✝️ ABOUT THIS EPISODE

What happens when a lie sounds just true enough to believe? In this episode, Jill talks with author and speaker Melanie Cox about spiritual warfare, shame, perfectionism, people pleasing, and the thoughts that slowly become part of our identity. Melanie shares her deeply personal faith story, including a season when she questioned whether God loved her at all, and how Scripture became a turning point in rebuilding her trust.

Together, Jill and Melanie explore what it looks like to bring shame into the light, take thoughts captive, stop carrying what was never yours to carry, and live for an audience of One. They also talk about gratitude, knowing the character of God through the Bible, and recognizing the difference between a thought that leads toward life and one that steals peace.

If you’ve been wrestling with doubt, negative self-talk, or feeling like you’re “too much” or “not enough,” this conversation offers a bold, faith-centered reframe.

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PODCAST SHOW NOTES:

Full episodes now out on YouTube! ➡️ Watch: Halfway to Sunday (Full Episodes)

🎧 Listen on
Apple

Spotify

🙏Join the community + bonus content (Patreon)

💌 Questions/Guest Requests

******

🩵 ABOUT US

Halfway to Sunday is a weekly faith-based podcast for people who want Jesus but still have questions, sharing honest, hope-filled stories of real faith through joy and loss, healing and growth, and even doubt. Not polished or performative, just real conversations that remind you you’re not alone and loved by God.

******

🔗 LINKS

Follow Halfway to Sunday on Instagram

Follow Halfway to Sunday on TikTok

Follow Jill on Instagram

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📖 BIBLE RESOURCES

Verses Discussed:

The Journaling Bible I use | Bible Highlighters | Annotating Tabs | **affiliate links

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Melanie’s website

🎙️ OTHER EPISODES THAT MAY BE HELPFUL:

Episode #110 Joy Without Pretending w/ Kyleigh Rose

Episode #116 The Grief of Unanswered Prayers w/ Val Kleppen

Episode #107 Good vs God Things w/ Robert Bass

Halfway to Sunday is a weekly conversation on life and faith with your friends.

We're so glad you're here.

✝️ ABOUT THIS EPISODE

In Episode 120 of Halfway to Sunday, Jill sits down with Christian coach, author, speaker, entrepreneur, and podcast host Jake Giffin for an honest conversation about disappointment, trust, and identity in Christ. Jake shares how a failed church plant and an unrealized dream of pastoral ministry led him to pull away from God and question his faith. Together, Jill and Jake explore what happens when obedience does not produce the outcome we expected, why trials can refine what cannot be learned any other way, and how proximity to God builds trust. They also unpack the false identities we use to protect ourselves, including the performer, people pleaser, and perfectionist, and the fear or shame often hiding underneath them. The conversation ultimately lands on a freeing truth: our identity cannot be built on a role, achievement, or other people’s approval. We become rooted by learning who God says we are.

******

PODCAST SHOW NOTES:

Full episodes now out on YouTube! ➡️ Watch: Halfway to Sunday (Full Episodes)

🎧 Listen on
Apple

Spotify

🙏Join the community + bonus content (Patreon)

💌 Questions/Guest Requests

******

🩵 ABOUT US

Halfway to Sunday is a weekly faith-based podcast for people who want Jesus but still have questions, sharing honest, hope-filled stories of real faith through joy and loss, healing and growth, and even doubt. Not polished or performative, just real conversations that remind you you’re not alone and loved by God.

******

🔗 LINKS

Follow Halfway to Sunday on Instagram

Follow Halfway to Sunday on TikTok

Follow Jill on Instagram

******

📖 BIBLE RESOURCES

Verses Discussed:

Revelation 2:1–7

James 1:2–4

The Journaling Bible I use | Bible Highlighters | Annotating Tabs | **affiliate links

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Jake’s website

🎙️ OTHER EPISODES THAT MAY BE HELPFUL:

Episode #110 Joy Without Pretending w/ Kyleigh Rose

Episode #116 The Grief of Unanswered Prayers w/ Val Kleppen

Episode #107 Good vs God Things w/ Robert Bass

Halfway to Sunday is a weekly conversation on life and faith with your friends.

We're so glad you're here.

✝️ ABOUT THIS EPISODE

In Episode 119 of Halfway to Sunday, Jill sits down with her friend Janelle McGuckin, author of The Gift of With, for an honest conversation about loneliness, friendship, and rebuilding community after relational hurt. They explore how technology can create the appearance of connection while leaving us without the deeper intimacy of being truly known and loved. Janelle shares practical encouragement for navigating forgiveness and healthy boundaries, reminding us that forgiveness does not require returning to an unhealthy relationship. Jill and Janelle also make hospitality feel approachable. Meaningful community can begin with takeout, drinks on the porch, a walk, or one simple invitation. They talk about the vulnerability of going first, creating spaces where people feel welcomed, and letting friendship with Jesus fill us so we can love others from the overflow. If community has felt difficult, this episode offers a hopeful, practical way to begin again with renewed hope.

******

PODCAST SHOW NOTES:

Full episodes now out on YouTube! ➡️ Watch: Halfway to Sunday (Full Episodes)

🎧 Listen on
Apple

Spotify

🙏Join the community + bonus content (Patreon)

💌 Questions/Guest Requests

******

🩵 ABOUT US

Halfway to Sunday is a weekly faith-based podcast for people who want Jesus but still have questions, sharing honest, hope-filled stories of real faith through joy and loss, healing and growth, and even doubt. Not polished or performative, just real conversations that remind you you’re not alone and loved by God.

******

🔗 LINKS

Follow Halfway to Sunday on Instagram

Follow Halfway to Sunday on TikTok

Follow Jill on Instagram

******

📖 BIBLE RESOURCES

Verses Discussed:

Feeding the 5,000: Matthew 14:13–21

Feeding the 4,000: Matthew 15:32–39

Friend of sinners: Matthew 11:19

Jesus calling His followers friends: John 15:13–15

The Journaling Bible I use | Bible Highlighters | Annotating Tabs | **affiliate links

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Janelle’s website

Her book The Gift of With

🎙️ OTHER EPISODES THAT MAY BE HELPFUL:

Episode #110 Joy Without Pretending w/ Kyleigh Rose

Episode #33 The Gift of With - A Conversation w/ Janelle McGuckin

Episode #101 Break Free from Spiritual Perfectionism w/ Kristen LaValley

Halfway to Sunday is a weekly conversation on life and faith with your friends.

We're so glad you're here.

✝️ ABOUT THIS EPISODE

In Episode 118 of Halfway to Sunday, Jill welcomes back Cathy Garland for a gentle theological wrestling match between two passages that often confuse Christians: Ephesians 2, which says we are saved by grace and not by works, and James 2, which says faith without works is dead. Cathy explains why Paul and James are not contradicting each other. Paul tells us how we are made right with God, while James describes what a life transformed by God begins to look like. Together, Jill and Cathy discuss legalism, grace, obedience, spiritual fruit, and the danger of turning faith into a performance. They also explore why lasting transformation begins with knowing and receiving God’s love. This conversation offers freedom for anyone who fears they are not doing enough, while still inviting believers into an active faith that naturally produces love, obedience, and care for others.

******

PODCAST SHOW NOTES:

Full episodes now out on YouTube! ➡️ Watch: Halfway to Sunday (Full Episodes)

🎧 Listen on
Apple

Spotify

🙏Join the community + bonus content (Patreon)

💌 Questions/Guest Requests

******

🩵 ABOUT US

Halfway to Sunday is a weekly faith-based podcast for people who want Jesus but still have questions, sharing honest, hope-filled stories of real faith through joy and loss, healing and growth, and even doubt. Not polished or performative, just real conversations that remind you you’re not alone and loved by God.

******

🔗 LINKS

Follow Halfway to Sunday on Instagram

Follow Halfway to Sunday on TikTok

Follow Jill on Instagram

******

📖 BIBLE RESOURCES

Verses Discussed:

The Journaling Bible I use | Bible Highlighters | Annotating Tabs | **affiliate links

******

Cathy’s website

Her book Revelationship

Her new devotional Known

🎙️ OTHER EPISODES THAT MAY BE HELPFUL:

Episode #110 Joy Without Pretending w/ Kyleigh Rose

Episode #90 The Day God’s Voice Got Loud Ep 90 w/ Cathy Garland 

Episode #101 Break Free from Spiritual Perfectionism w/ Kristen LaValley

Halfway to Sunday is a weekly conversation on life and faith with your friends.

We're so glad you're here.

In Episode 117 of Halfway to Sunday, Jill continues her conversation with Val Kleppen about wilderness seasons (Part 2); those stretches where you can’t see what God is doing and you’re desperate for clarity. Val offers a perspective-shifting challenge: why do we assume we need answers before we obey? She shares how a faithful life creates ripples that can impact generations, even if we never see the fullness of our influence. Jill and Val also talk about the gift of the Psalms, how Scripture makes room for grief, lament, and even anger, while still leading us back to trust. This episode is honest, grounding, and hopeful: pain is real, God is good, and joy can still be found in the wilderness. If you’ve been tempted to quit or stay silent, this conversation will strengthen you to keep going.

This is a companion episode to Episode 116.

******

PODCAST SHOW NOTES:

Full episodes now out on YouTube! ➡️ Watch: Halfway to Sunday (Full Episodes)

🎧 Listen on
Apple

Spotify

🙏Join the community + bonus content (Patreon)

💌 Questions/Guest Requests

******

🩵 ABOUT US

Halfway to Sunday is a weekly faith-based podcast for people who want Jesus but still have questions, sharing honest, hope-filled stories of real faith through joy and loss, healing and growth, and even doubt. Not polished or performative, just real conversations that remind you you’re not alone and loved by God.

******

🔗 LINKS

Follow Halfway to Sunday on Instagram

Follow Halfway to Sunday on TikTok

Follow Jill on Instagram

******

📖 BIBLE RESOURCES

Verses mentioned in today's episode:

Psalms

John 16:33

John 15 (Abiding in Him)

The Journaling Bible I use | Bible Highlighters | Annotating Tabs | **affiliate links

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Follow Val on YouTube

Check out Val’s Website

🎙️ OTHER EPISODES THAT MAY BE HELPFUL:

Episode #116 The Grief of Unanswered Prayers w/ Val Kleppen

Episode #115 God Isn’t Done With Your Story w/ Carly Ann Taylor

Episode #110 Joy Without Pretending w/ Kyleigh Rose

Episode #109 When Joy Feels Impossible w/ Wanda Thibodeaux

Halfway to Sunday is a weekly conversation on life and faith with your friends.

We're so glad you're here.

In Episode 116 of Halfway to Sunday, Jill sits down with Val Kleppen (host of The Motherhood Experience Podcast) for an honest conversation about the wilderness seasons when prayers feel unanswered, direction feels unclear, and you’re trying to stay faithful anyway. Val shares from real life: grief, deep wrestling, and the exhaustion that comes from trying to control outcomes when everything feels uncertain. Together they talk about what it looks like to surrender in the waiting, why lament is not faithlessness, and how the Psalms can become a tether back to God when you don’t have words. This episode is for anyone stuck in the in-between…the slow, hard, unseen chapters when it feels like you need permission to tell the truth and the practical encouragement to keep showing up with God, one next step at a time.

PODCAST SHOW NOTES:

Full episodes now out on YouTube! ➡️ Watch: Halfway to Sunday (Full Episodes)

🎧 Listen on
Apple

Spotify

🙏Join the community + bonus content (Patreon)

💌 Questions/Guest Requests

🩵 ABOUT US

Halfway to Sunday is a weekly faith-based podcast for people who want Jesus but still have questions, sharing honest, hope-filled stories of real faith through joy and loss, healing and growth, and even doubt. Not polished or performative, just real conversations that remind you you’re not alone and loved by God.

******

🔗 LINKS

Follow Halfway to Sunday on Instagram

Follow Halfway to Sunday on TikTok

Follow Jill on Instagram

📖 BIBLE RESOURCES

Psalm 139

Book of Job

The Journaling Bible I use | Bible Highlighters | Annotating Tabs | **affiliate links

******

Follow Val on YouTube

Check out Val’s Website

🎙️ OTHER EPISODES THAT MAY BE HELPFUL:

Episode #110 Joy Without Pretending w/ Kyleigh Rose

Episode #109 When Joy Feels Impossible w/ Wanda Thibodeaux

Episode #101 Break Free from Spiritual Perfectionism w/ Kristen LaValley

Halfway to Sunday is a weekly conversation on life and faith with your friends.

We're so glad you're here.

In Episode 115 of Halfway to Sunday, Jill sits down with Christian artist Carly Ann Taylor to hear the story behind her faith, her calling, and her song “Why Should I Worry.” Carly shares about growing up in a deeply unstable environment of abuse, addiction, and foster care to then reaching a breaking point where she contemplated ending her life. She describes hearing a simple phrase “Something good is coming” and later realizing it was God preparing her heart for the gospel. Carly also opens up about a post-college season of depression and paralyzing fear of the future, and how Scripture (Matthew 6) and worship became a lifeline. The conversation highlights surrender, God’s behind-the-scenes work, and how a “sacrifice of praise” can become a song that carries others.

******

PODCAST SHOW NOTES:

Full episodes now out on YouTube! ➡️ Watch: Halfway to Sunday (Full Episodes)

🎧 Listen on
Apple

Spotify

🙏Join the community + bonus content (Patreon)

💌 Questions/Guest Requests

******

🩵 ABOUT US

Halfway to Sunday is a weekly faith-based podcast for people who want Jesus but still have questions, sharing honest, hope-filled stories of real faith through joy and loss, healing and growth, and even doubt. Not polished or performative, just real conversations that remind you you’re not alone and loved by God.

******

🔗 LINKS

Follow Halfway to Sunday on Instagram

Follow Halfway to Sunday on TikTok

Follow Jill on Instagram

******

📖 BIBLE RESOURCES

Matthew 6

Hebrews 13:15

The Journaling Bible I use | Bible Highlighters | Annotating Tabs | **affiliate links

******

Check out Carly’s Website

🎙️ OTHER EPISODES THAT MAY BE HELPFUL:

Episode #110 Joy Without Pretending w/ Kyleigh Rose

Episode #109 When Joy Feels Impossible w/ Wanda Thibodeaux

Episode #101 Break Free from Spiritual Perfectionism w/ Kristen LaValley

Halfway to Sunday is a weekly conversation on life and faith with your friends.

We're so glad you're here.

In Episode 114 of Halfway to Sunday, Jill sits down with Jessica DeYoung (founder of the Made Whole Movement and host of Perspectives into Practice) to talk about obedience when you don’t have the full picture. Jessica shares a simple but challenging truth: obedience comes before clarity. God often gives the next step, not the whole map. Together they unpack how to discern God’s voice in real life, including a practical three-part filter: does it align with Scripture, does it produce peace over time, and does it require trust? Jill and Jessica also discuss how fear can masquerade as “wisdom,” why relief isn’t the same as peace, and how doing nothing can still be a form of disobedience. The conversation is a reset for anyone feeling stuck, anxious, or unsure, inviting listeners to deepen relationship with God and take the next faithful step.

******

PODCAST SHOW NOTES:

Full episodes now out on YouTube! ➡️ Watch: Halfway to Sunday (Full Episodes)

🎧 Listen on
Apple

Spotify

🙏Join the community + bonus content (Patreon)

💌 Questions/Guest Requests

******

🩵 ABOUT US

Halfway to Sunday is a weekly faith-based podcast for people who want Jesus but still have questions, sharing honest, hope-filled stories of real faith through joy and loss, healing and growth, and even doubt. Not polished or performative, just real conversations that remind you you’re not alone and loved by God.

******

🔗 LINKS

Follow Halfway to Sunday on Instagram

Follow Halfway to Sunday on TikTok

Follow Jill on Instagram

******

📖 BIBLE RESOURCES

Psalm 68

The Journaling Bible I use | Bible Highlighters | Annotating Tabs | **affiliate links

******

Follow Jessica on Facebook

Check out Jessica’s Website and Podcast

🎙️ OTHER EPISODES THAT MAY BE HELPFUL:

Episode #110 Joy Without Pretending w/ Kyleigh Rose

Episode #109 When Joy Feels Impossible w/ Wanda Thibodeaux

Episode #101 Break Free from Spiritual Perfectionism w/ Kristen LaValley

Halfway to Sunday is a weekly conversation on life and faith with your friends.

We're so glad you're here.

✝️ ABOUT THIS EPISODE

In Episode 113 of Halfway to Sunday, Jill sits down with Jennifer Bosma, host of the Front Parking Spot podcast, to talk about living out faith at home and moving from religion and “should dos” into a real relationship with Jesus. Jennifer shares practical ways to slow down and make space for God even in busy seasons (even if it’s only two minutes), and why praying Scripture (especially Psalm 91) can bring peace when fear and worry get loud. They talk about getting in the Bible consistently, recommending tools like The Bible Recap and Bible in One Year (Nicky & Pippa Gumbel), and why you don’t have to wait for anyone else to build your faith. Jill and Jennifer also encourage listeners to open Scripture with fresh eyes with Jennifer pointing to Isaiah 53 as a powerful starting place to see Jesus clearly. 

******

PODCAST SHOW NOTES:

Full episodes now out on YouTube! ➡️ Watch: Halfway to Sunday (Full Episodes)

🎧 Listen on
Apple

Spotify

🙏Join the community + bonus content (Patreon)

💌 Questions/Guest Requests

******

🩵 ABOUT US

Halfway to Sunday is a weekly faith-based podcast for people who want Jesus but still have questions, sharing honest, hope-filled stories of real faith through joy and loss, healing and growth, and even doubt. Not polished or performative, just real conversations that remind you you’re not alone and loved by God.

******

🔗 LINKS

Follow Halfway to Sunday on Instagram

Follow Halfway to Sunday on TikTok

Follow Jill on Instagram

******

📖 BIBLE RESOURCES

Psalm 91

Isaiah 53

Jeremiah 29:11

Proverbs 22:6

Ephesians 3:20

The Journaling Bible I use | Bible Highlighters | Annotating Tabs | **affiliate links

******

Follow Jennifer on Facebook

Check out Jennifer’s Website

🎙️ OTHER EPISODES THAT MAY BE HELPFUL:

Episode #110 Joy Without Pretending w/ Kyleigh Rose

Episode #109 When Joy Feels Impossible w/ Wanda Thibodeaux

Episode #101 Break Free from Spiritual Perfectionism w/ Kristen LaValley

Halfway to Sunday is a weekly conversation on life and faith with your friends.

We're so glad you're here.

In Episode 112 of Halfway to Sunday, Jill sits down with Anita Keagy (founder of Joy Shop Ministries) for a deeply hope-filled conversation about shame, fear, and God’s redemption. Anita shares how an unplanned pregnancy brought fear and embarrassment and how her faith, her parents’ grace, and God’s love helped her choose life rather than be driven by fear. She reflects on what it means to cry out to God in desperation, and how “seeking God first” became a turning point that reshaped her priorities and healed her heart. Anita also shares about her family and the beautiful redemption of restored relationship. This episode is for anyone who feels stuck, ashamed, or afraid while offering a reminder that God’s love isn’t distant, and His Word is full of “love letters” that can guide you into freedom.

******

PODCAST SHOW NOTES:

Full episodes now out on YouTube! ➡️ Watch: Halfway to Sunday (Full Episodes)

🎧 Listen on
Apple

Spotify

🙏Join the community + bonus content (Patreon)

💌 Questions/Guest Requests

******

🩵 ABOUT US

Halfway to Sunday is a weekly faith-based podcast for people who want Jesus but still have questions, sharing honest, hope-filled stories of real faith through joy and loss, healing and growth, and even doubt. Not polished or performative, just real conversations that remind you you’re not alone and loved by God.

******

🔗 LINKS

Follow Halfway to Sunday on Instagram

Follow Halfway to Sunday on TikTok

Follow Jill on Instagram

******

📖 BIBLE RESOURCES

Matthew 6

Matthew 6:33 (“seek first the kingdom…”)

Acts 17:27–28

The Journaling Bible I use | Bible Highlighters | Annotating Tabs | **affiliate links

******

Follow Anita on Facebook

Check out Anita’s Website

🎙️ OTHER EPISODES THAT MAY BE HELPFUL:

Episode #110 Joy Without Pretending w/ Kyleigh Rose

Episode #109 When Joy Feels Impossible w/ Wanda Thibodeaux

Episode #101 Break Free from Spiritual Perfectionism w/ Kristen LaValley

******

Halfway to Sunday is a weekly conversation on life and faith with your friends.

We're so glad you're here.