REBROADCAST: This week I've really felt God urging me to tell you this - you have the authority to stand your ground, especially in the territories God has entrusted you with. Through the power of Christ, you can tell the enemy that he cannot take any more territory that has not been given to him. What is a territory that the enemy has been messing with? I'm standing with you in prayer! Connect with Rachael: website | Instagram | Facebook...
This week on Real Talk with Rachael I'm talking with author Becky Thompson. Not only is Becky a bestselling author, but she's also the creator of the Midnight Mom Devotional community gathering more than one million moms in nightly prayer. She has become a voice for modern Christian womanhood, speaking about the struggle of balancing life as a wife, mother, and daughter of God. Becky lives in Oklahoma with her husband, Jared, and their three children. Key Points from Our Conversation: The Holy S...
This month I've been doing a series all about burnout. I interviewed author and therapist Dr. Amy O’Hana about this topic earlier this month. You can listen to that episode here . I am using her book for this series, and it’s called " Beyond Burnout: What to Do When Your Work Isn’t Working for You .” We are wrapping up the third area where burnout shows up in our lives and that is loss of meaning. In this episode, I walk you through a timeline activity and ask you these 2 important questions: Wh...
We are in a series all about burnout. I interviewed author and therapist Dr. Amy O’Hana about this topic, and am using her book for this series called “ Beyond Burnout: What to Do When Your Work Isn’t Working for You .” This week we are diving into emotional exhaustion. Dr. O’Hana says, “Once a loving and compassionate person, you are now devoid of feeling. When you experience emotional exhaustion, you can become cynical and sarcastic. This style of relating and communication becomes a coping me...
This week on Real Talk with Rachael, I'm chatting with Dr. Amy O'Hana about her book Beyond Burnout: What to Do When Your Work Isn’t Working for You . Dr. Amy O’Hana is a licensed professional counselor in Oregon and an Approved Clinical Supervisor. She is a full-time professor of clinical mental health counseling at the University of Western States in Portland, OR, has been a full-time counselor educator for 18 years, manages her own private practice, and has been the director of two counseling...
We are in a series all about burnout. Last week we looked at the root cause of burnout. This week we are diving into one of the three areas where burnout shows up in our lives. The first one we tend to notice is physical exhaustion. One of the first indicators of chronic stress and burnout is the development of physical health problems. In her book, Dr. O’Hana lists a few key areas to consider when nourishing your physical body if you are burned out: Rest- practice good sleep hygiene. Nutrition ...
This week we're starting a new series all about burnout. The Lord put this topic on my heart to process in these Talk Therapy sessions for a few reasons. First, both my husband and I have experienced it at different seasons and it almost took us off track of our callings. Second, because I counsel so many people who suffer from it. Third, I am tired of the enemy taking territory in an area that could be avoided. Let’s start by bringing some facts about burnout into the light: The term “burnout” ...
This week on Real Talk with Rachael, I'm talking to mother and daughter Dr. Helen McIntosh and Blythe Daniel, authors of Mended: Restoring the Hearts of Mothers and Daughters . Blythe Daniel is an author, literary agent, and marketer with 25 years of experience in media and publishing. She has written for Focus on the Family, Proverbs 31 Ministries, and Christian Retailing. She conducts blog, podcast, and publicity campaigns and helps authors publish their books. She lives in Colorado with her h...
When my family climbed the Guadalupe Peak earlier this year, I noticed many parallels to real life. In order to stay consistent you must: Commit to do it. We met people along the way who didn’t prepare for the terrain (one woman was in heels), so they had to turn back. Have community. Have a few people around you that won’t let you quit. On both that physical mountain and my life mountains, that’s my husband. I would have quit many things a long time ago if it wasn’t for him. Celebrate. Enjoy th...
I will never forget the moment in my journey to become a therapist when I was seeing my own therapist. I was processing a traumatic memory from my childhood and after I had shared everything I could remember she said, “Where is Jesus in this moment?” For the first time, I was able to see Jesus there with me. Weeping with me. Protecting me in ways I didn’t even ask Him to. And walking me out of that dark situation. Jesus has since healed my heart from that time in my life, but it was a process. W...
This week on Real Talk with Rachael I'm talking with author Dominic Done about his latest book Your Longing Has a Name . Dominic Done is the founder of Pursuing Faith and author of When Faith Fails . With a master’s in theology from the University of Oxford, he has served as a pastor in Portland, Oregon; North Carolina; and Hawaii. Dominic has also taught English for companies in Europe, lectured in theology and history at various Christian colleges, worked as a radio DJ, and lived as a missiona...
So far we have discussed how Jesus felt and how He often retreated. This week we are looking at how He asked great questions. I’ve been told much of my life that I ask great questions. As a counselor and podcast host, much of my days are spent asking questions. I’ve been asked before how I come up with such good questions. The answer is simple - I listen. Being a good listener is crucial if you want to be a great communicator. Jesus was and is the best listener. We see all throughout the Bible e...
This month our Talk Therapy series focus is on Jesus and therapy. Why Jesus and therapy? Because nothing changes without Him. He shows me things only He can see. He takes us places only He knows to go. Last week, we discussed how Jesus felt. Jesus would often retreat to a quiet place to be alone and pray. This week we are looking at how and why He retreated. We live in a world that does not give us natural pauses to retreat so we must be intentional about this practice. I think Jesus was always ...
This week on Real Talk with Rachael I'm talking with Atheist-turned-Christian, Lee Strobel about his documentary The Case for Heaven. Lee is the former award-winning legal editor of The Chicago Tribune and a New York Times best-selling author of more than forty books and curricula that have sold fourteen million copies in total. He currently serves as Founding Director of the Lee Strobel Center for Evangelism and Applied Apologetics at Colorado Christian University. In 2017, Lee’s spiritual jour...
This month our Talk Therapy series focus is on Jesus and therapy. Why Jesus and therapy? Because nothing changes without Him. He shows me things only He can see. He takes us places only He knows to go. When you partner with both Jesus and therapy, freedom comes in ways you never dreamed possible. In this first episode of the series, I'm talking about how Jesus felt. THREE TAKEAWAYS: It’s OK and healthy to feel. Jesus did! Jesus cares about your feelings (Mary) Jesus will weep with you. Connect w...
This week on Real Talk with Rachael I'm talking with Revelation Wellness Director of Culture, Heather Johnson. Heather is a beloved daughter of the King, wife to Charles, and momma to 3 amazing young people. She loves moving her body and walking with Jesus. She is always learning and changing and being transformed by the Word of God. Heather's greatest passion is to love God, His people, and empower people to step into their divine destinies. Key Points from Our Conversation: If you want to love...
Accountability is scary. It feels like we are giving up control because we are. Accountability takes humility because we have to confess our weaknesses. We have to admit we are prone to sin and fall into temptation. The enemy knows if he can get us to wander alone, we are a much easier target to eliminate. We avoid wandering alone by being in community and then letting people really see us. Why accountability matters: Because God loves us too much to let us get caught up in something we could ha...
Physical growth is usually the first place our mind goes to when we think about self-improvement. There are enough physical challenges and exercise programs on the market to last you all year. But today, I want to challenge how we view and approach physical growth. For most women, we view physical growth through the lens of shrinking. Dream with me for a moment about physical growth that doesn’t focus on shrinking, rather, it focuses on what our body is capable of doing when submitting it to God...
This week on Real Talk with Rachael I'm chatting with my friend, Sandy Jobe. Sandy is a homemaker who loves to laugh and uses baking as a form of stress release. She is known for her quick wit, bubbly personality, and ability to brighten someone’s day with a homemade treat. She’s the author of a cookbook titled Hearts Gather Here: Making Memories Around the Table - it’s full of great recipes and inspiring family stories. Sandy is also the Women’s Ministries Care Pastor at Gateway Church in South...
Welcome to the second episode in the Growth Series! We serve a God of growth. When God says grow, nothing we do will stop it from happening. Don’t be mistaken, even when we don’t SEE the growth, it is happening. If you feel stuck or would love to see growth in different areas of your life, this series is for you. Each week we are focusing on an area of growth. You will notice EVERY week includes spiritual growth because, without it, nothing in our lives will grow. This week’s topic is Emotional ...
Welcome to The first episode in the Growth Series. We serve a God of growth. Just look all around you. From the beautiful trees and flowers to human beings. When God says grow, nothing we do will stop it from happening. Don’t be mistaken, even when we don’t SEE the growth, it is happening. If you feel stuck or would love to see growth in different areas of your life, this series is for you. Each week we will focus on an area of growth. You will notice EVERY week includes spiritual growth because...
This week on Real Talk with Rachael I'm speaking with author Sarah Philpott about her new book The Growing Season: A Year of Down-on-the-Farm Devotions . Sarah is the ECPA Award-nominated author of Loved Baby: 31 Devotions Helping You Grieve and Cherish Your Child After Pregnancy Loss . On her website , she writes about her family, life on a cattle farm in the South, and learning to cherish God’s provisions in joy and sorrow. Also, she doesn't share desserts. Key Points from Our Conversation: "F...
This week our topic is your choice. As I prayed about what the final relationship focus should be, of course, things that were relevant to me came to mind, like kids and extended family members. However, I know many of you listening may not be able to relate to those, so I felt the holy spirit say, “Ask them what relationship I want to restore.” And I sense that He is going to ask you to bring up a hard relationship. You know, the one you want to avoid. Take a moment to pause and ask God, “What ...
The February series we are doing is all about restoring relationships. Last week we chatted about restoring your marriage. If you missed it, please go back and tune in. This week our topic is friendships. Healthy friendships are a treasure. If you find one, you need to hang on to it. But what about when friendships end? It leaves us hurt, raw, vulnerable, and if we aren’t careful, bitter. “If you can’t talk about it, it owns you.” Let’s talk about friendship today so past wounds don’t own us. Th...
This week on Real Talk with Rachael I'm talking with Megan Lacefield. Serving as a Marriage & Family Pastor for years, Megan has seen God work miracles in many marriages, starting with her own. Though she and the love of her life, Chad, started off shaky they landed on solid ground and have been running full steam ever since. With a daughter, Chandler(21), and son Riley (18), their family has shared with thousands their story of redemption, grace, and celebrating God's goodness in the little...
The February series we are doing is all about restoring relationships. We started last week by restoring union with ourselves and the Lord. If you missed it, please go back and tune in. Since today is Valentine’s day, it seemed fitting to dive right into restoring romantic relationships, with the focus on marriage. Marriage was God’s idea and the enemy has been wreaking havoc on it since the beginning of time. Come with me as the Lord steps on our toes about what true love in our marriage or any...
It’s the first week in February and chances are many of you have already given up on a new year's resolutions and I’m curious what you're thinking about yourself right now. We can’t practice self-love without seeking God with our whole entire heart, soul, mind, and strength. How can we love others if we don’t first love ourselves? The answer lies in more time seeking God. Key Verse for the month: " Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not ins...
This week on Real Talk with Rachael I'm chatting with author Gary Thomas about his book Married Sex: A Christian Couple's Guide to Reimagining Your Love Life . Gary is a writer in residence at Second Baptist Church in Houston, Texas, and an adjunct faculty member teaching on spiritual formation at Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon, and Houston Theological Seminary in Houston, Texas. He is the author of 20 books, including When to Walk Away , Sacred Pathways , Cherish , and Sacred Marriage (ov...
This week on Real Talk with Rachael I'm talking with author Mattie Jackson Selecman about her new book Lemons on Friday: Trusting God Through My Greatest Heartbreak . Mattie is a certified sommelier and previously owned a wine bar in Nashville. She also has a degree in creative writing from the University of Tennessee. Tragically, she lost her husband of less than a year, Ben Selecman, in September 2018 after he suffered a traumatic brain injury while on vacation in Florida. Despite her grief, M...
This week on Real Talk with Rachael I'm talking with New York Times bestselling author Francine Rivers about her book and new movie Redeeming Love . Francine has published numerous novels—all bestsellers—and she has continued to win both industry acclaim and reader loyalty around the globe. Her novels have been awarded or nominated for many honors, and in 1997, after winning her third RITA Award for inspirational fiction, Francine was inducted into the Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame. In...
