fear, anxiety, grief, and pressure have a way of rising to the surface. Maddie courageously shares her personal journey with anxiety, insecurity, control, and fear—including her struggle with health anxiety and a lifelong fear of flying—and how God gently led her into a deeper place of surrender, rest, and reliance on Him.

We talk about what it looks like to stop striving in our own strength and learn to live first as daughters, not employees of God. Maddie beautifully unpacks how rest and reliance work together, how healing is often a process, and how God uses even our turbulence to teach us who He truly is.

This conversation is full of truth, tenderness, and hope for anyone who feels overwhelmed, exhausted, anxious, or afraid.

✨ Highlighted Takeaways

• Fear grows when we unknowingly “feed it,” but freedom begins when we starve it with truth.
• Rest isn’t just slowing down—it’s learning to receive God’s grace in the middle of life’s chaos.
• Relying on God means fully casting, not casting and carrying.
• Healing doesn’t always happen instantly—sometimes God teaches us who He is in the process.
• We serve best when we first learn how to simply be daughters at His feet.

This episode is an invitation to lay down striving, pick up surrender, and rediscover the peace that only comes from truly resting and relying on the Lord.

Bio: 

Maddie Joy Fischer is a 26 year old writer, speaker, and worship leader in St.Louis, MO. She is a wife, the oldest of five siblings, and a born and raised Pastor’s kid. She is also an ambassador (writer) for Live Original, Sadie Roberson’s ministry. Maddie’s passion is to point people to Jesus through living a life of surrender. For 10 years, she has shared this passion on her social media platforms with a desire to see people grow in knowledge of God's word, boldness to proclaim it, and love for the One who it’s all about. She continues to take every opportunity she is given to live out the calling God has prepared for her life as He has continues to grow her ministry every step of the way. 

Anchor Verses:

Psalm 23

Psalm 34:8

Proverbs 3:5-6

Connect with Maddie Joy:

Website: https://www.maddieejoy.com

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

FB: https://www.facebook.com/share/1ABZsv6rrC/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Maddie’s new devotional, Rest & Rely, releases this Tuesday and is available for preorder now. https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/9781540904010_rest-rely?fbclid=PAVERFWAOVf-5leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZA8xMjQwMjQ1NzQyODc0MTQAAafd-lBETrsmzz4LsKDZ-5qXbT6P95ZP6ryDEmfbYIv2xAJIpAeoFqMks98T9A_aem_IyZGOiS6yxGiohsAiBHLtA

Be sure to grab a copy for yourself—or someone who needs encouragement this season.

***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 guys, welcome to this episode of the Anchored by the Sword Podcast! I am SO excited for you to hear this conversation because today I’m joined by the amazing Amanda Hope Haley — author of Stones Still Speak and a brilliant biblical archaeologist who is passionate about helping believers truly understand Scripture.

Amanda and I had already been talking for so long offline that we finally said, “Okay… we need to hit record!” And I’m so glad we did. Her story is layered with faith, curiosity, academic depth, humor, and a whole lot of God’s perfectly timed direction.

🔍 In This Episode, Amanda Shares:

• How biblical archaeology can illuminate stories we thought we knew.

• The moment in graduate school when she realized something she’d believed her whole life wasn’t actually in Scripture — and how that experience shaped her calling.

• Why Christians shouldn’t fear questions… because God isn’t scared of them either.

• The danger of headlines, misinformation, and “clickbait Christianity” — and how we can anchor ourselves in truth.

• How her infertility journey and her time at Thomas Nelson unexpectedly opened the door to publishing.

• What it looks like to come home again as an adult… and how God continues to weave purpose into every season.

• The importance of slowing down, reading Scripture for ourselves, and not letting society’s pace replace depth with convenience.

• Her life-giving marriage story and the beautiful way Song of Solomon has anchored her and her husband through deep valleys and big moves.

⭐ Episode Highlights:

• “Don’t be afraid of hard questions — let them push you deeper into Scripture.”

• “Archaeology doesn’t exist to prove the Bible; it helps us contextualize it.”

• “Tradition is powerful… but tradition isn’t Scripture. Go back to the text.”

• “When the world moves fast, Christians have to choose to be countercultural in the way we pursue God.”

From Tennessee to Harvard to publishing… from infertility and healing to discovering where tradition hasn’t always matched Scripture… Amanda’s journey is powerful, eye-opening, and incredibly grounding.

Bio:

As the “Red-Haired Archaeologist”, Amanda Hope Haley teaches readers how archaeological discoveries illuminate the ancient world—both the people and places of the Bible--in new ways. When we first encounter the Bible, we are taught its stories--Adam and Eve, Moses and the Red Sea, David and Goliath, Jonah and the whale, and more. But when a story lacks the details we crave, we fill in the blanks--with what we've seen in movies, read in books, and been told by our Sunday school teachers. But there's a better way to encounter the whole story of Scripture: uncovering and understanding the ancient world and the people who experienced biblical events. 

With an MTS in Hebrew Scripture and Interpretation from Harvard, Amanda Hope Haley is a lover of the Bible--its God, words, people, and history. Writing and speaking as the Red-Haired Archaeologist, she teaches how artifacts contextualize Scripture. She hopes to see Bible lovers work together to learn history, interpret Scripture, and apply God's Word to their lives. She contributed to The Voice Bible as a translator, writer, and editor, and she has been a collaborator for popular Christian authors.  

Anchor Verses:

Song of Solomon/Songs 6:3

Connect with Amanda:

Website: https://redhairedarchaeologist.com

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

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

Grab a free chapter and learn more at StonesStillSpeak.com.

***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, welcome back to another episode of Anchored by the Sword Podcast! Today’s conversation is extra special because I’m recording in person with my friend, Destiny Tackett. Funny enough, Destiny and I met the way all great friendships begin… through a coffee shop that I’m basically a permanent resident of. They know my order so well that if I dare switch it up, the whole place goes into shock — but here we are.

Destiny is 24, a ministry graduate, a barista, and a young woman who carries the kind of story that reminds you just how faithful God is — even in the moments when life is loud, chaotic, and full of pain. She grew up in a very difficult home environment: seven siblings, a father who has been in prison her whole life, abuse from a step-parent, and years of coping with the only tools brokenness gives you. Her story is heavy, but it’s also overflowing with God’s redemption.

In this episode, Destiny shares how Jesus tugged on her heart at the end of high school — even while she was still partying, smoking weed, and trying to numb everything she’d lived through. She applied for ministry school while still feeling completely unqualified, yet God kept drawing her closer. College became the place where the Lord peeled back layers, exposed wounds that needed tending, and surrounded her with pastors, mentors, and friends who helped her walk into real freedom.

Destiny talks honestly about:

• Growing up in trauma and learning to name the pain

• Coping through food, alcohol, weed, and porn — and how Jesus met her right there

• Being willing to heal privately and publicly

• Becoming a light in a family full of sorrow and cycles

• Learning what it means to be God’s daughter

• Being an ambassador of hope in everyday conversations

• Wrestling through real-time grief as our world feels heavier by the day

We also talk about the events in our world recently — the violence, the tragedies, the overwhelming grief that many of us have felt so deeply. Destiny shares how the Lord has taught her to hold hope and grief together, and how remembering that we fight a real enemy actually anchors her heart in truth.

She reminds us that Jesus has overcome, He is still reigning, and He is near to the brokenhearted even when our emotions try to tell us otherwise.

This episode is such an encouragement for anyone who’s walking through heaviness — personal or global. Destiny’s story is a reminder that the gospel is not just a past event. It is active, alive, and holding us up in real time.

Be sure to share this episode with someone who needs hope today.

Bio:

Destiny Tackett is a young Christian in her twenties who is learning to walk out ministry and discipleship in the rhythms of everyday life. With a heart marked by vulnerability, Destiny is committed to embracing healing from past traumas and sorrows while inviting others to experience God’s nearness in their own stories.

Through her journey, Destiny has discovered a profound truth: the Lord has been present in every step, even in the moments when His hand felt hidden. Her life reflects a growing trust in a God who is unfailingly good, deeply loving, and righteous in all His ways. Destiny’s hope is to point others toward that same faithful God as she continues to grow, serve, and walk in obedience to His call.

Anchor Verses:

John 16:33

2 Corinthians 5:16–20 

Philippians 1:6

Connect with Destiny:

FB: https://www.facebook.com/share/1D1pZzGdVy/?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!*** 

Hey friends, welcome back to this episode of Anchored by the Sword Podcast. Today I’m sitting down with the incredible Rev. Beth Caulfield — pastor, filmmaker, screenwriter, and woman of God whose testimony is straight-up wild in the best way.

Beth has a beautiful new project coming out called “Conceivable,” a faith-based film that tells the real and raw story of her late-in-life pregnancy, her wrestling, the surprising emotions that surfaced, and the spiritual battles she faced both medically and within the church.

This movie was born out of Beth’s own journey — one filled with ministry, motherhood, seminary, shock, surrender, and the unmistakable leading of the Holy Spirit. Today we talk about the making of the film, what it was like to return to screenwriting later in life, and how God is using her story to spark conversations about faith, life, and calling in a complicated world.

Beth shares about:

• God’s unexpected adventures

• Writing a screenplay in her 50s

• Taking a faith-based film project onto a secular college campus

• Raising her family while raising ministries

• Her daughter’s surprise role in the film

• Her heart to help others step into Christian filmmaking

• How God uses every season — even the ones we didn’t choose

This conversation is honest, tender, surprising, and full of hope. I can’t wait for you to hear it.

Listen in and be encouraged — God is not done writing your story.

Bio:

Rev. Beth Caulfield is the writer, co-director and producer of the new film and movement: Conceivable. The movie is about a minister in midlife that has an unplanned pregnancy. The movement is about building community around compassionate conversation and saving lives. Conceivable reimagines the traditional streaming experience utilizing new generation technology. Offered more than a traditional streaming experience, viewers can watch exclusive PVOD events, join live meet-and-greets with directors, actors, and specialists, take part in discussions, and directly connect with filmmakers to host local screenings. More than just an audience, participants can also earn by sharing, promoting, or organizing screenings—transforming engagement into tangible reward and social connection. 

Beth is an ordained Elder in the Global Methodist Church. She is a pastor, author, screenwriter, director, producer, actress and audio narrator. She is appointed by the GMC to a ministry of cinematic arts leadership and works ecumenically with people of faith worldwide to bring faith-based stories to the big screen. 

She brings over twenty years of ministry experience, including pastoring local churches, denominational administration, prison ministry and Bible study leadership internationally. 

Her BA from UPENN’s Annenberg School of Communications, MDIV from Drew Theological School and Fortune 50 corporate background also inform her filmmaking ministry. She follows God’s call to creating faith-based films understanding that movies profoundly influence people and culture.

Her first full-length feature film, Conceivable, premiered at the prestigious Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival and is soon to be released to theaters and all digital platforms world-wide. 

She lives in New Jersey where she and her husband Tom have raised their three children.

Anchor Verses:

Zechariah 4:6

John 10:10

Connect with Beth:

Website: https://www.conceivablethemovie.com/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/bethcaulfield710

FB: https://www.facebook.com/share/17UgdvXPdb/?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 on the Anchored by the Sword Podcast, I’m thrilled to welcome my friend Alexandra Hoover, author of the brand-new book You Can Let Go: Make Peace with Your Past, Break Free from Offense, and Move Forward with God, released in October.

Alex and I dive deep into her powerful story — from a childhood marked by trauma and instability to an encounter with Jesus at age 18 that completely changed the trajectory of her life. Today, she is a wife, mom of three, author, teacher, and a woman passionate about helping others walk in healing, identity, and freedom.

Her book cuts to the heart of something every single one of us wrestles with: offense, the ways it shapes us, hides in us, and tries to lead our lives until we finally let God address the roots.

This conversation is rich, honest, layered, and so needed — especially for women who are tired of carrying wounds they never asked for and stories they didn’t choose.

🌟 Episode Highlights:

• “Offense became a friend before I knew it.”
Alex shares how early pain, betrayal, and instability taught her to pick up offense long before she even knew the word for it.

• Offense is more than a feeling — it's a lens.She explains how offense can quietly become a copilot, shaping how we see ourselves, others, and even God.

• Healing is different from equipping.You Can Let Go isn’t just about what hurt us in the past — it’s about learning to walk equipped for the hurt that will come in the future.

• Offense leads to deeper struggles.Rejection, insecurity, jealousy, anger, and a critical spirit are often fruit of the deeper root of offense.

• The first step: admit the hurt.Alex talks about how naming the pain with God is the doorway to freedom.

• Boundaries vs. walls.
She breaks down how walls keep everyone out (even the good), but boundaries protect what is good and keep us operating in wisdom and freedom.

• Letting go even when closure never comes.
Alex shares the reality that she hasn’t gotten the fairy-tale closure with her parents — but she has gotten it with God.

• Practical signs we are picking offense back up.
Replay loops, insecurity, shifting into judgment, or needing to “position ourselves” are all red flags.

• Identity and letting go, go hand-in-hand.
The more secure we are in Christ, the less power others’ reactions, assumptions, or misunderstandings have over us.

❤️ Final Encouragement

“Jesus is still writing your story. Even in the confusing, disorienting places, He’s piecing things together in ways you can’t yet see. Nothing is wasted. Nothing is too hard for Him to redeem.”

Bio:

Alexandra Hoover is an accomplished and best-selling author, ministry leader, sought-after national speaker, and Bible teacher whose diverse roles showcase her unique blend of gifts and experiences. With a passion for inspiring others through her writing and teaching, she brings a profound depth of insight and compassion to her work. Alexandra's commitment to faith and her dynamic leadership make her a guiding light for those seeking spiritual growth and understanding.

She’s enrolled in Northern Seminary, pursuing her Master of Arts in Women and Theology. She’s a passionate teacher & preacher whose words spur people on to hope, healing, and mission. 

She has the privilege of serving on staff at her local Church in Charleston, SC, and spends her days loving on her family and stewarding the gifts placed before her.

Anchor Verses:

Psalm 38

Matthew 17, 18

Connect with Alexandra

Website: https://www.alexandravhoover.com

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

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

***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 on the Anchored by the Sword Podcast, I’m joined by Pamela Good, author of He Never Let Go. Pamela’s story is one of deep brokenness, redemption, and hope — a powerful reminder that even in our darkest moments, God never lets go of our hand.

Once a fitness instructor and small business owner, Pamela’s life took many unexpected turns — from working in a maximum-security prison to returning to school at age 50. But it was through deep personal pain, family struggles, and years of healing that she learned what it truly means to live in the light of God’s love.

💬 Highlights from our conversation:

• Growing up in a home marked by mental illness and rejection — and how God planted seeds of faith early on.

• The moment Pamela hit rock bottom and heard God say, “Get up — I’ll show you the life you were meant to live.”

• How writing He Never Let Go brought healing, restoration, and forgiveness within her family.

• Learning to walk in true freedom and identity as a child of God.

• Encouragement for moms to face their own wounds so they don’t pass them to the next generation.

Pamela reminds us that healing doesn’t come quickly or easily, but when we surrender our pain to God, He writes beauty into every chapter of our story.

Bio:
Pamela Waggoner Good is on a mission to help others overcome Satan's strongholds, self-rejection, and feelings of unworthiness.  She shows how faith in Jesus is stronger than those strongholds! 

From a young age, Pamela faced unimaginable challenges, enduring a childhood marked by neglect, rejection, and emotional pain.  Yet, amidst the darkness, a glimmer of hope emerged - a relationship with Jesus Christ.

As Pamela shares her story of resilience and redemption, she vividly recounts the harrowing moments that shaped her early years, painting a raw and honest portrait of the impact of emotional trauma and a way to heal and move forward.

Anchor Verses:

Psalms 23

Philippians 4:13 

John 10:10 

2 Timothy 1:7 

Joshua 1:9 

Connect with Pamela:

Website: http://pamelawaggonergood.com/

Book link: https://a.co/d/iDRYa3n

***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 on the Anchored by the Sword Podcast, I’m joined by Brittany Tinsley, author of Stories Our Scars Tell: Hope, Healing, and Honesty About the Wounds We Carry.

Brittany opens up about her journey through pain, faith, and healing — and how God transformed her deepest wounds into a message of redemption. From navigating mental health challenges to finding her identity in Christ, this conversation is real, raw, and full of hope.

💬 Highlights from our conversation:

• How Brittany found hope and healing after walking through self-harm and rejection.

• The importance of honesty and vulnerability in both faith and healing.

• What the Church is learning about mental health — and how we can do better.

• Why our scars can become powerful testimonies of God’s grace.

• The story behind Stories Our Scars Tell and how God led her to write it.

If you’ve ever felt unseen, misunderstood, or wondered how your story could possibly be used for good — this episode will remind you that God redeems every wound and writes beauty into every scar.

📖 Stories Our Scars Tell is available wherever books are sold.

Bio:

Brittany Tinsley is a writer and speaker whose work explores the intersection of faith and mental health. Through honest, heartfelt storytelling, she invites others to find the hope baked into their own lives. Brittany is a contributing author of the Oxford Handbook of Non-Suicidal Self-Injury and has written for HuffPost, (in)courage, and To Write Love on Her Arms. Brittany lives in Texas with her husband and their two daughters. 

Anchor Verses:

Isaiah 59:1

1 Corinthians 15:58

Connect with Brittany:

Website: brittanytinsley.com.

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

***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 on the Anchored by the Sword Podcast, I sit down with Heather O’Brien — prophetic healing coach, minister, author, and speaker — to talk about her powerful journey of healing and freedom. Heather is the author of No Fear Allowed, a book that helps readers get free and stay free by identifying fear at its roots and learning how to walk in lasting wholeness with God.

Heather shares her story of transformation — from working as an accountant and walking through depression, emotional trauma, and fear, to learning how to hear God’s voice and helping others do the same. Through her healing journey, she experienced both physical and spiritual weight loss — shedding 100 pounds in her body and even more of the emotional and spiritual heaviness she was never meant to carry.

In this conversation, we talk about:

• How fear hides in layers and often looks like something else — anxiety, control, or shame.
• Learning to forgive “from the heart” and the difference between saying you’ve forgiven and actually being healed.
• Why hearing God’s voice changes everything.
• What it means to love yourself as God loves you and see your body as His temple.
• How to face emotional trauma with Jesus and let Him rewrite your story from the inside out.

Heather reminds us that healing is a journey — not a destination — and that God meets us with mercy every single day. You’ll walk away from this episode encouraged to let go of fear, embrace your identity in Christ, and believe that no matter what you’ve walked through, you can be free.

You can find Heather’s book No Fear Allowed on Amazon or at heatherobrien.net and listen to her podcast Heal with Heather O’Brien wherever you get your podcasts.

💬 Episode Quote:

“Healing isn’t about perfection — it’s about partnership. God doesn’t just want to fix your pain; He wants to walk with you through it.” — Heather O’Brien

⚓️ Encouragement:

No matter what your story looks like, you’re never too far gone for God to redeem it. Freedom starts with one brave “yes.” So, take that next step — forgive, surrender, and let His love make you whole.

Bio:

Heather O’Brien is a prophetic healing coach, minister, author, and speaker. She helps Christians heal with God by hearing God's voice. She is the host of a top 2.5% globally ranked podcast, Heal with God. She believes with God's help, you can forgive the unforgivable & heal from trauma.

Anchor Verses:

Connect with Heather:

Website: https://heatherobrien.net

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

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

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

***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 on the Anchored by the Sword Podcast, I’m joined by Oghosa Iyamu, author of Forever Welcomed: A Study of God’s Impartial Love for All.

Oghosa’s story is such a beautiful reminder that God sees us, knows us, and welcomes us — no matter where we come from. She shares about growing up in low-income housing, living through seasons of hardship, and how she encountered God’s miraculous and impartial love after college.

Through her journey with dyslexia and the belief that she “couldn’t do it,” Oghosa discovered how God uses our weaknesses as the very place where His strength shines brightest. What began as a study on James 2 in her local church became a powerful call to the Church today — to live out God’s impartial love in a culture obsessed with status, influence, and comparison.

We talk about:

• What it means to be forever welcomed by a God who sees us and calls us by name.

• How impartial love doesn’t ignore truth — it transforms how we live it out.

• Why the Church risks losing its greatest witness when we show favoritism.

• The freedom that comes when we stop viewing our weaknesses as disqualifications and start seeing them as divine invitations.

• How Jesus flipped cultural norms upside down and revealed God’s heart for all people — especially women who felt unseen or unworthy.

Oghosa reminds us that God’s love is both just and merciful — a love that welcomes us into His presence and calls us to extend that same welcome to others.

💬 Episode Quote:

“God’s impartial love not only welcomes us — it changes how we see ourselves and how we see others.” — Oghosa Iyamu

⚓️ Closing Reflection:

No matter your background, your struggles, or your story, you are seen. You are known. You are forever welcomed by the One who calls you by name and never stops pursuing your heart. 💙

Bio:

Oghosa Iyamu, the daughter of Nigerian parents, is a Bible teacher, speaker, and content creator passionate about sharing the life and mission of Jesus Christ. In addition to over twelve years in full-time ministry, Oghosa has studied at Dallas Theological Seminary, later graduating from Southwestern Theological Seminary, where she earned her Master of Divinity degree. She has written for YouVersion, She Reads Truth, Lifeway, Radical (a ministry by David Platt), Lies Young Women Believe, and many other platforms. Oghosa resides in Atlanta, GA.

Anchor Verses:

Psalm 23:6

1 Corinthians 1:27

Romans 8: 35-39

Connect with Ochoa:

Website: https://oghosaiyamu.com/

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

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/OghosaIyamu

***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 on Anchored by the Sword, I sit down with Dawn Cazedessus, the inspiring author of Trailer Park CEO. From growing up in poverty and pain to leading in corporate America, Dawn’s story is a powerful reminder that where you start doesn’t determine where God will take you.

Dawn shares how she went from her humble beginnings in a Louisiana trailer park to becoming a CEO, regional director, and author—using every hardship as a “stone” that helped her step into her God-given calling. Her book, Trailer Park CEO, teaches practical and biblical principles for leadership, growth, and endurance.

We talk about:

• How God’s hand protected and guided Dawn even when she didn’t realize it.
• The power of picking up “stones” of faith and wisdom through life’s challenges.
• What true biblical leadership looks like—and how influence starts long before a title.
• Why accountability, sabbath rest, and generosity are vital for sustainable growth.
• How to start writing the vision and running the race God has called you to with endurance (Hebrews 12:1).

Dawn’s life and message are living proof that no matter where you begin, God can use every piece of your story for His glory.

🙌 Episode Quote:

“Even if you’re going through a failing moment, that doesn’t make you a failure. God is still writing your story.” —Dawn Cazedessus

⚓️ Closing Thought:

No matter what your “trailer park” season looks like, God is able to transform it into a story of redemption, influence, and purpose. Let this episode remind you that you are never too far gone, and it’s never too late for God to do something new.

Let’s stay anchored together, friends — and here’s to another story of God’s transforming power!

Bio:

Dawn Cazedessus is a God-made entrepreneur, businesswoman, and international speaker. After building a successful coffee shop franchise in Louisiana, she found a passion in real estate. As regional director of Keller Williams Realty International’s top performing Southeast Region, she oversees seventeen thousand realtors and speaks and coaches around the world. In her spare time, Dawn runs ultramarathons. She resides in Atlanta with her husband. 

Anchor Verse:

Hebrews 12:1

Connect with Dawn:

Website: https://trailerparkceobook.com 

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

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

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawn-cazedessus-3048a9126/

***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!***