Some men were taught that being a man looks like toughness, control, chasing respect, never showing fear… and never needing help.

But Christian says it straight: everything he thought “being a man” meant was completely wrong. And once you hear his story, you'll understand why.

This episode goes deeper than “motivation.” It’s about what happens when you grow up without guidance — when life becomes survival mode, and the main emotion under everything is fear. It’s about the kind of loneliness that can exist even when you’re “winning,” and the moment you finally look at yourself and admit: I don’t want this anymore.

Christian shares how martial arts became a turning point — not just for discipline, but for emotional control, respect, and learning how to protect instead of destroy. And he talks about faith as something that didn’t just inspire him… it re-built him. One decision at a time. One relationship at a time. One step forward, even when it felt lonely.

If you’re a man who’s been carrying heavy things in silence — or if you love someone who is — I hope this conversation feels like a hand on your shoulder. You don’t have to do life alone. And strength isn’t pretending you’re fine… it’s choosing a better path and staying on it.

Please remember to sign up at FaithAndGrowthPodcast.com to receive the weekly episodes in your inbox. 

Resources & Links:

You can find Christian Machado on his Instagram & Facebook @amaboxingclub @unseenknights and at www.unseenknights.org

Be sure to DM and tell him you listened to this episode! 

Grab my book, Hurt 2 Hope: Heal the Pain of Grief, Loss, and Adversity here.

https://a.co/d/awwbAgc

Explore my Faith-Based Coaching Academy and upcoming programs:

https://faithandgrowth.com

Sign up to receive the podcasts every week: faithandgrowthpodcast.com 

As the year comes to an end, it’s easy to rush into new goals without truly understanding where we are or how we got here. In this episode, I invite you into a reflective, guided workshop to pause, look back at your 2025, and gently prepare your heart for what God wants to create in your life next.

Together, we reflect on accomplishments, challenges, forgiveness, surrender, and the habits or mindsets that no longer serve you. This episode will help you release what weighs you down, listen more closely to God’s guidance, and step into 2026 with clarity, faith, and purpose.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Why reflection is essential before dreaming about the future

• How looking back helps you understand where God is leading you

• How to identify accomplishments you may have overlooked

• Why the mind naturally clings to negativity and how to reframe your year

• How to practice gratitude so it truly sinks in

• Who you may need to forgive, including yourself 

• How shame, busyness, and control block peace and presence

• What surrender really looks like in daily life

• How to let go of fear, overwhelm, and old identities

• Why silence is the language of God and how to listen

• How to co-create your vision for 2026 with God through intention and trust

Resources & Links:

Ready to step into your purpose and answer God’s calling to do more? Learn about my programs at FaithAndGrowth.com

If you’re ready to take action, book a call at TalkToBetsy.com

Grab my book, Hurt 2 Hope: Heal the Pain of Grief, Loss, and Adversity https://a.co/d/awwbAgc

Download the Better with Betsy App and gain 24/7 access to Betsy through her Betsy Bot!

Forgiveness, surrender, and reflection aren’t about the past, they’re about creating space for what God wants to build next. When you release what no longer serves you, you make room for peace, joy, clarity, and purpose.

If you’re ready to close this year with intention, deepen your faith, and step into 2026 aligned with God’s vision for your life, this episode is for you.

Remember to subscribe for weekly conversations on faith, growth, healing, and purpose.

When anxiety is loud, it starts to feel like it’s telling the truth.Not ready. Not enough. Not yet. Not safe. Not the right decision.

And the tricky part is… you can still look “successful” on the outside while feeling like your mind is running a marathon on the inside. You can be achieving, improving, collecting credentials, chasing the next door that might finally make you feel secure — and still feel restless.

This conversation is for anyone who’s tired of living under that pressure.

We talk about the kind of anxiety that shows up as overthinking, decision fatigue, people-pleasing, and constantly second-guessing yourself. The kind that makes you feel like you need one more achievement, one more plan, one more sign… before you can exhale.

We also talk about something that hit deep: the difference between striving for success (the measurable, shareable, impressive version) and striving for fulfillment (the kind that feels like peace, purpose, rest, and alignment). Because sometimes the “right” path on paper is the exact thing keeping you unsettled and draining the life out of you.

If you’ve been stuck in the loop of “what if I’m wrong?” or “what if I’m behind?” — this is a reminder that you can learn to discern the difference between lingering anxiety and real wisdom. That you can take a step without having a loud, perfect, certain answer. That small wins still count. That peace can exist inside the process, not only after you’ve fixed everything.

And if you’re someone who’s rebuilding your faith, redefining your identity, or trying to figure out who you are without labels… you’re not alone. There’s so much freedom on the other side of “I have to prove myself.”

Please remember to sign up at FaithAndGrowthPodcast.com to receive the weekly episodes in your inbox. 

Resources & Links:

You can find Mariana on Instagram @marisreals 

Be sure to DM and tell her you listened to this episode! 

Also, check out Mariana’s webinar on Fresh Perspectives for Young Adults – guidance for small moves to attain big fulfillment  here. https://faithbasedcoachingacademy.com/freshperspective/

Grab my book, Hurt 2 Hope: Heal the Pain of Grief, Loss, and Adversity here.

https://a.co/d/awwbAgc

Explore my Faith-Based Coaching Academy and upcoming programs:

https://faithandgrowth.com
Sign up to receive the podcasts every week: faithandgrowthpodcast.com

Are you exhausted from doing everything “right” and still not getting the outcome you hoped for?

In this episode, I share a deeply personal and faith-filled teaching on surrender, what it really is, what it is not, and why surrender allows you to experience peace, joy, and freedom right now, not someday in the future.

Through real-life examples, Scripture-based wisdom, and honest reflection, you’ll learn how surrender is not giving up, but choosing guided action with God. This episode will help you release control, trust God’s timing, and understand how surrender opens the door to limitless possibilities.

✨ In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Why you don’t need to wait for the outcome to be happy

• What surrender truly means and what it does not mean

• Why surrender is guided action, not inaction

• How surrender brings clarity instead of confusion

• The difference between surrender and victimhood

• How radical acceptance leads to spiritual strength

• Why uncertainty is the space of limitless possibilities

• How surrender strengthens your faith and confidence

• Why surrender creates true freedom and joy

• The step-by-step process to surrender with intention and trust

📖 Resources & Links:

🌿 Ready to step into your purpose and answer God’s calling to do more? Learn about my programs at FaithAndGrowth.com

💬 If you’re ready to take action, book a call at TalkToBetsy.com

📚 Grab my book, Hurt 2 Hope: Heal the Pain of Grief, Loss, and Adversity https://a.co/d/awwbAgc

📲 Download the Better with Betsy App and gain 24/7 access to Betsy through her Betsy Bot!

Surrender isn’t about giving up your dreams, it’s about living the dreams God has for you. When you stop forcing outcomes and start trusting His guidance, peace and joy become available right now. If you’re ready to release control, deepen your faith, and experience freedom through surrender, this episode is for you.

✨ Remember to subscribe for weekly episodes on faith, growth, healing, and purpose.

This episode is one of those conversations that stays with you long after it ends. Mac is only 14 years old, but he carries a depth, a faith, and a clarity of purpose that many adults spend their whole lives searching for. He lives with cerebral palsy, yet he refuses to let that define him. Instead, he sees it as his God-given gift—an opportunity to bring people to the truth, to inspire, and to remind others that their limitations don’t have to be the end of their story.

In this conversation, Mac opens up about growing up with cerebral palsy and experiencing adversity in his teens. What makes this episode powerful is not just Mac’s story, but the truth underneath it: that every one of us knows what it feels like to have a dream collapse, to feel limited, to feel overlooked, to wonder why God allowed something so painful. And yet every one of us also knows what it feels like when light finds us again—when a new door opens, when strength returns, when perspective shifts, when we realize God was carrying us the entire time.

You don’t have to be a teenager to connect with this. You don’t have to live with a disability. You don’t even need to know Mac or me personally. If you’ve ever hit rock bottom, if you’ve ever questioned your purpose, if you’ve ever felt the weight of disappointment or the ache of things not going your way, this episode will speak to you. Mac’s voice may be young, but his message is universal: don’t quit, don’t lose faith, and don’t ever mistake a closed door for the end of your story. God is still working—especially when you don’t see it.

If this conversation touches you, share it with someone who needs hope today. And if you want to hear more from Mac, visit his Instagram at @betterwithchrist2010 and let him know he inspired you.

Please remember to sign up at FaithAndGrowthPodcast.com to receive the weekly episodes in your inbox.

Surrender isn’t giving up, it’s giving God the wheel.You can build, plan, strategize, and hustle… but without God’s guidance, it will always feel heavy. In this episode, I share the story of how my desire for freedom turned into one of the hardest but most transformative seasons of my life, and how surrendering my business, my plans, and my timeline to God opened doors I could have never created on my own.From letting go of what was falling apart to watching God rebuild everything better than before, this episode will encourage you to trust God’s leadership, release control, and allow Him to be the CEO of your life and business.✨ In This Episode, You’ll Learn:Why the desire for freedom often comes from God, but our plans don’tThe difference between your mind’s plan and the Holy Spirit’s guidanceHow to include God as your business partner and make decisions through peaceWhat happens when everything falls apart, and why it may be God’s protectionHow to feel sad and peaceful at the same time, and why both can coexistThe danger of boxing God into your limited planWhy success “happens at the speed of surrender”How to stop controlling the outcome and start obeying God’s directionHow surrender leads to clarity, abundance, rest, and supernatural alignment 📖 Resources & Links:🌿 Ready to step into your purpose and answer God’s calling to do more? Learn about my programs at FaithAndGrowth.com💬 If you’re ready to take action, book a call at TalkToBetsy.com📚 Grab my book: Hurt 2 Hope – Heal the Pain of Grief, Loss, and Adversity https://a.co/d/awwbAgc📲 Download the Better with Betsy App and gain 24/7 access to Betsy through her Betsy Bot!🕊️ Experience prayer in motion at SoulCoreWithBetsy.com When you let Him lead your decisions, your business, your dreams, and your future… you cannot fail. If you’re tired of hustling alone, this episode will breathe peace, clarity, and direction into your journey.✨ Remember to subscribe for weekly episodes on faith, healing, abundance, and spiritual growth.

The holidays can be beautiful… but they can also be painfully hard when you’re grieving or missing someone you love.In this episode, I share my own journey through loss and explain how I learned to navigate Thanksgiving, my favorite holiday, during the darkest season of my life. You’ll discover how to welcome your pain with compassion, create awareness around your emotions, and find peace, hope, and purpose even in the middle of heartbreak.This episode is tender, honest, and filled with tools that will help you honor your grief while still allowing light to come in.✨ In This Episode, You’ll Learn:Why grief intensifies during holidaysHow to welcome pain instead of resisting itWhy “feeling is healing” and pain is a path, not a destination How to become a loving observer of your thoughts and emotionsHow to notice what triggers your pain and what brings you peaceThe “two wolves” analogy and how to feed the one that leads you toward healingHow to celebrate the holidays in the way that feels right for youHow to honor your loved one with traditions that bring peace, not pressureHow service redirects suffering into purpose and healingHow reflecting on the holiday afterward reveals what helped — and what didn’tWhy sharing your story becomes a gift of healing for others📖 Resources & Links:🌿 Ready to step into your purpose and answer God’s calling to do more?Learn about my programs at FaithAndGrowth.com💬 If you’re ready to take action, book a call at:TalkToBetsy.com📚 Get my book: Hurt 2 Hope: Heal the Pain of Grief, Loss, and Adversityhttps://a.co/d/awwbAgc📲 Download the Better with Betsy App and access the Betsy Bot 24/7 — your personal support in moments of overwhelm.🕊️ Experience prayer in motion at SoulCoreWithBetsy.comYou’re not broken. You’re not stuck. You’re healing.Pain is only the path, never the destination.And even in the hardest holidays, God is near, guiding you toward joy, strength, and renewal.✨ Remember to subscribe for weekly episodes on faith, healing, resilience, and emotional growth.#GriefHealing #HolidayGrief #FaithAndGrowth #ChristianPodcast #EmotionalHealing #HopeInGod #LetGoAndLetGod #HolidaysWithoutYou #BetterWithBetsy #HealingJourney

Gratitude isn’t something you say, it’s something you train your heart to feel. In this episode, I guide you through a powerful, practical, and heartfelt teaching on gratitude — not the kind you say out loud, but the kind you feel, embody, and live. We explore how entitlement blocks joy, how your brain is wired to miss the good, and how you can experience gratitude through four spiritual and emotional pathways: attitude, action, investment, and celebration.

Through stories, real-life examples, and spiritual practices, you’ll learn how to slow down, notice God’s presence, overcome negativity, and live with more joy, presence, and intention.

 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:•

• What gratitude really means beyond saying “thank you”
• How to feel gratitude instead of forcing it
• Why entitlement blocks your ability to experience joy
• How the brain attaches to negativity (Velcro/Teflon theory) and how to retrain it
• A step-by-step way to practice the Examen de Conciencia to notice God daily
• How to experience gratitude as action through service (Orlando’s story)
• How gratitude becomes investment — of time, money, and energy — for what matters most
• How gratitude shows up as celebration, pausing to honor your wins instead of living in “the gap”
• Why gratitude is the pathway to joy

 Resources & Links: 

Ready to step into your purpose and answer God’s calling to do more?

Learn about my programs at FaithAndGrowth.com 

Want to take action now?

Book a call at TalkToBetsy.com 

Grab my book: Hurt 2 Hope: Heal the Pain of Grief, Loss, and Adversity https://a.co/d/awwbAgc 

Download the Better with Betsy App and gain 24/7 access to Betsy through her Betsy Bot! 

Experience prayer in motion at SoulCoreWithBetsy.com

Follow me on social:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterwithbetsy/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Betterwithbetsy/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/betterwithbetsy/

Visit me at:https://hurt2hope.com/https://betterwithbetsy.com/https://faithbasedcoachingacademy.com/

Are you wondering if what you're hearing is God's voice… or just your own thoughts?

In this episode, I share a vulnerable and transformational part of my journey, learning to recognize when God was speaking to me, and when it was just my mind trying to take control. I spent years resisting what God was calling me to do. I doubted myself. I questioned Him. I tried to negotiate. But God is patient. He is persistent. And He is gentle.

When I finally surrendered, I discovered peace, clarity, and purpose that I could’ve never created on my own.

✨ In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

How to tell if a thought is from God or from your mind

The difference between God’s voice (peace) and fear-driven thoughts (pressure)

The emotional signs God uses to speak to your heart, not just your logic

Why God’s voice is consistent and persistent, while doubt is scattered and confusing

How to get quiet enough to hear Him

How obedience unlocks peace and alignment

What happens when you stop resisting God’s calling and finally say yes

📖 Resources & Links:

🌿 Ready to step into your purpose and answer God’s calling to do more? Learn about my programs at FaithAndGrowth.com

💬 If you're ready to take action or need clarity on your calling, book a call: TalkToBetsy.com

📚 Grab my book: Hurt 2 Hope: Heal the Pain of Grief, Loss, and Adversity https://a.co/d/awwbAgc

📲 Download the Better with Betsy App and gain 24/7 access to Betsy through her Betsy Bot! 🕊️ Experience prayer in motion at SoulCoreWithBetsy.com

God isn’t difficult to hear, we’re just often too busy to listen. If you’re ready to quiet the noise, trust His nudges, and walk boldly in what He’s calling you to do, this episode is for you.

✨ Remember to subscribe, new episodes every week to help you hear God more clearly.

Are you focusing on what’s missing instead of what’s blessed?In this episode, I share a personal story about how I let stress and overwhelm steal my joy, until God reminded me of the power of gratitude. From reframing frustrations to seeing blessings in disguise, I discovered that gratitude isn’t just a feeling… it’s a spiritual practice that shifts everything. 🌿In This Episode, You’ll Learn:How to shift from frustration to gratitudeThe psychological and spiritual power of thankfulnessHow gratitude raises your energy and draws God’s blessingsThe secret to manifesting joy, peace, and abundance through gratitudeWhat “reframing” means and how it changes your perspectiveHow to embody gratitude beyond words and into your daily life 📖 Resources & Links:Ready to step into your purpose and answer God’s calling to do more? Learn about my programs at FaithAndGrowth.comReady to take action? Book a call at TalkToBetsy.comGrab my book, Hurt 2 Hope: Heal the Pain of Grief, Loss, and Adversity → https://a.co/d/awwbAgcDownload the Better with Betsy App and gain 24/7 access to Betsy through her Betsy Bot!Experience prayer in motion at SoulCoreWithBetsy.com — a Christ-centered movement that unites the prayers of the Rosary with core strengthening, stretching, and functional movement to nourish body and soul.💛 Gratitude isn’t something you say… it’s something you become. If you’re ready to lift your spirit, invite God’s presence into your life, and live in joy no matter your circumstances, this episode will help you get there.✨ Remember to subscribe for more faith-filled reflections on healing, surrender, and spiritual growth.