The Collide Podcast

This episode had such great wisdom we're bringing it back again as part of our Summer Highlight Series! Are you feeling stuck in the same old patterns in your marriage? Have you given up on the connection you'd once hoped for? Are you needing some new relationship tools? This is your podcast! Join Dr. Steve Call and his wife Lisa, co-founders of the Reconnect Institute, and be inspired by their own stories of disconnection and their simple tools to help us reconnect. This episode covers it all: conflict, repair, old wounds and how our stories cause new ones, vows not to make, patterns that keep us stuck, shame, curiosity and so much more. 

We love connecting you with resources, so we pulled some of our faves based on this podcast episode. We hope they encourage, inspire and challenge you.  Enjoy!

Let’s be friends! Check out Collide’s website for info on upcoming conferences, events, and resources, and follow us 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!

Connect with Dr. Steve and Lisa at The Reconnect Institute

Collide Resources

• Collide and Converse: A Group Video Bible Study for Women This 6 week series centers around New Testament stories of people having life-changing collisions with Jesus.

• The Counseling Bundle is a tremendous online course covering the 12 most common issues women face in counseling featuring tips, tools, and advice from mental health professionals. This course is a great fit for anyone considering whether counseling is for them, or as an option to begin the healing process while waiting to see a counselor.

• As women we often get stuck believing lies, settling for less than we deserve, and shrinking back rather than owning who we can become. We get stuck assuming things about God and about others. Our FREE downloadable, Getting Unstuck, A Reflection to Help Unleash you into the Life you Desire is chocked full of tools and insights to help you recognize why you might be stuck and to help walk you toward freedom.

We love this episode so much that we’ve brought it back again as part of our Summer Highlight Podcast Series. Jillian DeBritz is a personal development coach who longs to offer hope and build courage through the words she writes. Jillian believes in the power of sharing our stories, of bravely inviting others into our in-process places and allowing ourselves to be truly known. And she is a woman who does just that by fighting to disarm shame through vulnerably sharing her own journey toward emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual wholeness. Listen in as Jillian shares her heart and offers wisdom on how we can redefine what it means to thrive. 

We love connecting you with resources, so we pulled some of our faves based on this podcast episode. We hope they encourage, inspire and challenge you.  Enjoy!

Connect with Jillian on her website or on Instagram.

Let’s be friends! Check out Collide’s website for info on upcoming conferences, events, and resources, and follow us 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!

Collide Resources

• Our Yes, You Bible study on self-worth encourages women to see beyond their inadequacies so they can be purposed to their fullest potential. 

• A 20 Day Walk Toward Gratitude is a beautiful guide with 20 daily invitations to enrich gratitude. Each day includes words of truth about gratitude, and reflective exercises including practical charts, helpful lists, and journaling space. 

• As women we often get stuck believing lies, settling for less than we deserve, and shrinking back rather than owning who we can become. We get stuck assuming things about God and about others. Our FREE downloadable, Getting Unstuck, A Reflection to Help Unleash You into the Life You Desire is chocked full of tools and insights to help you recognize why you might be stuck and to help walk you toward freedom.

• The Insight Journal is a free tool to help you pause and take stock of all that you’ve been through, all that you’ve learned, all that you want to leave behind and reflect on lessons learned in hard times to take with you on the journey ahead.

Get out your journal and a pen because this episode drops some gems of wisdom! Laurie Polich Short, speaker, author, and teacher, just released a new book and ops on to talk all about the topic of Faith, Doubt, and God’s Mysterious Timing. This conversation pours so much faith into the chapter you don't want to be in. You will walk away with more hope, more faith, more trust than when you first pressed play. So enjoy!

We love connecting you with resources, so we pulled some of our faves based on this podcast episode. We hope they encourage, inspire and challenge you.  Enjoy!

Let’s be friends! Check out Collide’s website for info on upcoming conferences, events, and resources, and follow us 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!

Connect with Laurie at laurieshort.com or on Instagram

• Our Personal and Powerful Bible study reminds us that God is able to intersect with our lives in both personal and powerful ways. 
• Collide and Converse: A Group Video Bible Study for Women This 6 week series centers around New Testament stories of people having life-changing collisions with Jesus.
• Our 6 Places to Go Looking for God guide will help you look for, find, and experience God, and we’re confident that by using it, you will be refreshed in your faith, challenged to grow in your relationship with God, and experience God’s presence in new and life-giving ways.

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.

Follow Willow: Website | Instagram | Facebook

💑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!

Personal and Powerful Bible study reminds us that God is able to intersect with our lives in both personal and powerful ways.

5 Exercises to Help you do Amazing Things to help you confront the fear that holds you back, and to say “yes” to God doing amazing things in your life.

Every person could benefit to listen to this interview. Dr. Nancy Murphy, a licensed therapist and the former Executive Director of Northwest Family Life, teacher at The Seattle School of Theology and Psychology, and co-author of Speaking Up: Recognizing and Addressing Domestic Violence in the Christian Community hops on the Collide podcast and shares not only her wisdom and expertise but also her story. This woman will most certainly impact you with her heart, her honesty, her wisdom, and her thoughtfulness.

We love connecting you with resources, so we pulled some of our faves based on this podcast episode. We hope they encourage, inspire and challenge you.  Enjoy!

Let’s be friends! Check out Collide’s website for info on upcoming conferences, events, and resources, and follow us 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!

Collide Resources

• Our Personal and Powerful Bible study reminds us that God is able to intersect with our lives in both personal and powerful ways. 

• The Counseling Bundle is a tremendous online course covering the 12 most common issues women face in counseling featuring tips, tools, and advice from mental health professionals. This course is a great fit for anyone considering whether counseling is for them, or as an option to begin the healing process while waiting to see a counselor.

• As women we often get stuck believing lies, settling for less than we deserve, and shrinking back rather than owning who we can become. We get stuck assuming things about God and about others. Our FREE downloadable, Getting Unstuck, A Reflection to Help Unleash you into the Life you Desire is chocked full of tools and insights to help you recognize why you might be stuck and to help walk you toward freedom.

Hop on the pod today and listen to author Jenn Schultz talk about her new book She’s Not Your Enemy: Conquering Our Insecurities So We Can Build God’s Kingdom Together. This interview covers comparison, envy, and relationships with other women. Jenn's mission is to empower women to ditch shame and strive by finding identity in God and freedom in abundant grace. We hope this episode helps you right where you're at!

We love connecting you with resources, so we pulled some of our faves based on this podcast episode. We hope they encourage, inspire and challenge you.  Enjoy!

Connect with Jenn Shultz on her website or on Instagram

Let’s be friends! Check out Collide’s website for info on upcoming conferences, events, and resources, and follow us 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!

Collide Resources

• Our Personal and Powerful Bible study reminds us that God is able to intersect with our lives in both personal and powerful ways. 
• Collide and Converse: A Group Video Bible Study for Women This 6 week series centers around New Testament stories of people having life-changing collisions with Jesus.
• As women we often get stuck believing lies, settling for less than we deserve, and shrinking back rather than owning who we can become. We get stuck assuming things about God and about others. Our FREE downloadable, Getting Unstuck, A Reflection to Help Unleash you into the Life you Desire is chocked full of tools and insights to help you recognize why you might be stuck and to help walk you toward freedom.

Hop on and listen to Jami Nato, a serial entrepreneur, leader of a multi-million dollar business, and author of "This Must Be the Place." This conversation will challenge your shame around success and dreams, invite you beyond your discontentment, and inspire you to look backwards to your past to discover your purpose for today. Spend time with this uber-talented wise woman who kills plants, has a passion for NOT doing laundry and who is being used to coach, train, teach and inspire countless women to tap into their God-given purpose.

We love connecting you with resources, so we pulled some of our faves based on this podcast episode. We hope they encourage, inspire and challenge you.  Enjoy!

Connect with Jami Nato on her website or on Instagram

Let’s be friends! Check out Collide’s website for info on upcoming conferences, events, and resources, and follow us 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!

Collide Resources

• Our Yes, You Bible study on self-worth encourages women to see beyond their inadequacies so they can be purposed to their fullest potential. 

• The Women of Impact Online Course provides teaching and inspiration from women making a huge impact in the world as they tap into God’s purpose for their lives in the sectors and spaces they’ve been called to. Get inspired and equipped to make an impact with YOUR life.

• We all have big dreams and big goals, but we often get held back by our own self-doubt. But God wants to use you just as you are. Dig into our amazing resource, 5 Exercises to Help you do Amazing Things to help you confront the fear that holds you back, and to say “yes” to God doing amazing things in your life. 

What is happiness, really? And how do you find it when life feels messy, unfair, or nothing like you planned?

This episode originally aired in September 2020 and quickly became one of our most talked-about conversations. In it, bestselling author and Bible teacher Lisa Harper shares how she's found unshakable joy in the messiest, most unexpected corners of life—from single motherhood to racial reconciliation to holding grief and hope in tension.

Lisa speaks candidly about her journey of adoption, her deep passion for justice, and what it means to be bold in your calling even when you feel completely unqualified. With equal parts depth, humor, and heart, she invites us to ditch the perfectionism and instead meet Jesus in our most unpolished places. If you’ve ever felt like a “mess” disqualified you from purpose, Lisa’s story will speak straight to your soul.

Lisa Harper is a renowned preacher, speaker, and author known for her theological richness, sharp wit, and refreshing honesty. With a Master of Theological Studies from Covenant Seminary and over 30 years in ministry, she is passionate about making Scripture accessible and relatable. Lisa is also a single mother through adoption and an advocate for justice, joy, and the beauty found in the messy middle of life.

• How Lisa’s adoption journey revealed God’s unconditional love in a new light
• What real joy looks like when life is anything but picture-perfect
• Candid thoughts on racism, injustice, and how the Church can respond
• Why authenticity matters more than appearance in your faith walk
• How to step boldly into your calling even when you feel unqualified

This conversation will make you laugh, reflect, and see Jesus in a new way. Lisa’s insight and authenticity will encourage you to stop striving for perfection and start showing up in your story with faith, humility, and joy. You’ll be reminded that God meets us right where we are—and that’s exactly where transformation begins.

🎧 Listen & Subscribe - Don’t miss any new episodes! Subscribe to The Collide Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music or wherever you listen.

Yes, You – A Bible study on self-worth to help you move beyond inadequacy and step into your God-given purpose.

A 20-Day Walk Toward Gratitude – Daily reflections, truth-filled prompts, and practical exercises to

Connect with Lisa Harper - Website | Instagram | Facebook

Connect with Willow - Website | Instagram | Facebook

Follow & Support Collide

• Join our community at wecollide.net for conferences, events, resources, and inspiration for women pursuing healing, purpose, and deeper faith.
• 🛍️ Shop for good at the Collide Store
• 🎁 Partner with Collide and impact lives with your financial gift
• 💑 Visit Collide’s website for upcoming conferences, events, and resources
• 📲 Follow Collide on Facebook and Instagram for encouragement, inspiration, and ministry updates
• 📰 Subscribe to our newsletter to stay up-to-date on all things Collide

When life falls apart—through illness, divorce, grief, trauma, or unexpected loss—it can leave you wondering where God is and whether your faith is strong enough to endure. If you've ever felt pressure to "move on," questioned why God hasn't taken your pain away, or struggled to believe He's still good in the middle of suffering, this conversation will remind you that you're not alone. Michele Cushatt shares how God met her through unimaginable hardship and how He can strengthen your faith, even when life doesn't make sense.

Author and speaker Michele Cushatt joins Willow Weston to share how decades of trauma—including divorce, single motherhood, raising children with traumatic backgrounds, the loss of her father, and surviving three battles with aggressive tongue cancer—transformed her understanding of faith. Rather than offering easy answers, Michele shares the biblical truths and spiritual practices that helped her continue trusting God when healing was slow, suffering remained, and life never returned to what it once was.

Together, they discuss why trauma changes us, why healing doesn't follow a timeline, and why our scars don't have to become symbols of defeat. Michele unpacks Jesus' prayer for Peter—"that your faith would not fail"—and explains why, in our darkest seasons, our faith is often what's most at stake. She also shares practical ways to build a resilient faith before the storms come through Scripture, honest lament, counseling, and learning to trust God's character even when we don't understand His ways.

If you've been carrying grief that no one seems to understand, wrestling with unanswered prayers, or wondering if you'll ever feel whole again, this episode is for you. You'll be reminded that healing is often a lifelong journey, that grief and gratitude can coexist, and that your scars may become some of the greatest evidence of God's faithfulness. You don't have to pretend you're okay, and you don't have to walk through suffering alone.

Michele is a bestselling author, speaker, Bible teacher, and cancer survivor who has become a trusted voice for Christians navigating trauma, grief, and suffering. After enduring divorce, single motherhood, three battles with tongue cancer, permanent disability, chronic pain, and the challenges of raising children from traumatic backgrounds, Michele now helps others discover a resilient faith rooted in God's unchanging character. Her newest book, A Faith That Will Not Fail, equips readers to build a faith that endures life's hardest seasons—not because life becomes easier, but because God remains faithful through every trial.

• How do you heal after trauma without pretending you're "over it"? Discover why recovery takes time and how telling the truth about your pain is the first step toward healing.
• What if God doesn't remove your suffering? Learn how God's presence can become your greatest source of strength, even when your circumstances don't change.
• How can you build a faith that won't fail? Michele shares practical spiritual practices—including Scripture, lament, counseling, and relinquishment—that strengthen your faith before the storms of life arrive.
• Can your scars become a testimony instead of a source of shame? Find encouragement to see your wounds as reminders of God's sustaining grace and faithfulness.

If you're exhausted from carrying pain that hasn't gone away or wondering whether your faith is enough for what you're facing, take heart. God isn't asking you to hide your wounds—He's inviting you to trust Him in the middle of them, and He will faithfully walk with you every step of the way.

If this conversation encouraged you, subscribe to the Collide Podcast, leave a review, and share this episode with a friend who needs hope in the middle of her own hard season. Explore more Christ-centered resources for healing and emotional wellness at Collide.

Michele Cushatt

• Website: michelecushatt.com
• Instagram: @michelecushatt

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!

Our Personal and Powerful Bible study reminds us that God is able to intersect with our lives in both personal and powerful ways.

Getting Unstuck, A Reflection to Help Unleash You into the Life You Desire is chocked full of tools and insights to help you recognize why you might be stuck and to help walk you toward freedom.

Hop on the pod today and spend time with Manda Carpenter! Manda is the host of A Longer Table Podcast and spills the tea on everything in her latest book, Soul Care to Save Your Life. She and her husband, have fostered over 16 kids, have one biological son and a baby on the way. This interview is sure to challenge you, inspire and grow you!

We love connecting you with resources, so we pulled some of our faves based on this podcast episode. We hope they encourage, inspire and challenge you.  Enjoy!

Let’s be friends! Check out Collide’s website for info on upcoming conferences, events, and resources, and follow us 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!

Collide Resources

• Our Yes, You Bible study on self-worth encourages women to see beyond their inadequacies so they can be purposed to their fullest potential. 

• The Women of Impact Online Course provides teaching and inspiration from women making a huge impact in the world as they tap into God’s purpose for their lives in the sectors and spaces they’ve been called to. Get inspired and equipped to make an impact with YOUR life.

• We all have big dreams and big goals, but we often get held back by our own self-doubt. But God wants to use you just as you are. Dig into our amazing resource, 5 Exercises to Help you do Amazing Things to help you confront the fear that holds you back, and to say “yes” to God doing amazing things in your life.