If you feel discouraged about the pace of your dream and wonder if everyone else is years ahead of where you are, I’m going to shatter your idea of the perfect timeline today. We’ll talk about a clear example from Scripture of waiting faithfully for a dream and how to avoid the biggest mistake that keeps you from making progress. I’ll share examples of small steps of faithfulness you can take today and how to courageously face the scariest part of pursuing a dream.
238 || Practical Ways to Build Intimacy with God into Your Day || Angie Gibbons
You likely already know the Bible’s instruction about not living an anxious life, but if that’s your current reality, how do you change? My guest Angie Gibbons is all too familiar with the struggles of anxiety and depression. It took a painful loss to help her wake up to see the reality of her life and the impact it was having on her family, particularly her children. She’s here to share how the Lord took her from finding momentary breakthroughs from anxiety to making them a lifestyle.
237 || Do You Know About the Hidden Gift in Your God-Shaped Dream? || Gail Root
Has God called you to be bold and courageous in your dream? If you have a God-shaped dream, you may be experiencing opposition, fear, comparison, and imposter syndrome. But instead of seeing your dream as a mountain too high to climb, what if it became an invitation from the Lord to trust Him more? In this episode, we’re talking about your invitation to intimacy with God, the boldness He wants to bring into your business or industry, and what we miss when we don’t submit our plans to Him.
[BONUS] How to Get Free Dream Coaching with Merritt—In Season 10!
People say my solo episodes are among their favorites! That’s why I’m kicking off Season 10 with a series of solo episodes focused on providing you with additional support for getting off the sidelines instead of waiting around for the right timing to pursue your dream. The time is now! It’s not a mistake. If there’s a dream on your heart, God means for you to pursue it!
223 || The Best Way to Get Started When You Don’t Know Where to Begin || Rachel Baker
Which do you struggle with most: starting on a dream or staying faithful through the messy middle? Along her journey Rachel Baker has questioned her lack of training, doubted her calling, and has been tempted to give up before reaching the finish line. Like many dreamers, she also went through a season of not knowing where to begin. In a beautiful turn of events (and a conversation with her husband), she realized that the starting line was just outside her own door. Maybe yours is there too!
222 || How Resistance Can be a Clue That You Should Keep Pursuing Your Dream || Devin Clevenger
Do you ever want to quit when it feels too hard to keep running after a dream? First, you are not alone. You also need to know that feeling resistance about some aspect of your God-shaped dream is not a reason to give up. Resistance may, in fact, be a nudge to keep going and keep trusting that God is with you, and He will carry you through it.
221 || Is It Possible to Find Meaningful Work in Our Changing World? || Michaela O’Donnell
The world of work has changed in the last decade. Yet the question remains: Is it possible to align work with a sense of calling while also navigating equally demanding personal roles and responsibilities? Michaela O’Donnell is no stranger to questions like these. Through starting her own company and listening to others, she has come to believe that we are all called to be part of God’s big redemptive work in this world.
218 || What if God Writes an Unexpected Dream on Your Heart? || Cindy DeBoer
Do you ever wonder if your God-shaped dream might be something He hasn’t yet revealed to you, or questioned why you feel blocked from God’s purpose for your life? Cindy DeBoer and her husband were 12 years into marriage when God put it on their hearts to examine if they were living out the faith they professed. What followed was a season of confession, questions, and a re-making of the life they thought they were called to.
217 || How You Can Walk Boldly in the Purpose God Has Given You || Carla Arges
God has given you a purpose that is uniquely yours, but the temptation to control the results can disrupt any meaningful progress because the dream belongs to God first and the outcomes rest on Him alone. If you are anxious, stressed out, or worried about the future, this episode is filled with the truth of Scripture and Carla’s calming presence to remind you of the value and importance of surrendering our God-shaped dreams to Him daily.
216 || [Solo] Do You Feel Like You’re Not Making Progress on Your Dream? || Merritt Onsa
Your dream feels so significant and all-consuming at times, but when you start to take steps, your progress feels more like a snail’s pace—or not at all. You encounter obstacles you didn’t anticipate. Certain tasks take longer than you imagined. Your capacity or availability to move the dream forward isn’t what you expected. Life has taken over, and it feels like you’re at a standstill with your dream. If this sound familiar, this is the episode for you.
215 || How to Fine Tune Your Finances So You Can Dream Without Hesitation || Katie Jones
Is your dream financially viable? What difference would it make if you weren’t worried about the expense involved? My guest today, Katie Jones, is a money coach with a passion to teach biblical financial principles so you can embrace the gifts God has given you, feel confident managing your money, and pursue your God-shaped dream without any hesitation.
214 || Your Imposter Syndrome Breakthrough May be Just Around the Corner || Kelsey Joy Rinker
Is fear of failure standing in the way of your freedom to pursue a dream? Does it feel like everyone else has a bigger following and is further along than you? If you’ve struggled with doubt, fear, comparison, or imposter syndrome and those bullies are keeping you from your God-shaped dream, I want you to hear in this episode that it IS possible to find freedom. In fact, your struggles may be an indicator that breakthrough is just around the corner.
213 || How to Pursue Your Dream Even If You Feel Like an Imposter || Jamie Kirschner
Do your dreams feel bigger than you? Has God revealed something that wasn’t what you expected? Jamie Kirschner’s God-shaped dream is one she never expected. She was planning for a future in missions work, but God had a different plan: serving teen girls as they navigate their faith and find their identity in Jesus. God took Jamie’s experience growing up without a support system and He’s using it so other teens don’t have to navigate that journey alone.
211 || What Is the Next Thing You Need to Hand Over to God? || Erica Wiggenhorn
Are you weary of constantly striving? Have you tried everything to move your dream forward but find that no matter how hard you work it’s never enough?
Erica Wiggenhorn has been where you are. She has walked through the fire and been tempted in her journey to run after self-reliance, people pleasing and self-doubt. It’s the reason she is so passionate about seeing revival in God’s women in order that we might cease striving, choose to surrender, and receive the abundant life Jesus promises.
207 || How to Support Our Friends in Their Dreams || Guest Appearance [Replay]
In May 2021, I had the privilege of being a guest on the Connecting in the Chaos podcast; this episode is a replay of that conversation. Heather Oncken and I talked about how we can better support our friends in their dreams. Showing support can be as simple as asking how it's going with her dream or celebrating one of her big or small wins. We also talk about what to do if you are the friend pursuing a dream and it feels like nobody is supporting you.
203 || [Solo] Why Rest Not Hustle is the Fuel Your Dream Needs || Merritt Onsa
What does rest look like for you? Is it collapsing into bed after a long day? Or vegging out on the couch with Netflix? I have recently realized that there has to be a better way to work and rest that will spark more creativity and help avoid burnout. This episode will help you think about the restorative rest you need to fuel your God-shaped dream and how to make decisions today to implement it in your life.
202 || The Delight of Keeping it Simple and Working from Your Zone of Genius || Sarah Maddack
Sarah Maddack discovered her God-shaped dream by paying attention to what flows naturally out of the gifts, talents, and experiences God has given her. Sarah didn’t know the path He would take her on; none of us do. But she was willing to take risks and try new things, to stand out from the crowd, and to trust that God is so much bigger than any of the insecurities she may have felt before she became a TikTok sensation.
201 || [Mini] This is What Happens When You Suddenly Go Viral on TikTok || Katie Bulmer
Katie Bulmer returns to the Devoted Dreamers Podcast to remind us of what really matters, especially once you achieve something you’ve worked toward for a long time. When a 30-second video she created went viral on TikTok, she felt blindsided. This short conversation is all about the unexpected reactions, how she dealt with criticism from strangers, and what she learned as a result.
200 || Celebration Episode: The Journey to Devoted Dreamers || Merritt Onsa & Tabitha Bigbee-Highland
In celebration of the 200th Devoted Dreamers episode I chose to do things a little differently. The tables are turned, and I am being interviewed by my friend and past guest Tabitha Bigbee-Highland, founder of Every Day Faith. You’ll hear the back story of Devoted Dreamers, my heart for this ministry and the challenges I’ve faced in pursuing my own dream (and how I’ve handled them). At the end, don’t miss the speed round where Tabitha asks me to answer a bunch of random questions on the fly!
199 || How to Keep Perspective When You Don't See the Fruit of Your Dream || Katy McCown
Sometimes God’s timing does not make sense in our limited perspective. Katy McCown always knew she was called to write but she didn’t expect God to give the green light when she was eight months pregnant with her sixth child. Today she is president of She Laughs Ministries, a writer for Proverbs 31 Ministries, and a national speaker. Through all life’s uncertainties and surprises, Katy has learned some things about “living sure” even when the future is not.