Just Love Them

In last week’s episode, we heard from Michael McLean. This week, we continue the conversation with his son, Jeff McLean — and you will not want to miss it. Jeff shares his deeply personal story of growing up in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints while quietly carrying a truth he didn’t yet feel safe to live: he is gay. For years, Jeff tried to fit into a framework that didn’t align wi...

What happens when the story you’ve built your life around begins to unravel? In this deeply personal and courageous episode, beloved singer-songwriter, performer, filmmaker, and author Michael McLean opens up about one of the most painful and transformative chapters of his life. Known for his inspiring music and messages of faith, Michael shares what happened behind the scenes when his son left th...

You’ve apologized. You’ve repented. They’ve forgiven you. So why are you still punishing yourself? In this episode, we explore: Why we get stuck in cycles of guilt and ruminationThe difference between healing guilt and destructive shameHow the adversary uses the past to keep us stuckWhy your power is only in the present momentWhat it actually looks like to receive Christ’s grace How to finally let...

What happens when four of your five children leave the religion you raised them in? In this powerful conversation, Joy Allen shares how turning to God brought a profound spiritual shift in the way she views agency, motherhood, and faith. Instead of clinging tighter in fear, she learned to lean into love. Grounded in her mother’s simple wisdom — “Love is the answer. Now what was your question?” — t...

What if the way you’re praying is missing one key element? In today’s episode, I share a spiritual “aha” moment that completely reframed how I understand prayer — especially when we’re asking God for miracles. After reading the book The Circle Maker and wrestling with some questions, I decided to write God a letter. The answer I received changed everything. We’re talking about: Why some prayers se...

This week’s guest is Lindsay Schiess —speaker, therapist, and professor at the University of Utah—who brings both professional expertise and deep compassion to one of the most tender experiences families face. As a therapist, Lindsay has worked with individuals on both sides of faith transitions. She offers thoughtful insight into why it feels so painful when a loved one leaves their religion—and...

Why does it seem like God speaks so clearly to some people… but not to you? In this episode, I share a powerful and unconventional way I’ve learned to receive clear, loving direction from God—especially during seasons of confusion, heartbreak, and strained relationships. When a loved one leaves the faith… When family dynamics feel painful… When you don’t know what to do next… We plead for answers....

What do you do when one child leaves and later returns… another passes away from the effects of drug use… and a third relationship feels distant? In this deeply moving conversation, Karen Smith shares her journey as a mother navigating all three realities. With remarkable grace and honesty, she opens up about addiction, grief, hope, disappointment, and the steady love of God that carried her throu...

When someone you love steps away from the faith you cherish, it can be hard to feel love. It can be hard to be a light. It may be more likely that you feel devastated. Rejected. Afraid. Angry. Sad. So how do you truly love and be a light when your heart is hurting? In this episode, I share three life-changing shifts that helped me love my children who left the church—without compromising my faith...

Returning guest and family relationship therapist Emil Harker joins the podcast to tackle a question many of you quietly wrestle with: What do you do when “just love them” feels like “let them take advantage of me”? In true, animated Emil-style, he breaks down what healthy boundaries actually look like —not walls, not ultimatums, but respectful limits that protect connection and self-respect. Emil...

Sometimes the most dangerous lies aren’t loud or obvious. They sound like your own thoughts . In this episode, Shiree shares a powerful realization that came while sitting in the temple—one that changed the way she understands how the adversary works on faithful, covenant-keeping people. Rather than pulling us off the path outright, Satan often works quietly, whispering discouragement, shame, blam...

Grief doesn’t only come from loss we can name or explain. Sometimes it comes from shattered expectations—especially when someone we love chooses a path different from the one we imagined for them. In this episode, life coach Lindsey Shumway joins me to share a powerful and compassionate grief protocol she has taught to many of her clients—and recently used herself as her daughter took a direction...

In this episode, I share a powerful journaling method that helped me move through a season of deep emotional pain—and has the potential to ease both emotional and physical pain. After learning this approach from my friend and past podcast guest Julie Hawkes, I discovered a simple but profound truth: unresolved emotions can keep our nervous system stuck in pain. When those emotions are safely expre...

This beautiful bonus episode is a meditation that can be used to accompany the "Junk Journaling" method for the last 10 minutes, or can be used as a stand-alone meditation any time you want to use it. This meditation is a gift for you.

Alyce Jeppesen is an interfaith chaplain, devoted wife, and mother to a beautifully blended family of seven. Her life story includes seasons of deep pain and profound growth—abuse, divorce, remarriage, blending families, cancer, having multiple family members leave the church, and courageously questioning her own faith. In this tender and honest conversation, Alyce shares her journey through heart...

Welcome to Season 3 of Just Love Them . This season is an invitation to find peace, heal relationships, and learn to trust God with the people we love—especially those who have stepped away from our faith. In this episode, we explore a powerful truth that brings deep comfort: God’s love and help are not reserved for just the obedient or the “faithful.” God is aware of every one of His children and...

The original of this powerful episode aired on Feb. 24, 2025. Faith and hope are essential to belief—but what happens when we anchor our hope in the wrong thing? This week, Melonie Mullen joins us to share her journey, the hard lessons she’s learned, and the incredible transformation that comes when we shift our hope to the right place. Don’t miss this inspiring conversation about perspective, tru...

The original of this powerful episode aired on January 6, 2025. Understanding how people give and receive apologies differently can be a game-changer, especially when faith differences create tension or distance. We’ll discuss the five apology languages, how they can help bridge misunderstandings, and ways to use them to foster healing and connection with those you love. If you're feeling hurt...

Welcome to Episode 100 of the Just Love Them podcast! What a perfect topic to celebrate it with: JOY . At Christmastime we see the word everywhere, but real, lasting joy goes far deeper than holiday décor or happy moments. Tune in to this episode to learn how joy is different from happiness, and how to get more of this deep and fulfilling feeling into your life - regardless of what you are current...

Today’s episode is all about the promises you have access to right now . Did you know that the promises we read about in scripture weren’t just for ancient people—but are extended to you, personally, today? Julie Hawkes, a master scriptorian, joins me to share powerful stories from the scriptures alongside experiences from her own life. Together, we explore how God steps into impossible situations...

We’ve all had a moment when a tiny pebble sneaks into our shoe and makes it almost impossible to keep walking. We stop, we remove it, and we move forward. But what about the pebbles in our hearts —old hurts, resentments, memories, or disappointments that stay hidden until something shakes them loose? In this episode, I share a deeply personal story of discovering a pebble I didn't know I still...

In this powerful episode, I sit down with Roseanne Dawes, a mother whose journey through heartbreak, surrender, and unexpected grace will stay with you long after the episode ends. Roseanne shares the deeply personal story of the eight months when her son broke all contact with her—months filled with uncertainty, fear, and the pain of not knowing how to move forward. What began as a devastating ex...

In this deeply personal and faith-affirming episode, Shiree shares tender stories of young people—and her own experience—wrestling with God’s silence. From a returned missionary praying on a mountainside for a butterfly that never came, to a young woman pleading in the celestial room for assurance, to Shiree’s teenage prayers that seemed to go unheard for months, we explore the painful question so...

Join Shiree and special guest Michelle D. Craig , former First Counselor in the General Young Women Presidency, for a heartfelt conversation about the pain, growth, and unexpected beauty that can come from life’s hardest seasons. Together they explore what it means to feel the feelings without losing hope, how to recognize Christ’s hand in the smallest details of our lives, and the powerful differ...

CORRECTION: The book "Feelings Buried Alive Never Die" mentioned on this episode is by Karole K. Truman. We’ve all had those moments when a small thing unexpectedly stirs up a big emotional reaction. One minute you’re fine, and the next you’re blindsided—hurt, frustrated, or in tears—without fully understanding why. In today’s episode, Shiree shares a personal experience that exposed a l...