Ditching Perfection

Hannah shares with us about: 💡 What it is like to be an Enneagram 8, 💡 The difference between transparency and vulnerability, and 💡 How God has helped her realize that not only does God carry her burdens, but God also carries her. Hannah Helwege is the High School Pastor at Fellowship Monrovia, a Gospel-centered, multi-ethnic, intergenerational church near Los Angeles. When she's not at church,...

James Austin will be my guest on the podcast next Tuesday! He will be chatting with us about: 💡 What it is like to be an Enneagram 5, 💡 His voracious love of learning, and 💡 How God has helped him move from “I need to know more,” to “I am enough."   James Austin is the Pastor of Camas Church of the Nazarene in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. He is a graduate of Northwest Nazarene Universi...

My friend, Ali Gentry is here to talk with us about: 💡 What it is like to be an Enneagram 4, 💡 How what you've thought of as “too much” is actually your superpower, and 💡 How God sits with us in our emotions, right where we are.  Ali Gentry is the CEO and Founder of Vibrant Ministries, a speaker, preacher, and radio show and podcast host of “The Vibrant Life Show.” Ali is also the Women’s Minis...

Today, my friend, Bre Cairns Sheldon is on the podcast to share with us:  💡 What it is like to be an Enneagram 3,  💡 How to recognize signs of stress and overwhelm, and  💡 How God has helped her recognize the difference between healthy rest and avoidance.  We also talk about the best member of *NSYNC, our experiences leading worship together, and the gift of a weekly Sabbath.  Bre Cairns Sheldo...

Kylee Pearson Rincones is my guest on the podcast! She is here to chat with us about: 💡 What it is like to be an Enneagram 2, 💡 How to become courageous in naming your needs, and 💡 How God has equipped her to care deeply for people in the midst of pain.   We will also talk about playing shuffleboard, our friendship that goes back to elementary church camp days, and the memorable 21st birthday p...

People who identify as Enneagram 1s are known to be ethical, responsible, and principled people. Enneagram 1s are often called “Perfectionists,” but a more wholistic name for these amazing individuals is the “Reformers.” Enneagram 1s see the potential in the world and commit themselves to seeing the good come to fruition in their own lives, their work, and in the world around them. One of the down...

Are you signed up for my email list? I send a Bite-Sized Bible Study to your inbox every Friday. If you are stuck and don’t know where to start with Scripture study, join my email list by visiting carlycommunicates.com/resources. ————— I am excited to kick off our Enneagram series! A few months ago, I put out an instagram poll, asking what you most wanted to hear on the podcast in the future, and...

In Romans 7:15, Paul writes: “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.” Isn’t that so relatable? Sometimes we find ourselves getting frustrated at our loved ones, exaggerating the truth, or trying to escape a difficult situation, and we wonder what is motivating our behavior. Today, my friend, Steve Carter, is here on the podcast to talk with us about...

There is so much division right now. We see it on the news, on social media, and around our holiday dinner tables. Today, on the podcast, I will be talking about Step 1 in dealing with difficult people. I am no expert; I am in the trenches with you, but God has used Romans 12:1-2 to guide me to the initial stop on the journey toward relational bridge building: and that’s self-reflection and self-a...

Today’s conversation is a special one. My friend, Dr. Mike Kipp, is here to share with us, and let me tell you what… I am so thankful for this conversation. Mike is a devoted follower of Jesus and an avid wake surfer. He loves his family deeply, he is a beloved professor of practical theology and someone who dives in to love on the often forgotten people in our community… And…. Mike has gone throu...

Do you feel unsure of your calling? Are you in a season where you are getting by, but your heart is not on fire with purpose? Looking back at your childhood self—your dreams, your gifts, your passions— may give you clues as to how God has wired you and what steps to take next. My friend, Danika Langley is on the podcast today. I’ve known Danika since she was born. Our families are dear friends. I’...

Today, my Pastor, Scott Daniels, is on the podcast. Scott is one of the most well-respected theologians in our denomination (and beyond) globally. He is also a beloved college professor, a deeply invested pastoral leader, and a mega sports enthusiast. I am so grateful for Pastor Scott’s investment in my life and ministry… As a young leader, trying to figure out what it looks like to be obedient to...

I know I talk about rest all of the time on the podcast, so I decided to practice what I preach by stepping away from excessive technology use for a whole month! I am taking the instagram app off my phone and will be saying goodbye to social media for the next few weeks. I will also not be releasing any new podcasts until August 16. So, this month is a perfect time for you to catch up on podcast e...

Today, on the podcast, my friend Ruthie Kim is here! After years of leading a thriving non-profit organization, Ruthie felt God compelling her to pass on the baton. She realized that sometimes stepping away makes room for others to step fully into their potential. She was willing to move on so that others could move up. How incredible is that? Ruthie shares what that discernment process was like,...

Have you ever chased after an idea, goal, or title, only to realize that it isn’t what you really want? Brooklyn Lindsey is back this week to remind us to step back and assess our desires. Once we peel back the layers, and understand what we are passionate about, we can take steps to align what we want with what we do. The powerful reminder in all of this is that we can’t do it alone. We need a cr...

Have you ever been deeply invested in an idea or project, but you just can’t seem to ever see it through to competition? To be honest, I have found myself in this situation TOO MANY TIMES to count. Today on the podcast, one of my mentors, Brooklyn Lindsey is here to remind us to keep pursuing our purposes! Brooklyn is one of the most creative people I know and her vulnerability and unique perspect...

Several years ago, we struggled with secondary infertility. It was one of the most challenging seasons of our lives that was a rollercoaster of emotions. Some of you may have ridden this same lonely, tear-filled ride as well. In the midst of my frustration and disappointment, God walked with me so closely. I slowly but surely learned to relinquish control and in doing so, I learned that God's good...

My favorite person on planet earth is here on the podcast today—my husband, Mike! Not only is Mike an amazing husband and Dad, but he is an accomplished graphic designer and artist. Mike worked for Carhartt for several years, has designed for hundreds of freelance clients, and for the last eight years, he has taught graphic design and digital media as a university professor. So much of the life of...

Do you struggle with making decisions? I struggle to pick a restaurant to go to on Friday night, let alone making decisions that will impact my loved ones and my future! It is easy to get stuck in overanalyzing, fear of the unknown, & trying to balance the opinions of all of the people who care about us. Even people with the best of intentions may end up making our decision making process all the...

Prayer can be confusing at times, right? Sometimes our prayers are answered in the way we hoped, and other times, we are left perplexed, hurt, and disappointed. We can’t help but wonder, “Does prayer work? Does God really hear our prayers?” In today’s episode, Carly talks about how a Paul McCartney concert and Revelation 8 teach us that God indeed hears our prayers. Even in the moments when it see...

Why is asking for help so hard? As kids, it was a norm to ask for help, but as adults, we see asking for help as a sign of weakness. Why is that? On today’s podcast, my friend Ashley Somers is here to help us learn to get vulnerable, lean on our community, and ask for help. She also wisely shares that so often we miss being present in the present because we are so busy hustling and trying to force...

Mother Teresa said, “If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.” What would it look like if we truly live like we belong to each other? How would our friendships transform? How would this change how we interact with those on the margins? Today, on the podcast, Miley Waterman is here… and her life says to the world, “We belong to each other.” Miley fiercely l...

In this week’s episode, my friend, Linda Moon and I talk about lessons for the perfectionist from the cutest Disney movie ever—Encanto! We DO talk about Bruno (#sorrynotsorry), Mirabel, Abuela, and Luisa, and how they teach us so much about our own struggles with people pleasing, hiding our flaws, and not wanting to rock the boat. Linda and I talk about how easy it is to entangle perfectionism wit...

Fear is something that we all deal with from time to time. However, sometimes when fear seems to get a grip on us, we feel like we have failed. When this happens, we are slammed with anxiety and shame, which is absolutely miserable. Today, on the podcast, Dr. Doug Hardy is back to remind us that being fearful is not a character flaw. Instead of trying to push fear aside, God is inviting us to ackn...

Do you struggle with a pesky inner critic? I do!! Sometimes the negative self-critical voice becomes so loud that it is easy for us to confuse that voice with the voice of God. On today's episode, Dr. Doug Hardy will remind us that God is not shaming us or disgusted with us. God is a "capital C Compassionate God" who invites us to root ourselves in God's loving voice. From that place of love, we a...