The Sacred Place Podcast

thesacredplacepodcast.comWhat does it look like to pursue God the right way? In Part 2 of our deep-dive into Acts Chapter 8, we're examining the contrast between two very different responses to the Holy Spirit's presence, and what your heart posture reveals about your relationship with God. Simon wanted power. The Samaritan people wanted God. Both were in the same room. Both witnessed the same miracles. Both were in proximity to the presence of God. But Simon was watching from the outside, while the Samaritans were actively receiving. And that distinction changes everything. This episode explores: • Receiving vs. Acquiring - Why there's a spiritual difference between open hands and grasping hands• Proximity vs. Participation - Being near God's presence is not the same as participating with Him• Knowing About vs. Knowing - The difference between religious information and genuine relationship• The Temptation of Impact - Why desire for power and influence can become dangerous, even in ministry• The Truth About Surrender - Why surrendering to God is actually the most active thing you can do• Your Heart Posture - The one question that will reveal whether you're truly open or quietly closed Ashlie also shares personal stories about how easily we slip into transactional prayers ("I'll do this if you do that"), how disappointment can close our hearts without us realizing it, and what it looks like to come to God with no agenda - just hunger. Key Scripture: Acts 8:14-24#christianpodcast #acts8 #simon #surrendertogod

Have you ever approached God like a vending machine? Put in the right prayers, the right attendance, the right service and then expected a payout?In this episode, Ashlie opens Acts chapter 8 and introduces us to Simon the Sorcerer, a man who watched the Holy Spirit fall on an entire city and immediately tried to buy it. And before you write him off as the villain, she asks the harder question: how often do we do the same thing?This episode digs into the difference between wanting God's gifts and wanting God Himself. Between transaction and relationship. Between a gifting that looks spiritual on the outside and a root that isn't right on the inside.Ashlie also gets personal, about motives that drift quietly, about the version of Simon that shows up in ministry, on platforms, and at work, and about why checking your heart in the presence of God isn't a one-time prayer. It's a daily one.This is Part 1. Go read Acts 8 before Part 2 drops.📖 Scripture Reference: Acts 8#christianpodcast #holyspiritpower #simon #thesacredplacepodcast

Ashlie welcomes back Rhea Williams, marriage & family therapist turned coach, to explore faith journeys, the power of obedience, and what it takes to truly break free.Rhea shares how God births callings and why therapy + faith aren't opposing forces.Topics covered:• Coming to faith in 2003: The seed moment• Why obedience precedes gifts• Marriage & family therapy → spiritual coaching• The role of deliverance + mind renewal in breaking cycles• Ashlie's upcoming book "Secret Sin": addressing pornography & masturbation in the church• Why women in ministry need to talk about sexual integrity• The difference between therapy and coaching—and what licensure really meansThis is a conversation for anyone questioning their calling, exploring faith alongside professional growth, or ready to get honest about struggle in spaces that usually stay silent.Rhea Williams is a marriage & family therapist turned life coach. She's been coaching women in ministry for years and diving deep into topics the church whispers about.Follow The Sacred Place for conversations on faith, freedom, therapy, and what it means to build a life aligned with your soul.

What if healing requires more than just faith? Ashlie sits down with Rhea Williams, therapist and life coach, to unpack one of the messiest parts of spiritual growth: the gap between what we believe and how we actually live.You'll learn why renewing your mind isn't enough, and what else the research and Scripture say you need. Rhea breaks down how conditioning from the womb shapes our deepest patterns, why some people experience instant freedom from addiction while others walk a longer, messier, more beautiful path, and why the enemy attacks our minds first. She's unflinchingly honest about divorce, grace, and why shame is the biggest barrier to freedom.Rhea reveals the "dream team" approach to wholeness: partnering with God and working with a practitioner. She shares how her own divorce became her greatest teacher on grace, and why the church often gets it backwards.Whether you're in recovery, rebuilding after loss, or tired of spiritual platitudes, this conversation cuts through the noise and offers real answers.MENTAL HEALTH DISCLAIMER:This episode features discussion of therapy, mental health, addiction, divorce, and trauma. While Rhea Williams is a trained therapist and life coach, this podcast is not a substitute for professional mental health treatment.If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, severe depression, addiction, or a mental health crisis, please reach out to a mental health professional or crisis service immediately:National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 (call or text)Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741SAMHSA National Helpline: 1-800-662-4357 (free, confidential, 24/7)The views and experiences shared in this episode are those of the guest and host and do not constitute medical or psychological advice. Always consult with a licensed mental health professional before making decisions about your mental health, treatment, or recovery.

She was lying next to the girl when God showed her her own wedding day - and the man standing at the end of the aisle wasn't who she expected.In Part 2 of Kristyn Brown's testimony, we get into the vision that changed everything, the months of turbulence that followed, and what it actually took to walk away from a same-sex relationship and into something new with God. Not perfectly. Faithfully.We also talk about locking her hair as an act of faith, falling back into old patterns, and what it looks like when surrender finally goes all the way. Plus: the birth of Locked Faith, her community Saints and Sneakers, and how she ended up leading a Bible study she never planned on starting.And we don't dodge the hard questions. Kristyn shares her honest perspective on how God feels about homosexuality and what deliverance actually looked like for her — no hands laid, no oil thrown, no dramatic exorcism. Just her, the Lord, and a process that's still going.If you've been hiding, performing, or wondering whether God can meet you right where you are - this one's for you.━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━🔗 Find Kristyn: www.instagram.com/locdfaithLocked Faith · Saints and Sneakers : www.instagram.com/saintandsneakers━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━📖 Scriptures: Numbers 23:19 · Acts 2:46–47 · Hebrews 10:24–25🎙️ The Sacred Place Podcast · Hosted by Ashlie Doxey#TheSacredPlace #ChristianPodcast #FaithAndSexuality #LockedFaith #SaintsAndSneakers #Testimony #Deliverance #ChristianWomen #PodcastEpisode0:00Introduction — Ashlie sets up Part 20:55The vision: a wedding day God interrupted2:37"You've got to go" — waking her up after the dream3:21Two more months of turbulence before she finally left4:33God's trick: "Do you trust me? Lock your hair."6:25Walking into the loctician's chair — the lock journey begins6:58What is Locked Faith? The tagline and the origin9:05She fell — back into the women9:41Not believing the promise was real10:51Walking it alone — no one in her circle going through the same thing15:53Full surrender and what was birthed from it17:15She gets baptized — rededicating her life publicly17:47Saints and Sneakers: from pandemic joke to real ministry19:03The burden for millennials in the church20:38Why sneakers? The meaning behind the name21:46Getting men into the church — and into Bible study23:23How Ashlie accidentally started a men's Bible study25:48When does Saints and Sneakers meet? (Every other Friday, in the backyard)26:25The hard questions: How does God feel about homosexuality?29:04Kristyn's honest answer — "He's not pleased, but he still loves you"30:15What did your deliverance process actually look like?31:29The more you seek him, the less you seek the world31:47Starting to find men attractive — desires shifting32:47Nobody laid hands, nobody threw oil — and that's okay33:47God meets you where you are — different for everyone35:19"Just be honest about where you're at. Then he'll do the work."35:33Ashlie's closing reflection37:07Outro — This is The Sacred Place

Kristyn Yogi Brown grew up in the Black church - choir, Sunday service, the whole thing. On the outside, she was the model Christian daughter. On the inside, she was living a double life that started the day she left California for an HBCU in Arkansas.In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, Kristyn sits down with Ashlie Doxey to talk about faith, identity, sexuality, and growing up under the quiet pressure of “representing the family well.” She walks us through her top five Bible characters (Jonah, Job, Peter, Paul…), what it felt like to come home and perform a version of herself that wasn’t real, and the moment her mother found out she was dating women - and responded with seven words that shifted everything.This episode gets into:• Growing up Christian and closeted in a church family• Leaving California for an HBCU and finally exhaling• The “double life” most people never talk about• A mother’s response that broke every expectation• Why fasting and praying hits different than disowning• What Job’s story actually teaches us about fearIf you’ve ever wrestled with identity, faith, family expectations, or felt like your worst fear already came to pass - this conversation is for you.🎧 Part 2 drops next week. Subscribe so you don’t miss it.Follow The Sacred Place Podcast:Instagram: @thesacredplacepodcastHosted by Ashlie Doxey. New episodes every Saturday.#TheSacredPlacePodcast #FaithAndIdentity #ChristianTestimony #BlackChurch #HBCU

***This episode contains personal testimony about medical decisions. Nothing in this conversation is medical advice. Please consult qualified healthcare professionals for your own care.***What do you do when the love of your life dies... and God asks you to keep living?In Part 2 of this powerful conversation, host Ashlie Doxey sits down again with mindset coach, Christian widow, and grief mentor Steph Hendel to walk through the hardest chapters of her story and the unexpected hope on the other side.Steph opens up about her late husband Josh's cancer journey - from the first tiny bump under his arm, to the miracle surgery that preserved his arm against all odds, to the stage 4 diagnosis that came right after. She shares the raw, sacred moments of his final days in the ICU, the live streams he made from his hospital bed leading people to Jesus, the night he passed away, and the three days afterward when she didn't speak to God at all - until her kids brought her back.This is a vulnerable, faith-filled, hope-saturated episode about Christian widowhood, grief recovery, and what it really looks like to rebuild your identity after losing your spouse.In this episode, we talk about:Josh's cancer diagnosis, miracle surgery, and stage 4 journeyHealing prayer, supernatural miracles, and ICU testimoniesHow to tell your kids their dad died - and what their grief actually looks likeThe "three days" of silence after loss and how God resurrects youIdentity crisis after losing a spouse - who are you when you're not a wife? Widow retreats, widow ministries, and the power of widows worshiping together The "widow's might" - and why widowed women carry generational authorityGod as your adventure buddy: a powerful dock encounter on retreatWhy widows and widowers love so deeply - and dating after lossLiving an "adventurously expectant life" instead of a "grave-tending" oneBuilding an army of widows living extraordinary lives despite tragedyIf you're a Christian widow, a young widow, a single Christian mom, a grief survivor, or a woman walking through the death of a spouse - this episode will minister to you. If you're supporting someone through loss, this conversation will give you language for what they're carrying.ABOUT STEPH HENDELSteph Hendel is a mindset coach, Christian widow, and faith-based speaker who helps women rebuild their lives after loss. She has coached thousands of women across 18 countries and all 50 states, and her work has been featured on Fox, ABC, PopSugar, and FabFitFun. She's partnered with brands like Whole Foods, Pure Bar, Lululemon, and Lorna Jane. Steph is mom to 2 wonderful children and she's leading an army of widows to live extraordinary lives with God as the head of the household.🎧 New episodes every Saturday💬 Comment below: What's one thing God has whispered to you in your grief?⭐ Rate & review The Sacred Place wherever you listen📱 Follow The Sacred Place: @thesacredplacepodcast📱 Follow Steph Hendel: @stephhendel#TheSacredPlacePodcast #ChristianWidow #WidowTestimony #ChristianPodcast #FaithAfterLoss #GriefAndFaith #WidowsOfFaith #YoungWidow #LosingASpouse #ChristianGrief #HopeAfterLoss #StephHendel #AshlieDoxey #ChristianWomen #SingleChristianMom #HolySpirit #GodHeals #FaithOverFear #JesusIsLord #ChristianTestimony #CancerJourney #GodStories #SupernaturalHealing #WidowsMight #IdentityInChrist #ArmyOfWidows #ChristianMindsetCoach #BibleAndGrief #FaithJourney #WalkingWithJesus #GodIsFaithful #WidowPodcast00:00 Coming up01:30 Welcome back / Part 2 intro03:15 Josh's cancer diagnosis07:45 The miracle surgery12:20 Stage 4: "We missed it"18:00 Praying over a dying man in the ICU24:30 The night Josh passed away31:00 Telling the kids37:15 Three days of silence42:00 The "widow's might"49:30 The dock story56:00 Closing prayer for widows

When life doesn't go the way you planned, how do you breathe again?In this deeply moving Part 1 conversation, Ashlie Doxey sits down with mindset coach and widow Steph Hendel to talk about love, loss, faith, and what it looks like when God becomes the man of your household.2 years ago, Steph lost her husband Josh to cancer. But long before that, in the middle of his illness, something unexpected happened: she met Jesus. This episode is her testimony. The shark fishing trip in Florida where she first laid eyes on Josh. The worship music that wooed her in a TJ Maxx parking lot. The 6 a.m. Bible studies. The supernatural peace that replaced the marijuana gummies and panic she'd been surviving on. And the moment she and Josh both raised their hands at Hillsong Church to give their lives to Christ.This is a raw, hope-filled episode about: • The duality of widowhood - holding unbearable pain and extreme joy at the same time • Letting God be the head of your household as a single mom • The "economy of Christ" - how God sends people and provision exactly when you need them • Coming to Jesus out of the new age movement • Parenting two young kids through grief and a cancer diagnosis • Supernatural peace in the middle of chaos and crisis • Divine appointments, God moments, and real-life miracles • Spiritual warfare, choosing joy, and radical honesty with GodIf you're a widow rebuilding your life, a new believer hungry for more of God, someone walking through loss, or a woman learning to trust Him in a season you never asked for - this conversation will meet you where you are.ABOUT STEPH HENDEL Steph Hendel is a mindset coach for health and weight loss experts who has helped thousands of women across 18 countries and all 50 states. Her work has been featured on Fox, ABC, PopSugar, and FabFitFun, and she's partnered with brands like Whole Foods, Pure Bar, Lululemon, and Lorna Jane. She's also a mom of two - Jonathan (7) and Alicia (4) - and a widow walking out her faith one day at a time.ABOUT THE SACRED PLACE PODCAST The Sacred Place is a faith-based podcast hosted by Ashlie Doxey, creating space for real conversations about God, grief, healing, relationships, the Holy Spirit, and everything in between. Pull up a seat on the couch and step into the sacred place with us.🎧 Subscribe so you don't miss Part 2 💬 Comment below: Where have you seen God show up in your grief? 📱 Follow The Sacred Place: @thesacredplacepodcast📱 Follow Steph Hendel: @stephhendel#TheSacredPlacePodcast #ChristianPodcast #WidowTestimony #WidowsOfFaith #FaithAfterLoss #GriefAndFaith #ChristianWidow #TestimonyTime #NewAgeToJesus #JesusIsLord #GodStories #ChristianWomen #SingleChristianMom #HolySpirit #HillsongWorship #FaithOverFear #SupernaturalPeace #Salvation #NewBeliever #LossOfSpouse #GodIsFaithful #ChristianLifestyle #HopeInGrief #ModernWidow #ChristianLoveStory #WidowPodcast #FaithJourney #WalkingWithJesus

The oil in your fries could be fueling your depression and it was never meant for human consumption.In Part 2, cancer survivor and nutritionist Liana Werner-Gray (The Earth Diet) exposes the "Hateful Eight" seed oils hiding in 99% of restaurants, originally created as machinery lubricant during WWI. Then she shares for the first time her 12-year battle with severe depression, suicidal thoughts, and daily marijuana use, and the morning a spirit of depression physically left her body after she spoke God's Word over her life.Ashley and Liana get brutally honest about how sexual sin and hookup culture are destroying people from the inside out, why God's design for marriage is ultimate freedom, and how repentance unlocked healing from depression, PTSD, and addiction.Your body is a temple. It's time to treat it like one.🔗 Find Liana: theEarthDiet.com📖 Ashlie's upcoming book: Secret Sin📲 Download the Seed Oil Scout app🙏 Prayer line: Wednesdays 5:30 PM EST / 2:30 PM PSTSubscribe to The Sacred Place on YouTube & Spotify. Share this with someone who needs hope. If this episode blessed you, leave a review.Chapters:0:00 — Welcome to Part 20:38 — The "Hateful Eight" Seed Oils Explained1:40 — Healthy vs. Toxic Oils: What God Created vs. What Man Processed2:46 — The Process That Makes Food Toxic3:07 — How to Avoid Seed Oils at Restaurants4:07 — The Truth About In-N-Out & Fast Food4:53 — Beef Tallow Is Back: Steak 'n Shake & Expo West5:09 — Seed Oils, AI Misinformation & the Great Deception5:38 — From WWI Lubricant to Your Plate6:46 — How the Food Pyramid Was Built on a Lie7:15 — The MAHA Movement, RFK & Making America Healthy Again10:54 — 53 Medical Schools & 40 Hours of Nutrition Education12:34 — Your Body Is a Premium Vehicle — Treat It Like One14:13 — Who's Really Fighting for Your Health16:12 — Liana's Depression Story: First Time Sharing Publicly17:00 — Seed Oils, Depression & Brain Inflammation18:10 — Signed by Hay House & Still Couldn't Enjoy Success18:38 — Abuse, Suicidal Thoughts & the Darkest Season20:05 — The Success Is Obedience to Christ22:10 — Pharmaceutical Drugs, Ketamine & PTSD22:25 — Derek Prince & the Spirit of Depression24:07 — The Morning Depression Left Her Body27:53 — Sexual Sin & the Door That Opened Deliverance29:00 — Secret Sin, Freedom & the Bondage of Self-Reliance31:40 — The Street Encounter: God vs. Marijuana34:01 — 16 Years of Smoking Pot - Delivered & Never Looked Back35:18 — Holiness, Purity & God's Design for Marriage37:02 — Why God Designed Sex After Marriage38:06 — Soul Ties & the Chaos of Sex Before Covenant39:06 — How Sexual Sin Is Making Men Weak41:00 — Spirit Spouses, Incubus & Succubus43:43 — The Freedom on the Other Side of Obedience45:38 — Fornication: The Only Sin Against Your Own Body46:58 — Closing Words & Where to Find Liana48:36 — Where Have You Stopped Believing Healing Is Possible?#TheSacredPlace #SeedOils #HatefulEight #DeliveranceFromDepression #FaithAndHealth #ChristianPodcast #HolinessAndPurity #SexualSinRecovery #TheEarthDiet #SpiritualWarfare #MAHAMovement #FoodIsMedicine #DerekPrince #SoulTies #Repentance #HealingJourney #BodyIsATemple #FreedomInChrist #MentalHealthAndFaith #SpiritOfDepression #SecretSin #NutritionEducation #ToxicOils #BeefTallow #SeedOilScout

The oil in your fries could be fueling your depression and it was never meant for human consumption. So, is your diet actually directly related to your illnesses?Cancer survivor and nutritionist Liana Werner-Gray (The Earth Diet) goes where most people won't.But first Liana shares her testimony on how she was saved, and saved from alcohol, drugs, and other things that were harming her body.And how repentance became the master key that unlocked healing from anxiety, depression, PTSD, and addiction.Your body is a temple. It's time to treat it like one.🔗 Find Liana: theEarthDiet.com📖 Ashlie's upcoming book: Secret Sin📲 Download the Seed Oil Scout app🙏 Prayer line : Wednesdays 5:30 PM EST / 2:30 PM PSTSubscribe to The Sacred Place on YouTube & Spotify. Share this with someone who needs hope. If this episode blessed you, leave a review.#TheSacredPlace #SeedOils #HatefulEight #DeliveranceFromDepression #FaithAndHealth #ChristianPodcast #HolinessAndPurity #SexualSinRecovery #TheEarthDiet #SpiritualWarfare #MAHAMovement #FoodIsMedicine #DerekPrince #SoulTies #Repentance #HealingJourney #BodyIsATemple #FreedomInChrist #ChristianWomen #MentalHealthAndFaith #GodsFoodDesign #SexBeforeMarriage #ChristianMarriage #SpiritOfDepression #SecretSin #BobbyKennedy #NutritionEducation #ToxicOils #BeefTallow #SeedOilScout