In this episode of Not Just Waiting, I’m joined by author Kathy Branning for a conversation that feels like sitting across from a friend who just gets it.

We talk about the kind of seasons no one really plans for—when everything shifts at once. Injury, transition, big life changes, and the quiet (sometimes frustrating) work of becoming.

Kathy shares how God has been forming her through pruning and pressing—not in ways that are visible or celebrated, but in ways that are necessary. From navigating physical pain and forced rest to releasing expectations around motherhood, productivity, and control, this conversation is a real look at what it means to trust God when life doesn’t go the way you thought it would.

We also talk about:

• Why calling without character can’t stand

• The tension between passive waiting and active waiting

• What it looks like to live with purpose even when you feel limited

• Letting go of being “the one who makes things happen”

• Trusting God with what you can’t control

If you’ve ever felt stuck, sidelined, or like you should be further along by now—this episode is for you.

You are not behind. You are not forgotten. And you are definitely not just waiting.

Connect with Kathy:

• Website: KathyBranning.com

• Instagram: @_kathy.branning_

Retreat: SisterhoodofStoriesRetreat.com

In this episode of Not Just Waiting, I’m joined by Jen Preston—coach, mentor, and someone who beautifully embodies what it looks like to keep saying “yes” to God in every season.

We talk about the kind of growth that doesn’t get celebrated—the quiet, unseen forming that happens beneath the surface. The kind that requires humility, courage, and a willingness to release what we thought life would look like.

If you’ve ever wondered:

• ​“What if I got it wrong?”
• ​“Why does this look different than I expected?”
• ​“Does starting over mean I failed?”

This conversation is for you.

Jen shares honestly about:

• ​Redefining success and failure through God’s lens
• ​Letting go of timelines, expectations, and control
• ​Having the courage to start over (even when it’s uncomfortable)
• ​Processing disappointment with God instead of pretending it’s not there
• ​What it actually looks like to wait well in the middle of the unknown

One of my favorite reminders from this episode: It’s not wrong. It's just different.

And maybe that difference is exactly where God is forming something new in you.

You are not behind. You are not forgotten. And you are definitely not just waiting.

Connect with Jen:

• ​Instagram: @jenprestoncoaching
• ​Facebook: Jen Preston Coaching
• ​Website: Jen Preston Coaching 

If this episode encouraged you, share it with a friend and come join us over on Substack for deeper conversations like this.

What if the season you’re in right now—the one that feels slow, hidden, or even frustrating—is actually the place God is doing His deepest work?

In today’s episode, I’m joined by Brianna Johnson, founder of Resilient Hope Collective, middle school teacher, and someone who truly lives out what it means to trust God in the in-between.

We talk about:

• What it looks like to be faithful in the small, unseen parts of life

• Why God often focuses on your character before your calling

• The tension of knowing what you’re called to… but not being there yet

• Releasing timelines, expectations, and “how you thought it would go”

• How you might already be sitting in the promise—even if it doesn’t look like it

Brianna shares honestly about navigating disappointment, surrendering control, and learning to trust that God’s version of the story is always better—even when it’s different.

If you’ve been feeling stuck, overlooked, or tired of waiting… this conversation will remind you:

You’re not behind. You’re not forgotten. You’re becoming

Resources + Links:

• 📖 Download The Guide to Becoming (link)

• 📚 Brianna’s devotionals:

• Into the Depths of Joy

• He’s in the Waiting

• 🤍 Connect with Brianna: @resilienthopecollective

Share the Episode:If this encouraged you, send it to a friend who’s in a waiting season. You don’t have to do this alone.

If you’ve ever found yourself asking, “God, can You just tell me what You’re doing?”—this episode is for you.

In part two of my conversation with Megan Draper, we move from talking about becoming… to actually living it out.

Because let’s be honest—it’s one thing to talk about trusting God in the waiting, and another thing to actually walk it out when your life feels uncertain, slow, or unfinished.

We talk about:

• Why we want the promise without the process

• What it looks like to stay rooted when your story feels messy

• The difference between passive waiting and active waiting

• How to redefine success in a world that constantly shifts the goalpost

• Why the “hard part” of your story might actually be the most important part

• And how God is still present—even when you can’t see Him clearly

This conversation is honest, grounding, and full of those quiet “oh wow” moments that meet you right where you are.

If you’re in a season of waiting, becoming, or just trying to figure out your next step— you are not behind. You are not forgotten. You are becoming.

Resources & Links:

•  The Guide to Becoming.

• Connect with Megan Draper: 

• Instagram: @philanthropereimagined 

•  Newsletter: Good Things Ahead

Loved this episode? Share it with a friend who’s in a waiting season 🤍And don’t forget to follow the show so you never miss a conversation.

What if this season you’ve been trying to rush through… is actually where God is forming you the most?

In today’s episode, I’m joined by Megan Draper—founder of Philanthrope Reimagined, storyteller, and someone who deeply understands what it looks like to build something meaningful without losing your soul along the way.

This conversation is honest, layered, and full of those “wait…I needed that” moments.

We talk about:

• What it really means to become in seasons that feel slow or unseen

• Why rest isn’t about doing nothing—but creating margin

• How God uses ordinary moments (walks, conversations, even interruptions) to shape us

• The tension between calling and character

• Learning to recognize that “coincidences” might actually be God’s hand

• And how to stop striving—and start abiding

Megan also shares part of her personal story—walking through seasons of waiting, disappointment, and ultimately seeing God’s faithfulness in ways she never expected.

In Part 2, we’ll talk about what it actually looks like to live this out—how we steward our stories, stay rooted in truth, and build something that lasts.

Scripture to reflect on: “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” — Psalm 27:14

Connect with Megan:

Instagram: @philanthropereimagined

Connect with me:

Instagram: @reanna.ivey.hoff

Substack: Not Just Waiting

What if the most important thing God is forming in you right now… isn’t your calling, but your identity?

In this episode of the Not Just Waiting Podcast, I’m joined by Hansi Sherwood, a leader, speaker, and advocate for hope. Hansi shares honestly about seasons of waiting, the deep faith that was formed through her daughter’s adoption journey, and what it looks like to trust God even when the outcome isn’t guaranteed.

One of the most powerful themes of this conversation is something simple but life-changing:

Before anything else, we are daughters of God.

Together we talk about:

• Why identity as a daughter of God changes how we live and wait

• What happens when God focuses more on shaping your character than advancing your calling

• The moment Hansi prayed, “God, save my daughter… but if you don’t, I still believe.”

• How to actively wait with faith instead of passively sitting in frustration.

•  Releasing control, expectations, and people-pleasing in the waiting season

• Filling your “hope chest” with truth while you wait

If you’re in a season where life feels uncertain, slow, or painful, this conversation will remind you of something important:

You’re not forgotten.You’re not behind. And God is still forming something beautiful in you.

Resources Mentioned

• What If It’s Wonderful? – Nicole Zasowski

Connect with Hansi

Instagram & Facebook: Hope With Hansi Website: hopewithhansi.weebly.com

Download the Guide to Becoming: If you’re in a waiting season and want a simple way to stay rooted in truth, download my Guide to Becoming — a Scripture-based reflection guide designed to help you notice what God is forming in you right now.

What happens when God cares more about shaping your character than advancing your calling?

In this episode of the Not Just Waiting Podcast, I’m joined by my friend Megan Sanders—a writer, coach, and thoughtful listener who helps women move out of pressure and performance and into a steadier way of living.

Our conversation goes deep into identity, growth, and what it looks like to become the person God is forming you to be—even when the path feels messy or unclear.

We talk about the tension between passive waiting and active waiting, how our expectations can quietly shape our identity, and why understanding the character of God changes everything about how we see ourselves.

This episode felt like a deep breath for me, and I think it will for you too.

In This Episode We Talk About

• Why seasons of “murky water” can deepen our understanding of God • When God focuses on shaping your character instead of advancing your calling • The pressure to perform in faith and relationships • Letting go of identity built on productivity and people-pleasing • How core values can guide you through uncertain seasons • Why you are not your circumstances, emotions, or current season

Books Mentioned

• ⁠In His Image by Jen Wilkin⁠

• ⁠None Like Him by Jen Wilkin⁠

• ⁠The Gospel for Helpers⁠

Follow Megan and read her Substack:

Instagram: ⁠@megan.m.sanders⁠ ⁠@megwatercolors⁠

Substack:⁠ Life Lived Between Ideal & Real⁠

The ⁠Guide to Becoming⁠ is a Scripture-based reflection guide designed to help you stay rooted, honest, and present while you wait.

What if the most important work God is doing in you isn’t public?

In this episode of Not Just Waiting, I sit down with Emily Vermeer — founder of Fueled by Faith, wife, mama, and leader — to talk about the kind of formation no one applauds.

We talk about:

• What it really looks like to live under righteous order in marriage

• Submission as strength (and why it’s so countercultural)

• The difference between passive waiting and active obedience

• Releasing expectations — especially around relationships

• Why character often develops before calling advances

• Practical rhythms (like weekly marriage meetings) that protect unity

• How to take “the next step” when you don’t see the full picture

This conversation is honest, humbling, and deeply encouraging.

If you’ve ever felt:

• Frustrated in a slow season

• Confused about waiting

• Tension between ambition and surrender

• Or unsure how to move forward without controlling the outcome
  

This episode will ground you. Because waiting was never meant to be passive. It’s formative. It’s refining.  It’s becoming.

You are not behind. You are being built.

Connect with Emily: 

• Instagram: @emily-vermeer @fueledbyfaith_

Fueled by Faith: Fueledbyfaith.org

What if the very season you’re trying to escape is the one God is using to form you?

In this episode of Not Just Waiting, I sit down with Ariana Waters — mom, marketer, writer, and host of The Becoming Podcast — for a conversation about discipline, desire, distraction, and the quiet character work God does before calling ever feels visible.

We talk about:

• Why discipline might actually be freedom in disguise

• The habits that quietly sideline our calling

• What it looks like to release identity (even “ministry identity”)

• IVF, unexpected provision, and miracle babies

• Mary vs. Zechariah — doubt, song, and silence

• Why God gives us a lamp for our feet, not a spotlight for the whole plan

If you’ve ever felt stuck…behind…or frustrated that your calling isn’t moving as fast as you hoped — this conversation will steady you.

You are not forgotten. You are not late. And you are definitely not just waiting.

Resources Mentioned:

• The Father’s Love Letter 

• Emotionally Healthy Day by Day

• Psalm 119:105

• Ephesians 3:20

Join the Becoming Collective! 

Connect with Ariana: 

• Instagram: @hello.arianawaters

• Substack: A note from the middle. 

Podcast: The Becoming Podcast

What if the season that feels like a delay is actually doing deeper work than you realize?

In today’s episode of Not Just Waiting, I’m joined by writer, creative, and mother of four Rebekah Atkins for an honest conversation about becoming—especially in seasons where growth isn’t obvious or celebrated.

Rebekah shares her journey of learning resoluteness, surrendering control, and trusting God when life slowed her down in unexpected ways. We talk about creativity in busy seasons, releasing the need for approval, and how God often focuses on shaping our character long before advancing our calling.

This episode is for the woman who feels like she’s always waiting—but is beginning to wonder who she’s becoming in the process.

In this episode, we talk about:

• What God forms in us during unseen, uncelebrated seasons

• Learning to be resolute when results are slow or unclear

• Releasing people-pleasing and other people’s expectations

• How surrender creates freedom—not stagnation

• Why waiting isn’t wasted when God is doing deep work

Scripture themes referenced: Waiting, surrender, obedience, and formation in the hidden places

🎧 Listen in and be reminded: you’re not behind—you’re becoming.

Connect with Rebekah: 

• Instagram: @rebekah_miller_atkins

• Rooted & Free Bible Study: https://www.rootedandfreestudy.com