Wild Grace

Did you know that Easter is not just one day, but an entire season in the church? Today on the podcast I'm sharing an Easter sermon based on John 20:1-18 that I preached in 2021. It's my prayer that this sermon gives you hope!  www.amberleagray.com  

We live in a world where we are constantly bombarded with information. It can be hard to distinguish between what you believe and what you've been told. That is the work of discernment. In today's episode, I'm talking about some practical things you can do to find your voice. Why? So that you can authentically show up in the world and share your truth!  www.amberleagray.com  

Today let's talk about the power of curiosity. It's more than an emotion, but is a way we position ourselves in the world. That every moment is an opportunity to learn and grow. In this episode, I unpack what curiosity is and share two important things that cultivating curiosity can bring to your life.  www.amberleagray.com  

What is the difference between good and holy work? What is practical theology? How does our faith impact our daily lives? In today's episode, I'm talking about these questions and so much more! www.amberleagray.com    

I've heard the word gaslighting thrown around in casual conversation in the last few months, and I think it is important to know what we are talking about. So in today's episode, I'm sharing some signs that you're experiencing gaslighting and some practical examples of what gaslighting can look like. Gaslighting is a form of psychological abuse and makes you question everything. Push play to learn...

Sleep can impact your physical, mental, and emotional health. When I worked as a therapist, one of the first things I talked about with clients was their sleeping patterns. In today's episode, I talk about the problems with too little sleep and tips on how to adjust your sleep cycle. www.amberleagray.com

Honesty is a virtue, but we can be honest without being mean. If you struggle with being brutally honest, then this episode is for you. In today's episode, I give some practical tips on how we can express our truth with kindness. www.amberleagray.com

Resilience is the ability to mentally or emotionally cope with a crisis or to return to pre-crisis status quickly. In layman's terms, it is the ability to bounce back from hardship. In today's episode, we unpack ways to build our resilience muscle. www.amberleagray.com

You may have heard by now about the Great Resignation. Literally millions of Americans have left their jobs in search of something different, something that aligns with their passion. People are starting to ask, what is my life's calling? In today's episode, I'm starting the conversation about discovering your call and giving some practical exercises to help you get started. www.amberleagray.com

Okay, raise your hand if you are struggling to move from passive to massive action! Are you unsatisfied with where you are, but can't seem to find the motivation to get started? Maybe it's time to identify your excuses. Excuses pop up when are afraid or uncomfortable. In this episode, I walk through ways to identify and work through the excuses holding you back. www.amberleagray.com

On today's episode of the podcast, I'm putting on my pastor hat and sharing a sermon I preached yesterday in worship. We're in the middle of a sermon series on the Letter of James. Honestly, it was a hard scripture passage for me. James sounds harsh, but I learned a lot prepping this sermon. My prayer is that it encourages and challenges you as much as it did me!  www.amberleagray.com

Y'all, humans are seriously the worst listeners. I think that so much conflict and hurt feelings could be avoided if we had better listening skills. So on today's episode, I'm giving you some practical things that you can start doing today to develop your listening skills!  www.amberleagray.com  

Raise your hand if you're feeling stressed?! Y'all, I'm right there with you! In today's episode I walk through 6 really practical things that you can do RIGHT NOW to reduce stress. This is a replay episode from way back at the start of the podcast, but I needed to hear it again! www.amberleagray.com

I pulled out my old counseling material, and I found an acronym that I think a lot of us need right now. It's called IMPROVE the Moment, and it is taught in DBT (a type of therapy). There are times when we can't change the situation, but can we improve it? Or improve our perception of it, our approach, our current thoughts and feelings? This episode is super practical, and definitely something I n...

Okay, it's a new year and everyone is talking about getting healthy. We have weight loss goals and the gyms are packed. In this episode, I unpack what it looks like to have a positive body image in EVERY stage of life. Body Image refers to how we think, feel, and react to our bodies. It's just now we look. If you're setting health goals or struggle with having a healthy body image, then this episo...

Happy New Year! I'm only accepting good things from 2022, and I'm excited about a fresh start. I'm not saying that this new year will be perfect, I'm 100% it will not go as planned. At the same time, I'm choosing joy on the journey. In today's episode of the podcast, I'm walking you through the steps I'm taking to kick start this new year.  Freebie: Word of Intention Worksheet www.amberlegray.com...

On today's episode of the Growth & Grace podcast, I'm sharing a sermon based on Luke 2:1-20. Maybe you've heard the Christmas story before, but I'm willing to bet you've never heard it told like this! Merry Christmas Growth & Grace listeners and a Happy New Year!  www.amberleagray.com

What a year! I can't believe another year has passed by so quickly. Before I jump into 2022 planning and goal setting, I want to pause and reflect on all the lessons that 2021 has taught me. So in today's episode, I'm sharing with you FIVE lessons from 2021. I would love to know if you can relate or if learned something completely different.  www.amberleagray.com    

We all struggle at some level with living up to the expectations of others. Honestly, expectations are a natural part of life. They aren't all bad. It becomes a problem when we value the expectations of others to the point that we start living for their approval. So in today's episode, I'm giving some practical tips on how to release the expectations of others while stepping into who you are calle...

I recently read that 85% of people in the USA struggle with self-esteem. Y'all, that is a lot of people. So today I'm chatting about what self-image is and sharing some practical things we can do to cultivate a positive self-image!  www.amberleagray.com

Here's what I'm realizing… We spend a lot of time and energy on things that we cannot control. It creates stress and anxiety. It consumes us. What would it look like to focus on things we can control? How can we do that? Where do we start? I unpack all of that and more in today's episode!  www.amberleagray.com

So I was recently journaling and recalled some lessons I learned a few years ago when I saw a Spiritual Director. Some lessons on discernment, that have come up for me over and over again. So it in today's episode, I unpack a little bit about Spiritual Direction and share what my 'aha' moments were about discernment!  www.amberleagray.com  

Last week we talked about the signs of unhealthy relationships, and I had a number of you reach out to me wanting a follow-up episode about signs of healthy relationships. Ask and you shall receive! In this episode, I unpack what a healthy relationship looks like! Honestly, relationships are hard, and sometimes it is important for us to be able to see what we're doing well.  www.amberleagray.com

So often we know things in our gut, but we doubt our instincts. So today I just want to lay it out. I'm not even going to number these. I'm just going to talk through some signs of an unhealthy relationship. These are not just for romantic relationships, but many can be applied to all relationships! If you've been questioning whether your relationship is healthy or not… well, that's the first sign...

Do you feel guilty every time you take a break? Do you struggle with feeling unproductive? What is your internal dialogue when you take the time to rest? We live in a culture that values being busy and wears it like a badge of honor. Guess what, that's not healthy. Rest is important! In Today's episode, I'm talking about the difference between Rest and Laziness.  www.amberleagray.com