Get ready to be inspired as we revisit a captivating conversation with Julie Landreth from season five. If you’ve ever found yourself paralyzed by fear while preparing to embrace something significant and new, this is a must-listen. I’m sharing it again because of the vital role Julie played in anchoring me to truth when I was facing significant fear and doubt. This conversation offers fresh insights and a renewed perspective to propel you forward on your journey toward a God-shaped dream.
274 || [Recast] Why It’s Time to Let Go of the Fear That You’re Not Enough || Merritt Onsa
What if you stepped into your fear of failure? Tune in this week to learn about fear of failure, what its true source really is, and how we can battle it and get moving in the pursuit of our God-shaped dreams. In this solo episode you’ll learn what our identity in Christ really means, how to shift the way you think about failing again and again, and the good news about why you can stop trying to be enough.
273 || How to Hold On to God When It Doesn’t Go the Way You Expected || Keagan Hayden
My guest Keagan Hayden shares how she relinquished control and learned to enjoy the journey rather than focusing on the destination. She talks about the challenges of following God’s plan, especially when it doesn't match your expectations, and the difference between working with God versus doing work for Him. Despite the ebbs and flows of her dream, Keagan continues to trust in God's plan and take each day as an adventure.
272 || [Solo] The Two Must-Have Truths You Need to Shut Down Imposter Syndrome || Merritt Onsa
Is there a “cure” for imposter syndrome? It’s easy to recognize the impact of imposter syndrome on a dream you haven’t had the courage to step into. The voice of imposter syndrome will suggest to you that it’s not the right time, you’re not the right person, you’re not ready to do this, or that it’s already been done. Obviously, without any intervention, thoughts like these would keep anyone stuck and their dream hidden.
271 || How to Remain Faithful When God Has You in a Season of Waiting || Eryn Lynum
What if you embraced your doubts? In this episode, Eryn Lynum shares how her dream has become more aligned in the last five years, even in the midst of her doubts. You’ll learn how embracing doubts becomes an opportunity for God to reveal His plan, that waiting is not idle because it allows for growth and strength in preparation for when it's time to act, and how spending time connecting with God through nature provides a better understanding of both His written Word and His created world.
270 || [RE-RELEASE] How She Got Her Book Published Even with a Small Platform || Eryn Lynum
I’m re-releasing this 2017 episode because Eryn Lynum will be returning with a five-year update. Next week you’ll hear how her dream has changed (significantly in some ways and not so much in others). Give this re-release a listen to see where she’s come from, especially if publishing a book could be part of your dream. Then, come back next week to hear what’s changed in wildly beautiful ways since Eryn and I last spoke.
269 || What If God Reveals a Dream That’s Out of Your Comfort Zone? || Yohonna Smith
Have you ever considered that there’s someone waiting for your dream to come alive? As Yohonna Smith’s kids got older and started to uncover their own interests, she found she had more time for her own dreams. But what was God prompting her to do with that time? In this episode, you’ll learn about how her dreams grew from her own personal needs and desires, the fears that held her back at first, and the powerful lesson of becoming a spiritual mother.
268 || How Weakness Will Show Us the Way Back to Ourselves || Kimberly Phinney
What happens when your dream is sidelined by the realities of life in a broken world? Kimberly Phinney had a vision for her future as a writer with big hopes, dreams, and ideas she wanted to share with the world. Even as a child she had a sense that this would be her path. When her health took a turn for the worse, it seemed all of her dreams might be lost. In this episode, you’ll learn Kimberly’s 3-step process for staying true to the dreams God has given you (her students rave about this year after year!), what God has taught her in her brokenness (and the breakthrough that awaits in such seasons), and about letting go of anything that’s going to detract from God’s vision for you.
267 || [Solo] Two Must-Have Ingredients I Want for Your God Dream || Merritt Onsa
Have you been searching for camaraderie and understanding from others as you pursue a God-shaped dream? In this solo episode you’ll learn why soaking up inspiration from everyone else’s dreams online isn’t serving you in the way you think it is, what to do instead of expecting friends and family members to “get” you and your excitement for a dream, and strategies to find time for your dream right now, even if you’re a busy mom, have a day job, or are caring for aging parents.
266 || How a Dream Surrendered Can Open Your Eyes to a New Direction || Emily Karc
How do you discern God’s will for your life and then surrender it back to Him? In this episode, Emily Karc offers practical advice for seeking God's guidance, waiting on His timing, and trusting in His plan. Through her story, she emphasizes the importance of prayer and obedience and how surrendering our dreams to God can lead to a shift in our dreams that far exceeds what we could or would envision on our own.
265 || How God Answered One Woman’s Prayer to Use Her Creative Gifts || Carol Willis
What if the decision you’ve been putting off could open up possibilities for your life and your dream that you haven’t even considered? In this episode, you’ll learn about how a simple (even unspoken) prayer in faith can transform your circumstances, why we can let go of the idea of ever arriving at the finish line, and how to hold tension between the demands of young children in one season of motherhood and the gift of time you’ll receive once you release them into the world.
264 || [Solo] 3 Truths to Help You Make Decisions about Your Dream || Merritt Onsa
Do you keep trying to decide about an aspect of your dream, but you just can't seem to commit? Maybe the end goal feels too far out of reach so it’s difficult to define what you should do today, or there are so many directions you could go that all the possibilities are paralyzing. If decision-making stirs up fear and worry for you, this episode will help you identify your tendency to avoid decisions and give you three gifts to help you look at decision-making in a new way.
263 || [Solo] What Can You Accomplish for Your Dream in Just Two Hours a Week? || Merritt Onsa
How can you make meaningful progress on your dream, especially when you don’t have the time? You’re always serving, giving, and caring for others and you wonder when you’ll ever find time to really “go for it” with your own dreams. In this podcast episode we discover the reasons time feels like such an enormous barrier to our dreams, what Scripture says about time and how we spend it, and how to find little windows of time so you can say “yes” to the dream God has given you.
262 || [Solo] What’s the Right Way to Start Pursuing a Big Dream? || Merritt Onsa
What’s the secret to feeling ready to pursue a dream? It is a humbling experience to be given a God-shaped dream. There is no instruction manual, which means you’re often on your own to figure it out by guessing at the steps or watching someone on social media who’s ahead of you, which is often a recipe for comparison. Neither option works very well. That’s why I’m helping you identify the barriers to feeling ready, show you where they come from, and help you make a plan to address them.
261 || What Does God Want You to Do With Your God-Shaped Dream? || Brittany Ann
How can your small first steps really make a difference? Brittany Ann began her writing and speaking career in the smallest of ways using what she already had—a bit of time while her baby slept and a computer. Instead of focusing on her lack she used what she had to start writing. Today she’s a bestselling author and founder of a popular Christian-living website for busy moms. This episode will remind you you’re not alone and teach you about trusting God with the future of your dream.
260 || [Solo] Revival Springs Up. How Do We Shape Our Lives for God's Glory? || Merritt Onsa
What is a revival? Maybe you have questions about this like I did when I saw Jennie Allen post about #AsburyRevival in her Instagram Stories. I started to pay more attention when she said she was traveling to Kentucky to witness it herself. In this episode, I’m asking you to think along with me about being part of the body of Christ and what that means for those who aren’t physically present at Asbury, where revival has already happened in your own life, and how Holy Spirit revival can and will impact how you see and go after a dream.
259 || How to Pursue a Dream When You Can't See the Full Picture || Rachel Baker
What can you do when you don’t have what it takes to follow your dream? If you lack the time, energy, or know-how to accomplish the God-shaped dream on your heart, it can feel like an unbearable weight. In this episode, Rachel Baker shares her story about battling self-doubt so she can continue pursuing her dream. You’ll learn about depending on God for all that you lack, keeping your dream surrendered to Him as He shapes and grows it, and letting Him define success in every season.