The Love Offering

So much of motherhood happens where no one else can see.

It’s the middle-of-the-night wake-ups, the endless loads of laundry, the whispered prayers, the carpool conversations, and the thousand small sacrifices that rarely receive recognition. In the moment, we may wonder whether any of it is making a difference.

But God sees it all—and none of it is wasted.

This week on The Love Offering Podcast, I’m talking with Shalene Roberts, author of When Mothering Is Hard and No One Sees. Shalene shares how a vulnerable blog post written while navigating three children under five—and what may have been postpartum depression—became a message that resonated with hundreds of thousands of mothers.

Together, we talk about:

• Finding our worth in God rather than visible accomplishments
• Trusting that today’s small seeds can produce an eternal harvest
• Recognizing the sacred within the gritty work of motherhood
• Making room for prayer, Scripture, and rest in busy seasons
• Seeing and nurturing each child’s unique God-given gifts
• Holding our children with open hands as they grow

Whether you are caring for little ones, preparing to launch a child into adulthood, or pouring into the next generation through mentoring, I pray this conversation reminds you that God sees you. The love you offer in ordinary, unseen moments is shaping lives and leaving a legacy that may reach farther than you will ever know.

You are seen. You are loved. And the work God has called you to matters for eternity.

With love,
Rachael

CONNECT WITH SHALENE ROBERTS

Website: https://shaleneroberts.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shalenerobertsblog
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShaleneRobertsBlog
Book: Visit https://shaleneroberts.com/books to learn more about When Mothering Is Hard and No One Sees.

CONNECT WITH RACHAEL ADAMS

Website: https://rachaelkadams.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachaeladamsauthor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rachaeladamsauthor
Books: A Little Goes a Long Way and Everyday Prayers for Love

Listen to more episodes of The Love Offering Podcast:
https://www.lifeaudio.com/the-love-offering

If this episode encouraged you, please like, subscribe, and share it with another mother who needs to remember that God sees her.

Support the Show: https://rachaelkadams.com/

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

What battle are you carrying today?

Maybe it is an unanswered prayer, a painful loss, a strained relationship, a health concern, or a circumstance that feels far beyond your control. When life feels overwhelming, we can become so consumed by our emotions—or so busy trying to fix everything ourselves—that prayer is often one of the first things we neglect.

This week on The Love Offering Podcast, my friend Rachel Wojo joins me to talk about her new 90-day devotional, Praying Through Life’s Battles. Drawing from her experience of loving and losing her daughter, Taylor, Rachel shares how prayer has sustained her through unimaginable grief and reminded her that she never faces life’s battles alone.

In our conversation, we discuss:

• Why prayer can feel difficult when we are overwhelmed
• How remembering God’s faithfulness helps us resist the enemy’s lies
• Practical ways to remain grounded in Scripture during hard seasons
• How to make prayer a natural part of everyday life
• Why persistence matters when an answer seems delayed
• What it means to pray from Christ’s victory rather than merely for victory

One truth Rachel shared has stayed with me:

“The reason for prayer is not for the answers. The reason for prayer is for the relationship.”

God certainly can change our circumstances through prayer, but He also uses prayer to change us. He meets us in our weariness, reminds us of His promises, and aligns our hearts with His. He wants to give us more than an answer—He wants to be our answer.

One of the first Bible verses Rachel’s daughter Taylor learned was, “The battle is the Lord’s” (1 Samuel 17:47). Those words became a family mantra throughout Taylor’s life, and they remain a beautiful reminder for each of us today.

Whatever you are facing, you do not have to fight in your own strength. God sees you, He is with you, and the battle belongs to Him.

CONNECT WITH RACHEL WOJO

Website: https://rachelwojo.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachelwojo
Praying Through Life’s Battles: https://amzn.to/4wDIrZO
Free Pray Through It Battle Plan: https://battleprayers.com
Untangling Prayer with Rachel Wojo: Untangling Prayer with Rachel Wojo - Rachel Wojo - Christian Podcast

CONNECT WITH RACHAEL ADAMS

Website: https://rachaelkadams.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachaeladamsauthor
The Love Offering Podcast: https://www.lifeaudio.com/the-love-offering

Support the Show: https://rachaelkadams.com/

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Have you ever experienced a loss that divided your life into a “before” and an “after”?

Fourteen years ago, my friend Lisa Appelo woke to the sound of her husband Dan’s strange breathing. Within hours, she learned he had suffered cardiac arrest and could not be revived. In a single morning, Lisa became a widow and the sole parent of seven children.

As Lisa tried to put her feet on the floor each morning and help her children navigate their own grief, she discovered that God’s comfort wasn’t always found in answers. Often, it came through His Word, His sustaining grace, the kindness of His people, and the quiet assurance that He was near—even when she couldn’t feel Him.

This week on The Love Offering Podcast, Lisa and I talk about her new devotional journal, God of Comfort, and what it means to grieve honestly while still holding on to hope.

In our conversation, we discuss:

• Why we don’t have to hide our difficult emotions from God
• How Scripture and journaling can help us process sorrow
• Why grief should not be rushed, masked, or ignored
• How God gives us “pockets of joy” alongside our pain
• What it looks like to comfort others from the comfort we have received
• Why God’s presence is one of the deepest expressions of His love

One of my favorite things Lisa said was, “God will love us all the way through.”

Friend, whatever you are grieving today, you are not overlooked or abandoned. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and He knows the way through this valley. You don’t have to have everything figured out. You can simply bring Him the next breath, the next tear, and the next step.

I pray this conversation reminds you that sorrow and joy can exist together—and that God is faithfully carrying you through both.

Connect with Lisa Appelo:

• Website
• Instagram

Connect with Rachael Adams:

• Website
• Instagram
• Facebook
• The Love Offering Podcast

Support the Show: https://rachaelkadams.com/

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

When you hear the word worship, what comes to mind?

Maybe you picture standing in church on Sunday morning, singing with your hands raised. Perhaps you think about prayer, reading Scripture, or verbally praising God. All of these are beautiful expressions of worship—but worship was never meant to be confined to a church service.

Our entire lives can become an offering to God.

This week on The Love Offering Podcast, I’m welcoming Cheryl Marshall back to the show to talk about her new book, All of Me: Pursuing a Life Wholly Devoted to God. Drawing from Romans 12:1–2, Cheryl helps us understand what it means to present ourselves as living sacrifices and worship God with every part of who we are.

Our hands, feet, eyes, ears, thoughts, motives, abilities, responsibilities, hopes, and dreams all belong to Him. Whether we are caring for children, helping an aging parent, working at our jobs, serving in our churches, or simply completing the next ordinary task before us, we have an opportunity to honor God.

But wholehearted devotion isn’t always easy. Cheryl identifies three things that can divide our devotion: distraction, disobedience, and discouragement.

Sometimes our hearts become distracted by busyness or the desire for approval. Sometimes we hold on to a sin or attitude we know God is asking us to surrender. And sometimes discouragement convinces us that our current circumstances—or even our past—make us unable to do anything significant for Him.

But Cheryl reminds us that our limitations do not disqualify us from glorifying God. In fact, those very places may become the setting where His strength, mercy, and faithfulness shine most clearly.

Our devotion doesn’t begin with guilt, fear, pride, or striving. It begins with remembering God’s mercy. As Cheryl says, “All other motivations other than mercy will fail us.”

Because Jesus gave all of Himself for us, we can joyfully offer all of ourselves to Him.

If your heart feels distracted, weary, discouraged, or divided today, I hope you’ll listen to this conversation. God is patient with us. He meets us in our weakness, renews our minds through His Word, and gives us the grace to take the next faithful step.

Connect with Cheryl Marshall:

Website: CherylMarshall.com
Instagram: @_cherylmarshall
Podcast: Search for Whole Life Worship on your favorite podcast platform.

Connect with Rachael Adams:

Website: rachaelkadams.com
Instagram: @rachaeladamsauthor
Podcast: The Love Offering Podcast

Support the Show: https://rachaelkadams.com/

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

When you hear the word gentleness, what comes to mind?

If you're anything like me, you may think of someone who is quiet, passive, or soft-spoken. But what if we've misunderstood biblical gentleness all along?

This week on The Love Offering Podcast, I had the joy of talking with Christie Thomas, author of Everyday Prayers for Gentleness. As fellow authors in the Everyday Prayers series through Million Praying Moms, we share a passion for helping women become more like Jesus through the power of prayer. Christie reminded me that gentleness isn't weakness at all—it's Spirit-empowered strength.

In our conversation, we discussed:

• Why gentleness is one of the most countercultural fruits of the Spirit.
• How Jesus perfectly modeled both strength and tenderness.
• Practical ways to respond with gentleness in marriage, parenting, friendships, church relationships, and even online.
• How choosing gentleness can transform the atmosphere of your home and point others to the heart of Christ.

One statement Christie shared has stayed with me:

"Jesus is never just the Lion, and He's never just the Lamb. He's always both."

What a beautiful picture of the kind of strength God wants to cultivate in us.

If you've been feeling frustrated, overwhelmed, or quick to react lately, I think this conversation will encourage you. It reminded me that the strongest people aren't always the loudest—they're often the ones most surrendered to the Holy Spirit.

I hope you'll take a few moments to listen. My prayer is that God will use this conversation to help all of us become women whose words, attitudes, and actions reflect the gentle heart of Jesus.

Connect with Christie Thomas:

• Website: https://littleshootsdeeproots.com
• Instagram: @littleshootsdeeproots

Connect with Rachael Adams:

• Website: https://rachaelkadams.com
• Instagram: @rachaeladamsauthor
• Podcast: The Love Offering Podcast

Support the Show: https://rachaelkadams.com/

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Have you ever wondered how all the pieces of the Bible fit together—or even how your own story fits into God's greater story? If you've ever opened Scripture feeling overwhelmed or found yourself questioning where God is in the middle of your everyday life, I think this week's episode will encourage your heart. I had the joy of sitting down with Randy and Rozanne Frazee to talk about their beautiful new Bible study, Encountering God's Love: From Genesis to Revelation. Together, we explored how the Bible isn't just a collection of disconnected stories—it's one continuous story of God's relentless love pursuing His people from beginning to end.

In this episode, you'll discover: 

• Why seeing the Bible as one unified story changes the way you read Scripture.
• How God's love has been pursuing humanity since Genesis.
• What it means to trust God's "upper story" when your own story feels confusing.
• Encouragement for anyone who feels insignificant, overlooked, or unsure where they fit in God's plan.
• Practical ways to recognize God's loving hand in your everyday life. 

One moment that especially moved me was when we talked about the women in Jesus' genealogy. God intentionally chose broken, unlikely people to be part of His redemptive story—and He delights in doing the same today. If you've ever wondered whether your past disqualifies you, I hope you'll listen. His grace has always been greater than our brokenness. I pray this conversation reminds you that your life matters, your story matters, and most importantly, you are deeply loved by the God who has been pursuing His children from Genesis to Revelation.

 

Connect with Randy & Rozanne Frazee:

Website: https://randyfrazee.com

Encountering God's Love: From Genesis to Revelation is available wherever books are sold.

 

Let's Stay Connected:

I'd love to encourage you beyond the podcast!

Website: https://rachaelkadams.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/rachaeladamsauthor

Facebook: https://facebook.com/rachaelkadamsauthor

Listen to The Love Offering Podcast wherever you enjoy podcasts.

Support the Show: https://rachaelkadams.com/

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Have you ever looked around and wondered why, even in a world more connected than ever, so many of us still feel lonely? I think most of us long for friendships that are genuine relationships where we're known, encouraged, challenged, and loved. Yet building those kinds of friendships can feel harder than ever. 

This week on The Love Offering Podcast, I had the joy of talking with my sweet friend, Becky Harling, about her book, Friendwise. Our conversation reminded me that friendship isn't just a nice addition to life—it's one of God's good gifts. We were created for meaningful relationships that strengthen our faith, encourage our hearts, and point us back to Christ.

In this episode, we discuss:
• Why friendship is essential for our spiritual, emotional, and even physical health.
• Practical wisdom from the book of Proverbs for cultivating lasting relationships.
• How to navigate boundaries, vulnerability, forgiveness, and conflict with grace.
• Why comparison and competition quietly destroy friendships—and how celebrating one another brings freedom.
• Simple ways to become the kind of friend we're all hoping to find. Sometimes the first step toward deeper connection is simply reaching out, asking someone to coffee, listening well, and loving intentionally.

If you've been feeling lonely, disconnected, or simply longing for richer relationships, I believe this conversation will encourage your heart and give you practical, biblical wisdom for building friendships that last.

Connect with Becky Harling:
Website: https://beckyharling.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckyharling
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beckyharlingauthor

Connect with Rachael Adams:
Website: https://rachaelkadams.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachaelkadamsauthor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rachaelkadamsauthor

If this episode encouraged you, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend who could use a little encouragement today. Thank you for listening to The Love Offering Podcast, where we seek to love God, love others, and even love ourselves as Christ first loved us.

Support the Show: https://rachaelkadams.com/

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Have you ever wondered if what you're doing really matters?

Maybe your days feel ordinary. Maybe you're faithfully serving your family, showing up for work, caring for others, or quietly doing what God has called you to do—but sometimes you wonder if it's making any difference at all.

If you've ever felt that way, this week's episode of The Love Offering Podcast is for you.

I had the joy of sitting down with my dear friend, Bible teacher, and author Crickett Keeth to discuss her new Bible study, Living Out a Life That Matters. Through Paul's relationship with Timothy in 2 Timothy, Crickett reminds us that every believer has a God-given purpose and that our lives carry eternal significance—even when they feel small, routine, or unseen.

In our conversation, you'll discover:

• How to identify and live out your unique God-given purpose
• Why comparison steals our joy and distracts us from our calling
• The importance of encouraging and investing in others
• How God uses even the smallest acts of faithfulness for His glory
• Why it's never too late to make an eternal impact

One of my favorite moments from our conversation was when Crickett shared the story of her mother in a nursing home. Though she could no longer see, hear, walk, or speak, God still used her simple smile to point others to Jesus. It's a beautiful reminder that God never puts His children "on the shelf."

Friend, your life matters. Your obedience matters. Your faithfulness matters. And God can use you right where you are today.

I pray this conversation encourages you to embrace the purpose God has given you and to trust that He is working through your life in ways you may never fully see this side of heaven.

Connect with Crickett Keeth

Website: www.crickettkeeth.com
Instagram: @crickettkeeth
Facebook: Crickett Keeth

Connect with Rachael Adams

Website: www.rachaelkadams.com
Instagram: @rachaeladamsauthor
Podcast: The Love Offering Podcast

Support the Show: https://rachaelkadams.com/

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Have you ever felt God nudging you toward something—but fear, doubt, or insecurity kept you from taking the next step?

Maybe it's having a difficult conversation, starting a Bible study, pursuing a dream, reaching out to a neighbor, or simply trusting God in an uncertain season. Whatever it is, you're not alone.

This week on The Love Offering Podcast, I had the joy of talking with author Laura L. Smith about her new book, Brave Women, Mighty God. Together, we explored the stories of women in Scripture who faced fear, uncertainty, and impossible circumstances—yet found the courage to move forward because of the God who was with them.

One of my favorite reminders from our conversation was this: bravery isn't about being fearless. It's about trusting God enough to take the next step, even when we're afraid.

Laura shared how the same God who empowered women like Esther, Ruth, Hannah, and Abigail is still empowering His daughters today. We talked about overcoming fear, resisting comparison, embracing obedience, and remembering that God's power is made perfect in our weakness.

If you've been feeling stuck, uncertain, or hesitant to move forward in something God is calling you to do, I believe this conversation will encourage your heart.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• Why bravery isn't about your strength—it's about God's power working through you
• How fear often keeps us from stepping into God's best
• The importance of taking one small step of obedience at a time
• How prayer reminds us who God is and who we are in Him
• Why comparison can rob us of the unique calling God has given us
• How the mighty God of Scripture is still equipping and empowering women today

Friend, you don't have to have the entire plan figured out. You only need the courage to take the next faithful step.

Because the same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in you.

Be sure to share this episode with a friend who could use a little encouragement to be brave.

With love,

Rachael

P.S. I'd love to hear: What's one brave step God may be asking you to take right now?

 

Connect with Laura L. Smith

Learn more about Laura and her ministry at:
https://www.laurasmithauthor.com

Follow Laura on Instagram:
@laurasmithauthor

Connect with Rachael Adams

Website:
https://rachaelkadams.com

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/rachaeladamsauthor

 

Support the Show: https://rachaelkadams.com/

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Have you ever felt exhausted from constantly thinking about how you're doing, how you're perceived, what you're accomplishing, or whether you're enough? If we're honest, most of us live there more often than we'd like to admit.

This week on The Love Offering Podcast, I sat down with author Morgan Krueger to talk about her new book, Made to Magnify: Choosing to Live for Jesus When Everything Tells You to Live for Yourself. Together, we explored a truth that feels both challenging and freeing: the more focused we become on ourselves, the more anxious, insecure, and unsatisfied we often feel. In a culture that constantly tells us to build our own platform, protect our image, and chase self-fulfillment, Morgan offers a refreshing invitation to lift our eyes and fix them on Jesus instead.

In this episode, you'll discover: 

• Why self-focus often leads to anxiety, comparison, and striving
• The three struggles that commonly keep us stuck: pride, fear, and doubt
• How confession, community, and God's Word help us break free from isolation
• Simple ways to magnify Jesus in everyday life
• Why the small, unseen acts of faithfulness matter more than we realize
• How Mary's words, "My soul magnifies the Lord," can become our daily prayer 

If you've been feeling weary from carrying the weight of proving yourself, performing for others, or trying to control every outcome, I believe this conversation will encourage your heart. Friend, you were never created to make your own name great. You were created to magnify His. And as you do, you'll discover the joy, peace, and purpose your heart has been longing for all along.

Connect with Us

Listen to this episode of The Love Offering Podcast wherever you enjoy podcasts.

Connect with Morgan Krueger:
www.morgankrueger.com
Instagram: @morgankrueger

Connect with Rachael Adams:
www.rachaelkadams.com
Instagram: @rachaeladamsauthor
The Love Offering Podcast

Support the Show: https://rachaelkadams.com/

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.