The Collide Podcast

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

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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 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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

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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

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

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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 healing doesn’t require you to try harder, but to feel safe enough to try softer?

Licensed professional counselor, trauma therapist, and bestselling author Aundi Kolber joins Willow for an honest conversation about trauma, faith, emotional health, and what it actually looks like to heal. Drawing from both her professional expertise and her own experience with childhood trauma, Aundi explains how survival strategies like white-knuckling, over-functioning, and reading the room can protect us when we’re young but eventually keep us disconnected from ourselves. Together, Willow and Aundi explore why trauma lives in the body, the importance of safe relationships and therapy, setting down old family roles, and the myths that tell us we should be able to heal by simply trying or praying harder. Aundi offers a beautiful picture of Jesus as Emmanuel—God with us—who doesn’t ask us to get over our pain before coming to Him, but meets us right in the middle of it.

Aundi Kolber is a licensed professional counselor, trauma therapist, author, and speaker known for her work at the intersection of faith, emotional health, and nervous system healing. She is the author of Try Softer and Strong Like Water and specializes in helping people understand how trauma impacts both the mind and body.

Aundi’s work is deeply personal. Having experienced significant childhood trauma herself, she knows what it’s like to appear capable and successful on the outside while internally living in survival mode. Her own healing journey helped shape her passion for helping others move beyond simply knowing truth intellectually toward actually experiencing healing in their bodies, relationships, and connection with God.

• When the coping mechanisms that once protected you stop serving you: Honor why they were there. Aundi explains that strategies like white-knuckling, over-functioning, and constantly reading the room may have helped you survive—but healing can involve learning that you’re safe enough now to respond differently.
• When your childhood experiences feel “normal” to you: Another safe person can help you see your story more clearly. Therapy and healthy relationships can provide a corrective experience that helps you recognize that what happened wasn’t okay—and that it wasn’t necessarily about you.
• When your family still expects you to play an old role: Remember that you have agency. Healing can mean finding safe relationships, developing healthy boundaries, and learning to tolerate other people not liking the healthier version of you.
• When you think you should be healed by now: Let go of the timeline. Aundi reminds us that the more complicated the trauma, the more complex healing may be—and there is no shame in that.
• When your body is telling you something: Listen with compassion. Trauma can remain embodied long after an experience is over, and healing includes learning to pay compassionate attention to your mind, body, and spirit.

Jesus wants to collide with your real story and your real pain, not a cleaned-up version of it. He meets you there with love instead of shame and invites you toward the safety, healing, and wholeness He desires for you.

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

Collide Book

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💑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

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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:

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://store.wecollide.net/products/collide-running-into-healing

Connect with Lisa: lisawhittle.com

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!

Mentioned in this episode:

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

National Bestseller ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Who feels hardest for you to love right now?

In this powerful re-aired episode (March 2025), Willow sits down with Jessica Bond, artist, speaker, and creator of the viral foot washing series, to explore what it really looks like to love like Jesus in a divided world.

Jessica shares how a single image -Jesus washing the feet of a bride - unexpectedly sparked a global movement of artwork depicting Jesus serving people from every background, belief system, and lifestyle. What started as one moment of obedience quickly became a powerful invitation for all of us: Who do we believe belongs at Jesus’ feet?

Together, this conversation dives into the tension we all feel to love people who think differently, live differently, or have even hurt us and how Jesus calls us into something deeper.

If you’ve ever struggled with judgment, felt unworthy of God’s love, or wrestled with how to show grace in a polarized world, this episode will meet you right there.

• Why our identity as “beloved” changes how we see everyone else
• The deeper meaning behind Jesus washing feet—and why it still matters today
• How division, offense, and pain reveal what’s really happening in our hearts
• Why the answer—for everyone—is still an encounter with Jesus
• What to do when you feel unworthy, stuck in shame, or far from God
• How to begin loving people you don’t understand (or don’t want to)

Collide Conference for Women

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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 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

How do you take heartbreak, loss, and life’s unexpected struggles and turn them into purpose, healing, and impact?

In this powerful episode of the Collide Podcast, we sit down with Mike McEvoy to talk about finding purpose in pain and using your gifts to serve others. Mike shares about starting Construction for Change in college, building schools and hospitals around the world, and navigating the heartbreak of losing a child while growing his family. He offers insights on faith, grief, service, and living a life that truly makes a difference. Whether you’re navigating hardship, seeking purpose, or longing to serve, this episode will remind you that your pain can be purposed for good.

Meet Mike McEvoy

Mike McEvoy is the Executive Director and Co-Founder of Construction for Change, a nonprofit that has built over 130 schools and hospitals in 23 countries. He has spent nearly 20 years combining his construction expertise with a heart for global service. Mike is passionate about empowering communities, walking alongside partners, and showing that even the most difficult life experiences can be transformed into purpose and impact.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn

• How Mike turned his college passion and skills into a global nonprofit serving communities worldwide
• Lessons from navigating personal heartbreak and grief while trusting God’s plan
• The importance of integrating faith with action—living both vertically with God and horizontally with others
• Practical ways to use your unique gifts and experiences to make a meaningful impact

How This Episode Will Encourage You

This episode will inspire you to see your struggles and losses not as the end of your story, but as opportunities to create purpose, hope, and transformation. You’ll gain practical insights, renewed faith, and encouragement to live a life that truly matters—right where you are.

Learn more about Construction for Change on thier website: constructionforchange.org

https://store.wecollide.net/products/collide-running-into-healing

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!

Mentioned in this episode:

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

National Bestseller ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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://store.wecollide.net/products/collide-running-into-healing

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!

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://store.wecollide.net/products/collide-running-into-healing

Connect with Erin on her Website: erinweidemann.com

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!

Mentioned in this episode:

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

National Bestseller ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐