It's Christmas Eve, and whether you're celebrating, struggling, or somewhere in between, this short episode is for you. Before the manger in Bethlehem, the Christmas story begins with an old priest named Zechariah who had been praying for decades with no answer. Then an angel appeared and said, "Your prayer has been heard."

If you're carrying prayers that feel unheard this Christmas, this 5-minute message will remind you that God is listening, He's working, and His timing is always perfect.

Scripture: Luke 1:13

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Can we be honest? This season that's supposed to be filled with joy often feels more like exhaustion and overwhelm. Maybe you're bone-deep weary, wondering if hope is even real anymore.

In this episode, Rachel explores what to do when hope has crumbled and prayer feels impossible. Drawing from the Christmas story of Simeon and Anna and her own journey through her daughter Taylor's battle with Sanfilippo syndrome, she shares how our most desperate places become the most fitting spaces for the thrill of hope.

You'll discover:

• Three practical ways to pray when hope has crumbled
• The difference between wishful thinking and confident expectation
• What Simeon and Anna teach us about actively waiting for God
• How God provides before we even know to pray
• Where to look for Jesus when life doesn't feel magical

Whether you're in a season of waiting, grieving, or simply exhausted from trying to hold it all together, this episode will remind you that Hope has come and He meets you right where you are.

Resources Mentioned:

For non-profit Christmas giving project: Wilderness Grace: wildernessgrace.com

Desperate Prayers: desperateprayers.com

Praying the Promises of God Prayer Journal: promisesprayerjournal.com

 

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Have you ever prayed so desperately for something that it felt like a spiritual battle?

In this episode, Rachel sits down with Jenny Marrs, co-star of HGTV's Fixer to Fabulous and mom of five, for an honest conversation about what happens when faith requires letting go. Jenny shares the raw story behind her family's adoption of their daughter Sylvie from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including the night she woke up gripped by fear, unable to breathe, and discovered God was answering her prayers in a way she never expected.

Jenny's new book, Trust God, Love People: Stories of My Open-Handed Faith, invites readers to release control and trust God's plans, even when His timing doesn't match ours. In this conversation, she opens up about:

• The bold prayer that sustained her through years of waiting and uncertainty
• What "open-handed faith" actually looks like in the chaos of daily life
• How to love people generously without losing yourself or your family
• Why sitting around the table with people who are different from you matters
• The simple practice of remembering God's faithfulness that builds trust for the future

Whether you're in a season of waiting, wrestling with surrender, or simply need encouragement to loosen your grip, Jenny's story will remind you that God is working even when you can't see His hand.

Connect with Jenny Marrs:

• Book: Trust God, Love People (available wherever books are sold)
• HGTV: Fixer to Fabulous Season 7 airing Tuesdays at 8pm ET

Mentioned in this episode:

• Desperate Prayers: Kindle is currently $1.99

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Does surrender feel more like defeat than freedom? You're not alone. In this episode, Rachel sits down with author, literary agent, and artist Mary DeMuth to explore why letting go of what we tightly grip actually leads to the peace we're desperately seeking.

Mary shares the personal journey behind her beautiful new illustrated devotional, The Freedom of Surrender, and opens up about her own struggles with control—including surrendering her past, disappointing relationships, and even her stubbornness. Through stunning original artwork and powerful metaphors, she shows us that surrender isn't saying "it's okay that it happened"—it's opening our hands and letting God carry what we were never meant to hold.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• Why surrender brings peace instead of more stress
• How to let go of past hurts without letting go of justice
• The difference between controlling our lives and trusting God through suffering
• How trials deepen our prayer lives in unexpected ways
• Five powerful takeaways for finding freedom through surrender

Whether you're gripping tightly to a relationship, a circumstance, or your own need for control, this conversation will encourage you to release it into God's capable hands—and discover the freedom waiting on the other side.

Connect with Mary DeMuth:

• Website: marydemuth.com
• Free Gift: 12 phone lock screens featuring art from the book at marydemuth.com

Resources Mentioned:

• The Freedom of Surrender devotional by Mary DeMuth (available wherever books are sold)

Until next time, remember: God sees you, He hears you, and He knows your needs.

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

What do you do when everyone around you is posting grateful hearts and counting blessings, but you're just trying to get through the day?

This Thanksgiving week, if your heart feels heavy instead of thankful, this episode is for you. You're not failing spiritually, and you're not alone.

In this episode, Rachel explores what gratitude looks like in hard places—when life feels overwhelming, when chairs at your table are empty, when finances are tight, or when you're simply struggling to find words to pray.

In This Episode, You'll Discover:

• Why gratitude isn't about manufacturing feelings, but about anchoring in truth
• The difference between "thank you FOR this" and "thank you IN this" (and why it matters)
• A 3-step prayer pattern for when you can't feel grateful but want to give thanks anyway
• What Habakkuk's prayer teaches us about defiant faith in desperate circumstances
• An answered prayer story about a broken oven and the provision that came when Rachel wasn't feeling particularly grateful

Key Takeaway: God's faithfulness doesn't depend on your emotional response. You can bring your honest, heavy heart to Him and still choose thanksgiving—not for what's happening, but for who He is in the midst of it.

Perfect for: Anyone facing their first holiday after loss, struggling with family dynamics, dealing with financial stress, or simply feeling guilty for not being more grateful this Thanksgiving.

Resources Mentioned:

• Praying the Promises of God Prayer Journal - Get your free sampler at promisesprayerjournal.com

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Ever felt guilty because your prayer life doesn't look like someone else's? Wonder if you're praying "wrong" because you fall asleep during quiet time or find traditional prayer routines boring?

In this episode, Rachel sits down with Jaime Hampton, co-host of the Praying Christian Women podcast, for an honest conversation about prayer struggles women secretly face. Jaime shares her refreshing approach: "Pray Like You and No One Else"—developing a prayer life that works with your unique personality, not against it.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• The two biggest prayer blocks women struggle with (and practical solutions)
• How to turn distractions into prayer opportunities instead of feeling defeated
• Why your hormonal cycles can be a prayer superpower, not a weakness
• How to overcome comparison and prayer guilt
• The truth about spiritual warfare and your authority as a believer
• What to do when your prayers feel like they're hitting the wall

Jaime opens up about seasons when God felt distant, shares the power of "praise warfare" when nothing seems to be working, and reminds us that even our tears can be prayers when we don't have words.

Whether you're exhausted from trying to maintain someone else's prayer routine or wondering if God still hears you, this conversation will give you fresh permission to connect with God as the unique woman He created you to be.

Connect with Jaime:

• Website: PrayingChristianWomen.com
• Podcast: Praying Christian Women Podcast with Life Audio

Mentioned in this episode:

• Episode 359 of Praying Christian Women: Prayer and Your Hormonal Cycle
• Free Prayer Class on Ephesians 6: DesperatePrayers.com

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Have you ever prayed for someone and watched God answer their prayer while your own seems to go unanswered? Maybe you're asking for healing, but God uses you to pray for someone else who gets healed. Or you're struggling financially, but God prompts you to give to someone in need. It feels confusing, even painful.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• Why being used to answer someone else's prayer doesn't mean God is ignoring yours
• The powerful promise in Isaiah 58:9 that changes everything about unanswered prayer
• How serving others in your pain actually positions you for God's provision
• Why some prayers will remain mysteries until heaven—and why that's okay
• Practical encouragement for when you feel forgotten while blessing others

If you've been wondering why God trusts you to be His hands and feet while you're still waiting for your breakthrough, this episode will help you see your situation from God's perspective. You'll walk away with fresh hope that you're not forgotten—you're being positioned for something greater than you can imagine.

RESOURCES

Praying the Promises of God 52 Week Guided Prayer Journal

Desperate Prayers: Embracing the Power of Prayer in Life's Darkest Moments

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Feeling spiritually depleted from caregiving? You're not alone.

In this powerful conversation, Rachel Wojo sits down with author and fellow caregiver Jess Ronne to discuss what no one tells you about prayer when you're exhausted, overwhelmed, and running on empty.

Jess shares the breakthrough moment that changed everything: when the Holy Spirit whispered to her heart while she was changing her son's diaper for the thousandth time, "This is holy work." That revelation transformed her 19-year caregiving journey with her profoundly disabled son, Lucas—and it can transform yours too.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• The honest prayer that sustained both Rachel and Jess through their darkest caregiving moments
• A simple 5-10 minute morning practice that invites God's presence into your overwhelming day
• How to reframe mundane tasks (diaper changes, endless laundry, medication schedules) as sacred acts
• Why "grit and grace" both matter—and when to lean into each one
• The truth every caregiver needs to hear: this season won't last forever

This episode is for you if:

• You're caring for someone with special needs, chronic illness, dementia, or aging parents
• You feel guilty that you don't pray "enough" or "the right way"
• Your to-do list is so long that connecting with God feels impossible
• You wonder if anyone sees or values what you're doing

Jess Ronne is the author of Caregiving with Grit and Grace: A Devotional and founder of The Lucas Project. Through November (National Caregivers Month), she's offering a special BOGO deal: two books for $15 at https://jessplusthemess.com

Listen now and discover how God meets you in the basement, at the bedside, and in every overwhelming moment.

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Have you ever felt so overwhelmed by circumstances that even prayer feels impossible? In this episode of Untangling Prayer, Rachel Wojo explores how to keep praying when life's hardest days threaten to pull you under.

You'll discover:

• Why honesty matters more than eloquence in prayer
• How to pray when you don't have the words
• The life-changing principle from Desperate Prayers: Circumstances have zero effect on God's character
• A powerful answered prayer story about a bathtub insert that seemed to arrive too late, and how God redeemed it in unexpected ways

Rachel also shares a brief, but exciting announcement about Wilderness Grace, a new nonprofit ministry born from her family's journey through grief and loss, created to walk alongside those navigating their own wilderness seasons.

Whether you're facing a health crisis, financial pressure, caregiving exhaustion, or any overwhelming circumstance, this episode will remind you that God's character remains constant—and He's listening to your prayers right now.

Resources mentioned:

• Desperate Prayers: Embracing the Power of Prayer in Life's Darkest Moments (available at desperateprayers.com)
• Wilderness Grace nonprofit (wildernessgrace.com)

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Have you ever cried so hard that words wouldn't come? In this episode, Rachel explores how our tears themselves can become one of the most honest prayers we ever pray. Discover the beautiful truth of Psalm 56:8—that God collects and treasures every tear you've cried—and learn how to bring your wordless grief into His presence.

Rachel shares practical ways to pray when you're overwhelmed with emotion, unpacks the hope found in Revelation 21:4's promise of a future without tears, and tells a personal story about an answered prayer that changed with life's seasons. If you're navigating loss, disappointment, or grief that's too deep for words, this episode will remind you that God doesn't just tolerate your tears—He treasures them.

In this episode:

• How to give your tears to God when words fail
• What Psalm 56:8 reveals about how God sees your sorrow
• The promise of Revelation 21:4 and a future without tears
• A personal story about holding God's gifts with open hands

Resources mentioned:

• "Desperate Prayers: Embracing the Power of Prayer in Life's Darkest Moments"
• "Praying the Promises of God" prayer journal

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.