The hurt and loss we experience in life can destroy our dreams, and cause us to think maybe we just have to take what we can get. Stefanie & Caleb Rouse share how brokenheartedness can cause us to shut down our hearts and start to settle for less than what we really desire.  Purchase Stefanie & Caleb's book, Wholehearted Love: Overcome the Barriers That Hold You Back in Your Relationship with God and Others-- and Delight in Feeling Safe, Seen, and Loved Learn more about Stefanie...

Do your relationships seem to be nothing but an endless trail of toxicity? Michelle discusses how we get sucked into the wrong relationships without realizing it, and why we tolerate toxicity when we don't have to. She also shares 4 snares that may be drawing you into toxic and abusive relationships, and reveals how to avoid attracting toxic people in the future. Tangled in Toxicity? Register for NO|TOX: The Toxic Relationship Healing Intensive Purchase the NEW Ignite: Strategic Prayer...

Culture is full of messaging that tells us we can do anything we put our minds to – and yet somewhere along the line, we begin to see that this is just not true. When the circumstances of our lives leave us feeling like we're falling short, the resulting shame and disappointment can be overwhelming. Becky Beresford shares how common cultural expressions meant to empower us can actually leave us feeling very disempowered. She explains how much of the messaging we hear in culture teaches us to...

For many coming to terms with an abusive relationship, there is often a stage in which you wonder, "How did I get here in the first place?" Michelle discusses the early stages of the abusive dynamic with survivor Tricia Lott Williford and therapist Jana Richardson MA LPC EMDR. They delve into the grooming tactics many abusers use to manipulate and deceive their victims, and highlight what you can do to avoid being drawn in by an abuser again. Purchase You are Safe Now: A Survivor's Guide to...

When you've been in a long season of spiritual pain, you may begin to wonder if God is punishing you. It's not uncommon in suffering to begin questioning your faith and wrestling with what you believe. Dr. Alicia Britt Chole shares about the experience of disillusionment we experience in dark nights of the soul, and illuminates that the questions we have about God are not a failure of faith, but are a method by which faith grows. She also shares how God works through our tendency to seek...

Do you ever wonder if prayer even matters? In difficult seasons, we may struggle with the feeling that prayer is pointless- we may think, "Isn't God just going to do what He's going to do anyway?" Michelle shares about a dark season when she wrestled with trusting God and how prayer played a huge role in helping her get unstuck.  Purchase Ignite: Strategic Prayer Planner & Journal | Vol 2: The Battle to Believe Download Your Free Guide: Over|Thinking: Get Out of Your Head & On With...

Hardships and suffering can knock us down so hard that we just get tired of having to get back up again. But what if it doesn't all depend on us? Lina Abujamra shares how resiliency doesn't really depend on us doing more, but rather on simply learning to abide in the love of God for us as He works through our weaknesses. She also talks about how suffering frees us from a dependency on our own performance so we can instead experience what it is to be loved as children of God. Check out...

Waiting seasons can get long and the ache of unmet longing can often be too much to deal with. What do we do when God hasn't answered our prayers? Rachel Miller shares the importance of allowing longings to exist, and how to deal with times when the discouragement is overwhelming. She also discusses what God is doing through these seasons of hoping and waiting, and why God doesn't take the desires of our hearts away (even if we ask Him to). Check out Rachel's book, When it Hurts to Hope:...

Most of us have a smartphone so we can stay connected, yet they may actually be making loneliness worse. Dr. Darren Whitehead discusses the impact of smartphones on your mental, emotional, & spiritual well-being, and how distraction devices worsen anxiety and loneliness. He shares how a digital fast can recalibrate your attention span, boost the quality of your relationships, and restore your spiritual vitality in the Lord. Grab a copy of Darren's book, The Digital Fast: 40 Days to Detox...

Unlearning codependent behaviors often means identifying how you learned them in the first place. And while often family of origin issues are a major factor, sometimes our religious contexts can also be part of the problem. Michelle discusses 5 Bible verses that are often misquoted and misapplied that teach us to tolerate toxic and abusive treatment. She discusses why these verses often don't mean what we have been told they do, and points to Scriptures that actually encourage us to avoid...

Whether you're in an unhealthy relationship right now or you're worried about being in another one, it's not uncommon to wonder "Is this person toxic or are they abusive?" Michelle discusses the differences and similarities of toxic behavior and abusive behavior, and why we struggle to know the difference. More importantly, Michelle shares how toxicity and abuse differ from healthy relationships, and what you can do to move towards them. Register NOW for NO | TOX- The Toxic Relationship...

Many of us have times in our lives when we rely on formulas in our faith, clinging to the belief that, "If I do all the right things, everything will be okay." Yet, when we face a crisis we realize that those formulas don't hold up under the realities of suffering in this life. Kristen LaValley shares how suffering and doubt served to mold her faith, and how a crisis pregnancy developed her ability to trust God. She also shares how to find the courage to deal with doubts, and how to notice...

When we're in a challenging time of life, it can be hard to imagine that there's much more beyond all of this. Jeff Simmons shares how each of us can not only find life beyond our current circumstances but can live an extraordinary life, available to all of us in Jesus. He shares how the way the world defines extraordinary is different than the way God defines it, and discusses how the devil uses fear to cause us to shrink down from what God has for us. He also gives suggestions for pursuing...

If you struggle to trust God, you're not alone. So often when you've experienced significant hurt and trauma, it's not uncommon to feel disconnected, distrustful, and maybe even fearful of God. Michelle discusses the value of inner healing prayer in healing this disconnect, and client Rhonda Velez shares her powerful encounter with Jesus during her inner healing prayer session. Rhonda also shares how Jesus helped her to identify blockages to her healing she was not aware existed, and...

We all know we are supposed to give, but sometimes it seems like forgiving someone is letting them get away with what they did. Michelle discusses what forgiveness really is and discusses how forgiving someone doesn't require forgetting the truth about what they've done to you. She also gives insight into how forgiveness can help you transcend endless conflicts and power struggles, so you can live free in your heart and mind. She also shares how God can help you rise above the harm you've...

While on a healing journey, it's normal to wrestle with doubt. But did you know that doubt is NOT the opposite of faith? That you can doubt well? Alisa Childers gives a deeper understanding of how doubt factors into the growth of faith and explains the differences between doubt vs. deconstruction. She also explains spiritual warfare as a battle of ideas, and shares how honest questioning leads to greater encounters with Jesus– and the truth. Order Alisa's book, The Deconstruction of...

The word co-dependency is often used in ways that suggest a person is to blame for being mistreated and abused (which is NOT the case). Michelle discusses what co-dependency really is, and discusses why patterns of people-pleasing often result in relationships that are one-sided and unsafe. She shares what the Bible says about mutuality in our relationships, and how to learn to say no to situations where you are being taken advantage of. Purchase the NEW Ignite: Strategic Prayer Planner...

You've done all you know to do to heal mentally and emotionally from trauma. Maybe you've been in therapy, you use deep-breathing techniques, or you try to be mindful of your thoughts. But when you hit a wall in your healing, you may wonder- "Is this as good as it's going to get?" While all of these approaches are beneficial to understanding and treating suffering, Michelle shares the reason why they aren't enough to transcend it (and what you can do about it). Purchase the NEW Ignite:...

Shame is that nagging little voice that continually tells you that you're not good enough, that you need to try harder to be loved. So how do we tell it to shut up? Michelle shares her journey of discovering hidden shame through the impact it was having on her relationships. She discusses how Jesus' example of facing down shame can help us live above the lies and find freedom from shame in our own lives. Purchase the NEW Ignite: Strategic Prayer Planner & Journal Download Your Free...

It seems there's always something that will try to steal your hope, to get you to give up on the idea that things can ever be better. But does it have to be this way? Is there a way to take our hope back? It all starts with realizing hope is not a feeling but rather a perspective – a viewpoint that can help us set our sights above what our thoughts, feelings, and circumstances are telling us. Michelle discusses the side-by-side nature of hardship and hope, and shares a key way you can...

In dry times, the Bible has much encouragement for us- but we often miss much of it when we don't understand the Bible's Middle Eastern context. Ashley Wilkerson offers new insight into Psalm 23 and discusses how an awareness of Middle Eastern shepherding culture gives us a clearer view of God's heart for us in our personal wilderness seasons. She also exposes misunderstandings of several of the text's metaphors to realign our minds with the truth this passage conveys. Get a copy of Ashley's...

For some of us, year-after-year-after-year the Christmas season has been such a let down. It can be so annoying/depressing/frustrating when everyone else is celebrating and you're feeling anything but joyful.  Michelle shares her "worst Christmas ever" story and reveals what it taught her about manufactured joy, disappointment, and experiencing true goodness at the holidays. Purchase the NEW Ignite: Strategic Prayer Planner & Journal Download Your Free Guide: Over|Thinking: Get Out of...

It's human nature to want control. But when we face circumstances beyond our influence, we have to deal with the fact that it's not all up to us. When things seem out of control, we have to answer the question- "Can I trust God to be in control?" Lauren & Michael McAfee share their journey through infertility, adoption, cancer, and loss, and how they've had to come to terms with believing in the goodness of God in situations that did not always seem good. They also share how to begin...

Mentorship is a HUGE component of a healing process, but finding one can be awkward and uncomfortable. Michelle and her mentee, Nina, share how God brought them together to begin a mentorship relationship and they discuss how to deal with the discomfort of seeking out a mentor. They also share the benefits of mentorship that therapy doesn't always offer, and provide practical steps for discerning if someone is a good mentor for you. Purchase the NEW Ignite: Strategic Prayer Planner &...