Bold, Brave & Beautiful Podcast with Barb Roose

What if stress isn't just a problem to manage — but a signal to rest?  In this episode, Barb talks with nurse and author Tracie Braylock about Radical Relaxation — a healing, faith-filled approach to dealing with stress that goes beyond self-care checklists. You'll learn how engaging your God-designed relaxation response can lead to real peace, deeper trust, and lasting transformation — mind, body, and spirit. Listen now and discover why rest might be the most radical act of faith you can take today.   RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE Connect with Tracie on Instagram Connect with Tracie on Facebook Radical Relaxation: Releasing the Stress You Were Never Meant to Carry Visit Tracie's Website   ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST Tracie Braylock (MSN, BSN, RN) is a holistic nurse educator, writer, and wellness consultant. As a former operating room nurse, she advocates for mind, body, spirit well-being, holistic wellness experiences, and liberating relaxation. Her work has been featured in the American Holistic Nurses Association New Beginnings magazine, Proverbs 31 Ministries, and Hallmark Mahogany. Tracie teaches workshops, leads retreats, and lectures on issues related to nursing, writing, self-care, and healing lifestyles. She lives in Ohio with her family.

Are you doing all the "right" Christian things but still struggling to feel joy? You're not alone. In this heartfelt conversation with special guest, Asheritah Ciuciu, we talk about what it means to move from duty to delight—from trying to earn God's love to truly enjoying it.  Together we'll explore the simple rhythms that restore joy and the freeing truth that we were created for delight—not performance. If your faith feels weary or stuck, this episode will remind you that joy isn't just for eternity; it's for right now.   RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE Connect with Asheritah on Instagram! Connect with Asheritah on Facebook! Delighting in Jesus: Rhythms to Restore Joy When You Feel Burdened, Broken, or Burned-Out Visit Asheritah's Website   ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST Asheritah Ciuciu is a bestselling author, national speaker, and host of the Prayers of Rest podcast. Asheritah is the author of many books, including Full, Prayers of Rest, and Unwrapping the Names of. A Romanian missionary kid, she's passionate about helping people around the world enjoy through creative spiritual habits. Asheritah is married to her high school sweetheart, and together they raise their three spunky kiddos in NE Ohio. Discover your creative devotional type at www.OneThingAlone.com.  

What do you really believe about heaven? When faced with her own terminal diagnosis, author Colleen Chao discovered that heaven wasn't a faraway idea. It was a living hope that changed how she faced each day. In this moving episode, Colleen shares the peace, beauty, and courage that come from fixing our eyes on eternity—even when life on earth is marked by suffering. Her words will stir your heart, strengthen your faith, and remind you: this isn't the end of the story.   RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE On Our Way Home: Reflections on Heaven in the Face of Death Visit Colleen's Website   ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST Colleen Chao is an editor, writer, and former English teacher. During her unexpected chapter of singleness, she traveled and explored new places, mentored young women, sang and acted, and spent unhealthy amounts of time at coffee shops. In 2010, at age 34, she married strong and handsome Eddie Chao, and eleven months later she gave birth to a beautiful baby boy named Jeremy.    In 2017, after a long journey through chronic pain and illness (both her own and her son's) Colleen was diagnosed with breast cancer. After intensive chemotherapy and a double mastectomy, Colleen enjoyed two years of clear test results—but in Spring 2021 she learned that the cancer was back, and it was terminal this time. Out of this indescribable sorrow has come stunning beauty, and Colleen's desire is to spend the remainder of her days sharing this beauty with others who suffer.   When she's not visiting a doctor or wrangling words, Colleen enjoys the beautiful outdoors, side-splitting laughter, and half-read books piled bedside. She makes her home just outside Boise, Idaho with Eddie and Jeremy, and their dog, Willow.  

Do you ever feel left out, overlooked, or like you don't quite belong? In a world where loneliness is at an all-time high, what if the belonging you've been searching for has already been given to you? In today's conversation, Dr. Carmen Joy Imes invites us to rediscover God's vision for community and connection. In her new book, Becoming God's Family, Carmen helps us see how the Bible reshapes our understanding of belonging—not as something we achieve, but as a gift we receive in Christ. If you need one reason to give God's family one more try, join us for this important conversation.   RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE Connect with Dr. Carmen on Instagram Connect with Dr. Carmen on Facebook Becoming God's Family: Why the Church Still Matters Visit Dr. Carmen's Website   ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST Dr. Carmen Joy Imes is associate professor of Old Testament at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University, in Southern California. She is the author of Bearing God's Name: Why Sinai Still Matters, Being God's Image: Why Creation Still Matters, and Becoming God's Family: Why the Church Still Matters. Carmen has a YouTube channel where she releases weekly Torah Tuesday videos and you can find her writing on various websites, including Christianity Today, The Well, and The Politics of Scripture blog. Carmen is passionate about equipping the church to engage the Old Testament well and to see its relevance for the Christian life.

Does your faith feel fragile, distant, or broken? You're not alone. In this episode, Jason Hague and Catherine McNiel share how a mid-faith crisis can actually be the doorway to a deeper, more resilient walk with God. Doubt isn't the end of your faith—it may be the beginning of something new. In this powerful conversation, my guests share their personal stories of grief, unmet expectations, and doubt—and how God met them in the middle of the mess. Together, we'll explore why seasons of crisis can be fertile ground for deeper growth, how to let go of false certainties, and how to embrace a faith that is more resilient, honest, and rooted in God's goodness.   RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE Connect with Jason on Instagram and Facebook Connect with Catherine on Instagram and Facebook Mid-Faith Crisis Book Visit Catherine's Website Visit Jason's Website   ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST Catherine McNiel is a chaplain, author, editor, and speaker searching for the creative, redemptive work of God in our ordinary lives. She lives in the Chicagoland area with her husband, three children, and one enormous garden. Catherine holds an MA in human service counseling and is finishing a Master of Divinity at North Park Theological Seminary. Her previous books include Fearing Bravely, All Shall Be Well, and Long Days of Small Things, which was an ECPA finalist for New Author.   Jason Hague is the associate pastor of Christ's Center Church near Eugene, Oregon, and the author of Aching Joy: Following God Through the Land of Unanswered Prayer. Jason has written extensively on the subject of the Christian faith and autism, special needs families, and his own spiritual journey toward hope for his own nonspeaking autistic son. His writing has appeared in Christianity Today, Focus on the Family, and Fathom. He and his wife have five children.