Perspectives Into Practice | Walk with God

Hand to heart, let me tell you about a conversation that stuck with me long after the microphones were off. I was sitting with my friend Tara who, if you asked her about hobbies, would tell you she loves fishing, camping, and the quiet that comes when you sit still and cast a line. That small picture of peace stands in beautiful contrast to the season that shaped her yes to ministry.

Can I tell you something? Tara did not arrive at a confident yes overnight. She walked through a life altering car accident that left her with a traumatic brain injury. She wrestled with language, balance, vision, anxiety, and depression. Those hard realities cleared every distraction and brought her face to face with a God who was patient and faithful. Through that slow, humbling preparation she began to see that God was not asking for perfect, he was asking for willing.

I remember listening to her describe how God had prepared her without rushing. She talked about seasons of being pushed into solitude so that she could hear voice over noise. That preparation is often invisible and unglamorous. But friends, the scripture that kept coming up in my mind as Tara spoke was 2 Corinthians 12 9 where God says my grace is sufficient and my power is made perfect in weakness. That truth shaped her yes and it can shape yours.

We talked about the specific moment that felt like permission to step forward. Tara had been a teacher for 15 years and was used to scripting everything. She prepared notes and outlines and then a women's retreat came. She had two sessions prepared and no time to finish the third because life had been messy and her mother had been very sick. She stepped up anyway, asked God to speak through her, and for the first time she got out of her own way. What came out was less scripted and more Spirit led and it became the most powerful of her messages.

Here's the thing I want you to hold onto. Saying yes does not mean you suddenly feel ready. Sometimes saying yes is a series of smaller surrenders. If you want to put this into practice, try a few tangible steps that helped Tara and could help you.

I share this with the same warmth I felt sitting across from Tara. We want tidy timelines and clean narratives, but God often prepares us in seasons that feel messy. What matters is that we show up and trust in a God whose grace meets us right where we are. I think you will find encouragement in Tara's courage and in the way God turned limitation into an open door.

If this episode resonated, please listen, share it with a friend, and leave feedback about what encouraged you today. I’d love to know how you’re learning to say yes in the middle of uncertainty and how this conversation landed with you. Listen, share, and leave feedback about this episode.

Hey friends, happy new year. I'm so glad you're here as we slow down together for a minute and remember what God's been doing among us. Can I tell you something? Listening back through season one felt like reading handwritten letters from God, each one pointing me to the small ways He's been faithful in ordinary life. Hand to heart, that has been my favorite part of this whole podcast experience.

I remember the exact moment I realized this space was working. We hit listeners in over 17 countries and over 1,500 clicks and listens, and I sat there feeling humbled and a little stunned. Here's the thing, I always said if this reached one person it would be worth it, but God has been graciously doing more. You sharing episodes, texting a friend, and naming what He's doing in your life has been the music in my day.

You see, this podcast exists because perspectives shape how we live and practice is where faith becomes real. We don't stop at inspiration. We ask the practical question how do we live this out now? That question is what shaped season one and what will steer season two.

Over and over guests reminded me of big truths. Alana taught me that blessing can come with weight and responsibility yet God still multiplies our obedience. Amanda showed how learning to hear God's voice changes the way we say yes and no. Danielle reminded me that grief does not disqualify you from purpose. Brianna's gentle nudge to begin with worship rather than striving keeps coming back to me. Michelle challenged me to ask God to let us see others through His eyes, and that changes everything.

One thread I keep coming back to is this promise of presence even when clarity is absent. Proverbs 3 5 and 6 has been a guide for me lately. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, do not lean on your own understanding. That trust looks like small steps of obedience even when we don't have the whole map.

If you're wondering whether you have a story to share, let me give you practical prompts that helped others speak up. Sit with these and see what rises.

• What has God been teaching you lately?
• Where have you noticed a shift in how you respond or trust Him?
• What feels different in your faith than six months ago?
• Where might God be asking you to take a small next step?

These are not heavy or dramatic things. Sometimes it looks like learning to rest without guilt, setting one healthy boundary, or choosing obedience in a small unseen moment. If that feels small, good. Those small things are the practice that shapes the life of faith.

Can I be honest? Many women say they don't have a story or they don't feel ready. Friend, you already are chosen. Your voice matters even if it shakes. God qualifies the called. If you want help noticing what God is doing in your life, reach out. I love coaching and sitting with women to name the God's work that's already happening.

So as season two begins, my prayer is simple. I want this to stay a place where we notice God in the daily, put faith into practice, and lean into one another as the body of Christ. If this episode nudged something in you, would you listen, share with a friend, and leave feedback? It helps others find the encouragement they need, and it helps me keep showing up for you. Thanks for being here. Please listen, share, and leave feedback about this episode.

Hey friends, welcome back to Perspectives Into Practice. Can I tell you something? As the year was closing and a brand new one sat right around the corner I felt my heart stirring. Hand to heart, I realized I had been living in a comfortable version of faith that looked like attendance and agreement but felt hollow on the inside. I remember showing up, dressing the part, leading groups, and yet feeling distant from the Lord. That slow fade felt icky and I knew something had to change.

Here's the thing, walking with God is not meant to be passive. In this episode I share how the Lord impressed on me that He wants all of us, not a little part tucked away for convenience. I talk about Revelation 3:16 and how the scripture calls out lukewarm faith. That verse struck me hard. It felt like a loving wake up call to stop coasting and start standing - to stop performing for people and to begin living from the inside out.

I tell the story of what that looked like for me. I was doing all the church things, but inwardly I felt spiritually empty. When I finally stopped to pray and asked God what He wanted, He said He wanted more. That invitation to more forced me out of a comfort that was keeping me small. When I surrendered and chose to stand, it shifted everything - my marriage, my parenting, my friendships. Some relationships were pruned because they had stayed for convenience, and that was painful and good at the same time.

If you're listening and thinking that sounds a lot like where you are, I want to offer practical next steps you can put into practice right away. These are simple, faithful rhythms that helped me move from passive to active faith.

• Start small with consistent scripture time, not binge reading but steady hiding scripture in your heart.
• Pray with authority and honesty. Name what you believe and ask God to help you stand.
• Pay attention instead of coasting. Notice where you are comfortable and ask God if comfort has become a barrier.
• Re-evaluate friendships that keep you safe but not growing. It is okay to let some relationships change.
• Say yes to God even when it is inconvenient. Obedience is often uncomfortable at first but leads to real change.

I share how this looked in everyday life, not as a checklist but as real, messy obedience. You don't have to wait for January 1st to take one brave step. Maybe you start with a single prayer of surrender, or a commitment to memorize a verse this week. Maybe you choose one conversation to change, one habit to stop, one habit to begin.

I want to encourage you, ladies, that choosing to stand is worth it. It will stretch you, and it will refine you, and on the other side you will find a truer, richer relationship with Jesus. I don't have all the answers for exactly how God will move in your life, but I can tell you from my own story that when I stopped being passive, God showed up in ways I didn't expect.

Thanks for listening to this part of our year-end series on religion versus relationship and what it looks like to be a woman who stands. If this episode stirred something in you, take one of the practical steps today. Then come back and tell me about it. Please listen, share this episode with a friend, and leave feedback so I know how this is landing in your life.

Have you ever felt too small, overlooked, or ill-equipped for what God has called you to?

In this episode of Perspectives Into Practice, my sister Bryanna and I start with a laugh about thrift store treasure hunting and end up walking through David's story in 1 Samuel 17. David was overlooked, teased by his brothers, and didn't fit the king's armor, yet he trusted God, grabbed a sling and a stone, and showed up. His everyday work in the fields was preparing him for a specific call. I also share times when I felt tiny and unwilling to take center stage.

In this conversation:

If this conversation encouraged you, share it with a friend who needs it, or reach out at https://perspectivesintopractice.com/contact. I would love to hear from you.

Hey friends, hand to heart, this episode landed deep for me. My sister Bryanna joined me and we started with a little laugh about the plastic fork she carries in her purse - she has a phobia of metal on her teeth - and that easy, ordinary detail gave way to a much bigger conversation about how church can look good on the outside and feel empty on the inside.

Can I tell you something? The phrase religion versus relationship isn't just a sermon title for us. Bryanna shared a season that felt like a breakup - twelve years in a church where she served, led young adults and children's ministry, and then began to see people she loved show their true colors. They were showing up to fill seats, not hearts, and that realization has a weight to it. I felt that with her.

Here's the thing: scripture matters. We talked about Proverbs 27:17, iron sharpens iron, because part of the pain comes when those around us who are supposed to sharpen and encourage us are using faith as a label instead of a living connection. We also talked about the Pharisees, because sometimes people around the pews know the language but not the heartbeat. There is a difference between quoting a verse and being shaped by the Spirit.

I remember asking Bryanna about the moment she knew she couldn't keep pretending. For her it was a women's conference where the room pulsed with hungry hearts and the Holy Spirit moved - it was the contrast that woke her up. For my part, traveling and trying churches across the country has shown me how often sermons are motivational speeches instead of scripture-driven truth. When worship is shallow and teaching is thin, your soul notices.

So what can you do if you recognize this in your life? What helped Bryanna and what I keep returning to are small, practical steps you can try this week.

Those moves aren't dramatic. They're not a checklist to prove you're holy. They're invitations to let your relationship with God shape the rhythms of your week instead of letting external expectations drive you. If you're in a season of disappointment or confusion, remember that leaving a place that hurts you doesn't mean leaving God. It can mean stepping toward a fuller experience of the Holy Spirit and truth.

I share this as someone who wants faith to be real in everyday life. If you're tired of religion and longing for a relationship, I'm with you. In this episode Bryanna and I tell stories, name the hard feelings, and point to practices that helped us stay connected to Jesus even when the people around us didn't match our longing.

Please listen, share, and leave feedback about this episode.

Have you ever trusted your parental settings, only to find out something harmful slipped through anyway?

In this episode of Perspectives Into Practice, my college friend Emily shares how a game called 99 Nights in the Forest, which her son found through Roblox, turned out to contain dark, occult-style imagery. She had been diligent with safeguards, and she noticed a soft Holy Spirit warning early on. After nightmares and unsettling moments, she listened to that alarm, watched the game herself, and saw what was really there. Guilt showed up first, but grace met her, and she turned something hard into a real conversation with her kids.

In this conversation:

If this conversation encouraged you, share it with a friend who needs it, or reach out at https://perspectivesintopractice.com/contact. I would love to hear from you.

What if obedience looks less like doing more and more like being still?

In this episode of Perspectives Into Practice, my friend Allison shares how a call to something new landed on her like a gentle but undeniable conviction. She tried bargaining and hesitating, but God kept nudging, and that is how her podcast Run Your Story was born, with her husband buying the domain before she could talk herself out of it. We talk about Psalm 46:10, the tension between "I'm not qualified" and "God gave me a mission," and the healing that happens when people share their stories.

In this conversation:

If this conversation encouraged you, share it with a friend who needs it, or reach out at https://perspectivesintopractice.com/contact. I would love to hear from you.

Hey friends, Jessica here. Can I tell you something? I love hearing how ordinary people lead with extraordinary kindness. In this episode I sit with Michelle, the gentle force behind the Skoolie Swarm Nomad community, and we talk about what it looks like to lead with grace, compassion, and healthy boundaries. I start with a little scene because you should know the woman I invited is the calmest person and also a rock crawler from the 90s. Yes, she drives Jeeps up near-vertical climbs in Moab and somehow keeps her patience in a campsite full of different personalities.

Here’s the thing about community leadership - it’s gloriously messy. Michelle told the story of the Swarm starting in a parking lot idea, turning into a camping weekend, and growing from 22 rigs to over 300 while still keeping the same feel. You see that word rig? That’s what our people call their buses, vans, RVs, whatever they live in. I love that detail because it roots the conversation in real-life rhythms, not abstract theory.

I remember asking Michelle how she stays kind when leadership gets hard. She shared a gut-level moment when she had to protect the safety of others. Someone made people feel uncomfortable and Michelle had to say no to that person coming to an event. She didn’t act on rumor. She checked with three other people, reached out to leaders of related communities, and asked God for discernment. That careful, prayerful, neighbor-loving approach is how boundaries and compassion walk together.

We weave Scripture through that story. Galatians 6:2 talks about carrying one another’s burdens and that helped shape how Michelle framed the decision. It’s not about punishing or public shaming. It’s about making space where women and single people can feel safe, honored, and welcome. Leadership that loves is protective and tender at the same time.

If you want to put this into practice tomorrow, here are a few small steps we talked about during the episode:

Those are practical, actionable choices. They’re not flashy, but they build trust over time. I asked Michelle about growth management and she said they cap numbers intentionally so the event can keep its heart. That’s leadership saying no so the wider yes can stay healthy.

Friends, if you lead anything or care about the people in your life, this episode will encourage you to hold both mercy and discipline in the same hand. I share some of my own awkward leadership flubs too, because I don’t want this to sound perfect. Can I tell you something? God meets us in the middle of the hard choices, and we can learn to lead in a way that honors people and honors truth.

So come sit with us, hear Michelle’s stories of rigs and rock crawling and tender leadership, and walk away with practical steps you can try this week. Please listen, share this episode with a friend, and leave feedback so we can keep these conversations going and get better together.

In this tender conversation, I sit down with Karol as she shares the story of adopting Moise, a little boy with complex medical needs, and the long road their family walked through loss, caregiving, and grief. We talk honestly about suffering, trust in God, and the kind of faith growth that happens when you are living one day and one minute at a time.

Karol opens up about the hard decisions, the seasons of waiting, and what it looked like to surrender her will to God while still showing up with love. She also shares what life with God has looked like after Moise’s passing, including the ache of losing a child, the untangling of identity, and the steady hope of heaven. If you are facing real-life challenges, this episode is a gentle reminder that God is near, and he is still at work.

If you have a story to share or want to reach out, please contact us.

This is a tender conversation about healing and faith after abortion, and what it can look like to trust in God again. If you have little ones nearby, you may want to listen with headphones.

My friend Jamie shares her story with honesty and hope. We talk about the weight of shame, the slow process of healing, and the freedom that comes when we stop trying to carry it all alone. We also talk about what it means to walk with God in real life, to surrender, and to receive forgiveness as something God truly gives.

If abortion is part of your story, you are not disqualified from God’s love. You are not too far gone. Jesus meets us in our brokenness, and He can lead you toward wholeness one step at a time.

If you are ready to take a next step and want help finding support and resources, please reach out. You do not have to walk through this alone.