The Speakeasy

In today's episode, I sit down with Christian artist and author Stephen McWhirter for a raw, hope-filled conversation about redemption, forgiveness, and the transforming power of Jesus.
Stephen shares the powerful story behind his music and about his book, Radical Restoration, where he talks about how he grew up in a home marked by abuse, spiraling into deep addiction, and ultimately encountering God in a life-changing moment that set him on a completely new path. His testimony is a reminder that no one is too far gone for grace and that restoration is possible even after years of pain and brokenness.
We dive into the difficult but freeing topic of forgiveness: what it truly means, what it doesn't mean, and how God calls us to release the debts others owe us without minimizing real wounds. We talk honestly about the tension between forgiveness and reconciliation, the healing that comes through surrender, and the way God's love can transform even the deepest bitterness into freedom.
In this conversation you'll hear about:
Stephen's journey from addiction to worship ministry
how encountering grace reshapes identity and purpose
why forgiveness is both a command and a gift
the difference between forgiving someone and allowing access to your life
how asking God for His heart toward others changes everything
practical first steps toward healing from past hurt
If you've ever struggled to forgive, wondered whether real change is possible, or needed hope that God can restore what feels permanently broken, this episode will deeply encourage you.
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Today's episode is a long overdue catch-up. I'm finally sharing the fuller story of what happened in 2025: the year God completely flipped my life, my work, my identity, and my priorities upside down.
If you've noticed that my content has shifted a lot over the last year, this is the why.
For years, this podcast has felt like the most full expression of me. Faith, motherhood, politics, wellness, the Bible, all of it. But Instagram had become heavily political. Eventually, the very work I thought was most important started costing me more than I realized, my peace, my presence, my family, and honestly, my soul.
In this episode, I'm sharing the story of how God began asking me to do something that felt harder than any "jump" of obedience He'd ever asked of me before: sit down, pull back, do less, trust Him, and let Him carry what I had been trying to hold together myself.
We talk about:
how political content became my full-time work

the moment I realized my priorities were deeply out of order

what disobedience looked like in real time

why 2025 felt like my "belly of the whale" year

the vision God gave me that changed everything

identity, striving, motherhood, and learning to be a daughter before a warrior

why I stepped back from politics online

what God has been rebuilding in me ever since

This one is personal. It's vulnerable. And it's probably the clearest picture I've given yet of the shift God has been walking me through. If you're in a season where God is asking you to slow down, let go, or trust Him in ways you do not like, this episode is for you.
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Today we're talking about anxiety, not the casual "I'm stressed" kind, but the kind that takes over your body, your thoughts, your sleep, your peace, and your sense of safety.
My friend Maddie Joy Fischer joins me to talk about our very real stories with anxiety, panic, fear, and the lies at the root of it all. We both know what it's like to feel trapped by fear and to wonder if this is just how life will always be. But we also know what it's like for God to meet us there, unravel self-reliance, expose the lies, and begin rebuilding something truer and stronger.
In this conversation we talk about:
how anxiety can start small and slowly take over

health anxiety, panic attacks, and feeling unsafe in your own body

the lie that says "I'm not safe" and the truth that answers it

fear of man, self-protection, and trying to stay in control

what it looks like to come to the end of yourself

why healing is often not linear

how God uses even the darkest seasons for redemption

what surrender actually looks like when you're in it

This episode is full of honesty, Scripture, and hope for the person still in the thick of anxiety, and for the person who loves someone who is.
If you've ever felt like fear was driving the bus, this conversation is for you. There is freedom in Jesus. There is truth stronger than the lies. And there is hope, even here.
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Today's conversation is one I didn't expect to have, but I'm so glad we did. I'm joined by Ben Higgins, known from The Bachelor franchise, but more importantly, a man willing to talk honestly about something many of us feel and few of us admit: loneliness.
Ben's book, Alone in Plain Sight: Searching for Connection When You're Seen But Not Known, explores what it's like to feel invisible, even while millions are watching. From reality TV to marriage, from church culture to platform pressure, Ben opens up about insecurity, performance, and the quiet fear that if people really knew us, they might not like us.
We talk about:
The difference between feeling unlovable vs. unlikable

Why social media connection doesn't cure loneliness

Performative Christianity and losing yourself in the process

The courage it takes for men to admit loneliness

How slowing down exposes what's actually going on inside

Letting the right people speak into your life, and guarding your heart

This isn't just a "Bachelor" conversation. It's about identity, community, vulnerability, and what it means to be fully known without performing.
If you've ever wondered whether God actually likes you, or struggled to believe that the real you is enough, this episode will meet you there.
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Today we're diving into the wide world of youth sports, and fair warning: this one might give you permission, step on your toes… or both.
Ed and Brian are former athletes, longtime sports ministry leaders, and dads currently navigating youth sports with their own kids. They're also the authors of Away Game: A Christian Parent's Guide to Navigating Youth Sports, and this conversation is honest, clarifying, and deeply needed.
We talk about what they call the "youth sports industrial complex," how we went from backyard games and rec leagues to a $40+ billion industry built on travel teams, specialization, year-round pressure, and future anxiety. How did we get here? What changed from when we were kids? And most importantly, do we have to ride this train?
In this episode we unpack:
The cultural shifts that reshaped youth sports

Why sports don't automatically build character

How pride, shame, and self-centeredness quietly grow unchecked

The difference between sports formation and spiritual formation

Why parents — not coaches — are the primary disciplers

How to respond to wins and losses in a gospel-shaped way

Creating boundaries within the system (even if you stay in it)

The power of gentleness, security, and apology

Spoiler: This isn't about pulling your kids out of sports. It's about recognizing that sports culture will disciple your child if you don't, and learning how to counterform that culture with intentional, Jesus-centered parenting.
Whether you're all-in on travel ball or wondering if you should opt out altogether, this episode will help you slow down, breathe, and ask better questions.
Your corner of the bleachers can look different.
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