This week on Real Talk with Rachael , I’m sharing a quick, honest episode about something I’ve been wrestling with - what do you do when God doesn’t seem to be speaking? I’ve been questioning the future of the podcast and feeling that silence - maybe you can relate. Is there an area where God feels distant right now? I’m encouraging you to think back to the last thing He asked us to do, even if it felt small or insignificant. Did you follow through? Maybe He’s still speaking in ways we didn’t ex...
May 14, 2025•19 min
In the #1 spot on Real Talk with Rachael's top 10 countdown, Dana K. White from A Slob Comes Clean kicked off the first episode of 2019 with practical and hilarious wisdom on decluttering. As an author, podcaster, and self-proclaimed "hopelessly messy" person turned decluttering expert, Dana shares her journey of tackling her own home and helping others do the same. She offers realistic tips on managing clutter, from her container concept to simple laundry strategies, and explains how clutter st...
Apr 30, 2025•48 min
In the #2 spot on Real Talk with Rachael's top 10 countdown, I celebrate my parents’ 50th wedding anniversary with my four older siblings. Together, we reflect on the powerful lessons we’ve learned from our mom and dad—one from each kid. From the importance of building a foundation of faith to the power of unconditional love, we share heartfelt (and often humorous) memories of growing up in a family of seven. With plenty of sibling banter, including tales of family vacations, this episode is a s...
Apr 23, 2025•45 min
In the #3 spot on Real Talk with Rachael's top 10 countdown, Sandy Jobe shares heartfelt wisdom on marriage, family, and the power of prayer. As a homemaker, author, and Women’s Ministries Care Pastor, Sandy encourages us to embrace gratitude in every season and bring everything —even the little things—to God in prayer. She reminds us that healthy marriages require both partners doing their part, while trusting God to work on the other. Sandy also highlights the importance of vulnerability in co...
Apr 16, 2025•54 min
In the #4 spot on Real Talk with Rachael's top 10 countdown, author Sarah Philpott shares wisdom from her book, The Growing Season: A Year of Down-on-the-Farm Devotions . Using farming as a powerful metaphor, Sarah explains the importance of spiritual rest—just as fallow ground needs time to replenish its nutrients, we need seasons of stillness to restore our souls. She encourages pruning commitments that no longer fit your priorities, even if they’re “good” things, and reminds us that no one is...
Apr 09, 2025•34 min
In the #5 spot on Real Talk with Rachael's top 10 countdown, Heather Johnson from Revelation Wellness shares powerful insights on finding joy, walking in intimacy with God, and living with intention. She reminds us that loving others starts with being loved by the Father—when we run dry, it’s His love that refills us. Heather encourages us to slow down, sit with God, and let Him minister to us, even when it feels vulnerable. She also highlights that joy isn’t based on circumstances—it’s the atmo...
Apr 02, 2025•37 min
In the #6 spot on Real Talk with Rachael's top 10 countdown, author Lauren Chandler shares insights from her Bible study, With Us in the Wilderness: A Study of the Book of Numbers . She reminds us that God’s plan has always included women and that even the difficult passages in Scripture reveal His heart for justice and restoration. Lauren encourages us to approach the Bible with prayer and patience, trusting that God’s voice will always align with His character. She also dives into how wilderne...
Mar 26, 2025•37 min
In the #7 spot on Real Talk with Rachael's top 10 countdown, Dr. Juli Slattery joins the conversation to share wisdom on marriage, intimacy, and the power dynamics at play in relationships. As a clinical psychologist and co-founder of Authentic Intimacy , Juli helps women understand how to use their influence in marriage in a way that builds up rather than controls. She explains that men thrive when they feel believed in, supported, and encouraged rather than micromanaged. She also dives into ho...
Mar 19, 2025•41 min
In the #8 spot on Real Talk with Rachael's top 10 countdown, Rebekah Moes opens up about her personal journey through infidelity in her marriage and how God’s redemption transformed her life. As co-founder of Family of Hope and host of the unFAITHFUL podcast, Rebekah is passionate about helping couples navigate the often lonely road of marital betrayal. She shares valuable insights, including how marriage acts as a mirror—reflecting personal growth areas rather than just pointing out a spouse’s ...
Mar 12, 2025•49 min
In the #9 spot on Real Talk with Rachael's top 10 countdown, author Gary Thomas dives into the topic of his book Married Sex: A Christian Couple's Guide to Reimagining Your Love Life . Gary shares practical, faith-based insights on how married couples can cultivate a healthy, God-honoring sex life. He emphasizes that sex should be mutually pleasurable, strengthen the relationship, and glorify God—shifting the focus from using your spouse for pleasure to cherishing them through intimacy. Gary enc...
Mar 05, 2025•40 min
In the #10 spot on Real Talk with Rachael's top 10 countdown, Lee Strobel joins the conversation to talk about his documentary The Case for Heaven and the journey that inspired it. After a near-death experience, Lee—once an atheist and now a passionate Christian—set out to explore what really happens after we die. He shares fascinating insights about the afterlife, explaining that our souls live on and describing two stages: an immediate spiritual state and a final reunion with our resurrected b...
Feb 26, 2025•44 min
7 years. 378 episodes. When God gave me the name Real Talk with Rachael at The Declare Conference, I had no idea where it would go. Over the years, I’ve learned so much, but today, I’m sharing 7 lessons from 7 years of podcasting: Do not despise small beginnings. The Lord rejoices to see the work begin. (Zechariah 4:10) You will be bad at first. That’s OK. Keep going. You will want to quit. Remember why you started. (Revelation 2:3-4) If God’s anointing isn’t on it, don’t do it. (Deuteronomy 31:...
Feb 19, 2025•19 min
This week on Real Talk with Rachael I'm chatting with the hosts of FamilyLife Today , Dave and Ann Wilson. They are also cofounders of Kensington Church, a national, multi-campus church that hosts more than 14,000 attendees every weekend. Dave and Ann are authors of the book Vertical Marriage: The One Secret That Will Change Your Marriage . The Wilsons live in the Detroit area where Dave served as the Detroit Lions chaplain for 33 years. Dave and Ann have three grown sons, CJ, Austin, and Cody, ...
Feb 05, 2025•47 min
In this special episode, I dive into faith as the foundation for transformation. Together, we explore the power of shifting from fear to faith, building spiritual resilience, and taking bold steps toward the life God has called us to live. Through scriptural truths, personal reflections, and practical steps, you'll discover how to let faith move you forward and release the grip of fear and comparison. We’ll also take intentional moments to pause and process – because growth happens not just in h...
Jan 22, 2025•1 hr
Back by popular demand is our annual Process and Pray. If you’re new here, in December, we spend every Monday morning in a series where we “Process & Pray through the Year.” As a therapist, I believe in the power of pausing and reflecting so we can embrace the present and look forward to the future. Thus far, we have big praise and bold prayers. Today we are discussing our battle plan. Process & Pray: What word did God give me for the year? What battles did we walk through this year? Wha...
Dec 23, 2024•17 min
It’s December, which means it’s time for our annual Process & Pray ! This series is all about reflecting on the past year, embracing the present, and preparing for what’s ahead. This week, we’re pausing to praise God for answered prayers and seeking Him for bold, faith-filled prayers. Nothing is too big for God, and He calls us to come to Him with confidence. Process: What prayers has God answered this year? Write them down to build your faith. What am I still praying for? Don’t give up! “Je...
Dec 16, 2024•17 min
We’re kicking off our annual Process & Pray series in today's Talk Therapy episode. Every Monday in December, we’ll create space to reflect on the year, invite God into our journey, and prepare our hearts for what’s ahead. This week, we’re starting with gratitude by praising God for His goodness and who He is. As you process and pray, consider this question: “Jesus, what victories do you want to remind me of from this year?” Process: What victories or breakthroughs came this year? Celebrate ...
Dec 09, 2024•17 min
This week on Real Talk with Rachael it's the final episode of my church series where we've been engaging in healthy conversations about church and leadership all while keeping our hearts pure in the process. While I'm a licensed professional counselor, I want to be clear that I am not professionally counseling you on this podcast today. My goal is to offer some pastoral counseling by providing you with a system to follow when you're walking through something hard in life through the acronym HEAR...
Nov 13, 2024•36 min
This week on Real Talk with Rachael, I'm chatting with my friends, Jeff and Terra Mattson. Jeff and Terra are authors of Shrinking the Integrity Gap: Between What Leaders Preach and Live , hosts of the Living Wholehearted Podcast , executive coaches, social entrepreneurs, and proud parents to two girls. Together, they co-founded the counseling and organizational development firm Living Wholehearted and a grassroots movement, Courageous Girls , that helps moms walk with their daughters in every s...
Oct 30, 2024•1 hr 11 min
This week on Real Talk with Rachael, I’m speaking with Dr. Josh Zeichik. Josh is the Director of Church Engagement for Focus on The Family. With experience in youth ministry and church planting, he oversees their pastoral ministry, The Focused Pastor . He holds a DMin in Biblical Counseling from Midwestern Baptist Theology Seminary. Key Points from Our Conversation: Although media coverage of prominent church leader failures affects trust in clergy, not all pastors are leading double lives. Most...
Oct 16, 2024•51 min
This week on Real Talk with Rachael, I'm speaking with Max Lucado . Max is known for combining poetic storytelling and homespun humor with the heart of a pastor. His trade books all begin as sermon series at Oak Hills Church, and his sermons all start with Max asking himself this question: “What can I say on Sunday that will still matter on Monday?” He’s been dubbed “America’s Pastor” by Christianity Today, “The Best Preacher in America” by Reader’s Digest, and the “Ted Lasso of Pastors” by the ...
Oct 02, 2024•1 hr 3 min
This week on Real Talk with Rachael I'm having a conversation with Dr. Robert Paul. Robert Paul is Vice President of the Focus on the Family Marriage Institute. He is both a marriage therapist and an accomplished speaker who presents regularly at professional conferences and enrichment events both nationally and internationally. He has co-authored six books, including “The DNA of Relationships,” with Drs. Gary and Greg Smalley, and “9 Lies That Will Destroy Your Marriage: And the truths that wil...
May 29, 2024•1 hr 3 min
If you’ve been around the show long, you might remember that God asked me to lay down the Talk Therapy episodes at the beginning of 2024. However, as I was out for a run the day after my 40th birthday, He dropped a word about finishing with excellence so strongly on my heart that I knew I had to share it with you in this episode. How do we achieve excellence? To put it into simple words, do the right thing. Excellence is the result of caring about what we do, and of putting our very best effort ...
May 15, 2024•21 min
This week on Real Talk with Rachael I'm chatting with Stefanie and Caleb Rouse. Stefanie and Caleb are dynamic relationship mentors and digital creators passionately guiding singles and couples toward fulfilling and resilient relationships anchored in faith. With their master’s degrees in marriage and family therapy with an emphasis in theology (Stefanie) and in education (Caleb), they offer tailored courses, mentorship, and guidance. These are all rooted in prayer, backed by training in psychol...
May 01, 2024•52 min
This week on Real Talk with Rachael I'm speaking with the authors of Pastors' Wives Tell All: Navigating Real Church Life with Honesty and Humor , Stephanie Gilbert, Jessica Taylor, and Jenna Allen. They are also the cohosts of the Pastors’ Wives Tell All podcast - a podcast by pastors’ wives for church leaders and anyone desiring to peek inside their proverbial glass houses. As best friends from three different churches and denominations, they are breaking down walls within the Church and crush...
Apr 17, 2024•50 min
This week on Real Talk with Rachael in talking with Jess Connolly. Jess is the author or co-author of several books, including Wild and Free, You Are the Girl for the Job, and Breaking Free from Body Shame . Along with her husband, Nick, she planted Bright City Church in Charleston, South Carolina, where they live with their four children. Jess is a woman who wants to leave her generation more in awe of God than she found it. She is passionate about family, God's Word, and seeing women take thei...
Apr 03, 2024•46 min
This week on Real Talk with Rachael, I'm chatting with Calvin Burns. Calvin is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Austin, Texas, who is deeply committed to guiding individuals through their challenges with eating disorders, substance abuse, and trauma. His approach is built on a foundation of empathy, understanding, and a personal dedication to each client's journey. Key Points from Our Conversation: Calvin struggled with suicide and addiction until God blessed him with the opportunity to walk...
Mar 20, 2024•49 min
This week on Real Talk with Rachael I'm speaking with a woman who was key in releasing Image Restored, Susan McPherson. Susan is an author acquisitions editor for David C. Cook Publishing and their Esther Press imprint for women. She is dedicated to encouraging and equipping women to courageously stand strong in the truth of God’s Word through her work leading the women’s community for Esther Press. She loves Jesus, coffee, college football, and her life as a wife and mother in the Nashville, Te...
Mar 13, 2024•41 min
This week on Real Talk with Rachael I'm chatting with a very special guest - my husband, Dr. Matthew Gilbert. Matthew Gilbert, DC, of BBC Health in Lewisville, Texas, is passionate about taking a collaborative, integrative approach to health care. He believes that patients receive the most health benefits when medical and chiropractic doctors work together to provide a comprehensive, personalized treatment plan. Dr. Gilbert established BBC Health to integrate his expertise in chiropractic techni...
Mar 06, 2024•48 min
This week on Real Talk with Rachael, I'm speaking with mother and daughter, Debbie Morris and Elaine Fisher. Debbie Morris is an author and pastor in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, who delights in helping women understand who they are in God so they can discover their destinies and experience victory in life. Elaine Fisher is an author, speaker, and pastor in Houston, Texas, and is passionate about sharing authentic revelation from the lessons she is learning as God writes her story of redemption and...
Feb 21, 2024•51 min
