The Tried & Truth Podcast: Rethinking Success. Rethinking What Matters

You've built the life. You've checked the boxes. You've chased happiness and searched for meaning — and yet something still feels... off.

In this episode, philosopher and professor Dr. Lorraine Besser joins us to talk about the missing third dimension of the good life: psychological richness. Drawing from her research and groundbreaking book The Art of the Interesting, Dr. Besser reveals why happiness and meaning alone aren't enough — and what it actually takes to live a fuller, more captivating life.

We talk about why our plans might actually be limiting us, how to turn wasted moments into rich experiences, and the surprisingly simple mindset shift that can change everything — no new job, no sabbatical required.

In this episode:

Connect with Dr. Lorraine Besser:

You've hit the milestones. You've checked the boxes. So why does it still feel like it's not enough?

In this episode, we're unpacking one of the most exhausting traps we fall into — the endless chase for a "greater" life — and why it's designed to leave you restless no matter how much you achieve. More importantly, you'll walk away with a simple shift that helps you finally feel good about the life you already have.

In this episode, you'll learn:

This episode is for you if:

The Tried and Truth Podcast is for the woman who wants real talk, honest perspective, and practical tools for living a life that actually feels good.

*If you want more conversations like this, you can:

Follow me on Instagram @annicafischer for podcast clips + reflections

"Right Here, Lately..." is a little spark of inspiration, notes from the middle of real life, and what I’m returning to in your inbox—join the newsletter for more.

I’d love to have you there!

You don’t need another podcast episode about the Bible.

You don’t need another checklist, another quiet time routine, or another voice explaining it to you.

But if you’re honest…

You might feel disconnected.

Through podcasts. Devotionals. Other people’s insights.

And somewhere along the way, you started believing:

This conversation is for you.

Jimmy and Kelly Needham join me to talk about what it actually looks like to read the Bible for yourself—not perfectly, not with hours of uninterrupted time, but in the real, full life you’re already living.

We talk about why more information isn’t leading to transformation…

In this episode:

A TRUTH TO SIT WITH:

You’re not transformed by more information.

You’re transformed by what you behold.

PRACTICAL TAKEAWAYS:

TIMESTAMPS:

Jimmy and Kelly Needham are authors, speakers, and hosts of the Clearly Podcast, where they help make the Bible accessible, practical, and transformational.

With over 20 years in ministry, they are passionate about helping people move from secondhand faith to personally engaging with Scripture.

RESOURCES MENTIONED

*If you want more conversations like this, you can:

Follow me on Instagram @annicafischer for podcast clips + reflections

"Right Here, Lately..." is a little spark of inspiration, notes from the middle of real life, and what I’m returning to in your inbox—join the newsletter for more.

I’d love to have you there!

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What if worrying about your kid's anxiety is actually making it worse?

In this episode, I sit down with psychiatrist Dr. Tracy Foose — who has spent over 15 years studying fear and anxiety — to completely reframe how we think about these emotions as parents and as women.

We talk about why fear of fear is more damaging than anxiety itself, how we've all gotten caught in a hurricane of worry, the crucial difference between good stress and bad stress, and why raising kids who aren't afraid to fail might be the most important thing we can do.

This one is packed with insight, honesty, and practical tools you can use today.

In This Episode:

Why worrying about our kids' anxiety feeds the very thing we're trying to fix — and how to break the cycle.

The surprising reason anxiety becomes an anxiety disorder — and it's not how anxious you are.

The cultural misconceptions that are making us and our kids more avoidant, not less.

Why avoidance — not anxiety — is the real culprit, and the questions to ask your kid before you pull them from an activity.

Not all stress is created equal. Here's how to tell the difference and why good stress actually grows your kids' brains.

The most powerful thing you can do as a parent isn't a lecture — it's letting your kids watch you show up scared and do it anyway.

Connect with Dr. Tracy Foose:

Instagram: @TracyFoose.M.D

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When was the last time you sat in real silence— no phone, no background noise, nothing to distract you—AND didn’t feel the urge to escape it?

Most of us don’t avoid stillness because we’re busy…we avoid it because of the unease we might find there.

In this short episode, I share a moment when everything around me literally stopped—and what it revealed about our constant need to do, fix, and fill the space.

Inside this episode:

If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, distracted, or constantly in “to-do” mode, this is your invitation to pause—and simply be in stillness, even for a few minutes. Because stillness isn’t nothingness—it’s where you start to see what’s already there.

Resources Mentioned: 

Invitation to Solitude and Silence by Ruth Barton

What if the peace you're desperate for has nothing to do with your circumstances?

In this episode, I sit down with Tara Dew — author and Bible teacher to explore the life-changing truths of (and new way of seeing) Psalm 23. 

Tara shares practical ways to experience more peace, even as you walk through life's valleys, wilderness seasons and seasons of uncertainty through the lens of Psalm 23. We dive into daily rhythms of cultivating peace and what it means to live an overflowing life of joy and embrace change and growth, with patience and perspective.

Key Takeaways: 

Tara is the author of Overflowing Joy and Overflowing Peace. Connect with Tara on Facebook or check out overflowingjoybook.com.

Are you exhausted by the pressure to do it all — and still quietly wondering, what am I even supposed to be doing?

You're not alone. So many women are carrying the weight of impossible expectations while still feeling unsure of their purpose, their role, and their worth.

In this episode, author and speaker Jen Oshman joins us for an honest, grounding conversation about the confusion so many women feel — about their roles, their worth, and what success is even supposed to look like.

Drawing directly from Genesis, Jen reminds us that women were created "very good", what scripture says about God's design for women, and the role they play as essential partners in God's bigger story.

This conversation is real, practical, and full of truth you can carry into today.

Key Takeaways:

About Jen Oshman:

Jen is an author, wife, mom, and women's ministry leader with a passion for helping women find their identity rooted in Christ and what scripture says rather than culture.

Find Jen on her website at jenoshman.com

Do you ever wonder if the small creative things you do actually matter? Do you believe creativity is a luxury reserved for people with more time, more talent, or more perfect circumstances?

In this episode, I sit down with Ashley Gadd—author of Create Anyway and founder of Coffee and Crumbs—to talk about what it really means to create in the midst of real life. We dive into why your messy, ordinary days are actually the perfect place to start creating, how rest is an act of faith (not something you have to earn), and why going where the energy and "light" is matters more than forcing consistency.

Ashley shares honest, encouraging wisdom about pivoting when things aren't working, the freedom of making art without monetizing it, and how cheering for other creatives is the best antidote to comparison. If you've ever felt like your creative efforts are too small to matter, this conversation will remind you that your work is rippling out further than you'll ever know.

In This Episode, We Talk About:

Guest Bio: Ashley Gadd is a mom, writer, photographer, and the author of Create Anyway. She's also the founder of Coffee and Crumbs, an online community celebrating the intersection of motherhood and creativity. 

Resources Mentioned:

Connect with Ashley: @coffeeandcrumbs @ashleegadd

6 Encouraging Takeaways:

If this episode encouraged you, please share it with a friend who needs to hear it. Leave a review and help these encouraging conversations reach more people. Lastly, come follow along on Instagram @annicafischer

What if the statistical "low point" of your life is actually the perfect place to pause, reframe, and choose what you're carrying into the next season?

In this vulnerable and encouraging episode, I'm turning 40 (literally, today!) —and according to research on the "happiness curve," I'm entering the “nadir”, the absolute lowest point of the human contentment on the curve. But instead of spiraling into a midlife crisis, I'm choosing to see this moment differently.

This isn't about arriving at some perfect destination. It's about standing at the crossroads, catching my breath, and deciding which bags I'm ready to keep carrying and which ones I'm finally leaving on the side of the road.

What You'll Discover:

Why the "low point" of the happiness curve is actually an invitation to reframe your expectations and cultivate an expectant heart

The difference between balance (a myth) and practical balance (a dance)

How to find meaning in life's interruptions—ex: why my gluten allergy became one of my greatest gifts 

The power of being a beginner, creating more than you consume, and pausing before reacting

Why "directionally correct" matters more than distance traveled

>What I'm Carrying Into This Decade<

If you're feeling like you're at a low point, hear this: Your expectant heart can be higher than ever, even when your expectations for perfection are low. This chaotic, hopeful mess? It's exactly where you're supposed to be.

If this episode encouraged you, please share it with a friend who needs to hear it. Leave a review and help these encouraging conversations reach more people. Lastly, come follow along on Instagram @annicafischer

This week, we sit down with a voice for the next generation, Alena Franklin, to explore how understanding who God is transforms the way we see ourselves, our pain, and our purpose.

You may recognize Alena from her breakout role in the film War Room, but her story goes far deeper. At just 14 years old, Alena experienced the sudden and tragic loss of her mother—a loss that shook her faith to its core and sent her on a profound journey of grief, identity, and rediscovering God's character.

Now, through her new devotional book "God Is: 60 Days to Learning Who God Is to Better Understand Who We Are," Alena is pouring wisdom into teen girls and women, offering a refreshing shift from inward searching to upward anchoring.

What You'll Hear in This Episode:

 -Why understanding God's character is the foundation for identity – Instead of endlessly asking "Who am I?", discover the power of asking "Who is God?"

-How to hold both pain and promise – Alena shares how grief and joy can coexist, and how God pursued her through her darkest season

-The simplicity of the gospel – Why we overcomplicate faith and how to return to the simple truths: love God, love people

-Practical ways to anchor in God's attributes

-Alena's beautiful definition of success: peace and stillness of mind in the midst of chaos

Quotes: 

 "If we would just look up, all of what's happening inside is actually so minuscule in comparison to who God is."

"God literally just tells us: love Him, love people. We add 90 million things to that list."

"Success to me is peace—a stillness of mind in the midst of whatever God is having me do."

Resources Mentioned:

"God Is: 60 Days to Learning Who God Is to Better Understand Who We Are" by Alena Franklin 

Film: War Room

Follow Alena on Instagram: @alenafranklin

-Share this episode with a friend who needs it! 

-If you enjoyed this episode, check out this episode with Amber Smith on Finding Light in Your Darkest Moments: A Story of Faith, Loss, and Unexpected Strength

-Leave a review to help others find these conversations. 

-Connect with Annica on Instagram @annicafischer