Stephanie Hodges wishes she hadn’t waited so long to boldly share her message of holistic health—body and soul, not just spirit—as a godly pursuit. Her book, The Daniel Fast Journey, is about the transformative experience of fasting for spiritual and physical health. This episode not only offers a primer for those who have been curious about fasting but also shares Stephanie’s journey of not shrinking back from the dream God had placed on her heart for His people.
184 || God is Good Even When You Don't Understand His Ways || Ellie Sanazaro
God’s plans are often different from our plans. This was true for Ellie Sanazaro when her world was forever changed after her daughter was born without the chromosomal disorder doctors had told her to expect. God used this event to change Ellie's heart and lead her down the path of adopting a baby with Down syndrome. Ellie is now passionate about spreading the message that EVERY child is an Image Bearer.
183 || Why You Need to Give Yourself Permission to Fail || Hannah Brencher
Failure is where we grow and learn; it shapes our future decisions and is a reminder of the choices we want to make differently next time. Few people wish to experience failure but attempting to avoid it means missing out on essential opportunities for growth that only come from taking risks, getting it wrong, and picking yourself up to learn and try anew. This week, Hannah Brencher shares a message of hope-filled reminders to keep seeking light in the darkest places of our lives, even amid failure.
182 || [Solo] Staying True to the Woman God Made You to Be || Merritt Onsa
Even if you have a good understanding of your security in Christ, there are plenty of things in the world vying for your attention and affection. In this solo episode I share the four identity mistakes we make as we pursue a God-shaped dream and how to turn them around for your good and God’s glory. You’ll learn how to counteract comparison, how to properly value your gifts and then how to use your gifts to live out God’s purpose for your life.
181 || Healing and Hope Breakthrough After an Abusive Relationship || Chystal Gaunt
Out of the darkness in her own past, Chystal Gaunt began sharing her story of domestic abuse and launched a nonprofit organization to love and serve women who have experienced the same. Her story is one of God providing for her dream repeatedly as she continues to follow His lead. Even though she went through a season of overwhelm and burnout, God provided a new vision and paved the way for each baby step along the way.
180 || [Solo] Planning Your Dream While Doing Your Dream || Merritt Onsa
If you have allowed your need to plan keep you from taking steps toward your dream, this episode offers a bit of perspective on how to get started right now, even if you don’t have it all figured out. Because God designed you with a purpose that is certain and known to him, you don’t need to have it all planned out before you begin. He already knows! So take the leap and try new things, even if it means opening yourself up to mistakes, and then, take time to reflect and innovate.
179 || A New Way of Understanding Forgiveness That Will Set You Free || Toni Hebel
You often hear about dreams that were birthed out of someone’s deepest struggles, and Toni Hebel’s God-shaped dream is no different. Hers is a story of significant hurt and yet God has used it for good. He has called Toni and her husband, Bruce, into ministry teaching people how and why we must forgive even the deepest wounds all because of the blood that was already paid on the cross through Jesus Christ.
178 || Faithfulness is the Way to Freedom and Joy in Christ || Caroline Cobb
Caroline Cobb is a mom and a wife who has a passion to tell the stories of scripture through singing and songwriting. When she started writing her own songs, it was just a hobby; but a challenge from her husband and a looming thirtieth birthday turned her passion project into a profession. Her newest album A Seed, A Sunrise explores the longing of Advent, the joy of Christmas, and the anticipation of Jesus’s return, and builds on previous storytelling albums highlighting the message of scripture.
177 || [Solo] How I Knew My Dream & Clues to Uncover Yours || Merritt Onsa
It can be difficult to discern exactly what your dream is, especially if you are a multi-passionate woman with lots of other responsibilities. If you’re here, I’m guessing you already believe that God has something for you. I can’t give you a precise roadmap to find it, but I can tell you what the path looked like for me, relate to you in your uncertainty, and remind you to look for the breadcrumbs God is leaving for you along the way.
176 || [Pivot Session] Listening to the Cues That Will Help You Pivot || Katie Bulmer
Katie Bulmer is host of the Truth for Your Twenties Podcast, a speaker to over 30 colleges nationwide and passionate about helping sorority women unlock their world-changing power. The heart behind her dream is to be who she needed when she was a young woman looking for happiness in the arms of boys, Bacardi, and attempts to be beautiful.
175 || When God Takes Your Dream in a Direction You Never Imagined || Courtney Wong Davis
Courtney Wong Davis is a coach for executives and organizational leaders looking for creative solutions to complex challenges. Her first book, Leading Small Groups that Thrive, utilizes learning from social science research to help equip small group leaders in facilitating individual spiritual growth. This episode is grounded in the gospel and focused on how we can best steward the gifts God has given us, while releasing us from the temptation to do everything on our own strength.
174 || [Solo] A Call for Christian Women to be Part of the Solution || Merritt Onsa
This message is for the passionate, ambitious Christian woman wondering what role she can play in helping to heal the brokenness of our world, highlighted so vividly by the 2020 U.S. presidential election. It’s my challenge to you to pay attention to what’s driving you, seek healing for yourself first, and then rise up and carry the light of Jesus into our hurting and broken world. This is a message that is true no matter who won the election and regardless of when you’re listening to this.
173 || Asking God for More Faith When You Fear || Stephanie Rouselle
Stephanie Rousselle is the founder of Gospel Spice Ministries. God has given her a unique passion for making the Bible come alive to modern-day hearts and minds. She offers a dose of encouragement for your unanswered prayers and a reminder of what to do when fear threatens to take over. I pray this conversation inspires you persevere in the dream God has uniquely tapped you for, especially if it’s something that feels beyond your abilities right now.
172 || [Pivot Session] When is it Worth the Risk to Try Something New? || Beth Bruno
A curator of the feminine story, Beth Bruno is passionate about empowering women to raise Fierce & Lovely daughters (also the name of the podcast she hosts with her daughters). The recent pandemic accelerated a shift in her dream much faster than expected, and she wrestled with imposter syndrome while adapting to the learning curve of her new normal. Beth’s story will inspire you take risks, keep learning, and grow with your circumstances instead of letting them halt your dreams.
171 || How to Keep Your Perspective Even Through a Season of Grief || Joanna Meyer
Joanna Meyer serves the Denver Institute for Faith & Work as Director of Public Engagement and oversees the Women & Vocation Initiative. Joanna brings her story with vulnerability and openness regarding the loss of a personal dream, and she shares how God has continued to provide opportunities to develop her voice and vision for her vocational dream as well as clarity in how to steward a path that includes unanswered prayers.
170 || How to Find Beauty in the Ashes of Your Broken Past || Lisa Vanderveen
Lisa Vanderveen has a burden to bring transformation to women with past abortions or sexual heartbreak. Her God-shaped dream is the result of her own healing over the last few years, releasing 30-year-old hurts and embracing her calling as a practitioner of the healing modality that blessed her so much. Lisa is in the early stages of working on life coach certification to help her clients complete their own transformation by embracing their God-given calling.
169 || [Solo] What Is Imposter Syndrome and How to Know If You Have It || Merritt Onsa
This episode is all about imposter syndrome—what is it, what does it look like and sound like, and how can God’s women fight back against this attack on our identity and on our God-shaped dream? Whether you’re certain this is a struggle you’re battling or, like me, you’ve heard the term “imposter syndrome” and wondered what everyone’s talking about, this episode will help clarify and provide next steps for freedom on your journey.
168 || [Pivot Session] Launch Before You Know It All || Natalie Arent
Brand and graphic designer Natalie Arent hosts Presence & Purpose, a podcast and Facebook community, where she helps female entrepreneurs naturally standout, draw in their people, and propel their business forward. Natalie was already considering a shift in her business to do more coaching prior to the pandemic, but after it hit, she decided to listen to the God-nudge and successfully launched a paid membership community for Christian women coaches.
167 || Freedom to Show Up in the World with Your Gifts || Katie Wussow
Business coach Katie Wussow launched her dream out of necessity. Instead of giving in to fear and doing something safe (like getting a job) she faced her fears, took a big risk, and chose her dream instead. God used that practical necessity to bring her dream to life, and today Katie is serving the clients she loves in the ways she always dreamed: helping early-stage service-based creative entrepreneurs put a strong foundation in place so they can make a full-time income doing what they love.
Hello Season Eight!!
This quick little episode is a preview of what you can expect in this new season and how I want to support you as you pursue your God-shaped dream. I’ve found some real clarity on my own dream since I published my last episode in June. But whether you’re new to the show or you’ve been here all along, I can’t wait to meet and connect with you.