We all have a God-given need to belong, but does that mean finding a sphere in which we consistently feel affirmed? We also all long, at some level, to be fully known, but does that mean we must unveil our deepest and most shameful secrets? In this episode, guest Dr. Sandra Dalton-Smith discusses these issues along with uncomfortable but necessary set-up seasons, how our trust in God impacts our journeys, how that trust deepens over time, and the most important step we can take in our growth and confidence in ourselves and our calling.

Resource referenced: Being Fully Known: The Joyful Satisfaction of Beholding, Becoming, and Belonging by Sandra Dalton-Smith

Topics covered:

• The difference between being known and being exposed
• The best way to respond to long "set-up" seasons
• Biblical characters God intentionally trained for greatness
• How "Beholding" God leads to increased belonging

1. Where in your life do you feel safe to be emotionally honest—and where do you feel the need to hide?
2. Are there signs of emotional fatigue showing up in your body, relationships, or spiritual life? How might God be inviting you to rest?
3. What fears or past experiences might be holding you back from letting others—or God—truly know you?
4. Have you experienced a “set apart” season? Looking back, how did God use that time to shape or strengthen you?
5. How does the idea of “belonging” resonate with you right now? Do you feel like you’re striving to fit in, or are you resting in God’s acceptance?
6. What might it look like for you to intentionally behold God this week—and how could that impact how you see yourself and others?
7. What is one action step God might be inviting you to take having listened to this episode?

Connect with Dr. Sandra Dalton-Smith

On her website

Instagram

YouTube

Find her books on Amazon

Find Carol McCracken:

On her website 

On Facebook

On Instagram

Join the private Faith Over Fear Facebook Group 

(Inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.)

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Does joy ever feel risky, like a lovely bonus to an otherwise painful reality, or like something only available when we experience something worth celebrating? What if we make joy not only a regular practice but a powerful weapon in our journey to increased wholeness and emotional freedom? In this episode, counselor, author, and Bible study writer Nicole Zasowski shares how joy impacts our brains, our sense of wellbeing and our trust in Christ. 

Resource Referenced: Daring Joy - Bible Study Book with Video Access: What Six Women in the Bible Teach Us About the Power of Celebration When It Feels Risky, Complicated, and Even Impossible by Nicole Zasowski.

Key topics covered:

• Choosing empowered boundaries
• Why it can be hard for certain identity truths to feel true
• How we can steward our pain well
• How to establish rhythms of joy that increase our resiliency, strength, and enhance our relationships.

Discussion/Reflective Questions:

1. What resonated with you most in this episode?
2. When has it felt daring to choose or embrace joy? 
3. How might setting "boundaries" in an attempt to change someone else's behavior relinquish your power?
4. Consider one of your more challenging relationships. What might an empowered boundary look like in that situation?
5. What might it look like in your life and season to institute a rhythm of joy?
6. What are your thoughts regarding how Nicole defines joy?
7. What is one action step God might be inviting you to take having listened to this episode?

Find Nicole Zasowski:

On her website

On Instagram

On Facebook

Find Jennifer Slattery:

On her website

Instagram

Facebook

Amazon

Subscribe to her free newsletter

Join the private Faith Over Fear Facebook Group 

(Inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.)

 

 

 

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

We've all got an inner critic who, when listened to, can hinder, if not shatter, our confidence, increase our shame, and challenge our ability to accurately hear the voice of God. In this episode, author and speaker Will "Joy" Acuff shares some practical ways we can decrease our negative self-talk, increase our self-compassion, and learn to recognize when our loving Father is calling us out of shame and into a deeper experience of His grace. 

Resource referenced: No Elevator to Everest: Shift from Survive to Thrive through Spirit-Led Self-Awareness by Will Acuff

1. What part of today’s conversation resonated most deeply with where you are right now?
   
2. What’s one small step you could take toward Spirit-led self-awareness this week?
   
3. Are there any “old messages” from your inner critic you’ve been rehearsing? What might God want to speak over you instead?
   
4. How might your imagination be part of your spiritual renewal? What would it look like to get curious instead of critical?
   
5. Who in your life needs to hear this message today—and how can you share it with grace?
6. How have stress and busyness shaped your view of God—and what might change if you gave yourself permission to slow down and simply be with Him?
   

Find Will Acuff:

On his website

On Instagram

Find Carol McCracken:

On her website 

On Facebook

On Instagram

 

 

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

One of the most encouraging truths in Scripture is God's promise to speak to and guide His children. But how can we know when whether or not the nudge we perceive truly comes from God, and how should we respond to periods of divine silence? Can we "miss" His will? In this episode, Reverend Jessica VanRoekel joins Jennifer Slattery to discuss these questions and more, speaking comfort and encouragement for those struggling to discern God's voice while offering suggestions as to how to increase one's spiritual sensitivity. 

Discussion/Reflective Questions:

1. What resonated with you most in this episode?
2. How can maintaining a pure heart help one hear God more clearly?
3. When have you heard God speak during a time of worship?
4. Jessica emphasized the importance of practice in hearing God's voice. What are some ways you currently practice hearing from God?
5. Jessica and Jennifer also suggested that God often repeats Himself to help us recognize His verse. When has this been true for you?
6. What is one action step God might be inviting you to take having listened to this episode?

Find Jessica VanRoekel:

On her website

On Instagram

On Facebook

Find Jennifer Slattery:

On her website

Instagram

Facebook

Amazon

Subscribe to her free newsletter

Join the private Faith Over Fear Facebook Group 

(Inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.)

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Have you ever feared your doubts, especially if they relate to your faith? How about a reassuring reminder that you aren’t alone. What if your doubt holds potential to create the faith you’re worried may be slipping away? Niki Hardy invites you to experience rest in the middle of your fear, doubt, anger, or confusion.

Resource referenced: God, Can We Chat? A Daringly Honest Guide to Growing Closer to God, One Doubt at a Time

Discussion/Reflective Questions:

1. What resonates with you most in this episode?
2. When have you had a time when you have struggled with questions that were building up in a challenging time you were experiencing?
3. Have you ever been ashamed of your doubts? Why?
4. How do you personally know if you are hearing God’s voice? 
5. Have you ever wallowed in doubt? Describe how it felt, if you have.
6. When you think about bringing your doubts to God, what anxiety or fears do you struggle with? 
7. What is what action step God might be inviting you to take having listened to this episode?

Find Niki Harding:

On her website

On Instagram

On Facebook

On her podcast Chemo Chair Prayers

Find Carol McCracken:

On her website 

On Facebook

On Instagram

 

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Sometimes, when we look at our world, it seems as if evil is winning. Such thinking has the potential to sideline us and leave us feeling defeated. Scripture, however, assures us of three unshakable truths: All the forces of darkness combined will not and cannot extinguish God's light, His children bring His light with them into every encounter, and He will empower the willing heart to dramatically impact our world for generations to come. In this episode, join host Jennifer Slattery as she talks with Dr. Romney Ruder, president of Lifeline Global Ministries, who God is using, along with his ministry, to radically transform some of the "hardest" hearts in the United States while breaking generational patterns of trauma and incarceration that leave wounded children at significant risk for future incarceration. What if the next revival breaks out in our prisons? How might this change at risk families and youth, our communities, and our nation?

(Scroll down for discussion questions.)

Find out more about Lifeline Global Ministries, including how to get involved on their website.

Follow them on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

Find Jennifer Slattery:

On her website

Instagram

Facebook

Amazon

Subscribe to her free newsletter

Join the private Faith Over Fear Facebook Group 

(Inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.)

Discussion/Reflective Questions:

1. What resonated with you most in this episode?
2. How familiar are you with prison ministries?
   1. Did anything Dr. Ruder shared surprise you, and if so, how?
3. What does the impact the gospel is having in United States' prisons reveal regarding God's heart?
4. How can engaging in ministry to the broken help increase one's sense of hope in today's challenging climate?
5. How can engaging in ministry in such places increase one's intimacy with Christ?
6. How might God be inviting you, your family, and/or your faith community to join Him in what He is doing to transform families broken by generational sin, dysfunction, and incarceration?
7. What is one action step He might be inviting you to take having listened to this episode?

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

When we experience trauma, our world can feel shaky and our future uncertain. We might fear we'll never again experience joy and peace. But Jesus promised all of His followers thriving life, and has the power to heal the most wounded places in our soul. In this episode, join Jennifer Slattery as she speaks with guest, therapist, and sexual trauma survivor Lisa Saruga on how trauma effects the brain and steps survivors can take to not just survive their trauma, but experience more of the thriving life for which they were created.

Resource referenced: The Trauma Tree by Lisa Saruga

Discussion/Reflective Questions:

1. What resonated with you most in this episode?
2. Why might it be challenging to recognize and acknowledge when we've experienced trauma?
3. How might it be helpful to recognize our emotional triggers as the result of trauma suffered?
4. How has, or might, journaling help you process through challenging emotions and experiences?
5. Why might it be helpful to journal your emotions AND biblical truth?
6. What is one action step God might be inviting you to take having listened to this episode?

Connect with Lisa Saruga:

On her website

On Facebook

On Instagram

On Amazon

Find Jennifer Slattery:

On her website

Instagram

Facebook

Amazon

Subscribe to her free newsletter

Join the private Faith Over Fear Facebook Group 

(Inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.)

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Have you ever felt afraid of being judged by others? Maybe growing up, you were labeled as shy, awkward, or simply different. Those words can linger, shaping how we show up in the world. But what if we chose to stop judging ourselves and others—and instead, saw people for who they truly are? It's time to break free from people-pleasing and step into your authentic self.

Resource referenced: The Wallflower That Bloomed: Finding Your Place at the Lunch Table of Life

Discussion/Reflective Questions:

1. What resonates with you most in this episode?
2. When have you had a time when you have felt fully known, accepted, and appreciated for the unique qualities that make you who you are?
3. When have you experienced a time you didn’t want to feel? Why?
4. Describe a person that displays authenticity to you.
5. What does people-pleasing mean to you?
6. What message of hope could you take away regarding your relationship with God, even if you aren’t completely “fixed”?
7. What is one action step God might be inviting you to take having listened to this episode?

Find Cally Logan:

On her website

On Instagram

On Amazon

Find Carol McCracken:

On her website 

On Facebook

On Instagram

Join the private Faith Over Fear Facebook Group 

(Inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.)

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

When our world feels chaotic and uncertain, it's easy to become overwhelmed with our circumstances or fears. In that place, we might temporarily forget the love, power, and presence of our God. Scripture tells us our enemy, the devil, roams about like a roaring lion, but as today's guest reminds us, our God has the loudest roar. He reigns victorious in ever situation, including those that leave us anxious and afraid. 

Resources referenced: The Loudest Roar: Living in the Unshakable Victory of Christ by Judy Dunagan

Discussion/Reflective Questions:

1. What resonated with you most in this episode?
2. What situations most provoke your anxiety or fear?
3. How does knowing that Jesus overcame the world, including death and the grave, help bring you comfort?
4. How has, or how might, memorizing Scripture help you gain increased peace during times of fear?
5. What most encouraged you when Judy read Psalm 91?
6. What is one step God might be inviting you to take having listened to this episode?

Find Judy Dunagan:

On her website (Scroll down on her homepage to download her free prayer guide.)

Instagram

Facebook

Amazon

Find Jennifer Slattery:

On her website

Instagram

Facebook

Amazon

Subscribe to her free newsletter

Join the private Faith Over Fear Facebook Group 

(Inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.)

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Scripture assures us, God does not want us to live enslaved to fear, weighed down by stress, and overpowered by personal weakness. Christ promised us joy, peace, and inexpressible freedom. He also promised to give us the power to experience each of those supernatural gifts. In this episode, prolific speaker Max Lucado shares a time when, attempting to carry his ministry in his own strength, the burden became nearly crippling and how he found fresh hope and strength through the Holy Spirit.

Resource referenced: Help is Here: Finding Fresh Strength and Purpose in the Power of the Holy Spirit

Discussion/Reflective Questions:

1. What resonated with you most in today’s episode?
2. What first comes to mind when you think of the Holy Spirit?
3. When have you experienced increased exhaustion and/or anxiety from relying on yourself rather than surrendering to and relying on the Holy Spirit?
4. How would you describe a Spirit-led life?
5. How does/can living Spirit-led decrease our anxiety?
6. How might God be calling you to share His “living water” with weary and burdened souls you encounter this week?
7. What is one truth you can reflect on this week to more fully experience the Holy Spirit’s power and peace?
   
   Find Max Lucado at:
   https://maxlucado.com/
   https://www.facebook.com/maxlucado
   https://www.instagram.com/maxlucado/
   
   Find Jennifer at:
   https://jenniferslatterylivesoutloud.com
   https://www.instagram.com/avapennington3/
   https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083247680572
   
   Join the private Faith Over Fear Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/442736966614671
   
   
   

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.