Do you struggle to keep your dreams surrendered to God? If you’re like most women, we struggle to wait on God and let go of control in some regions of our heart. 

We can get frustrated and discouraged – especially when God closes doors or worse, when God says, “Wait.”

But what if our waiting on God could become waiting with God? It’s possible, my friend, and the following conversation is going to give you some strategies, examples and ideas for doing just that!

Let’s grow together as we surrender our dreams into the capable, sovereign hands of God today. 

Xoxo, 

Shelly

Connect with Leslie!

Grab your copy of Leslie's book, Stealing Magnolias.

Leslie mentioned A Praying Life, by Paul Miller

Other episodes mentioned in this one:

Episode #15 When Best Laid Plans Unravel: How to Handle Delayed Plans

Episode #105 Does Waiting on God Have You Feeling Stuck? 3 Ways to Turn Waiting Patiently into Active Waiting

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I’d love to speak at your women’s event or retreat - check out my website!

If you’re looking to discover the secret to truly resting in God – even in the middle of your chaos – you’re going to love the second half of my interview with Becky Thompson, author of Healing Rest. (If you missed part one, head back to Episode #121),

Finding peace isn’t something we can only experience when we finally go on vacation or the kids are grown or the chaos has settled down—it’s a gift from the Holy Spirit, and God is inviting us to join Him there.

Let’s uncover the secret together today in episode #122 of UnPerfect!

Xoxo,

Shelly

Connect with Becky here!

Grab her book, Healing Rest.

Other resources mentioned or quoted in this episode:

Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day by Peter Scazzero

Start with Amen by Beth Guckenberger

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“If I can just get through this season, then I’ll experience rest.” If you’ve ever said or thought that statement, this episode has your name written all over it!  Because healing rest—truly resting with God—is a gift for your present moment.

We all know the feeling of desperately needing to experience rest. My guest today challenges the common misconception that rest is something to be earned or found only on "the other side" of a finished task. And she leads us on her journey to finding peace with Jesus in the storm.

Listen in to part 1 of our conversation for practical, mindset-shifting truths on how to access God's peace right now. 

Xoxo,

Shelly

P. S. Three takeaway questions:

1. Why do I feel like I can only rest when the work is done?

2. What burdens am I shouldering that God can actually carry?

3. What am I waiting on in order to rest?

Connect with Becky Thompson here. 

Grab her book, Healing Rest.

Other books and episodes mentioned in today's podcast:

Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day, by Peter Scazzero

Episode #114 God, Can We Chat? with Nikki Hardy

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Loved this episode?! Leave a 5-star rating (and review)! Instructions here for the technologically challenged.

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Do you ever feel that God is distant or “unimpressed” with you? Do you struggle to view God as a Father, based on your experiences with an earthly parent? I’ve been there. And I’ve found that only by truly understanding the character of God the Father can I live content, strong, and secure next to the very heart of God. 

Often, we are inadvertently looking to others to fill our crater-sized love gaps —gaps only satisfied by a perfect, compassionate, heavenly Father. We say, “I am enough,” but the truth is, we’re not! 

In today’s episode, my guest, Proverbs 31 speaker and author, Lynn Cowell, gives us a pertinent reminder that how we think about God the Father impacts our spiritual formation. As she beautifully puts it, “the prodigal son had a running Father.” 

Let’s dive into God’s heart for us today. 

Xoxo, 

Shelly 

* Download Lynn's free resource, Never Too Far: 5 Days of Trusting God's Love for You

* Grab her book here - Strong and Secure, 100 Devotions for Young Women

Other UnPerfect episodes mentioned in this one:

• #118 - Challenge Negative Thoughts, Em Tyler
• #106 - How to Find Joy (in Being a Mom)

Support the show

Loved this episode?! Leave a 5-star rating (and review)! Instructions here for the technologically challenged.

Join my newsletter and never miss an episode or update!

Claim your free UnPerfect printable download, The UnPerfect Promises of God: Five Biblical Affirmations for Living in the Now and the Not Yet

I’d love to speak at your women’s event or retreat - check out my website!

We’ve all been there. Day 187 of a bible reading plan, drowning in Levitical law or wondering how Nahum or Obadiah can speak into our lives today. Choosing the best bible reading plan can be hard and at times feel spiritually “dry.”

If you’re looking for a plan for reading the bible or just need some new and fresh motivation for studying the bible in your current season, I’ve got you! Today on UnPerfect, my student pastor-son, Silas, and I discuss a variety of plans and other nuances of reading Scripture, from approaching difficult verses/passages and accountability, to discovering the benefits of reading the bible for the “long game” rather than merely seeking short-term fruit. 

You’re going to leave this episode inspired to jump back into God’s Word with renewed hope and self-discipline!

Hang in there, you’ve got this!

Xoxo,

Shelly

Resources mentioned in this episode related to choosing the best Bible Reading plan:

Bible Project study tools

Foundations, by Robby Gallaty

Description/Examples of types of Bible translations

Chronological Bible (Scripture laid out chronologically rather than book by book)

Reader's Bible (no separations of verses, written as the original manuscripts were written, as letters, paragraphs, etc. - Shelly's personal fave!)

The common sermon illustration Shelly shared, probably loosely based on this amazing story of an actual preacher, Juan Carlos Ortiz

Silas' Actual quote attributed to...Mark Twain! No way!

Episode #97 with Jenny Zentz: Putting My Confidence in Scripture When God Is Silent (episode mentioned by Shelly about "showing up")

Silas's "must-read" book selection: The Great Divorce, by C. S. Lewis

Shelly's choice: Stop Asking Jesus Into Your Heart, by J. D. Greear (and here's the teen edition I read with my daughter: Stop Asking Jesus into Your Heart, teen edition, by J. D. Greear

Middle School/teen fantasy book series: The Brotherband Chronicles, by John Flanagan

Did we mention anything you don't see here? Email me! [email protected]

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Loved this episode?! Leave a 5-star rating (and review)! Instructions here for the technologically challenged.

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I’d love to speak at your women’s event or retreat - check out my website!

Our thoughts can propel us deeper into spiritual maturity, or they can keep us stuck in repetitive cycles of “stinking thinking.” Like you, I often find myself rehearsing negative thought patterns when I’m dealing with disappointments or challenges.

But as today’s guest reminds us, we have a choice in which thoughts get to play on repeat. By telling ourselves the truth of our stories and of God’s Word, and replacing toxic positivity with biblical hope, we can create new neural pathways and climb out of our pity party into peace and freedom.

Through the power of “again,” Jesus offers an alternative to dwelling on negative thoughts. 

Find out how on today’s episode of UnPerfect!

Xoxo

Shelly

Connect with Em on her website and follow her writing and teaching on her Substack.

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Loved this episode?! Leave a 5-star rating (and review)! Instructions here for the technologically challenged.

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Do you ever wonder about the narrative you are hearing on immigration and immigration policy? Maybe you’ve entertained the following questions:

·      Who is my neighbor?

·      How do I truly love like Jesus?

·      What does the Bible say about immigration?

·      What is really happening at the borders?

·      What is the impact on followers of Jesus?

I’ve been where you are, my friend. It’s one of the reasons I have a hard time stomaching social media these days. Most importantly, I long to know how to legally and Biblically respond to image-bearers who cross our borders.

Today, we have the opportunity to hear from an expert in the field – but she won’t be yelling at us or asking us to pick a new political party. In fact, Bri Stensrud, author of “Start with Welcome: The Journey Toward a Confident and Compassionate Immigration Conversation,” is here today to share the foundations of Biblical Immigration and practical ways we can love Jesus and immigrants formed in his image.

Let’s look to Jesus and God’s Word as we seek answers to our questions.

Xoxo,

Shelly

Connect with Women of Welcome here.

Grab your copy of Start With Welcome here.*

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Loved this episode?! Leave a 5-star rating (and review)! Instructions here for the technologically challenged.

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Are you or someone you love hiding behind a shameful past or a faith you’re trying to earn by being good enough for God? Do you struggle with finding true freedom in Christ as you process your story?

Today’s UnPerfect guest has known the shame of hiding and the grief of losing a spouse twice. But she learned to find her security in the gospel alone and walk in the power of the Holy Spirit.

And you can too, my friend! Listen in to hear her powerful story – and discover the power to share your story in Biblical community or a specific niche community that can walk this road with you.

By allowing the gospel to speak into our pain and our past, we can come out of hiding into freedom in Christ!

Let’s do this!

Xoxo,

Shelly

Connect with Rachel here.

Grab her book, Widow’s Might, here.*

Learn more about a Never Alone Widows gathering here.

Grab The Gospel Comes With A House Key, by Rosario Butterfield, here.*

And finally, get your copy of Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, by Peter Scazzero, here.*

Support the show

Loved this episode?! Leave a 5-star rating (and review)! Instructions here for the technologically challenged.

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I’d love to speak at your women’s event or retreat - check out my website!

Do you have an anxious heart? What if I told you the key to knowing the peace of God is found in intimacy with God? Life is filled with tragedy, trauma, suffering, and waiting, but God longs to cover us with his wings and enable us to experience the peace of God that transcends all human understanding.

It’s possible. And my guest today, Kara Stout, is sharing her story of the dependency on God that led her closer to the very heart of God.

Xoxo,

 *Shelly*

Connect with Kara here.

Grab your copy of An UnTroubled Heart here.

Support the show

Loved this episode?! Leave a 5-star rating (and review)! Instructions here for the technologically challenged.

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Claim your free UnPerfect printable download, The UnPerfect Promises of God: Five Biblical Affirmations for Living in the Now and the Not Yet

I’d love to speak at your women’s event or retreat - check out my website!

Do you have hard questions for God that you’re afraid to ask him? Do doubts about God or tough Biblical questions make you anxious about owning your faith or trusting God in difficult times? What if instead of drawing you further away from God, your doubts could bring you into an intimate relationship with God?

It’s not only possible, but it is how God designed us to face our biblical doubt and spiritual frustrations. 

If you’re like most women, this is a lifelong area of struggle. In today’s episode, my guest, Niki Hardy, shares with us the secret to not only taking our doubts to God via honest prayer but also ways to wrestle with Him through our doubts and achieve a deeper intimacy with God as a result.

Whether you are struggling with passages of Scripture that are difficult to reconcile with God’s nature, or doubting God in hard times, you can bring your authentic self and your biblical doubts to the God who longs to hold you, questions and all!

 Find out how on today’s episode of UnPerfect!

 xoxo,

Shelly

Read the transcript here!

Connect with Niki Hardy and download the first three chapters FREE. 

Or go ahead and order your copy of God, Can We Chat?

Support the show

Loved this episode?! Leave a 5-star rating (and review)! Instructions here for the technologically challenged.

Join my newsletter and never miss an episode or update!

Claim your free UnPerfect printable download, The UnPerfect Promises of God: Five Biblical Affirmations for Living in the Now and the Not Yet

I’d love to speak at your women’s event or retreat - check out my website!