The Overgiving Crash: How to Renew Your Strength for the Holidays #189
Have you ever noticed that after pouring out love, hosting, caring, cooking, cleaning, and trying to make everything meaningful for everyone… your body suddenly crashes?In today’s episode, Bonnie unpacks the Overgiving Crash — that drained, blank, emotional dip that often hits right after big holidays and busy seasons. You’ll learn why it happens, what your body is trying to tell you, and how God gently meets you in those weary places.Bonnie also explains the cortisol dip — the biological drop that leaves you feeling tired, foggy, or flat after you’ve been “on” for days — and shares the simple soul care shift that can restore your spark as you enter the Christmas season.Learn how to help your nervous system reset… and how to let God renew your strength with tenderness and love. Key Takeaways: Why the “overgiving crash” happens after holidays and emotionally demanding seasons What a cortisol dip is — and why it leaves you feeling drained or suddenly exhausted How God restores your strength when you pause and let Him care for your tired heart The science behind anticipatory joy — and why choosing one small thing you love lifts your mood A simple soul care practice to help you reconnect with peace as the holiday season begins Breath PrayerInhale: You renew my strengthExhale: You are my hope Scripture“He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak… Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.” — Isaiah 40:29–31 → Register "Advent Wellness Course" to lower holiday stress with God's peace, hope, joy, and love at mysoulcareschool.com → Eucalyptus Shower Steamers for instant calm at Bonnie's Soul Care Store → Take the FREE Soul Care Quiz at soulcarequiz.comGet your personal wellness assessment and learn which area of soul care you need most. Connect with Bonnie: Join the Soul Care Newsletter:https://thebonniegray.com/subscribe Watch Weekly YouTube Devotionals:https://youtube.com/thebonniegray Bestselling Books by Bonnie:https://amzn.to/3NpVYQd Follow Bonnie on Instagram & Facebook:@thebonniegray Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
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Feeling ‘Blah’ Before Thanksgiving? Try This Peace Reset to Light Your Spark & Stress Less #188
Are you heading into Thanksgiving feeling emotionally blah — tired, unmotivated, or just flat inside? You’re not alone. So many women enter the holidays carrying the weight of logistics, expectations, and caring for everyone else… while their own soul quietly runs on empty.Bonnie shares her personal moment of unexpected emotional flatness — and the gentle way God invited her back into peace. It’s a reminder that even our “blah” moments can become invitations to shift our bodies out of exhaustion and stress.Discover how God meets you with tenderness, how to understand the science behind emotional “shutdown,” and how one small, life-giving soul care practice can help you feel peace and spark again — just in time for Thanksgiving.This episode will help you breathe deeper, slow down, and find your own quiet moment of restoration in the midst of a busy holiday week. Key Takeaways: Why emotional flatness is normal during high-stress seasons — and why it’s not a spiritual failure How God restores your soul when you feel numb, tired, or “blah” The Science: How holiday stress triggers emotional shutdown in the brain One soul care practice to help you feel calm, grounded, and reconnected to yourself — in just 10 minutes Simple ways to bring your heart a moment of peace this Thanksgiving weekend (not just everyone else’s!) Breath PrayerInhale: You lead me beside quiet watersExhale: You restore my soul Scripture“He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul.” Psalm 23:2–3 → Eucalyptus Shower Steamers for instant calm at Bonnie's Soul Care Store → Register "Advent Wellness Course" to lower holiday stress with God's peace, hope, joy, and love at mysoulcareschool.com → Take the FREE Soul Care Quiz at soulcarequiz.comGet your personal wellness assessment and learn which area of soul care you need most. Connect with Bonnie: Join the Soul Care Newsletter:https://thebonniegray.com/subscribe Watch Weekly YouTube Devotionals:https://youtube.com/thebonniegray Bestselling Books by Bonnie:https://amzn.to/3NpVYQd Follow Bonnie on Instagram & Facebook:@thebonniegray Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
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3 Mindset Shifts for Peace This Thanksgiving
Do you ever feel like the pressure of the holidays only makes your heart ache more? Thanksgiving can bring out feelings of stress, grief, and loneliness, especially when life isn’t going the way we expected. But what if you could still feel thankful even in the toughest moments?In this episode, Bonnie explores how to cultivate gratitude when your heart is hurting and provides 3 powerful mindset shifts to help you find peace amidst life’s hardest moments. Take a moment to breathe in encouraging truth and practice a soul-care tip to help you connect with God’s peace this Thanksgiving. Whether you’re celebrating joy or navigating challenges, Bonnie guides you toward healing through gratitude. Tune into this episode to learn how to express your emotions honestly, embrace the power of storytelling, and how to use a simple prayer practice on God’s faithfulness to experience true thanksgiving.Key Takeaways:- Use 3 mindset shifts to boost your emotional health and spiritual wellness- Science of Expressing True Emotions: Helps release stress and nurtures gratitude.- Science of Storytelling: Lifts your spirits and strengthens your emotional bonds.- Soul Care of Psalm 105: Reflecting on God’s faithfulness through Scripture like Psalm 105 helps you cultivate lasting peace and thanksgiving. Breath Prayer: (inhale) The nearness of God is my good (exhale) The Lord is my refuge Scriptures: But as for me, the nearness of my God is my good. I have made the Lord God my refuge. Ps. 32:7Soul Care Tips: 3 tips to heal your hurting heart during ThanksgivingLINKS & RESOURCES- Register now "Journaling with Jesus" Soul Care Course: https://thebonniegray.com/soulcareschool/- Take my FREE Soul Care Quiz at soulcarequiz.com – your wellness assessment!- Get Bonnie's Bestselling book "Breathe: 21 Days to Stress Less" https://amzn.to/4azae1K- Subscribe to FREE Breathe Newsletter for Fall Quarter Soul Care! https://thebonniegray.com/subscribe/- Follow Bonnie at www.instagram.com/thebonniegray & www.facebook.com/thebonniegray Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
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When You’re Afraid to Go All In on Joy: How to Run Free and Feel God’s Pleasure #187
Have you ever found yourself holding back — afraid to give your all because you might fail, grow tired, or fall short?In today’s episode, Bonnie shares a powerful story about her son — and the life-changing moment when she encouraged him to stop holding back and run free. What happened next will inspire you to trust God’s loving voice and experience the joy of living fully in how He made you.Learn how Jesus, your ultimate encourager, cheers you on in life’s hardest races — and discover the soul care practice that helps you break free from fear, engage your God-given strengths, and feel His pleasure again. Key Takeaways: Why we hold back from living fully and how God invites us to run free What it means to feel God’s pleasure in doing what He created you to love The Science behind the power of encouragement — and how cheering changes your brain and emotions The Science: One soul care step to help you experience joy again and feel motivated this week Breath Prayer:Inhale: I lay aside every weightExhale: I fix my eyes on Jesus → Register "Writing Your God-Story with Jesus" to find peace, heal your heart and leave a legacy of faith. Register & start watching right away at mysoulcareschool.com → Take the FREE Soul Care Quiz at soulcarequiz.comGet your personal wellness assessment and learn which area of soul care you need most. Connect with Bonnie: Join the Soul Care Newsletter:https://thebonniegray.com/subscribe Watch Weekly YouTube Devotionals:https://youtube.com/thebonniegray Bestselling Books by Bonnie:https://amzn.to/3NpVYQd Follow Bonnie on Instagram & Facebook:@thebonniegray Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
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When Life Changes Your Plans: How to Find Joy in Life’s Twists & Turns with God #186
Have you ever faced a season where life changed your plans — and you weren’t sure what to do next?In today’s episode, Bonnie shares a heartfelt story about how a health limitation led her to discover beauty in an unexpected new path. You’ll be encouraged by how God meets us when our plans fall apart — and how His kindness gently guides us to try something new.Learn how Jesus, our ultimate Guide, walks beside us through every change, and discover the science behind this week's soul care practice to boost your mood, restore calm, and awaken joy. Key Takeaways:How God can surprise you with joy when life doesn’t go as plannedWhy Jesus is the ultimate Guide who leads you with kindness and careThe power of curiosity — how trying something new rewires your brain for peaceOne soul care practice to help you find renewal in this season of changeBreath Prayer:Inhale: You guide me, Lord. Exhale: You make new paths for me. Scripture:“The Lord will guide you always; He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden.” — Isaiah 58:11 → Register "Writing Your God-Story with Jesus" to grow peace, hear your heart and leave a legacy of faith. Start watching right away! Register today at mysoulcareschool.com → Take the FREE Soul Care Quiz at soulcarequiz.comGet your personal wellness assessment and learn which area of soul care you need most. Connect with Bonnie:Join the Soul Care Newsletter:https://thebonniegray.com/subscribeWatch Weekly YouTube Devotionals:https://youtube.com/thebonniegrayBestselling Books by Bonnie:https://amzn.to/3NpVYQdFollow Bonnie on Instagram & Facebook:@thebonniegray Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
Breathe: The Stress Less Podcast hosted by Christian author Bonnie Gray is dedicated to refreshing your soul with rest and sparking joy, so you can feel God’s love and peace. We'll walk you through scientific, scripture-backed methods of restoring calm, in order to help you stress less, take better care of yourself, and create new rhythms to rest in daily life.
Here are some topics covered in this podcast:
🌸 Feeling Anxious? Cast Your Cares on God Because He Cares For You🌸 3 Ways to Break Free from Stress, Worry & Anxiety🌸 How to Say No to Fear & Yes to God PLUS What's the Difference Between Secular & Biblical Meditation?🌸 Is It Burnout Or Is God Stretching You? 4 Signs to Know the Difference PLUS 4 Mental Health Benefits of Stories🌸 3 Surprising Ways to Stop Overthinking, Improve Your Mood During the Day, & Get the Sleep Your Body Needs🌸 The Antidote to Stress & Fatigue + The Surprising Causes – Plus Raising Stress-Resilient Kids
FOLLOW BONNIE:Instagram: https://instagram.com/thebonniegrayFacebook: https://facebook.com/thebonniegrayHer site: http://www.thebonniegray.com
Listen to Breathe: The Stress Less Podcast, Nothing much happens: bedtime stories to help you sleep and many other podcasts from around the world with the radio.net app
New Zealand