Shifts and Giggles: Mindset Tools for Real Life Growth

Got a question or comment? Send us a text! How do you study the Bible when life is loud, toddlers are wild, and your soul is tired? In this episode, Taylor and I get super practical about building a simple, sustainable study rhythm that actually shapes your walk with Jesus. We talk box-breathing to settle your body, reading whole letters as letters, Old Testament timelines, red-letter focus in Mat...

Got a question or comment? Send us a text! In this heartfelt episode of Shifts and Giggles , Rafer sits down with his mom, Natalie Owens , to unpack the power of real prayer —not the polished, performance kind, but the honest conversations that happen when life hurts and you don’t know what to say. Together, they talk about: How prayer becomes your lifeline when everything falls apart. Why reading...

Got a question or comment? Send us a text! This episode is the heartbeat of Season 2. We’ve spent weeks talking about love — what it is, how it flows, and where it breaks down — and today we’re landing the plane. This is a full-season recap for believers who know Jesus is real but aren’t living in the fullness He died to give them. If you’ve felt stuck, spiritually dry, emotionally drained, or lik...

Got a question or comment? Send us a text! What if setting boundaries isn’t selfish at all—but the holiest way to love God, love yourself, and love others well? In this episode of Shifts and Giggles, Rafer breaks down why constantly saying “yes” keeps us stuck, tired, and disconnected from God’s best. Through the lens of emotional and spiritual growth, he explains how boundaries protect relationsh...

Got a question or comment? Send us a text! What if the conversations you’re avoiding are the very ones the Holy Spirit wants to use to change your life? In this episode of Shifts and Giggles , Rafer breaks down the difference between speaking for clarity and speaking for control . You’ll learn how emotional intelligence, honesty, and love work together to create real connection in relationships—wi...

Got a question or comment? Send us a text! We all want love, joy, peace, and patience—but what if those things only come through the slow, messy process we keep trying to skip? In this episode of Shifts and Giggles , Rafer breaks down why the fruit of the Spirit isn’t a checklist of Christian behavior—it’s evidence of spiritual growth. From the apple tree that takes seven years to bear fruit, to t...

Got a question or comment? Send us a text! What if you took “rest” as seriously as “thou shalt not kill”? In this episode, Rafer breaks down one of the most misunderstood commandments — rest. We talk about the cultural obsession with busyness, how Christians confuse doing for God with being with God , and why rest is not a luxury — it’s a command and a gift . You’ll hear practical stories from Raf...

Got a question or comment? Send us a text! What if the greatest limit on your life isn’t your circumstances—but your mindset? In this episode, Rafer breaks down how Jesus didn’t just come to save you—He came to grow you. A fixed mindset says, “This is just who I am.” But a growth mindset says, “With the Holy Spirit, I can change.” Rafer unpacks why a fixed mindset is actually anti-Jesus, how growt...

Got a question or comment? Send us a text! What if Jesus didn’t just carry your sin—but your stress, anxiety, and emotional triggers too? In this episode of Shifts and Giggles , Rafer Owens Jr. unpacks how emotional intelligence is not just a psychological concept—it’s a spiritual discipline. Learn how your emotions affect your relationship with God, yourself, and others, and how the Holy Spirit w...

Got a question or comment? Send us a text! What if the freedom you’ve been praying for is waiting on the other side of the trash you refuse to pull into the light? In this episode of Shifts and Giggles , Rafer dives deep into the difference between denial and suppression and how honesty with yourself opens the door to real transformation with God. Learn how the Holy Spirit reveals to redeem, why p...

Got a question or comment? Send us a text! What does it really mean to deny yourself ? In this episode of Shifts and Giggles , Rafer Owens Jr. breaks down Mark 8:34 and challenges the common belief that denying yourself equals suppressing your struggles. Suppression keeps us stuck in shame and guilt, but true denial—done with the Holy Spirit—leads to transformation. Discover how to partner with th...

Got a question or comment? Send us a text! Love God. Love people. Sounds simple, right? But if it’s that simple, why do so many of us still miss the mark? In this episode of Shifts and Giggles , Rafer breaks down the Greatest Commandment from Mark 12 and shows how it’s not just a rule—it’s a flow. God’s love to us. Our love back to Him. Then love for ourselves. Then love for others. If you’ve ever...

Got a question or comment? Send us a text! Many Christians have been told, “the heart is deceitful above all things” (Jeremiah 17:9), leaving them afraid to trust what they sense inside. In this episode of Shifts and Giggles , Rafer Owens Jr. takes a fresh look at this misunderstood scripture, digging into the next verse where God Himself says, “I the Lord search the heart and test the mind.” Rafe...

Got a question or comment? Send us a text! What if the most Christ-like version of you is still trapped under unredeemed feelings, passions, and impulses? In this episode of Shifts and Giggles , Rafer Owens Jr. unpacks what it really means when we say “Jesus came to redeem our hearts and renew our minds.” Too often, Christians accept salvation but stop short of sanctification. Rafer breaks down th...

Got a question or comment? Send us a text! If you’ve been following Jesus but still feel like something’s missing—this one is for you. In this episode, Rafer takes us back to the foundation: God the Father. Through the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15, Rafer shows us that the Father is not distant, cold, or harsh—He’s present, compassionate, and deeply personal. You’ll learn how reframing yo...

Got a question or comment? Send us a text! Season 1 Finale: The Start of a Movement We made it, y’all! Season 1 of Shifts and Giggles is officially a wrap—and what a journey it’s been. In this emotional, energizing, and reflective episode, I share the heart behind the show, recap everything we've covered—from emotional intelligence to growth mindset to the full Simple Shift Method—and tell a...

Got a question or comment? Send us a text! In this conversation, Rafer Owens discusses the significance of finding the right tools for personal growth and emotional intelligence. He shares his journey of understanding emotions through intrapersonal communication and emphasizes the importance of using effective tools to navigate relationships and personal challenges. The discussion covers various t...

Got a question or comment? Send us a text! What if the story you've been telling yourself is the only thing holding you back? In this episode of Shifts and Giggles , Rafer shares how he went from hating running to training for a half marathon—and how that unexpected journey revealed a deep truth about mindset. This episode dives into the difference between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset...

Got a question or comment? Send us a text! Why do we fear failure so much—and how is that fear keeping us stuck? In this powerful episode of Shifts and Giggles , Rafer shares a heartfelt story about watching his son struggle (and succeed) through the hardest level of a video game—and uses it to unpack why failure isn’t the enemy. In fact, it’s the path. You’ll learn how to reframe failure from bei...

Got a question or comment? Send us a text! In this powerful follow-up to last week's emotional intelligence episode, Rafer unpacks how to build emotional intelligence —not just why it's important. Emotional intelligence isn’t a personality trait—it’s a skill. Rafer shares raw and relatable stories, including a vulnerable moment with his son and a hilarious but deep lesson involving a cof...

Got a question or comment? Send us a text! In this episode of Shifts and Giggles , we’re getting real about emotional intelligence. Rafer shares the moment he realized he was unintentionally gaslighting his wife—and how learning to name his emotions like “dismissed” and “anxious” saved his marriage and shifted his entire life. Emotional intelligence isn’t soft—it’s survival. If you’ve ever shut do...

Got a question or comment? Send us a text! You made progress. You hit the goal. You felt the shift. But now you feel… stuck again. This episode dives deep into the final step of the Simple Shift Method: Evolve Continuously. Because winning once doesn’t mean you’ve finished. And transformation isn’t a mountaintop—it’s a mindset. If you’ve ever asked: “Why do I feel off after I achieve something?” “...

Got a question or comment? Send us a text! When life doesn’t go as planned, most people either give up or keep doing what’s not working—hoping it magically changes. In this episode of Shifts and Giggles , we dive into Step 5 of the Simple Shift Method: Learn and Adjust. Rafer shares what 75 Hard taught him about progress, personal growth, and the mindset shift it takes to evolve. If you’ve ever th...

Got a question or comment? Send us a text! In this episode of Shifts and Giggles , Rafer dives into Step 4 of the Simple Shift Method: Practice Consistently . If you've ever been paralyzed by the "what ifs"—what if it doesn't work, what if I'm not good enough, what if I fail—this episode is your breakthrough. Rafer shares how to break free from fear by taking imperfect ste...

Got a question or comment? Send us a text! In this episode of Shifts and Giggles , Rafer unpacks Step 3 of the Simple Shift Method — Make a Plan — and explains how creating small, specific goals can lead to massive progress. Through a powerful story about paying off $54,000 of debt, Rafer shows how SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) and simple planning helped him...