Jesus said it five times in eight verses: abide in me. Remain. Stay connected.

And yet — for most of us, staying connected is the first thing that goes when life gets hard.

We stop praying the way we used to. We stop sitting with the Word. We stop creating space to actually hear. And we tell ourselves we'll get back to it when things slow down.

But things don't slow down. And before we know it, we're functioning on empty — doing it all from our own reserves. And our own reserves were never designed to be enough.

So why is abiding so hard?

In this episode, I'm breaking down the three biggest obstacles that keep us disconnected — and why they're often things we don't even realize are getting in the way.

I'm also sharing what abiding actually looks like in practice. Because most of us were never taught. We were told to do it, but not how.

Spoiler: it's probably less complicated than you think.

And if you've drifted? If it's been a while? There's something in this episode for you too.

Resources:

Have you ever felt like you're stuck in a loop? You do the work, you make the changes, you put in the effort — and somehow you find yourself right back where you started.

Same patterns. Same stuck points. That familiar feeling of being trapped in a cycle you thought you'd broken.

If that's familiar, this episode is for you.

The Truth About Why This Happens:

It's probably not what you think. It's not because you're not trying hard enough, or because something is fundamentally wrong with you.

It's because you've been using the wrong tools.

Most of us try to change at the level of the mind. We think our way to change. We discipline ourselves. We get more information, read more books, commit harder.

But here's what nobody told you: the patterns you're trying to break don't actually live in your mind. They live somewhere deeper. They live in your nervous system, in your body, in neural pathways that were laid down a long time ago.

And you cannot think your way out of a problem that lives in your body.

What Actually Creates Real Change:

In this episode, I'm breaking down what actually works — and it's different than what most people are doing.

I'm also sharing the spiritual piece of this, because it's where everything comes together.

Resources:

​​In this episode, we explore how your childhood quietly trained the way you show up in life today — not to blame your past, but to understand yourself with compassion. Long before you had language, your nervous system learned how to survive, adapting to your environment rather than to truth. Behaviors that once protected you — staying quiet, performing, self-soothing — may now be the very patterns keeping you stuck in adulthood.

We unpack survival responses that often look like personality traits (fight, flight, freeze, and fawn) and connect them to attachment patterns — anxious, avoidant, disorganized, and secure — shaping how you handle conflict, intimacy, and even your relationship with God. This conversation invites gentle reflection: what did you need as a child, what did you learn you had to do to feel safe or loved, and where do you still see those strategies playing out today?

HOW TO CONNECT WITH ME:

Find me on social media @chantelleenelson for more engaging and practical content on how to show up to your life! And don't forget to visit comealivelifecoaching.com for more information on my offers and coaching.

In this episode, I connect Jesus’ Parable of the Sower with modern attachment theory to show how the condition of our heart affects our capacity for spiritual growth. I compare the four soils — the path, rocky ground, thorns, and good soil — with the four attachment styles — avoidant, anxious, disorganized, and secure — revealing that fruitfulness isn’t just about hearing truth, but about how safely we’re able to receive it. The same seed produces different outcomes because our relational patterns shape whether truth penetrates, withers, gets choked, or takes root.

Through the biblical contrast of Saul and David, we see how attachment to God transforms the soil of the heart. Fear, self-protection, and insecurity harden the soil, while trust, repentance, and turning toward God cultivate receptivity and lasting fruit. This episode invites you to identify the soil you’re living from, understand how it was formed, and begin tending your heart — because we don’t control the seed, sun, or rain, but we do participate in the preparation of the soil where life grows.

HOW TO CONNECT WITH ME:

Find me on social media @chantelleenelson for more engaging and practical content on how to show up to your life! And don't forget to visit comealivelifecoaching.com for more information on my offers and coaching.

Self-awareness is the doorway to healing—but it often feels risky. In this episode, I share how my own healing journey began with a deep fear of self-deception and the belief that I couldn’t trust myself after past decisions led to pain. Scripture reminds us that the heart can be deceptive because we cling to what feels familiar, protective, or spiritually justified. Deception often sounds reasonable—even mature—and it thrives in speed, avoidance, and self-protection. Healing, however, requires truth, slowness, accountability, and a willingness to feel.

We explore how God consistently invites awareness before action, framing it as an act of trust rather than self-criticism. Transformation starts with noticing what’s happening within us. Awareness is not shame—it’s clarity. What we name loses its power, and what we bring into the light creates space for choice and freedom. This episode ends with a gentle invitation to reflect and pray, remembering that God already sees us—self-awareness simply allows us to meet Him there.

HOW TO CONNECT WITH ME:

Find me on social media @chantelleenelson for more engaging and practical content on how to show up to your life! And don't forget to visit comealivelifecoaching.com for more information on my offers and coaching.

Pruning seasons are one of those things we don’t usually volunteer for—but somehow find ourselves in anyway. This episode came straight from a DM asking how to handle the grief, pressure, and uncertainty that come when God starts trimming things back. We talk about what a pruning season actually is (spoiler: it’s not punishment), why it often shows up after growth, and how God tends what’s alive so it can stay healthy and fruitful.

We also get really honest about what tends to get pruned—relationships, roles, habits, hustle, and even good things that no longer fit the season you’re in. We talk about how to tell the difference between fruitfulness and faithfulness, how to listen to your body and your limits, and how to navigate the grief of releasing people you hoped would come with you into the next season. If you’ve felt that quiet nudge to simplify, or wondered why what used to feel easy now feels heavy, this conversation is for you. You’re not behind—and you’re not losing everything. You might just be making room for what’s next.

else’s way of doing things, we actually make space to discern what God is asking of us.

HOW TO CONNECT WITH ME:

Find me on social media @chantelleenelson for more engaging and practical content on how to show up to your life! And don't forget to visit comealivelifecoaching.com for more information on my offers and coaching.

I recently took a break from Instagram, and the clarity I felt was honestly shocking. It’s so easy to get caught in a cycle of constant consumption and convince ourselves we’re being productive—or even faithful—because we’re listening to podcasts, taking in content, and absorbing other people’s revelations. And while it’s good to be fed, the truth is that the only meal that truly satisfies is the Word of God. When consumption becomes our default posture, we can mistake information for transformation.

Romans 12:2 has been deeply sharpening me in this season: “Do not be conformed to the patterns of this world.” The word conformed comes from the Greek schema—an outward mold—and world refers to the present age system we live in. This present age includes social media, metrics, influencers, and cultural definitions of success—even in how we grow, scale, and show up. This episode is an invitation—for you and for me—to lean into faithfulness over consumption this year, to quiet the noise, and to trust that when we stop conforming to everyone else’s way of doing things, we actually make space to discern what God is asking of us.

HOW TO CONNECT WITH ME:

Find me on social media @chantelleenelson for more engaging and practical content on how to show up to your life! And don't forget to visit comealivelifecoaching.com for more information on my offers and coaching.

Happy New Year!! In this episode, we’re talking about what God is building in you when you can’t yet see the full picture. Our life is all about trust, surrender, and taking one aligned step at a time, and so much of our faith journey is trusting in what we can’t see. Proverbs 29:18 reminds us that without vision, we drift. Vision keeps us grounded, aligned, and faithful to the good works God prepared for us (Ephesians 2:10) and the gifts He’s called us to steward (1 Peter 4:10). Even when the path feels blurry, God is forming something in you that clarity alone could never produce.

We’re also going there with the real question: How do you hold vision for tomorrow when you don’t love where you’re at today? I share about a past season where nothing was happening, and how the prophetic words over my life kept me steady—but also how focusing too much on the future made me resent the present. God taught me to nestle, to be present, and to let vision create restraint rather than escape. Vision for tomorrow matters, but grace is for right now—and when you honor where your feet are, God can actually lead you where you’re going. This episode is all about knowing your season, owning your assignment, and walking daily in and towards what God is calling you to do. 

HOW TO CONNECT WITH ME:

Find me on social media @chantelleenelson for more engaging and practical content on how to show up to your life! And don't forget to visit comealivelifecoaching.com for more information on my offers and coaching.

In this episode, I’m joined by my special guest Donta as we share a real-life family update and talk honestly about pregnancy—how it’s showing up in my body this time around and what this season has been inviting me to slow down and notice. We also open up about what we’re currently owning as a family, especially the choice to not escape or check out during the holidays, but to stay present, grounded, and connected even when life feels full.

We keep things light and fun, talking about how to own the Christmas season through laughter and joy, plus sharing some of our favorite holiday hot takes—are fake trees actually better than real ones, and what really is the best Christmas movie of all time? Join us for laughs, honest conversation, and a little holiday cheer. Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good week. 🎄✨

HOW TO CONNECT WITH ME:

Find me on social media @chantelleenelson for more engaging and practical content on how to show up to your life! And don't forget to visit comealivelifecoaching.com for more information on my offers and coaching.

This week on the podcast, I have an amazing guest, and a personal friend of mine, Barkot, on with me! We’re kicking things off with some fun hot takes—one thing we admire about both millennials and Gen Z, and one thing we lovingly wish each generation would stop doing. Then we’re going there with a listener-submitted question. We dive into why hearing from friends who are actually walking out singleness in their late 20s and 30s is so life-giving, and how their Godly wisdom brings a grounded, refreshing perspective to conversations around identity, purpose, and timing.

We unpack the very real tension of holding a desire for marriage while building a full, joyful, healthy life right where you are. We talk about staying anchored in who God says you are when your relationship status doesn’t look like the timeline you imagined, and the spiritual, emotional, and practical rhythms that help you flourish in this season. We also explore what many singles wish others understood about dating culture today and why empathy, curiosity, and community matter more than ever. Whether you’re single, married, or somewhere in the middle, this conversation invites you to live with intention, honor your current season, and own your story with confidence.

HOW TO CONNECT WITH ME:

Find me on social media @chantelleenelson for more engaging and practical content on how to show up to your life! And don't forget to visit comealivelifecoaching.com for more information on my offers and coaching.