On today's episode is my friend, Abby McDonald, author of Surrendering Certainty. Abby shares her powerful story of moving from a place of fear and uncertainty to embracing God’s guidance and surrendering control. After a tough season of postpartum depression and struggling with her faith, Abby came to the life-changing realization that she had never fully surrendered her life to God. Her journey of healing, both physically and spiritually, has shaped her ministry and writing, inspiring others to trust God’s direction, even when the outcome isn’t clear.

Abby’s new book, Surrendering Certainty, explores how to trust God with the unknown and be free from the constant need for control. She discusses the importance of surrendering fear and letting it propel us toward Jesus, not away from Him. Abby’s message is one of hope and encouragement for anyone feeling stuck in uncertainty and seeking clarity in their relationship with God.

Takeaways:

1. Surrender is Freedom: Abby’s story highlights that true freedom in Christ comes when we fully surrender control. Letting go of certainty and trusting God’s plan allows us to step into His peace and direction, even when things don’t go as expected.

2. Fear Can Propel Us Toward Jesus: Fear often leads us to retreat or avoid difficult decisions. However, when we choose to face our fears with God, it becomes a catalyst for deeper connection with Him and a stronger sense of His presence and peace.

3. The Power of Discernment: When uncertain about what God is asking, Abby suggests two questions to ask ourselves: “Does this show my love for God?” and “Does this show my love for His people?” These questions can guide us in discerning God’s voice and moving forward in His will with confidence.

Abby’s journey from fear to freedom and her invitation to surrender to God’s will is a powerful reminder that we can trust Him in the uncertainty. As we lean into His love and guidance, we find peace and purpose in every season of life.

If you’re feeling uncertain or stuck, Abby’s story and message are a powerful reminder that God is with you, guiding you every step of the way. Surrender your need for control and trust in His perfect plan for your life.

Bio:

Abby McDonald is the author of Shift and Surrendering Certainty. She is also a writer, speaker, wife and mom whose work has been featured on (in)Courage, For Every Mom, Crosswalk, and more. She writes for for Proverbs 31 Ministries' daily devotional, Encouragement for Today, and her passion is to empower women to grow in faith and hope, even when life is messy. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in English from the University of South Carolina, and loves to teach at writing conferences each year.

When she's not reading or writing, you can find her wrangling her three kids and black lab while drinking copious amounts of coffee. Abby lives with her husband and three children in western Maryland.

Anchor Verses:

2 Corinthians 12: 9-10

Connect with Abby:

Website: https://abbymcdonald.org

IG: https://www.instagram.com/abbymcdonaldwriter

LINKTREE: https://linktr.ee/abbymcdonaldwriter

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In today’s episode, I am joined by Erin Harrigan, a Christian wife of 31 years, mom, business coach, author, and speaker. Erin shares her powerful journey of pursuing success while learning how to align her business and life with God’s will. After giving her life to Christ at age 46, Erin’s life took a complete turn as she embraced her relationship with Jesus and started navigating her business and career with a renewed purpose.

Takeaways:

1. The Power of Surrender: Erin’s story of overcoming her dependence on herself to lean fully on God highlights the importance of surrendering control. When you let God take the wheel, your life and career are filled with peace, clarity, and His guidance.

2. Redefining Success: Success in God’s kingdom is not measured by worldly standards like wealth or status, but by deepening your relationship with Him and fulfilling His assignments for you. It’s about being obedient and walking in His calling, even when it doesn’t align with the world’s expectations.

3. Trusting God’s Timing: Erin’s experience of trusting God’s timing, even when things didn’t go as planned, shows us that God’s timing is always perfect. When we stop trying to “hustle” in our own strength, and instead focus on God’s direction, He leads us to success in His way, not ours.

Erin’s journey is a powerful reminder that success God’s way isn’t about achieving for the sake of achievement—it’s about walking in His will, embracing surrender, and letting Him define what success looks like for us.

As you reflect on Erin’s story, remember that God has uniquely equipped you to succeed in His way. Embrace His direction and trust that, in His time, you’ll see the fruit of your obedience. Don’t chase the world’s version of success—pursue His calling for your life, and watch how He transforms your journey.

Bio:

Erin Harrigan is a Christian wife, empty nest mom, speaker, author, and Biblical business coach for high-achieving Christian women in business and the boardroom who seek to scale new heights in their business or career without compromising their faith.

Using her 30+ years of corporate leadership and 12+ years of entrepreneurship, she helps sisters in Christ break free from the drain of “business as usual” by teaching them to redefine hustle and align business strategy and goals to God’s truth.

Erin’s coaching provides women with a safe space to integrate their faith and business through strategy, accountability, focus, and encouragement in a judgment-free zone so they can transform the way they work and the results they achieve. She serves her audience through customized private business coaching, group coaching, speaking, podcasting, and writing. Erin hosts the award-winning podcast, Redefining Hustle: Navigating Success as a Christian Woman

Erin loves the beach, tacos, good cheese, red wine, singing along to Broadway show tunes, and living in Chesapeake Beach, MD with her husband Brian, and their Bernedoodle, Rory.

Anchor Verses:

Psalm 24: 4-5

John 15: 4-5

Connect with Erin:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinharrigan/

IG: https://instagram.com/erindharrigan

FB: https://facebook.com/thehustlewithheartcoach

YouTube: https://youtube.com/erinharrigan

Website: https://erinharrigan.com

Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/redefining-hustle-pursuing-success-as-a-christian-woman/id1455892487

***We love hearing from you! Your reviews help our podcast community and keep these important conversations going. If this episode inspired you, challenged you, or gave you a fresh perspective, we’d be so grateful if you’d take a moment to leave a review. Just head to Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen and share your thoughts—it’s a simple way to make a big impact!***

Rachel Faulkner Brown’s story is one of pain, resilience, and ultimate freedom. After losing her first husband to an aneurysm just days after September 11, Rachel navigated the deep waters of grief and loss at the age of 24. Despite the heartbreak and confusion, her faith in God kept her anchored through it all. But Rachel’s journey didn’t stop with her loss. Two years later, she remarried and began a new chapter of life with her second husband, Blair, and their children. However, tragedy struck again when Blair died in a plane crash, leaving Rachel to grieve once more.

In this episode, Rachel shares her powerful journey of healing, the importance of confronting and releasing deep-rooted secrets, and how her story is now helping other widows find freedom and restoration through her ministry, Never Alone.

Takeaways:

1. Healing Begins When We Face Our Pain

Rachel’s story teaches us that healing can only begin when we confront our emotional pain, rather than suppressing it. Secrets may seem to protect us, but they only keep us stuck. By addressing the hurt, Rachel found freedom and was able to move forward with a renewed purpose in her life and ministry.

2. Faith Transforms Our Grief into Purpose

Rachel’s experience highlights the importance of leaning into faith even during the darkest times. In the midst of her grief, she realized that her story wasn’t just for her—it was meant to help others. God took her deepest pain and turned it into a ministry that now helps other widows heal and find hope.

3. Ministry Is Born Out of Brokenness Rachel’s ministry, Never Alone, started in the wake of her grief. What began as a small retreat for widows grew into a life-changing ministry that helps women process their losses, embrace healing, and step into a new season of hope. Rachel encourages us that even in our darkest moments, God is preparing us to be a light for others.

Rachel’s journey reminds us that no matter how deep our pain, God’s grace is always available to heal, restore, and transform. May her story encourage you to trust in God’s faithfulness and find hope even in the most difficult seasons.

Bio:

Rachel Faulkner Brown tragically lost two husbands before she was thirty-one years old. Out of Rachel’s healing, she founded Never Alone Widows, the largest Christian widows’ ministry 501c3 in the country. Never Alone Widows currently has 70 chapters from California to Maine and reaches thousands of widows daily through the organization’s social media platforms, their partnerships with the Gary Sinise Foundation, and Bob Goff’s Love Does foundation. Never Alone Widows has published the only video series specifically designed to support widows on RightNow Media, the world’s largest library of video-driven Bible study resources. Rachel also cowrote Father’s House, an eight-week, video-driven Bible study that has helped thousands of women find freedom from their past and grace for their future.

As a United States Air Force Gold Star widow, Rachel has shared her story nationally hundreds of times through Folds of Honor, a nonprofit organization helping to provide educational scholarships to the families of fallen and disabled service members and first responders. Rachel’s greatest ministry is her family, her husband, Rod, and her children, Davis and Campbell. Together they reside in Atlanta, Georgia.

Anchor Verses:

Genesis 50:20

Connect with Rachel:

Website: www.RachelFaulknerBrown.com

IG: https://www.instagram.com/rachelfaulknerbrown

Never Alone Widows: https://www.neveralonewidows.com

***We love hearing from you! Your reviews help our podcast community and keep these important conversations going. If this episode inspired you, challenged you, or gave you a fresh perspective, we’d be so grateful if you’d take a moment to leave a review. Just head to Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen and share your thoughts—it’s a simple way to make a big impact!***