Have you ever found yourself replaying a conversation, analyzing someone's tone, or assuming you knew exactly what another person was thinking about you?

Maybe you assumed they were upset. Maybe you assumed they were judging you. Maybe you assumed they misunderstood you.

What if the story you've been carrying isn't actually true?

In this episode, Stephanie continues the Relationships Series by sharing one of the most transformative mindset shifts of her life. Through personal stories, biblical truth, coaching insights, and practical reflection, you'll discover how assumptions can quietly rob us of peace, why trying to manage other people's thoughts leaves us exhausted, and how freedom begins when we stop carrying what was never ours to control.

You'll learn why assumptions often feel true even when they're not, how defensiveness can keep us stuck, what it means to release people to their own thoughts and agency, and how resting in your identity in Christ changes the way you navigate relationships.

If you've ever struggled with criticism, misunderstanding, people-pleasing, defensiveness, or caring too much about what others think, this episode is for you.

🌿 In This Episode You Will Hear

• Why assumptions are often not facts
• How mind-reading creates unnecessary hurt and frustration
• Stephanie's story of discovering she was wrong 95% of the time
• The powerful coaching question that changed everything: "Can you allow them to be wrong about you?"
• Why trying to control other people's thoughts steals your peace
• How Creation Cycles help us release others to their own agency
• What it means to stop carrying opinions that were never yours to manage
• The connection between identity, truth, and emotional freedom
• How Jesus modeled security in His relationship with the Father even when He was misunderstood
• Why the pivot from false-self to true-self gets quicker with practice
• Reflection questions to help you release assumptions and remain anchored in truth

📖 Scripture Mentioned

• John 8:32
• Romans 12:2
• Psalm 139

☕ Come Join Me On The Porch

30-Minute Virtual Coffee Chat

I'd love to meet you! If you'd like to connect, ask questions about coaching, or simply have a conversation, grab a virtual coffee chat here:

https://calendly.com/stephaniesekaz/30-min-strategy-call

Join My VIP Email Community

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🧡 Let's Stay Connected

Email: faithfirefreedompodcast@gmail.com

Instagram: @stephanie_sekaz

Facebook: Stephanie Adams Sekaz

Substack: Faith Fire Freedom

⭐ If You're Loving The Show

Would you take a moment to leave a review and share this episode with a friend?

Your reviews help more people discover Faith, Fire, Freedom and encourage others who may need this message.

✝️ Dedication

This episode is for the woman who is exhausted from carrying conversations long after they're over.

For the woman who has spent too much time worrying about what everyone else thinks and is ready to find freedom in what God says instead.

For the woman learning to release assumptions, trust God with what she cannot control, and rest securely in her identity in Christ.

Jesus, this is Yours.

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

Have you ever found yourself frustrated, hurt, disappointed, or resentful because someone didn't do what you thought they should do?

What if the tension you're experiencing isn't actually being caused by the other person?

In this episode, Stephanie continues the Relationships Series by exploring the invisible expectations, unwritten rules, and emotional "hooks" that often create frustration in our relationships. Through personal stories, mindset tools, biblical truth, and practical reflection, you'll discover how manuals, expectations, and control can quietly keep us stuck—and how freedom begins when we release what was never ours to carry.

You'll learn why expectations often lead to disappointment, how trying to control others robs us of peace, what it means to release people to their own agency and the Holy Spirit, and how renewing our minds allows God's love to flow more freely through our relationships.

If you've ever struggled with resentment, people-pleasing, control, disappointment, or carrying emotional burdens that feel too heavy, this episode is for you.

• Why many relationship struggles begin with invisible expectations
• What "manuals" are and how they quietly shape our relationships
• The connection between expectations, resentment, and disappointment
• Why control often feels safe but never produces freedom
• How creation cycles and personal agency transform relationships
• What it means to release people to their own choices and the Holy Spirit
• The difference between carrying people and loving people
• How "hooks" keep us emotionally attached to outcomes we can't control
• Stephanie's powerful visualization of taking loved ones off the hooks
• Why God's Word is the only manual worth following
• Replacing hooks with forgiveness, curiosity, and compassion
• How Freedom Flow is restored when we release what isn't ours to carry
• Reflection questions to help you begin your own journey toward freedom

• Romans 12:2

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind..."

30-Minute Virtual Coffee Chat I'd love to meet you! If you'd like to connect, ask questions about coaching, or simply have a conversation, grab a virtual coffee chat here:

https://calendly.com/stephaniesekaz/30-min-strategy-call

Join My VIP Email Community

Receive weekly encouragement, podcast updates, behind-the-scenes thoughts, and special notes delivered straight to your inbox:

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

Email: faithfirefreedompodcast@gmail.com

Instagram & Facebook: @stephanie_sekaz

Would you take a moment to leave a review and share this episode with a friend?

Your reviews help more people discover Faith, Fire, Freedom and encourage others who may need this message.

This episode is for the woman who is tired of carrying what was never hers to carry.

For the woman learning to release control, surrender expectations, and trust God with the people she loves.

This podcast is dedicated to the One who restores relationships, renews minds, lifts burdens, and leads us into freedom.

Jesus, this is Yours.

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

What if the relationships in your life are revealing more than you realize?

In this episode, Stephanie explores how God uses relationships to shape us, grow us, and reveal areas that still need healing, renewal, and freedom. Building on Episode 15's invitation into a WITH-God life, this conversation explores how time spent with God begins transforming the way we show up in our relationships.

Through personal stories, coaching insights, Scripture, and practical reflection, Stephanie introduces the concept of the Freedom Flow—the way God's love is meant to flow from Him, to us, and through us to others. She also shares how relationships often become the very place where God does some of His deepest work in our hearts.

If you've ever found yourself frustrated by difficult people, wondering why certain relationships seem so challenging, or sensing God inviting you into greater freedom, this episode is for you.

🌿 In This Episode You Will Hear:

• Why relationships matter so deeply to God
• How Episode 15's WITH-God life naturally leads into healthier relationships
• Dr. Lee Warren's insights on renewal, neuroplasticity, and intentional transformation
• The Freedom Flow: God's love flowing from Him, to us, and through us to others
• How assumptions, expectations, resentment, people-pleasing, unforgiveness, control, and fear can interrupt that flow
• Why relationships often reveal what is already happening inside of us
• The powerful idea that relationships are often part of God's curriculum for our growth
• How curiosity can replace judgment in difficult relationships
• What true freedom looks like in relationships
• A simple invitation to begin noticing what your relationships may be revealing

🌿 Scripture Mentioned

• Romans 12:2

🌿 Come Join Me On the Porch

☕ Schedule a free 30-Minute Virtual Coffee Chat:

https://calendly.com/stephaniesekaz/30-min-strategy-call

💌 Join the Faith, Fire, Freedom VIP Email List:

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

🌿 Let's Stay Connected

faithfirefreedompodcast@gmail.com

🌿 If You're Loving the Show

Would you take a moment to leave a rating and review?

Reviews help more people discover Faith, Fire, Freedom, and they encourage me more than you know. Thank you for being part of this growing porch community.

🌿 Dedication

Relationships can be some of the greatest blessings in our lives—and some of the places where God does His deepest work. My prayer is that this episode encourages you to become curious about what He may be revealing and renewing through the people He has placed in your life.

This podcast is dedicated to the One who makes all transformation possible.

Jesus, this is Yours.

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

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.

Get weekly encouragement, behind-the-scenes podcast reflections, front-porch truth, and special surprises delivered right to your inbox:

Join the VIP Love Notes & Letters

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)