Faith Over Fear

“When You’re Not Out of Control—Just Tired of Surviving”
In this episode of Faith Over Fear, Carol sits down with Christy Osborne, author of Love Life Sober, for an honest, compassionate conversation about exhaustion, emotional numbness, and the quiet ways many women cope just to get through the day.
This isn’t a conversation about hitting rock bottom or losing control. It’s about the woman who looks “fine” on the outside—but feels tired, flat, and disconnected from joy on the inside.
Christy shares her personal journey through an alcohol fast—not as a self-improvement project, but as a brave act of curiosity and care. (Download the free companion guide for this episode here.)
Together, Carol and Christy explore:
Why alcohol (or other numbing habits) often function as a solution, not the real problem
What surfaces emotionally and spiritually when numbing is removed
How grief, fatigue, and long-buried feelings often point to unmet needs—not personal failure
The lies that grow louder in silence—and how awareness and Scripture can interrupt them with grace
Where Jesus meets us most clearly when we feel exposed, weary, and emotionally honest
How joy can return—not as escape, but as presence, embodiment, and safety
If you’ve ever thought, “I’m not out of control—I’m just so tired,” this episode is for you.
Resource referenced: Love Life Sober: A 40-Day Alcohol Fast to Rediscover Your Joy, Improve Your Health, and Renew Your Mind
Listener Reflective Questions
Where in my life have I been using something—even something socially acceptable—to soften, numb, or survive instead of truly rest?
If I’m honest, what emotions do I work hardest to avoid feeling—and why might those emotions feel unsafe to me?
Have I been interpreting my exhaustion as failure, when it may actually be information about my soul’s needs?
What lies get loud for me when life slows down or distractions are removed—and how do those lies shape my sense of identity?
How has my definition of joy been shaped by escape rather than presence—and what quieter forms of joy might God be inviting me to notice?
What would it look like to believe I can feel deeply and be safe with God—right here, not after I “fix” myself?
Connect with Christy Osborne:
On her website
On Instagram
On Facebook
Find her work on Amazon
Find Carol McCracken:
On her website
On Facebook
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Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Many people know God is loving and kind—but struggle to feel or trust that love in their most wounded places. For those impacted by trauma, religious abuse, legalism, or deep loss, God can feel distant, harsh, or unsafe.
In this moving conversation, host Jennifer Slattery sits down with author Sherri Hughes Gregg to explore how Jesus consistently reveals Himself as tender, compassionate, and near to the brokenhearted. Drawing from Sherri’s book The Compassionate Christ, her personal journey through divorce and cancer, and powerful Gospel narratives—including the leper, the grieving widow, and the Samaritan woman—this episode gently challenges fear-based views of God and invites listeners into healing truth.
Together, Jennifer and Sherri model how we can wrestle respectfully with Scripture, release shame-laden interpretations, and encounter Christ as He truly is: the One who comforts, restores dignity, and brings beauty from ashes.
Download this episode's free companion guide with Scripture and journal prompts here.
Resource referenced: The Compassionate Christ: Draw Near to the Risen Savior (A 31-Day Devotional Retelling of Stories from the Life of Jesus)
Discussion/Reflective Questions:
When you think about God’s posture toward you, what emotions surface most easily—fear, comfort, suspicion, hope? Why do you think that is?

How have past experiences (family, church culture, trauma, or suffering) shaped the way you interpret Jesus’ actions and words in Scripture?

Which Gospel story mentioned in this episode—the leper, the widow, or the Samaritan woman—do you most relate to right now? What about it resonates with your current season?

Are there moments when suffering or disappointment has caused old fears or shame-based beliefs about God to resurface? How have you responded to those thoughts?

What would it look like to intentionally observe how Jesus interacts with wounded people in the Gospels, without filtering His actions through fear or self-condemnation?

Where might God be inviting you to receive comfort before resolution—to trust His nearness even while you wait for healing or answers?

What is one lie about God’s character you feel prompted to gently release—and one truth about His compassion you want to sit with this week?

Connect with Sherri Hughes Gregg:
On Instagram
On Amazon
Find Jennifer Slattery:
On her website
Instagram
Facebook
Amazon
Subscribe to her free newsletter
Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Do you struggle with prayer—what to say, how to say it, and whether God will respond? Does God ever feel distant or silent when you cry out to Him? In this episode, guest Rachel Britton shares why prayer often feels difficult, especially when we feel fearful, disappointed, or anxious, and she explains how simple, guided prayers can help us open our hearts wider to the Lord.
(Download this episodes free companion guide here.)
Together, Carol and Rachel explore what we can learn from biblical women who prayed through some of Scripture’s most painful and complicated moments:
Rachel, a person of deep sorrow
Leah, a person overlooked
Jochebed, a person in the background
Sarah, a person who doubted
Their lives reveal that God hears those of us who feel unseen, afraid, or unsure. Through their stories, Rachel invites us to grow in confidence—not by having perfect words, but by remembering we are perfectly loved.
Resource referenced: Pray Naturally: Finding Your Spiritual Confidence as a Woman Loved by God by Rachel Britton
Reflective/Discussion Questions
Which part of prayer feels hardest for you right now—finding the words, believing God hears you, or trusting Him with the outcome? Why?
When you think of praying bold prayers, what emotion rises first—fear, excitement, skepticism, or hope? What might God be inviting you to explore in that?
Is there a biblical woman’s story (Rachel, Leah, Jochebed) that mirrors a season you’re in? What does her journey teach you about God’s character?
In what ways have fear, disappointment, or past pain shaped the way you pray—or the way you avoid praying?
Rachel talks about being honest in prayer, even messy or raw. What would it look like to tell God the truth about something you’ve been holding back?
Where do you sense God inviting you to trust Him more deeply—not someday, but today—as you learn to pray more naturally?
Find Rachel Britton:
On her website
On Instagram
On Facebook
Find Carol McCracken:
On her website
On Facebook
On Instagram
Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

When anxiety tightens your chest and fear whispers that you’re alone, knowing who God is can steady your heart. In this deeply comforting conversation, Jennifer Slattery sits down with author and ministry leader Grace Fox to explore how the names of God reveal His nearness, power, and peace—especially in seasons of uncertainty, trauma, and unanswered prayer.
Grace shares how understanding God as Yahweh Shalom, Abba Father, Yahweh Roi (the Lord my Shepherd), and the God who is Light can reshape how we walk through hardship. From cultivating daily time with God in busy seasons to experiencing supernatural peace in the middle of a medical crisis, this episode gently reminds listeners that fear is not a sign of failed faith—but often a signal that we were never meant to carry our burdens alone.
In this episode, guest Grace Fox shares practical tools to quiet anxious thoughts, anchor themselves in truth, and learn how God often reveals His heart most clearly in life’s darkest caves. (Scroll down to download a free companion guide designed to help you process this episodes content more deeply and for more information on today's guest, Grace Fox.)
Key Topics Covered in today's episode:
Why fear doesn’t mean you’ve disappointed God

How the names of God reveal His character and care

Finding peace while still “in process”

God as Father for those wounded by earthly relationships

How God brings light and beauty even in dark seasons

Practical steps to experience peace amid chaos

Resource Referenced: Names of God: Knowing Peace: Devotional Study with Video Access (Names of God Devotional Studies Book 2) by Grace Fox
Download this episodes free companion guide HERE.
Discussion/Reflective Questions:
When anxiety rises, what does your first response tend to be—problem-solving, worrying, withdrawing, or turning toward God?
Which name of God discussed in this episode resonates most deeply with your current season, and why?
How might viewing God as a perfect Father challenge or heal wounds shaped by imperfect human relationships?
Where do you feel like you’re “in process” right now, tempted to believe you should be further along?
What would it look like to ask, “God, what do You want to teach me here?” instead of “Why is this happening?”
Are there areas of chaos in your life where you need to invite God’s light to bring clarity or order?
How might intentionally renewing your mind change the way you experience fear or uncertainty this week?
Connect with Grace Fox:

Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

(Scroll down to download a free companion guide designed to help you more deeply process this episodes content.)
In today’s episode, Carol is joined by author and Bible teacher Melissa Spoelstra for a powerful conversation about fear, spiritual warfare, and the God who reigns over both heaven and earth. Drawing from her new Bible study, Melissa helps us understand why the Bible talks about angels—not so that we’ll become preoccupied with supernatural beings, but so our view of God will grow larger, stronger, and more hope-filled.
Together, Carol and Melissa explore what Scripture reveals about the unseen spiritual realm: angelic hosts, messengers, cherubim and seraphim, fallen angels, and even Satan. But more importantly, they highlight the character of the God who commands the angel armies, sets boundaries on evil, strengthens His servants through suffering, and offers refuge in moments of fear.
This episode gently but boldly addresses questions many believers wrestle with:
• What battles am I facing that I can’t see?
• How do I fight fear without becoming fearful of spiritual warfare?
• Why does God allow testing, and where is He when life feels heavy?
• How do angels reveal God’s heart, His protection, and His authority?
Through practical insight and biblical clarity, Melissa reminds us that although our battles are real, our God is sovereign, present, and victorious. We don’t fix our eyes on angels—we fix our eyes on the God who created them. And in doing so, we find the hope and courage we need for whatever we’re facing right now.
Whether you’re wrestling with anxiety, fear of the unknown, spiritual attack, or simply longing to understand God’s supernatural care more deeply, this conversation will breathe peace and truth into your soul.
Key Scriptures Discussed
2 Kings 6 – Elisha’s servant sees the chariots of fire
• Hebrews 1 – Angels as ministering spirits
• Psalm 91 – God’s promise of protection
• Ephesians 6 – Our battle against spiritual forces
• Luke 2 – God sends an angel to outcasts
• Revelation – Angels in worship and judgment
Themes Covered✓ Spiritual warfare without fear
✓ God’s sovereignty over heaven and earth
✓ Discernment, deception, and truth
✓ How angels reveal God’s character
✓ The limits God places on Satan
Discussion/Reflective Questions:
Where in your life right now does fear feel louder than your confidence in God’s reign—and what does remembering the spiritual realm change for you?
Which aspect of God’s character, revealed through the ministry of angels, brought you the most comfort or clarity today?
How have you sensed spiritual warfare in your thoughts, relationships, or emotions recently—and what truth about God’s authority helps you fight back?
What lies or subtle deceptions tend to trigger anxiety for you, and how can Scripture help you recognize and counter them?
When have you felt strengthened, protected, or supported by God in a way that you couldn’t fully explain? What did that reveal about His presence?
What one step can you take this week to shift your focus away from fear of the enemy and toward a greater trust in the God who rules over everything?
Resource referenced:
Angels - Bible Study Book for Women with Video Access: Finding Hope in God Who Reigns over Heaven and Earth
Download this episodes free companion guide here.
Connect with Melissa Spoelstra:
On her website
On Facebook
On Amazon
Find Carol McCracken:
On her website
On Facebook
On Instagram
Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.