At some point, we've probably all wrestled with the fear that God might ask us to do something that we not only don't want to do, but that will feel hard or painful. Maybe we're afraid, if we fully yield our lives to Him, He'll ask us to quit our jobs or move overseas. Or perhaps we fear He'll ask us to give up something we find deeply fulfilling. In those seasons, one question rises to the surface: Can we really trust that God wants us to live our best lives possible, has the power to bring tha...
Apr 04, 2023•18 min
Even blessings bring change, and change can bring difficulties and uncertainty. Facing the unknown, we may find ourselves slipping toward increased anxiety and fear. In those moments, will we turn to ourselves, feed our fears and doubts with what if scenarios, or hold tight to Christ and His promises? (Scroll down for discussion/reflective questions.) Have you ever received a blessing from God that didn’t quite look like you thought it would? What happened? How did you handle the situation? How ...
Mar 28, 2023•18 min
What type of mindset makes us vulnerable to chronic stress, anxiety & depression? When you are stressed, what automatic coping mechanisms have you adopted that don’t help, but diminish your wellness? What holds you back from getting the rest that you need when you’re stressed? In this episode from Breathe: The Stress Less Podcast (another free show from LifeAudio), soul care coach Bonnie shares how to ditch mindsets that keep you stuck in anxiety, worry, and stress and what you can do to sto...
Mar 24, 2023•21 min
Have your sins and failures ever seemed greater than God's grace? Have you ever feared that you've done something to forfeit your calling? In this episode, Carol shares a story about a Christ-follower who, in fear, killed someone. But God's grace reached deep into that prison and revealed a calling greater than a murder conviction. (Scroll down for discussion/reflective questions.) Find Carol McCracken: On her website On Facebook On Instagram Find Jennifer Slattery: On her website Instagram Face...
Mar 21, 2023•17 min
Have you ever been afraid to ask God for something because you’re afraid of messing up or displeasing God? Or that if you ask, it means you’re not submitted to Him? Or even that asking Him for something may alter His plans? God wants us to develop a holy reverential fear where we are unafraid to approach Him with our deepest concerns and questions. Join us as we walk through how to apply this truth to our everyday life, as we continue to journey through the Scriptures with Abraham. (Scroll down ...
Mar 14, 2023•16 min
Have you or someone you love been waiting a long time for God to act in a difficult situation? It’s easy to fall for the lie that God needs our suggestions and help to fulfill His promises to us. But God wants us to know He is El Shaddai , God Almighty, the One who is all-sufficient to fulfill the promises He makes. (Scroll down for discussion/reflective questions) Resource mentioned: Reflections on the Names of God: 180 Devotions to Know God More Fully , by Ava Pennington Find Ava Pennington: O...
Mar 07, 2023•17 min
Many of us find it challenging to wait, especially when we're waiting for something we greatly desire or feel greatly affect our lives. But God will often use our waiting seasons to reveal cracks in our faith so that He can lead us to greater freedom and truth; so that He can lead us to increased trust and relational intimacy with Him. Our courage grows when we turn to Him, hold tight to His promises, and remind ourselves, often, of His heart for us. And when we mess up, like Abram did in Genesi...
Feb 28, 2023•17 min
During peaceful seasons, do you ever find yourself fearing something will soon go wrong and your reprieve or pleasant circumstances won’t last? Does your fear of what could go wrong keep you from remaining fully present in the moment? Thankfully, our God holds us through our doubts, speaks to our anxieties, and remains faithful to every promise He’s given us in Scripture. (Scroll down for the discussion/reflective questions.) Find Jodie Bailey: On her website On Facebook On Instagram Find Kelly ...
Feb 21, 2023•16 min
In the face of life’s uncertainties, even Christians can fall prey to fears that dangers and needs beyond our resources will leave us exposed. But God wants us to know He is El Elyon , the Most High God, greater than any physical or spiritual fears and needs we may have. (Scroll down for discussion/reflective questions) Find Ava Pennington: On her website On Facebook On Instagram Find Kelly Campbell: WhollyLoved.com Join Wholly Loved's private "Faith Over Fear" Facebook Group Join Wholly Loved's...
Feb 14, 2023•17 min
Sometimes we may make choices for ourselves, looking only at what looks right in the moment, and based on what looks enticing and attractive. We may look at what seem to be our choices and think we have identified the best thing for ourselves. In those moments, we need to remember that God knows what is best for us since He created us and can do immeasurably more than we can think or imagine in fulfilling His promises. Even if we dislike waiting, it may be the very thing God wants us to do in fa...
Feb 07, 2023•14 min
We've probably all witnessed arguments and hostility between two individuals who hold vastly different views. Perhaps you grew up in a home where this often occurred. If so, this may have impacted how you view faith and your confidence to share that faith with others. In this episode, popular biblical novelist Mesu Andrews shares how God brought her from a place where she wanted nothing to do with religion to discovering, for herself, Jesus Christ. Connect with Mesu Andrews: On her website Sign ...
Feb 07, 2023•27 min
Do you believe in miracles? Special host Kathryn Calibeo of the Sparkle Speak podcast stops by to share an exclusive preview of her podcast and one of the interview moments that left her with chills. DISCOVER MORE EPISODES OF SPARKLE SPEAK: Missionary & Former Indiana State Department of Agriculture Director Gina Sheets: https://apple.co/40ap8aJ Cancer Survivor Kim Merrefield: https://apple.co/3XSkNqT Artist Sadie Wilson: https://apple.co/3WLTpK5 Beauty Concierge & Blogger Shauna Garneau...
Feb 03, 2023•8 min
Sometimes we may look at our circumstances and try to take matters into our own hands, forgetting God’s calling on our lives or His promises for us. In those moments, we take a detour off of the path, a way that is of our own human understanding instead of in his perfect calling. In those moments, it is important for us to remember that we can never get so far away from God that we can’t come back and, although we might take our eyes off of God, He will never take His eyes off of us. (Scroll dow...
Jan 31, 2023•16 min
It’s one thing to internalize a promise from God, it’s another to make that a public proclamation. When we’re open about our faith and the promises we’re holding onto – especially in a difficult or unknown season – we’re inviting others to experience the goodness and faithfulness of God, too. While it’s not always the easiest step to take, proclaiming our faith publicly has greater impact than we might imagine. Find Kimi Miller: On her website On Facebook On Instagram Find Tami Wittrock: On her ...
Jan 24, 2023•17 min
We've all experienced rejection throughout our lives, including times when we've messed up. We may be accustomed to, and therefore have come to expect, others cutting us off or distancing themselves from us when we sin. We may even assume God will respond to us in a similar way, but this is far from what we see in Scripture. In this episode, Carol and Jennifer discuss a biblical example of a major mess up, how Abram, the man who sinned, responded, how God responded to him, and what this reveals ...
Jan 17, 2023•17 min
There are times in our life when God will ask us to leave everything we find comfortable to step into the unknown with Him. These moments are a lot like “hallway moments” where we’re not exactly sure where or when the next door will open; they are moments that might be full of doubt and hesitancy, but they are essential to our faith. They are the moments that keep us holding onto the One that knows all, even when we don’t. Find Kimi: https://kimimiller.com/ https://www.facebook.com/LivingReflect...
Jan 10, 2023•17 min
Jesus came to restore everything as it should be. To bring increased health and fulfillment to a hurting, dysfunctional, and broken world. But sometimes our first steps toward the new life Christ calls us to feel scary. What if the change He calls us to damages our current relationships and we end up alone? In this episode, Kelly Campbell and Jennifer Slattery talk about what emotions Abram may have wrestled with when God first called him from the land of his dysfunction and what we can learn fr...
Jan 03, 2023•18 min
When assigned reading in school, did you ever search out the cliff notes? If so, you might appreciate this episode, in which we captured four powerful anxiety-fighting nuggets from our most popular episodes. For those who missed those episodes the first time they dropped, consider these your show notes designed to help you quickly zero in on some actionable steps you can take to decrease your anxiety and increase your peace. For those who caught those courage-bolstering discussions the first tim...
Dec 27, 2022•25 min
We can’t force someone to love us or treat us well, but we can guard our peace and joy. In fact, to live the fruit-bearing and gospel-sharing lives that Christ created us for, we must learn when to walk beside and when to walk away. In this episode, prolific writer Gary Thomas, author of When to Walk Away: Finding Freedom from Toxic People, shares insights he learned when studying Christ’s interactions with the various people He encountered. Find Gary Thomas at: https://www.garythomas.com https:...
Dec 20, 2022•30 min
Do you find it difficult to rest, whether that involves something as simple as turning off your constantly pinging electronic devices, planning an afternoon out with friends, or engaging in a creative activity? Do all of your uncompleted tasks run through your mind the moment you step away from your desk or a particular responsibility? Sometimes it takes courage to rest. Yet, science also demonstrates, taking regular time for true, restorative rest also increases our courage by actively decreasi...
Dec 13, 2022•26 min
We all have certain reactions that arise when we feel threatened, whether that threat is real or perceived. We have an innate desire to self-protect. If we aren’t aware of these tendencies, however, we may react in ways that pushes others away and therefore reinforce or deepen our hurts and increases our defensive reactions. In this episode, mental health expert Tina Yeager helps us unpack these potentially destructive responses, what triggers them, and how we can respond to our triggers and our...
Dec 06, 2022•31 min
You may have heard someone say something to the effect of, “God will use your pain in your future ministry.” This doesn’t necessarily mean He will ask you to launch an organization or create a program within your social sphere or community, although He may. Rather, this stems from God’s promise to use you to comfort others with the same comfort He’s shown. You, whether that means listening with understanding as someone shares their hurts and struggles or walking beside someone seeking increased ...
Nov 27, 2022•36 min
Learning to be grateful in all circumstances can be challenging, but once we recognize that God is enough, gratitude begins to grow. Through simple practices of rejoicing and praying, we can battle the temptation to believe that God isn’t enough and learn to give thanks in every situation. (Have fear and anxiety-related topics you'd like us to consider covering? Message us through Jennifer or Carol's website!) **Please note, we misquoted Luke 2:22 in this episode. That verse reads: When the time...
Nov 22, 2022•19 min•Ep. 9
When battling anxiety, fear, and depression, countless people have turned to the Psalms for comfort. In them, we read raw and honest emotion, soul-deep prayers, and about a God who sees, cares, and has the power to lead us to greater freedom. While fighting cancer, guest Becky Harling learned to use praise, often guided by what she read in the psalms, to fight her fear and increase her peace. In this episode, she shared her experiences and the Bible study God prompted her to write: The Extraordi...
Nov 15, 2022•36 min•Ep. 129
When life feels challenging, uncertain, or painful, it can feel tempting to rely on ourselves—our wisdom, strength, and abilities—rather than yielding and surrendering to Christ. But this rarely, if ever, leads to increased life and peace. Often, it leads to unhealthy coping mechanisms and addictive behaviors. This was precisely what happened with Wholly Loved’s Carol McCracken. Her self-reliance led to alcoholism; she found freedom through surrender and dependence on Christ. (Scroll down to fin...
Nov 08, 2022•32 min
Our past affects our present, often in ways we’re not aware of or don’t know how to address. Patterns of dysfunction tend to trickle down from one generation to the next, causing us to hurt others in much the same way in which we were hurt. But God calls us to healing, wholeness, and freedom and has given us tools in Scripture, through our ongoing connection with the Holy Spirit, and through wise Christian counselors to replace harmful behavioral patterns and attitudes with those that are life-g...
Nov 01, 2022•29 min
Faith Over Fear Episode 126: Building a Faith that Stands P. 2 With Jennifer Slattery and Carol McCracken Jesus meant it when He promised to give us a life beyond our expectations, and He’s given us numerous tools in Scripture to help us experience the soul deep peace and freedom we crave. Although our battle against anxiety and fear is a journey that requires diligence, intentionality, and perseverance, we aren’t walking this road to freedom alone. He stays with us and will lead us to more secu...
Oct 25, 2022•29 min
When we read certain passages in Scripture telling us not to worry or to be anxious, we may assume courageous faith should come easily. We may think, if only we say the right prayer, recite a particular verse enough times, or muster up enough will power, we’ll find victory over anxiety and fear. And while God does have the power to flood our souls with supernatural peace, most often, He slowly and progressively displaces our anxiety with peace. In this episode, Jennifer Slattery shares concrete ...
Oct 18, 2022•31 min
What happens when we're headed in one direction, perhaps even one we that brings us joy, and God redirects us? In those moments, we might find ourselves wrestling with conflicting and uncomfortable emotions. We may even feel as if we've lost our identity. But what if that redirect that feels so unsetting or painful now is actually a major step toward your most fulfilling tomorrow? In this episode, former basket ball player turned podcaster, ministry leader, speaker and justice advocate Josh Dotz...
Oct 11, 2022•30 min
If you enjoy listening to Faith Over Fear, we've got another great show that you'll want to add to your playlist. Let us introduce you to How to Study the Bible with Nicole Unice! In this podcast, pastor and Bible teacher Nicole Unice brings life back to reading the Bible by walking listeners through her Alive Method of Bible study, helping us personally encounter God through his Word by giving us a practical, clear road map for understanding, interpreting and applying Scripture to our lives. To...
Oct 06, 2022•14 min
