The Devoted Dreamers Podcast

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THIS EPISODE WAS FIRST PUBLISHED IN JANUARY 2023.

Find show notes for the entire Habits series here. 

How important is restorative rest in pursuing a big dream?

Our body, mind and soul require rest; it’s just how we were made and it was modeled for us by God in the creation account and in Adam’s first day on earth. Why wouldn’t we also benefit from regular rhythms of rest in our lives?

This month on the podcast I’m talking about habits to consider that will strengthen you and support your God-shaped dream. Each mini episode will focus on a particular habit and a tip/hack to help you implement it. These are short and sweet episodes (~10 minutes each) and will help you begin thinking about what you can do right now to nurture your dream by building positive habits into your life.

This is the third episode in my Habit Series; I’m talking about the value of living from rest instead of for rest and how simple it can be to add Sabbath rest into your weekly rhythms.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How restorative rest differs from just chilling out,
• Steps you can take to determine if you need more Sabbath rest, and
• When and how I get Sabbath rest even when life is busy.

Grab the free UPDATED Devoted Dreamers Habit Tracker.

Subscribe to the show and then come back every Monday, Wednesday and Friday to learn about building simple, small habits that will grow your confidence and create the consistency you need to run your race and pursue a God-shaped dream.

NEXT STEPS:

Connect with Merritt: Website || Instagram || Book a Discovery Call

NEXT STEPS:
Connect with Merritt: Website || Instagram || Book a Call
Leave a Review: Apple Podcasts/iTunes
Subscribe: on Apple Podcasts * on Android
Join the Dream Believers community

MORE ABOUT THE DEVOTED DREAMERS PODCAST:
Produced by Jonathan R. Clauson.
Theme music by Reaktor Productions.
Ad music by Komiku.

Send us Fan Mail

THIS EPISODE WAS FIRST PUBLISHED IN JANUARY 2023.

Find show notes for the entire Habits series here.  

Why should you read the Bible every day?

All month long I’ll be talking about habits to consider (and tips for making them easier) as part of my series on building habits that will strengthen you and support your dream.

Welcome to the second episode in the Habit Series. Today is all about the easy way to start a daily Bible reading habit.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The benefits of reading the Bible every day
• It’s easier than you think to create a daily Bible-reading habit, and
• Why tracking your habits can make all the difference in your motivation to stick with it!

Grab the free Devoted Dreamers Habit Tracker and start reading the Bible on a daily basis.

Subscribe to the show and check back every Monday, Wednesday and Friday in January to learn about building simple, small habits that will grow your confidence and create the consistency you need to run your race and pursue a God-shaped dream.

Each mini episode will focus on a particular habit you might consider and/or a tip/hack to help you implement a new habit. These will be short and sweet (5-10 minutes each) and are meant to get you thinking about what you can do right now to nurture your dream by building positive habits into your life.

NEXT STEPS:

Connect with Merritt: Website || Instagram || Book a Discovery Call

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NEXT STEPS:
Connect with Merritt: Website || Instagram || Book a Call
Leave a Review: Apple Podcasts/iTunes
Subscribe: on Apple Podcasts * on Android
Join the Dream Believers community

MORE ABOUT THE DEVOTED DREAMERS PODCAST:
Produced by Jonathan R. Clauson.
Theme music by Reaktor Productions.
Ad music by Komiku.

Send us Fan Mail

THIS EPISODE WAS FIRST PUBLISHED IN JANUARY 2023.

Find show notes for the entire Habits Series here. 

What small steps can you take that will have a lasting impact?

Let's spark some change today that fuels your God-shaped dream and sets the stage for enduring success tomorrow. It’s easier than you might think, and it all starts with building sustainable habits into your life.

This Habit Series was so popular in 2023 that I’m re-sharing the episodes for your new year’s inspiration.

Each mini episode focuses on a particular habit you might consider and tips to help you implement it. These are short episodes (5-10 minutes each) and are meant to get you thinking about what you can do right now to nurture your dream by building new habits into your life.

Welcome to the intro episode for a new series focused on habits. Come back through the first two weeks of January to learn about building simple, small habits that will grow your confidence and create the consistency you need to run your race and pursue a God-shaped dream.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why I recommend trying new habits now even if they are unrelated to your dream,
• The difference between new habits and New Year’s resolutions,
• My 2-minute vocal warm-up habit that has changed how I prepare for public speaking or podcast recording, and
• Why tracking your daily, weekly, or monthly habits can make all the difference in your motivation to stick with it!

Grab your free Devoted Dreamers Habit Tracker to start building competency, consistency & courage to invest in your dream!

NEXT STEPS:

Connect with Merritt: Website || Instagram || Book a Discovery Call

Get Connected with the Facebook Community

NEXT STEPS:
Connect with Merritt: Website || Instagram || Book a Call
Leave a Review: Apple Podcasts/iTunes
Subscribe: on Apple Podcasts * on Android
Join the Dream Believers community

MORE ABOUT THE DEVOTED DREAMERS PODCAST:
Produced by Jonathan R. Clauson.
Theme music by Reaktor Productions.
Ad music by Komiku.

Send us Fan Mail

Find show notes here: http://www.merrittonsa.com/podcast/296

How do you commit to a dream you’ve felt too scared to share?

Your dream is part of you; of course it feels vulnerable to speak about it, especially if you’ve tried in the past and it turned into a mess of mixed-up words as they tumbled out of your mouth.

If you’ve been keeping your dream to yourself for longer than you’d like to admit, this is your cue that it’s time to learn how to talk about it privately if you ever have a hope of it coming to fruition publicly.

If you're ready to uncover the game-changing potential of speaking your dream out loud, join me for an empowering and insightful practice that will grow your readiness for the dream.

In this final solo episode of 2023, we explore:

• the importance of speaking your dream out loud, even if it sounds discombobulated or feels uncomfortable,
• how to use your creativity to bring your dream out of hiding, and
• a simple challenge to help you get comfortable and find the words you want to use to talk about the dream.

SOMETHING NEW IS COMING IN 2024:

I’m creating something for the Devoted Dreamer who wants a road map to help guide her on the journey of stepping into a God-shaped dream in 2024.

Here’s the link to sign up for more information (when it’s ready to share):  https://www.merrittonsa.com/first90days

NEXT STEPS:

Connect with Merritt: Website || Instagram || Let’s Talk

Get Connected with the Facebook Community

Support the Podcast

Leave a Review:

Sign up for Dream Believers. Just $49/month or $490 for the year (get 2 months free!) 

NEXT STEPS:
Connect with Merritt: Website || Instagram || Book a Call
Leave a Review: Apple Podcasts/iTunes
Subscribe: on Apple Podcasts * on Android
Join the Dream Believers community

MORE ABOUT THE DEVOTED DREAMERS PODCAST:
Produced by Jonathan R. Clauson.
Theme music by Reaktor Productions.
Ad music by Komiku.

Send us Fan Mail

Find show notes here: http://www.merrittonsa.com/podcast/295

How important are prayer and intimacy with God to our dreams?

Even the most faithful woman can get distracted by the flood of ideas that often accompanies a God-shaped dream. As the dream enters your awareness, you begin to feel excited (a little trepidation often comes with it). 

Then, when you entertain the possibilities, suddenly there are so many ideas vying for your attention and it’s easy to forget that you are the clay and He is the potter.

God is so gracious to call us back into an intimate and connected relationship with Him because He knows this relationship has to be the foundation for pursuing our God-shaped dreams.

This mini episode is all about the undeniable necessity of prayer and intimacy with the Lord in the pursuit of your God-shaped dream.

In it, we explore:

• Prayer as a foundational practice that is essential for every devoted dreamer,
• The significance of developing a close relationship with God,
• and how prayer can transform your approach to achieving your dreams.

DOORS ARE NOW OPEN -- JOIN THE DREAMER LAB

https://www.merrittonsa.com/dreamerwinter

Enrollment is open for my highly-curated 3-month group coaching experience that’ll get you writing that book, launching your ministry, starting a business all for the glory of God and His purposes in the world.

This is a unique opportunity to build community, dive deeper into your dream, and cultivate a consistent relationship with the Lord.

Join us January - March 2024 to build community, ignite clarity, and invigorate your confidence to begin making small, consistent actions towards your God-shaped dream.

Or, if you’re hearing this after the fact, get on the waitlist for the Dreamer Lab at: https://www.merrittonsa.com/dreamerlab

NEXT STEPS: 

Connect with Merritt: Website || Instagram || Let’s Talk

NEXT STEPS:
Connect with Merritt: Website || Instagram || Book a Call
Leave a Review: Apple Podcasts/iTunes
Subscribe: on Apple Podcasts * on Android
Join the Dream Believers community

MORE ABOUT THE DEVOTED DREAMERS PODCAST:
Produced by Jonathan R. Clauson.
Theme music by Reaktor Productions.
Ad music by Komiku.

Send us Fan Mail

Find show notes for episode 294 here: http://www.merrittonsa.com/podcast/294

How can we learn to surrender our dreams and trust God for the outcome?

As dreamers, it’s easy to fall into the trap of wanting our dreams to go our way. We have an idea of what it might look like. We’ve grown cautiously excited about the possibilities. We talk about surrendering the dream and its outcome to God. During our quiet time, we even tell Him that we trust Him. 

And then, when we start to take action, something shifts.

There’s a challenge we didn’t anticipate, or an opportunity we’re terrified to say ‘yes’ to, or a mentor suggesting a next step we couldn’t possibly take. All of a sudden, we realize how tightly we’ve been holding on to something that’s not even really ours to grip.  

In this week’s solo episode, we explore:

• the pitfalls of holding tightly to a specific vision for your dream,
• how to start listening for God’s voice and guidance on the journey, and
• embracing surrender by letting go of control and trusting God's plan.

If you're ready to step boldly into God's path for your dream, hit play and join me on this empowering journey.

COMING UP!

Mark your calendar and RSVP for my free Devoted Dreamers Workshop on December 4, 2023, at 9am PT / Noon Eastern. During the workshop, we’ll dive deeper into how you can establish a strong foundation for pursuing your God-shaped dream. You’ll build a supportive community to encourage you on your journey, begin refining the way you talk about your dream, and learn how to move from feeling stuck into meaningful action.

Sign up for Dream Believers. Just $49/month or $490 for the year (get 2 months free!) 

NEXT STEPS:
Connect with Merritt: Website || Instagram || Book a Call
Leave a Review: Apple Podcasts/iTunes
Subscribe: on Apple Podcasts * on Android
Join the Dream Believers community

MORE ABOUT THE DEVOTED DREAMERS PODCAST:
Produced by Jonathan R. Clauson.
Theme music by Reaktor Productions.
Ad music by Komiku.

Send us Fan Mail

Find show notes for episode 293 here:  http://www.merrittonsa.com/podcast/293

Is it possible to avoid overwhelm when there’s so much more to learn?

In a world where anything you need or want to learn is available within a few quick keystrokes and a Google search, how do dreamers stay focused on the most significant action steps that will move a dream forward? 

This episode is about taking inventory of what you already have on hand to support your dream. I have two steps you can take and one commitment you can make that will shift your perspective on what it takes to pursue your God-shaped dream. 

I'll guide you through a three-step process designed to help you celebrate God’s good gifts to you, let go of information overload, and consume only the resources you need right now so you can let go of the rest.

In this episode you’ll consider:

• What gifts has God given you to use,
  
  
• What distractions do you need to remove so you can finally make progress on your dream, and
  
  
• How to develop a discerning approach to learning and growth as you take each new step in this journey.

Mark your calendar for my upcoming free Devoted Dreamers Workshop on December 4th, where we'll dive deeper into how to pursue a God-shaped dream and ga

Sign up for Dream Believers. Just $49/month or $490 for the year (get 2 months free!) 

NEXT STEPS:
Connect with Merritt: Website || Instagram || Book a Call
Leave a Review: Apple Podcasts/iTunes
Subscribe: on Apple Podcasts * on Android
Join the Dream Believers community

MORE ABOUT THE DEVOTED DREAMERS PODCAST:
Produced by Jonathan R. Clauson.
Theme music by Reaktor Productions.
Ad music by Komiku.

Send us Fan Mail

You can find show notes here:  http://www.merrittonsa.com/podcast/292

What does the day-to-day of your dream look like? 

Imagine you could see ten years into the future of your God-shaped dream. What would an “ideal day” in the life of your dream be like? How would you be spending your time?  

➡️ Are you sitting at a laptop in your favorite coffee shop tapping away at a manuscript?

➡️ Is it spending a few hours a day in your home office / workshop fulfilling orders for your art pieces? 

➡️ Maybe you’re on a stage teaching the Bible to women who are hungry for the Word of God, and afterwards you get to participate in a lively conversation about taking the gospel and the love of Christ to a hurting world.

But what if you’re still not sure what exactly He’s asking of you? 

And how do you even begin to answer these questions? 

Do you just start and figure it out along the way?

I’m tackling these questions in this episode -- the first in a series of short conversations laying the groundwork for how we get started on a dream, what needs to come first, and how to think about moving forward when the path isn’t absolutely clear.

If you could choose (and you can!), what would it look like to live out your dream? 

I’m asking you to consider a few key questions in this episode, including:

• Do

NEXT STEPS:
Connect with Merritt: Website || Instagram || Book a Call
Leave a Review: Apple Podcasts/iTunes
Subscribe: on Apple Podcasts * on Android
Join the Dream Believers community

MORE ABOUT THE DEVOTED DREAMERS PODCAST:
Produced by Jonathan R. Clauson.
Theme music by Reaktor Productions.
Ad music by Komiku.

Send us Fan Mail

Find show notes here: http://www.merrittonsa.com/podcast/291 

What does creativity have to do with spiritual transformation?

Amy Pierson is a champion for the spiritually transformative power of creativity. She returns to the podcast to share a dream that’s been on her heart for over a decade, her newly-published book: Makers in a Thinker's World: What Brain Science Teaches Us about the Spiritually Transforming Power of Creativity.

In this episode, Amy opens up about her exploration of creativity and neuroscience in the context of faith. I would love to dig deeper into this topic; but since we only scratch the surface here, I highly recommend grabbing a copy of her book. 

We explore the topic of lament and how it can become a catalyst for discovering ways to make meaningful contributions to the world. She also emphasizes that our pursuit of a God-shaped dream can help us find joy and purpose in our lives. 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How neurotheology deepens our understanding of faith and relationship with Christ,
• Practical steps to identify your personal lament and find your unique purpose, and
• How to overcome creative blocks and connect with your creativity in a meaningful way.

NEXT STEPS:

Connect with Merritt: Website

Sign up for Dream Believers. Just $49/month or $490 for the year (get 2 months free!) 

NEXT STEPS:
Connect with Merritt: Website || Instagram || Book a Call
Leave a Review: Apple Podcasts/iTunes
Subscribe: on Apple Podcasts * on Android
Join the Dream Believers community

MORE ABOUT THE DEVOTED DREAMERS PODCAST:
Produced by Jonathan R. Clauson.
Theme music by Reaktor Productions.
Ad music by Komiku.

Send us Fan Mail

Note about language in this episode: Some of you may listen with children in the room, so I want you to know that there are a few occurrences of profanity in this episode, mostly towards the end of the interview.

Find the show notes for Ep 290 here:  http://www.merrittonsa.com/podcast/290

How has self-doubt or perfectionism blocked your progress?

I’m giving you a peek into my growth over the last two years of pursuing my dream of teaching and coaching Christian women through the discovery and pursuit of their dreams.

Honestly, it’s been an incredibly stretching and challenging season, filled with more struggle than I bargained for. I knew it would be difficult, but I’ve needed increased support as I’ve tried things I’ve never done before and set ambitious goals for myself and my business that felt totally outside my comfort zone.

Listeners often ask to hear more of my backstory, so in this one you’ll hear MY coach, Heather Sager, ask me pointed questions about the work we’ve done together and how far I’ve come since I started investing in my own growth.

In this episode you’ll hear us talk about:

• Learning how to clearly communicate your dream,
• The power of employing consistent action as your weapon in the battle with perfectionism, and
• How to step into a leadership role so that you truly can begin to serve others who need what you are creating.

I’m sending HUGE thanks to Heather Sager for allowing me to use her episode while I’m in content creation mode of another kind.

Want to be the first to know when what I’m creating right now is available? Get on the list for my weekly email newsletter and I’ll make sure you get the scoop in early 2024!

NEXT STEPS:

Connect with Merritt: Website || Speaking || Instagram || Let’s Talk

Sign up for Dream Believers. Just $49/month or $490 for the year (get 2 months free!) 

NEXT STEPS:
Connect with Merritt: Website || Instagram || Book a Call
Leave a Review: Apple Podcasts/iTunes
Subscribe: on Apple Podcasts * on Android
Join the Dream Believers community

MORE ABOUT THE DEVOTED DREAMERS PODCAST:
Produced by Jonathan R. Clauson.
Theme music by Reaktor Productions.
Ad music by Komiku.