Does your relationship with God feel like something you’re trying to achieve?
If you have ever wondered why doing more and working harder doesn’t result in the deeper relationship you desire with God, there’s actually a really good explanation for why this happens and a way through.
In this episode (and the next three), I’m sitting down with visiting co-host Kari Eliza. She’s the voice behind the Instagram account @Held.Right.Here, where she helps parents share God with their children in ways that feel connected and deeply relational.
In this episode, I sit down with Kari Eliza, the voice behind the Instagram account Held Right Here, where she helps parents share God with their children in ways that feel connected and deeply relational.
Kari is an American living in Norway with her Norwegian husband and two kids, and she brings one of the most honest and tender perspectives on faith I have encountered in a long time.
What started for Kari in wanting to support her highly sensitive daughter became a healing journey of her own, and it changed everything about how she experiences God.
This conversation is for you if you have always believed the right things but still feel like you are working hard to earn God’s love and approval.
Here is a glimpse into our conversation:
Why growing up in a Christian home can still produce a performance posture with God, even when your parents genuinely loved Jesus
How striving shows up in our bodies, not just our behavior, and why renewing your mind alone may not be enough
What it actually feels like when your nervous system begins to exhale in God's presence, and why that changes everything
Kari's story didn’t have a quick fix. It was a two-year journey of slow, steady transformation. And it is one of the most hopeful things I have heard.
If you are tired of your relationship with God feeling like something you have to manage, this episode is a good place to start.
If you are pursuing a God-shaped dream and doing it mostly alone, I want you to know there is a place for you. Dream Believers is my online community for Christian women who are ready to stop waiting on their dreams and want to start moving instead. Come find your people:
👉merrittonsa.com/dreambelievers.
🔗 Connect with Kari Eliza on Instagram: @held.right.here
The Devoted Dreamers podcast is hosted by Merritt Onsa — Christian life coach, mentor, speaker, and founder of the Dream Believers community. New episodes drop every week for the woman who believes her best chapter isn't behind her.