Unexpected with Hannah Love

Welcome back to Unexpected with Hannah Love!Today I'm joined by my sweet friend, Meshali Mitchell — photographer, author, and powerful voice for healing and restoration.

We're back for part two of the postpartum conversation, because let's be honest—there's a lot to unpack. In this episode, I dive even deeper into the emotional and physical shifts that come after having a baby, the things that caught me off guard, and what's helped me the most in this season.From the highs to the really tough moments, I want this to be a space where we can talk openly and honestly about postpartum—the parts we celebrate and the parts that feel heavy. If you're navigating this season or just want to better understand it, I hope this episode makes you feel seen, supported, and a little less alone.

I'm getting real about postpartum — the beautiful, messy, and often overwhelming side of new motherhood. I'll share my own experience, from the emotional rollercoaster to the physical recovery (hello, C-section life) and what it was really like navigating life as now a mom of 4!I know firsthand how isolating postpartum can feel, and my hope is that by opening up, you'll feel a little less alone and a lot more understood. We'll talk about giving yourself grace, leaning on your people, and finding the strength you didn't know you had. So, if you're in the thick of it, preparing for it, or just curious about what postpartum is really like, this one's for you. Let's have an honest conversation — because you're not alone.

Among the most defining artists in Christian music history, GRAMMY®-winning singer/songwriter, best-selling author, speaker and actress Rebecca St. James catapulted into the global spotlight following the release of her self-titled Forefront Records debut in 1994. The Australian native's modern pop sensibilities and uncompromising lyrics set a benchmark in Christian music, leading a new generation of artistry in the genre. St. James has earned multiple Dove Awards, nine #1 Christian radio singles and two GOLD®-certified recordings, and her discography includes such iconic albums as Pray, God and Transform. Author of the best-selling titles Wait For Me (Thomas Nelson) and Pure (Hachette/Faithwords), among others, she starred in the 2009 film Sarah's Choice; portrayed Mary Magdalene in the groundbreaking rock opera !Hero; and voiced ‘Hope, The Angel' in VeggieTales' best-selling The Easter Carol, in addition to other diverse roles.Following a hiatus from recording and touring—during which time she married and started a family—St. James returned to the stage in 2018 to perform with her brothers, multi-GRAMMY® and Dove Award winning duo for KING & COUNTRY. In 2022, she released Kingdom Come, her first full-length studio album in 11 years, featuring collaborations with Bethel Music's Brandon Lake and Josh Baldwin, artist Kalley Heiligenthal, and her brothers from for KING & COUNTRY. The album's lead single “Kingdom Come” peaked at #8 on Billboard's Christian Digital Song Sales chart.Most recently, St. James' family story is being brought to the big screen in the upcoming 2024 film “Unsung Hero,” distributed by Lionsgate. The faith-based feature tells the story of the Smallbone family's journey from Australia to America and particularly highlights Helen Smallbone, the family matriarch whose faith helped guide her family of nine through various struggles. The film, produced in conjunction with Kingdom Story Company and Candace Cameron Bure's Candy Rock Entertainment, is set to release on April 26, 2024. Adding to her literary accomplishments, St. James and her husband Cubbie Fink are co-authoring a new book titled “Lasting Ever,” which aims to share insights and wisdom about building a strong, lasting marriage.

Finally got the chance to sit down and answer some of the questions you left for us!

Rachel Cruze is a two-time #1 national bestselling author, financial expert, host of The Rachel Cruze Show and co-host of Smart Money Happy Hour. Since 2010, Rachel has served at Ramsey Solutions, where she teaches people how to avoid debt, budget and win with money at any stage in life. She's an energetic and thought-provoking speaker and has been speaking to audiences as large as 10,000 since the age of 15 when she began making appearances with her father, Dave Ramsey. She has appeared on Good Morning America, Today, Live With Kelly and Ryan, CNN Tonight, Fox and Friends and the Rachael Ray Show and has been featured in the Woman's Day, Success and Real Simple magazines. Rachel believes it's possible for anyone to turn around their finances, win with money, and build a life they love. Check out her new children's book called "I'm Glad When I Can Share" - https://ter.li/5vu95p

Boy, pregnancy really has a way of working muscles you don't love working. I mean that in every way… physically AND spiritually. Don't get me wrong, everything about pregnancy is miraculous…it is a gift and a privilege. BUT, it is also a lot of work. The thing about that work is most of it is unseen or unnoticed.  The first trimester is just waiting… feeling horribly sick and more tired than words can describe. Honestly, it can be a frustrating time! Nobody knows you're expecting yet. Even if they do know, it doesn't appear evident. But day in and day out, you're reminded. Your body is changing and preparing and the ONLY ONE who feels it is YOU.  Isn't that the way it is, though? Before we birth something new? There is always a process God takes us through. You'll never meet a speaker who just walked onto stage one day in front of an audience of thousands. Not without years in the trenches of preparation. You'll never meet a singer who wakes up to fame one day without putting in the years of behind the scenes work, songwriting and performing. You'll never meet a famous athlete, an incredible author, a gifted chef, an acclaimed artist, an incredible parent, or a successful business owner who just made it without going through the preparation. And the thing about all of it is, once again, the world doesn't see that part. Rather, the person living it is the one. They feel every failure, endure every “no”, defeat, or setback… and they are the ones with the choice to keep going or give up. Anyway, the real kicker, and the original connection I had never made (until our pastor pointed it out), was the REASON. The reason behind the wait. He went on to explain that during that time, culturally, Rome began conquering all. With this came the expansion of the roman kingdom and roman roads. Really, these roads were the catalyst for world-change: in communication, in transportation, in economy and culture and kingdom growth! These roads are still in existence. They were so well-constructed… and that work was done by nameless and countless people over the course of hundreds of years. No, we don't know their names. No, we don't know the amount of hours and sweat and backbreaking work that went into this preparation… but because of the efforts..because of this time of laborous preparation the whole world would be affected. Including, the new Testament church and the spread of the Gospel all over the world. The great commissioning.  When you put it in these terms, its kind of mind blowing. God orchestrated it in such a way that one man would conquer a vast portion of the known world, and that man would construct and orchestrate one of the most world-changing infrastructures ever known. Now, I'm certain Alexander the Great wasn't doing this to spread the gospel. BUT, God did know. Just as He knew he could use man to bring out His divine plan: part of which was to prepare the way for the coming One. The Messiah. The man who changed the history of the world beyond it… And THAT is where the new testament begins. 400 years later.  Yes, its easy for me to say as a heavily pregnant woman. The womb is the sacred space for waiting. In darkness. Protected. Alive and growing. And trust me when I say, its hard, too. Hard not to know what the future will hold. The details feel blurred. How will delivery go? Who will this child be and what, even, will they look like. There is expectation but also the unknown. But can I tell you this? Nothing is unknown to God. He knows the promise at the other end. He knows the purpose in the wait, even if we cant see it yet. This instant gratification world we live in makes it even harder, I suspect, to wait with patience. 

Hi friends! I've been wanting to make this episode for quite some time now. Today, I'm going to be reading you a book, a children's book. It is written by Max Lucado, who's a pastor, author, and speaker.  I highly suggest getting this one if you have little ones and are looking for a sweet book.  You Are Special by Max Lucado

We are back with part 2! Karen Kingsbury, #1 New York Times bestselling novelist, is America's favorite inspirational storyteller, with more than twenty-five million copies of her award-winning books in print. Her last dozen titles have topped bestseller lists and many of her novels are under development as major motion pictures. Karen recently opened her own film company called Karen Kingsbury Productions. The company's first theatrical movie, Someone Like You, is considered one of the most anticipated movies of the year. For more information visit SomeoneLikeYou.movie. Also, the first three seasons of Karen's Baxter Family books are now an original series called The Baxters on Prime Video. Karen and her husband, Donald, live in Tennessee near their children and grandchildren.

Karen Kingsbury, #1 New York Times bestselling novelist, is America's favorite inspirational storyteller, with more than twenty-five million copies of her award-winning books in print. Her last dozen titles have topped bestseller lists and many of her novels are under development as major motion pictures. Karen recently opened her own film company called Karen Kingsbury Productions. The company's first theatrical movie, Someone Like You, is considered one of the most anticipated movies of the year. For more information visit SomeoneLikeYou.movie. Also, the first three seasons of Karen's Baxter Family books are now an original series called The Baxters on Prime Video. Karen and her husband, Donald, live in Tennessee near their children and grandchildren.

Kate Battistelli is a speaker, author, podcaster, and former actress in the Broadway Theatre world. She loves equipping women to walk into their destinies and take their own personal God Dares. A natural encourager to believe that God has a divine purpose for everyone…planned before the foundation of the world. Check out her amazing podcast Mom To Mom!

We got SO many messages from so many listeners about talking about Halloween! So I sat down with one of my favorites Erica Bankston to share what the Bible says and how we personally feel about celebrating Halloween.

Sissy is the Executive Director of Daystar Counseling Ministries in Nashville, Tennessee, where she works alongside her puppy counseling assistant-in-training, Patches the Havanese. Since 1993, she has been helping girls and their parents find confidence in who they are and hope in who God is making them to be. Sissy is a sought-after speaker for parenting events across the country and is a frequent guest on media outlets including CNN, Good Morning America, Inside Edition, NBC Nightly News, and Christianity Today. She is the bestselling author of 13 books including her latest, The Worry-Free Parent: Finding the Confidence You Need So Your Kids Can, Too. She is the co-host of the Raising Boys and Girls podcast. Follow Sissy on Instagram @raisingboysandgirls and @sissygoff.

We are back with all the stories

So excited to sit down with my sweet friend Kristen Young today!

Amber Smith is a Christ follower, wife and mama, podcaster and now author. She married her husband, Granger (country music artist) in 2010 and now live on a little farm with lots of animals in central Texas with their kiddos, London, Lincoln and Maverick. Their lives were forever changed when their youngest son River went to be with Jesus in June of 2019. Amber started Arise with Amber to share their journey through grief and how Jesus saved their lives. Amber's  passion since their loss has been to bring good from the pain, to find meaning and purpose instead of reasons and to share the hope they have in Jesus to a lost, hurting and broken world. Amber and Granger started the River Kelly Fund in honor of their son and since its inception, they have given back over half a million dollars to other non-profit organizations and those in need. Amber's message is to tell you that grief and joy can co-exist. 

Today, we are talking about a topic that a lot of people may consider controversial, but if you are a Christian, I don't believe this should be something that is controversial. Our prayer today is that anyone who hears this receives in love what we are saying today because our utmost wish is that we can speak God's truth in love. There is no condemnation; that is not our place here. There is love, and there is grace, and there is redemption for all, no matter where you are in your story, no matter what you've done in your past. God loves you, and it's all covered by the blood and his forgiveness. So just know going into this conversation, if this is something that been a part of your history or your past, we love you and are not condemning you. What we want to do today is bring God's heart into a topic that is just, so prevalent.

Laney Crowder is a mother, wife, speaker, coffee lover, and bible study leader. While attending a Women's Conference in 2017, God gave Laney a vision that would change her life. It was a vision of a woman standing in a wheatfield praising God. Since wheat is symbolic of abundance, in response to her vision, Laney wrote a bible study based around living the abundant life that God has promised no matter what season of life you are experiencing.  After leading women's bible study groups throughout Nashville, TN, in 2020 she launched Life In the Wheatfield, an online community to encourage women along in their daily journey of seeing God's abundance.  In 2022, after 15 years in Nashville, Laney and her family relocated to Lake Oconee Georgia to be closer to family. In addition to running Life in the Wheatfield online, she holds Women's retreats centered on encouraging women to fully pursue the abundant life promised in John 10:10.

If you're a mom, or really, if you've ever been around small children for a given amount of time, you have probably come across this phenomenon. Speaking from experience, I can tell ya, I can only take so many calls for “Mom!” Or “Mama!” before my eye starts to twitch.. You know the insistent calling I'm talking about where they call for you and you respond with a calm “yes, baby?”, to which…they say it again. Another reply of “yes, honey?”. Annnnnd again, “Mama!”. At this point the response becomes a polite but annoyed, “Yes…?”. And this can go on indefinitely. Honestly after 3 rounds I usually lose my cool and raise my voice with an impatient, “Baby, Mommy has answered you three times already! What do you need?!”.  I hate to admit it, but lets be honest, most of us have lived this. It can be SO frustrating when our kiddos are literally begging for our attention and we give it to them only to find they aren't even paying attention!  Leave it to me to see such parallels in the Bible. After all, God gave us lessons for ALL of life if we look in His word.. So, what is today's lesson, you may ask? Well, it's this: Sometimes we beg God for something without ever actually giving Him our attention! Just like the kids calling your name over and over… needing something from you while simultaneously being so wrapped up in their own things that they aren't giving you their own attention in return! Allow me to read the brief excerpt from the Bible that teaches this valuable lesson. Acts 3:1-10 TPT This account is so short and sweet. I actually love this translation of the story because of the wording. The two things that jumped out to me were this: the man begged them for something…and then, OUT OF EXPECTATION, he GAVE THEM HIS ATTENTION. Why is this important, you may ask? I feel like this crippled man is modeling to us an important aspect of prayer life. It is not enough to simply ask God for something. And I'm sure we are all guilty of it from time to time. Life is busy. We have needs. We quickly toss up an ask to our Heavenly Father and resume life. Consumed with the goings on. So wrapped up in our lives and circumstances, we aren't actually living in expectation that God will answer! Nor are we giving him our due attention!  If you think of it like that, its a wonder God ever answers us at all! BUT. He is a good Father. And just like good parent when asked over and over…perhaps even in an impolite fashion, and without due attention… we answer. We still meet the need. Thank Goodness for the love of a Father for His children.  Today is in no way an admonishment. It is, however, a challenge to reflect how you are approaching our Father in prayer. Are we giving Him our attention? Are we even coming to Him in expectation?! This passage in Acts shows us a man who did. He begged. But he did so with expectation and furthermore, with his full attention. He didn't call over the disciples shoulder to the next passers-by. He didn't avert his gaze back to his lifeless legs and wonder about who was going to carry him home that day. He gave his attention. And I believe that is a lesson we could all use. God just wants our attention. He loves us beyond measure… Maybe today, we could all use the reminder to give God our time and attention. Give Him our expectation as we come to Him undistracted by life. Even if just for a few precious minutes. I think we owe Him at least as much..  Today, I pray each of you listening are able to consecrate some time in the day..setting it aside, just for Him. Leaving life and all of its crippling demands at the door. Drop them. Walk, instead, into His waiting embrace. He longs to answer you, sweet friends. Call out to Him in expectation and give Him your attention today… 

As older generations are graduating on to heaven, I find myself wondering if there are things they knew that we don't! Things that may have been common knowledge to them but lost to those who are newer to the faith or simply belong to a younger generation.  As I've been working through some material by one of my favorite teachers, (Billye Brim), I realized she was covering this very thing. Her research was taking her back to the ‘old-timers' and their firsthand testimonies in waging warfare against the enemy. While Billie ultimately began a deep dive studying the glory of God, she began to uncover, instead, revelation on something she hadn't been looking for. It really all revolved around the verse I shared two episodes ago: Revelation 12:11.. This is the point I want to pick back up today. Remember, I covered the part about how powerful our testimonies are… and moreso the testimony of Jesus, and what He did for us all! Well theres ANOTHER part that's an even more powerful weapon we can wield in the face of the evil one. Not only could we wield it but we SHOULD. This is the blood of the Lamb. We know that Jesus was the lamb slain and that it's His blood referred to in Revelation. We also know there are types and forerunners of this all throughout the Bible. In old testament times, were the old laws. The temple sacrifices were pure, blemish free animals. The tithes were the first fruits of all that was produced. Each of these things points to Jesus.  The old testament also points to the use of the sacrificial blood to atone for sin and to protect against the evil one. For example, the blood on the doorposts of the Israelites in Egypt. The blood was a sign for the angel of death to pass over these homes and spare them the death that was coming.  Funny enough, I also just happened to cover the story of Rahab in the old testament. In this story, there is a crimson rope dangling from her window that signifies where her home is and all who should be spared from death as Jerico was laid siege. This is yet another foreshadowing of the blood!  The new testament marks the changing of an era. While Jesus was a Jew and practiced under Jewish law, His death altered the requirements for salvation. Indeed, His death and resurrection rendered the old testament laws to be unnecessary for salvation. His sacrifice brought victory over death and the grave. His blood became the atonement for all of humanity's sins. This is the very blood mentioned in Revelation. The enemy was overcome by it. Since that is the case, we are ALSO able to overcome the enemy by pleading that very blood over us! As we have covered in past episodes, we know that we, as Christ followers, are co-heirs with Him. Meaning we can wield His name and His blood against the enemy.  Now listen, I know at this point you may think I'm talking crazy but bear with me here… have you ever heard anyone pray something “In the name of Jesus”? Well… it's because we have no authority outside of Jesus. The Bible tells us in John 14:12-14 Just as we are able to operate in His name, we are also able to apply His blood over our lives, our loved ones, and even our property. How, you may ask? Well, let me go back to by material here and share some amazing testimonies! (And by the way, I highly recommend that you each go out and buy a copy of this book for more encouragement and insight into this topic…its SO good!) The name of the book is The Blood And The Glory by Billye Brim. I found mine on amazon and no, this is not an ad haha! I was genuinely so excited to get such solid material that I had to pass on a few of these passages she includes in her book. They are faith boosters. And again, I feel deeply that if we do not start sharing these insights from the older generations, we run the risk of losing them. With that being said, here is an excerpt and testimony from Dr. Brim's book, The Blood And The Glory.

Demi is a founder of The Tebow Group, a talent management firm, family office, and creative agency. As an author, speaker, entrepreneur, and advocate Demi-Leigh Tebow utilizes her platforms as Miss South Africa and Miss Universe to educate and inspire on a global scale. While traveling the world and representing South Africa on an international stage, she witnessed the universal need for every individual to be heard, loved, and valued.  Always a community-minded leader, Tebow aims to leverage her platform to fight for those who cannot fight for themselves. After surviving an attempted carjacking, she founded the #Unbreakable Campaign to educate and empower women by equipping them with the skills and knowledge to be able to handle dangerous situations. Tebow shares her passion for living a values-driven life, her purpose inspired by her faith in God, and her insights about making an impact in sought-after keynotes and conversations. Demi-Leigh lends her philanthropic vision to the Tim Tebow Foundation, raising awareness for the fight against human trafficking and supporting children with profound medical needs, among other impactful mission work. She is also an entrepreneur creating and representing products in the beauty, lifestyle, and wellness industry. This year, Demi will release her debut book, A Crown That Lasts: You Are Not Your Label, coming August 13 via W Publishing Group. The book dives into her loss of identity after she gave back her Miss Universe Crown, and illustrates how the purpose of our lives is to love and serve others, finding the encouragement to focus not just on our own aspirations, but on our greater purpose and leaving behind a footprint of significance, not just success. demitebow.comhttps://a.co/d/iezqvZ4 Follow Demi on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/demitebow/?hl=en

Lately, I have been studying up on the greatest weapons we have against the kingdom of darkness. The more I study and the more material I cover.. I am convinced that this is becoming a lost revelation to the body of Christ. My heart is, of course, to shout it from the rooftops, so we may all be better equipped in the good fight. The two points I want to cover, are simple but absolutely lethal against the enemy. You may have heard them before in song form, or even read the words yourself..but let me share a little bit today about why we, as Christ followers, should be wielding these things every. Single. Day. I am talking about Revelations 12:11 : They conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; for they did not love their lives to the point of death.  Satan cannot overcome those two things. He cannot overcome the blood of the Lamb… Christ's blood already shed for us, redeeming us from sin, and ushering us into the inheritance of victory. It has already happened. We have only to wield it! And secondly, Satan cannot overcome the word of our testimony. Satan cannot take the testimony of what God has done for us and in our lives. He cannot kill, steal, or destroy the testimony of the Word of God. Of the countless lives recorded in the Bible. Of the countless lives around the world and through the ages that have been transformed by surrendered hearts to Jesus.  Yes, there will be skeptics and doubters; but the fact remains that the healing was done and the testimony lives to bear witness to Who Christ is and what He has done for us. THIS is why it is so powerful. The word of your testimony bears witness to who God is!!! And… this is also why it will always be fought so hard by satan.  Just as Nehemiah was sent back to the broken and desolate city of Jerusalem. A place of pain from loss and grief of what had once been. Yet, he was sent back to rebuild in this place. And attack after attack came from the enemy as he obeyed the call to his assignment. God not only saw him through it but equipped him to complete the task in record time in the face of the enemy.  Just as (in John 12: 9-10) the chief priests plotted to kill Lazarus because his TESTIMONY of being raised from the dead was threatening to their religious system. The enemy will always try to kill and steal and destroy. He'll try to kill your testimony, steal your ministry, and destroy your calling to bring Glory to God. And just like in John 9, when Jesus healed the man who was blind from birth… the enemy came in that very day throwing doubt, and fear, and intimidation at the healed man and his family. They spewed hate towards their testimony! Our testimonies in this world are so much more powerful than you could imagine. Not only does it defeat the power of satan, but it also feeds faith and breeds belief! Belief that what has been done for one of God's children can absolutely be done for another! God's work in our lives has a way of superseding fear. It erases the fear of man's opinion…because we know how much greater is the power of our God! So today, sweet friends, let this be your encouragement. God has given us the greatest weapons of all. We have every right to wield them and should! Every  single person listening today has a testimony. Big or small. Be bold as you proclaim what God has done in your life! The kingdom of darkness would tremble in fear if all of God's children began to raise their voices… proclaiming the word of their testimony. There will undoubtedly be attack..but we know the victory is already won. Let satan rage as we all share our stories. Let him wail as we conquer by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimonies… I love you all. Praying today that this stirs seeds of courage. May you use your voice for all to hear… 

Happy Monday friends! Happy to have my favorite person back for another episode!

I know I'm guilty of saying this in episodes past, but I think it's worth saying again: we are all just one decision away from changing generations. To the woman with an unplanned pregnancy… you're one choice away from changing the history of your life and legacy. Generations will be affected by what you choose. To the one unable to take the step and leave the job and pursue what God has been calling you to. You're one decision away from a different life and a different future. To the one being called to homeschool your children… or the one being called to move to a new place. To the one facing the choice of a secure job or blazing a new trail. The outcome will likely outlive you. Whether that be because you lived your life within the box or because you stepped out and built something bigger than you. Choices. They can be hard and heavy and overwhelming. But I'm here to tell you.. its those choices, one by one, that stack up and turn into a life and a legacy. Oftentimes, or really, every time, these choices, should be fueled by faith. In a world that revolves around security and success, faith often feels like a luxury we can't afford to count on. But what if…just what if it cost us much more dearly not to choose based on faith. Faith for what God has put in you. Faith for where He is calling you. Faith for how He will accompany and equip you. Faith to see His purposes for your life…better than anything you could ask or imagine for yourself? It's hard to wrap our minds around today.. but the watered down version is this: Rahab was a prostitute. One can only imagine what brought her to this point. History would imply that, as was common in that culture, she could have been sold or forced into this life. We will never know.. but what we do know is this woman loved her family. She thought enough of her parents and siblings to want them saved along with her. She was bold in her ask. But I actually smile thinking her boldness matched her faith. I've often wondered if Rahab had endured a life of loneliness and scorn by many. A life that could have held shame and abuse. No matter what her circumstances were, though, she allowed herself to make a choice.. not based on how she saw HERSELF, but rather, on how she saw God. The God of the Israelites. Her faith enabled her to step outside of herself and save not only her own life, but that of her family. And do you want to know the real WOW here? Rahab is listed in the genealogy of king David and eventually…Jesus himself. Think of it. This woman of ill repute was a foreigner. But in FAITH, she was rescued. Redeemed. Brought into the people of God, and included in the greatest legacy of all. That of our ultimate savior. What a testimony. One that shows us how one choice can change generations. It is the story of rescue, mercy, redemption, and grace. God's purposes are greater than we could ever ask or imagine… if only we have Faith to follow where He calls. Today, my prayer is that this story is the reminder and encouragement you need this week. My prayer is that your choices are made in faith. Not a faith on anything you've done or anything you're capable of, but rather, your choices are made in faith of who God is. And what He is able to work in and through you with an obedient heart, and the courage to follow where He leads.. I love you all. May your week be full of faith-filled choices and God's goodness.

We thought it would be interesting to ask AI some questions to answer for you. The question Erica plugged into ChatGBT was “Common questions Christian women have in today's culture.” I had no idea what to expect but I was honestly shocked and so excited to see the questions it pulled together. There were some hard-hitting questions in this episode, and we'd love to hear your thoughts and opinions. Here are the questions we tackled. “How do Christian women navigate the tension between traditional gender roles and modern expectations in today's society.” “How can Christian woman reconcile their faith with societal pressures related to body image, beauty standards, and self-worth.” “What advice do you have for Christian women who struggle with balancing career aspirations and family responsibilities.” “How can Christian woman find and cultivate a supportive community of like-minded sisters in Christ for encouragement and accountability.”

We are back!!!

Back this week with part two of last week's episode!! I've loved being able to sit down with Erica more and share the conversation with you guys.

We are back!!! In today's episode, we cover a lot of ground... so much that we've had to split this episode into 2 parts!!

Hi friends! I am back and sitting down today with one of your favorite guests we've had on the pod, my sis Erica Bankston! You know when we're together we dive into all the hot, touchy topics - so here we go. Today we are talking about the darkness, specifically the supernatural world and how it invades our everyday life without even really knowing it…. until you look for it. 

Taking it back to the old testament, lets grab our popcorn and settle in. I'll drop a little background info to set the scene. After the great exodus from Egypt and all of the miracles throughout the life of Moses, there begins another era. This is the era of Joshua.  After Moses' death, Joshua stepped in as the new leader. Not just a leader but a warrior-leader whose role was to press in and fight for the inheritance God promised His people. This inheritance was the promised land. But here's the thing about God's promises. They come with action. See, God promised to give them the land but that didn't mean that their enemies were just going to pack up and hand it over to them. No. The blessing of a promise comes only through obedience. And obedience means action. They had to fight.  Gosh, there are so many lessons we could touch on in the story of Gideon. But one of my favorites is the fact that God calls him while he's hiding from His enemies. Isn't that so like God? To call us out of hiding. To see us in the dark. To call us into the light. To call us to fight.. To remind us of the promises and the inheritance. To remind us of our commissioning to obey so He can fulfill His word and bless His people?  The story is also a great reminder that God is patient with us.. There's a wonderful quote by Tony Evans: “You can ask God a question, but you should not question Him.” Y'all… that can preach! See, God knows we are human. He knows our minds, our hearts, our thoughts.. He knows our weaknesses. I also believe it is part of His nature to want to establish that personal relationship and build on trust. As a father to a child. I can personally share that when God has asked me to do something and I'm hesitant to receive it… I'll start asking Him to confirm it's Him. And time and time again…He does! In ways only I would notice or ways that would only be important or meaningful to ME, He does it. God knows how to talk to His kids!  But, there's a next step. It's that obedience bit. Gideon asked God not once but TWICE to confirm what He as asking him to do… and He did it. So, Gideon's response then HAD to be to obey. Once again… He had obeyed God in destroying the idols of his father's house. Now, God was asking him to take a bigger step.  There's a line I read while researching on this topic that says it like this, “He will not rebuke us for having questions, but when He answered our prayers, we must demonstrate faith to believe what He says.” See, God is always faithful on His end. It is up to us to have eyes to see and ears to hear and hearts that recognize Him. Then.. it is up to us to follow through. To obey.  Today, I want to leave you with this reminder. God calls and uses and equips who He will. When there is humility, sacrifice, and obedience. Victory lies behind every ‘yes' in obedience to God's calling. We may not see it in the physical, but God has already gone before us today and for the remainder of our days. He knows. And He's calling. May we all have the courage to answer with a yes. With clean hands, pure hearts, and a desire to be used for His glory!

I just wanted to pop on today because I feel like something that can be so comforting in this world is that God knows the desires of our hearts. And that could be scary because sometimes we don't even know the desires of our hearts, but let me just tell you the secret to tapping into what those desires are and what the future looks like when we pray this prayer.  So years ago I started praying this prayer, God, I want your will for my life. I just want, I want what you want. Whatever that is. I didn't know, the desire of my own heart. I didn't know my dreams. I didn't know what was deep-seated in me. I'd had hints and clues through the years, but no sure direction. And I knew that the Bible made these promises and I know that the bible referred to the desires of our hearts and that God would meet those. And, I used to struggle because I thought to myself, what even are the desires in my own heart? I don't even know if that is. But in Psalms 37, this is the encouragement given.  I knew that was a promise. I KNEW that it was in the Bible, but I didn't know what the desires of my heart were until God revealed them to me. And the way that He reveals the desires of your own heart is to pray that prayer, God, Your will for my life. It says here, it says, Fix your heart on the promises of God and you will be secure. Make God the utmost delight and pleasure of your life. See guys, when your eyes, when your gaze is fixed up, when asking for God to guide and direct and lead your steps, there is no failing.  There is security there. He created you. He formed you before the creations of the world.  Even before we were born, God planned in advance our destiny and the good works we would do to fulfill it. So we, are preordained for a plan that God wrote. Before we we're born He knew us. He formed us He shaped us He chose the family we would be born into. He chose the time and country we were born in. He knew it all, and he had a plan. So when you submit and surrender, you ask God to lead and direct you, to guide your steps, to align your heart's will with his own.  When your heart longs for the will of God be done, it will be so. And let me tell you the neat thing about asking God to align your heart with his own will. See when you do that he will answer prayers for you that you've prayed.  In the past he doesn't forget anything that we've asked and even if we didn't have the words, even we didn' t know what we were asking for, he knows the heart motive behind it. He knows that thing that we have longed for even, if can't put it into words for ourselves. 

Jessi Green is a passionate revivalist and preaches the Gospel with power, shaking religious systems, casting out demons, and equipping the Saints to be full of fire and making disciples of Jesus. Alongside her husband Parker Green, they lead Saturate Global, a grassroots revival movement baptizing thousands and awakening the nations to the resurrection power in Jesus! She believes that everyone is qualified to share the Good News and challenges status quo Christianity in her most recent book "Wildfires".

I was chatting with my friend Alex the other day and felt like we had to continue this conversation on the podcast to share with you guys! If you are single, newly dating or seeing some "flags" (red or green) - you're going to want to tune into this one!

I feel like culture today fixates on the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. Its the thing that makes a headline a headline. Something tragic. Or something feel-good. Rarely, are we given the whole of it. It's polarizing, really, when you don't see the whole picture. It's a trap that grabs attention and brands our thoughts with a narrative; good or bad.  I would even hazard to say it's not much different from the versions of Jesus the world proclaims. Over the last few months I keep considering the picture of the Lion and the Lamb. Scripture is full of references to both. Jesus, of course, is both. His nature is complex, intricate, and deeper than human minds can comprehend. This is what got me thinking about the days of Jesus. Despite being depicted in countless movies and cartoons and shows.. we forget: He was an actual person in history with real stories and encounters. These are canonized forever in what we now call the Bible.  But here's the thing; the Jesus that people knew and experienced in Bible times is different than how we perceive Him today. And to be fair, those people really only had half of the story. The Jesus we so often hear about today is the gentle lamb. He is mercy and peace and grace and love. All of this is true… But this is NOT what the people of Jesus' time were expecting. It's actually fascinating to me because the people of Jesus' time were actually expecting Him to come as a conqueror. A reigning king. A roaring Lion.  At the time, there was only (what we know as) the Old Testament. In fact, the life and death of Jesus ushers in what we now call the New Testament! It was even prophesied in Jeremiah 31:31 .And this prophecy was fulfilled with the death and resurrection of Jesus. The New Testament makes it clear in Matthew 26:28. When you think of it in this way, about how the culture of that day was familiar with the prophecies it makes sense. It makes sense that they missed it. They were expecting the Lion of the tribe of Judah. Genesis 49:10 prophecied.  Right from the start, we get a picture of The Messiah who comes to reign! Later on we see in 2 Samuel 7:12-13. I feel like today's culture has it totally flip flopped. Today's culture (and I hate to say it but sometimes even the Church) prefers to talk about the Lamb version of Christ. It's true. It's part of his character and nature. But guys, there's a whole other piece. It's the part the Jews were looking for thousands of years ago. And indeed, when Jesus returns, it will be as the Lion of the tribe of Judah. He will come with eyes of fire and feet of bronze. He will come with a double edge sword meant to CORRECT us as well as bless us. The fact is, Jesus the Messiah will return for His bride. He will return to cleanse the earth and make it new. He will return to reign. He won't be returning to affirm how we feel about truth and morality. Those things have already been defined. He will be returning to establish His kingdom in the manner God always intended. It will be restored, redeemed, and made perfect.  Jesus is coming back as the Lion. He already came as the Lamb. His life and death met every promise and will meet the ones left unfulfilled upon His return.  Don't make the mistake of thinking He loves us and tolerates all that we feel like doing. Sin separates us from God. And Jesus will return to destroy that which separates us from our Father. Don't live in fear of this but instead, understand we serve a God who loves us enough to correct and rebuke. One who loves us enough to convict and purify the things in us that keep us from deeper intimacy. Let's not be like the people of Biblical times who Missed it. Let's see God for who He is in the whole picture. Lion and Lamb. Sacrifice and Savior. Servant King who laid it down for us to return again, and restore what Satan stole. Rejoice as we continue ahead, knowing the battle is won, and we have only to be ready for His return.. 

Over the last year or so, I have noticed more and more the ease with which we roll into cultural “norms”. With that in mind, there are a few topics I thought it could be interesting to dip into. After all, as Christians, we should be be looking at culture with a Biblical world view. That's not to say we should be judgy. I simply assert that we SHOULD be applying Biblical principles and a Biblical mindset to the culture we are so deeply entrenched in. So. Here we are opening up this conversation with a bang. I'm back with my incredible friend and sister-in-law to discuss…. Yoga. After pulling out some research and sharing some amazing testimonies, we are excited to share what we found about the origins of yoga. Our goal today is to shed light and provide some context around our own convictions! We hope to share a Biblical perspective for what is easily considered a cultural norm. Join us today as we dive in to yoga and even a few other bonus topics (free of charge, ha)!

There are a million things I would go back and tell my younger self. But here is one I wish I had an understanding of WAY sooner than I did. Standards and expectations are two very different things. Expectations in a relationship may mean compromise, in order to grow together as a couple. Standards, on the other hand, are fundamental and unchanging. Your standards are your core beliefs. They align with who you are, (and hopefully who God says you are). They align with what you want for your life, and what you are unwilling to settle for. Never adjust your standards because a man is unable or unwilling to meet them. Expectations are negotiable. Standards aren't. Once you are able to make the distinction between the two, then you will be setting yourself up for a happier and healthier life. As I got to thinking about this encouragement, I decided to take it a step further and delve into the Biblical principle behind it. After all, God gave us standards for a reason. And THEN I got to thinking about how people in the Bible were also full of expectations! It's the whole reason I even have this podcast… God loves to work outside of our expectations. Working in the unexpected. Working according to HIS standards, not our expectations of Him or how we think He should operate. Standard: An approved model. serving as a basis of weight, measure, value, comparison, or judgment. of recognized excellence or established authority: Expectation: The act of anticipating something I'm afraid however, that culture today has pushed this idea of holding high expectations rather than high standards. The wording is close but its a few degrees off and I personally feel like can be slippery slope to use the two terms interchangably.. see, I believe expectations really boil down to putting self desires over a true standard. Of course, we don't want to view it that way, but at the root of it… thats pretty much it. Here's the truth: God's word IS the standard by which we ought to live! Maybe that sounds presumptuous but let me explain why this is the only infallible practice. This quote sums it up beautifully: “the standard of right and wrong can only come from one who is perfect — our creator, the almighty God” (bible tools.org) SO if our personal standards are aligned with God, with who He is, what He says about us, what He wants for His children, there can be no error in holding on to them. They are perfect. I also think it's no coincidence that John chapter 1 begins the story of creation with this: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. See, this was Jesus. He was the Word made flesh. He is the manifested Word of God in human form! He was the ultimate standard. I'm not saying its wrong to have your own opinions or desires. Not at all! God created us with imaginations, creativity, ideas, and most importantly, free-will. It is what we choose to align our will with, however that matters. Expectations are something people have. We set them, we create them… and we get mad if others don't meet that personal idea. Ask yourself if you were to write out what your standards are in a relationship, if those are the things that are core to your beliefs and what God says about you? Then ask yourself what your expectations are. I'm not saying its wrong to have them. Of course we do! We are human! But what my hope is today, is that you'll stop long enough to hold firmly to the standard God gives us as a guide to live by. That standard will protect you from mess and mistakes. Not all of them… but certainly ones God specifically identifies in His word. Expectations are negotiable and can allow space for compromise. After all, healthy relationships must do so to grow together! However, if you've looked made your list of STANDARD core values and someone is unable or unwilling to meet them… it may be time to reevaluate that relationship.

John Miles is a global keynote speaker, bestselling author, the host of the critically acclaimed and top rated podcast, "Passion Struck". John R. Miles brings to the table a distinguished 30-year career that spans across military leadership, entrepreneurship, global business and technology operations, life coaching, and strategic innovation. His leadership foundation was laid at the United States Naval Academy, marked by distinction as a Division 1 athlete, class secretary, and brigade honor staff member during a significant chapter of the academy's history. His approach embodies the rigor of his naval training, enriched with a deep understanding of business dynamics and personal growth, guiding both individuals and corporations towards unparalleled success.

I don't know about you, but as a mom, I understand that names are SO important. It's funny, too because when you start having babies and you work on your ‘names' list, you will always eliminate the ones you personally know. Like if you went to school with someone with that name or even had a bad run-in with someone with that name. It's off the table. There are other names you may like..but then you look up the meaning. (This is where I confess that I'm a huge advocate of knowing what a name means). Honestly, there have been some I've been sad about once I looked up the meaning..because the name was cute but the meaning was not so cute!  Remember how much I talk about the power of words? Life and death is in the tongue. The words we speak are either life giving or deadly. That same principle applies to a name. So, if for instance, you're wanting to name your child something and the meaning is negative… I would avoid it. Think about it, you're calling that child by name every day of their life. Essentially, prophesying over them. Hannah means ‘Grace' and my husband's name, Shay, means ‘a gift' (usually offered in homage). All good things (thankfully)!  Anyway, you may be wondering why I'm rambling on about names. Well, I do have a point. It is actually a pretty common theme in the Bible for people to be ‘renamed'. This either happens after an encounter with the Lord.. or when they are put on assignment. So anytime someone is given a new name in the Bible, just know that it is indicative of a major life change. Sometimes, it feels like thats even what it would take in our own lives. A major change. A fresh start. An encounter or an assignment. Today, I want to share the story of a man in the Bible who's life was radically transformed. He was made new. Redeemed. Forgiven. Renamed. And set on assignment. This man's name was Saul. I'll begin reading in Acts 9: 1-22 Another translation says He will cast our sins into the sea of forgetfulness. Meaning, once we ask for forgiveness, God will throw away our sin and never remember them again. Don't make the mistake of thinking God holds your past over your head. You are a new man. And you are called on assignment, friends.  Just remember Paul. He went from hunting down Christ followers and murdering them, to becoming one of them. And leading countless into God's kingdom for the remainder of his new life.  And today, I just wanted to end with this last quote from someone unknown: “The apostle Paul entered heaven to the cheers of those he martyred because thats how the gospel works.” How powerful is that? THAT is the redemptive picture of the gospel. May this be a reminder to ask God for a new name. A new assignment. And chase it with the boldness of one who has a clean slate. For the kingdom. I love y'all.. I hope this has been the reminder you needed today and that your week is beautiful.

It's safe to say we have all experienced the hills and valleys of life. Some hills are higher than others just like some valleys are deeper. One of those deep places, for me, was over ten years ago. I'll set the scene a bit… In January of 2013, I won the title of Miss Arkansa USA. While the accomplishment itself was a high point, it was mixed with a complicated backdrop. For months leading up to the competition, I had been trying to extricate myself from a years-long abusive relationship. Once I won the title, the grip there only got tighter. I worked hard to disentangle from it though, eventually able to give my full focus to my new job for the year.  So fast forward towards the end of my year as Miss Arkansas. I actually ended up dating a really fun, really good guy. After years in a controlling, toxic relationship, it was a BREATH of fresh air. I went from feeling like I lived under someones thumb to finally feeling like I was in a ‘normal' happy relationship. Like the kind all my other girlfriends were in! As you can imagine, I was heartbroken when he decided to break it off. Now, mind you, I was also really thankful for his honesty. Like I said, he was a good guy and he did the right thing. In fact, the whole time we were dating, my only prayer had been “I want YOUR WILL GOD, and not my own.” I seriously remember walking or working out daily with that one prayer on repeat as I power walked the trails or lifted at the gym. So, when he ended it, I knew it was right. As sad as I was. I also knew I had peace because I had been asking God's will over my own. And so it had to be. To this day, I still think of this as one of my loneliest valleys. Single, alone, broken, and totally dependent on God. In fact,  I would walk and pray. I would pour over a handful of promises in psalms. At this point in my life, I read the Bible but I wasn't in the Word every day except in hard moments. And that same prayer was still in the background on repeat…God, YOUR WILL. Not my own.  It was like I innately knew that the guidepost to my life had shifted because, for the first time ever… I surrendered fully my life to God's plan for me. I knew He had one. I read the Bible and went to church. But it wasn't until I had to come to the end of myself and trying my own way..that I finally surrendered it over. That prayer, “I want YOUR WILL, GOD. Not my own.” I meant it with all my heart. I began praying it after that horrible relationship. I began praying it because I knew I was the one who got myself into that mess and moving forward I genuinely wanted God to take the reins. I prayed it through the ‘happy relationship' even knowing it could end in heartbreak. And it did. But I never let that prayer go. I STILL KNEW. I STILL BELIEVED God's will for my life was better than one I could achieve on my own.  I feel like y'all probably know the rest of the story… the part where Shay and I meet. I was deeply settled into my single girl, me-and-jesus and nobody else season. I loved it. I didn't want to leave the peace of living in His will.. But, as it turns out, Shay was part of that good and perfect plan. I'm so thankful I held onto that prayer. I'm so thankful I surrendered my own will for my life in my early 20's. I'm so glad I didn't fight it. Or harden my heart. Or search for my value in another relationship. I'm SO glad in those dark days, I surrendered it all to find freedom and worth and identity in just being God's daughter. God's will was better than my own and His will is better than yours, too. God's word is true. Once you surrender it all to Him, you'll find peace. Peace beyond understanding. As Ephesians so beautifully says: “the resting place of his love will become the very source and root of your life.” And so it will. My story won't be yours. But I promise, yours will have some mountains and valley's too. And it will also hold opportunities for surrender. 

Have you ever had something reallllly painful in your past you don't like to think about? Or maybe its feelings of regret, shame, or guilt? Or maybe, its just a person or situation you'd like to forget about. But whatever it was, it was such a profound moment, you felt the only way to escape it was by running. Whether that be physically, like moving cities or states, OR simply by removing yourself from a certain place or group of people. You just… kind of ran away from it? I'll be honest, I've done both. If there's anything God has shown me in the last few years it's that I'm really good at running and disassociating. So today's topic is one that will take us back to the beginning of the Bible. In an attempt to read the Bible in chronological order this year, I have found myself back in Genesis and I've come across a story that made me think of HOW applicable it is to each of us today. This is (part of) the story of Esau and Jacob.  Here are the takeaways I get from this story: As a broken people living in a broken world, we mess up. We make mistakes. Regardless of the size and scope of the pain, we all carry something. And many of us even run. But here's the truth. God will call us back to the point of pain, fear, or shame to FACE IT. See, God loves us so much, that He will call you back to that very thing that almost broke you. He calls you back, not to hurt you, but to heal you. We must face it in order to walk fully into what God has for our future. It takes courage, discipline, and obedience. But do you know what the reward is? It is healing and freedom. We must face it to receive what is on the other side. The future God has for you. Your inheritance. Your peace. Your healing and your freedom.  Listen, I know I'm talking to someone today. I don't know how long your journey has been. Maybe you're even like Jacob, who ran for 20 years! I don't know who or what you're running from. But I do know that God is asking you to face it. He is waiting to take your hand and walk with you. Just like Jacob. And it doesn't have to be a graceful thing. It just needs to be done.  See, just like us, Jacob was human. In his story, you can see how his reaction is all over the place. First, he panics! He panics at the thought of facing his brother. And then… he prays. He literally repeats back to God what He promised him. He acknowledges that God has sent him back. He even reminds God that He promised him a future! (This was the right thing to do)! WE should do the same! But then… what does he do? He takes it back into his own hands. He starts planning what HE can do. He hedges his bets by sending herd after herd of livestock as gifts. In hopes of softening his brother's heart. As if he didn't just take the matter to God!! But.. such is our nature. This is where the final showdown happens. Jacob wrestles with God. And in the wrestling, he held on. For a blessing. He held on because he knew God was in it and if God was in it, His word was in it, too. His word for a future. When the wrestling was over, Jacob was given a new name.  Makes me think about us. About how sometimes when we face a thing. When we waffle back and forth, hedge our bets, wrestle with God…and come out the other side.. we are new. We are changed. We may walk with a limp, but we will never forget the path that brought us back. Back into the fullness and freedom God called us to all along. If that is you today, sweet friend, I pray you'll have the courage this year to face it. It's okay to feel all the things. It's okay to panic, to pray, to plan, to wrestle.. just as long as you face it. Remember, God wouldn't call you to it, if He wouldn't see you through it. Not just see you through it but see you healed and restored. Just as Jacob was returned to his home land and restored back to his promised inheritance. There's an inheritance for you. Just on the other side.

I've been wanting to sit down and do an episode about marriage and the the family unit. As someone who has looked up to this marriage, I knew that Erica was the perfect person to share her experience and heart on this. We touch on so many different topics from praying over your marriage to how society tries to tear down the beautiful thing God created. If you haven't listened to our episode from last year together about parenting, it's a must! Listen Here Conservative Parenting: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3mKeoyE9K0hBPOM0U1gKmF?si=GN5liviRTMuipzwvLWXiIg https://open.spotify.com/episode/5SRXsS6mbMDKBWVLiWXVIP?si=rDz2nTeSReu50pifYJVRIA

It's a common sentiment and an often asked question. It is also the achilles heel of a lot of people who lost faith.  Here's the short answer. Bad things happen to people, period. Good and bad people. Regardless of status, success, or background. Regardless of religion and despite it. Sickness doesn't discriminate just like this sinful world doesn't discriminate. The truth of the matter is, we live in a very broken world.  What once was a perfect garden, a veritable heaven on earth… was lost to humankind when Adam and Eve disobeyed God. Adam affectively handed over his rights to darkness. God gave him the opportunity to steward a perfect world. He was actually given dominion over the works of God's hands. But, because of disobedience, there was a great fall. We call it the fall because man fell from this perfect world into a broken one. His dominion was handed over to the one who deceived him in the first place. Satan. There are so many takeaways here but the thing I want to point to right now is this.. God gave Adam and Eve free will. He didn't force them to do anything. He set them into a perfect place and gave them boundaries to either keep or break. See, God wants His children to come to Him because they CHOOSE to. Because they choose Him and Love Him and seek Him. It is not a forced relationship. He actually chose us before the foundations of the world. Now, it is for us to choose Him back. Every day. Over and over. By the choices we make. The world is going to hit us with brokenness. What we choose to do about it and how we choose to respond is what really matters.  Here's the other hard to hear part. Lest we forget. The world is still very broken. Satan still roams about as a lion looking to devour whom he may. He will hit you when and where he can whenever he can. He wants to steal and kill and destroy any goodness God has promised for you. He wants to steal hope, kill dreams, and destroy futures.  I know this may not be the answer so many are looking for today… But, such is the truth. God has a plan for our lives. But we have the freedom to follow Him or not. Not only that, but the enemy is still prowling around, looking to attack. The good news today is that Jesus came to redeem us from satan's dominion. He came to redeem humanity. To restore us back to the Father. So our spirits are now free from the sting of death. If we have accepted Jesus as our Messiah, His own spirit has replaced the old man. This means we have the same authority as Christ because of the price He paid. We have authority over the enemy. And one day… when He returns, He will also restore the earth. The broken place we live in now. The Bible tells us it will be made new. Until then, this is what we can do.  We can live our lives one step at a time being led by the Holy Spirit. The Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit leads us unto ALL Truth. And so… we should follow. Today, I hope you'll remember this: God is the creator of all. And like a work of art must be imagined before it is created, God knew about you before He even began forming you in your mother's womb. With careful consideration, He designed you. Not only your physical traits, but the unique touches of humor, creativity, sensitivity, intellect, and passions. He knew it all and He formed you. He also knew (and presently knows) the story arc of your life. In fact, He's laid out a dotted line map, just for you. If only you have the courage to pursue Him and his leading. If only you are able to surrender the missed turns and wreckage of a sinful world. Theres a one of a kind story waiting to be revealed. A picture of a life well lived. Your map is a testament to the freedom of choosing God. I love y'all. I hope this has been an encouragement today that while storms still arise, we aren't in them alone. And with every misstep, there is grace for hearts turned back to Him.