Throughout the summer, we're revisiting some of our most meaningful conversations - stories of hope, healing, and life-changing collisions with Jesus that continue to encourage women year after year.

This episode originally aired in June 2023 and we're grateful to share it again with you.

Whether you're listening for the first time or returning to it again, we pray it meets you right where you are and reminds you of God's faithfulness, grace, and redeeming love.

Have you ever wondered if God is speaking, but you're just missing it?

Maybe you've prayed, waited, and wondered why God feels silent. Or perhaps you've convinced yourself that hearing from God is something reserved for pastors, "super spiritual" Christians, or people with extraordinary faith.

What if the biggest obstacle isn't that God isn't speaking...but that fear, shame, or old wounds have made it difficult to recognize His voice?

In this deeply encouraging conversation, Willow sits down with author and pastor Mike Neelley to explore how healing our hearts often becomes the doorway to hearing God's heart.

Does God really speak today?

If you've ever questioned whether God still communicates—or wondered why He seems silent when you need Him most—this conversation will breathe fresh hope into your faith.

Author and pastor Mike Neelley joins Willow to discuss his book, Hearing the Heartbeat of God, and shares how years of ministry, inner healing, and learning to recognize God's love transformed the way he experiences prayer.

Together they unpack the misconceptions many Christians carry about hearing God's voice, why fear often keeps us from intimacy with God, and the surprising ways God is already communicating with us every single day.

Rather than focusing on simply hearing God's voice, Mike invites us to discover something even deeper: learning to hear God's heart.

Whether you're longing for deeper intimacy with Jesus, wrestling with spiritual silence, or simply wondering where to begin, this episode offers practical encouragement and hope for your journey.

• How childhood wounds and past experiences shape the way we hear (or don't hear) God
• Why healing often precedes hearing God's voice
• The many unexpected ways God communicates—including through friends, books, nature, music, and everyday moments
• How to discern God's invitations in ordinary life

• New Book: A Longing for More: Deeper, Wider, Further With the Holy Spirit by Michael Neelley
• Hearing the Heartbeat of God by Michael Neelley
• Can You Hear Me? Tuning Into the God Who Speaks by Brad Jersak
• The Bondage Breaker by Neil Anderson
• Reading the Bible with the Damned by Bob Ekblad
• The Deeply Formed Life by Rich Villodas

If today's conversation encouraged you, we'd love to hear from you! Share this episode with a friend who longs to experience a deeper relationship with Jesus, and let us know what stood out to you.

Subscribe to The Collide Podcast so you never miss an episode, and explore more resources designed to help women find healing, hope, and freedom in Christ.

Connect with Willow - Website | Instagram | Facebook

Order Willow’s New Book!

National Bestseller | Collide: Running into Healing When Life Hands You Hurt

Follow and Support Collide

🌐 Visit our website for upcoming conferences, helpful resources, and encouragement for women pursuing healing, purpose, and deeper faith.

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Mentioned in this episode:

Collide Bible Study | A Six Week Journey Toward Healing

What if your pain is the very place where Jesus wants to meet you?

Collide Bible Study | A Six Week Journey Toward Healing

Throughout the summer, we're revisiting some of our most meaningful conversations - stories of hope, healing, and life-changing collisions with Jesus that continue to encourage women year after year.

This episode originally aired in January 2024 and we're grateful to share it again with you.

Whether you're listening for the first time or returning to it again, we pray it meets you right where you are and reminds you of God's faithfulness, grace, and redeeming love.

How can we better support teen girls facing depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts?

In this episode, Licensed Mental Health Counselor Kristi Knipp shares her wisdom and experience from years of working with teen girls struggling with mental health. Kristi’s compassionate approach blends clinical insight with practical tools and a deep value for identity, community, and hope. This honest and encouraging conversation explores how we can come alongside young women in their hardest moments with presence, empathy, and truth.

Meet Kristi Knipp

Kristi is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor who specializes in working with teenagers navigating anxiety, depression, and trauma. Her work is rooted in a belief that healing happens in safe, empowering spaces. Outside of her counseling work, Kristi enjoys gardening, reading, and spending time with her family.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn

• What signs to watch for when a teen is struggling
• How to respond to suicidal ideation with care and clarity
• Why identity and belonging are critical for emotional health
• The power of validation and presence over fixing
• Practical ways to support teens through anxiety and depression

How This Episode Will Encourage You

Whether you're a parent, teacher, youth leader, or friend, this conversation will equip you to show up for the teen girls in your life with more understanding and confidence. You'll walk away with insights that bring light to dark places, help you stay grounded in hard conversations, and remind you that healing is possible—even in the most overwhelming seasons.

Check Out These Resources Inspired by This Episode

• Collide Counseling Bundle - This online course tackles the 12 most common issues women face in counseling, offering practical tools, expert advice, and encouragement from licensed mental health professionals. The course also includes a beautifully designed printed workbook (mailed to your door) filled with exercises, reflection space, and helpful resources to guide your healing journey.
• 5 Week Guide to Manage Your Anxiety – Get expert advice from counselors, plus guided exercises, reflections, and tools to help you find peace and trust in the midst of anxiety.

Connect with Willow - Website | Instagram | Facebook

Follow and Support Collide

🌐 Visit our website for upcoming conferences, helpful resources, and encouragement for women pursuing healing, purpose, and deeper faith.

📲 Follow along on Facebook and Instagram

🛍️ Shop for good at the Collide Store

🎁 Partner with us to impact lives with your financial gift

📬 Subscribe to our Newsletter and be the first to hear about new episodes, blog posts, events, and resources and more!

Mentioned in this episode:

Book | Collide: Running Into Healing When Life Hands You Hurt

National Bestseller ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Why do friendships feel so hard and are they even worth fighting for?

In this honest and empowering conversation, Willow sits down with friendship expert Danielle Bayard Jackson to unpack the complexities of female friendships—from unmet expectations and conflict to healing after hurt.

If you’ve ever felt exhausted by friendships, questioned your worth in relationships, or wondered if it’s easier to just do life alone… this episode is for you.

Because the truth is: The very place you’ve been hurt might also be the place God wants to bring healing.

• You weren’t meant to do life alone. Friendship isn’t optional—it’s essential to your well-being.
• Unspoken expectations create silent resentment. Healthy friendships require clear, honest communication.
• Conflict can deepen connection. When handled well, it actually brings people closer.
• Healing happens in community. The risk of relationships is also where transformation happens.
• Not every friend can meet every need. Healthy women build relational diversity, not dependency on one person.

Connect with Danielle

Website | daniellebayardjackson.com

Friend Forward Podcast | Apple Podcasts or Spotify

Women's Relational Health Institute | womensrelationalhealthinstitute.com

Instagram | @daniellebayardjackson

Book | Fighting for our Friendships (available on Amazon or wherever books are sold)

Collide Book

Follow Willow: Website | Instagram | Facebook

🎧 Listen and Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Amazon Music

🛍️ Shop for Good at the Collide Store

🎁Partner with Collide to impact lives with your financial gift.

💑Check out Collide’s website for info on upcoming conferences, events, and resources.

📲Follow Collide on Facebook and Instagram for encouragement, inspo and a fun peek into our ministry.

📰Plus, subscribe to our newsletter to stay up-to-date on all things Collide!

Mentioned in this episode:

Book | Collide: Running Into Healing When Life Hands You Hurt

National Bestseller ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

What do you do when motherhood looks nothing like you imagined?

In this honest and deeply moving conversation, Willow sits down with Elizabeth Mosser to talk about parenting through unexpected challenges, navigating grief, and discovering how God meets us right in the middle of our pain.

Elizabeth shares her journey from a vision of “normal” family life to raising a daughter with a rare form of epilepsy and special needs—along with the emotional, spiritual, and relational impact it had on her entire family.

This episode is a powerful reminder that:

• You don’t have to hide your grief to be a good mom
• God isn’t afraid of your honest emotions
• And your pain is never wasted when placed in His hands

Together, Willow and Elizabeth unpack what it looks like to:

• Create a home rooted in forgiveness and emotional safety
• Let your faith move from head knowledge to lived experience
• Stop “counting it all as joy” in a performative way—and instead discover the joy of what God produces through suffering
• Model healthy emotional processing for your kids instead of pretending everything is okay
• Find purpose and meaning in seasons that feel overwhelming and unclear

Elizabeth vulnerably shares how unprocessed grief often shows up as anger, control, or burnout—and how learning to slow down, name her emotions, and invite God into them transformed her parenting and her faith.

You’ll also hear:

• Why creating an “ecosystem of forgiveness” in your home changes everything
• How to help your kids develop emotional resilience and compassion
• What it looks like to grieve honestly with God without losing your faith
• And why your story—no matter how painful—can become a source of hope for others

This episode will gently challenge the belief that you need to hold it all together… and instead invite you into a deeper, more honest relationship with Jesus—one where your pain becomes a place of connection, not shame.

Follow Elizabeth:

• Website: intentionalparents.org
• Podcast: Intentional Parents Podcast (available wherever you listen)
• Instagram: @intentional_parents

Connect with Willow - Website | Instagram | Facebook

Order Willow’s New Book!

National Bestseller - Collide: Running into Healing When Life Hands You Hurt

Follow and Support Collide

🌐 Visit our website for upcoming conferences, helpful resources, and encouragement for women pursuing healing, purpose, and deeper faith.

📲 Follow along on Facebook and Instagram

🛍️ Shop for good at the Collide Store

💛 Give today online or Venmo to impact lives

📬 Subscribe to our Newsletter and be the first to hear about new podcast episodes, blog posts, events, freebies, resources and more!

Mentioned in this episode:

Collide Bible Study | A Six Week Journey Toward Healing

What if your pain is the very place where Jesus wants to meet you?

Collide Bible Study | A Six Week Journey Toward Healing

What if reconnecting with God didn’t require more effort, but more honesty?

In this honest and hope-filled conversation, Willow sits down with Allison Byxbe to talk about what it really looks like to feel disconnected from God… and how to find your way back.

After walking through a devastating diagnosis for her son, Allison found herself in a season where faith felt confusing, distant, and colorless. The way she once connected with God no longer worked, and she didn’t know how to move forward.

But in the middle of that pain, God gently invited her into something new.

Through journaling.

Not perfect words.

Not polished prayers.

Just honest, raw connection.

In this episode, Allison shares how journaling became a powerful spiritual practice that helped her process grief, ask hard questions, and slowly rediscover God’s presence—even in the middle of a 10-year valley.

If you’ve ever felt stuck, numb, or unsure how to talk to God anymore… this conversation will meet you right where you are.

• Why feeling disconnected from God is more common than you think
• How journaling can help you process pain and reconnect with Him
• The power of honesty in your relationship with God
• How to find God in the middle of long, hard seasons
• Why your “old way” of connecting with God might not work anymore—and what to do instead

Ask this one question each day...

“God, where did I see You today?”

Write whatever comes to mind.

No pressure. No perfection. Just presence.

• Connect with Allison: Website | Book: Journaling as a Spiritual Practice

Follow Willow: Website | Instagram | Facebook

🎧 Listen and Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Amazon Music

🛍️ Shop for Good at the Collide Store

🎁Partner with Collide to impact lives with your financial gift.

💑Check out Collide’s website for info on upcoming conferences, events, and resources.

📲Follow Collide on Facebook and Instagram for encouragement, inspo and a fun peek into our ministry.

📰Plus, subscribe to our newsletter to stay up-to-date on all things Collide!

Mentioned in this episode:

Book | Collide: Running Into Healing When Life Hands You Hurt

National Bestseller ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

In this encouraging episode of the Collide Podcast, we sit down with Emily Assell to talk about the challenges of staying connected to God during the busy, exhausting seasons of motherhood. Emily shares how moms can let go of unrealistic expectations, release guilt, and discover that God is present in the ordinary moments of everyday life.

Whether you're juggling endless responsibilities, feeling spiritually depleted, or wondering if you're doing enough, this conversation will remind you that God meets you right where you are. You don't have to earn His presence or create the perfect quiet time to experience His love and grace.

Emily Assell is an author, speaker, homeschooling mom, and creator of resources that encourage women and families in their faith journey. Her latest book, Wherever You Are: Devotions and Declarations for Moms, offers practical encouragement and biblical truth for moms navigating the beautiful and often overwhelming realities of motherhood. Emily is passionate about helping women encounter God in everyday life and find freedom from perfectionism and pressure.

• How to connect with God even when life feels busy and chaotic
• Why guilt and perfectionism can keep moms feeling spiritually defeated
• Practical ways to invite God into ordinary daily moments
• How God's grace meets you exactly where you are in your motherhood journey

If you've ever felt like you're failing spiritually because motherhood leaves little time for yourself, this conversation will bring a deep breath of relief. Emily offers practical wisdom, biblical encouragement, and a fresh perspective that will help you experience God's presence without pressure. You'll leave feeling reminded that God sees you, loves you, and is walking with you through every moment of motherhood.

Collide Book

Connect with Emily: Instagram | Generaction Claimed | Books

Follow Willow: Website | Instagram | Facebook

🎧 Listen and Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Amazon Music

🛍️ Shop for Good at the Collide Store

🎁Partner with Collide to impact lives with your financial gift.

💑Check out Collide’s website for info on upcoming conferences, events, and resources.

📲Follow Collide on Facebook and Instagram for encouragement, inspo and a fun peek into our ministry.

📰Plus, subscribe to our newsletter to stay up-to-date on all things Collide!

Mentioned in this episode:

Collide Bible Study | A Six Week Journey Toward Healing

What if your pain is the very place where Jesus wants to meet you?

Collide Bible Study | A Six Week Journey Toward Healing

What do you do when life doesn’t turn out the way you prayed it would?

In this honest and powerful episode, Willow sits down with Nicci Smith—known by many as Tanner’s mom from Love on the Spectrum—to talk about the journey she never expected and the God who met her in it.

When Nicci first received her son’s autism diagnosis, she was overwhelmed with fear, grief, and uncertainty. Like many moms, she found herself asking: What does this mean for his future? What does this mean for our family?

But what unfolded over the years wasn’t the story she feared—it was something deeper, richer, and more meaningful than she could have imagined.

This conversation is for the woman who:

• Feels like she’s living a story she didn’t choose
• Is grieving what she thought life would look like
• Is exhausted from trying to “fix” or control the outcome
• Wonders if God is still at work in the middle of it all

Nicci vulnerably shares how it took over a decade to move from striving and fear into true surrender—and how that shift changed everything.

You’ll hear how God used Tanner’s life not just to shape their family, but to impact millions through his joy, authenticity, and love for people.

• Why surrender—not striving—is the turning point in hard seasons
• How to redefine success when life looks different than expected
• The tension between pursuing help and trusting God’s plan
• What it looks like to grieve honestly and still hold onto faith
• How God can use what feels like weakness to impact others in powerful ways

• Instagram | instagram.com/nicci_smith6/
• Podcast: Talk To Me, Sis | Apple Podcasts

Follow Willow: Website | Instagram | Facebook

🎧 Listen and Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Amazon Music

🛍️ Shop for Good at the Collide Store

🎁Partner with Collide to impact lives with your financial gift.

💑Check out Collide’s website for info on upcoming conferences, events, and resources.

📲Follow Collide on Facebook and Instagram for encouragement, inspo and a fun peek into our ministry.

📰Plus, subscribe to our newsletter to stay up-to-date on all things Collide!

Mentioned in this episode:

Book | Collide: Running Into Healing When Life Hands You Hurt

National Bestseller ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Why do I still feel stuck… even though I love Jesus?

In this honest, compassionate, and eye-opening conversation, Willow sits down with trauma therapist and author Aundi Kolber to explore the connection between faith, emotional health, and the nervous system—and why so many women feel disconnected from the healing they long for.

Aundi shares vulnerably from her own story of childhood trauma—how she learned to survive by “white knuckling” life, staying hyper-aware, and becoming the “good” and successful girl on the outside… while internally feeling anxious, disconnected, and afraid.

What she didn’t realize at the time is something so many women experience:

just because something feels normal doesn’t mean it’s healthy.

Together, Willow and Aundi unpack the moment when survival strategies stop helping and start hurting—and why healing often begins by simply noticing the mismatch.

They also gently challenge one of the most common beliefs in Christian culture:

that if you have faith, you should already be healed.

But the truth is—healing isn’t instant, and it’s not something we earn by trying harder.

In fact, trying harder might be the very thing keeping you stuck.

Instead, Aundi introduces a new invitation: to try softer.

Not as a way of giving up…

but as a way of becoming present.

Present to your story.

Present to your body.

Present to the God who is already with you.

This conversation will help you understand why your pain may still be showing up, how trauma lives in your body, and what it looks like to invite Jesus into your healing in a real, practical way.

• Why “trying harder” can actually block your healing
• How trauma impacts your body, faith, and relationships
• What it means to “try softer” in everyday life
• Why naming your story is a powerful step toward freedom
• How to stop spiritually bypassing pain and start processing it
• What it looks like to invite God into your healing in real time

You don’t have to rush your healing.

You don’t have to prove your faith.

And you don’t have to pretend you’re okay.

God isn’t waiting for a finished version of you.

He meets you right here—in the middle of your story.

And maybe today…

He’s inviting you to try softer.

• Website: aundikolber.com
• Instagram: @aundikolber
• Substack: substack.com/@aundikolber
• Books: Try Softer, Strong Like Water

Collide Book

Follow Willow: Website | Instagram | Facebook

🎧 Listen and Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Amazon Music

🛍️ Shop for Good at the Collide Store

🎁Partner with Collide to impact lives with your financial gift.

💑Check out Collide’s website for info on upcoming conferences, events, and resources.

📲Follow Collide on Facebook and Instagram for encouragement, inspo and a fun peek into our ministry.

📰Plus, subscribe to our newsletter to stay up-to-date on all things Collide!

Mentioned in this episode:

Book | Collide: Running Into Healing When Life Hands You Hurt

National Bestseller ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Have you ever found yourself in a season of life you didn’t sign up for?

In this powerful episode, we sit down with Nicole Unice to talk about navigating life’s unexpected seasons, grief, and the challenges that come when everything familiar changes. Nicole shares her personal journey of leaving full-time ministry, moving through uncertainty, and leaning into God’s faithfulness when life felt unfair. Through her story, she offers insights on faithfulness, emotional health, and discovering God’s blessings even in the pit moments of life. Whether you’re facing loss, change, or a season you never planned, this episode will remind you that God is with you, shaping your story in ways you can’t yet see.

Meet Nicole Unice

Nicole is a pastor, author, speaker, and former therapist with decades of experience helping people connect their emotional and spiritual lives. She is the author of Not What I Signed Up For, The Struggle is Real, and other faith-centered books that guide readers through life’s hard chapters. Nicole is passionate about helping women navigate grief, uncertainty, and unexpected life changes while remaining rooted in faith. Her story is a powerful example of resilience, courage, and faithfulness through seasons no one plans for.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• How to navigate grief and loss in seasons you didn’t anticipate.
• Why faithfulness doesn’t always look like strength or victory—it can be as simple as staying with God.
• How to reframe blessing and see God’s work in unexpected places.
• Practical ways to hold your emotions while deepening trust in God’s plan.

How This Episode Will Encourage You

This conversation will inspire you to embrace God’s presence in difficult seasons, release the pressure to “fix” your life immediately, and find freedom and hope in the midst of uncertainty. Nicole’s insights offer practical and spiritual encouragement for anyone feeling lost, overwhelmed, or stuck in life’s “not what I signed up for” moments.

Connect with Nicole

Website: nicoleunice.com

Books: Not What I Signed Up For, The Struggle Is Real, Brave Enough, She’s Got Issues

Collide Book

Follow Willow: Website | Instagram | Facebook

🎧 Listen and Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Amazon Music

🛍️ Shop for Good at the Collide Store

🎁Partner with Collide to impact lives with your financial gift.

💑Check out Collide’s website for info on upcoming conferences, events, and resources.

📲Follow Collide on Facebook and Instagram for encouragement, inspo and a fun peek into our ministry.

📰Plus, subscribe to our newsletter to stay up-to-date on all things Collide!

Mentioned in this episode:

Collide Bible Study | A Six Week Journey Toward Healing

What if your pain is the very place where Jesus wants to meet you?

Collide Bible Study | A Six Week Journey Toward Healing

Are you tired of feeling stuck in cycles of shame, overthinking, or never quite getting it right?

In this honest episode of the Collide Podcast, we sit down with Lisa Whittle to talk about how shame, misplaced priorities, and hidden idols quietly take hold in our lives—and keep us from experiencing the freedom God has for us. She shares about her unexpected journey into ministry, how pain shaped her calling, and what it really looks like to put Jesus over everything.

Whether you’re battling shame, stuck in unhealthy patterns, or longing for a fresh start with God, this episode will remind you that it’s never too late to come back and experience soul-deep renewal.

Lisa is an author, Bible teacher, podcast host, and ministry leader who has written nearly ten books and studies focused on helping women follow Jesus with integrity and depth. She also leads Ministry Strong, where she equips leaders to serve God faithfully for the long haul. Lisa is passionate about helping women break free from shame, live with purpose, and keep Jesus at the center of their lives.

• How God often uses pain and hardship to reveal your calling and purpose
• The subtle ways idols and “over behaviors” (like overthinking, overworking, or overindulging) take over your life
• Why shame keeps so many women stuck—and how to break free from it
• What it practically looks like to put Jesus first and experience real soul revival

This episode will help you take an honest look at what’s been holding you back and remind you that freedom is possible. You’ll be encouraged to release shame, realign your priorities, and come back to God just as you are—knowing He meets you there with grace, healing, and hope.

https://wecollide.net/books/collide/

Connect with Lisa: lisawhittle.com

Follow Willow: Website | Instagram | Facebook

🎧 Listen and Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Amazon Music

🛍️ Shop for Good at the Collide Store

🎁Partner with Collide to impact lives with your financial gift.

💑Check out Collide’s website for info on upcoming conferences, events, and resources.

📲Follow Collide on Facebook and Instagram for encouragement, inspo and a fun peek into our ministry.

📰Plus, subscribe to our newsletter to stay up-to-date on all things Collide!

Mentioned in this episode:

Book | Collide: Running Into Healing When Life Hands You Hurt

National Bestseller ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐