Real Talk with Rachael Podcast

Welcome to Real Talk with Rachael Gilbert! We're continuing our annual Process & Pray series. Last week, we looked back at 2025 and processed both the hard and the good. If you missed that episode, you'll want to start there. Today, we turn our hearts toward the future. While there is a time to look back, looking back with longing can keep us stuck. Remember Lot's wife (Luke 17:32). God invites us...

Welcome to Real Talk with Rachael Gilbert! I've missed you. My last episode was in May, and I'm excited to say God has been speaking about this show. I have some fun updates coming in 2026! Today we're kicking off our two-part Process & Pray series. Every December, we slow down and reflect so we can enter the new year with clarity and peace. This week, we're focusing on processing 2025, both the h...

This week on Real Talk with Rachael , I'm sharing a quick, honest episode about something I've been wrestling with - what do you do when God doesn't seem to be speaking? I've been questioning the future of the podcast and feeling that silence - maybe you can relate. Is there an area where God feels distant right now? I'm encouraging you to think back to the last thing He asked us to do, even if it...

In the #1 spot on Real Talk with Rachael's top 10 countdown, Dana K. White from  A Slob Comes Clean kicked off the first episode of 2019 with practical and hilarious wisdom on decluttering. As an author, podcaster, and self-proclaimed "hopelessly messy" person turned decluttering expert, Dana shares her journey of tackling her own home and helping others do the same. She offers realistic tips on m...

In the #2 spot on Real Talk with Rachael's top 10 countdown, I celebrate my parents' 50th wedding anniversary with my four older siblings. Together, we reflect on the powerful lessons we've learned from our mom and dad—one from each kid. From the importance of building a foundation of faith to the power of unconditional love, we share heartfelt (and often humorous) memories of growing up in a fami...

In the #3 spot on Real Talk with Rachael's top 10 countdown, Sandy Jobe shares heartfelt wisdom on marriage, family, and the power of prayer. As a homemaker, author, and Women's Ministries Care Pastor, Sandy encourages us to embrace gratitude in every season and bring  everything —even the little things—to God in prayer. She reminds us that healthy marriages require both partners doing their part,...

In the #4 spot on Real Talk with Rachael's top 10 countdown, author Sarah Philpott shares wisdom from her book, The Growing Season: A Year of Down-on-the-Farm Devotions . Using farming as a powerful metaphor, Sarah explains the importance of spiritual rest—just as fallow ground needs time to replenish its nutrients, we need seasons of stillness to restore our souls. She encourages pruning commitme...

In the #5 spot on Real Talk with Rachael's top 10 countdown, Heather Johnson from  Revelation Wellness shares powerful insights on finding joy, walking in intimacy with God, and living with intention. She reminds us that loving others starts with being loved by the Father—when we run dry, it's His love that refills us. Heather encourages us to slow down, sit with God, and let Him minister to us, e...

In the #6 spot on Real Talk with Rachael's top 10 countdown, author Lauren Chandler shares insights from her Bible study,  With Us in the Wilderness: A Study of the Book of Numbers . She reminds us that God's plan has always included women and that even the difficult passages in Scripture reveal His heart for justice and restoration. Lauren encourages us to approach the Bible with prayer and patie...

In the #7 spot on Real Talk with Rachael's top 10 countdown, Dr. Juli Slattery joins the conversation to share wisdom on marriage, intimacy, and the power dynamics at play in relationships. As a clinical psychologist and co-founder of  Authentic Intimacy , Juli helps women understand how to use their influence in marriage in a way that builds up rather than controls. She explains that men thrive w...

In the #8 spot on Real Talk with Rachael's top 10 countdown, Rebekah Moes opens up about her personal journey through infidelity in her marriage and how God's redemption transformed her life. As co-founder of Family of Hope and host of the unFAITHFUL podcast, Rebekah is passionate about helping couples navigate the often lonely road of marital betrayal. She shares valuable insights, including how...

In the #9 spot on Real Talk with Rachael's top 10 countdown, author Gary Thomas dives into the topic of his book Married Sex: A Christian Couple's Guide to Reimagining Your Love Life . Gary shares practical, faith-based insights on how married couples can cultivate a healthy, God-honoring sex life. He emphasizes that sex should be mutually pleasurable, strengthen the relationship, and glorify God—...

In the #10 spot on Real Talk with Rachael's top 10 countdown, Lee Strobel joins the conversation to talk about his documentary The Case for Heaven and the journey that inspired it. After a near-death experience, Lee—once an atheist and now a passionate Christian—set out to explore what really happens after we die. He shares fascinating insights about the afterlife, explaining that our souls live o...

7 years. 378 episodes. When God gave me the name Real Talk with Rachael at The Declare Conference, I had no idea where it would go. Over the years, I've learned so much, but today, I'm sharing 7 lessons from 7 years of podcasting: Do not despise small beginnings. The Lord rejoices to see the work begin. (Zechariah 4:10) You will be bad at first. That's OK. Keep going. You will want to quit. Rememb...

This week on Real Talk with Rachael I'm chatting with the hosts of FamilyLife Today , Dave and Ann Wilson. They are also cofounders of Kensington Church, a national, multi-campus church that hosts more than 14,000 attendees every weekend.  Dave and Ann are authors of the book  Vertical Marriage: The One Secret That Will Change Your Marriage .  The Wilsons live in the Detroit area where Dave served...

In this special episode, I dive into faith as the foundation for transformation. Together, we explore the power of shifting from fear to faith, building spiritual resilience, and taking bold steps toward the life God has called us to live. Through scriptural truths, personal reflections, and practical steps, you'll discover how to let faith move you forward and release the grip of fear and compari...

Back by popular demand is our annual Process and Pray. If you're new here, in December, we spend every Monday morning in a series where we "Process & Pray through the Year." As a therapist, I believe in the power of pausing and reflecting so we can embrace the present and look forward to the future. Thus far, we have big praise and bold prayers. Today we are discussing our battle plan. Process & P...

It's December, which means it's time for our annual  Process & Pray ! This series is all about reflecting on the past year, embracing the present, and preparing for what's ahead. This week, we're pausing to praise God for answered prayers and seeking Him for bold, faith-filled prayers. Nothing is too big for God, and He calls us to come to Him with confidence. Process: What prayers has God answere...

We're kicking off our annual  Process & Pray series in today's Talk Therapy episode. Every Monday in December, we'll create space to reflect on the year, invite God into our journey, and prepare our hearts for what's ahead. This week, we're starting with gratitude by praising God for His goodness and who He is. As you process and pray, consider this question: "Jesus, what victories do you want to...

This week on Real Talk with Rachael it's the final episode of my church series where we've been engaging in healthy conversations about church and leadership all while keeping our hearts pure in the process. While I'm a licensed professional counselor, I want to be clear that I am not professionally counseling you on this podcast today. My goal is to offer some pastoral counseling by providing you...

This week on Real Talk with Rachael, I'm chatting with my friends, Jeff and Terra Mattson. Jeff and Terra are authors of Shrinking the Integrity Gap: Between What Leaders Preach and Live , hosts of the Living Wholehearted Podcast , executive coaches, social entrepreneurs, and proud parents to two girls. Together, they co-founded the counseling and organizational development firm Living Wholehearte...

This week on Real Talk with Rachael, I'm speaking with Dr. Josh Zeichik. Josh is the Director of Church Engagement for Focus on The Family. With experience in youth ministry and church planting, he oversees their pastoral ministry, The Focused Pastor . He holds a DMin in Biblical Counseling from Midwestern Baptist Theology Seminary. Key Points from Our Conversation: Although media coverage of prom...

This week on Real Talk with Rachael, I'm speaking with Max Lucado . Max is known for combining poetic storytelling and homespun humor with the heart of a pastor. His trade books all begin as sermon series at Oak Hills Church, and his sermons all start with Max asking himself this question: "What can I say on Sunday that will still matter on Monday?" He's been dubbed "America's Pastor" by Christian...

This week on Real Talk with Rachael I'm having a conversation with Dr. Robert Paul. Robert Paul is Vice President of the Focus on the Family Marriage Institute. He is both a marriage therapist and an accomplished speaker who presents regularly at professional conferences and enrichment events both nationally and internationally. He has co-authored six books, including "The DNA of Relationships," w...

If you've been around the show long, you might remember that God asked me to lay down the Talk Therapy episodes at the beginning of 2024. However, as I was out for a run the day after my 40th birthday, He dropped a word about finishing with excellence so strongly on my heart that I knew I had to share it with you in this episode. How do we achieve excellence? To put it into simple words, do the ri...