You’ve felt the pull toward something, but the fear of getting it wrong keeps you from fully stepping in. Kari Eliza spent seven years resisting her calling before she finally said yes. She’s not a stranger to doubt, slow seasons, or public pushback. In this conversation, she talks about what it actually looks like to trust God with your dream when certainty isn’t on the table and why the mistakes don’t mean what you think they mean. Come and listen. There’s more freedom in this than you might expect.
How to Feel Loved by God in a Way That Changes You
God loves you; you’ve known it for years. But there is a difference between knowing it and actually letting it land in your body, your morning, your ordinary everyday life.
Kari Eliza of Held Right Here discovered a transformative daily practice not from a devotional but from her nervous system coach. What started as somatic regulation became one of the most profound ways she has ever experienced God’s presence, and she’s sharing it with us today.
This episode holds the tension between striving and rest and offers a simple, honest way forward. Come and listen.
Feeling Distant from God? Here’s What’s Really Going On
You’re reading your Bible and praying throughout the day and yet God still doesn’t feel close. If it’s not a discipline problem, it’s got to be something else.
In this episode, we’re talking about why creativity, obedience, and joy are not things you manufacture. They are what happens when you feel truly safe with God. We talk honestly about striving, what your body is trying to tell you, and what it looks like to let God hold you in the middle of a big dream. Come, listen and learn from Kari Eliza, the voice behind Held Right Here.
Why You Struggle to Rest in God (Even When You Believe)
You have believed all the right things for years and yet you’re living in a state of exhaustion and overwhelm. That was Kari Eliza’s story: a good Christian girl. But she didn’t realize how much she was striving in her faith. I’ve invited her to share how she went from tightly wound to genuinely resting in God's presence, not as an idea but as a felt reality. If you are a Christian but still functioning as if you have to perform for God, this episode will help you understand why and show you there is another way. Come listen.
Is It the Right Time to Pursue Your God-Given Dream?
There is a dream God put on your heart. But life is full, the calendar is packed, and the timing just never quite feels right. In this episode I want to gently push back on that. Because sometimes what looks like a timing problem is actually a fear problem. Or an obedience question. Or a signal that it's time to take a hard look at what you've said yes to.
I walk you through three honest mistakes women make around timing, and I give you a practical audit to help you figure out what’s really going on.
Confidence Isn't Something You Build Before You Start
What if confidence is not something you work on, but something that shows up after you take action? In this episode, I am unpacking three mistakes I see women make when it comes to confidence, and why waiting to feel ready to start on your dream is the very thing keeping you from action that would grow it. This is not a pep talk. It is a practical, faith-rooted look at what is actually holding you back and what to do about it. If you have been spinning your wheels, this one is worth your time.
How to Overcome Self-Doubt and Step into Your Calling
You are capable of so much more than you give yourself credit for. I know that might be hard to hear, but it’s true. In this episode, I am digging into one of the most common struggles I see in women who have a God-shaped dream: the belief that you have to be practically perfect before you can start. I unpack what Scripture says about being called into something bigger than yourself, and why doubt does not disqualify you. If you have been sitting on the sidelines waiting to feel ready, this one is for you.
How to Figure Out the Next Best Step Toward a Dream
Are you a Christian woman trying to figure out the next right step for a dream? You feel like God has called you to something more in midlife, but what should you do about it? In this episode, I'm sharing what a God-shaped dream really is, why it's supposed to feel bigger than you, and how to stop waiting for the perfect plan. I'm also inviting you to join me for a live workshop on April 23rd where you'll find space to figure out your best next step. Come as you are. The dream is worth it.
Say Your Dream Out Loud Before You Talk Yourself Out of It
What if the thing standing between you and your dream is simply that you have never said it out loud? In this episode, Erin Straza and I talk about renewing our minds, grounding ourselves in who God says we are, and why speaking the dream out loud matters. Erin shares a story about her husband Mike that perfectly captures what happens when we finally stop hiding our hopes for what’s possible. If something has been stirring in your heart and you have been too afraid to name it, this one is for you. Come and listen.
Practice Over Perfection: Faithful Steps Toward Your Dream
In this episode, I'm joined by my friend Erin Straza for a real conversation about the courage it takes to begin. We talk about what happens in our hearts when perfectionism takes over, why a simple outline is often the only antidote we need to move forward, and how treating our early attempts as practice changes the whole game. Whether you are just starting out or in the thick of a dream you have been chasing for years, this conversation is for you.
Faith, Fear & Dreams: Stop Procrastinating, Start Moving
Is the hardest part of your dream just getting started? (For a lot of us, it is.) In this episode, my co-host Erin Straza and I talk honestly about why the idea of your dream often feels safer than the reality of going after it. We explore what it looks like to trust God deeply and still struggle to take action and why that tension is more common than you think. If you've been waiting for the perfect plan or some kind of guarantee before you move forward, this conversation will meet you right where you are.
The Readiness Myth: Start Before You Feel Confident
What if the thing keeping you from your dream isn't a lack of clarity but the belief that you have to feel a certain way first?
In this season opener, I sit down with writer and nonprofit communications consultant Erin Straza to unpack one of the most common things that keeps women stuck: the idea that confidence has to come before courage.
We talk about what's really underneath that "not ready" feeling, how fear disguises itself as wisdom, and what it looks like to take a faithful step when you're still not certain.
Because the dream God gave you deserves more than another season of waiting.
How to Build Habits That Nurture Your Dreams All Year Long || Merritt Onsa
How to Start the Dream God Gave You with Support Around You
God took Julie Fowler’s personal story of infertility and loss and turned it into a thriving nonprofit ministry and published Bible studies. Julie shares how to navigate publishing options, leverage community support, and stay rooted in your faith. Whether you’re pursuing a new calling or need encouragement in a difficult season, Julie’s wisdom and authenticity will equip you with hope, resources, and a reminder that faithfulness matters more than outcomes.
How One Small Step of Faith Sparked a Bigger Dream
Julie Fowler shares her journey of building a ministry that supports women and couples experiencing infertility and loss. She reveals the challenges and triumphs of turning personal pain into purpose and the power of having authentic community. Tune if for encouragement when you feel unequipped, practical wisdom for launching a support ministry, and heartfelt reminders that our deepest struggles can drive us closer to God and each other. If you're longing for hope or purpose, this conversation is for you.
5 Steps to Reset Your Dream When Summer Ends
Has your God-given dream been on hold all summer? In this episode of The Devoted Dreamers Podcast, discover five practical, faith-filled steps to reconnect with your purpose, overcome fear, and take bold action toward your calling. Perfect for Christian women seeking clarity, courage, and renewed momentum this fall.
How to Move Forward When Procrastination Holds You Back
Get ready to hear the practical steps and honest struggles behind Samantha Wells’ journey to writing and publishing her first Bible study. Learn how she pushed past perfectionism, fear, and procrastination, and hear her heartfelt encouragement for women stepping into their own God-shaped dreams—no matter how small they may seem. If you need a boost for your creative pursuits, this episode will bless your journey.
Why Your God-Given Dream Doesn’t Have to Look “Typical”
Does your dream feel “different” than what you see others doing? Join Bible teacher Samantha Wells on The Devoted Dreamers Podcast as she shares how she embraced the uniqueness of her dream to help women study the passages of the Bible that usually get skipped or skimmed. In doing so she discovered that God had been preparing her all along—listen to this powerful message for Christian women in leadership or ministry.
How to Prepare for the Resistance that Comes with a Calling
Have you ever experienced resistance just as you were about to take those first faithful steps into your dream? Doubt, discouragement, and resistance aren’t signs that you’re on the wrong path. They are often proof that your God-shaped dream truly matters. Discover practical, biblical strategies to recognize, respond to, and rise above this battle so you can walk forward in confidence, anchored in Christ’s victory and unshakeable truth!
When Your People Don’t Get the Dream God Gave You
Have you ever felt misunderstood in your calling? When your people don’t get the dream God gave you, it can shake your confidence. But this episode will help you reframe their response, reconnect with your “why,” and keep going—faithfully and boldly. Listen in for three key mindset shifts and a dose of gospel truth to help you move forward with confidence in what God has invited you to do.