Have you ever loved Jesus… but still felt distracted, spiritually dry, or stuck in “doing mode”?

Maybe your mornings feel rushed. Your mind feels noisy. Your phone gets your attention before God does. And before you know it… the day has started, your soul feels disconnected, and shame quietly creeps in.

In this deeply personal episode, Stephanie shares how God met her after one of the hardest seasons of her life—and how slowing down, abiding, and learning to live a with-God life began forming her from the inside out.

This isn’t about creating the perfect quiet time.

It’s about presence.

It’s about union.

And it’s about what happens when we stop striving… and start abiding.

• Why so many believers love Jesus… but still struggle to slow down
• How false-self can resist stillness, surrender, and being seen
• What Stephanie’s “porch season” with God actually looked like
• How Scripture, prayer, journaling, and intentional presence deepened her walk with Jesus
• The shift from living like a Christian… to living like His daughter
• Why union with God doesn’t just comfort you… it forms you
• Simple questions to help you begin your own “with-God life”

• 2 Corinthians 3:18 — Beholding Him and being transformed
• John 15:4–5 — Abide in Me
• Psalm 46:10 — Be still and know
• Galatians 4:6–7 — Daughtership and identity in Christ

I’d love to meet you.

Book your 30-minute Virtual Coffee Chat here:

Virtual Coffee Chat with Stephanie

A relaxed, no-pressure conversation for Christian women who are ready to renew their minds, deepen their faith, and walk in freedom.

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Email: faithfirefreedompodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @stephanie_sekaz Facebook: Stephanie Adams Sekaz

If this episode encouraged you… would you share it with a friend who might need it too?

And if you haven’t already, leaving a written review on Apple Podcasts helps this message reach more women who are walking through hard seasons and need hope.

Thank you for being here… it truly means so much. 💛

Jesus, this is Yours.

May every word, every breath, and every woman who listens experience Your peace, Your presence, and the freedom that comes from placing it all in Your hands.

Created through Him, for Him, and to Him. (Romans 11:36)

Hey friend 🤍

This week on the porch, we’re celebrating something really special.

My son, Caleb, is graduating high school… and we are coming to the end of our homeschool journey.

Twelve years. Countless memories. So many prayers, decisions, laughs, and quiet moments with God woven all throughout.

And as I’ve sat with this season, reflecting back over “all those years”… one truth keeps rising to the surface:

God was there.

Year after year. Decision after decision. In the ordinary, the uncertain, the stretching, and the beautiful—

He was faithful.

This episode isn’t just about homeschooling. It’s about saying yes to God… even when you don’t have the full picture.

It’s about who you become in the process. And what it looks like to trust Him… and eventually, to let go.

Whether you’ve homeschooled or not, I have a feeling you’ll find yourself somewhere in this story.

So grab your coffee, come sit with me… and let’s remember together what God does over time.

• What it really looks like to say “yes” to God over a long season
• The internal struggles of doubt, pressure, and perfectionism—and how they began to shift
• How renewing the mind and surrendering control changed everything (not just homeschooling)
• The quiet, steady faithfulness of God in everyday decisions, provision, and guidance
• The unexpected joy, connection, and relationship built along the way
• A powerful moment of reflection while writing a graduation bio
• What it means to release your child into God’s hands with trust and peace
• A gentle invitation to reflect on your own “long yes” season

Romans 8:11 “The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you…”

If this episode resonated with you… and you’re in a season where you need support, clarity, or someone to walk alongside you…

I’d love to invite you to a 30-minute Virtual Coffee Chat ☕

This is a relaxed, no-pressure space where we can talk about what’s going on in your life and see if coaching might be a good fit for you.

👉 Book your coffee chat here: https://calendly.com/stephaniesekaz/30-min-strategy-call

If you’d like more encouragement like this— personal reflections, behind-the-scenes moments, and weekly “porch” notes—

you can join my VIP email list here:

👉 https://preview.mailerlite.io/forms/1936705/171737099393828190/share

Email: faithfirefreedompodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @stephanie_sekaz Facebook: Stephanie Adams Sekaz

If this episode encouraged you… would you share it with a friend who might need it too?

And if you haven’t already, leaving a written review on Apple Podcasts helps this message reach more women who are walking through hard seasons and need hope.

Thank you for being here… it truly means so much. 💛

Jesus, this is Yours.

May every word, every breath, and every woman who listens experience Your peace, Your presence, and the freedom that comes from placing it all in Your hands.

Created through Him, for Him, and to Him. (Romans 11:36)

There are seasons in life that feel like they just keep coming… one wave after another.

Grief. Fear. Unexpected loss. Transitions you didn’t see coming.

And in the middle of it, you find yourself wondering… God, where are You in all of this?

In this deeply personal continuation of The Valley, I’m sharing what unfolded after the hardest year of my life—when the grief didn’t stop, the fear intensified, and I found myself walking through a deeper level of surrender than I ever had before.

But I’m also sharing what I couldn’t see at the time…

How God met me in the middle of it. How He gently healed parts of my heart I didn’t even know were still hurting. And how He restored something in me I thought I had lost…

my fire.

If you’re walking through a hard season right now— this episode is for you.

• What it looked like to walk through compounding grief and loss
• How fear showed up—not just as an emotion, but something deeper
• A powerful, personal moment where God met me in the middle of my pain
• What a “slow summer on the porch” with God looked like
• Why the sting of death feels so deep—and what Scripture reveals about it
• How God began restoring my faith, identity, and fire
• What it means to trust God when you don’t understand what He’s doing
• How I can now see that God was working through the valley—not just in spite of it

• 2 Timothy 1:7
• Psalm 46:10
• 1 Corinthians 15:26, 54–55

If this episode resonated with you… and you’re in a season where you need support, clarity, or someone to walk alongside you…

I’d love to invite you to a 30-minute Virtual Coffee Chat ☕

This is a relaxed, no-pressure space where we can talk about what’s going on in your life and see if coaching might be a good fit for you.

👉 Book your coffee chat here: https://calendly.com/stephaniesekaz/30-min-strategy-call

If you’d like more encouragement like this— personal reflections, behind-the-scenes moments, and weekly “porch” notes—

you can join my VIP email list here:

👉 https://preview.mailerlite.io/forms/1936705/171737099393828190/share

Email: faithfirefreedompodcast@gmail.com

Instagram: @stephanie_sekaz

Facebook: Stephanie Adams Sekaz

If this episode encouraged you… would you share it with a friend who might need it too?

And if you haven’t already, leaving a written review on Apple Podcasts helps this message reach more women who are walking through hard seasons and need hope.

Thank you for being here… it truly means so much. 💛

Jesus, this is Yours.

May every word, every breath, and every woman who listens experience Your peace, Your presence, and the freedom that comes from placing it all in Your hands.

Created through Him, for Him, and to Him. (Romans 11:36)

What if the hardest seasons of your life are the very places where God is closest?

In today’s episode, I’m inviting you to sit with me on the porch as I share the beginning of my 2024 valley season—one of the hardest years of my life.

This isn’t a teaching episode.

It’s a real one.

A lived story of:

• unexpected loss
• delayed grief
• health scares
• overwhelming responsibility
• and moments where I felt like I was just trying to hold it all together

But more than that…

It’s a story about where God was in the middle of it.

If you’re walking through a difficult season right now… if you feel stretched, overwhelmed, or unsure…

I want you to know:

👉 You are not alone. 👉 God is not absent. 👉 And this is not the end of your story.

Pull up a chair, friend… ☕🤍

• What it feels like when life shifts suddenly and you don’t have time to process
• The reality of “holding it together” while quietly carrying so much
• How grief can come in layers—and why that’s normal
• A powerful moment that revealed what I had been carrying all along
• Where God showed up in the middle of chaos, loss, and uncertainty
• What surrender actually looks like in real life (not just in theory)
• Gentle encouragement for your own valley season

• Deuteronomy 31:8

• What surrender actually produced in Stephanie’s life
• How fear, anxiety, and control are rooted in the false-self
• The origin and evolution of the “surrender box” practice
• A simple, tangible way to release outcomes to God
• How surrender transformed from a practice into a lifestyle
• Why control is a false sense of safety—and what true trust looks like
• The connection between surrender, peace, and renewing your mind
• Real-life coaching examples of surrender in action
• Encouragement for anyone feeling overwhelmed, afraid, or burdened

• 1 Peter 5:7
• Philippians 4:6–7
• Philippians 4:13
• Proverbs 3:5–6
• Romans 8:28

Created through Him, for Him, and to Him. (Romans 11:36)

What if anxiety isn’t a spiritual failure… but a nervous system asking for safety?

What if steadiness isn’t something you’re born with… but something you can train?

In this episode of Faith, Fire, Freedom, we’re continuing the emotions series with a foundational conversation about nervous system regulation and why it matters for renewing your mind.

Stephanie walks you through the difference between survival mode and safety, explains (simply and accessibly) what’s happening in your brain when you feel anxious, and shares a personal, real-life example of practicing regulation in the middle of stress.

You’ll learn practical tools to calm your body, biblical reassurance for moments of overwhelm, and why retraining your nervous system is not a lack of faith — it’s stewardship.

If you’ve ever tried to “logic” your way out of anxiety… If you’ve ever felt on edge and wondered why… If you’ve ever questioned your faith because your body felt stressed…

This episode is for you.

☕ This is a steady, Christ-centered conversation about embodied peace, retraining your nervous system, and learning to live from steadiness instead of survival.

🌿 In This Episode You Will Hear

• The difference between survival mode and nervous system safety • Why your nervous system is not your enemy — it’s a protector • The story of Elijah in 1 Kings 19 and what it teaches us about restoration before instruction • A simple explanation of the amygdala and prefrontal cortex • Why you can’t always “logic” your way out of anxiety • Why regulating your body is not replacing faith — it’s helping faith land • A real-life story of choosing peace before the solution • What it looks like to retrain your nervous system over time • A guided physiological sigh you can practice immediately • Additional regulation tools like 4–7–8 breathing, grounding, humming, movement, journaling, and more • Why steadiness is built — not born

📖 Scripture Mentioned

1 Kings 19 Deuteronomy 31:8 Philippians 4:19

☕ Come Join Me On the Porch

If today’s episode resonated with you and you’re ready to go deeper, I would love to walk with you.

If you’re wondering whether 1:1 coaching is right for you, we can start with a relaxed 30-minute Virtual Coffee Chat. No pressure. No obligation. Just space to talk about what you’re navigating and see if working together makes sense.

👉 Book your Virtual Coffee Chat here: https://calendly.com/stephaniesekaz/30-min-strategy-call

🎉 Giveaway Reminder + VIP Access

At the end of this first quarter (around April 3rd), I’m celebrating this beautiful community with a special giveaway.

All the details — including how to enter and what I’m giving away — are being shared inside my Sunday email.

✨ If you’re not on the VIP list yet, now is the time. If you haven’t received an email from me, you’re likely not on the list.

👉 Join the VIP email list here: https://preview.mailerlite.io/forms/1936705/171737099393828190/share

Being on the list also gives you a bonus entry.

✨ Let’s Stay Connected

Email: faithfirefreedompodcast@gmail.com Instagram: @stephanie_sekaz Facebook: Stephanie Adams Sekaz

💛 If You’re Loving the Show

Would you share this episode with a friend who feels stuck in stress or anxiety right now? And if you haven’t already, leaving a written review is one of the best ways to help more women discover Faith, Fire, Freedom.

✨ Dedication

Jesus, this is Yours. May every word, every breath, and every woman who listens experience Your steadiness and peace.

Created through Him, for Him, and to Him. (Romans 11:36)

Emotions rise fast. Fear sneaks in quietly. And most of us were never actually taught what to do when it happens.

In this episode of Faith, Fire, Freedom, Stephanie walks you through a simple, biblically grounded five-step framework to help you process emotion without suppressing it, spiritualizing it, or spiraling in it.

You’ll learn how to notice what’s happening in your body, regulate your nervous system, identify fear-based beliefs, and renew your mind in truth — all while staying rooted in your identity in Christ.

If you’ve ever tried to pray your way out of a feeling… only to find it still sitting there, this episode is for you.

🌿 In This Episode You Will Hear

• Why emotions are not sinful or shameful — and what they’re actually for
• The five-step framework for processing emotion without spiraling
• The difference between allowing emotion and spinning in fear
• Why nervous system regulation is not a lack of faith — it’s stewardship
• How fear quietly fuels emotional overwhelm
• A real-life example of shifting from powerlessness to empowerment
• How to return to your true identity in Christ when fear rises

📖 Scripture Mentioned

John 11:35 Psalm 121:1–2 Romans 12:2 2 Corinthians 10:5

☕ Come Join Me On the Porch

If today’s episode resonated with you and you’re ready to go deeper, I would love to walk with you.

If you’re wondering whether 1:1 coaching is right for you, we can start with a relaxed 30-minute Virtual Coffee Chat. No pressure. No obligation. Just space to talk about what you’re navigating and see if working together makes sense.

👉 Book your Virtual Coffee Chat here: https://calendly.com/stephaniesekaz/30-min-strategy-call

And if you’re not quite ready for that step, be sure you’re on my VIP email list so we can continue these conversations each week:

👉 https://preview.mailerlite.io/forms/1936705/171737099393828190/share

✨ Let’s Stay Connected

Email: faithfirefreedompodcast@gmail.com

Instagram: @stephanie_sekaz Facebook: Stephanie Adams Sekaz

💛 If You’re Loving the Show

Would you share this episode with a friend who feels stuck in their emotions right now? And if you haven’t already, leaving a written review is one of the best ways to help more women discover Faith, Fire, Freedom.

✨ Dedication

Jesus, this is Yours. Created through Him, for Him, and to Him. (Romans 11:36)

What if emotional maturity isn’t about becoming less emotional… but becoming steady?

What if taking ownership of your emotional life is not condemnation… but invitation?

In this episode, we’re back on the porch talking about something deeper than understanding emotions.

We’re talking about responsibility. About the difference between emotional childhood and emotional adulthood. About what it really means to stay present — without rescuing, controlling, detaching, or collapsing.

Stephanie shares a personal story from her own marriage — what it looks like to love someone through stress and burnout without over-functioning or outsourcing your emotional life. This episode is honest, stretching, and grounded in hope.

☕ This is a steady, Christ-centered conversation about anchored love, responsibility, and growing into emotional adulthood.

🌿 In This Episode You Will Hear

The difference between emotional childhood and emotional adulthood How outsourcing your emotions creates instability What emotional childhood sounds like in everyday life Why emotional adulthood says, “I am responsible for my emotional life.” How rescuing can sometimes be discomfort, not love A personal story about loving someone through burnout Why staying present is harder than reacting What it means to feel compassion without collapsing How unprocessed emotion gets stored in the body The “backpack” metaphor for emotional weight Why responsibility is invitation, not condemnation How emotional steadiness reflects Christ Why anchored love changes families and generations

📖 Scripture Mentioned

Matthew 26:36–46 John 11:35

☕ Come Join Me On the Porch

Friend… emotional adulthood is not about becoming cold.

It’s not about shutting down. It’s not about pretending things don’t hurt.

It’s about becoming steady.

You don’t have to rescue. You don’t have to control. You don’t have to withdraw.

You can stay.

If this episode feels stretching, that doesn’t mean you’re failing. It means you’re growing.

If this blessed you, would you share it with someone walking through burnout, stress, or relational strain? Or screenshot and tag me @stephanie_sekaz — I love seeing you listening.

✨ Let’s Stay Connected

Connect with me on Instagram Email me — faithfirefreedompodcast@gmail.com

Want behind-the-porch updates + cozy surprises? Join the VIP list here: 👉 https://preview.mailerlite.io/forms/1936705/171737099393828190/share 💌

💛 If You’re Loving the Show

Subscribe so you never miss an episode. Leave a review to help more hearts find this porch of steady encouragement.

Thank you for being here, friend. Grab your coffee — let’s live in Faith, Fire, Freedom. ☕🔥

✨ Dedication

This podcast is dedicated to the One who patiently matures us and anchors us in truth.

Jesus, this is Yours.

Grow us into women who reflect Your steadiness, Your compassion, and Your strength.

Created through Him, for Him, and to Him. (Romans 11:36)