The Devoted Dreamers Podcast

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Find the show notes here: http://www.merrittonsa.com/podcast/279

How will you find balance between your dreams and your kids’ school routines?

Amidst the flurry of back-to-school preparations, are you also quietly pondering what this season holds for your personal dreams?

If you’re a mom with kids still living at home, your routines (and theirs) are likely about to shift big time! 

For some, you’ll have more free time than you’ve had in years. (<- This is me with my youngest heading off to full-day kindergarten!) Or maybe you’ll have less time because your middle school and not-yet-driving high school aged kids have activities that put you in the driver's seat (for hours and days on end).

Whatever your season of life or motherhood, you may feel tempted to rush headlong into assembling plans for your dreams. But before you do that, let’s hit “pause” and unpack what is really needed other than just more time to work on your dream.

In this solo episode you’ll learn:

• Why it’s necessary to reflect and reconnect before filling up your calendar with tasks and To-Dos,
• The top qualities to look for as you build a support system,
• How to create space for your dreams, if you don’t have a lot of time to yourself, and
• How to overcome the fears and doubts that come when you’re getting ready to take action

PODCASTING COURSE SUMMER SALE!

Get $30 off Your Purposeful Podcast and launch your own podcast in 30 days or less! Yes, it’s possible. That’s what I did when I launched mine in 2016 and you can do it too! Use the code SUMMER30 through August 31st at https://www.merrittonsa.com/podcastcourse 

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

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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.

How could a podcast help build your dream?

A podcast can help you build an audience (for your book launch, ministry, online business, you name it!) It also gives you a place to go DEEP with your audience and to talk about things that truly inspire you and will, ultimately, attract people to you and your work.

If you’ve ever felt a tug to launch your own podcast, this episode is just for you. My dear friend, fellow podcaster, and brand strategist Natalie Blenkush and I have teamed up to share what we learned from launching our own podcasts (and how we can help you get over the hurdles faster and easier than we did when we first launched).

Three things we wished we knew before we started podcasting:

#1 - If you're bootstrapping your podcast, it's going to take way longer than you think.

#2 - Your podcast is a test run for your message as it evolves and as YOU grow in sharing your message and using your voice.

#3 - The internal battle is REAL, but surrounding yourself with supportive community is the best way to take messy, scary steps forward.

In this episode, you’ll learn: 

• The techy obstacles are not *really* what’s standing in the way of you starting a podcast,
• How podcasting becomes an opportunity to show up and refine your message,
• Your authenticity attracts the right audience,
• You might be hiding rather than sharing your message—and what to do instead,
• Community can provide the support you need to launch your show.

You have a message to share, and your people need to hear it from YOU!

It's time to launch your podcast, Dreamer. 

And Natalie and I are here to help with our self-paced, power-packed course, Your Purposeful Podcast!

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. 

I am taking a short break in July to rest and recharge (because our dreams require it), so I’m reaching back into the archives to serve you up a recast of some oldie-but-goodie episodes this month. Each week builds upon the others with tangible faith-inspired lessons and encouragement for you to find renewed energy for your dream. 

Looking to go deeper in your relationship with God?

Krista (Hengesh) Breilh is the Executive Director and Founder of Live Salted, an intergenerational women’s ministry based in Seattle, Washington. (Also, she’s gotten married since we last talked – go watch her wedding video on her Instagram. It’s a tear-jerker for sure!)

If you heard last week’s recast episode, you know I lost an interview because I forgot to hit record. (SMH. That’s the worst kind of mistake, if you ask me. I wanted to kick myself.) But God had other plans and Krista (Hengesh) Breilh (my guest in that conversation) was a total rockstar and said yes to re-recording with me.

It was an amazing convo back in 2018, and it’s quite possible the second time around was even better than the first! Krista has an infectious enthusiasm for life, unwavering devotion to God, and a remarkable ability to fuse practical wisdom with scriptural truths. She is such an encouragement to the dreamer in us all!

Krista shares her journey of facing uncertainty and questioning her own leadership abilities. You’ll appreciate her honesty about the faith necessary to step into what God has called you to do, especially when you don’t know what the results will be (and who ever does!?) 

This episode is a reminder that, as daughters of the King, there is no challenge, doubt, or fear that can limit our potential. Krista motivates us to embrace the journey of faith, take bold steps towards our dreams, and trust that God's promises will be fulfilled.

PODCASTING COURSE SUMMER SALE!

Get $30 off Your Purposeful Podcast -- a power-packed course that will teach you how to launch your own podcast in 30 days or less! Yes, it’s possible. That’s how I launched mine in 2016 and you can do it too! Use the code SUMMER30 at https://www.merrittonsa.com/podcastcourse
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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 the Show Notes here.

I’m taking a short break in July to rest and recharge (because our dreams require it), so I’m reaching back into the archives to serve you up a recast of some oldie-but-goodie episodes this month. Each week builds upon the others with tangible faith-inspired lessons and encouragement for you to find renewed energy for your dream.

What if you had a road map for chasing your dream?

I recorded this episode because of a mistake I made recording a guest interview. At the time, it seemed like a huge blunder, and I felt like a fool (I’m hard on myself like that). 

But it wasn’t public; it happened inside the four walls of my home office. No one had to know. If I had kept it to myself, it might have minimized my embarrassment, but I chose to share it publicly.

Why? Because I always want to be real with you about the experience of pursuing our dreams. And that is: mistakes happen, and that’s okay because they are one of the best ways to learn.

In fact, when we play small or shy away from big action because we fear getting it wrong, we’re actually missing out on one of the very best ways to figure out how to do it differently next time.

This decision impacts our faith too, because when we hide a flaw or mistake or choose to self-protect in an effort to avoid making mistakes in the first place, we miss the opportunity to trust God’s sovereignty over the outcome. 

Listen to this episode and you’ll gain:

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.

I am taking a short break in July to rest and recharge (because our dreams require it), so I’m reaching back into the archives to serve you up a recast of some oldie-but-goodie episodes this month. Each week builds upon the others with tangible faith-inspired lessons and encouragement for you to find renewed energy for your dream.

What if you were brave enough to step into your dream? 

Get ready to be inspired as we revisit a captivating conversation with Julie Landreth from season five.

If you’ve ever found yourself paralyzed by fear while preparing to embrace something significant and new, this is a must-listen. I’m sharing it again because of the vital role Julie played in anchoring me to truth when I was facing significant fear and doubt. This conversation offers fresh insights and a renewed perspective to propel you forward on your journey toward a God-shaped dream.

I know I’m not the only one who has struggled while preparing to step into something big and new. I pray this episode (along with last week’s, #274) will help you gain new perspective to move forward.

If you’re meeting Julie for the first time, she is passionate about loving others and encouraging them to become elevated in this life. She loves to pray and encourages others to pray without ceasing. She is the creator of “Wife Lab” a course that helps wives grow in their marriages. In this conversation Julie also shares how she started leading women through her Wife Lab curriculum: Loving Well, The Art of Praying for Your Husband.  

If you’re still trying to find your way to being brave (or if your marriage is struggling), I pray you’ll find hope and encouragement in this conversation.

PODCASTING COURSE SUMMER SALE! 

Get $30 off Your Purposeful Podcast -- a power-packed course that will teach you how to launch your own podcast in 30 days or less! Yes, it’s possible. That’s how I launched mine in 2016 and you can do it too! Use the code SUMMER30 at https://www.merrittonsa.com/podcastcourse

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 the show notes here.  

I am taking a short break in July to rest and recharge (because our dreams require it), so I’m reaching back into the archives to serve you up a recast of some oldie-but-goodie episodes this month. Each week builds upon the others with tangible faith-inspired lessons and encouragement for you to find renewed energy for your dream.  

What if you stepped into your fear of failure?  

Tune in this week to learn about fear of failure, what its true source really is, and how we can battle it and get a move on with pursuing our God-shaped dreams.

In this solo episode you’ll learn:

• What our identity in Christ really means for us,
• How to shift the way you think about failing over and over again, and
• The good news about why you can stop trying to be enough.

If you’ve been avoiding your dream because you fear you might fail, if you’ve stopped taking steps forward because you feel like you are not enough, this is the episode for you. Jesus is enough and He promises to bring His work in you to completion.

SUMMER PODCASTING COURSE SALE! 

Get $30 off Your Purposeful Podcast and launch your own podcast in 30 days or less! Yes, it’s possible. That’s what I did when I launched mine in 2016 and you can do it too! Use the code SUMMER30 at https://www.merrittonsa.com/podcastcourse

NEXT STEPS:

'>

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.  

Are you struggling to give up control and trust God's plan for your life?

This week my guest is Keagan K. Hayden, a Bible-teacher and author of the book The Struggle is Real: Purpose in the Pain. Her God-shaped dream has her on a mission of equipping women to live in freedom and confidence by resting in who God says we are.

In this conversation Keagan shares how she’s had to relinquish control and learn to enjoy the journey rather than just focusing on the destination. She talks about the challenges of following God’s plan, especially when it doesn't match expectations. Despite the ebbs and flows of her dream, Keagan continues to trust in God's plan and take each day as an adventure.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• how to relinquish control and trust God, even without a detailed plan in place,
• the difference between working with God versus doing work for God, and
• how to struggle well when life feels hard.
  

SUMMER PODCASTING COURSE SALE! 

Get $30 off Your Purposeful Podcast and launch your own podcast in 30 days or less! Yes, it’s possible. That’s what I did when I launched mine in 2016 and you can do it too! Use the code SUMMER30 at

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 the show notes for episode 272 here: http://www.merrittonsa.com/podcast/272 

Is there a “cure” for imposter syndrome?

It’s easy to recognize the impact of imposter syndrome on a dream you haven’t had the courage to step into. The voice of imposter syndrome will suggest to you that it’s not the right time, you’re not the right person, you’re not ready to do this, or that it’s already been done.

Obviously, without any intervention, thoughts like these would keep anyone stuck and their dream hidden.  

You might be surprised to learn that imposter syndrome also threatens dreamers who have already launched their dreams. From the outside looking in she appears successful, confident and like she knows what she’s doing. But her imposter syndrome could be even more weighty than it was when she just started out.

Taking a step toward your dream puts a bullseye on your back that the enemy cannot ignore. That’s why is so important to equip yourself with the truth of God’s Word and implement supportive action that will help you prepare to fight back when imposter syndrome comes again.

In this solo episode you’ll learn:

• How to identify imposter syndrome in yourself,
• That imposter syndrome is far more common than you realize, even in people who are further ahead than you, and
• About the transformation that’s possible once you establish your imposter syndrome defense firmly in Scripture. 

Doors are OPEN for Dreamers Unleashed

If you’re tired of imposter syndrome sabotaging your dream...

If you wish you could shut down that scornful voice of shame and inadequacy...

And you want to experience VICTORY over imposter syndrome,  join us for Dreamers Unleashed this summer. 

You’ll find all the details and a link to register at https://www.merrittonsa.com/imposter-syndrome

Enrollment closes on Thursday, June 22nd at 10PM Mountain Time.

Our first call is Tuesday, July 11th.

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. 

How do we find opportunities for growth in faith and in life?

In last week’s episode, you heard Eryn Lynum discuss a long season of waiting for her dream to become what it is today.

When Eryn first came on the show five years ago, we discussed her book on the topic of intentional parenting and her search for a publisher despite her small platform. 

In this episode, she returns to share what has occurred in the ensuing years. In this new conversation you’ll learn: 

• How embracing doubts becomes an opportunity for God to reveal His plan,
• That waiting is not idle; it allows for growth and strength in preparation for when it's time to act, and 
• How spending time in God's Word and connecting with Him through nature provides a better understanding of both God’s written Word and His created world.

My LIVE-taught Imposter Syndrome course is now open for enrollment!

If the enemy has you all wound up in

→  worry about what people might think

→  or embarrassment because you don’t want to appear to be focusing on yourself

→  or shame that you haven’t begun on your dream

→  or that you’ve already wasted too much time already

This is the course for you!

We’ll spend 7 sessions together over the summer (Jun – Sept, every other week) working through the curriculum so that you can come out on the other side with strength and hope to pursue your dream AND tools in your toolbelt to fight back against imposter syndrome. 

If you’d like to stop hiding in fear and start living in the joy and flourishing promised to us in Christ, click here to get the details and register today. 

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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.

Have you ever been told you need a bigger platform before you can publish your book?

At the time of this recording, in 2017, Eryn Lynum lived in Northern Colorado with her husband and three boys and they spent their time hiking, camping, and exploring the Rocky Mountains.

Eryn’s passion has been to come alongside authors and help them market the message God has laid on their hearts. She loves to travel and share at conferences, churches, and writers’ groups. But every opportunity she gets, she is out exploring God’s creation with her family. 

The author of 936 Pennies: Discovering the Joy of Intentional Parenting, Eryn talks in this episode about the shift towards intentional parenting that happened when she and her husband were faced with the reality that they have only 936 weeks – from birth to 18 – with each of their children.

Eryn also shares about the process of writing her first book, including the ups and downs of trying to find the right publisher and how it felt to be told again and again that she didn’t have the platform for a successful book.

The road blocks she's faced along the way have given Eryn perspective and helpful suggestions for anyone wondering how to become a published author.   

Looking to reignite your prayer life?

Get 30 short, guided prayers in your inbox, one a day, for the next 30 days to connect with God and grow your intimacy with Him. Subscribe here: https://www.merrittonsa.com/prayer

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Subscribe

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.