Breathe: The Stress Less Podcast

Bonnie is taking a break for just a little while longer, but while she is gone, we wanted to take the opportunity to introduce you to a new show in the LifeAudio network: Get Your Brave On, hosted by Amanda Carroll. Amanda adopted the phrase "Get Your Brave On" ten years ago when she became a single mother of 3. Her podcast is dedicated to helping you live strong and courageously no matter what li...

We are all exhausted after a year of distance working via Zoom and screens without delineation between personal time and work time, parenting and working from home. Bonnie inspires us to break out of cookie-cutter expectations and quiet the critical voices that make us feel less than enough. She also explores fresh ideas to re-energize your motivation. Scripture: “Cast all your cares on Him for He...

While Bonnie is taking a break, we are sharing a few other shows in our network. Today, we're sharing Teach Us to Pray with Christina Patterson. You can find all of our episodes of Teach Us to Pray right here: https://www.lifeaudio.com/teach-us-to-pray/episodes -------- 1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5:17‬ ‭instructs believers to pray without ceasing, but have you ever wondered if this type of continual prayer...

Christian Parent, Crazy World helps you raise godly kids in an ungodly world. Each episode addresses a critical question for parents of Christian children. You can find all of our episodes at: https://www.lifeaudio.com/christian-parent-crazy-world/episodes ***** LifeWay Research survey: Two-thirds of teens say they stopped going to church for at least a year between 18-22. Mama Bear Apologetics, b...

This week leading into Easter, Bonnie guides you to move into newness. Learn how your mind and emotions falls into old patterns and how to create new paths and grow. Create new pathways and rewrite your story with improved emotional wellness and health. Bonnie shows us how you can step over doubt to rest into God’s timing to set your heart free to pursue the new changes God puts on your heart. Lea...

(This is Week #5 of Soul Care Lent Retreat!) Bonnie guides you to use your faith to take better care of yourself when you walk through the valley of emotional exhaustion. Feel uplifted and changed discouragement to encouragement. Learn the importance of refilling your inner resources of God when your heart, body hits the empty light of your emotional tank reserves. Bonnie explores ways to make spa...

(This is Week #4 of Soul Care Lent Retreat!) Bonnie explores the stress of feeling stuck, facing uncertainty and you don’t know what to do and shows us how to restore calm during times we feel overwhelmed and return to a place of confidence when we face uncertainty. Learn how the power of focusing on God’s goodness frees your heart to take just the next step. Learn the Power of taking One Next Ste...

Bonnie explores how to fight inner critical voices when you feel burdened or feel stuck. Fight against loneliness that comes from self-reliance. Bonnie shares how critical thoughts hold a stronger grip with “avoidance anxiety,” but stress releases when we share the stress. Release the shame of emotional wounds we carry by turning those needs over to God and allowing others to help us carry our bur...

Bonnie explores what we can do when life feels hard and guides us to feel encouraged when we feel alone, face rejection or closed doors and it seems God is silent. Learn the power of “inviting rather than hiding” as Bonnie shares how Jesus himself used this practice when He faced his most anguished and troubled moments. Boost your resilience to stress when invite God and others into your situation...

Bonnie explores a scene in Jesus’s final hours - a scene when he washed the disciples’ feet and encourages us to be vulnerable with our need for healing. Learn the power of being present (rather than avoidance) with what breaks our heart with God, so we can receive the healing for our invisible wounds to be made whole. Week #1 of the Stress Less Lent Series. Lent Focus: Jesus washing the disciples...

Today we are kicking off the Stress Less 6-week Lent Soul Care Retreat to help you take better care of you and walk closer with Jesus to Easter together! Did you know that Lent means “spring” and you can use Lent as “springtime for your soul” to nurture your soul back to life? We all experience trauma of some sort when we’re under intense pressure. Bonnie shows you how to practice soul care and re...

Bonnie guides you to refill your soul with agape love – God’s unconditional love for you. When stress overwhelms our emotions and body, we feel alone and discouraged. Bonnie discusses how restoring an emotionally deeper, loving relationship with God will help relieve stress and anxiety. Learn a meditation practice to improve your spiritual health, to feel God's loving presence and feel His nearnes...

Bonnie explores storge love – familial love or instinctual affection -- in the Bible. Children are experiencing anxiety at an all-time high during the pandemic. A tender loving affection between parent and child will help relieve stress and anxiety. Learn 4 different ideas to provide the loving touch your children’s mental health will benefit from, to weather everyday stress & challenges Bonnie wi...

Bonnie explores eros love – romantic and sensual love in the Bible. What practices help you nurture romantic love to build affection in a loving marriage and while dating -- to protect it against stress? Bonnie discusses what are the practices of healthy marriages to weather conflicts and helps you invest in the “emotional bank account” of your spouse. Learn three simple, powerful ways to help low...

Bonnie kicks off her Love Series with philia love - sisterly/brother love. Learn three simple, powerful ways to nurture friendships that will improve your mental health, and your friends’ health too. Bonnie also discusses: how do we keep pursuing friendships if we get hurt? Why does showing love to others help our mental health and what does Jesus have to say about loving others, if friendships do...

Learn the power of positive thoughts and how scripture uniquely empowers you to truly practice mindfulness and meditation to reduce stress. God’s presence and His peace will become soaked into your soul, as learn to use the simple meditative prayer practice of using your imagination. Scripture Referenced in This Episode: “Do not despise small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin...

In this episode, Bonnie discusses how habits are most effectively formed. See how God’s promises keep us motivated, rather than focusing on regrets, obstacles and failures from the past. Rather than distracting yourself, use the power of God’s promises. Scripture: "I will restore to you the years that the swarming locusts has eaten.” Joel 2:24-25 Soul Care Tip: Research shows nurturing a comfortab...

Many of us live with general anxiety, but if we get curious about what is stressing us out and can specifically name it, then we can make changes to relieve that stress. Scripture: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my...

Stress increases when we feel forced to accept changes we wouldn’t choose for ourselves. This episode explores the message of choosing hope in the midst of finding your new normal and being empowered by radically doing something different that works for you. Inspired by the wise men and Joseph in the Christmas story, you’ll be empowered to talk your way to less stress as you step into the new year...

Many people feel guilty or selfish when they want to change traditions or plans for how to celebrate Christmas. Busyness is one of the biggest obstacles to experiencing a meaningful time with God and with family, in a way that would be less stressful. This episode arms you with you 6 different ways of celebrating Christmas that is scientifically proven to lower stress and boost happiness levels. U...

Are you overwhelmed and stressed right now? Many of us are; it’s common during the holiday season. In this special Christmas episode, Bonnie looks at the story of Mary and how she received the peace of God, and the soul care practice of breath prayers. Links & Resources from this Episode: For links to this study and more, sign up for Bonnie’s Newsletter: https://thebonniegray.com/subscribe/ For mo...

So much of the stress and dilemmas in life happen when we feel alone when we encounter hard times. The pandemic has brought us the opportunity to look back into the past year and see what we’ve learned about ourselves. In this episode, Bonnie inspires us to stress less by sharing ways to grow into who God created you to be and allowing God to make changes in your life. Scripture: “Even to your old...

One in four women experiences emotional, physical, or sexual abuse. As we emerge out of the pandemic, Bonnie inspires us to shine our lights. We can lose ourselves in our Instagram picture-perfect feed, feeling less than. Bonnie explores how God invites us to vulnerability and lowering our stress levels by connecting to each other rather than isolating ourselves, through Jesus’ favorite way of eng...

Have you struggled with being self-critical? Or felt attacked by critical people? In this episode, Bonnie helps us begin our journey to quiet the critical voices - the self-criticism and the harmful critiques of toxic people. Scripture: “There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear.” 1 Jn 4:16-18 Soul Care Tip: Create new experiences. Benefits to boost your mood. Scientific Research:...

Surviving through a worldwide pandemic has impacted all of us. Everyone experiences anxiety in varying degrees. Some more than others. Bonnie debunks common myths and stigma of suffering from anxiety and encourages us to see the beauty of faith at work in healing & renewal. Scripture: “The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with hi...