Faith Over Fear – Details, episodes & analysis

Do you find yourself battling loneliness and long for deeper connections? Do you struggle going deeper in your current relationships and wonder why tension often invades certain interactions? In this episode, host Carol McCracken talks with author and Bible teacher Becky Harling about our longing to connect, things that can hinder our connections, and practical ways we can build deeper relationships. (Scroll down for discussion/reflective questions.)

Resource referenced: Cultivating Deeper Connections in a Lonely World

Find Becky Harling:

On her website

On Instagram

On Facebook

Check out her podcast, the Connected Mom

Find Carol McCracken:

On her website 

On Facebook

On Instagram

Discussion/Reflective Questions:

1. What resonated with you most in this episode?
2. When has God used a difficult season to shift or correct your priorities?
3. What are some ways you experience a sense of belonging in your relationship with Christ?
4. When has envy hurt one of your relationships?
5. When has comparison hurt one of your relationships?
6. When have you seen celebrating others deepen a relationship?
7. What is one action step God might want you to take having listened to this episode?

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

How do we navigate the loss of those we love and the evil we encounter in this world? How can we choose faith when our hearts ache and we don't have all the answers? In this episode, Brandon Heath shares how he answered those questions after the loss of his parents and a school shooting that hit much too close to home.  (Scroll down for discussion/reflection questions.)

Resources referenced: Raising Worry-Free Girls: Helping Your Daughter Feel Braver, Stronger, and Smarter in an Anxious World by Sissy Goff

The Ache, by Brandon Heath

Find Brandon Heath:

On his website

Facebook

Instagram

YouTube Music

Spotify

Find Jennifer Slattery:

On her website

Instagram

Facebook

Amazon

Subscribe to her free newsletter

Join the private Faith Over Fear Facebook Group 

(I inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.)

1. What resonated with you most in this episode?
2. Who might you need to engage in a conversation with so that you can ensure you've left nothing unsaid?
3. How might your fear stem from a desire for control, or the belief that you retain control?
4. How does it feel to know that God remains close to the brokenhearted? 
5. What might it look like to live so that you are surprised by difficulties but also not to feel caught off guard by them?
6. What is one action step God might want you to take having listened to this episode?

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

While sometimes depression hits without any known or perceivable cause, other times it stems from, or is exacerbated by overwhelming circumstances and situations involving those we love. But while we can't always control the things that impact our emotions, there are helpful things we can choose. In this episode, hosts Jennifer Slattery and Carol McCracken talk with therapist Stefanie Rowe about some of depressions roots and why it's important to seek help sooner rather than later. Bible passage discussed: 1 Kings 19  (Scroll down for discussion/reflective questions.)

Sermons referenced in this episode (presented by Stefanie):

How to Navigate Depression

Helped, Hugged, Heard

Link to the mug mentioned in this episode: https://thehappygivers.com/collections/its-ok-collection

Find Stefanie Rowe:

On her website

On Facebook

On Instagram

Find Carol McCracken:

On her website 

On Facebook

On Instagram

Find Jennifer Slattery:

On her website

Instagram

Facebook

Amazon

Subscribe to her free newsletter

Join the private Faith Over Fear Facebook Group 

Discussion/Reflective Questions:

1. What resonated with you most in this episode?
2. In what ways might your current circumstances feel overwhelming?
3. How might your level of emotional involvement in other people's problems impact your current mental state?
4. How does it feel to know that godly people like Mother Teresa and the Old Testament prophet Elijah experienced depression?
5. How does it feel to know that God moves close to you in your pain (even if you can't "feel" His presence)?
6. As depression thrives in isolation, and also tends to pull us to isolate ourselves further: what is one way you can connect with others this week?
7. Who is one person in whom you can find support when you feel depressed?
8. What is one action step God might be asking you to take having listened to this episode? 

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

We've all experienced rejection throughout our lives, including times when we've messed up. We may be accustomed to, and therefore have come to expect, others cutting us off or distancing themselves from us when we sin. We may even assume God will respond to us in a similar way, but this is far from what we see in Scripture. In this episode, Carol and Jennifer discuss a biblical example of a major mess up, how Abram, the man who sinned, responded, how God responded to him, and what this reveals about His heart toward us. 

Find Carol McCracken at:
https://www.carolmccracken.com/
https://www.instagram.com/carologlemccracken/
https://www.facebook.com/carol.o.mccracken
http://whollyloved.com/meet-the-team

Find Jennifer Slattery at:
http://jenniferslatterylivesoutloud.com
https://www.instagram.com/slatteryjennifer/
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083247680572

Find Wholly Loved, at:
https://www.WhollyLoved.com

Find Wholly Loved Ministries at:
WhollyLoved.com

Join the private Faith Over Fear Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/442736966614671

Join the Private Wholly Loved Community Group (also on Facebook):
https://www.facebook.com/groups/443325386241769

Group Discussion Questions:

1. What resonated with you most in this episode?
2. How do you tend to respond after you've sinned? Do you tend to turn to God or distance yourself from Him?
3. What have you seen, read, or experienced regarding God's heart that you can remember and reflect on whenever or if ever you fear God's rejection?
4. Why is it important to focus on God's character, not our guilt, when attempting to live more deeply connected to and empowered by God?
5. 1 John 1:9 tells us that whenever we acknowledge our sins to God, and each time that we do, that He forgives us and cleanses us from all unrighteousness. What are some sins, then, that He forgives us of? 
6. Considering the use of the word "all" in 1 John 1:9, what sins does God not forgive? 
7. Again, considering 1 John 1:9 and its discussion of God's purification, what does this mean in terms of our holiness or sinfulness after we turn to God and acknowledge our sin?
8. Why might it be important to remember God indeed purifies us from "all" unrighteousness? 
9. What is one action step God might be asking you to take as a result of listening to this podcast. 

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

There are times in our life when God will ask us to leave everything we find comfortable to step into the unknown with Him. These moments are a lot like “hallway moments” where we’re not exactly sure where or when the next door will open; they are moments that might be full of doubt and hesitancy, but they are essential to our faith. They are the moments that keep us holding onto the One that knows all, even when we don’t.

Find Kimi:
https://kimimiller.com/

https://www.facebook.com/LivingReflectionsMinistry/

https://www.instagram.com/livingreflectionsministry/

Find Tami:

https://www.tamiwittrock.com/

Find Wholly Loved Ministries at:

WhollyLoved.com
Join the private Faith Over Fear Facebook Support Group
Join the Private Wholly Loved Community Group (also on Facebook):

Group Discussion Questions:

1. Reflect on a “hallway moment” of your life.
2. What were some of the lies that maybe prevented you from wanting to step forward?
3. What were some truths you discovered about God during that time?
4. How have those truths been an encouragement or reminder for you in other times where things felt unknown or uncertain?
5. Have you ever shared your “hallway moment” with others? What was their reaction?
6. Read Genesis 12:2-3 and underline the seven promises God shared with Abram. How might these also be an inspiration to you?
7. Is there any area of your life where God is asking you to step into the unknown? If so, reflect on the steps discussed on today’s episode.
   1. How has God been faithful in the past?
   2. How does this encourage you to take that first step?

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Jesus came to restore everything as it should be. To bring increased health and fulfillment to a hurting, dysfunctional, and broken world. But sometimes our first steps toward the new life Christ calls us to feel scary. What if the change He calls us to damages our current relationships and we end up alone? In this episode, Kelly Campbell and Jennifer Slattery talk about what emotions Abram may have wrestled with when God first called him from the land of his dysfunction and what we can learn from his journey.

(Scroll down to find the group discussion questions)

Find Kelly Campbell and Wholly Loved, at: https://www.WhollyLoved.com

Find Jennifer Slattery at:

http://jenniferslatterylivesoutloud.com

https://www.instagram.com/slatteryjennifer/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083247680572

Find Wholly Loved Ministries at: WhollyLoved.com

Join the private Faith Over Fear Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/442736966614671

Join the Private Wholly Loved Community Group (also on Facebook):

https://www.facebook.com/groups/443325386241769

Group Discussion Questions:

1. What resonated with you most in this episode?
2. In today’s episode, Jennifer talked about living in the “messy middle” where we’re not as unhealthy as we once were but where we also know we have room to grow. Consider your current relationships. Where are you in your journey? In what areas would you like to see increased health?
3. When have you felt the need to make a healthy change in a relationship? What was that change, how did you respond, and what were the results?
4. Why do you think change, even when we know the change is for our good, can feel so unsettling?
5. If you had been Abram, what would you have struggled with most in regard to leaving your homeland?
6. Why is it important to remember God’s heart for us when embarking on a challenging or uncertain journey?
7. In today’s episode, what did Jennifer say is God’s heart for us? What type of life does He long for us to experience?

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

When assigned reading in school, did you ever search out the cliff notes? If so, you might appreciate this episode, in which we captured four powerful anxiety-fighting nuggets from our most popular episodes. For those who missed those episodes the first time they dropped, consider these your show notes designed to help you quickly zero in on some actionable steps you can take to decrease your anxiety and increase your peace. For those who caught those courage-bolstering discussions the first time, consider this a reminder as together we progress toward the soul-deep freedom Christ promised.  

(Scroll down to find the group discussion questions)

Find Jennifer Slattery at:

https://jenniferslatterylivesoutloud.com/

https://www.instagram.com/slatteryjennifer/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083247680572

Find Wholly Loved Ministries at:

https://www.WhollyLoved.com

Join the private Faith Over Fear Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/442736966614671

Join the Private Wholly Loved Community Group (also on Facebook):

https://www.facebook.com/groups/443325386241769

Group Discussion or Personal Journal Questions:

1. In the first episode segment, Dr. Neil T. Anderson discussed the imminence and potency of those things that cause fear. Consider something that regularly causes you anxiety. How imminent is that threat? How potent?
2. Can you detect the lie fueling that fear? If not, I encourage you to take some time to pray and journal on this. If so, what is the lie?
3. What is one truth Scripture provides that counters that lie?
4. Consider Cathy Loerzel’s discussion on how we tend to store trauma in our bodies. Why is this important to recognize?
5. According to Cathy, how can a dysregulated body affect our relationships and those we love?
6. When discussing our “stored” traumas, Dr. Allender encourages us to tend to our stories with wisdom and kindness. What might that look like in your life?
7. How does our trust in God and His desire to heal us give us the courage to begin to unpack our stories?
8. Why is it important to have an emergency verse?
9. What verse can you write on notecards, in your phone, regularly recite, and memorize to serve as your emergency verse to reflect upon the next time anxiety unexpectedly hits?

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

We can’t force someone to love us or treat us well, but we can guard our peace and joy. In fact, to live the fruit-bearing and gospel-sharing lives that Christ created us for, we must learn when to walk beside and when to walk away.

In this episode, prolific writer Gary Thomas, author of When to Walk Away: Finding Freedom from Toxic People, shares insights he learned when studying Christ’s interactions with the various people He encountered.

Find Gary Thomas at:
https://www.garythomas.com
https://www.facebook.com/authorgarythomas
https://www.instagram.com/garythomasbooks/

Resource mentioned: When to Walk Away: Finding Freedom from Toxic People: https://amzn.to/3dsPRYR

Find Jennifer:
https://jenniferslatterylivesoutloud.com
https://www.facebook.com/JenSlatte
https://www.instagram.com/slatteryjennifer/

Find Wholly Loved, at:
https://www.WhollyLoved.com

Join the private Faith Over Fear Group Here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/442736966614671

Sign up to receive her 30-Day Fighting Fear emails: https://bit.ly/31y43gt

Group Discussion Questions:

1. What did you find most helpful in today’s episode and why?
2. Did anything Gary said cause you to reevaluate your thoughts on some relational encounters?
3. How would you describe the difference between difficult people and toxic people?
4. Consider your relationships. Are there people in your life who steal your peace and joy?
5. Why is it important to guard your peace and joy?
6. Consider a challenging relationship. In what ways do your interactions with that individual make it difficult to love others well?
7. In what ways do your interactions with that individual make it challenging to live out your calling?
8. What might it look like to leave an interaction mentally?
9. How can you show love and compassion while protecting yourself?

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Do you find it difficult to rest, whether that involves something as simple as turning off your constantly pinging electronic devices, planning an afternoon out with friends, or engaging in a creative activity? Do all of your uncompleted tasks run through your mind the moment you step away from your desk or a particular responsibility? Sometimes it takes courage to rest. Yet, science also demonstrates, taking regular time for true, restorative rest also increases our courage by actively decreasing our anxiety. In this episode, Wholly Loved’s Kelly Campbell talks with a woman who’s dug deep into the research to discover ways we can all live a little less hustled and bustled and with ever-increasing joy and peace. 

(Scroll down to find the group discussion questions)

Find Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith at:

https://www.drdaltonsmith.com/

https://www.instagram.com/drdaltonsmith/

https://www.facebook.com/DrSaundraDaltonSmith

Take the Rest Quiz at:

https://www.restquiz.com/quiz/rest-quiz-test/

Find Kelly Campbell, and Wholly Loved Ministries, at:

http://WhollyLoved.com

Join the private Faith Over Fear Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/442736966614671

Join the Private Wholly Loved Community Group (also on Facebook): https://www.facebook.com/groups/443325386241769

Group Discussion or Personal Journal Questions:

1. What resonated with you most in this episode?
2. When do you most tend to get defensive?
3. In those particular situations, what story are you telling yourself?
4. What are some truths you can reflect upon prior to those types of situations or interactions with that particular person?
5. Why is it important to recognize that not everyone is a safe person who will be helpful while you are working to heal?
6. How did you feel when Tina and Jennifer talked about potentially limiting time with unhealthy family members?
7. What were some signs Tina mentioned that can indicate a person is not willing to change?
8. How can recognizing this help you find the healthiest level of involvement with an individual more focused on casting blame than moving toward relational health?
9. What is one action step God might be asking you to take after having listened to today’s content?

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.