Faith and Figs Show

This episode is real. No script. No filter. Just truth.

In this conversation, we open up about:

• what life looked like before Christ
• the pride, control, and identity we thought we had
• nearly losing our marriage
• the moment everything shifted
• how we learned to hear God’s voice
• and why surrender changed everything

We also talk about:

• being hit with sickness as a family and still choosing faith
• what it actually feels like when God speaks to you
• how to tell the difference between God’s voice and your own thoughts
• finding peace when you finally let go of control

This episode isn’t about being perfect.
It’s about being honest.
It’s about what happens when you stop running and start listening.

If you’ve ever felt lost, overwhelmed, or unsure of your purpose… this is for you.

Most people say they love others. But they're actually loving a version of people that doesn't exist yet.

This episode hit different.

Rick just got promoted at Amazon — and instead of celebrating, he's exposing the leadership trap that most people never escape: confusing control with influence. Meanwhile, Amanda gets brutally honest about what it feels like to want your spouse to be spiritually "further along" — and what God wrecked in her because of it.

This isn't a feel-good episode. It's a mirror.

Meeting people where they are — not where you want them, not where you need them, not where you prayed they'd be — is the most counter-cultural thing a Christian, leader, spouse, or parent can do. And almost nobody's doing it.

In this episode:⚡ Why "servant leadership" is not the soft option — it's the hardest one⚡ The brutal difference between grace and enablement (this one stings)⚡ Why you literally cannot serve two masters — and what that means for ego⚡ How to call people HIGHER without condemning them⚡ Parenting without pride (Rick and Amanda get real)⚡ How to guard your heart without hardening it⚡ The spiritual impatience nobody talks about in marriage

Jesus never watered down truth. But He never demanded people come to Him first.

If you're frustrated with your spouse, burned out on church, struggling to lead at work, or exhausted by your own kids — this episode was built for you.

Hit play. Let it wreck you a little.

🎙️ Faith & Figs — Real conversations about marriage, parenting, leadership, and faith. Everything in life, turned back to Christ.

Subscribe. Share this with someone who needs it. Leave a review if this hit home.

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You are not broken.
You are being refined.

In this episode of Faith & Figs, we talk about the thorn in your flesh and why it is not random, not pointless, and not a mistake.

God allows certain struggles to remain.
Not to harm you.
To humble you.
To grow you.
To draw you closer to Him.

We unpack how pain produces humility, why weakness creates dependence on God, and how suffering becomes a tool for spiritual maturity. We share personal stories of loss, fear, pride, and starting over. We talk about careers stripped away, comfort removed, and control surrendered. We explain how God uses discomfort to correct us, realign us, and prepare us to bear fruit.

This episode is for you if you feel stuck, humbled, frustrated, or confused about why God has not removed something you have prayed about.

We discuss:

• What the thorn in your flesh really means

• Why God sometimes says no or wait

• How suffering produces humility and growth

• Why self reliance blocks spiritual fruit

• Grace, faith, and why salvation is not earned

• Why investing in your soul matters more than success

• How weakness reveals God’s power

Scripture referenced includes Romans 8:28, Hebrews 12, and Paul’s teaching on grace and weakness.

If you are in a season where life feels heavy, this conversation will remind you that God is still working. The thorn is not punishment. It is purpose.

Listen with an open heart.
Reflect honestly.
Return to God.

We love you.
God loves you more.

2026: The Year of Alignment

What if the new year isn’t about becoming a new person — but about becoming aligned?

In this first episode of 2026, Rick and Amanda return after a short sabbatical to reflect on a season of collapse, healing, and renewal. After walking through near divorce, separation, career upheaval, and total surrender, they share why they believe 2026 is a year of alignment — not just for them, but for many.

This episode isn’t about “new year, new me.”
It’s about new prayers, deeper surrender, and trusting God’s will even when it’s uncomfortable.

We talk about:

• Why God sometimes breaks things before He rebuilds them

• How surrender brings clarity, peace, and direction

• Why delays and “no’s” from God are not rejection

• Learning to adapt when God redirects your plans

• Finding gratitude and faith in seasons of discomfort

• Aligning your marriage, career, and calling with Christ

If you’re stepping into 2026 feeling uncertain, stretched, or called into something unfamiliar — this conversation is for you.

“Growth only happens when you’re uncomfortable.”

🎧 Listen with an open heart.
🙏 Pray boldly.
🤍 Trust deeply.
✝️ Align fully.

Christmas isn’t about who used December 25th first… it’s about whose name is on the celebration now.In this Faith & Figs Christmas episode, Rick and Amanda unpack the viral question: “Is Christmas pagan?” Using a simple story about a little girl and a school bully, they point to a deeper truth—dates don’t own days, Jesus does. From there, they walk through Scripture, history, and modern traditions to refocus Christmas back on Christ.In this episode we talk about:The story of “Mary & the bully” and what it reveals about who truly “owns” December 25thWhether Christmas is really pagan—or if that claim is missing the whole pointOld Testament prophecies (Micah 5:2, Isaiah 7:14) and how Jesus fulfills themLuke 2 and the beauty of Jesus’ birth, shepherds, and “peace on earth”The true roots behind Santa Claus and the Christmas tree—and how they actually can point back to ChristWhy “Merry Christmas” matters more than “Happy Holidays” for believersKeeping Jesus at the center of our family, our traditions, and our celebrationsThis episode is for you if:You’ve heard “Christians shouldn’t celebrate Christmas” and feel conflictedYou want biblical clarity on the birth of Jesus and the meaning of ChristmasYou’re trying to raise your family to love Jesus more than gifts and hypeYou simply want to slow down, worship, and remember why we celebratePrayer at the end:Amanda prays over you, your home, and your Christmas season—asking God to re-center your heart on Jesus, His sacrificial love, and the gift of salvation.If this blessed you:Like / Follow the showComment and share this with someone who’s wrestling with “Is Christmas pagan?”Find all links and more at faithandfigs.com#FaithAndFigs #ChristianPodcast #Christmas #IsChristmasPagan #JesusIsTheReason #BiblicalChristmas

In this episode of Faith & Figs, Rick and Amanda talk honestly about something most Christians struggle with but rarely admit:

👉 Why are we so afraid to talk about Jesus?

Using Romans 1 as their anchor, they discuss:

• Fear of judgment, rejection, and “cancel culture”

• Sharing your faith at work and in everyday life

• The difference between being Christ-like and being lukewarm

• Why our job is to plant seeds, not “fix” or “save” people

• Living in a way that reflects the Gospel, not just preaching it

They also get personal about parenting with a newborn, staying consistent with the podcast, conviction vs condemnation, and what kind of Christian they actually want to be remembered as.

If you’ve ever felt yourself holding back your faith, this conversation will encourage you to walk in boldness, humility, and love.

🕊️ Topics: Romans 1, sharing the Gospel, bold faith, spiritual warfare, Christian identity, faith at work, Christian marriage, parenting, discipleship.

Follow Faith & Figs for more episodes on faith, marriage, mental health, leadership, and family.

Your past doesn’t define you — God does. ✝️

In this episode, Amanda and Rick dive deep into identity, redemption, and how God transforms pain into purpose.
They share stories of healing, faith, and letting go of old labels to walk in true freedom through Christ.

📖 Scriptures: 2 Corinthians 5:17, Isaiah 43:18, Romans 8:28
💬 Themes: Identity • Grace • Renewal • Faith • Forgiveness

🔗 Connect with us: faithandfigs.com | @faithandfigs

We all face it — the constant battle between truth and lies, peace and chaos, faith and fear. In this powerful new episode of Faith & Figs, Rick and Amanda dive deep into the Battle of the Mind — how spiritual warfare often begins with a single thought.

Rick opens up about a deeply personal season of mental struggle and spiritual awakening — from confusion and fear to the moment he discovered the enemy’s deception and Christ’s ultimate victory. Together, they unpack what it means to discern between God’s voice and the enemy’s lies, how thoughts become strongholds, and how to fight back using the truth of God’s Word.

Amanda brings perspective on postpartum blues, mental health, and emotional battles — reminding us that the enemy attacks the mind most when we’re closest to a breakthrough. Through Scripture, prayer, and vulnerability, they reveal how faith, gratitude, and daily renewal in Christ transform even the darkest mental battles into testimonies of deliverance.

💬 In this episode:

• How the enemy plants thoughts before he steals peace

• Why mental health battles are often spiritual wars

• Discernment: knowing if a thought is from God or the enemy

• The power of Scripture to renew and protect your mind

• Breaking strongholds through prayer, gratitude, and daily surrender

📖 Key Verse:

“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.” – Isaiah 26:3

🙏 Closing Prayer:
A heartfelt prayer over everyone battling anxiety, depression, or confusion — declaring freedom, clarity, and peace through Jesus Christ.

In this powerful episode of Faith & Figs, Rick and Amanda dive deep into what it truly means to break generational curses through the power of Jesus Christ. From patterns of addiction, poverty, fear, and broken relationships — to everyday struggles that seem to repeat through families — they unpack the spiritual roots behind these battles and how to find lasting freedom in faith.

Through honest storytelling, biblical truth, and heartfelt prayer, the Figueiredos share how their own family has confronted spiritual cycles and found redemption through Christ’s authority. You’ll learn how to:

• Identify generational patterns in your life and family

• Understand the spiritual warfare that fuels them

• Replace lies with biblical truth

• Pray with boldness and authority in Jesus’ name

🕊️ The curse may not have started with you, but it can end with you.
It’s time to stand in your God-given authority, break the chains, and declare victory over your family line.

🙏 Stick around until the end for a powerful declaration prayer to break curses over your life and legac

What happens when the people you love most are the ones who betray you?
In this powerful Faith & Figs episode, Amanda and Rick open up about walking through family betrayal, spiritual warfare, and the hard choice to forgive like Jesus. With raw honesty and heartfelt reflection, they share how faith carried them through anger, disappointment, and ridicule for living out their Christian walk.

Together, they explore what it means to guard your heart without hardening it, how to pray for those who hurt you, and why forgiveness is one of the most freeing acts of love. They remind us that revival often begins with heartbreak — when we let God turn pain into purpose.

If you’ve ever been hurt by someone close, this episode will meet you where you are and remind you that grace always wins.

🎧 Listen now on Spotify, YouTube, or Apple Podcasts.
🙏 Don’t forget to subscribe, share, and spread the message of healing and forgiveness.

Keywords: forgiveness, Christian marriage, betrayal, healing, faith podcast, spiritual warfare