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

In this episode, we sit down with Elizabeth Woodson for a conversation that feels equal parts relatable and grounding. From Amazon packages and Taco Tuesday to impulse Google searches and one-click fixes, we talk honestly about how modern habits are quietly shaping the way we seek peace, control, and comfort.

In a culture where it’s easier than ever to consume, optimize, or escape discomfort, Elizabeth invites us to pause and ask better questions. Together, we explore why peace isn’t something we can purchase or force into place, what it looks like to resist cultural pressure, and how our everyday habits reveal what’s forming us.

We also talk about the pursuit of the “good life,” the reality of suffering, and the small but meaningful ways we can return to rhythms that lead to intention, trust, and steadiness.

This episode is an invitation to slow down, notice what’s shaping you, and consider how simple shifts can move you toward a more rooted and peaceful way of living.

Take a listen — you might just laugh a little, relate a lot, and walk away encouraged.

Follow Elizabeth Woodson on Instagram @elizabethwoodson

Book: Habits of Resistance 

Podcast: The Starting Place Podcast 

Feeling overbooked, overstimulated, overwhelmed or stretched too thin—but still trying to “do it all” for everyone? In this episode, author and podcaster Tara Sun joins us again to talk about what happens when busy living starts crowding out abundant living — and how to reclaim rest, boundaries, and presence without guilt.

Tara shares her personal journey through burnout, motherhood, and rebuilding rhythms that prioritize the important. Whether you’re struggling with overwhelm, phone distractions, or decision fatigue, this episode is full of practical encouragement and tools you can apply immediately to create space, presence, and peace in everyday life.

Key takeaways: 

The abundant life isn’t a packed schedule

Boundaries can be faithful, not selfish, and protect your best “yes”

Rest isn’t something you earn—it’s something you practice

Overstimulation often requires removing inputs, not adding more “tools”

Phone habits (especially) shape your inner pace; physical separation can be a game changer

Simplifying your day to a few true priorities reduces pressure and increases presence

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

CONNECT WITH TARA SUN:

Instagram: @misstarasun

Podcast: Truth Talks with Tara

If you're new here, welcome! If you enjoyed this conversation, would love for you to share it with a friend or take a few quick seconds to leave a review. Then, come follow along on Instagram @annicafischer.com. 

What do you do when doubt feels louder than faith? In a world that feels increasingly uncertain, where change is the only constant, how do we find something solid to hold onto?

In this episode, we sit down with Courtney Reissig—author, Bible teacher, high school educator, and mom of four boys—to talk about her book Someone to Believe In and why the Gospel of John matters more than ever. Courtney brings a unique perspective as both a scholar and a mom in the trenches. Whether you’re wrestling with your own questions, parenting kids through doubt, or searching for contentment, this conversation is packed with wisdom, honesty, and hope.

Key Takeaways:

Questions aren’t a sign of weak faith. Doubts are invitations to go deeper—Jesus meets you there.

Success is faithfulness, not applause. The unseen work matters.

You were made for more than comfort. There is someone worth believing in yesterday, today, tomorrow (and forever).

Resources Mentioned:

Someone to Believe In by Courtney Reissig

If this episode encouraged you, please leave a review—it helps others find these conversations. And if you know someone wrestling with doubt or navigating a hard season, share this episode. It might be exactly what they need today. 

What does it take to raise boys who grow into men of courage, character, and purpose in a world that breeds passivity and isolation? In this episode, J. Josh Smith shares practical wisdom from his new book The Man for the Day, revealing how to fight passivity, cultivate virtue, and help young men discover their God-given purpose—starting today.

Whether you’re raising sons or mentoring young men this conversation will challenge you to rethink biblical manhood and give you actionable steps to make a lasting impact.

We discuss:

The starter pack every young man needs

ABOUT JOSH SMITH:

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

The Man for the Day by J. Josh Smith (Available January 2025)

The Titus 10 by J. Josh Smith (Student Edition now available)

If you're new here, welcome! Please take a few, quick seconds to leave a review, subscribe and follow along on Instagram @annicafischer. 

What do you do when your worst nightmare becomes reality? When Amber Smith's three-year-old son River drowned in a tragic accident, her world shattered in an instant. But on the bathroom floor—in her darkest moments of grief—she discovered a faith that would transform her pain into purpose.

In this raw and powerful conversation, Amber shares her journey from worldly happiness to deep spiritual transformation, revealing how she and her husband Granger Smith (country music artist) chose to fight for their marriage when statistics said they wouldn't make it. She opens up about the "beacons in the breaking"—small glimpses of light that appeared even in the hospital—and how studying Scripture became the anchor that held her together.

If you're walking through grief, questioning God's goodness, or wondering if you'll ever smile again, this episode offers hope. Amber's story is evidence that the worst thing to happen to you doesn't have to be the end of your story.

If you're new to the podcast, glad you're here. Please leave a review and let me know what you think! Hope this conversation encouraged you - don't forget to share this conversation with someone who needs it today. 

In today’s episode, we’re talking about how to stop spiraling in control, comparison, and “what if” thinking—and start gently rewiring your brain for real, lasting joy.

I’m so excited to welcome back Nicole Zasowski, marriage and family therapist and author, Nicole blends neuroscience, emotional health, and faith in a way that helps women release anxiety, perfectionism, and the pressure to hold everything together—so they can build healthier relationships, experience emotional wholeness, and live with more freedom and joy.

Here’s the freeing truth she shares: if you’re stuck in blame, shame, control, or escape, it doesn’t mean you’re broken. It means your brain is doing what it learned to do to keep you safe. Anxiety, control, and comparison aren’t personal failures—they’re your brain’s default wiring—and you can change it.

Nicole walks us through her 4-Step Framework:

We also talk about how celebrating others’ wins—even when it’s hard—can unlock your own joy, why perfectionism and comparison steal happiness, and how joy can feel vulnerable when we’re used to protecting ourselves.

By the end of this episode, you’ll know how to:

The heart of this conversation is simple: you don’t feel your way into change—you practice your way there. Practicing truth before you feel it isn’t pretending. It’s formation—and it’s how your brain actually changes.

Resources mentioned:

Love this episode? Share it with someone who needs to hear it or leave a review.

Follow me on Instagram @annicafischer for more insights, takeaways, and practical tips from some incredible guests. 

What if the secret to more joy, presence, and meaning is actually… less? In this episode, we sit down with Cait Flanders, author, writer, and experimenter, who shares her radical journey of not buying anything for a year, opting out of defaults and drinking for a season and the surprising lessons she learned along the way.

In This Episode:

--Favorite quotes from this conversation--

“I cried a lot. I had to feel my feelings because I could not numb out.”

“Spending became the thing I was reaching for next after quitting drinking.”

“Anytime you have a value shift, your relationships shift.”

“We have this grip on so many things…but as soon as we open this grip, we get to experience something new.”

“Did I enjoy the simple things today? Did I feel like myself today?”

“It is hard to change your life, you know? It can be incredibly isolating.”

“If you can find one person who loves you so much they’ll keep encouraging you, hold on dearly to that person.”

“Success is the ability to see what we already have and what’s all around us.”

Connect with Kate:

If this episode inspired you, please subscribe, rate, and review the show! Share your biggest takeaway and let me know what you’re letting go of next.

In this season wrap-up and “best of” episode of The Tried and Truth Podcast, we reflect on the most meaningful conversations from the past few months, lessons, and themes that shaped this season. From awareness and intentional living to vulnerability, community, dreams reborn and pursued, and anchored hope, this episode brings together the wisdom that stayed with us long after we listened.

This wrap-up episode is an invitation to pause, reflect, and step into what’s next, starting right where you are. You'll hear takeaways such as: 

As you move into this new season, ask yourself:

If this episode encouraged you, share it with a friend—and thank you for being part of The Tried and Truth Podcast.

And don't forget...

> Come follow along on Instagram @annicafischer

> Subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss out on any of the power-filled conversations ahead.

> Let me know what you think! Leave a review and share your thoughts! 

In today’s episode, Annica sits down with Caroline Shankle, author of The Lion and the Bear: A 100 Day Guide to Facing Your Giants, to talk about the real struggles girls face growing up—and how faith, perspective, and a safe place to land can change everything.

In this conversation you’ll hear Caroline share more on: 

This episode is especially meaningful for:

Connect with Caroline:

Get the book:

_____

If this conversation encouraged you, consider sharing it with a daughter, friend, or young woman who needs it! And would love for you to please leave a review - let me know what you thought about this episode :) 

What does it look like to hold onto hope even if it feels “hopeful-ish”? 

In this honest and encouraging conversation, Annica sits down with author Scarlet Hiltibidal to talk about her latest book, Hopeful-ish - the kind of hope that wrestles with grief, disappointment, weariness, and unanswered questions, yet still choose to cling to faith. 

Scarlet opens up about the personal story behind her book: a season marked by loss, family tragedy, pregnancy after a decade, and walking alongside her mother through stage-four cancer. She shares what it truly means to live with hope when comfort fails, identity feels stripped away, and obedience feels costly.

This episode is for anyone navigating hard seasons, burnout, grief, or spiritual weariness, and wondering if real hope is possible. You’ll hear more about... 

Whether you’re feeling weary, searching for encouragement, or simply want to hear a story of faith in the trenches, this episode will remind you: you’re not alone, and hope is possible, even it it feels “hopeful-ish”. 

You can follow Scarlet on Instagram @scarlethiltibidal or check out her latest (or other) books>>>

* Hopeful-ish: Sadness, Weariness, Donkey Attacks, More Sadness, and Other Stuff You Need the Gospel For

*Afraid of All the Things: Tornadoes, Cancer, Adoption, and Other Stuff you Need the Gospel For

*You're the Worst Person in the World: Why It's the Best News Ever that You Don't Have it Together, You Aren't Enough, and You Can't Fix It on Your Own

*He Numbered the Pores on My Face: Hottie Lists, Clogged Pores, Eating Disorders, and Freedom from It All