Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Get Ready With God

You know how you can't go from walking around the block to running a marathon overnight?  I'm talking about how building spiritual capacity works exactly the same way - you need a comfortable "base pace" (for me it's prayer on hikes) and then you slowly add harder things instead of jumping from atheist to following every religious rule. If you're trying to figure out where you're at with faith, give yourself permission to start where you're comfortable and just microdose spirituality from there.

Can we talk about how emotional regulation is actually a spiritual practice? I'm diving into why I think we've gotten it twisted that you have to be moved to tears or have BIG emotions to feel connected to God - like what if He's actually speaking to you in those calm, neutral moments? If you're someone who rarely cries during spiritual moments and wondered if something's wrong with you, this one's for you.

Okay but like... does everything actually happen for a reason or are we just trying to make ourselves feel better when life gets messy? I'm diving into this big question because honestly, I don't think everything happens for a reason BUT I do think we can assign our own meaning to things (especially the painful stuff) and that's actually pretty powerful. My mantra is "it's more fun to believe" and sometimes choosing to find purpose in the chaos is what gets us through - even if we can't explain it to anyone else.

Today I'm talking about how we can't always wait for someone to come rescue us from the awkward - sometimes we gotta create our own belonging by just showing up as ourselves, even when it's scary. What if we stopped waiting for permission to belong and just decided we already do?

It's more empowering to quietly live in alignment than to make proclamations for public consumption during our messy middle. Let your life be evidence enough—let your peace be the proof.

Today I want you to look for divinity in yourself—have you ever felt unlovable, even by God? Your worth is fixed through divine creation—you'll do good and bad things, but that doesn't change your value as God's child. Try on the belief that you're worthy of His love, serve someone else as a channel for God's love, and experiment with receiving it yourself.

Despite having more on my plate than ever, I'm not miserable! Looking back at my chaotic career path, every "terrible ending" was actually a necessary step to where I am now. When divinely guided choices end badly, it feels like betrayal, but one thing always leads to the next even when we can't see it. Maybe you don't know what's next in the best possible way.

When someone's life choices make you angry or judgmental, that's actually about YOU, not them! Our triggers reveal our insecurities and shifting values—recently someone close to me left religion and it tormented me because I was using them to validate my own path. When living differently than those around us, we need God-guided confidence in our values, not validation from others. Use your triggers as soul-searching invitations—they're teaching you something important!

There's a difference between being an actual victim and victim mentality. Real harm (abuse, loss, institutional failures) isn't your fault, but staying trapped in blame keeps you miserable. An atheist once told me to own my choices after leaving religion—life-changing! Jesus makes accountability less scary because His partnership heals us even when we're wrong. Ask God: "Where's my accountability?" Freedom comes through taking responsibility for what we can control while healing from what we couldn't.

My 3-year-old Sophie is snuggling with me today (perfect timing for this topic!). My friend shared something profound: relief often doesn't come in our darkest closet-floor moments—it comes after we somehow get back up and keep trying. When I look back at my lowest points, I couldn't feel God then, but now I see He was carrying me through pain so deep that even divine help felt absent. Gather evidence from your own life of when relief came—maybe not on your timeline, but it did come. Deep breath. Let's go.

With endless spiritual resources, I sometimes replace my own investment in God with other people's content! While podcasts are great, nothing replaces YOUR relationship with the divine. Living differently than those around you requires personal divine guidance. After a year in AA with people of all belief systems, the common thread was: personal relationship with a higher power matters most. Pick something simple and sustainable—one prayer, four minutes of reading—consistency builds connection better than grand gestures.

Let's talk about stopping the gatekeeping of God! We make up rules about where He can be found and what makes us "worthy," but I find God at Chili's over Diet Coke and chips—those booth conversations are sacred! The only requirement for finding Him is seeking Him. You might study your Bible and feel nothing, then feel divinity during an Eminem song (don't ask). Stop putting restrictions on access to God. Be surprised by where He shows up in your day.

You've been asking, so here's my honest answer: I choose organized religion right now because it helps me prioritize service and Christ in ways I otherwise wouldn't. I'm not saying it's essential for faith or being good—I've been both in and out of religion twice! But with full-time work and kids in high-demand stages, I don't have extra capacity. Religion gives me built-in community, service opportunities, and worship practices without me having to create it all myself. Desperation brought me back to God, but community brought me back to church. Whatever stage you're in—exploring, wandering, or fully committed—I respect it all.

Sometimes you don't know what you believe until you say it out loud! Sharing beliefs—even before we're sure—can confirm or shift what we think. Whether it's faith, money, or relationships, saying things out loud releases shame and clarifies truth. I know I just said you don't owe declarations, but safe conversations with trusted friends are the experimental lab for building beliefs. Call someone today and practice saying what you think you believe—you might surprise yourself!

Obviously this hit me as a metaphor during a grief walk. A life with no resistance isn't fulfilling—it won't bring depth or teach resilience. Whatever clouds you're facing are likely reflecting your light, even when you can't see it. Don't run from resistance; it's what makes life remarkable. Go look at the sky today and tell me there's no divinity in that!

Sometimes we need breaks from heaviness, and that's healthy coping, not avoidance. When faith questions get overwhelming, you don't have to solve everything RIGHT NOW. You can live in uncertainty, say "I don't know," and take breaks without owing anyone explanations. The big questions will still be there when you're ready to pick them back up.

Let's talk about service with nuance—I'm not advocating for martyrdom! If we want community we need to BE the community. My new mantra: the more I give, the more I'll have to give—it's a divine refill system!

Is prayer real or just fancy wishing? What if our prayers create actual energetic particles that others can pick up? I know I sound crazy with zero evidence, but I've been theorizing about quantum physics and spiritual particles. Maybe prayer isn't about worthiness—maybe it's about aligning ourselves to send and receive mysterious spiritual signals. There's no wrong way to try!

Feeling impending doom? Me too! In this episode, I'm sharing how spirituality intersects with anxiety (not as a cure, but as a tool in my mental health toolkit). Here's what helps: when spiraling about worst-case scenarios, remember you can't anticipate who you'll be when those things happen. My biggest fears have come true—plus much worse—but I wasn't the same person anymore when they did. God had rigorously shaped me into someone who could handle it all. You're being prepared right now for whatever's ahead, even if you can't see it yet.

In this episode, I'm giving you permission to change your mind without apology. We expect growth but punish mind-changing like it's a character flaw. Whether it's switching from styrofoam to plastic cups or shifting entire belief systems, evolution is the point! Life is supposed to transform you—don't grip so tightly to who you used to be. What if you believed differently? Loosen that grip a little and see what happens. You don't have to be who you were yesterday!

Today we're choosing your personal reminder that God exists and knows you! Mine is rain (which is rare in desert life). Whenever it rains, my thoughts turn to "God loves me today"—never a bad thought to have! Whether it's a bird, flower, or weather pattern, pick something you love that will prompt divine thoughts when you encounter it. We assign meaning to things anyway, so why not choose ones that serve us? This simple practice builds the habit of connecting everyday moments with divine love. What will your sign be?

In this episode, I'm challenging you to notice what "impossible" things you're normalizing in your own life. We so often downplay the extraordinary things we endure and accomplish daily. Where is the impossible becoming possible in your everyday life? That's where the real miracles are happening—and I don't use that word lightly. If you want evidence of divine intervention, look at your everyday life and what you're carrying.

Why is faith always sold as "do this for heaven" when these practices make life better TODAY? Whether God is real or not, heroin is still bad, right? I'm making the case for choosing faith because it improves your Tuesday, not your eternity. This mindset saves you from throwing everything out when faith gets shaky. Don't do it for the afterlife—do it because it makes you better right now.

Plot twist: what if choosing hope in our cynical world is actually REBELLIOUS!? I'm sharing how my rebel heart finally found its match in willingly choosing faith. Believing in impossible things feels like the ultimate defiance. If you're a natural wanderer who needs to touch the stove fifteen times, welcome to the Faith Rebellion—it's way more thrilling than traditional rebellion!

You're hot! But on a more serious note—are you wondering if God is real? In this episode, I'm sharing the ONE thing I want you to trust me on (besides your hotness): God never leaves, even when we leave Him.  This quick devotional offers a simple belief-shifting exercise to try on today. 

What if God designed spiritual growth to happen without the dopamine hit of immediate results? In this episode, I'm challenging our results-obsessed culture and sharing why some of our most important work (like motherhood!) often feels thankless. What happens when we find value in the effort itself, regardless of outcome? This quick devotional might just free you from the validation trap and help you notice the subtle ways your consistent spiritual efforts are changing everything—even if you can't draw a direct line between cause and effect.

When inspiration leads to disaster, did God set you up? Let's talk about those confusing moments when divine guidance seemingly leads us straight into pain. This quick devotional challenges us to release our grip on outcomes and find the divine breadcrumbs even in the aftermath of suffering. Let's play this fun game of trusting the nudges, even when the results aren't what we expected!

Has God ever disappointed you? Let's talk about it. What if we changed our approach? I'm sharing how this perspective shift transformed my faith journey through loss and might just change your relationship with divinity too. This quick 10-minute devotional offers a fresh approach to life's biggest disappointments—without minimizing the pain. Let's gamify finding divinity in our day, even when things fall apart!

Let's start off by keeping things nice and light—is God real??  These quick episodes (under 10 min!) are the perfect morning spiritual boost. Think devotional, but make it fun!