The True North Podcast | Christian Podcast on Navigating Faith & Life

What does it actually look like to build a strong, personal relationship with God—and why does it feel so hard to stay consistent?

In this episode of the True North Podcast, I’m joined by Jolee Carroll, host of the She Speaks Jesus Podcast and founder of Empower Her Daily, and we’re diving into the concept of “handmade faith.”

Jolee describes handmade faith as a real, intentional relationship with God that isn’t rushed, outsourced, or built on shortcuts—but something you personally cultivate over time.

After stepping away from social media and the constant noise, she realized something I think we all need to hear: faith isn’t formed in distraction—it’s built in the quiet, consistent moments where we choose to show up.

In this conversation, we talk about:

If you’ve ever felt like you’re just going through the motions, struggling to stay consistent, or wondering why your faith doesn’t feel as strong as you want it to—this episode is for you.

Connect with Jolee: https://beacons.ai/empowerherdaily

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What if true influence had nothing to do with followers… and everything to do with how you live your life when no one’s watching?

We’re kicking off a brand new season of the True North Podcast with a conversation about what it really means to have influence. Through the story of Pharaoh’s daughter in Exodus 2, we see how one quiet, courageous decision can create a ripple effect far bigger than we ever imagined.

This episode is an invitation to rethink what influence looks like—not as something reserved for platforms and popularity, but as something lived out in your everyday choices, your words, and your obedience.

In this episode, we talk about:

The difference between cultural and kingdom influence

Why small, obedient decisions matter more than you think

What it looks like to choose courage over comfort

Simple, practical ways to influence the people and places around you

You don’t need a following to have influence. You already have it - now it's time to use it.

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What if the most spiritual thing you could do right now… is pause?

In this season finale of The True North Podcast, we're talking about what "Selah" means, why stillness is biblical (not weakness), and how to recognize when it’s time to pause instead of push. If you’ve been moving fast but feeling distant from God, reacting instead of responding, or sensing Him highlight something you keep rushing past — this may be your invitation to be still.

This is a reminder to not be afraid to take a pause. 😉

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This 5-minute devotional is a love letter to the one who keeps putting off meeting with Jesus…

For anyone who has rescheduled time with Him, avoided opening their Bible, or felt unsure how to come back after distance. This message gently reminds listeners that Jesus is not disappointed in your delay — He’s still waiting. With compassion. With kindness. With rest.

If you’ve been carrying disappointment, projecting hurt onto God, or convincing yourself it’s been “too long,” this love letter is your invitation to take one small step back to the table. The door is open. The seat is saved. And the One you’ve been running from is the very One your heart needs most.

Read as an audiobook-style devotional, meant to be listened to slowly and prayerfully. ❤️

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Have you ever felt like you love God… but you also keep running?

Like you know what’s true. You know where peace is. And yet somehow you still drift back to old patterns, old relationships, old mindsets — the ones that never actually satisfy?

In this episode, we’re talking about the wandering heart.

The part of us that confuses familiar with safe.

If you’ve been feeling too far gone, too inconsistent, too ashamed, or just spiritually tired… this conversation is for you.

And no matter how far you think you’ve wandered, you are not beyond the reach of grace.

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This 5-minute devotional is a love letter to the one who feels like this is the end of their story...

For anyone walking through heartbreak, disappointment, or an unexpected ending. This message reminds listeners that what feels like devastation is not the final chapter. Because of Jesus’ resurrection, our ruins can be rebuilt, our ashes exchanged for beauty, and our pain woven into a story of redemption. If you’ve been living in the museum of what broke you, this love letter is an invitation to close the exhibit and let God begin rebuilding.

Read as an audiobook-style devotional, meant to be listened to slowly and prayerfully. ❤️

Learn more about True North and find similar content by visiting our website.

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What happens when the people who were supposed to love us are the ones who hurt us?

Continuing in our February series, "Matters of The Heart" this episode explores how trauma can become an identity, why we sometimes spiritualize pain instead of healing it, and how God invites us to bring our wounds to Him honestly—without minimizing what happened or bypassing the process.

If you’ve ever felt like love isn’t safe, trust is too costly, or closeness always leads to pain, this conversation is for you.

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This 5-minute devotional is a love letter for the weary believer who misses the way faith used to feel...

For the one who longs for the simplicity, joy, and intimacy of first falling in love with Jesus—before faith became heavy, performative, or exhausting. Through reflection, Scripture, and honest confession, this devotional invites you to strip back the noise, expectations, and extras we’ve layered onto faith and return to the heart of it all: Jesus Himself.

This episode explores what happens when faith shifts from relationship to responsibility, from devotion to display—and gently calls us home again. Not backward into who we were, but forward into the same Jesus who has never changed.

If you’ve been feeling disconnected, burned out, or unsure how to love your faith again, this love letter is an invitation to come back to the Vine, to remember your first love, and to rediscover a faith rooted in joy, wonder, and grace.

Read as an audiobook-style devotional, meant to be listened to slowly and prayerfully. ❤️

Learn more about True North and find similar content by visiting our website.

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What’s really sitting on the throne of your heart?

In a world that constantly pulls for our attention, affection, and allegiance, it’s easy to assume Jesus is in charge—without ever checking the throne room. In Week 1 of our February series, Matters of the Heart, we’re asking an honest question most of us avoid: What is actually ruling over your heart right now?

In this episode, we unpack what Scripture really means when it talks about idols—not the golden statues of the past, but the quiet, internal rulers we live with every day: productivity, worry, control, and love. 

If you’ve ever felt burned out “doing all the right things,” stuck in cycles of anxiety, afraid to surrender control, or tempted to compromise for the sake of being loved, this conversation is for you. 

It’s time to take a hard look at what’s really in charge… and reclaim the throne. ❤️

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Have you ever asked, "How can I be new in Christ if people keep reminding me of who I used to be?"

In this episode of we’re getting real about walking in your new identity in Christ when shame, other people, and memories of your past try to pull you backward. If you’ve ever felt disqualified, stuck between your before Jesus life and your after Jesus calling, or questioned whether real change has actually happened—this conversation is for you.

We unpack the difference between shame and conviction, why shame attacks identity, and what Scripture actually means when it says you are a new creation in Christ. You’ll learn why people often cling to old versions of you, why delayed trust doesn’t equal delayed transformation, and how godly accountability is meant to protect growth—not imprison you in your past.

This episode covers:

Why your past doesn’t disqualify your calling

How to respond when others won’t let your old life go

When accountability becomes unhealthy and how to recognize it

How to walk forward without constantly revisiting your past

If shame keeps reintroducing your old self, this episode will remind you: your past is evidence of grace, not proof of failure. Your testimony didn’t end before Christ—it points to where God is taking you now.