Dear Daughters

This week I am sooooo excited to spotlight Brandy Barr's incredible story on the Dear Daughters Podcast. She found the way to extend ongoing forgiveness and grace after her husband's infidelity. I am honored for her to share her hard yet hopeful story with you.

Brandy is a spiritual mama. Here are a few things you should know about Brandy:

• She was born and raised in Tyler, Texas, and moved to Austin in 1993 after she married her high school sweetheart.
• After 7 years of marriage, she discovered that her husband cheated on her. After counseling and another betrayal, they divorced.
• She is the mother of two boys, Taylor (21) and Jackson (16).

. Then something happened that surprised even Brandy. God prompted Brandy to get to know the woman her husband remarried. Here are a few of the incredible things that followed:

• Brandy invited the woman and her daughter to church.
• Brandy baptized the daughter.
• The women asked Brandy for forgiveness … and she was able to extend grace.
• She accepted Christ and Brandy baptized her.
• They all have Sunday dinners together.

The verse she went back to over and over is Matthew 6:33. So that's what she tried to do every day.

Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Brandy says that's how God makes it good and he had not forsaken her. I pray that you seek God first. I pray that you can forgive when it feels impossible. And I pray that you listen to the Holy Spirit so He can help you live your one beautiful life.

• Registration is open for the Worry-Free Workshop – you're invited!
• Become a Newsletter Friend to get a weekly-ish dose of encouragement and stay in touch.
• Follow me on Instagram.
• Visit Brandy's website.
• Learn more about Young Life and support your local area.
• Learn about the Young Life camp in Texas, Lone Hollow Ranch.
• Learn more about other ACF Ministry Partners here.
• Listen to more of Sara Davis Regan's music. :)
• Join us Sundays online at my home church, Austin Christian Fellowship.

Anxiety can make you feel all alone. Like you're the only one. But you're not. You are not alone. I had the privilege of meeting some of the loveliest, bravest women at my workshop last month and I want to spotlight some of the important things we uncovered together.

Here are a few of the things to know…

1. You can be free.
2. You are not alone.
3. There is joy on the other side of anxiety.
4. Listen closely to the hope you hear from God.
5. Finding peace and freedom isn't one size fits all.

I pray that you can find joy and freedom and peace … it's not one size fits all, so my prayer is that you discover the steps you need to take, however big or small, so that you can love and live your one beautiful life.

• Become a Newsletter Friend to get a weekly-ish dose of encouragement … and find out about the next workshop.
• Follow me on Instagram.
• Support and learn more about Apartment Life.
• Learn more about other ACF Ministry Partners here.
• Listen to more of Sara Davis Regan's music. :)
• Join us Sundays online at my home church, Austin Christian Fellowship.

Welcome to the Dear Daughters Podcast: Round Top Round Table edition! My daughters Sara and Emily are here with me to inspire you to all kinds of creativity! And we're also here to let you in on all our secrets to make the most of the Round Top Antiques Fair.

Emily revealed that she feels like the best version of herself at Round Top (and loves the kettle corn). Sara loves staying in Round Top because she gets to flex a different creative muscle and be imaginative there. I love how freeing Round Top feels. It's a whole beautiful experience! We hope you get to experience that feeling someday, too, in your creative mecca – wherever it may be.

• Check out more about the Round Top Antiques Fair.
• Visit Rachel Ashwell's Shabby Chic website.
• Check out the Vintage Round Top.
• Become a Newsletter Friend to get a weekly-ish dose of encouragement … and stay up to date on all the fun things.
• Visit Emily's beautiful site. :)
• Support and learn more about Apartment Life.
• Learn more about other ACF Ministry Partners here.
• Follow me on Instagram.
• Listen to more of Sara Davis Regan's music. :)
• Join us Sundays online at my home church, Austin Christian Fellowship.

For even more details, visit my site here.

Welcome to my first Spotlight Mentor Session. If you're on the lookout for a mentor, it's an opportunity for you to hear what it would be like to have a mentor sit down with you and ask questions about your life. If you're curious about being a mentor, it's a chance for you to hear how easy and natural it is to create space for a younger woman to reflect on her life.

I'm thrilled for you to meet Jaclyn. She's 19 years old. She goes to the University of Texas. She loves Jesus. And she has a lot of questions about life and loves the opportunity to sit with someone a little older and wiser to talk to about all the things. I think a lot of us wish for that, too.

Let's start with who a mentor is…

• Someone a couple steps ahead of you.
• Someone who is curious about your life.
• Someone willing to listen and ask the right questions.
• Someone who wants to be with you in the good as well as the messy parts of your life.

This week we're drinking coffee and talking through a few of Jaclyn's questions:

• What does it look like to live with joy?
• How do I handle confrontation with love?
• How do I handle my anxiety in a healthy way?
• What does it look like to be light in dark situations?
• How do I protect myself but still stay tender-hearted?

I hope that you have someone a little older and wiser in your life. And I hope that you find practical ways to live with joy and peace, even in the midst of difficult circumstances.

• Become a Newsletter Friend to get a weekly-ish dose of encouragement … and stay up to date on all the fun things.
• Get a copy of my book Unafraid.
• Read The Body Keeps Score.
• Support and learn more about Apartment Life.
• Learn more about other ACF Ministry Partners here.
• Follow me on Instagram.
• Listen to more of Sara Davis Regan's music.
• Join us Sundays online at my home church, Austin Christian Fellowship.

Raise your hand if your kids are teaching you things about yourself that you didn't know you needed to know.

Thanks for listening in to the Dear Daughters Podcast! I'm so glad you're here for the Spotlight Series. This week, let me introduce you to my new friend, Sarah Bragg.

Sarah Bragg is a mom, a horsewoman, an author, and an encourager.

• She just moved from Atlanta back to Tennessee, where she grew up.
• Sarah has been married to her husband Scott for 16 years. They have two daughters in middle school, Rory and Sinclair, and a hound dog named Murray.
• She wrote a new book called A Mother's Guide to Raising Herself and hosts a podcast, Surviving Sarah, to encourage women to grow and become their most authentic selves … and equip them to do more than just survive life.

Join me and Sarah as we talk about what we can learn as we parent … not just about how to be a better parent but also about how to become our most authentic selves. We talk about the importance of being kind to ourselves and we talk about how to breathe and take a step back when we get overwhelmed.

I hope that you find this conversation encouraging and helpful to living as your most authentic self whether you are a mother or not. My prayer is that you can learn about who you are and love who God made you to be.

• Visit Sarah's website and follow her on Instagram.
• Listen to Sarah's podcast, Surviving Sarah.
• Get a copy of A Mother's Guide to Raising Herself: What Parenting Taught Me About Life, Faith, and Myself.
• Become a Newsletter Friend to get a weekly-ish dose of encouragement.
• Get a copy of my book Unafraid.
• Support and learn more about Apartment Life.
• Learn more about other ACF Ministry Partners here.
• Follow me on Instagram.
• Listen to more of Sara Davis Regan's music.
• Join us Sundays online at my home church, Austin Christian Fellowship.

How do you find freedom from your fears…and stay free? What things can you do to help you manage anxiety? And how do you best love someone who struggles with fear and anxiety?

These are the questions you asked and I'm here to answer them!

Thanks for listening in to the Dear Daughters Podcast! I'm so glad you're here. Especially because we are starting a Spotlight Series this September. To start things off we're highlighting YOU and will answer all sorts of questions that you are wondering.

We're continuing to field your questions related to various topics this season. This week we are continuing to talk about fear, worry, and anxiety. If you missed the first part of this episode, be sure to go back and listen here.

These are a few things we talk about this week:

• How trauma and anxiety in your mind connects to trauma and anxiety in your body.
• How a creative outlet or hobby can help you handle fear.
• How to walk in freedom from your fears and anxiety.
• How to love someone who struggles with fear and anxiety.

I hope that the things I have learned can help you overcome your fear and anxious thoughts and I hope that you ask God to help you when you are fearful or anxious. I continue to pray that you laugh without fear of the future … and I hope that you pray this prayer for fear-ers in your life, too.

• Listen to part 1 of How to Handle Fear & Anxiety.
• Register for the Creative Courage Workshop!
• Become a Newsletter Friend to get a weekly-ish dose of encouragement … and fun things like the Proverbs 31:25 phone wallpaper AND the 7 Everyday Prayers PDF.
• Get a copy of my book Unafraid.
• Read The Body Keeps Score.
• Read The Texas Monthly article here.
• Support and learn more about Apartment Life.
• Learn more about other ACF Ministry Partners here.
• Follow me on Instagram.
• Listen to more of Sara Davis Regan's music.
• Join us Sundays online at my home church, Austin Christian Fellowship.

How do you give your worries and fears to God … and not pick them back up again? When you feel worry or fear, what can you pray? What are the signs that you are over-worrying and not just planning?

These are the questions you asked and I'm here to answer them!

Thanks for listening in to the Dear Daughters Podcast! I'm so glad you're here. Especially because we are starting a Spotlight Series this September. To kick off the series we are highlighting YOU and will answer all sorts of questions that you are wondering.

I'm here with sweet Tori Dear, who I asked to take care of Madeline the Cat and within three hours of meeting her – I asked her to join the Susie Davis Ministry team.

She will be fielding your questions related to various topics this season. And this week (AND next week!) we are talking about fear, worry, and anxiety. Because we're not meant to be bossed by worry.

Listen in as Tori relays your questions like the ones below. I hope that the things I have learned can help you overcome your fear and anxious thoughts.

• How did you overcome anxiety and fear?
• How do you give your worries and fears to God … and not pick them back up again?
• What words have you used with your kids to talk about fear and anxiety?
• How do you find healthy people you can reach out to for support?
• When you feel worry or fear, what can you pray?
• What are the signs that you are over-worrying and not just planning?

Ask God to help you when you are fearful or anxious. I pray that you invite the Spirit to overwhelm your heart and mind with peace. I pray that you are able to leave your anxieties with God and that you are able to shift your focus from the "what if" and "oh no" to all the wonder in life. I pray that you laugh without fear of the future.

• Register for the Creative Courage Workshop!
• Become a Newsletter Friend to get a weekly-ish dose of encouragement … and both the Proverbs 31:25 phone wallpaper AND the 7 Everyday Prayers PDF.
• Get a copy of my book Unafraid.
• Support and learn more about Community First! Village here.
• Learn more about other ACF Ministry Partners here.
• Get more info about the Community First! Pop-Up Art Show at ACF!
• Listen to DD Podcast Episode with Alan Graham.
• Follow me on Instagram.
• Listen to more of Sara Davis Regan's music.
• Join us Sundays online at my home church, Austin Christian Fellowship.

Guess who's on the DD Podcast with me this week … my youngest daughter (and current roomie!), Sara Davis Regan!

Sara and I talk about everything from funny stories about sharing our space again to how to make the most of where you are and the way creativity can save your perspective to the benefit of having people provide wisdom and encouragement in every stage of life.

I pray that you get creative when things get hard, like how Sara and David turned "the Katy Wilderness" into a place of abundance in their lives. I hope you let God reframe the way you see things … that you find the connection between the goodness of God and his plan for your life and the joy to be found right where you are.

• Listen to more of Sara Davis Regan's music.
• Follow Sara on Instagram.
• Be on the lookout for the Creative Courage Workshop registration – COMING SOON!
• Learn more about other ACF Ministry Partners here.
• Follow me on Instagram.
• Join us Sundays online at my home church, Austin Christian Fellowship.

Have you ever thought about this? You are the one person that has the most impact in your walk with God. And that's why it's so important that you pray for yourself.

Praying for yourself is not selfish. It's like putting the oxygen mask on first so you can care for others.

There are so many reasons why you should pray for yourself. Here are a few:

• Because God speaks to you through prayer.
• Because you love yourself … or because you don't.
• Because it helps your spiritual growth.
• Because there are holes in your life that need to be filled (by God).
• Because how you are doing affects everyone around you.
• Because prayer fills you with the Holy Spirit.
• Because prayer deepens intimacy with God.
• Because prayer giants in scripture prayed for themselves, too.
• Because prayer is soul care.

I pray that you would love yourself … pray for yourself … and love to pray for yourself. I hope you are able to be yourself in prayer and that you find what works for you to help you talk to God.

• Get a copy of Pray Big for Yourself by Will Davis Jr.
• Get the FREE download of 7 Everyday Prayers.
• Learn more about other ACF Ministry Partners here.
• Sign up to be my newsletter friend!
• Follow me on Instagram.
• Join my home church, Austin Christian Fellowship, online.
• Listen to more of Sara Davis Regan's music.

God knows your children and loves them more deeply than you can imagine. He knows what's best for them and will take care of them. Prayer is a way to invite God to move in the heart of your child and to entrust your child to God.

Prayer is an amazingly effective parenting tool. Prayer not only blesses your child but also changes your own heart as a parent.

If you're new here … welcome to the Dear Daughters Podcast July "mini-mester" edition! I'm hosting a month-long series on prayer with my husband (and prayer specialist) Will Davis, Jr. I'm so glad you're here.

Will and I talk about what prayer can do and share prayer promises with scripture when your child is making you anxious or for …

• your child to walk in the truth and light.
• your child's future spouse.
• your child to love to pray, love to worship, and love God's Word.
• your child to hate sin.
• your child to grow in wisdom.
• your child to love and follow Jesus.
• life perspective.
• a servant's heart.
• grace for your child.

I pray that your joy is made complete … not when they make the honor roll or when they get into a good college or when they have a successful career … but when you know your child is walking in the light with God. I also hope that you know you are God's beloved child. And I pray you feel the abounding love and grace your Heavenly Father has for you.

• Get a copy of Pray Big for Your Child by Will Davis Jr.
• Get a copy of my book Unafraid.
• Learn more about Young Life.
• Learn more about other ACF Ministry Partners here.
• Follow me on Instagram.
• Join my home church, Austin Christian Fellowship, online.
• Listen to more of Sara Davis Regan's music.