What do you do when your deeply held beliefs seem to clash with the way you want to love and honor others?

In this episode, we explore the tension that can arise between knowing eternal truths—especially those taught in scripture about returning to God—and navigating relationships with people whose choices or values differ from our own. How do we stay grounded in what we believe without becoming rigid, judgmental, or disconnected?

In this episode, we dive into the delicate balance between justice and mercy, and what it really means to embody both. While justice often feels clear and defined, mercy invites us into a more nuanced, compassionate space—one that requires humility and trust.

A central theme of this conversation is remembering that God is the only one who sees the full picture. He alone understands each person’s heart, journey, and circumstances. When we release the need to “figure out” where others stand, we create more room for love, connection, and peace.

Connect with Shiree at ⁠shireebest.com⁠ 

Join the⁠ "Just Love Them" Facebook group⁠

Email Shiree at [email protected]

Episodes with Misha Baca:

Mom, It's Gonna Be Okay, Part 1

In last week’s episode, we heard from Michael McLean.
This week, we continue the conversation with his son, Jeff McLean — and you will not want to miss it.

Jeff shares his deeply personal story of growing up in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints while quietly carrying a truth he didn’t yet feel safe to live: he is gay.

For years, Jeff tried to fit into a framework that didn’t align with who he knew himself to be. He talks openly about the exhaustion of pretending… the ache of wanting to belong… and the internal conflict of loving his faith, his family, and yet feeling there was no space for his whole self.

Eventually, Jeff reached a breaking point.
He made the courageous decision to stop hiding.

In this powerful conversation, Jeff shares:

• What it was like growing up in a well-known Latter-day Saint family

• The emotional toll of suppressing his identity

• The fear and freedom that came with coming out

• The rocky early years with his parents, and what he has learned about unconditional love

• How their relationship slowly shifted from pain and misunderstanding to love and acceptance

Today, Jeff and his parents are not only close in their relationship — they are collaborators. Together, they have written a new book, "Stay in the Room", about what it means to remain present with each other through disagreement, hurt, faith transitions, and identity differences.

This episode is tender. Honest. Hope-filled.
It’s about truth-telling.
It’s about staying.
It’s about love that grows.

Whether you are a parent of a child who has left your faith, someone navigating your own identity, or simply a human wanting to build deeper connection across difference — this conversation will move you.

Jeff’s vulnerability is a gift. And his story is one that will stay with you.

🎧 Listen now to this brave and beautiful episode of Just Love Them.

Link to "Stay in the Room" on Amazon

Link to "Stay in the Room" on Simon and Schuster

Link to song, "Broken Healer" by Jeff McLean

Connect with Shiree at ⁠shireebest.com⁠ 

Join the⁠ "Just Love Them" Facebook group⁠

Email Shiree at [email protected]

What happens when the story you’ve built your life around begins to unravel?

In this deeply personal and courageous episode, beloved singer-songwriter, performer, filmmaker, and author Michael McLean opens up about one of the most painful and transformative chapters of his life.

Known for his inspiring music and messages of faith, Michael shares what happened behind the scenes when his son left the Church and came out as gay. What followed were years of confusion, heartache, distance, and a faith crisis Michael never expected.

He vulnerably walks us through:

• The strain that entered their father-son relationship

• His own spiritual questioning and internal turmoil

• The turning point that began healing their relationship

• The truth he ultimately discovered about faith, love, and family

This is not a polished stage story. It is raw. It is real. And it is hopeful.

If you have a loved one who has left your faith…
If someone you love has come out and you don’t know how to navigate it…
If your relationship feels fragile or broken…

This conversation will meet you in that tender space.

Michael’s journey reminds us that healing doesn’t come through control, fear, or winning arguments—it comes through humility, listening, and a deeper kind of love.

This is a rare look into a very private struggle—and a powerful testimony of what can happen when love becomes bigger than fear.

Song: Safe Harbors

Connect with Shiree at ⁠shireebest.com⁠ 

Join the⁠ "Just Love Them" Facebook group⁠

Email Shiree at [email protected]

You’ve apologized.
You’ve repented.
They’ve forgiven you.

So why are you still punishing yourself?

In this episode, we explore:

Why we get stuck in cycles of guilt and ruminationThe difference between healing guilt and destructive shameHow the adversary uses the past to keep us stuckWhy your power is only in the present momentWhat it actually looks like to receive Christ’s grace

How to finally let go of the “dark closet” of past mistakes

This episode might change the way you see your past—and your worth—forever.

Apply for the support group at ⁠shireebest.com⁠ Send the message "interested".

Link to episode: God's Guilt vs. Satan's Guilt

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Email Shiree at [email protected]

What happens when four of your five children leave the religion you raised them in?

In this powerful conversation, Joy Allen shares how turning to God brought a profound spiritual shift in the way she views agency, motherhood, and faith. Instead of clinging tighter in fear, she learned to lean into love.

Grounded in her mother’s simple wisdom — “Love is the answer. Now what was your question?” — this episode offers hope, perspective, and peace for parents navigating faith differences in their families.

Gratitude Challenge: Rachaelcurfew.com

Connect with Shiree at ⁠shireebest.com⁠ 

Join the⁠ "Just Love Them" Facebook group⁠

Email Shiree at [email protected]

What if the way you’re praying is missing one key element?

In today’s episode, I share a spiritual “aha” moment that completely reframed how I understand prayer — especially when we’re asking God for miracles.

After reading the book The Circle Maker and wrestling with some questions, I decided to write God a letter.

The answer I received changed everything.

We’re talking about:

• Why some prayers seem more powerful than others

• The importance of getting a clear “yes” from God

• The difference between begging and praying with expectation

• How intentional focus may impact the miracles you’re seeking

I’m sharing this in real time — not as someone who has it all figured out, but as someone learning alongside you.

If you’ve been praying for change… this episode is for you.

ANNOUNCEMENT: Details about a new online support group for those navigating the pain of a loved one leaving the Church.

To get on the support group list, click on ⁠shireebest.com⁠ , fill out the contact form at the bottom of the home page, with the word "Interested".

Join the⁠ "Just Love Them" Facebook group⁠

Email Shiree at [email protected]

This week’s guest is Lindsay Schiess—speaker, therapist, and professor at the University of Utah—who brings both professional expertise and deep compassion to one of the most tender experiences families face.

As a therapist, Lindsay has worked with individuals on both sides of faith transitions. She offers thoughtful insight into why it feels so painful when a loved one leaves their religion—and explains how, at its core, it’s often an attachment wound.

In this powerful conversation, Lindsay shares practical tools to help you navigate the swirl of emotions that can surface: grief, fear, anger, confusion, and even shame. She teaches how to honor your own experience without dismissing it, so you can create enough internal safety to truly hold space for others.

If you’ve ever felt torn between staying true to yourself and staying connected to someone you love, this episode will help you understand what’s happening beneath the surface—and how real healing begins.

Connect with Lindsay:

Instagram

Linkedin

Lindsayschiess.com

Podcast: Therapist Question Box

Connect with Shiree at ⁠shireebest.com⁠ 

Join the⁠ "Just Love Them" Facebook group⁠

Email Shiree at [email protected]

Why does it seem like God speaks so clearly to some people… but not to you?

In this episode, I share a powerful and unconventional way I’ve learned to receive clear, loving direction from God—especially during seasons of confusion, heartbreak, and strained relationships.

When a loved one leaves the faith…
When family dynamics feel painful…
When you don’t know what to do next…

We plead for answers. We want clarity. We want peace.

Today I talk about:

• Why God doesn’t communicate the same way to everyone

• How to recognize the way He speaks to you

• A deeply personal experience that changed how I see my family

• A powerful form of prayer that has brought me remarkable clarity and healing

This practice has softened my heart, strengthened my relationships, and brought answers when I desperately needed direction.

God is not silent.
He is not withholding.
He wants to speak to you.

If you’re seeking clearer direction and deeper peace, this episode is for you.

To receive updates/information about the upcoming support group, go to ⁠shireebest.com⁠  Fill out the form on the home page with the word "interested" in the message box.

Join the⁠ "Just Love Them" Facebook group⁠

Email Shiree at [email protected]

What do you do when one child leaves and later returns… another passes away from the effects of drug use… and a third relationship feels distant?

In this deeply moving conversation, Karen Smith shares her journey as a mother navigating all three realities. With remarkable grace and honesty, she opens up about addiction, grief, hope, disappointment, and the steady love of God that carried her through it all.

Karen reflects on:

• Loving a child who leaves—and welcoming them home

• Losing a child to the heartbreaking effects of drug use

• Navigating family strain and relational distance

• Releasing control and trusting God with her children

• Learning to see her children the way God sees them

Through unimaginable pain and uncertainty, Karen discovered a powerful truth: God’s love for our children is deeper, more personal, and more redemptive than we often understand.

This episode may gently shift your paradigm—from fear to faith, from striving to surrender, from worry to trust.

If you’ve ever wrestled with heartbreak in your family, felt helpless watching a child struggle, or wondered how to keep loving when it hurts, this conversation will meet you there.

You will be inspired. And you may never see your children and other loved ones—or God’s love—the same way again.

Connect with Shiree at ⁠shireebest.com⁠ 

Join the⁠ "Just Love Them" Facebook group⁠

Email Shiree at [email protected]

When someone you love steps away from the faith you cherish, it can be hard to feel love. It can be hard to be a light. It may be more likely that you feel devastated. Rejected. Afraid. Angry. Sad.

So how do you truly love and be a light when your heart is hurting?

In this episode, I share three life-changing shifts that helped me love my children who left the church—without compromising my faith or values.

You can’t control another adult’s choices. But you can control your heart.

And when you change, the relationship changes.

If you’re tired of tension, walking on eggshells, or feeling rejected… this episode will give you a path forward.

Connect with Shiree at ⁠shireebest.com⁠ 

Join the⁠ "Just Love Them" Facebook group⁠

Email Shiree at [email protected]