Abuse can often happen gradually and discreetly, leaving victims wondering if what they are experiencing is truly an issue.
Join Barb and special guests Tricia Lott Williford and Jana Richardson, as they share candidly about abuse, manipulation, freedom, and the path to safety. If you or someone you know is suffering from abuse, this is a crucial conversation. In this episode, Tricia reminds us that one of the enemy's tactics is to make us believe that our trauma is either too big or too small to mention. Please don't let your suffering remain a secret. Freedom is possible, and it is possible for you.
Note: We experienced some slight audio issues towards the end as a lawnmower outside tried to join our conversation. Our apologies for the disruption. :)
RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE
Connect with Tricia on Instagram
Check out Tricia's book, You Are Safe Now.
ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUESTS
This powerful conversation aired back in February and you all loved it, so we are bringing it back for this special Labor Day episode!
Join Barb and Grace Wabuke Klein, author of Flourish: Finding Purpose in the Unknown and Unexpected Seasons of Life, for a conversation on how to trust God’s grace and goodness when we’re not sure what’s happening in our lives. Grace will explain the four seasons of life and how to hold on to hope and believe God for His best in your life.
RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE
Flourish: Finding Purpose in the Unknown and Unexpected Seasons of Life
Connect with Grace on Facebook!
Connect with Grace on Instagram!
ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST
Relationships are tough, even when two people truly love God and one another. In this week's conversation, join Barb and certified life coach Lisa Allen for a conversation on how to foster healthy relationships that celebrate differences and complement rather than complicating our lives.
Tune in for the final part of our Stronger than Stress Series!
RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE
Stronger Than Stress: 10 Spiritual Practices to Win the Battle of Overwhelm
Stronger than Stress Bible Study
ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST
Lisa Allen has a passion for and connection to women. She has been featured as a keynote speaker at Proverbs 31 Ministries’ annual She Speaks Conference, the She Laughs Conferences, and various Women’s Ministry keynotes and conferences. Lisa has offered her insights for Charlotte Today Show as a contributor. She has also been a contributing writer for the She Laughs Newsletter, WomensMinistry.net, Proverbs 31 Ministries’ COMPEL Writers Training, and more.
Her experience as a Board-Certified Life Coach has uniquely influenced her style. She is as comfortable delivering passionate keynotes that leave her audience with a sense of calling and confidence as she is to facilitating training workshops for ministry and staff leadership teams.
Lisa is obsessed with personality assessments and enjoys the certifications she’s received for Team Coaching, DISC Personality Profile, Enneagram Coach and Gallup StrengthsFinders.
Lisa loves fashion and can be found spending her free time watching the latest trends, colors and styles. She also loves pilates. She has logged close to 900 classes since 2017. She’s not a “workout” kind of gal and used to joke that her favorite part of any workout is leaving. But, since she has gotten strong and healthy, she wanted to help others do the same. In August of 2022, she became a certified IMX Pilates instructor. You can catch her any given day enjoying or leading a Pilates workout.
When we get stuck in daily cycles of stress it can feel like this is just the way that things will always be! But what if it was possible to stop the spiral and take practical steps towards breaking the seemingly neverending cycle of stress? Listen in to today's episode as Barb provides an easy framework for moving from a place of stress to a place of rest.
RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE
Catch previous episodes of the podcast!
Stronger Than Stress: 10 Spiritual Practices to Win the Battle of Overwhelm
Stronger than Stress Bible Study
Are you feeling worn down or burnt out? Many of us are carrying so many burdens and responsibilities that at times it feels like we will be crushed beneath the weight of them. Join us for this week's conversation as Barb speaks with author Ashley Morgan Jackson about burnout, grace, and accepting God's gift of rest in the tough seasons of waiting.
RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE
Tired of Trying: How to Hold On to God When You're Frustrated, Fed Up, and Feeling Forgotten
Stronger Than Stress: 10 Spiritual Practices to Win the Battle of Overwhelm
Stronger than Stress Bible Study
ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST
Ashley Morgan Jackson is an author, speaker, and social media expert. She formerly worked full-time for Proverbs 31 Ministries and has ministered to her online community for ten years. She is passionate about women learning to let go of the lie that they have to perform for God’s love and instead realize they can receive His love, just as they are. Ashley is a wife of fourteen years to her wonderful husband, Daniel, and a mom to two growing boys. The family lives in Charlotte, NC.
Are you stressed all of the time? Do you ever think about running away from your life because it’s just too much? You aren’t alone! Over 50% of people are highly stressed these days! The problem is that too many of us believe that we’re stuck in our stress, but that isn’t true! Join me for this new episode of Bold, Brave & Beautiful Podcast called “Too Stressed to Be Blessed." Not only will I tell you about how God taught me to turn my stress into strength, but I'll share how you can become an overcomer, too!
RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE
When the men in our life are struggling, it is natural for us as women to long to help but just don't know what to do!
Join us today for part 2 of Barb's conversation with comedian Isaac Witty as he shares his dramatic journey of faith from pastor’s kid to successful comedian who hit rock bottom and found his way back to God.
Last time, Isaac covered the topics of identity and anxiety and today he will be discussing the topics of self-medication (such as drug use, pornography, and unhelpful distractions), the importance of who men hang around with, and the one truth that brings him comfort even when he feels misunderstood by others.
Ultimately, our hope is that Isaac's words will show us as women how best to love, pray for, and support the men in our lives who we love and who are loved even more by our faithful God.
RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE
Connect with Isaac on Instagram
Check out Isaac’s Dry Bar Comedy Special “Don’t Worry About Me. I’m Fine.”
ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST
Most of us have men in our lives that we love and our deepest prayer is that those men love Jesus. What do you do when the Christian man in your life is struggling and you are not sure how to help?
Join Barb for today’s conversation with comedian Isaac Witty who has performed on some of America’s biggest stages and listen to his dramatic journey of faith from pastor’s kid to successful comedian who hit rock bottom and found his way back to God.
Isaac will share his story and address the 5 things that a Christian man must fight in order to have faith. His story will encourage you and help you pray more for the men in your life.
RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE
Connect with Isaac on Instagram
Check out Isaac’s Dry Bar Comedy Special “Don’t Worry About Me. I’m Fine.”
ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST
People of color often feel invisible and alienated, even traumatized, by the oppression and discrimination still prevalent in our American culture today. The result leads to not only internalized trauma but also a particular type of aloneness, which author Prasanta Verma defines as ethnic and racial loneliness. Join Barb as Prasanta discusses her new book, Beyond Ethnic Loneliness, and listen to learn about the exhausting effects of cultural isolation, the dynamics of marginalization, and the weight of being “other”. Prasanta points toward the path of healing which includes the need to share our stories and the importance of finding safe friendships and community.
RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE
Connect with Prasanta on Instagram
Check out Prasanta's book, Ethnic Loneliness.
ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST
Does your life feel like it is the opposite of what you’ve been praying for? Perhaps you’ve wondered if God has mixed up your life with someone else’s because you definitely didn’t sign up for the drama that keeps coming your way. In this conversation, Barb and author Nicole Unice discuss Nicole’s new book, Not What I Signed Up For, and how to find strength and faith to get through what you never thought you’d have to go through.
RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE
Connect with Nicole on Instagram
Check out Nicole's book, Not What I Signed Up For.
ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST
Nicole Unice is a pastor and leadership coach who facilitates environments of safety and vulnerability so that leaders and teams can courageously identify obstacles keeping them from their maximum potential. As a sought-after speaker, Nicole has a down-to-earth style that allows even the largest gathering to feel conversational. Nicole is the author of several books focused on spiritual transformation and is a featured speaker through RightNow Media and Punchline. She holds degrees from the College of William and Mary and from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. Nicole and her husband, Dave, live in Richmond, Virginia, with their three children and two pups.
As a pastor and community leader, Nicole is the author of several books on healthy faith, honing in on the connection between our emotional and spiritual life. Nicole’s books come to life through her popular video curriculum series found on RightNow Media, and she preaches frequently for conferences, churches, and organizations. In addition, She’s the host of How to Study the Bible, a popular weekly podcast that has reached people in 188 different countries in the last year alone. Find out more at nicoleunice.com.
Part 1 of this conversation was incredible, and part 2 is finally here!
Last time we talked about just how messy love can be. Many of us have had our hearts broken whether by a spouse, family member or friend and found ourselves feeling like the rug was pulled right out from under us. However, in Christ we can find an indestructible foundation.
In today's conversation, Caleb and Stefanie discuss how our broken hearts and lives can be rebuilt by letting God into the darkest parts of our stories. In this encouraging conversation they will also share true stories of transformation, reminding us that nothing is too hard for our God. Get ready for an uplifting conversation about hope, healing and wholehearted love.
RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE
Connect with Stefanie and Caleb on Instagram!
Preorder Stefanie and 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
ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST
Stefanie and Caleb Rouse are relationship counselors, digital creators, and authors. They are dedicated to helping people in all stages of relationships attain a positive relationship with God, others, and themselves so that they can be empowered to act in love, selflessness, and self-control and as a result, have successful and meaningful relationships.
Stefanie and Caleb speak daily to an audience of over 500,000 people across their social media platforms about faith and relationships. Known for their authenticity and vulnerability, they share stories of hope, loss, and love that inspire people from all around the globe.
Before starting their online ministry, Stefanie and Caleb were teachers together at a private Christian school in Southern California. Stefanie taught biblical studies and relationships after being a full-time counselor, and Caleb taught AP World History. Stefanie's master's degree is in marriage and family therapy with an emphasis in theology, and Caleb's masters is in education. They have since taken their skills in education to write and create their signature online course called Cultivate Relationships where they serve their community of singles and married couples. They have seen massive breakthroughs in the lives of their students who have gone from brokenhearted to happily married. Their clients are from all over the world.
The couple spent the first few years online as lifestyle and travel bloggers through social media, being hired by cities and top hotels from all over the country and internationally. Known for their beautiful photography and authentic voice, they shared their experiences and activities together as they got to explore beautiful locations and stay in the top-rated hotels in the United States.
In 2022, Stefanie and Caleb published their first book, A Year of Prayer: Daily Moments of Contemplation, Devotion & Grace. Stefanie and Caleb have been featured in news outlets from across the world for their viral content on social media, as well as made podcast appearances together and separately on topics related to faith and relationships. Stefanie and Caleb currently reside in Pittsburgh, PA. They have two babies in heaven named Asher and Shiloh, and they live with their fur baby, a Pomeranian named Honey Bear.
Stefanie and Caleb enjoy outdoor activities, adventuring together by exploring new cities and countries, and spending time playing board games and watching their favorite shows. They are hopeful romantics, and their passion is seeing others have a beautiful, healthy love story.
Loving people can be so messy. We’ve all experienced pain or trauma that has caused us to put up barriers in our heart. Whether you were neglected by your parents, ghosted by a boyfriend, or you are estranged from a loved one, it’s easy for us to give up hope of having good relationships with the people that we love. Join me and the authors of the new book, Wholehearted Love, and learn the practical tools as well as God’s wisdom on how you can live and love others wholeheartedly again.
RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE
Connect with Stefanie and Caleb on Instagram!
Stefanie and 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
ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST
Stefanie and Caleb Rouse are relationship counselors, digital creators, and authors. They are dedicated to helping people in all stages of relationships attain a positive relationship with God, others, and themselves so that they can be empowered to act in love, selflessness, and self-control and as a result, have successful and meaningful relationships.
Stefanie and Caleb speak daily to an audience of over 500,000 people across their social media platforms about faith and relationships. Known for their authenticity and vulnerability, they share stories of hope, loss, and love that inspire people from all around the globe.
Before starting their online ministry, Stefanie and Caleb were teachers together at a private Christian school in Southern California. Stefanie taught biblical studies and relationships after being a full-time counselor, and Caleb taught AP World History. Stefanie's master's degree is in marriage and family therapy with an emphasis in theology, and Caleb's masters is in education. They have since taken their skills in education to write and create their signature online course called Cultivate Relationships where they serve their community of singles and married couples. They have seen massive breakthroughs in the lives of their students who have gone from brokenhearted to happily married. Their clients are from all over the world.
The couple spent the first few years online as lifestyle and travel bloggers through social media, being hired by cities and top hotels from all over the country and internationally. Known for their beautiful photography and authentic voice, they shared their experiences and activities together as they got to explore beautiful locations and stay in the top-rated hotels in the United States.
In 2022, Stefanie and Caleb published their first book, A Year of Prayer: Daily Moments of Contemplation, Devotion & Grace. Stefanie and Caleb have been featured in news outlets from across the world for their viral content on social media, as well as made podcast appearances together and separately on topics related to faith and relationships. Stefanie and Caleb currently reside in Pittsburgh, PA. They have two babies in heaven named Asher and Shiloh, and they live with their fur baby, a Pomeranian named Honey Bear.
Stefanie and Caleb enjoy outdoor activities, adventuring together by exploring new cities and countries, and spending time playing board games and watching their favorite shows. They are hopeful romantics, and their passion is seeing others have a beautiful, healthy love story.
Do you long to live free and fully alive in your God-given purpose? If you're wondering if it's too late or if you've been through too much to experience God's life-changing freedom, you'll be so inspired by this new episode of the Bold, Brave & Beautiful podcast with author and pastor, Karrie Garcia.
After years of numbing her pain, struggling with drug addiction and surviving her mother's devastating suicide, Karrie discovered God’s redemptive and healing power in her life so that she could be free and finally fully alive. Now a third-generation pastor, speaker and trauma-informed story coach, Karrie joins Barb for a powerful conversation about silencing the inner critic, finding God’s voice of truth, and recognizing the power of knowing one’s story.
RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE
Connect with Karrie on Instagram
Karrie's book - Free & Fully Alive: Reclaiming the Story of Who You Were Created to Be
ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST
Karrie Garcia is a pastor, author, and CEO who shares her journey to inspire change in others. She began speaking publicly at 19 and has addressed audiences ranging from small groups to thousands. Despite facing struggles such as drug addiction and the suicide of her mother, Karrie emerged victorious through her faith in Jesus Christ.
She founded Freedom Movement, a nonprofit addressing issues of brokenness and pain often unaddressed in traditional church environments, and authored The Exchange, a nine-week course for those seeking hope and healing. Karrie is a pastor, licensed life coach, and CEO. She inspires change in others by boldly sharing her journey to freedom and by using her training in the area of psychology to help others connect their minds with their bodies for a holistic approach to overall wellness.
Karrie is currently working toward her Training Certificate Level III at the Allender Center, a program addressing trauma-focused narrative therapy taught by leading Christian psychologist, Dan Allender. Karrie's authenticity and fearless approach to difficult topics makes her a relatable and empowering voice for those seeking freedom and healing. Her new book, Free & Fully Alive, guides readers through embracing their past and discovering a deeper connection with themselves, God, and others.
Whether you're carrying emotional wounds from childhood trauma or suffering from anxiety and depression, panic attacks, or intrusive thoughts, you know this isn't what God wants for you. He lovingly knit you together and calls you to a life of abundance. So why do His joy and love feel so far away sometimes? Join Barb and author Laura L Smith, author of the new book, Holy Care for the Whole Self, for a powerful yet practical conversation about how you can develop God-honoring, effective mental health care strategies in your life, starting today! Laura shares the tools that you need to rest in God's unconditional love and to find your strength and peace in Him.
RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE
Holy Care for the Whole Self: Biblical Wisdom for Mental and Spiritual Well-Being
Connect with Laura on Instagram!
ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST
Laura L. Smith is a popular speaker, best-selling author, and Bible teacher leading women to tear down lies so they can live in truth. Holy Care for the Whole Self is her thirteenth book.
Most recently she is known for Restore My Soul: The Power and Promise of 30 Psalms and How Sweet the Sound: The Power and Promise of 30 Beloved Hymns (which sold more than 130,000 copies).
A fan of Jesus, her prince charming of a husband, their four kids, almond milk mochas, dark chocolate, music, books, and travel. Smith describes her work this way: “I tell stories (through writing and speaking) in hopes of helping others discover what took me so long to see: God’s amazing grace is abundant and free for the taking. We can’t earn it. We don’t have to. All we have to do is accept it. And when we do, surely goodness and mercy will follow us all the days of our lives.”
Laura lives in the picturesque college town of Oxford, Ohio. There you’ll find her running the wooded trails, strolling the brick streets, teaching a local Bible study, shopping at the Saturday morning farmer’s market, or going on a sunset walk with her family.
Many of us long for lasting peace and stability whether we are healing from painful memories, grieving a recent loss, or simply trying to find a quiet path in a chaotic world. In this episode, interior stylist and popular Instagram influencer, Anh Lin, shares from her new book Forever Home. She was born in Vietnam in a dirt floor home and moved to America when she was two. She lost her father to cancer early in life and lived for years with a difficult, strained relationship with her mother. In her conversation with Barb, Anh combines a unique blend of Biblical teaching and her personal story to teach us how to live free from the pain of the past and invite God to rebuild your brokenness into a beautiful life.
RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE
Forever Home: Moving Beyond Brokenness to Build a Strong and Beautiful Life
Connect with Anh on Instagram!
ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST
Today’s conversation is an encouraging breath of fresh air to help you live well no matter if you feel like you’re on top of the world or the world is on top of you. Join Barb and Grace Wabuke Klein, author of Flourish: Finding Purpose in the Unknown and Unexpected Seasons of Life, for a conversation on how to trust God’s grace and goodness when we’re not sure what’s happening in our lives. Grace will explain the four seasons of life and how to hold on to hope and believe God for His best in your life.
RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE
Flourish: Finding Purpose in the Unknown and Unexpected Seasons of Life
Connect with Grace on Facebook!
Connect with Grace on Instagram!
ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST
"I've always felt unfit as a Korean but somehow too Korean everywhere else."
Tasha Jun has always been caught between worlds: American and Korean, faith and doubt, family devotion and fierce independence. As a Korean American and author of the new book, Tell Me the Dream Again, Tasha has wandered between seemingly opposing worlds, struggling to find a voice to speak and a firm place for her feet to land. In our conversation today Tasha speaks to those who feel unseen or unwanted, letting them know that they are not outsiders to God. When we let all the details of ourselves unfold—when we embrace who we were divinely knit together to be—this is when we'll fully experience his perfect love.
*Editor's Note: On Better Together, we emphasize that life is not perfect, and unfortunately in this episode, we had a little bit of imperfect audio towards the end of the interview due to some outdoor work being done in the background. Thankfully the interview is still easy to hear, but we just wanted to provide a little bit of context. Enjoy this wonderful conversation with Tasha Jun! :)
RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE
Tell Me the Dream Again: Reflections on Family, Ethnicity, and the Sacred Work of Belonging
Connect with Tasha on Facebook!
Connect with Tasha on Instagram!
ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST
Singles often feel left out of church and the gospel, even though Jesus and the Apostle Paul were single. Even when churches preach the significance of singleness from the platform, singles often feel alone and left out in the culture of the church which seems to be built similar to Noah’s Ark, that everyone is in sets of two. In her new book, Dr. Danielle Treweek, an Aussie single Jesus-follower, talks with my fabulous podcast producer Tabitha about the eschatological view of singleness and they have a surprising conversation that will raise the eyebrows of those who are married or single. If you’ve been struggling with seeing your singlehood through the big picture of Scripture or you want to support your single sisters in Christ better, Danielle’s interview will give you lots to think about and reflect on. Don’t miss this!
RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE
The Meaning of Singleness: Retrieving an Eschatological Vision for the Contemporary Church
Connect with Danielle on Twitter!
Connect with Danielle on Instagram!
ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST