What if the parts of your story you want to hide are the very places God wants to use to bring healing and purpose?

In this deeply honest and hope-filled conversation, Willow sits down with author and speaker Mary DeMuth to talk about what it means to “re-story” your life.

Mary shares her personal journey of walking through trauma, healing, and ultimately discovering that God doesn’t waste our pain - He transforms it. Together, they unpack the powerful truth that an untold story cannot be healed, and how bringing our stories into the light is the first step toward freedom.

You’ll hear practical ways to begin processing your story, how to recognize the “footprints of God” in your past, and why healing is not a one-time moment but a layered journey. Mary also speaks to the fear many of us carry about reopening wounds and how to do so safely, with support and grace.

This episode is an invitation to stop believing the lies that have kept you silent and instead step into a new chapter, one where your story becomes a source of healing, not just for you, but for others.

• Why “an untold story will never heal.”
• What it means to reframe (or “re-story”) your life
• How to begin processing your story in safe and healthy ways
• The role of community and vulnerability in healing
• Why forgiveness is a repeated, layered journey—not a one-time decision
• How to identify God’s presence in your past, even when it felt silent
• Practical steps to move forward and create a different ending to your story

Your past may shape your story—but it doesn’t have to define your future. With God, even the most painful chapters can be rewritten into something beautiful, meaningful, and full of purpose.

Connect with Mary DeMuth on social media: @marydemuth

Visit her website: marydemuth.com

Check out her book: Restory Your Life

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

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Links referenced in this episode:

• marydemuth.com

Mentioned in this episode:

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

National Bestseller ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

How do we help our girls find unshakeable worth in a world constantly tearing them down?

When Erin Weidemann moved from the beaches of California to the snowy landscape of Montana, she had no idea God was preparing a season of profound transformation. A former educator, cancer survivor, and founder of Truth Becomes Her and the Bible Belles series, Erin is passionate about helping girls—and the women raising and loving them—discover their identity in Christ.

In this conversation, Erin shares how growing up without a personal faith, walking away from God at 16, and later facing a shocking cancer diagnosis in her 20s forced her to confront the real questions: Who am I? Why am I here? And what does God want from my life?

As she tells her story, Erin reveals how God redirected her from the finance world into teaching, where she saw firsthand how desperately girls need guidance, truth, confidence, and identity rooted in Scripture. Her passion deepened when she became pregnant with her first daughter and realized how much healing and truth she still longed for in her own life.

This honest, hope-filled episode will encourage any woman who has struggled with identity, battled fear, questioned her calling, or wondered how to raise confident girls in a confused culture. Erin’s story is a powerful reminder that God uses even the most painful chapters—like illness, insecurity, or uncertainty—to build purpose, resilience, and Kingdom impact.

In This Episode, We Explore:

• How cancer became the turning point that woke Erin up to God’s calling
• Why girls today are struggling so deeply with identity and comparison
• Erin’s journey from finance to teaching—and how ministry was born in the classroom
• The heart behind Bible Belles and Truth Becomes Her
• How becoming a mom exposes our unhealed places—and invites God to restore them
• What it looks like to develop godly leadership and confidence in young girls
• How God uses suffering to shape purpose, calling, and spiritual resilience

Whether you're a mom, mentor, teacher, or simply a woman wanting to walk confidently in who God created you to be, Erin’s story will inspire you to step into your identity with courage and intention.

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

Connect with Erin on her Website: erinweidemann.com

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🛍️ 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.

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Mentioned in this episode:

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

National Bestseller ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

What if the people the world overlooks are the very ones God loves to work through most?

In this honest and encouraging episode of the Collide Podcast, Willow Weston sits down with Brant Hansen to talk about finding joy and purpose in the midst of pain, skepticism, and feeling like an outsider. Brant opens up about his difficult childhood, a turbulent relationship with his father, and how these experiences shaped his perspective on faith, life, and ministry.

• How being on the spectrum gave Brant a unique lens for understanding others and connecting with the underdog.
• The importance of loyalty to God over relying on fleeting emotions.
• How God uses childhood wounds and personal quirks for greater purpose.
• Practical ways to maintain a vibrant faith even when life or church culture doesn’t feel “normal.”
• Stories of God showing up for the desperate and overlooked, reminding us that He is a God for the underdog.

Brant’s insights are a gift for anyone who’s ever felt like they don’t fit in, struggled with comparison, or wondered if God could use them despite their quirks and past pain.

Meet Brant Hansen

Brant is a bestselling author, nationally syndicated Christian radio host, and advocate for children with treatable disabilities. His work encourages those who feel like misfits to embrace their uniqueness and find a faith that makes sense. Brant’s show reaches over 200 stations in the US and Canada, and his podcast with his wife has garnered over 19 million downloads. He’s the author of several books, including Life is Hard, God is Good, Let's Dance and Blessed Are the Misfits.

Collide Book

Connect with Brant on his Website: branthansen.com

Books: Life is Hard, God is Good, Let's Dance & Blessed Are the Misfits

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🛍️ Shop for Good at the Collide Store

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

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Mentioned in this episode:

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

National Bestseller ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

What if the biggest things holding you back from counseling…aren’t even true?

In this honest and hope-filled episode of the Collide Podcast, we sit down with counselor Carrie Cochran MA, LMHC, NCC to talk about the biggest myths that keep women from seeking counseling. From believing therapy is only for “serious problems” to fearing it means you’re weak or lacking faith, Carrie compassionately unpacks the lies that keep so many women stuck.

We talk about what actually happens when we ignore stress and trauma, how the nervous system holds unprocessed pain, and why your body may be signaling that it’s time for support. Carrie explains that therapy isn’t about changing who you are—it’s about uncovering your authentic self, the woman God created you to be before life layered on wounds and stress.

Whether you’re navigating anxiety, burnout, chronic stress, old trauma, or simply feeling “off,” this episode will remind you that you are worthy of healing—and that saying yes to help is an act of courage, not failure.

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

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🛍️ Shop for Good at the Collide Store

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

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

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Mentioned in this episode:

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

National Bestseller ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

What does it really look like to live out the love of Jesus in everyday life?

In this inspiring and often hilarious conversation, Willow sits down with bestselling author, attorney, and founder of Love Does, Bob Goff. Known for his joyful spirit and unconventional approach to faith, Bob shares stories and wisdom about living a life that moves from the sidelines to the field—where love becomes something we do, not just something we talk about.

Bob reflects on the power of availability, why influence matters, and how taking a genuine interest in people can transform relationships. Through stories about answering phone calls from strangers, building friendships across the world, and helping others pursue their dreams, he challenges us to live courageously and intentionally.

He also shares a powerful spiritual practice of looking into both the “eye of forgiveness” and the “eye of responsibility” in Jesus—reminding us that faith invites both grace and growth.

This episode will leave you encouraged to live boldly, love deeply, and take your faith off the bleachers and onto the field.

• Why Bob spends nights at Disneyland giving strangers a shortcut to the front of the line
• Moving from watching life to actively participating in it
• The difference between controlling outcomes and influencing people
• Why being available might be one of the most powerful ways to love others
• The importance of taking a genuine interest in people’s stories

Bob Goff is a New York Times bestselling author, attorney, and founder of the nonprofit Love Does. Known for his contagious joy and practical approach to faith, Bob has inspired millions through books like Love Does and his global work advocating for justice, education, and opportunity. His life message is simple but powerful: love isn’t just something we say—it’s something we do.

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

https://wecollide.net/conferences/

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🛍️ 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.

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Mentioned in this episode:

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

National Bestseller ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

In this special takeover episode of the Collide Podcast, the mic flips as Collide team members Kenna, Kristen, and Michelle step in as hosts to interview founder Willow Weston about her new book, Collide: Running into Healing When Life Hands You Hurt.

Instead of asking the questions, Willow becomes the guest—sharing the deeply personal story behind the message she’s been living and teaching for years. From childhood wounds and the fear of telling her story, to the moment she realized unhealed pain can shape the way we love others, Willow opens up about the journey that led to writing this book.

Through years of ministry walking alongside women, she has witnessed how Jesus meets us in the hardest places of our stories—and how healing begins when we finally stop hiding our pain.

Whether you’re carrying wounds from long ago or navigating something painful right now, this conversation is a powerful reminder that you don’t have to walk through it alone.

Willow Weston is the founder of Collide, a ministry devoted to helping women experience healing through honest conversations about pain and faith. She is the author of Collide: Running into Healing When Life Hands You Hurt. For years, Willow has walked alongside women through classes, conferences, and mentoring—inviting them to bring their real stories to Jesus and experience His healing presence.

• The powerful story behind Willow’s new book Collide
• Why facing our wounds is the first step toward real healing
• How sharing our stories can bring freedom and healing to others
• What Willow has witnessed God do in the lives of women through the Collide ministry

If you’ve ever wondered whether your pain is too messy, too old, or too small for God to care about, this episode will remind you that healing is possible. As Willow shares both her story and the stories of women she’s walked alongside, you’ll be encouraged to bring your own wounds to Jesus—and discover how He can transform pain into purpose.

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

http://store.wecollide.net

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🛍️ Shop for Good at the Collide Store

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

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📰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 slowly disappeared inside motherhood and wondering how to find yourself again?

In this honest and empowering episode of the Collide Podcast, we sit down with Alli Worthington to talk about what happens when moms lose themselves while raising their children. Alli shares about the silent resentment that can build when women never advocate for their own needs, the fear of being “selfish,” and why so many good moms secretly feel like they’re failing.

From the “Aunt Shirley” syndrome of over-giving to the emotional crash of the empty nest season, Alli offers practical wisdom on how to remain who God created you to be — even in the thick of carpool lines, laundry piles, and late-night worry.

Whether you’re exhausted with little ones, overwhelmed in the teenage years, or staring down a new season of transition, this episode will remind you that you are still called, still valuable, and still becoming.

Alli Worthington is a bestselling author, speaker, business coach, and host of The Alli Worthington Show. She has written multiple books, including Remaining You While Raising Them, and has spent years coaching women in life and business. A mom of five boys and a passionate advocate for women’s emotional and spiritual health, Alli is dedicated to helping women break free from burnout, guilt, and limiting beliefs so they can step fully into their God-given calling.

• How to recognize the signs that you’ve lost yourself in motherhood
• Why the fear of being selfish keeps so many moms stuck
• The “magic question” every woman should ask herself daily
• How to navigate transitions (like kids going to kindergarten or college) without losing your grounding
• What to do when mom guilt feels overwhelming
• How to discern between God’s conviction and the enemy’s shame
• Why modeling self-worth teaches your kids their worth

This conversation will help you release unrealistic expectations, quiet the voice of shame, and embrace a healthier, more joyful version of motherhood. You’ll be reminded that you don’t have to be perfect to be a great mom — and that taking care of yourself is not selfish, it’s essential.

If you’ve been gritting your teeth and telling everyone you’re “fine,” this episode is your permission to breathe, reset, and remember who you are.

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

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🛍️ 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 the miracle you’ve prayed for never comes?

In this honest and powerful episode of the Collide Podcast, we sit down with Rachel Wojo to talk about praying through heartbreak, anger, and unimaginable loss. After walking through 22 years of caring for her daughter Taylor, who suffered from a rare metabolic disorder known as Sanfilippo syndrome, Rachel faced every parent’s worst fear—and found that God was still present in the pain.

She shares about the years of pleading with God for healing, and the raw anger she brought to Him in prayer. Whether you’re navigating grief, wrestling with unanswered prayers, or wondering if God is still good in the middle of your circumstances, this episode will remind you that your prayers are not in vain—and that sometimes the miracle is a transformed heart.

Rachel Wojo is a bestselling author, speaker, and host of Untangling Prayer Podcast. After caring for her daughter Taylor for 22 years through a rare degenerative disorder, Rachel became passionate about helping others experience God’s presence in suffering. Through her new book Desperate Prayers, she encourages women to bring every emotion—anger, confusion, heartbreak—honestly before the Lord. Her story is a powerful testimony of faith refined through grief.

• Why it’s okay to bring your anger and “why” questions to God
• How God often changes our hearts even when He doesn’t change our circumstances
• What it looks like to experience a miracle that doesn’t match your expectations
• How helping others in their pain can actually accelerate your own healing

If you’ve ever felt disappointed by God… if grief catches you off guard in the middle of Target… if you’re afraid you’ll forget how much you need Him when life feels “good” again, this conversation will gently call you back to truth.

You’ll be reminded that suffering can tether you to Jesus, that desperate prayers are an invitation into deeper intimacy, and that nothing—not height, depth, grief, or unanswered prayers—can separate you from the love of God.

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

Connect with Rachel - Website

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🛍️ 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 if the walls in front of you aren’t proof that God has abandoned you, but evidence that He’s inviting you to trust Him deeper?

In this powerful and hope-filled episode of the Collide Podcast, we sit down with Heidi Lee Anderson to talk about what it looks like to follow God when life feels anything but easy. From a cancer diagnosis at 23 to lingering fears, unanswered questions, and the ongoing battle for peace, Heidi shares how God met her in the waiting—and how He still meets us when the “Promised Land” feels hard-won. She opens up about fear, faith, and learning to trade the lie that life should be effortless for the truth that Jesus has already overcome. Whether you’re facing uncertainty, exhaustion, or a season that feels like constant battle, this episode will remind you that God is still writing your story—and He is faithful to finish it.

Heidi is a Bible teacher, speaker, author, and the founder of Heidi Lee Anderson Ministries. She’s the author of the devotional All In, All Yours, a 100-day chronological journey through the Promised Land that helps readers see how to seize, live, and rest in God’s best—even when life is hard. Heidi is passionate about helping women trade lies for truth and walk in the freedom and peace Jesus promises.

• The difference between feeling fear and becoming fearful, and how to stop anxiety from defining you
• How to navigate fear, anxiety, and uncertainty without letting them define or control you
• What it looks like to trade the lie “life should be easier by now” for the truth that Jesus has already overcome
• How God uses the hardest seasons of our lives to grow our faith and expand our spiritual territory
• Why you can feel afraid without becoming afraid, and how that shift changes everything
• Remembering what God has done in the past can give you the courage to keep going today

If you’re tired of feeling stuck in survival mode, waiting for the other shoe to drop, or wondering if you’ll ever experience the abundant life God promises—this conversation is for you.

Collide Conference for Women

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

Connect with Heidi Lee - Website

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🎁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 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This episode originally aired in April 2023 and is being re-shared due to its continued impact.

What if letting go of control could actually set you free?

In this powerful episode of the Collide Podcast, we sit down with Tara Sun, author, podcaster and speaker, to talk about the challenges of control, independence, and self-sufficiency. Tara invites us to examine the ways we try to manage life on our own and offers practical insights for surrendering our story to God. Whether you struggle with perfectionism, fear of uncertainty, or the desire to do it all yourself, this episode will inspire you to cultivate a deeper dependence on God that leads to freedom and peace.

Tara Sun is the author of Surrender Your Story and the host of the Truth Talks with Tara podcast. She is passionate about helping others experience freedom through trusting God, letting go of control, and embracing His guidance. Tara’s story and teaching are a powerful reminder that true strength is found not in independence, but in reliance on God’s wisdom and timing.

• How the need for control can limit your freedom and growth
• Why surrendering your story is a path to peace and trust in God
• Practical ways to let go of self-sufficiency and lean into God’s guidance
• How dependence on God transforms your perspective, priorities, and daily life

If you’ve ever felt burdened by the pressure to manage everything yourself, this episode will challenge and inspire you to release control and trust God fully. You’ll be reminded that letting go isn’t weakness—it’s the gateway to freedom, peace, and a life anchored in His grace.

Personal and Powerful Bible Study - Explores how God shows up in our lives in ways that are both deeply personal and undeniably powerful.

Connect with Tara - Website | Instagram

Connect with Willow - Website | Instagram | Facebook

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Mentioned in this episode:

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

National Bestseller ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐