It’s Been a Journey Podcast

Comparison can quietly steal your joy, your confidence, and even your purpose. In the premiere episode of our series, "Women's Ministry No One Wants to Talk About," Prophetess Shakira Birge joins us for a transparent conversation about breaking free from the trap of comparison and embracing the unique calling God has placed on your life. Together, we discuss the dangers of measuring...

In this powerful Father's Day episode of It's Been a Journey Podcast , host Shenelle welcomes Bishop Ralph Brown for an honest conversation centered on Proverbs 1:10-19 and the voices that influence our lives. Every day, men and women are faced with competing voices—friends, culture, social media, family, past experiences, and the voice of God. But which voice are you following? Bishop Bro...

Forsake Not the Law of Thy Mother Proverbs 1:8 In this heartfelt episode of It's Been a Journey , Shenelle explores the wisdom, sacrifice, discipline, and prayers behind a mother's love. What did Solomon mean when he said, "Forsake not the law of thy mother" ? From the boundaries we resisted as children to the lessons we appreciate as adults, this conversation honors the mothers...

So many of us have learned how to function while still hurting. We’ve mastered showing up, smiling, and pushing through—while quietly carrying pain, disappointment, and even church hurt that was never truly healed… just covered. In this powerful episode, I sit down with Jovie Wilkerson , Evangelist & Psalmist, as we unpack what it really means to remove the bandage and allow God to heal the ro...

“I Found You When No One Else Did” -Based on Book of Ezekiel 16:4–6 In this powerful episode of It’s Been a Journey , we explore what it truly means to love someone from their broken beginnings—without holding them hostage to their past. Drawing from Ezekiel 16, this conversation unpacks how many relationships start in seasons of struggle, but are tested in seasons of growth. What happens when the...

Everybody wants real love… but not everybody knows how to honor it. In this series inspired by Ezekiel 16, we’re unpacking what happens when love starts off genuine—but gets mishandled through pride, neglect, and broken trust. This isn’t just about relationships… It’s about accountability, healing, and asking the hard question: Did the relationship fail… or did we? *Covenant or Convenience — a jou...

Let’s talk about it… A lot of relationships aren’t breaking because of lack of love… They’re breaking because of lack of understanding. Some men think they know their woman—but they’re loving who she used to be … not who she is now. And instead of asking questions… Instead of relearning her… Distance creeps in. Silence shows up. And sometimes… they step outside the relationship trying to find what...

In this episode of It’s Been a Journey , Shenelle gets real about one of the most overlooked issues in relationships—loving someone based on who they used to be instead of who they are today. Many marriages and relationships aren’t falling apart from lack of love, but from lack of understanding. When a woman evolves and her partner continues to operate from outdated assumptions, emotional disconne...

Pain doesn’t just hurt… it speaks. In this episode of It’s Been a Journey , we’re talking about how the enemy uses emotional pain, grief, heartbreak, and disappointment to kill your hope, steal your identity, and cloud your mind . But the story doesn’t end there… John 10:10 reminds us: “The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy… BUT God came that we may have life.” This conversation breaks down...

Wise love doesn’t just point fingers — it looks in the mirror. In this Month Closer episode of It’s Been a Journey , we unpack Proverbs 20:27 and what it truly means for the human spirit to be the lamp of the Lord. What if the heartbreak wasn’t just about what they did, but about what was revealed in you? This conversation dives into self-awareness in relationships, how God exposes what still need...

Love doesn’t die from lack of feelings — it dies from too much pride. In this powerful episode of It’s Been a Journey , we unpack the truth behind the statement: “Love Grows When Pride Shrinks.” So many relationships struggle not because love is gone, but because ego is too loud. When we need to be right more than we need to be whole… when apology feels like weakness… when vulnerability feels unsa...

Some people don’t want intimacy — they want access. In this episode of It’s Been a Journey , we unpack Proverbs 20:5: “The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters…” Not every intention is visible on the surface. Sometimes what feels like connection is convenience. What feels like depth is dependency. And what feels like love is leverage. We’re talking about: • Why people hide their true motiv...

IBAJ February Series — “Wisdom in Love: Maturity, Motives & the Heart” (Proverbs 20) Episode 1: “It’s Not Just Love — It’s Character.” So many people know how to say the right things, but very few know how to live faithfully. In this episode, we walk through Proverbs 20:6 and uncover why character — not charm, words, or emotions — is the true foundation of healthy relationships. This conversat...

Wise love doesn’t just point fingers — it looks in the mirror. In this Month Closer episode of It’s Been a Journey , we unpack Proverbs 20:27 and what it truly means for the human spirit to be the lamp of the Lord. What if the heartbreak wasn’t just about what they did, but about what was revealed in you? This conversation dives into self-awareness in relationships, how God exposes what still need...

We detoxed in December. We released what God closed. Now January asks a powerful question: What will you do with the space God just cleared? In this episode, we explore how to embrace a fresh start without carrying old wounds, habits, or cycles into a new season. Through scripture, reflection, and prayer, you’ll learn how to realign your life with God’s future — not your past. ✨ Release what God...

Offense is sneaky. It hides in hurt, disappointment, silence, and unresolved pain. In this episode of It’s Been a Journey , we’re talking about how offense can quietly block God’s blessings, interrupt our prayers, steal our peace, and even damage our marriages. Together, we unpack biblical truth, real-life application, and healing resolutions that help us release offense—not to excuse what hurt us...

Resentment doesn’t always look like anger. Sometimes it looks like silence, exhaustion, people-pleasing, and emotional distance. In this deeply personal episode of It’s Been a Journey , we unpack how resentment quietly eats away at your joy, peace, body, relationships, and identity — and how the enemy uses unresolved situations with people to keep you stuck and offended. In this episode, you’ll le...

Social media says, “I manifested it.” But scripture says, “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain.” In this episode of It’s Been a Journey , Shenelle breaks down the growing manifestation trend and compares it with what the Bible actually teaches about faith, prayer, and speaking life. You’ll learn the difference between God-centered faith and self-centered manifestation, how to alig...

In this powerful episode of It’s Been a Journey , we confront the quiet storm many believers never talk about — disappointment . When marriage doesn’t look like the promise, when business delays shake your confidence, when the timeline you prayed for slips through your fingers… disappointment can feel suffocating. But God says, “This is not the end — it’s a divine redirection.” 💔 In this episode...

n this inspiring episode of the IBAJ Podcast , host Shenelle sits down with Mississippi native and published author Jamesia Nicholson , writer of The Difference Between You and Me: The Teenager Edition . At just a young age, Jamesia uses her platform to empower teens and young adults to embrace their individuality, overcome comparison, and find peace in their own purpose. This episode dives deep i...

In this opening episode of When Flesh Meets Faith , we confront one of the most overlooked causes of relationship breakdown — forgetfulness in marriage . Many couples search for answers like “why marriages fall apart spiritually,” “how to fix a disconnected marriage biblically,” and “why couples forget their vows,” yet the Bible already speaks to it. Peter writes, “I stir up your pure minds by rem...

Family… tonight’s conversation is deep, raw, and necessary. 🌧️ From middle school to adulthood, LaShawn Poole wrestled with one question that shaped her entire identity — “Who is my dad?” That question led to years of confusion, rejection, and mental battles that tried to silence her voice. When LaShawn finally met her father, what should have been healing turned into heartbreak and conflict. Then...

Your body remembers what your mind tries to forget. 💭 I’ve been divorced 4 times — and I had to face the pain living inside me before I could really heal. Join me LIVE tonight for It’s Been a Journey : 👉🏽 “When Your Body Remembers What Your Mind Tries to Forget” Let’s talk healing, faith, and breaking failure mode — for real this time. 🧠💖 #ItsBeenAJourney #HealingThroughFaith #DivorceRecovery...

When God steps in, bullets can’t take what purpose protects. 🙌🏽 This week on It’s Been a Journey , we sit down with Brandon Fisher , a young man who survived a gunshot wound and lived to tell the story. His journey of physical and emotional recovery reminds us that survival is just the beginning — thriving is where the real testimony begins. We’re diving deep into the aftermath of trauma — the p...

Recap: Holding Yourself Hostage – From Captivity to Healing ✨ In this powerful recap episode, we tie together the entire Holding Yourself Hostage series into one life-changing conversation. We’ve walked through Egypt together—recognizing bondage, confronting comfort zones, breaking emotional chains, exposing self-sabotage, and learning how deliverance gets you out, but healing makes you whole. 📖...