What happens when the freedom you thought you wanted starts to feel a lot more like bondage?

In this episode of Echos of Impact, Briana sits down with Nicole Onate to talk about what happened when Nicole walked away from the God she thought she knew and started building life on her own terms. Growing up, Nicole had come to see God as someone waiting for her to get it wrong. Christianity felt like a list of rules she could never live up to, so eventually she stopped trying.

But the life she thought would bring freedom didn't give her the peace she was searching for.

Nicole shares honestly about rebellion, childhood wounds, a difficult reaction to prescription medication that led to treatment, months of insomnia, and the deeper questions that surfaced when she finally reached the end of herself. Through a handful of people who simply loved her well, a study of C.S. Lewis's Mere Christianity, and one very simple prayer of surrender, Nicole began discovering a completely different picture of God.

Not a God asking her to perform.

A God inviting her into relationship.

This conversation is about so much more than changing behavior. Nicole shares how knowing Jesus began changing the way she thought, what she desired, how she treated the people closest to her, and even the relationship she had with her mom. It's a beautiful reminder that surrender isn't about finally getting everything right. It's about allowing God to transform us from the inside out.

• How Nicole developed a fear-based view of God at a young age

• Why legalism eventually made her feel like there was no point in trying

• What pursuing life on her own terms looked like

• Reaching a place where she began asking deeper questions about meaning and purpose

• The simple sentence from a friend that Nicole never forgot

• How Mere Christianity helped her begin looking at faith differently

• The night Nicole finally surrendered to God

• Moving from rules and behavior modification to genuine heart transformation

• How God began restoring Nicole's relationship with her mom

• Why sanctification requires grace for ourselves and for other people

• Loving people without trying to control where they are in their faith journey

• The difference between constantly looking inward and fixing our eyes on Christ

• Learning to be honest with God and with the people we love

• Finding rhythms of serving others while still making space to be filled by God

"I am at my wit's end and like I don't know what a relationship with you looks like but like here I am."

"I pray that you give Jesus a chance. He's so lovely."

Substack: https://substack.com/@claudianonate?r=kfk65&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=stories&shareImageVariant=blur

Instagram: @hateitorloveitremix

Maybe you've known about God for a long time, but somewhere along the way faith started feeling more like pressure than relationship.

Or maybe you've tried doing life your own way and discovered it didn't give you what you thought it would.

We'd love to hear what this conversation brings up for you.

Connect with us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/echos_of_impact/

Join the Echos of Impact Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/echosofimpact

If this episode encouraged you, share it with someone who may need to hear Nicole's story.

And if you're enjoying Echos of Impact, follow the podcast and consider leaving a review. It helps more women find these conversations and reminds us that no story is ever wasted.

What if the greatest threat to your calling isn't simply refusing to obey God—but doing what He asks while resisting the work He wants to do in your heart?

In this episode, Briana and Cherise catch up on summer adventures, motherhood, home renovations, and Briana preaching her first Sunday sermon. Briana also shares a sweet moment that happened afterward: while praying and thanking God for the opportunity, she looked up and saw a cloud shaped unmistakably like a whale—complete with what appeared to be water spraying from the top.

Then they take a deeper look at the story of Jonah.

Jonah eventually went to Nineveh and delivered God's message, but his outward obedience never became inward compassion. He wanted God's mercy for himself while resenting that same mercy when it was extended to people he believed deserved judgment.

Jonah's story reminds us that God is not only interested in getting us to the correct destination or convincing us to complete an assignment. He wants to transform our hearts until we care about the people He cares about.

Briana and Cherise also ask a difficult question: Who is your Nineveh?

Who have you given up on? Who have you decided is too stubborn, too difficult, or too far gone? Is there someone you struggle to believe deserves the same grace and mercy you have received?

Loving difficult people does not mean excusing harmful behavior, ignoring wisdom, or giving someone unlimited access to your life. Forgiveness and healthy boundaries can exist together. But we can still ask God to protect our hearts from bitterness and help us see others as people He deeply loves.

Because ultimately, we cannot love difficult people well through willpower alone. The only way to truly love them is to remain close to the One who loves them.

• Briana preaching her first Sunday sermon

• The whale-shaped cloud that made her feel personally seen by God

• What our response reveals when God asks us to do something difficult

• Why Jonah was running from God—not merely from Nineveh

• How God's warning can also be an invitation to mercy

• Why Jonah resented God's compassion toward the Ninevites

• The difference between outward obedience and inward transformation

• How God worked through Jonah despite Jonah's resistant heart

• The mercy Jonah welcomed for himself but resented for his enemies

• How Jonah's story points ahead to Jesus

• Recognizing the people we may have quietly written off

• Why loving difficult people requires God's strength

• The difference between forgiveness and restored access

• Maintaining compassion, wisdom, safety, and healthy boundaries

00:00 Summer life, camping, and Cherise's freedom run 03:13 Living through home renovations 03:57 Motherhood and changing summers with older children 05:18 Briana preaches her first Sunday sermon 09:08 The whale-shaped cloud that made Briana feel seen 12:41 Why Briana preached about Jonah 14:05 Calling, purpose, and responding to God 17:31 Jonah wasn't only running from Nineveh—he was running from God 20:19 Jonah knew God might show mercy 23:16 Recognizing our own "Ninevites" 25:20 Jessica Honnell McLennan's story of unimaginable loss and forgiveness 28:08 The storm, the sailors, and Jonah's rock-bottom moment 33:41 Nineveh repents despite Jonah's reluctant obedience 36:59 You can obey God and still miss His heart 38:02 Jonah's anger over the plant and God's compassion for Nineveh 42:16 Finding God's mercy at rock bottom 44:19 Wanting grace for ourselves while resenting it for others 46:12 How Jonah's story points to Jesus 49:04 Who is your Nineveh? 49:52 Loving difficult people through God's strength 52:45 Forgiveness, discernment, and healthy boundaries 54:44 Closing prayer

• Who is your Nineveh?

• Is there someone you have quietly decided will never change?

• Are you obeying God outwardly while resisting what He wants to change within you?

• Do you celebrate God's grace when He extends it to someone you believe does not deserve it?

• Where might God be asking you to replace resentment with prayer?

• Are you attempting to love difficult people through willpower instead of remaining close to God?

• What would it look like to forgive someone while still maintaining wise and healthy boundaries?

• Jonah 1–4

• Exodus 34:6–7

• Job 1:21

• Matthew 12:38–41

• Luke 11:29–32

• Related Echos of Impact episode with Jessica Honnell McLennan: Listen on Spotify

• Follow Jami Nato on Instagram: @jaminato

Who came to mind when you heard the question, "Who is your Nineveh?"

You do not have to share their name, but we would love to hear what God is showing you through this conversation.

Follow Echos of Impact on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/echos_of_impact/

Join the Echos of Impact Community on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/echosofimpact

Follow the podcast so you do not miss next week's conversation, and consider sharing this episode with someone who may need the reminder that obedience is about more than completing an assignment—God also cares about what is happening within our hearts.

What happens when the thing you have spent your entire life chasing finally happens, but the fulfillment only lasts twenty minutes?

Actress, wife, mom, and podcaster Carrie Alexander began acting at just eleven years old. After years of auditions, exciting opportunities, painful rejection, and looking to the entertainment industry for validation, Carrie found herself questioning whether success could ever truly satisfy her.

In this episode, Carrie shares how God met her during a low point, invited her into a genuine relationship with Jesus, and began rebuilding her identity on something far more secure than applause, achievement, or being chosen for the next role.

Together, we talk about the difference between disappointment and devastation, inviting God into every part of our dreams, and learning to stop living with a constant "pick me" mentality. Carrie also opens up about marriage, new motherhood, social media comparison, her difficult postpartum experience, and the freedom she has found in sharing honestly while she is still in the middle of the struggle.

Carrie's story is a beautiful reminder that purpose is not something we have to chase. It is found through daily obedience, stewarding what is in front of us, and drinking from the living water only Jesus can provide.

• How beginning an acting career at eleven shaped Carrie's identity

• The emotional highs and lows of auditions, success, and rejection

• Why achieving one of her biggest career goals only fulfilled her for twenty minutes

• How God met Carrie during an unhealthy relationship and a difficult season

• The unexpected story of how Carrie met her husband

• Inviting God into our careers, ambitions, disappointments, and dreams

• Viewing the entertainment industry as a mission field

• The convictions and boundaries Carrie and her husband follow as Christian actors

• How identity in Christ turns devastation into disappointment

• Breaking free from the need to be chosen, praised, or affirmed

• Learning to work for the Lord instead of constantly seeking recognition from others

• Why vulnerability allows other women to feel seen

• Sharing honestly in the middle of a struggle instead of waiting until everything is resolved

• Carrie's heart behind the New Mom Podcast

• The comparison and distraction many mothers experience through social media

• Being present with our children in a technology-filled world

• The difference between striving for success and stewarding God-given dreams

• Finding satisfaction in Jesus, our true source of living water

"Purpose looks a lot more like being obedient daily to the Lord."

"I can be willing to say it's disappointment versus devastation."

"What if you just share in the middle?"

"If the Lord sees it, it's enough."

"Where am I looking for worldly water, and where am I expecting it to fill me?"

Carrie Alexander is a believer, wife, mom, actress, and podcaster. She began acting at eleven years old and has appeared in numerous television shows and films, including Austin & Ally, Parks and Recreation, The Goldbergs, Big Little Lies, and 9-1-1.

Carrie found her faith at age twenty-three and began pursuing a life centered around Jesus. She and her husband met in Los Angeles, are both actors, and share a passion for bringing light into the entertainment industry.

After becoming a mom in 2025, Carrie launched the New Mom Podcast, where she encourages mothers through honest conversations about faith, identity, community, and the realities of new motherhood. She also shares devotionals and encouragement through her blog.

Carrie's Blog: CarrieAlexander.blog

Carrie on Instagram: @carriewampler

New Mom Podcast on Instagram: @newmompodcast

Where have you been looking for validation or fulfillment outside of Christ?

Share what stood out to you from this conversation and tag Carrie and Echos of Impact on social media. We would love to hear how God is reminding you that your identity is secure in Him.

This week, notice the moments when disappointment begins to feel like devastation. Bring those places honestly before God and ask:

• Has this become an idol in my life?

• Am I seeking approval from people instead of God?

• What would it look like to steward what is directly in front of me today?

• Am I drinking from the living water Jesus offers, or searching for satisfaction somewhere else?

If this episode encouraged you, please follow Echos of Impact, share it with a friend, and leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Your support helps more women discover these faith-filled conversations.

Until next week, friends! 💛

Christian leadership isn't about having all the answers, carrying every responsibility, or making sure everyone agrees with you. It's about staying close to Jesus, loving people well, and having the courage to empower others to step into who God created them to be.

In this episode of Echos of Impact, Briana sits down with Pastor Christy Gibas, lead pastor of The Table Church in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Christy shares how God patiently pursued her—from a teenager who responded, "I hope not," when someone recognized a call on her life, to leaving a successful career in banking and eventually stepping into the role of lead pastor.

Christy also opens up about the painful season that first changed the way she saw God's grace. After the end of her first marriage, she expected anger and disappointment from her father. Instead, he simply told her, "Just come home." That response helped her begin to understand the heart of a God who was already pursuing her.

Together, Briana and Christy talk honestly about the difference between achievement and healthy leadership, why courageous leaders cannot avoid difficult conversations, and how gentleness and conviction can exist together. Christy also shares a powerful story of following God's prompting in an airport—and what happened when one small act of obedience reminded a stranger that God saw her.

This conversation is an encouragement for anyone who feels called to lead but wonders whether they are qualified, courageous, or spiritually prepared enough. You do not have to control everything or become someone else. You can remain dependent on Jesus, listen for His voice, and help the people around you become who He created them to be.

What We Cover

• How Christy's painful divorce changed the way she understood God's grace

• The early signs that God had placed a call on her life

• Leaving a successful banking career to enter pastoral ministry

• The difference between achieving results and leading people well

• Why healthy leaders empower others instead of holding onto control

• The vision behind The Table Church and discipling people through relationships

• Letting go of perfection and opening our homes to genuine connection

• How to lead with both gentleness and conviction

• Why courageous leadership requires moving toward difficult conversations

• Learning to recognize God's voice through Scripture and His character

• Christy's powerful airport story about trusting a prompting from God

• Loving and honoring people whose backgrounds and opinions differ from ours

Key Quotes "God cares about reaching people, but He cares about our dependence on Him more." "Really, to lead them is to love them well and empower them into the thing that God has created and designed them for."

Connect with Christy Gibas The Table Church: table.org Facebook: facebook.com/christy.gibas Email: [email protected]

Join the Conversation Where might God be asking you to release control and empower someone else? Come share what this conversation brought up for you on Instagram or inside the Echos of Impact Community.

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/echos_of_impact/ Echos of Impact Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/echosofimpact

Final Notes Follow Echos of Impact so you don't miss future conversations about faith, purpose, leadership, healing, and obedience.

And if this episode encouraged you, consider leaving a review or sharing it with someone who is learning how to lead with courage while staying dependent on Jesus.

What if the thing making our lives easier is also asking for more access than we realize?

In this timely episode of Echos of Impact, Briana and Cherise sit down with Misty Phillip for a conversation about faith, artificial intelligence, family, and discernment in a world that is changing faster than most of us can keep up with. Misty brings both wisdom and tenderness to a topic that can feel overwhelming, reminding us that Christians don't have to respond to AI with fear, but we do need to respond with prayer, wisdom, and spiritual clarity.

Misty Phillip is a best-selling author, cybersecurity and AI executive, podcast host, and faith leader. As COO of Trilogyworks, she helps organizations navigate responsible AI implementation and cybersecurity. Before stepping into technology leadership, Misty left a promising consulting career to homeschool her three sons for more than twenty years. She later founded Spark Media, equipping thousands of Christian podcasters, and has written several books, including The Struggle is Real, But So is God, Spark Your Influence, Upskill or Die: Thriving in the AI Revolution, and her newest release, The Trojan Horse of the Digital Age: Why Christians Must Discern AI.

This conversation is about more than technology. It is about what we allow into our homes, what we hand to our children, and how we stay rooted in God's Word when the line between helpful and harmful keeps moving. Misty shares pieces of her own story of grief, motherhood, surrender, and obedience, and then invites us to think honestly about how AI is shaping our attention, our families, our work, and our need for real human connection.

What We Cover:

• Misty's faith journey and the moments where God met her in grief and surrender

• What it looked like to homeschool her three sons for more than twenty years

• How God led Misty from podcasting and media into cybersecurity and AI leadership

• Why Christians need wisdom and discernment around artificial intelligence

• What families may be missing about AI in everyday life

• The difference between using AI as a tool and treating it like a companion

• Why children need real connection, emotional intelligence, and spiritual grounding in the digital age

• How to approach technology without fear, but with prayer and biblical wisdom

• What it means to raise kids who can discern what is real, what is false, and what is forming them

Key Quotes:

"AI in itself is a tool, but it's not neutral."

"Use computers for computer things."

Big Takeaway:

Some things are meant to stay human — connection, companionship, discipleship, parenting, and discernment.

Connect with Misty Phillip:

Website: https://mistyphillip.comBook: The Trojan Horse of the Digital Age: Why Christians Must Discern AICompany: https://trilogyworks.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mistyphillip Speaking Inquiries: [email protected]

Join the Conversation:

We'd love to hear what this conversation stirred in you.

What are you currently praying through when it comes to technology, your home, your kids, or your own habits?

Come connect with us on Instagram or join the conversation in the Echos of Impact Community.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/echos_of_impact/ Echos of Impact Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/echosofimpact

Final Notes:

Thank you for listening to Echos of Impact.

If this episode encouraged you, challenged you, or gave you something to think about, we'd be so grateful if you would follow the podcast, share this episode with a friend, and leave a review.

Your support helps more women find these conversations and be reminded that God is still leading, still speaking, and still inviting us to walk with wisdom in every season.

What do you do when life doesn't unfold on the timeline you imagined?

In this episode of Echos of Impact, Cherise is joined by Katherine Catlett — social media manager, strategist, writer, content creator, and soon-to-be author of her first devotional for young women. Katherine began journaling when she was just 12 years old as a way to process big emotions with God. More than 40 journals later, those pages have become part of the foundation for her writing and her calling.

Katherine shares about heartbreak, singleness, comparison, dating anxiety, emotional healing, and learning to stay rooted in God's love through every season. Together, Cherise and Katherine talk about what it means to move through grief instead of rushing past it, how to separate rejection from your worth, and why waiting doesn't have to make you bitter.

One of the biggest reminders from this conversation is this: you may not always get to choose the season you're in, but you do get to choose how you wait.

In this episode, we talk about:

• How Katherine's journaling began as a way to process emotions with God

• What reading her old journals has taught her about perspective

• Asking "God, what would you say to her?" as the heart behind her devotional

• How heartbreak can either make you bitter or help you grow

• Why grief has to be moved through, not ignored

• Dating anxiety, anxious attachment, and finding security in God

• Separating rejection from your identity and worth

• The pressure of singleness and comparison culture

• How social media can amplify the feeling of being "behind"

• Choosing worship, healing, and growth in a waiting season

• Katherine's journey toward writing her first devotional for young women

Key Quotes:

"You don't just grieve the person, you grieve the life that you thought you would have."

"I wanted to grow and learn and become a better person, not a bitter one."

"You get to choose how you wait."

A few reminders from this conversation:

Life will be messy, and that does not mean you are failing.

Life will also be stunningly beautiful, and those moments are worth noticing.

No matter what season you are in — messy, beautiful, lonely, uncertain, or full of waiting — God loves you deeply, faithfully, and forever.

Connect with Katherine:

Instagram: @klcatlett

TikTok: @klcatlett28

Blog & website: https://www.katherinecatlett.com/

You can also sign up for Katherine's email newsletter through her website to follow along with her writing journey and updates on her upcoming devotional.

Join the Conversation:

Which season are you in right now — and what would it look like to wait well in it? Come share with us over on Instagram or in the Echos of Impact community. We'd love to hear what landed with you.

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/echos_of_impact/

Echos of Impact Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/echosofimpact

Final Notes:

If this episode met you where you are, follow Echos of Impact so you never miss a conversation, and leave a quick review — it genuinely helps more women find the show. Thank you for being here.

Whether you are waiting for healing, clarity, love, purpose, or the next open door, this is your reminder that God is not absent in the waiting. He is steady, present, and deeply kind — and the waiting season can become a place of worship, growth, and intimacy with Him.

What happens when God opens the door you've been praying for… but walking through it is still harder than you expected?

In this episode of Echos of Impact, Cherise and Briana sit down for one of their monthly conversations — just the two of them — talking honestly about transition, closed doors, and the surprising weight that can come with answered prayers.

Cherise shares what this season has really looked like for her family: selling their home, moving to a new city, buying land, and stepping into something that felt clearly led by God — and deeply stretching all at once. After years of burnout, disappointment, and doors that seemed to close at the last second, things started opening fast. But even in the blessing, there were still lessons. Surrendering control. Facing anxiety. Grieving what was good, even while stepping into something new.

Briana shares her own story too — a season of closed doors, financial strain, and a house that came together in a way that could only be explained as God. Together they sit with a tension that doesn't get talked about enough: what do you do when the thing God led you into is still hard?

This episode is for anyone who has ever wondered why something God clearly opened still feels heavy — and for anyone learning to trust that He is present in both the lessons and the blessings.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Why blessings from God can still feel heavy or hard

• What closed doors teach us about trust and timing

• How faith is tested when we can't control the outcome

• The difference between comfort and calling

• Grieving a good season, even when the next one is also good

• The emotional weight of transition and major life change

• Why a hard season doesn't mean God is absent

• Staying anchored to God when life feels chaotic

• Trusting that if God brought you there, He will provide

Key reminder from this episode: Sometimes the door God opens isn't the easiest path — but it might be the one where He's asking you to trust Him more, grow deeper, and see His faithfulness in a brand new way.

Join the Conversation: We'd love to hear from you. Have you ever walked through a season that felt like both a blessing and a lesson at the same time? Share it with us on Instagram or in our Facebook community — we want to hear your story.

📲 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/echos_of_impact/ 👥 Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/echosofimpact

Enjoyed this episode? Follow Echos of Impact so you never miss a conversation, and if this one landed for you, we'd be so grateful if you left a review. It helps more women find the show — and that matters more than you know.

Content Note: This episode includes discussion of a medical crisis, surgery, and a life-threatening health emergency, as well as a brief mention of youth suicide. Listener discretion is advised.

What do you do when God brings you through something you never expected to survive?

In this episode of Echos of Impact, Briana sits down with Brenda Neal to hear her powerful testimony of healing, obedience, and purpose. Brenda shares about a routine surgery that unexpectedly revealed cancer, an aneurysm that later ruptured, and the terrifying moment when she believed she was about to die. But in that moment, Brenda says the Holy Spirit met her and made it clear: it was not her time.

Brenda is an ordinary woman who has experienced the extraordinary power of God. In the midst of life-threatening circumstances, God's power met her in a profound way and brought healing to her life. She is passionate about helping others get to know God, believe His Word, and learn how to position themselves to receive what He promises.

Brenda is a faithful and dedicated leader within her church, supporting several ministries including youth, media, anniversary, and mothers' ministries. She is also an inspirational Christian speaker who shares with women about God's miracle-working power, and she facilitates a faith-based workshop for tween girls ages 8–13 called I'm Cute, which stands for chosen, unique, talented, and exquisite.

This conversation is about more than surviving a medical crisis. It's about what happens after survival — when God gives you an assignment and asks you to step out from behind the scenes. Brenda shares how God gave her two simple words: "Tell it." And now, she is walking in obedience by sharing the goodness, glory, and healing power of God wherever He opens the door.

• Brenda's near-death experience and unexpected medical journey

• How a routine hysterectomy revealed cancer

• The ruptured aneurysm that almost took Brenda's life

• The moment Brenda says the Holy Spirit told her it was not her time to die

• Why Brenda believes God gave her the assignment to "tell it"

• How God can heal through doctors, treatment, prayer, and practical steps

• The difference between faith and trust

• Learning to hear God's voice through relationship with Him

• Why obedience sometimes means stepping out from behind the scenes

• Brenda's heart for encouraging tween girls through her I'm Cute workshop

• Romans 8:28 and trusting that God can work all things together for good

"Living out my purpose is doing what God assigns me to do."

"He told me what He'd have me to do, Brenda, two words: Tell it."

"God heals in different ways. So don't be afraid of any way that He heals."

"Bring you to the table, and that's good enough."

Website: https://brendaneal.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brenda.neal.351 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brenda-neal-pmp/

We'd love to hear what this episode stirred in you. Have you ever walked through something hard and later realized God was asking you to use your story to encourage someone else?

Connect with us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/echos_of_impact/

Join the Echos of Impact Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/echosofimpact

Thank you for listening to Echos of Impact. If this episode encouraged you, follow the podcast, share it with a friend, and leave a review. Your story matters, and sometimes the thing God brings you through becomes the very thing He asks you to tell.

Note: this is a sensitive topic touching on near-death medical experiences and, briefly, youth suicide — if anyone listening is personally struggling with thoughts of self-harm, encourage them to reach out to a trusted person or a crisis line for support.

Some conversations stay with you long after they're over. This is one of them. In this episode, I sit down with my friend Kami Van Slyke — someone I've known for years, watched from afar, and deeply admire — for one of the most honest, tender conversations we've ever had on this show. Kami shares her story of walking through the aftermath of infidelity in her own marriage, and what it looked like to be brought into the light kicking and screaming — and then choosing, slowly and imperfectly, to stay there.

Kami is a master's level social worker, a mom of five, and someone who has spent the last two and a half years doing the hard, non-passive work of reconciliation — in her marriage, her church, her community, and her own heart. She brings both her professional background and her deeply personal testimony to this conversation in a way that is raw, grounded, and full of grace.

This episode isn't just for someone who has been caught in something. It's for anyone who has ever hidden a part of their story, wondered if they were too far gone, or struggled to understand how grace and truth can actually coexist. Kami doesn't give you easy answers — she gives you something better. She gives you honesty about what the road back actually looks like, and the reminder that nothing is too broken for God.

What We Cover:

• Kami's story of full disclosure and what it meant to be called out of hiding — not willingly

• The difference between admission and true confession, and why it matters

• What repentance actually looks like over time (hint: it's not a one-time conversation)

• How her church navigated truth and grace together — consequences and care at the same time

• The difference between being sorry and being safe — and why safe is the harder, deeper goal

• What she's learned about the Holy Spirit's role in reconciliation between people

• How she's stewarding her testimony without wearing it as either a flag or a scarlet letter

• Encouragement for anyone carrying something hidden — and for anyone who has been hurt

Key Quotes:

"I don't want to just be sorry. I want to be safe." — Kami Van Slyke

"We're not made normal. We're made new." — Kami Van Slyke

Connect with Kami Van Slyke:

Email: [email protected]

Join the Conversation:

Did something from this episode stop you? Share it with us on Instagram or bring it into our community — we'd love to hear what landed for you.

📲 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/echos_of_impact/ 💬 Echos of Impact Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/echosofimpact

A note before you go:

If this episode found you in a tender place — whether you're the one holding a secret or the one carrying hurt someone else caused — you are not alone, and you are not too far gone. If you'd like to reach out to Kami directly, her contact is in the notes above. She's made herself available.

If Echos of Impact has meant something to you, would you take a minute to follow the show and leave a review? It helps more women find conversations like this one. 🤍

What if the season that feels like tumbling is actually part of God making something beautiful? Courtney Brackin spent years in full-time ministry — single, faithful, and sometimes wrestling with envy — and what she found on the other side of that long wait is a story that will make a lot of women feel a little less behind.

Courtney is a speaker, author, and Bible teacher who has spent 27 years serving in full-time ministry across North Carolina, Washington D.C., Uganda, and now Southwest Florida. She's the founder of Sea Glass Mission, a women's ministry rooted in the belief that God is forming something beautiful in the tumble — just like sea glass, broken and cast off, shaped over time into something worth keeping. She's also a seminary student, a wife, and a stepmom to four. And she brings all of it into this conversation.

This episode covers a lot of ground — spiritual formation, singleness, leadership, the daily practice of getting in the Word — but it all comes back to the same thing: stop striving, get rooted, and trust that God has already planned the work for you. That's not a cliché coming from Courtney. It's something she learned the hard way, over decades, and it shows.

What We Cover:

• Courtney's 27-year journey through ministry — from Young Life to Uganda to founding Sea Glass Mission

• What it was really like to be single in ministry, watching everyone else's life move forward

• The story behind Sea Glass Mission — and the two pieces of beach glass in Bali that confirmed everything

• The RAMP Journal: Read, Apply, Meditate, Pray — a practical tool to help women slow down and actually get in the Word

• Why anxiety is really a control problem, and what responding with faith actually looks like

• What women bring to Courtney most: identity struggles, lack of fulfillment, and the quiet ache of feeling unseen

• Hard lessons from nearly three decades in ministry — including learning you are not the savior

• How to start a women's ministry when your church doesn't have one (and why the nudge you feel might be the whole point)

• The rhythm of Sabbath, margin, and why you can't pour out what you don't have

Key Quotes:

"My purpose is to live out his DNA — me, Courtney's purpose. Not what he gave someone else."

"All I have to do is give out his word. Say it, share it, speak it, teach it. It will grow fruit. It takes the pressure off."

"People are waiting. People want to be invited."

Connect with Courtney: Website: seaglassmission.org Instagram: @seaglassmission Books & Resources: Courtney Brackin on Amazon

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