Navigating The Wilderness | Hearing God’s Voice in a Hard Season

Have you ever reached a point where something you once loved no longer feels like it fits?   Sometimes the hardest part of a new season isn’t knowing what to do next—it’s finding the courage to let go of what has been familiar.   In this episode, I share the story of one of the biggest transitions in my own life as I walked away from a career I loved after years of unexpected change. Looking throu...

Have you ever wondered why one season of life feels full of growth while another feels dry, confusing, or painfully slow? In this episode, we're looking at the seasons of life through the landscape of Israel rather than the Western calendar. The Bible was written in a very different climate, and that backdrop gives us a richer understanding of how God works through seasons of planting, pruning, gr...

After a long break, Navigating the Wilderness is back. In this first episode of Season 2, I'm sharing why I stepped away from the podcast, what life has looked like behind the scenes over the past year, and why I felt it was time to return. The last several months have brought significant transition, unexpected challenges, loss, and a season of pruning that forced me to reevaluate what truly matte...

This week on *Navigating the Wilderness*, I share from my heart about walking through transition, battling discouragement, and learning to embrace God’s higher ways in uncertain times.    From reflecting on cultural shifts over the past 30 years, to processing grief, to confronting the spirit of intimidation, I unpack what it means to see our lives through an eternal perspective.    If you’re in a...

What do you do when you love God but can’t feel Him anymore? Holly, founder of Elderwise Organics, shares her honest testimony of walking through a wilderness season filled with grief, health challenges, and deep spiritual doubt. In this heartfelt conversation, we talk about: The hidden shame of doubting God while still leading in ministry How silence and suffering can pull us toward counterfeit c...

What happens when your child is diagnosed with autism and life takes a turn you never expected? In this powerful episode of the Navigating the Wilderness Podcast, Nicole talks with Tahni Cullen, co-author of Josiah’s Fire, about her family’s journey through heartbreak, faith, and unexpected encounters with God. Tahni shares how her son Josiah went from silence to expressing breathtaking spiritual...

Tammy Kelley shares her powerful story of healing from trauma and abuse through faith in Jesus. From childhood grief and family struggles to discovering forgiveness, hope, and the healing power of music, Tammy’s testimony is a reminder that restoration is possible through Christ. 00:00 Introduction to Tammy's Journey 02:57 Childhood and Early Trauma 06:02 Family Dynamics and Grief 09:11 The Impact...

Are you living under a label God never gave you? In this episode, I share how the enemy uses false labels and titles to shape our identity—and how those lies get reinforced through life experiences. You’ll learn how to recognize false identities, break free from them, and live in the truth of who God says you are. Whether you’ve been called “not enough,” “too much,” or something that’s held you ba...

In this episode of Navigating the Wilderness, Nicole Delaney interviews Troy Whitman, a certified mental health coach, who shares his profound journey of faith, personal struggles, and redemption. Troy discusses his upbringing, the impact of his grandparents, and the pivotal moment of infidelity in his marriage that led him to seek counseling and ultimately change his life path. He reflects on the...

Vanesa Alcantara is an author, speaker, and founder of Soul Scan Inc., a faith-based movement equipping women to rise from feeling stuck to walking in freedom. With a background in Psychology and Biblical studies from Alliance University, Vanesa combines spiritual insight and emotional intelligence to guide women on their healing journey. Since 2012, she has served in ministry alongside her husban...

Episode Description (Podbean): What do you do when God calls you to something… and life doesn’t unfold the way you expected? In this episode of the Navigating the Wilderness Podcast, Nicole sits down with Cory Potter, host of Mind and Faith Matters, Christian counselor, and ordained minister, to share his powerful journey of calling, setbacks, and unexpected redirection. Cory opens up about wrestl...

What do you do when your car won’t stop accelerating—and a voice asks, “Do you trust Me?” In this conversation, Janell Kremer (author of Now My Eyes See You; host of You Are My Witnesses) tells a raw, hope-filled story: years of illness, a communion moment that changed everything, the day a freeway exit became a test of trust, and the long, honest road through TBI and PTSD. We talk about Jesus’ sh...

“Addiction wasn’t the problem—it was my solution to an internal storm.” That’s how Erik Frederickson describes his 13-year battle with drugs and alcohol, beginning at age 13 and leading through arrests, overdoses, and near-death moments. But God interrupted Erik’s story with encounters, healing, and eventually, a whole new identity. In this episode, Erik (author of Recovering Reality, sober coach,...

In this episode, I discuss the benefit and challenge of a wilderness season in the area of trusting God as our provider. I dive into an often misinterpreted passage of scripture connected to how we are to posture ourselves with the concerns of life. I hope this episode will challenge you and encourage you as you experience just how amazing your Heavenly Father is.   00:00 Navigating Wilderness Sea...

In this week’s episode, I sat down with Hannah Menacof to discuss her wilderness journey through a season of heartache amidst her son’s struggle with addiction. She shared how God met her in her deepest moments of desperation and transformed the way she saw her son’s situation. She talked about the strategy God gave her to walk out her journey and the miraculous events that followed. It’s truly a...

In this episode, I’m unpacking a common issue that will keep us from moving forward. That is the fear of man. The fear of man shows up often in our lives in our need for approval from others, a need to be affirmed or a fear of how others will perceive our decisions. It’s a big one we have to tackle if we want to reach our potential.   00:00 Overcoming the Fear of Man 05:42 Delaying the Journey to...

In this episode of the Navigating the Wilderness Podcast, Nicole Delaney welcomes her friend Mayana Frederickson, who along with her husband, leads a ministry focusing on addiction recovery in Ohio and building community wherever they are led to go. Mayana shares her faith journey and a powerful encounter with Jesus which set her free from sleep paralysis. This is a powerful story you want to miss...

In this episode of the Navigating the Wilderness podcast, I delve into the theme of forgiveness. I’m sharing my personal experiences with forgiveness and the ways God has revealed when I’ve needed to forgive others. We also discuss one of the most amazing biblical examples of forgiveness in scripture. I address the dangers of holding onto bitterness and how it can affect both our physical health a...

Join me as I dive into this conversation with Scott Nary, founder of 420 Fire International Ministries. Scott was raised as the son of a coal miner in West Virginia and later called into ministry. His journey in ministry over the past 30+ years has taken him all over the world. He’s been in a process of unlearning what it means to follow the Lord and partner with Him rather than work for Him. Scot...

In this episode of the 'Navigating the Wilderness' podcast, I sit down with special guest Shelley Jones, a master's graduate from Jerusalem University College. Shelley shares her heartfelt journey through significant personal losses, including the deaths of her parents, and how she managed to find healing and purpose in the midst of profound grief. We discuss her experiences studying in Israel, he...

In this episode of the 'Navigating the Wilderness' podcast, I’m joined by author and speaker Kate Battastelli. We discuss Kate's journey from Broadway actress to embracing God's call to a different life path, including struggles with infertility and discovering purpose beyond traditional societal roles. Kate shares how her book 'The God Dare' came to be and offers insights on trusting God's guidan...

Navigating the Wilderness: An Interview with Dr. Oliver Hersey of Jerusalem University College   In this episode of the Navigating the Wilderness podcast, host Nicole Delaney interviews Dr. Oliver Hersey, President of Jerusalem University College on Mount Zion in Israel. Oliver shares his personal faith journey, detailing his career transition from a high school math teacher to a Bible educator, a...

This week I am speaking about gratitude and stewardship. The Wilderness is a place where we get what we need but not necessarily what we want. If we're not careful the temptation can become to focus on what looks like deficiency or lack and fail to recognize God's sufficiency in our life. Gratitude is a powerful weapon against discouragement when life becomes challenging. 

Thanks for joining me this week! When we are in a wilderness season it often feels like we are going in the opposite direction of where we think we should be going. God often gives us a glimpse of where He's taking us but when we experience testing and difficulty we can lose sight of what He has said. Today I'm talking about the importance of holding onto the vision He's given you and some practic...

In this episode, I share some things God has been speaking to me about over the last couple of weeks since I aired the last episode. I talk about the hurricane that made landfall in Florida, a major storm that hit my friend's life, and how we can best navigate the storms of life around us. Hold on to the Lord, my friends. Things may get a bit rocky but in Him, we are kept secure.