Tune Into the Holy Spirit | Discernment, Trusting God, Biblical Encouragement, Faith, Prophetic

Ever felt like you had a hard time surrendering to God’s timing? Is there something in the world that you feel isn’t right, and you really want to be part of the change but don’t know if it’s what God has for you? Girl, you are in for such a treat today. 

In this episode, Maddy Welch, a fellow 20-something, shares from her experience how God placed world missions and the Unreached on her heart. She talks about surrendering to God’s timing, getting anchored in Biblical identity, bringing her desires to Jesus, and discerning the voice of the Holy Spirit. 

This episode is jam-packed with wisdom and practical application tips. So whether you are praying about a move overseas, dating as a young adult, transferring careers, or getting a new roommate, this podcast is for you. There is practical wisdom for your prayer life and personal relationship with God wherever you find yourself today.

Update September 2025:

Due to a family emergency, Maddy made the decision not to head overseas at this time. As this episode still has beautiful content for growing in relationship with God, I decided to keep it online. I hope it brings you encouragement, and we pray that Maddy would have another opportunity to head overseas when the timing is more optimal for her family.

Are you tired of spiraling in your head wondering if you are hearing God or not? Feeling over the confusion and lack of clarity? 

Have you ever wondered "Is this my fleshly desire or a desire God gave me?" or found yourself feeling anxious about a decision, not knowing if the unrest is God telling you something or your own fears screaming at you...?

In today's episode, we dive back into discerning God's voice in Part 3 of the "How to Hear God's Voice" mini-series. Chloe shares seven hands-on, practical things that you can do to grow in discernment of God's will and God's voice. She shares practical tips for partnering with the Holy Spirit in prayer and the heart posture to that will get you out of the spiral of thoughts in your head.

If you want to break away from confusion and feel clear and confident about what God has for you, then this episode is for you. Let's get practical.

Resources from today's episode:

Episode 1 | How to Pray: A Simple Guide for Daily Prayer https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1-how-to-pray-a-simple-guide-for-daily-prayer/id1816381080?i=1000709671102 

Episode 8 | How to Hear God's Voice - Part 1 (Different Ways God Speaks) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/8-how-to-hear-gods-voice-part-1-different-ways-god-speaks/id1816381080?i=1000717691658 

Episode 9 | How to Hear God's Voice - Part 2 (5 Discernment Questions) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/9-how-to-hear-gods-voice-part-2-5-discernment-questions/id1816381080?i=1000718295142 

How do you know if it's God's voice, your own, or the enemy's? When you sit down to pray and ask God questions, how do you know it's Him that you are hearing?

Today's episode (Part 2 of the How to Hear God's Voice mini-series) will give you a solid starting place to answer these questions. In this episode, you will hear how your feelings can affect hearing God speak and you'll get insight into handling your emotions with wisdom.

You will also hear 5 straightforward questions to bring with you into your quiet time. These 5 discernment building questions are an initial "chopping block" to decipher is this the Holy Spirit or something else. Simple, Biblical, and straight to the point! In Part 3, we will delve even deeper into discerning the voice of the Holy Spirit. So stay tuned for more.

If you're looking to grow in Spirit-led prayer and discernment of God's voice, this is the episode for you! Let's get practical.

Resources from today's episode:

Episode 2 | 3 Simple Questions That Will Take You Deeper in Your Quiet Time (Bible Study Habits)  htps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/2-3-simple-questions-that-will-take-you-deeper-in-your/id1816381080?i=1000712575259 

Episode 3 | How Often Should I Read God's Word? Where Do I start? (Bible Study Habits) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/3-how-often-should-i-read-gods-word-where-do-i-start/id1816381080?i=1000713550416 

Episode 4 | 7 Tips to Stay Focused While Reading God's Word (Bible Study Habits) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/4-7-tips-to-stay-focused-while-reading-gods-word-bible/id1816381080?i=1000714875208 

Episode 8 | How to Hear God's Voice - Part 1 (Different Ways God Speaks) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/8-how-to-hear-gods-voice-part-1-different-ways-god-speaks/id1816381080?i=1000717691658 

Have you ever heard someone say something like, "God told me to move to this city" or "I felt led to take this job"? and wondered, "How do I get to a place where I hear God's voice?" This mini-series is for you!

In this episode, you'll get a Biblical introduction into hearing God speak. Chloe shares on six Biblical methods of communication that God used to in speaking with people in Scripture and still uses today! She shares on the audible voice of God and the inner audible voice of God (His still small voice), and how God also speaks through dreams, visions, circumstances, and last but never, ever least: the Holy Bible, our beloved Word of God. Chloe also shares stories from her personal life where she felt the leading of the Holy Spirit -- in miraculous encounters and in the simple every day moments of life -- and some of the things she learned along the way. 

This is part 1 of a mini-series on hearing God's voice.

If you want to start growing in hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit for yourself, let's get practical.

Join in for a short devotion on Psalm 1:1,2 "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked..."

In this episode, Chloe shares a story from her life where this Scripture became very real to her. She shares how she learned to walk by faith in a season of uncertainty as she leaned on God's promise in this psalm. Psalm 1 offers a unique opportunity for us to grow in deeper relationship with God, and Chloe unpacks that in this devotion.

Here at on the Practical Abiding podcast, we believe a big part of abiding with Christ, and a big part of spiritual growth in general, is to spend regular time in God's Word. So we are excited to have you join in as we take a look at the promise of blessing found in Psalm 1.

Let's get practical.

Do you ever find yourself wanting to make a righteous decision, but it feels inconvenient or scary or weird? Do you ever feel that you know what's right and wrong, but what's right feels... well, difficult...

In this episode, Chloe shares a story from her life about God's discipline -- when she felt the Holy Spirit was telling her not to do something, but she did it anyway to try to get ahead in her career. Hear how God corrected her and met her with love, showing His character as totally righteous and yet completely loving.

This singular incident in her life gave her new revelation into the goodness of God and His character, and it led her into greater spiritual growth and a deeper prayer life. When God corrects you personally in a dramatic way, you grow in deeper relationship with God in a big way! We pray this story will impact your faith and take you into further intimacy with God.

If you want to grow in righteousness and discernment, and you want to trust God's leadership in your life more, this episode is for you.

Are you feeling overwhelmed with a major life decision? Are you afraid you'll make the wrong choice and disappoint God and ruin your life path forever? Sis, we get it. We've been there, too. Our young adult years are filled with sooo many big decisions! We know the feeling. But, you don't have to stay in that place of fear and confusion. There is a simple way to pray that can help you connect with God and begin to build discernment of His voice.

In this week's episode, Chloe shares the two common school's of thought that people have when it comes to praying God's will, and she shares the "secret third option" that the Holy Spirit showed her that completely changed the way that she prayed. It took her deeper into relationship with God, and it can for you, too!

Whether you are stepping into Christian dating (and all that comes with that!), already in a season of transition, or looking for a new job, this simple prayer method is a perfect addition to your quiet time. 

If you want to leave confusion and anxiety behind, and become that Proverbs 31 woman who laughs without fear of the future, this episode is for you! Let's get practical.

If we're honest, we all struggle from time to time with distraction while reading Scripture. Maybe you sat down this week with a reading goal only to find that you haven't been able to get past the first paragraph. And, maybe you've found yourself reading that same paragraph for 20 minutes straight... Sis, you are not alone. We've all been there.

So, let's get you that precious Biblical encouragement to get into God's Word!

In this episode, Chloe shares 7 (plus a bonus) hands-on tips that she uses when she's distracted during her quiet time, and you can use them, too. These are great to implement into your morning Bible study time, evening Bible study time, and well, anything in between. She shares on how to pray when you need help focusing, how to study the Bible in a way that helps you retain what you're reading, and how to go deeper in your study of God's Word.

If you are struggling with distraction and want to stay focused reading the Bible so you can become that Proverbs 31 woman you always dreamed of being, you're in the right place! Let's get practical! 

Resources from today's episode:

- You Version App: https://www.youversion.com/the-bible-app/

- ESV app: https://www.esv.org/ 

- The Bible Project: https://www.youtube.com/@bibleproject/featured 

Are you struggling with inconsistency in your quiet time? Do you want to start a daily Bible study, but feel unsure of where to start? Girl, you are not alone!

Let's get into some Biblical encouragement to get you digging into the Word of God!

Regular personal Bible study can feel daunting and intimidating for many Christian young adult women. We get it! In this podcast, Chloe shares how to get started in building a Bible study routine. She shares about a life-changing mindset shift that she had around studying God's Word and the year-long impact it had on her life.

In this podcast you will also learn:

- How to choose a Bible translation that's right for you

- How to study the Bible for the first time by yourself

- What books of the Bible to start with as you build your Bible study habit

You will also hear insight into how long to make your quiet time, how often to read God's Word, and how to form a plan for regularly reading Scripture. Faith life needing a boost? We've got you!