What if the phrases we repeat in the name of "self empowerment" are quietly keeping us in bondage?

In this episode of eighth & GRACE, Brandy A. Dawson- sits down with author and THRIVE podcast host Erica Ligenza Gwynn to talk about her new book, That's Just Not True. Together they dismantle the catchy cultural "truths' we've been rehearsing- I am enough, my feelings are my truth, if I'm not hustling I'm lazy and rebuild on the unshakable foundation of Scripture.

From Erica's 73-day NICU story to her quiet rebellion against hustle culture. this conversation invites you to trade striving for surrende, pressure for peace, and self-help slogans for gospel freedom. You'll learn her five-step swap practice, how to diagnose lies in the wild of your week, and how to rehearse God's truth until it becomes your reflex.

If you're weary of spiritual burnout and ready for a faith that breathes again, this one's your anthem for true freedom.

Connect with Erica + order That's Just Not True by October 21 to claim your pre-order bonus and get the first chapter- https://www.ericagwynn.com

"The anthem we've been desperately waiting for,"- Mary Marantz

Connect with Brandy + collaboration for podcast or speaking engaements: myeighthandgrace@gmail.com

Website + Blog- stay up to date: https://www.brandyadawson.com

Follow along on Instagram:https://instagram.com/brandyadawson

Substack:Musings of Grace

What if the ache you're carrying isn't a problem to fix but a place where God is alreading holding you?

These days can feel heavy- grief and joy sharing the same room, peace and chaos swirling like sisters who can't dcide where to sit. In this solo episode of eighth & GRACE, Brandy invites you to pause in the hustle breathe deep in the presence of God and find hope in the tension.

With warmth, love, and a prophetic kind of comfort, she speaks to the frustration and weariness of waiting, reminding you that you are held - right in the middle of the mess and the mystery.

Discover how to release busyness, set holy boundaries, and choose rest over reputation. Brandy reflects on Mary and Martha, the enemy's attempts to stir fear and division, and the deep truth that peace is a fruit of the Spirit - striving and exhaustion are not.

Let's live out the gospel with hope and courage, Go!

To connect with Brandy for collaboration or request her to speak at your next engagement or gathering- church or social: myeighthandgrace@gmail.com

Website + blog: https://www.brandyadwason.com

Follow along with her on Instagram: https://instagram.com/brandyadawson

Join the wildly hopefuls on her her Substack: Musings of Grace

What if preparation isn't just about time waiting, it's about being willing to be known?

Sometimes God invites us past the lobby of simple waiting into a deeper kind of trust, one that requires us to be seen. In this soul-steadying episode of What About This? Brandy A. Dawson names the tension we all feel- holding joy while holding grief in a hurting world. scrolling past violence we can't unsee, and wondering if God has gone silent.

Using the picture of a doctor's office waiting room and exam room, Brandy invites you to let God search your heart (Psalm 139:23-24), embrace holy exposure, and discover that true healing begins with His seing.

A tender call to lament, to listen, and to trust that the pasue is the proof He is preparing you for something BIGGER than you asked.

Connect with Brandy for collaboration: myeighthandgrace@gmail.com

Website: https://www.brandyadawson.com

instagram:https://instagram.com/brandyadawson

Substack:Musings of Grace

When life feels like it is "too much"- too good, too heavy, too fast - Jesus meets us in the both/and, even in the ache that lingers underneath.

In this tender and timely episode of eighth & GRACE, Brandy Dawson leans into the real and raw tensio of carrying both joy and grief and the ache that lives between them.

You'll hear:

Why new seasons (kid's first days of school, gradations, college drop -offs, empty nesting) often stir hidden grief

The ache underneath milestones- loss, longing, infertility, singleness, shifting friendships, stretched marriages

What women are most hungry for right now: sacred rest, friendship in transition, body + soul belonging, trusting God with unfinished stories.

A prophetic reminder: you don't have to choose. Joy and grief can occupy the same hill. Sorrow and celebration care share the same garden.

Take a deep breath as she offers a breath prayer and gentle permission to be fully human: overwhelmed, but in the best way.

Connect with Brandy to collaborate for a podcast episode or to invite her to speak at your coference or gathering: myeighthandgrace@gmail.com

Follow along on Instagram: https://instagram.com/brandyadawson

Join the wildy hopeful + expectant community on Substack: Brandy A. Dawson - Musings of Grace

website + blog: www.brandyadawson.com

Back -to-school is in full swing, and Brandy shares a voice memo style catch-up: a bittersweet Tennessee "home -home" trip, a new seminary semester (hello, Apostle Paul), conference worship, Emmy turning 24, and prepping for Dan the Man's 50th (yes... Em spilled the tea!) Plus: fake fall pumpkin everything.

Then Brandy turns holy gossip girl, (is that even a thing?) don't worry it's just gossip about what is rumored to be on trend for fall 2025. She is delivering what's coming down the runway so you don't have to scroll: listen in to hear the color pallete -brown as the foundational neutral- saturated accents of eggplant, burnt orange, fern, and cobalt/ with snakeskin footwear, hobo belted totes, doctor and vanity bags and her most favorite update: cozy hair colors like cider- lights, chestnut brunette, smoky espresso, and maple-syrup brown - with swinging bobs and shaggy layers in the mix.

If you're building new rhythms and craving a gentle nudge, this episode is a reminder that progress is made in small, surrenderd steps and that God is with you in every one.

Connect with Brandy to collaborate on podcast episodes or to have her speak at your next conference or event: myeighthandgrace@gmail.com

Website + Blog updates: https://www.brandyadawson.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/brandyadawson

Substack: https://substack.com/@brandydawson25?utm_source=user-menu

Update*** If you're hearing double on this episode, scroll up to download and click to remove download and then re-download this episode.

What happens when you sit down with your adult children, press record, and ask them about life- unscripted, unedited, snd unfiltered.

Three kids. Three different seasons. One honest conversation about growing up and raising kids in today's world.

In this powerful and personal episode of eighth & GRACE, Brandy sits down with her three children- Kora(25), Emma(24), Ayden(18)- to talk about what it's like finding your place in today's world.

Kora is an MRI tech and mom of two, balancing long shifts with the demands of raising a 7-year-old and toddler. Emma is a stay-at-home mom of three and a full-time online college student. Ayden, the youngest, just graduated high school and is navigating life as an extrovert stepping into adulthood.

We talked about motherhood, body image, friendships, anxiety, and faith in the middle of an overwhelming world. Their answers aren't polished or perfect- they're real. And I think you'll hear pieces of your own story tucked inside theirs.

A family conversation that resonates across generations, reminding us that grace covers us in the middle of life, right where we are.

Connect with Brandy for podcast collaboration or for speaking engagments: myeighthandgrace@gmail.com

Website, Blog, + Newsletter: https://www.brandyadawson.com

Subscribe to Brandy A Dawson Substack - Musings of Grace: https://substack.com/@brandydawson25?utm_source=user-menu

Social Media: https://instagram.com/brandyadawson

From Nashville Tennessee to the red dirt roads of Uganda, discover how HEAL Minisitres preserve families, restores dignity, and births a movement of hope- where restoration takes root.

In this episode of eighth & GRACE, host Brandy Dawson sits down with Lauren Johnson (Choose Joy, Give Grace/ Choose Joy Nursing, board member of HEAL Ministires) and Rebekah Etyang ( Executive Director of HEAL Ministries, Uganda) to share the powerful story of The James Place in Jinja, Uganda.

HEAL Minisitries is a Christ-centered nonprofit preserving families and empowering abandoned women and children through childcare, Bible Studies, artisan and business training, and Farming God's Way.

Lauren shares her firsthand experience walking through the red clay soil of Uganda- meetng the women, hearing children's laughter, and witnessing transformation at the James Place. Then, hear as Rebekah shares her journey from Nashville to Uganda, the ministry's milestone aquiring 4 acres for permanent home, and the stories of hope that keep her anchored in vision and faith.

You'll hear:

• How HEAL Ministires focuses on restoration over rescue
• Why preserving families transforms entire communities
• How faith shapes Leadership in Uganda's unique cultural context
• The vision for HEAL's next chapeter and how you can be a part of it

If you're passionate about global missions, womens empowerment, faith-driven leadership, or community development, this episode will stir your heart and leave you believing again in the power of home, hope, and the heart of God.

Connect with HEAL on Instagram @healministries

HEAL's website: heal-ministries.org

Connect with Brandy for podcast collaborations or to have her speak at your conference or gathering: myeighthandgrace@gmail.com or website: https://www.brandyadawson.com

Instagram:https://instagram.com/brandyadawson

Substack: https://substack.com/@brandydawson25?utm_source=user-menu

What About This? Five days in Tennessee, back to my roots and remembering how much I love a small town life!

This fun trip started in Nashville with a heart stirring conversation for Heal Minisitries- a Chrisitan missions ministry in Uganda that's changing lives by living out the gospel message. Then it was on to Franklin for their benefit gala, where I left praying that someone listening to this chat might also find their "yes" to missions without ever walking the red dirt roads.

And there are several reccomendations from the square in Lebanon that includes a rooftop, an acai bowl, and a grown up grilled cheese to a smash burger in Watertown. A nostalgic trip to the Wilson County State Fair ( including more food recs:) poolside therapy at my parent's house where God kept showing up in the everyday moments like butterflies on my toes and hummingbirds bringing joy in the summer heat.

This episode is for anyone that needs a reminder that sometimes healing looks like coming, and that grace is found in mountaintop moments, but it's right here in the ordinary, too.

Grace upon grace, right where you are.