By Words: Honest Faith Talks to Encourage Everyday Christian Women

This one is bittersweet. The past five years of honest conversations have meant so much to me. By Words and the community we’ve built together have grown me in beautiful ways I never expected… Which is why saying goodbye (for a little while) feels so hard. I’ve made the difficult decision to leave this podcast on the altar and create space in my life to rest, heal, and pursue some other things God...

Friendship is hard sometimes. Making friends can feel awkward, and keeping them can be a challenge in some seasons. That’s why I’ve invited my friend Bailey Hurley on the podcast today for an honest conversation about loneliness, friendship, and what it looks like to cultivate meaningful relationships as adults. We talk about why so many women feel disconnected despite being more connected than ev...

Have you ever prayed and quietly wondered, “God, where are you?” In this episode, I’m sitting down with author Dominique Young for an honest conversation about faith in hard seasons and what it looks like to bring our real pain to God instead of hiding it. One of the things I loved most about Dominique’s book is the reminder that naming where we are isn’t something we do out of shame, it’s often t...

In this episode, I’m joined by Bridgett Blood for an honest conversation about sexuality, purity culture, shame, and sacred desire. For many women, conversations around purity were shaped more by fear, performance, and rigid rules than true wholeness and intimacy with God. In this episode, we explore what purity culture may have been trying to communicate, where the message became harmful, and how...

Mental health conversations are becoming more common in the Church, but topics like trauma, suicidal thoughts, and deep emotional pain can still feel difficult to talk about openly. In this episode, I’m sitting down with one of my own pastors, Tomy Cummins, for an honest and hope-filled conversation about what it looks like to care for people like Jesus does. We talk about why suicide still feels...

I used to think holiness meant learning how to want less — less food, less attention, less desire. Less me . Today we’re sitting down with Anna Rollins, author of Famished: On Food, Sex, and Growing Up as a Good Girl, to talk about something many of us have felt but didn’t have language for — how purity culture and diet culture quietly taught us the same message: good girls make themselves smaller...

Money talk can feel heavy — especially when it’s tied to shame, fear, or the belief that you’re just “not good with it.” Today we’re sitting down with Bethany Frymire, author of Women of Worth , to have an honest, faith-filled conversation about finances, identity, and stewardship. We unpack the common lies Christian women believe about money and how those beliefs quietly shape the way we show up....

I used to hear people say, “If you think being a Christian is boring, you’re doing it wrong!” But I never actually stopped to think about whether that’s true, or what it even means. Today we’re talking about the quiet tension so many Christian women carry — the belief that faith should always feel big , emotional, and full of visible breakthrough. But what if that expectation is actually what’s le...

Have you ever felt the pressure to “bounce back”? The pressure to recover quickly, to be okay, to return to who I used to be. But what if that’s not what God is asking of us? In today’s episode, I’m sitting down with Charaia Rush, author of The Myth of Bouncing Back , and we’re having a real conversation about failure, disappointment, and what it actually looks like to rebuild. Because I know so m...

Do your mornings feel sacred or stressful? Today I’m joined by Jennifer Dukes Lee to talk about how to love your morning — not through hustle culture or productivity hacks — but through grace. Because if we’re honest, many of us carry quiet guilt before 7am. Maybe you used to wake up early, journal prayers, and linger in Scripture. Now it’s rushed, chaotic, or you just don’t feel the motivation yo...

Shame wants to keep you stuck in cycles of shame. Jesus is inviting you into the fullness of freedom. In today’s conversation, I’m sitting down with Heather O’Brien to talk about something so many Christian women carry quietly: shame that was never meant to be ours to hold. We’re getting honest about how shame gets passed down in subtle ways, how it keeps us silent, and why it can make hearing God...

I used to be obsessed with personal development and self-help books and resources. I thought reading and learning more would make my faith stronger, but instead of feeling closer to Jesus, I just felt exhausted. In today’s episode, we’re chatting with author Kelsey McGinnis about the subtle weight of Christian self-help culture and how something meant to help us grow can quietly turn into pressure...

The word theology can feel intimidating. Like something reserved for pastors, scholars, or seminary classrooms. But here’s the truth: if you love God and want to understand His Word, you’re already stepping into theology. In today’s episode, we’re talking about what theology actually is and why it matters for everyday Christian women. You don’t need a degree to grow deep roots in your faith. You s...

Have you ever wondered, “How do I really know the Bible is true?” In today’s episode, we’re stepping into that honest, sacred space together. I’m joined by biblical archaeologist and author Amanda Hope Haley, whose newest book, Stones Still Speak, reveals how ancient discoveries actually deepen our confidence in Scripture. These aren’t dusty relics, they’re reminders that God’s Word is rooted in r...

Can women be pastors? That’s the question we’re talking about today,  not as a hot take, not as a debate, but as an honest, Scripture-rooted conversation. In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Preston Sprinkle to talk about his new book From Genesis to Junia and what the Bible really says about women in leadership. We talk about where he started personally, what surprised him in his research, and w...

Healing isn’t instant. And often faith looks less like “having it all together” and more like showing up honest. Today I’m sharing a personal mental health update and what God has been gently teaching me in this season. I open up about what I’ve been processing lately — the fatigue, the stretching, the quiet inner work — and the three things that are actively helping me heal: therapy, mentorship,...

Lust isn’t just a “guy problem.” But for so many Christian women, it feels like one of the most isolating struggles — full of shame, silence, and secret questions about desire and faith. In this honest conversation, we’re sitting down with Michelle Rojas to talk about the unspoken battle many women face: navigating lust, temptation, and longing as followers of Jesus. We unpack how shame loses its...

If you’ve ever wondered whether your past pain disqualifies you from God’s purpose, this conversation will breathe hope into your heart. In today’s episode, I’m joined by Carla Arges, Christian mental health coach, podcast host of Affirming Truths , and a woman who has walked through bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, and childhood trauma. Carla’s story is one of redemption: how Go...

Ever feel exhausted trying to be a “good Christian”? You pray every day, read your Bible, go to church every Sunday, serve, smile, don’t struggle, don’t doubt. I used to think that’s what faithfulness looked like. And honestly? I was doing a pretty good job. But I wasn’t fulfilled… I was fatigued. In this message from a recent event, we unpack what God actually calls us to — not performance, not p...

We all carry stories that feel too heavy to hold: the moments that hurt, the words that stuck, the seasons that made us question God’s goodness. But what if letting go isn’t about forgetting what happened, but finally making peace with it? In today’s conversation, I’m sitting down with Alexandra Hoover , author of You Can Let Go: Make Peace With Your Past, Break Free from Offense, and Move Forward...

What do you do when hope starts to feel heavy and God feels quiet? Today we’re sitting down with Sarah Freymuth to talk honestly about prolonged pain, unanswered prayers, and trusting God in the silence. This conversation is for the woman who’s still showing up in faith, but feels weary from waiting. Together, they explore what it means to stay anchored when life doesn’t improve quickly, how to la...

Somewhere along the way, many of us learned that faith meant holding it together, saying the right things, praying the right way, and never asking questions. But Scripture tells a different story. Today we’re talking about why honest faith is better than perfect faith — and why God consistently meets us in truth, not performance. From David’s raw prayers to the desperate honesty of “I believe; hel...

If you’ve ever sat in a quiet room and wondered, “God… do You still love me? Have You forgotten me?” — this episode is for you. Today we joined by my friend Whitney Lowe to talk about those real, holy, confusing seasons when God feels distant, silent, or impossible to feel. We unpack how God pursues us even when we feel unworthy, overwhelmed, or spiritually numb, and why His silence doesn’t mean H...

If you’ve ever felt tired from trying to hold it all together — your faith, your calling, your business, your life — this episode is for you. Today, I’m sitting down with Stefanie Gass to talk about the shift from striving to surrender. The kind of surrender that isn’t polished or pretty. The kind that invites God into the parts we’d rather keep hidden — the fear, the control, the pressure to perf...

What happens when you follow God… and still feel stuck? In today’s episode, we’re talking about the quiet tension many Christian women carry: the ache of being faithful, obedient, and consistent, yet feeling stalled, tired, or unsure why nothing seems to be moving. If you’ve shown up. If you’ve stayed faithful. If you’ve done what you know to do, and still feel stuck… This episode is for you. Root...