She double-dog dared me to do it.
Okay, not really. But it felt like it. My business coach encouraged me to start posting more personal things on social media.
I didn’t have to ask why. I already knew: it would help people get to know me—not just my work, but me as a person.
But so far, I had resisted. Because I just plain didn’t want to.
Yet one of the things God has been teaching me in this whole ministry/business thing is that it’s not about me. It’s about the women I am serving.
So while I still maintain some personal boundaries, I’ve been starting to show up a little bit more. And I’ve got to tell you: it is stretching me.
It’s uncomfortable. It’s even a little scary. But that is one way God is growing me in this season.
How is He growing you?
We Grow When We Push Ourselves
Have you ever tried to grow stronger by lifting weights?
I’m not much of a weight-lifter myself, but I know the drill. Start with a low weight and slowly increase it, making it a bit heavier each time. With each successive uplevel, you build more muscle.
Or what about running a marathon? Most of us don’t start out running an entire mile. We start with a block. Maybe we even just walk that block. And we slowly build the endurance we need to go longer, to go faster.
The same thing happens with us personally. As we try to eat healthier or we try to grow in our cooking skills, the best way to grow is bit by bit.
But it does take pushing yourself. Doing something uncomfortable. Maybe even a little scary.
And that’s what this episode is all about: how God has invited me to push myself a little bit to grow and reach more people.
This has been happening in a lot of different ways, but we’re going to focus on just one today: changing the name of the podcast.
There’s journaling… and then there’s journaling together with God.
This free 20-minute video workshop introduces you to 3 ways you can invite God into your journaling practice. Because the truth is, you can encounter God and hear what He has to share with you.
Podcast Rebrand: From Let’s Encourage One Another to Journal Gently
For the past 2.5 years, this has been the Let’s Encourage One Another podcast. Yet in conversation with others, I realized that women who were hurting or grieving weren’t finding it. And honestly, the name seemed to be too generic to really help women know if it was something that would be helpful to them or not.
In addition to that, my work itself has changed over the years. I started in 2018 as a simple Etsy shop selling a devotional and some handmade encouragement and sympathy cards. Fast forward to today where I serve women as a spiritual director. Specifically, women who have experienced grief or trauma, or who are dealing with anxiety or depression or some other difficult season.
Not only that, but I specialize in serving the more introverted gal. The one who needs quiet space and time to reflect and pray. The one who loves to write and journal.
My work has become more focused. And so must this podcast.
So, to help women find me—to help you find me—I’ve changed the name to Journal Gently.
Does it sound familiar? This is the same name I use for my signature program. Journal Gently is an 8-week writing program designed to help women process their grief and trauma together with God through writing.
And we are going to take the same approach here on the podcast.
Slow and steady.
Gentle.
Bite-sized pieces.
Small steps.
Drawing near to God.
Worth the Change
Now, is changing the name of a podcast easy? Yes—and no. You might find a few broken links here and there as I work on getting everything switched over. And I’ve had to let go of a name I’ve used for 2.5 years. But again, this is all to help women find the encouragement and support they need.
And that is far more important to me.
You see, we only change when we decide the end result is worth the uncomfortableness, the new routines, the soreness of muscle—whatever it takes.
We talked about the process of change back in episode 44, how it takes several stages and layers to keep taking those steps forward.
At some point, we’ve got to decide it’s worth it.
It’s worth pushing yourself to lift heavier weights.
It’s worth pushing yourself to run one more block.
It’s worth pushing yourself to learn a new skill or new software.
Is it worth it for me to go through the work to change the name of the podcast? Absolutely.
Your Part: Leave a Rating for the Podcast
So I’ve done my part. I’ve changed the name and I’ve updated the graphic and I’m going through all the behind-the-scenes stuff to make this podcast easier to find for women who are longing to find God in the midst of their heartache.
But I need you to help, too. There is one thing that is incredibly simple for you to do. It will take maybe five or ten seconds. But the collective effect of all of you working together is going to make a huge difference.
What is it? Leave a rating for this podcast.
Whatever you are using to listen—Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, or any other podcast player—it is likely they have some place to rate the show. Just open the show on your app and scroll down a bit. You should see a rating for the show and maybe some reviews.
All you have to do is to select the number of stars you’d like to give the show. That’s it! How simple is that?
Now, if this is your first time tuning in, don’t be afraid to look through the episodes and listen to a few that resonate with you before giving the podcast a rating.
But let me tell you why this helps: those ratings and reviews help other women decide if this show is a good fit for them.
So will you leave a rating? Just one simple click on your phone. Can you do that? Not just for me, but for all the women who are hurting and looking for encouragement and support?
And if you want to do more? I’d love that. You can leave a review, or you can share the podcast on your own social media or email list, or you can pass it along to a friend who is hurting. A personal recommendation speaks volumes.
Journal Prompt: Where Do You Need to Push Yourself?
Now, as part of rebranding the show, one of the things I want to include in every episode is a journal prompt or two. Because I know how powerful journaling is, and we want to make sure we take what we are talking about and apply it in our own lives.
So here’s the journal prompt for this episode: Where do you need to push yourself?
This can be in any area of your life: health, volunteering, family, friendship, work, home.
Where do you sense God inviting you to push yourself? What feels uncomfortable to you? What feels scary?
Yet what do you feel, deep down inside, that you need to do anyway?
I invite you to name it. If you want to, take five or ten minutes to write about it. But at least write that one thing down in your journal or planner or on a sticky note. And then ask God to continue talking to you about it.
A Prayer to Do What God Asks
So that wraps up this first episode of the Journal Gently podcast. I’m really excited to meet you here in this sacred space to talk about some of the hard things we experience and how we can draw near to God in the midst of it all.
Don’t forget, if you could leave a rating here once the show is over, it would help a lot. Even if it’s your first time. We’re pushing ourselves, right?
God, we thank You that You are continuing to do a new work in us. You encourage us to lean into You and accept your invitations to repent or change or grow. I pray that we would be willing to trust You in these things. To do whatever You ask of us. Because we know it is for our good and for Your glory. Help us to push, to do the uncomfortable thing, and so allow You to work in us and through us. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.
RELATED EPISODES:
- Episode 44: Why is Change So Hard? Understanding the Change Process and What That Means for Being Healed and Helping Others
Coming close to your grief and entering into it can be scary. Overwhelming, even.
Journal Gently is an 8-week program designed to help you bring your hurt to God on the pages of your journal in a gentle and graceful way, whether your hurt includes grief, trauma, anxiety, depression, chronic illness, loneliness, and more.