Jess Ask

What happens when God actually says yes? Desiree and I are talking about Matthew 7, the meaning behind Jess Ask, fear of rejection, the weight of receiving what you've prayed for and the responsibility to act when God opens the door. I also share what happened when I asked God to make my career transition plain—and hours later, after nearly 10 years with my company, I was fired. Sometimes we're wa...

Desiree called me famous—and I immediately rejected it. But the more we talked, the more I realized my discomfort with fame may have less to do with popularity and more to do with being seen. We're talking childhood rejection, fear of our past resurfacing, visibility, influence and what it means to steward being known when God increases your reach. Jess Ask The Podcast is the safe space where tran...

What if you're struggling to finish because you've been building from somebody else's blueprint? Joy Pittman joins us for a powerful conversation about Half-Built Houses , comparison, calling, spiritual gifts and the responsibility to steward what God has actually given YOU. And sometimes the half-built house isn't what you never started—it's what you completed but never carried to its intended pu...

Can we trust the people asking for our vote? We sat down with Alabama Lieutenant Governor candidate Phillip Ensler to get beyond campaign talking points and meet the person behind the candidacy. From moving from New York to Alabama and teaching in Montgomery to grief, therapy, education, youth violence, public service and why he chose to run, this conversation asks a simple question: Who is Philli...

Is your idea worth spreading? After completing my first TEDx talk, Desiree and I sat down to talk about what the experience REALLY required from me—and surprisingly, this conversation became about much more than standing on a TEDx stage. I battled fear. I procrastinated. Imposter syndrome had me wondering if they had chosen the wrong person. And somewhere in the process, I had to stop focusing on...

Should Christians use artificial intelligence? In this episode of Jess Ask the Podcast, Jessica S. Smith and Desiree welcome AI strategist and entrepreneur Cynthia Respert for a thoughtful conversation about faith, technology, entrepreneurship, and stewardship. Together they discuss how believers can approach AI with wisdom, use it as a tool without replacing dependence on God, and navigate the op...

What if you've accepted Jesus... …but never fully embraced the Helper He promised? In this week's episode of Jess Ask the Podcast, Jessica S. Smith and Desiree have one of their most honest conversations yet about what it truly means to have a relationship with the Holy Spirit. From a candid story about navigating faith in relationships to unpacking the gift of praying in a heavenly language, this...

What if legacy has nothing to do with what you leave behind... …and everything to do with who you've prepared to carry it? This week on Jess Ask the Podcast, Jessica S. Smith and Desiree sit down with legacy strategist, coach, and host of the Inheritance to Income Podcast, Garrick C. Francis, for a conversation that will completely reshape how you think about family, purpose, and generational impa...

How many dreams have been delayed because you kept shrinking yourself? This week on Jess Ask the Podcast, Jessica S. Smith and Desiree sit down with entrepreneur, educator, worship leader, and founder of Wykeria Dance & Performing Arts, Wykeria Clark, for one of the most transparent conversations yet. Wykeria shares the moment she almost closed her dance studio after years of pouring into othe...

What if the gift you've been second-guessing is exactly what God told you to monetize? In this episode of Jess Ask The Podcast, Jessica S. Smith sits down with Danita A. Scott — kingdom entrepreneur and course creation strategist — for a conversation about confidence, assignment, and what it really looks like to trust God with your gifts. Danita opens up about quitting her corporate job on her bir...

What happens when God calls you to something you specifically told Him you didn't want?   In this episode of Jess Ask The Podcast, Magan Battle — the youngest founder of a real estate brokerage firm in Birmingham, Alabama — joins host Jessica S. Smith for a conversation that is equal parts testimony, strategy, and straight talk. Magan opens up about never wanting to be a broker, the string of divi...

Former U.S. Senator Doug Jones joins Jess and Desiree for an honest conversation about the future of Alabama. Together they discuss education, healthcare, mental health, prisons, voting, small businesses, agriculture, and why leadership should create room for everyone at the table. Whether you're politically engaged or just trying to better understand the issues affecting your community, this epis...

What if the thing you've been avoiding is the exact thing God needs you to walk back through? In this episode of Jess Ask The Podcast, Jessica S. Smith and Desiree sit down for a raw, Spirit-led conversation about avoidance, identity, and what it really means to get over it — not in the dismissive sense, but in the biblical one. Jessica opens up about a moment she avoided revisiting for over a yea...

This week on Jess Ask the Podcast, Jess and Desiree welcome Steve Wilmer, entrepreneur, sales coach, and host of the 3% Mindset Podcast. Together they discuss faith, finances, entrepreneurship, rejection, pricing, delegation, leadership, and the mindset shifts required to create lasting transformation. Steve shares practical lessons from his journey from financial hardship to business success whil...

Why do we keep putting things off even when we know we should move forward? In this episode of Jess Ask the Podcast, Jess and Desiree discuss the connection between procrastination, perfectionism, surrender, and obedience. Through personal stories and practical insight, they explore how the pursuit of perfection can keep people stuck, delay purpose, and create unnecessary pressure. This conversati...

This week on Jess Ask the Podcast, Jess and Desiree have an honest conversation about the difference between conviction and condemnation. Together, they unpack the role of the Holy Spirit, spiritual correction, shame, forgiveness, obedience, and how conviction can actually lead believers closer to healing and righteousness rather than rejection. This episode challenges listeners to examine their r...

Healthy brotherhood can change everything. This week on Jess Ask the Podcast, Jess and Desiree sit down with Tyler Anderson and Art Ruffin from Sharpen Up Podcast for a transparent conversation about vulnerability, masculinity, healing, accountability, and the importance of community among Black men. The conversation explores emotional isolation, church culture, identity, transformation, and how a...

What happens when rock bottom looks like a country club basement — and a way out looks like a pizza oven?   This week on Jess Ask the Podcast, Jessica sits down with George Gilliam — founder of Uncle G's Pizza in Birmingham, Alabama — for one of the most honest conversations the Safe Space has ever held. George shares his journey from growing up privileged and blind to it in Charlottesville, Virgi...

What happens when you pray… and God doesn’t answer the way you hoped? This week on Jess Ask the Podcast, Jessica sits down with Brad Graydon and Pastor Leslie for a deeply transparent conversation about prayer, revival, disappointment, and learning how to truly commune with God. From building the “Fire Dome” prayer movement in Birmingham to navigating grief after losing a child, this episode explo...

Jess and Desiree dive into the weight of shame and how it keeps people stuck in cycles they were never meant to stay in. Through personal testimony and the story of the woman in John 8, they unpack the difference between confession and testimony, and how choosing freedom changes everything.  ABOUT JESS ASK THE PODCAST  Jess Ask The Podcast is the safe space where transparency meets transformation....

  What if you’re not being overlooked—you’re just being positioned? Jess sits down with LaDarrius “L Hut” Hutcherson to talk about purpose, healing, community impact, and the reality of paying your dues. From feeling lost to walking in influence, this episode will challenge how you see your journey. ABOUT JESS ASK THE PODCAST   Jess Ask The Podcast is the safe space where transparency meets transf...

Jess connects with K Boogie for a candid conversation about dating, relationships, and personal growth. Together, they explore why so many people feel stuck in today’s dating culture, what men and women may be misunderstanding about each other, and how healing, timing, and self-awareness play a role in finding the right partner. ABOUT JESS ASK THE PODCAST   Jess Ask The Podcast is the safe space w...

What are you rushing for? In this episode of Jess Ask the Podcast, Jess and Desiree unpack the tension between trusting God and trying to control outcomes. From misplaced wallets to deeper life frustrations, they explore how impatience reveals what’s really going on internally—and how waiting on God actually strengthens your faith. This episode is for anyone struggling to slow down, trust God’s ti...

Jessica S. Smith opens an honest conversation about growth, obedience, and what it really means to evolve without losing who you are. As Jess Ask the Podcast enters a new season, she reflects on the emotional side of rebranding and how God often develops us privately before expanding us publicly. Jess and Desiree discuss why change can feel uncomfortable, how obedience stretches your capacity, and...

Jess and Desiree dive into a powerful question many believers don't often consider: Can God trust you? While many people focus on trusting God, this conversation shifts the perspective toward what it means to become trustworthy in the things God assigns. Through honest reflections, scripture, and personal experiences, they discuss how obedience, stewardship, and even suffering can shape spiritual...