Do you struggle with feeling like you're not enough? Are you tired of comparing yourself to others and always coming up short? Does shame whisper that your past, your failures, or your struggles disqualify you from being loved by God?

If you've ever wondered "why do I feel like I'm not good enough" or searched for Christian help for overcoming shame, this episode is for you.

Today we look at the woman at the well in John 4 - a woman who was hiding in shame, coming to draw water alone at noon so no one would see her. But Jesus saw her. He knew her whole story - five husbands, the man she was living with now, all of it - and He didn't walk away. Instead, He chose HER to be the very first person He revealed Himself to as the Messiah.

What does this mean for you when you feel unworthy of God's love? Everything.

In this episode, I share my own struggle with shame and not feeling enough, we walk through what Jesus said to the woman at the well, and I teach you how God's Word can literally rewire the shame patterns in your brain. Science shows we think 80,000-90,000 thoughts a day - many of them negative. But Scripture can create new neural pathways, replacing those old shame ruts with truth.

You'll Learn:

• Why shame makes you feel like everyone else has it together except you
• What Jesus really meant by "living water" and why it matters for your shame
• The difference between broken cisterns and the fountain of living water (Jeremiah 2:13)
• How your brain creates shame ruts - and how God's truth creates new pathways
• The Five Rs practice for replacing shame with biblical truth
• Bible verses for when you feel not enough

Key Scriptures:

• John 4:1-42 (Woman at the Well)
• Jeremiah 2:13 (Broken Cisterns and Living Water)
• Romans 12:2 (Renewing Your Mind)
• Psalm 139:14 (Fearfully and Wonderfully Made)
• Romans 8:1 (No Condemnation)

This Episode Is For You If:

• You constantly compare yourself to others
• You feel like you're not a good enough mom, wife, Christian, or woman
• Shame from your past keeps you hiding
• You wonder if God can really use someone like you
• You're exhausted from trying to measure up
• You want to know what the Bible says about shame and worth

Resources Mentioned:

• Promised Hope: Finding Peace in God's Faithfulness
• Promised Rest: Finding Peace in God's Presence
• Free 50 Minute Consultation Call With Michelle
• Michelle's Email List

Do you wake up to the same negative thoughts every morning? Thoughts like "I'm not enough," "This will never change," or "I'm too broken"? You're not alone, and those thought patterns aren't permanent.

In this episode, we explore the story of the woman who bled for 12 years - a woman whose thought patterns ran deep from isolation, suffering, and disappointment. We'll see how one desperate touch changed everything, and how Jesus rewrites our thought patterns with His truth.

In This Episode, You'll Discover:

• Why negative thought patterns feel so permanent (and why they're not)
• How God's Word creates new neural pathways in your brain
• The bleeding woman's story from Mark 5 and what it teaches us about transformation
• The Joy Practice: A 4-step biblical tool for rewiring anxious thinking
• How to receive joy instead of trying to manufacture it
• Why gratitude + God's Word = brain change

The Joy Practice (4 Steps):

1. Name your thought rut - write down the sentence your brain offers regularly
2. Find a Scripture that speaks truth to that lie
3. Practice gratitude - write three specific things you're thankful for today
4. Rest in your joy - write one way you see God at work

Key Scriptures:

• Isaiah 61:3 - "To give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit"
• Mark 5:25-34 - The woman who touched Jesus' garment

This Episode Is For You If:

• You struggle with repetitive negative thoughts
• You've been stuck in the same thought patterns for years
• You want a biblical approach to changing your thinking
• You're tired of trying to "think positive" and want something deeper
• You need hope that real change is possible

Resources Mentioned:

• Promised Hope: Finding Peace in God's Faithfulness
• Promised Rest: Finding Peace in God's Presence
• Free 50 Minute Consultation Call With Michelle

Connect With Michelle:

Michelle's Website

Are you in the middle of a broken dream right now? Wondering if God sees you, if healing will ever come, or if you'll survive this pain? In this episode, discover how God meets you exactly where you are—in the pacing, the tears, the unanswered questions. Learn how your brain creates thought ruts during grief and how God's Word can create new pathways to peace. Your broken places might be exactly where God's light will shine brightest.

What You'll Discover in This Episode: If You're Living with a Broken Dream Right Now:

You'll learn:

• Why your brain keeps replaying the same painful thoughts (and what you can do about it)
• How to recognize the "thought ruts" that are keeping you stuck in grief

You'll discover:

• That showing up matters—even when you can't feel God's presence yet
• How God uses the "ordinary" (like Sunday worship) to do extraordinary healing work
• Why your breaking might be the beginning of something more beautiful than your original dream
• That healing isn't linear, instant, or neat—and that's okay
• You're not failing because you're still hurting

If You're Wondering If Healing Will Ever Come:

You'll gain hope that:

• God doesn't look at your broken pieces and shake His head in disappointment
• Your service, calling, or purpose isn't over just because this dream died
• Time + God's presence = transformation (even if it takes 26 years)
• The cracks in your story might become the most beautiful part
• God is doing Kintsugi work in your life right now—filling your broken places with His gold

If You Need to Remember God's Faithfulness:

You'll be reminded:

• God was faithful in your past—even when you couldn't see it at the time
• To look back and notice where He met you in your wilderness
• That He's been rewriting your thought patterns through His Word all along
• Your story isn't finished yet—God is still making all things new
• The places where you felt most broken are now where you have the most compassion for others

This Episode Is For You If:

✓ You're grieving a ministry dream that didn't turn out the way you hoped ✓ You've experienced church hurt and wonder if you'll ever heal ✓ You're stuck in thought spirals about what you "should have" done differently ✓ You feel like a failure because your calling looked different than you planned ✓ You're exhausted from trying to hold everything together ✓ You need permission to grieve without rushing to "get over it" ✓ You're wondering if God can still use broken people (spoiler: He specializes in it) ✓ You're pacing your own kitchen table right now, processing pain too big for words ✓ You need to hear that you're not alone in the messy middle

What Makes This Episode Different:

This isn't about:

• Quick fixes or 3 easy steps to healing
• Pretending everything's fine when it's not
• Spiritual bypassing your real pain
• Comparison (her healing vs. your timeline)

This IS about:

• God's patient, faithful presence in the long journey
• Permission to be human while trusting God
• Real tools (thought work, Be Still prayer, Scripture) that help
• Honest faith that makes room for grief AND hope
• Remembering you're God's beloved daughter, even in the breaking

You'll Walk Away With:

🧠 Understanding of how your brain works:

• How "thought ruts" form and why they feel so permanent
• How God's Word literally rewires your neural pathways
• Tools to recognize when you're spiraling vs. when you're healing

💎 The Kintsugi Perspective:

• What this Japanese art teaches about redemption
• Why your cracks don't need to be hidden
• How breaking and mending are part of your story, not failures in your story
• Permission to see beauty in what feels ruined

🙏 Practical Prayer Tools:

• The Be Still Prayer using God's name "Yahweh Rafa" (The God Who Heals)
• How to receive what God offers when you don't feel worthy
• Where to find God when you can't sense His presence
• How to sit with grief without letting it become your identity

📖 Scripture That Anchors:

• Psalm 147:3 - "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds"
• How to let God's Word create new pathways when old thoughts won't stop
• Why showing up to receive His gifts matters (even when you can't feel it working)

Your Reflection Journey:

As you listen, consider these questions:

About Your Story:

• What dream are you grieving right now?
• What thought ruts has your brain created about what happened?
• Where have you been pacing your own "kitchen table"?

About God's Presence:

• Looking back, where was God meeting you when you couldn't feel Him?
• What "ordinary" places has He used to do extraordinary healing work in your life?
• Where are you receiving His gifts right now (worship, communion, His Word)?

About Your Future:

• What if your broken dream isn't the end of your story—just the middle?
• What if the cracks are exactly where God's light will shine brightest?
• What new thing might God be making that you can't see yet?

Here's the Truth You Need to Hear:

Your broken dream doesn't mean:

• ❌ You failed
• ❌ God is disappointed in you
• ❌ Your calling is over
• ❌ Something's wrong with you
• ❌ You should have done it differently
• ❌ You're too broken to be used

Your broken dream might mean:

• ✓ God is doing something you can't see yet
• ✓ The gold is being prepared for your cracks
• ✓ Your most compassionate ministry is being birthed through your pain
• ✓ You're learning to trust instead of control
• ✓ Your story is becoming one only you can tell
• ✓ You're exactly where God can meet you most intimately

What Happens Next:

After you listen to this episode, you might:

• Feel seen and less alone in your grief
• Have language for what you've been experiencing ("thought ruts!")
• Notice where God has been present all along
• Feel permission to grieve without shame
• Have hope that healing is possible (even if it takes time)
• Want to look at your own story through the Kintsugi lens
• Feel ready to receive what God is offering you today

Take the Next Step:

If this episode resonates with you:

📧 Book a Free 50-Minute Coaching Session You don't have to walk through this alone. In our time together, we'll:

• Explore the thought patterns keeping you stuck
• Discover where God is meeting you right now
• Create practical tools using God's Word to build new neural pathways
• Hold space for your grief while moving toward hope

These sessions alone have helped so many women. [Schedule here: Link]

A Note from Michelle:

Friend, if you're listening to this episode in the middle of your own broken dream—while you're pacing your kitchen table, crying in your car, or wondering if you'll survive this—I want you to know:

You're not alone. God sees you. Your dream falling apart doesn't mean YOU'RE falling apart. The cracks are where the light gets in.

I've been where you are. I know that soul-deep exhaustion of holding everything together. I know what it's like to wonder if God is even there when your prayers aren't answered the way you begged.

And I can tell you from 26 years on the other side: He was there. He is here. He's doing Kintsugi work in your life right now, even if you can't see it yet.

Your broken places are becoming your most beautiful.

With love and hope for your journey, Michelle

Featured Scripture:

Psalm 147:3 - "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds."

Revelation 21:5 - "I am making all things new."

2 Corinthians 12:9 - "My power is made perfect in weakness."

Resources Mentioned:

• Promised Hope: Finding Peace in God's Faithfulness
• Promised Rest: Finding Peace in God's Presence
• Free 50 Minute Consultation Call With Michelle

Connect With Michelle:

Michelle's Website

About Peace in His Presence:

This podcast is a space where we pause together, take a deep breath, and rest in the truth of who God is and who we are in Him. Each episode walks through God's Word and real stories of His redemption, learning how to be still, notice His presence, and live from His promised joy.

Your host, Michelle Diercks, is a Christian life coach, speaker, and author passionate about helping women move from anxiety to peace, from control to trust, and from broken dreams to beautiful purpose. Currently completing Master Coach certification, Michelle integrates faith, neuroscience, and practical tools for transformation.

Have you ever been told you're "too emotional"? Do you feel unseen, unheard, or unnoticed in your relationships? If you've spent years thinking about your emotions instead of actually feeling them, this episode is for you.

In this episode of the Peace and His Presence Podcast, I share my personal story of being told "you will always fail in life because you're too emotional" and how that painful wound led me to spend years stuck in my head, analyzing my emotions instead of processing them.

Discover the biblical story of Hagar and El Roi (the God Who Sees) and learn a simple framework for processing emotions in about 90 seconds instead of staying stuck in emotional loops for hours or days.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

The Difference Between Thinking About Emotions vs. Processing Them

• Why staying in your head keeps emotions stuck in your body
• How analyzing and judging emotions actually makes them stronger
• The science behind emotional processing (it only takes 90 seconds!)
• What it means to actually feel your feelings instead of just thinking about them

The Story of Hagar and El Roi

• How an Egyptian servant girl with no power gave God a name
• What the Angel of the Lord (Jesus before incarnation) did when Hagar felt completely unseen
• How El Roi sees your emotions without shame or judgment

A Practical Framework for Processing Emotions

• A simple 4-step process for moving emotions through your body
• How to invite God into your emotional processing
• Why movement (walking, changing rooms, going outside) helps release stuck emotions
• How to hold both your valid emotions AND God's truth at the same time

Help for Feeling Unseen and Unheard

• Scriptures to speak over your emotions when you feel afraid, ashamed, or alone
• How to use different names of God (El Shaddai, Yahweh Rapha, Yaweh Shalom) depending on what you need
• Why being "too emotional" isn't a flaw—it's part of being human
• How to trust that feeling emotions won't destroy you

Perfect For You If:

✓ You've been told you're too emotional, too sensitive, or too much ✓ You feel unseen, unheard, or unnoticed in your relationships ✓ You spend hours analyzing your emotions but never feel relief ✓ You're stuck in emotional loops and don't know how to break free ✓ You want biblical, practical help for processing big feelings ✓ You're exhausted from trying to logic your way out of emotions ✓ You've experienced church hurt around being "too emotional" ✓ You want to learn how to feel instead of just think

Key Takeaways:

Emotions are energy that take about 90 seconds to move through your body when you actually feel them—but staying in your head analyzing them keeps them stuck and looping.

El Roi sees you—not the smaller, less emotional version of you, but the REAL you with all your feelings, passion, and intensity.

You don't have to process emotions alone—God invites you to sit with Him and His truth while you feel your feelings.

Being "too emotional" isn't a character flaw—it's often the result of being shamed for normal human emotions and learning to suppress instead of process.

Episode Timestamps:

[00:00] Welcome and introduction to processing emotions [00:02] The "too emotional" story—being told I would fail in life [00:05] The pattern continues in church ministry [00:07] Meet Hagar: the woman who felt completely unseen [00:09] The Angel of the Lord (Jesus) appears to Hagar [00:10] Hagar names God "El Roi"—The God Who Sees [00:11] The difference between thinking about emotions vs. processing them [00:13] The science: emotions take only 90 seconds to process [00:14] The framework for processing emotions (sign up for newsletter for full details!) [00:18] Using different names of God for different emotions [00:19] What to do this week [00:21] Be Still prayer with El Roi

Scriptures Referenced:

• Genesis 16 - Hagar's story and El Roi
• Psalm 91 - God is our refuge
• Romans 8:1 - No condemnation in Christ Jesus
• Hebrews 13:5 - God will never leave or forsake us

Resources Mentioned:

• Promised Hope: Finding Peace in God's Faithfulness
• Promised Rest: Finding Peace in God's Presence
• Free 50 Minute Consultation Call With Michelle

Connect With Michelle:

Michelle's Webiste

A Personal Note from Michelle:

If you're reading these show notes because you've been told you're "too emotional" or because you feel completely unseen—I want you to know: you're not broken. You're not too much. And there's nothing wrong with your emotions.

I spent years thinking ABOUT my emotions instead of actually FEELING them because I was told being emotional meant I would fail. But El Roi—the God Who Sees—taught me that my emotions aren't flaws. They're part of being fully human and fully His.

This episode shares the practical framework I use (and teach my coaching clients) for processing emotions in about 90 seconds instead of staying stuck in loops for hours or days. But more than that, it's an invitation to meet El Roi—the God who sees ALL of you and calls it good.

You don't have to be smaller, quieter, or less to be loved by God. He sees you. All of you. And He's inviting you to process your emotions WITH Him.

Subscribe to my newsletter to get the complete framework, additional scriptures, and practical tools for this week's work!

Share This Episode:

Know someone who feels unseen, unheard, or unnoticed? Someone who's been told they're "too emotional"? Share this episode with them!

Social Share Text: "Have you been told you're 'too emotional'? This episode about El Roi (the God Who Sees) changed how I process my emotions. 🎧 @peaceandhispresence"

⭐️ If this episode resonated with you, please leave a rating and review! It helps other women who feel unseen find this message of hope.

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):

https://uppbeat.io/t/brock-hewitt-stories-in-sound/happiness

License code: E0ZCA2UDHWIGGI98

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/brock-hewitt-stories-in-sound/through-darkness License code: 33GV8YJPLGMDFUEE

How to Stop Anxious Thoughts at Night: A Practical Christian Approach Episode Description

Do anxious thoughts keep you awake at 3 AM? Does your brain replay worst-case scenarios on repeat? You're not broken—your brain is just stuck in worry ruts. In this episode, I share a powerful coaching tool called a thought download, combined with biblical truth about God as your refuge, that will help you see your anxious thoughts clearly and start creating new neural pathways through God's Word.

In This Episode You'll Learn:

• What thought ruts are and how they keep you stuck in worry patterns
• The neuroscience behind anxious thinking (and why it's not your fault)
• A 4-step thought download tool to get racing thoughts out of your head
• How God's Word literally rewires your brain to create new pathways
• Why El Shaddai (God Almighty) is your refuge when thoughts feel overwhelming
• The connection between thoughts, feelings, and actions (the creation cycle)

Episode Highlights:

[02:00] The Target story: How a simple mistake during COVID sent me into a catastrophic worry spiral

[04:30] Understanding thought ruts: Why your brain keeps traveling down the same anxious pathways

[06:00] Meet El Shaddai: The name of God that means "God Almighty and Sufficient"

[07:30] The 4-step thought download tool that helps you process anxious thoughts

[12:00] How to create new neural pathways through Scripture meditation

The 4-Step Thought Download Tool:

1. Set your timer for 10 minutes - Create a container for your thoughts
2. Write continuously without stopping - Pour out everything, even the ugly thoughts
3. Remember who's with you - El Shaddai holds space for your tangled thoughts
4. Notice the patterns - What ruts do you see? Control? Worry? Shame?

Key Scripture Referenced:

• Psalm 91:1-2 - "Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty"
• Philippians 4:6-7 - God's peace guards our hearts and minds when we pray instead of worry
• 2 Corinthians 12:9 - "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness"

Struggling with Anxious Thoughts? Here's How I Can Help:

• FREE Thought Spiral Quiz: Discover which rut you are stuck in. . .
• Promised Hope: Finding Peace in God's Faithfulness
• Promised Rest: Finding Peace in God's Presence
• Free 50 Minute Consultation Call With Michelle

Connect With Michelle:

Michelle's Webiste

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):

https://uppbeat.io/t/brock-hewitt-stories-in-sound/happiness

License code: E0ZCA2UDHWIGGI98

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/brock-hewitt-stories-in-sound/through-darkness License code: 33GV8YJPLGMDFUEE

Are your thoughts spiraling with worry and anxious "what ifs"? In this episode of Peace in His Presence, we pray through Psalm 46:10 — "Be still and know that I am God" — and discover how God's peace can calm anxious hearts and bring rest when life feels uncertain.

This episode prepares us for the Be Still Series with a simple yet powerful prayer for when your heart feels anxious. You'll hear how learning to "be still" in God's presence helps stop anxious thought spirals, quiet your restless heart, and remind you that God holds all things together.

Whether you're facing a difficult decision, weighed down by anxiety, or simply longing for rest, this prayer will help you:

• Pause and breathe in God's presence

• Release your need to control every outcome

• Remember God's promises of peace in Scripture

• Trust Him to hold your heart in uncertain times

✨ This episode is especially for anyone searching for peace in anxiety, Christian prayers for worry, or how to trust God when life feels overwhelming.

Take a deep breath, friend. Let's learn to be still together and rest in God's presence.

📖 Scripture: Psalm 46:10 — "Be still and know that I am God."

Resources Mentioned:

• FREE Thought Spiral Quiz: Discover which rut you are stuck in. . .
• Promised Hope: Finding Peace in God's Faithfulness
• Promised Rest: Finding Peace in God's Presence
• Free 50 Minute Consultation Call With Michelle

Connect With Michelle:

Michelle's Webiste

In a world of constant uncertainty and overwhelming news cycles, it's no wonder anxiety feels like it's taking over. Many of us find our worry spirals spinning completely out of control, leaving us exhausted and afraid.

What do you do when fear hijacks your body at 1 AM, trying to control something happening 4,000 miles away? In this episode, I share my raw, honest story of the night I tried to manage my son's flight delay from Iowa - and what it taught me about breaking free from the anxiety patterns that keep us trapped.

In This Episode, You'll Discover:

• Why your worry thoughts are like "well-worn ruts" in your brain
• How God's Word can literally create new neural pathways
• The difference between reasonable concern and paralyzing control
• Practical steps to break the anxiety spiral when worry takes over
• Scripture-based tools that actually work in real-time

If you're exhausted from trying to control outcomes you can't manage, lying awake at night consumed by "what if" thoughts, or feeling hijacked by fear in uncertain times, this episode offers hope and practical help.

Featured Scripture:

Philippians 4:6-7 - "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."

Matthew 11:28-30 - "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

Resources Mentioned:

• FREE Thought Spiral Quiz: Discover which rut you are stuck in. . .
• Promised Hope: Finding Peace in God's Faithfulness
• Promised Rest: Finding Peace in God's Presence
• Free 50 Minute Consultation Call With Michelle

Connect With Michelle:

Michelle's Webiste

_*]:min-w-0 !gap-3.5"> Does your mama heart ache when your child leaves? You're not alone.

If you've ever watched your child drive away and felt your heart break a little, this episode is for you. Michelle shares her tender goodbye with her son Matthew as he heads to his senior year of college, and offers three practical tools to help you navigate the beautiful, painful journey of letting go with love.

What You'll Learn:

✨ Why being a "50-50 mom" is actually perfect (and gives you permission to stop trying to be perfect)

✨ The hero vs. victim mindset - how treating your child as the hero of their story creates connection instead of control

✨ Selah Moments - a simple way to stay connected without being controlling (plus the neuroscience behind why this works!)

✨ The power of release - what burdens you're carrying that were never meant for you

✨ A beautiful prayer based on Psalm 121 where you can insert your child's name

Perfect for Mamas Who:

💙 Feel anxious when their children leave home 💙 Struggle with wanting to control outcomes for their kids 💙 Wonder if they're "doing motherhood right" 💙 Have a child leaving for college, starting school, or any major transition 💙 Want to connect with their children without being controlling 💙 Need comfort for their aching mama heart

Key Timestamps:

[00:00] Michelle's tender goodbye to Matthew [02:00] Why being a "50-50 mom" is perfectly okay [04:00] The box story - when mama anxiety takes over [07:00] Hero vs. Victim: How we see our children matters [10:00] Selah Moments for connection instead of control [13:00] Release: What you're carrying that isn't yours [14:00] A mother's prayer using Psalm 121

Episode Highlights:

"All of motherhood is loving them enough to let them go."

"When we can't hold them in our arms, we can hold them in our prayers."

"Your heart has been in training for this moment. The ache won't break you."

"I'm a 50-50 mom and it's okay. I'm 50% great mom and 50% 'well, that didn't work' mom."

Resources Mentioned:

📖 Promised Hope by Michelle Diercks - Written during her first year of empty nesting, filled with truths and names of God that bring comfort to weary mama hearts

🙏 Psalm 121 - A beautiful prayer for your children's protection and God's watchful care

📱 Selah Moments - Connect with your children by sharing daily favorite moments

Connect with Michelle:

🌐 Website: [Your website] 📧 Newsletter: [Newsletter signup]

For the Mama Whose Heart is Breaking:

Sweet mama, if you found this episode because your heart is aching as you watch your child grow up and away, please know you're not alone. Every mama walking this earth knows the bittersweet pain of loving someone so much you have to let them go.

Your tears are holy. Your heartbreak is love. And your willingness to release them into God's hands is the bravest thing you'll ever do.

Keywords for SEO:

Empty nest syndrome, letting go of children, mama heart aching, sending kids to college, motherhood anxiety, control and parenting, connecting with adult children, prayer for children, Psalm 121 for mothers, Christian parenting, mama guilt, loving through letting go, first day of school emotions, helicopter parenting recovery

Leave a Review:

If this episode spoke to your mama heart, would you leave a review? Your words help other aching mama hearts find the comfort they need. ❤️

Remember, dear mama: When you can't hold them in your arms, you can always hold them in your prayers.

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Are you exhausted from trying to control the storms in your life? Searching for rest that seems impossible to find when everything feels chaotic? In this episode, you'll discover how to find genuine rest for your soul - not after the storm passes, but right in the middle of it..."

In this episode, author and certified Christian life coach Michelle Diercks shares the life-changing difference between external control and internal safety. Through a powerful story from her days as a 19-year-old camp counselor caught in an unexpected storm, Michelle reveals why our attempts to create safety through control always fail - and what actually works instead.

What You'll Learn:

• Why anxiety isn't love (it's exhaustion wearing a responsibility costume)
• The difference between external control and internal safety
• Michelle's Five Rs framework for finding peace in the middle of life's storms
• How to stop carrying burdens that were never yours to carry
• Why "being strong" might actually be keeping you from feeling safe
• Biblical principles for finding rest when life feels out of control

Perfect for people who:

• Struggle with anxiety and the need to control outcomes
• Feel responsible for everyone else's happiness and safety
• Are exhausted from trying to manage what they can't actually manage
• Want to learn how to trust God practically, not just theoretically
• Are ready to stop trying to be God (because you're terrible at it, and He's not hiring)

Michelle shares vulnerable stories from her own journey of learning to let go, including her recent middle-of-the-night attempt to "fix" her son's flight connection from Iowa to Spain. Spoiler alert: it didn't work, but it taught her (again) about the freedom that comes from surrendering control.

Featured Resources:

• Promised Hope: Trusting in God's Faithfulness by Michelle Diercks
• Free weekly newsletter with practical tools for anxious hearts
• Information about Michelle's coaching and free consultation calls

Key Bible Verses Discussed:

• Psalm 46:10 - "Be still and know that I am God"
• Psalm 63:7-8 - "My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me"

Memorable Quotes from This Episode:

• "If chocolate solved problems, mine would be gone - both the chocolate AND the problems!"
• "You're not broken. You're just tired from doing a job that was never yours."
• "Your anxiety isn't love. It's exhaustion wearing a responsibility costume."
• "Stop trying to be God. You're terrible at it, and He's not hiring."

Whether you're a mom worried about adult children, a woman trying to manage everyone's emotions, or someone who just can't seem to stop trying to control outcomes, this episode offers hope and practical tools for finding real safety - the kind that doesn't depend on perfect circumstances.

Connect with Michelle:

• Website: michellediercks.com
• Newsletter signup: [link]
• Book: Promised Hope: Finding Peace in God's Faithfulness

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Hope for When You Can't Fix What Feels Broken

Show Notes Episode Summary

Has your heart ever felt so broken that you didn't know how you were going to move forward? In this deeply personal episode, Michelle shares a story from her book Promised Hope about a season when her heart felt completely shattered - and what God did in that broken place.

If you're struggling with overwhelming heartbreak, whether from recent tragedies like the devastating Texas floods, personal loss, church hurt, or circumstances that feel impossible, this episode offers hope and a path forward when everything feels unfixable.

What You'll Hear in This Episode

The Kitchen Table Story Michelle shares the raw reality of resigning from her job as Director of Christian Education just one month after her wedding, and how she and her husband Troy processed overwhelming grief by walking circles around their farmhouse kitchen table.

When Everything Falls Apart at Once Sometimes life doesn't give us just one devastating blow - it's tragedy upon tragedy. Michelle explores what happens when we're carrying not just our own heartbreak, but the pain of an entire community (over 200 people left their church during this season).

The Fog of Grief What it really feels like when you're "trying to wade through deep fog" and don't know how to move forward. Michelle describes the physical and emotional weight of compound grief.

God me them in Worship How God met them week after week at a sister church through His Word, the Lord's Supper, and a loving pastor who told them "you'll know when you're ready to serve again."

"Mended" - A Prayer for the Brokenhearted Michelle closes with a beautiful prayer she wrote years later about bringing our brokenness to God's house and leaving mended by His gifts of hope, love, joy, grace, peace, and strength.

Key Quotes from This Episode

"We kept stumbling into the same painful realization: we couldn't fix anything."

"We can't mend our own broken hearts. We try - we pace, we overthink, we cling to control - but the pieces won't fit back together by our own hands."

"God is the giver, and you're the receiver. You can go to the Lord's house just as you are."

Why This Episode Matters Right Now

With recent tragedies like the Texas flooding that took the lives of precious children at Camp Mystic, many of us are carrying heartbreak that feels too heavy to bear. This episode speaks to anyone who:

• Feels overwhelmed by current events and personal circumstances
• Is processing church hurt or spiritual trauma
• Has experienced multiple losses or "compound grief"
• Wonders where God is in the midst of overwhelming pain
• Needs permission to simply receive (not serve) during a difficult season
• Is looking for hope when everything feels broken

Scripture References

• Matthew 11:28-30 - "Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden..."
• Psalm 34:18 - "The Lord is near to the brokenhearted..."

Resources Mentioned

Books:

• Promised Hope: Finding Peace in God's Faithfulness by Michelle Diercks
• Promised Rest: Finding Peace in God's Presence by Michelle Diercks

Connect with Michelle:

• Promise Notes Newsletter - Weekly encouragement and hope
• Free 50-Minute Consultation - Christian life coaching for those who need someone to walk alongside them during difficult seasons
• Website: michellediercks.com

Discussion Questions for Small Groups

1. Have you ever experienced a season where multiple heartbreaking things happened at once? How did you process those emotions?

2. Michelle describes feeling like she was "wading through deep fog." What metaphor would you use to describe overwhelming grief?

3. What does it mean that "God is the giver and we are the receivers" in worship? How might this perspective change how we approach church when we're hurting?

4. Michelle and Troy had to learn to simply receive rather than serve during their healing season. Why is this often difficult for Christians?

5. How can the church better support people who are carrying "compound grief" or multiple heartbreaks?

Takeaways

• It's okay to not know how to move forward when your heart is shattered
• Sometimes we need to simply receive God's gifts rather than try to serve
• God meets us in worship even when all we bring is our brokenness
• Healing happens in community, not isolation
• Our broken places can become our most beautiful offerings

Tags

#Hope #Heartbreak #ChurchHurt #Grief #Healing #ChristianEncouragement #Faith #PeaceInHisPresence #PromisedHope #Worship #GodsPresence #ChristianLifeCoach #Mended #Brokenness