Hard & Holy with Cassandra Speer

"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." Matthew 5:4, NIV In this episode of The Blessed Are series, Cass reflects on the expansive meaning of mourning in Jesus' Beatitudes. Grief, she reminds us, is not limited to death—it also includes the losses we experience when life shifts in ways we didn't plan: lost dreams, fractured relationships, changes in identity, or the shattering o...

In this honest and vulnerable conversation, author Aimee Byrd talks about her powerful new book Saving Face: Finding Myself, God, and One Another Outside of a Defaced Church . Aimee shares her deeply personal journey of experiencing spiritual abuse within her denomination, the process of finding her voice again, and discovering hope in the underground places where Christ meets us in our brokenness...

In the opening episode of the Blessed Are the _______ series, Cass invites listeners into a guided walk through Jesus' words that turned the world upside down: the Beatitudes. Each week, we'll look at one verse at a time. Cass begins our journey with Matthew 5:3: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." This episode is for anyone who feels spiritually empty, weary, or...

What if tending to your own needs is one of the holiest things you can do? In this deeply grounding episode of Hard & Holy, Cass sits down with Aundi Kolber: bestselling author, licensed professional counselor, and trauma-informed therapist—to talk about her newest release, Take What You Need: Soft Words for Hard Days .  Together they unpack how trauma can disconnect us from our God-given needs, w...

In this heartfelt and honest conversation, I'm joined by Brenna Blain—wife, mom, Contemporary Theologian, and author of the bestselling book Can I Say That? How Unsafe Questions Lead Us to the Real God. Together, we dive into the taboo topics the church often avoids: Doubt, Mental Health, Sexuality, and the Real God Who Meets Us There. Brenna shares her personal journey from black-and-white theolo...

In this powerful episode of Hard & Holy , Cassandra sits down with friend, prayer warrior, and fellow Denver Seminary student Cheryl Luke to talk about the holy tension of knowing when it's time to go. Whether it's stepping away from a church, job, ministry, or relationship, discerning when to leave is never easy but it can be holy. With over 45 years in ministry, Cheryl shares her personal journe...

In this gripping episode of Hard & Holy , bestselling author and speaker Mary Marantz joins Cass for a vulnerable conversation about what it means to feel underestimated—by others, by life, and even by yourself. Mary is the first in her immediate family to go to college, a Yale Law School graduate, and the host of  The Mary Marantz Show , where she shares powerful stories of grit, grace, and gospe...

In this heartfelt episode of  Hard & Holy , Cass sits down with Cleere Reeves, special needs mother, entrepreneur, host of Let's Be Cleere podcast , and author of  Revive: Declarations of God's Truth To Renew Your Spirit. They dive into a rich conversation about the beauty and burden of caregiving, the loneliness that can come with ministry and motherhood, and the intentionality it takes to both g...

This one's tender. It's personal. And it's for anyone who's ever wondered if God still sees them in the unraveling. In this episode, I open up about a season of hidden pain, slow healing, and the surprising ways God reminded me I was still being held—even when hope felt fragile. If you're walking through something hard, if you're tired of pretending you're okay, or if you need a reminder that your...

In this eye-opening episode of Hard and Holy , Cass sits down with Dr. Camden Morgante, licensed psychologist and author of Recovering from Purity Culture , to explore the lingering wounds of religious sexual shame and how we begin to heal. Together, we unpack: The "flipped switch" myth and the "sexual prosperity gospel" How purity culture often leads to sexual dysfunction and disconnection in mar...

In this episode of Hard and Holy , Cassandra sits down with her seminary sister and bestselling author, Tori Hope Petersen, to talk about her latest book, Breaking the Patterns That Break You: Healing from the Pain of Your Past and Finding Real Hope That Lasts. Tori shares her powerful story of surviving the foster care system, abuse, and instability and how God met her in the middle of the mess....

For centuries, women have served in ministry, yet their path to leadership has often been shaped more by cultural shifts than by biblical mandates. In this episode of  Hard & Holy , Cass sits down with historian and bestselling author Dr. Beth Allison Barr to discuss her newest book, Becoming the Pastor's Wife: How Marriage Replaced Ordination as a Woman's Path to Ministry. Dr. Barr unpacks how th...

Life doesn't always wrap up neatly with a bow. Sometimes, we find ourselves in the middle of a story that feels unfinished, waiting on answers, longing for resolution, and wondering where God is in the tension. In this episode of  Hard & Holy , I'm inviting you into the reality of worshiping in the middle—before the breakthrough, before the clarity, before we see how it all works out. We'll look a...

In this episode, I had the joy of sitting down with my dear friend and seminary sister, Amy Seifert—a brilliant theologian and Bible teacher—to dive into the inspiration behind her new book,  Your Name is Daughter: What the Unsung Women of the Bible Teach Us About Our Worth . I shared my own experiences of feeling out of place in ministry and how embracing my identity as a daughter of God transfor...

Rejection can leave us feeling unworthy, unwanted, and unsure of where we belong. Whether it's a broken friendship, church hurt, or the ache of being let go by someone you trusted, the pain is real—but so is the healing. In this episode of Hard & Holy , I sit down with my friend Tabitha Panariso, author of Loyal in His Love: An Invitation to Be Held by Jesus When Others Let You Go , to talk about:...

 Welcome to Season 2 of The Hard & Holy Podcast ! We're kicking things off with a special episode where I hand over the host's seat to my dear friend Bethny Ricks for a raw and honest conversation about faith, friendship, and stepping into your calling—even when the odds seem stacked against you. I open up about my journey from self-doubt to audacity, sharing the pivotal moments that shaped my min...

In this special finale of The Hard & Holy Podcast , host Cassandra closes out Season One with a heartfelt reflection on the journey so far and answers your thoughtful questions. From navigating leaps of faith and wrestling with theological struggles to sharing role models, practical podcasting advice, and even her favorite comfort movies—this Q&A pulls back the curtain on the lessons, challenges,...

In this raw and inspiring episode, I sit down with Ashley Henriott, author of Confidence is an Inside Job, to explore her powerful story of faith, resilience, and transformation. Ashley shares how God met her in the darkest moments of her life—from a tumultuous childhood and abusive relationships to grief, postpartum depression, and identity struggles—and how she found true confidence in Christ. W...

In the wake of recent election tensions, The Hard and Holy Podcast takes on a timely and challenging topic—peacemaking. Cass dives into the significant difference between simply keeping the peace and actively making peace, especially in a world where true peace can feel elusive. Through personal stories and the powerful teachings of Jesus in Matthew 5, we explore the transformative, often messy wo...

In this episode, I'm thrilled to welcome Molly Stillman, author of If I Don't Laugh, I'll Cry  to discuss how laughter and faith carried her through trauma and grief. Molly shares the process of writing her memoir, balancing humor with hard truths, and embedding seeds of faith that speak to both believers and seekers. Together, we explore laughter as a God-given healing gift, backed by scripture a...

In this inspiring episode of Hard and Holy, I sit down with Faith Broussard Cade, an acclaimed counselor and author of Shine Bright Anyway . Faith shares her powerful story of resilience after a traumatic brain injury changed the course of her life, shifting her from an aspiring journalist to a mental health professional. Despite chronic health challenges and career upheaval, Faith started a self-...

In this solo episode, Cass unpacks the beauty of "sacred sob sessions"—those profound, solitary moments when tears become a form of worship and communion with God. Sharing personal stories, insights from her time at Denver Seminary, and wisdom from the book Burnout, Cass explores the emotional, spiritual, and physiological benefits of crying. Drawing on the work of theologian Katherine Sonderegger...

In this episode, I'm thrilled to welcome Whitney Lowe, a gifted Bible teacher and author of Set Your Eyes Higher. Whitney is a dynamic Christian influencer who disrupts the digital space with hope, peace, and biblical truth. She joins me to explore the importance of embracing true rest and avoiding the allure of counterfeit comfort in a world that constantly pulls at our attention. Together, we di...

In this episode, I'm joined by one of my closest friends, Bethny Ricks, who has been a steadfast source of support in my own journey—especially when hope felt hard to hold on to. Bethny is the author of   Face Forward: Reclaiming Hope When Everything Falls Apart, and today, she opens up about her personal story of navigating life's toughest hardships, including divorce, single parenthood, and seve...

In this solo episode, Cass shares her journey through physical and mental health struggles in 2023, exploring how radical honesty can heal emotional wounds and strengthen relationships. Drawing from Ephesians 4:15, she encourages listeners to embrace truth-telling with love, offering practical steps to cultivate honesty and vulnerability in Christ-like ways. In this episode we chat about: Navigati...