Anger is an emotion that hits hard, has some of the most intense reactions, and can be felt deeply in the body. It doesn’t matter if you are someone who feels their feelings, shoves down their feelings, or has difficulty communicating them; anger is unavoidable because we are humans living in a fallen world. That is not an excuse for anger but a fact. Anger is one of the most basic emotions we, as humans, feel and experience. I aim to help you befriend the feeling of anger instead of running fro...
Feb 21, 2024•16 min
With the fast pace of this world, it’s no wonder we are finding ourselves in a constant state of anxious feelings. We think to ourselves that we will deal with it later until later never comes, and we find ourselves lying awake at night trying to process everything all at once. The good news is that the Bible offers wisdom and encouragement in dealing with these feelings. In this episode, I'm talking through a few techniques for overcoming stress and anxiety through both a biblical and clinical ...
Feb 14, 2024•14 min
Did you know by the end of the day, when our heads hit the pillow to do it all over again tomorrow, we would have made an estimated 35,000 decisions? That’s a lot of decisions that can come with a lot of feelings - and not all of them are good. The fact is that our feelings are not going to go away. In this episode, I explain three differences when it comes to our feelings that we need to recognize so we can stop relying on our feelings. Today, take the time to check in with yourself - slow down...
Feb 07, 2024•17 min
I know how hard it is to forgive. I think the mistake that many have many over the years is by the phrase, “forgive and forget." First, we must understand there is no limit to which we are to forgive. We don’t get to decide who is worthy of forgiveness and who is not. Despite what they have done or may do, we are called to forgive those who hurt us. Forgiveness is not an emotion. In this episode, I walk you through what it looks like to forgive the hurts that are too hard to forget. Remember, th...
Jan 31, 2024•13 min
I know we don't often say that we need to reconcile with someone, but it is a topic that comes up frequently in my coaching. So if your heart is hurting because someone has hurt you and you're trying to figure out how to move forward with this relationship, this episode is for you. In this conversation, I walk through six stages of rebuilding trust. Some of the stages can take longer than others - some stages we may even need to repeat. However, continually showing someone through our actions th...
Jan 24, 2024•18 min
Wouldn't life be easier if you could control the people in it? Unfortunately, it's not that simple. Relationships can be messy and difficult, so in this episode, I'm walking you through 5 ways you can handle those relationships through the lens of faith by seeing them through God's eyes, identifying stressors, and delaying our responses. I also share some biblical suggestions on how to improve the quality of your communication. Rooting for you, Jessica Next steps: Get my free 3-day study and lea...
Jan 17, 2024•19 min
A proper relationship with yourself starts with a proper relationship with God. If you are always judging yourself by your performance, you will have a horrible relationship with yourself and live under guilt and condemnation. The release of our condemnation doesn’t hinge on our ability to forgive ourselves; our freedom from the strongholds we carry comes through Jesus. We aren’t striving to be set free, we are renewing our minds to stay free. We can’t forgive ourselves, but we can show compassi...
Jan 10, 2024•12 min
“I’ll never be good enough.” “I’m not worthy.” “I don’t deserve to be happy.” Do any of those phrases sound familiar? When we make a mistake it’s easy to miss conviction and move straight to condemnation, which creates a cycle of self-hatred. That is not what God wants for us. In this episode, I explain the difference between condemnation and conviction, how to break free of the weight of feeling unworthy, and what it looks like to repent. Rooting for you, Jessica Next steps: Get my free 3-day s...
Jan 03, 2024•15 min
As 2023 comes to a close, I want to take a moment and thank you so much for listening! This community continues to grow and I have some exciting things coming up in 2024 including a new membership community where you can feel safe and heard while talking through scripture together. I'll also be continuing my Spiritual Growth Mentorship and adding some counseling sessions to help you discover practical ways to take care of your emotional and mental health while never losing sight of God. Join my ...
Dec 20, 2023•8 min
Betrayal, whether it's from a family member, spouse, friend, or co-worker can be devastating. So, how do we find hope? In the new year, I am releasing a biblical study on rebuilding trust. In it, I talk about one of the key stages in rebuilding trust in finding security in God before finding security in people. However, in this episode, I walk through scripture that informs us of why forgiveness is the first step to finding hope after betrayal. Forgiveness is not an emotion, it's an act of love ...
Dec 13, 2023•22 min
Can you remember a time recently when you allowed someone to do or say whatever they wanted to you? Or can you remember a time when you kept someone or something in your life longer than you should have because confronting the problem felt like too much? It may have felt easier to deal with the pain of staying and holding on than communicating and letting go. If you can relate, this episode about Biblically setting healthy boundaries is for you. Sometimes we think boundaries start with rules, bu...
Dec 06, 2023•22 min
Are you stressed right now? It’s easy for us to feel all the expectations from other people and, if we are honest with ourselves, the expectations we place on others to meet our needs this time of the year. However, the most important thing I have learned about stress is that it comes down to perception. What story do I tell myself every year around this time? Do I look at everything I have to do as a chore or as something I get to do? Do I look at this time of the year as a place of discontentm...
Nov 29, 2023•16 min
I feel like when November hits, we can move into a season of either hurry or rest. The holidays can bring a lot of emotional turmoil or joy and also a lot of preparation and tiredness. When that happens, usually one of the first things to go is our time with God or even taking care of our emotional and physical well-being with the Lord. My hope for you today, though is that you don’t let this holiday season happen to you, but that you learn to find the joy, even in the chaos. That you are a woma...
Nov 22, 2023•14 min
I recently shared in one of my teachings how I heard this phrase, “The body of Christ is the only army that I know of that shoots its own wounded.” To further this statement they added, "We bury people before they are dead." As Christians, we rush to statements like, "There is a purpose for your pain" or "Everything happens for a reason." Let it be said there are some truths to those statements, however for the moment nothing feels right. The hardest part about all of this is that all of us expe...
Nov 15, 2023•17 min
If you are currently in a hard or heavy season that feels like it will never come to an end, I hope this episode will be an encouragement to you. During these seasons, the pressure builds and some days it probably feels hard to breathe. But, even through it all, we can cling to a hope that doesn’t lie in the things we can control or the things we can’t control. Our hope lies in the Promise Keeper. Remember, hope isn’t a wish. Hope is a confident expectation that God will do what He says He is go...
Nov 08, 2023•16 min
Do you feel every feeling to the point it sometimes feels like chaos in your mind or uncontrollable? Do you have a hard time expressing your feelings? Do you avoid talking about your feelings at all? Whether you are someone who feels everything or tends to not feel at all, I think we could agree that both ends have a hard time regulating their emotions. In other words, feel your feelings without your feelings running you. Sometimes, it’s hard to control them, and other times, it’s hard to confro...
Nov 01, 2023•19 min
In this episode, we are going to a place together that may feel tough, but I’m putting my big sister hat on to tell you the truth in love because I care. I’m sorry for any time scripture was used against you and your pain to manipulate you or to cause you to stay in a situation of abuse. I want you to know this isn’t God. He’s not okay with how you are being treated by His Word. Jesus' goal isn't to punish you through the Word; the Word isn't to condemn you or to keep you a slave to fixing yours...
Oct 25, 2023•20 min
If you’ve been listening for a while, you’ll notice today’s episode is a bit different, but the message is still the same. My passion is to help Christians address the very real mental health struggles they face from depression and anxiety to shame and fear. I’ve wrestled with these issues myself, and while God’s truth is key to us changing our thinking, it’s going to take more than quoting scripture to see real change. It’s time for us to address mental health in the church and my hope is that ...
Oct 18, 2023•13 min
Do you struggle with feeling responsibility for someone else's happiness? Then let me introduce you to my guest, Dr. Zoe Shaw. Dr. Zoe is a life coach and clinical psychologist who specializes in helping women overcome co-dependency and shame. In this episode, she helps define the differences between shame and guilt, shares some signs to help identify if you're in a codependent relationship, and offers advice on how to begin to help restore struggling relationships by establishing healthy bounda...
Oct 11, 2023•29 min
Do you feel stuck? Are you constantly trying to do more and feeling overwhelmed? Do you struggle with a sense of identity? Then today's message is for you. I hope it's an encouragement to you that there is peace, hope, and healing in Christ. In this episode, I'm speaking with Brittney, one of the students in my Spiritual Growth Mentorship . In this conversation, Brittney shares her testimony, about what led her to join the mentorship, what she has learned from it, and why she recommends it to ot...
Oct 09, 2023•20 min
Today's episode is a little different, but I'm so excited to share it with you! I recently spoke at an event at my church, sharing my personal story of pain and God's beautiful restoration. In this talk, I walk you through some of the things that changed my life and how to process through pain in a way that honors God. If you’ve felt stuck in pain (or feel stuck in life), don’t know where to go, or like no one understands you, this episode is for you. Rooting for you, Jessica P.S. Would you like...
Oct 04, 2023•1 hr 12 min
Relationships are hard and can sometimes end with us wondering where and why things fell apart. Whether it's something from the past or something happening now, we all want answers. We want to know the reason things happen, especially when they hurt. The hardest part is not knowing. It's like trying to solve a puzzle without all the pieces. Without clear answers, your mind races, thinking of all the things you might have done wrong or what could have happened. This can make you doubt yourself a ...
Sep 27, 2023•16 min
Have you ever made a decision and then immediately felt regret? Sometimes you will grieve a decision, even if it's the right one. I've been there. Jesus didn't promise us that following Him would be easy or come without loss, but He did promise us that He would be with us through it all. Therefore, sadness after a choice doesn’t mean it’s the wrong one. In this episode, I walk through various physical strategies, emotional techniques, and spiritual practices to help you stop overthinking. ...
Sep 20, 2023•17 min
If you're a regular listener of From Head to Heart, you often hear me invite you to join my Spiritual Growth Mentorship . In this episode, I share my story of pain, revelation, and hope. I didn’t need someone telling me to read my Bible or to pray more and I didn't need another how-to guide. So God led me to create something I didn’t have - a mentorship and a safe community of women. I see your anger, your resentment, your bitterness. I know you feel unseen, unheard, underappreciated, and like y...
Sep 14, 2023•21 min
Are you going through something that no one knows about? Maybe you are carrying a secret weighing heavy on your heart, but the fear of facing this secret feels too much to bear. I may not know the battle you face or the secret you are carrying, but God knows about them all. He holds together that which He created and loves. Right now, He is holding you together because you are that which He loves. This battle should not be one you try to fight alone. The only power to defeat the heaviness you fe...
Sep 13, 2023•16 min
Stuck. Fed up. Barely making it - maybe these words describe what's going on in your heart lately. Not only do I understand, but God knows. What we're really saying is we need something in our lives to change. You don't need more motivation, discipline, or hours of Bible time, what you may need is to make a decision. In this episode, I'm sharing 3 questions that will help you determine why you are stuck, what you're afraid of, and what you believe about God to help you break free in Christ. Root...
Sep 06, 2023•19 min
REBROADCAST: Our quiet time with God will not always produce a feeling, but we can guarantee that we are becoming transformed. We know this because it’s not about what we do by effort - the Spirit is who brings transformation. In this episode, I explain the purpose of quiet time with God, why it's important, and how to spend your time with Him. The length of the quiet time does not matter, but it should be enough time to meditate on what was read and then pray about it or anything else that come...
Aug 30, 2023•18 min
REBROADCAST: The depth we know God is the depth we will be able to trust God. Overcoming anxiety isn’t about pushing away your feelings, ignoring them, or treating what you are going through like nothing. Overcoming anxiety starts with knowing who God is to you and what you believe He believes about you. In this episode, I explain how our physical response to anxiety is connected to the beliefs we carry about God and how scripture instructs us scriptures to handle our cares and what to do with t...
Aug 23, 2023•13 min
REBROADCAST: We can spend years building trust and growing deeper into our relationships only for a moment to occur that can begin to slowly destroy the time invested. When that happens, rebuilding broken trust takes time and the intentional pursuit of restoration. In this episode, I'm talking about what happens when trust is broken, how to rebuild trust with that person by taking Biblical action, and how to learn to trust again. I know repairing broken trust is not easy, but time will help begi...
Aug 16, 2023•15 min
REBROADCAST: Do you struggle to find peace and trust God because of bad things that have happened in the past? How can we break free from the fear of future pain? I can relate. That's what I'm discussing in this Q&A episode. God shows grace in providing for us and strengthening us for the path ahead. That grace is sufficient - it is all we need. Don't forget, you can submit your own question any time at jessicahottle.com/podcast . I'd love to hear from you! Rooting for you, Jessica Free 3-Da...
Aug 14, 2023•11 min
