Wildly Hopeful with Brandy Dawson

How do you move forward when your dreams fall apart- do you still trust God? What do you do when you love Him deeply... but life doesn't unfold the way you planned (or how you prayed? In this vulnerably honest conversation, Brandy sits down with Jennifer Lucy Tyler to talk about faith in seasons of disappointment, unaswered prayer, grief, and waiting.  If you have ever felt confused by God's timing, struggled with unmet expectations, or wondered where God is when your dreams fall apart- this episode is for you.  Jennifer shares her personal story of loss, and formation, and how Scripture became an anchor in the hardest times of her life. If you are walking through delay or quietly just surviving, you belong here. You don't have to have perfect faith to experience God's nearness. You are deeply loved and have a seat at the table. To connect with Jennifer Lucy Tyler you can follow her on Instagram and log onto her website. To connect further with Brandy and inquire about podcast collaborations and speaking engagements: myeighthandgrace@gmail.com Website + Blog: https://www.brandyadawson.com Instagram:@brandyadawson Substack:Musings of Grace

One year ago, this podcast began with a simple yes. No big strategy. No polished plan. Just a quiet conviction that women needed a space where faith could be honest and grace could breathe over us.  In this speciall anniversary episode, I'm reflecting on what the first year has meant- the late night edits, the tender conversations, the moments I almost talke myself out of continuing, and the messages from you that reminded me why we started.  We've had thirty-nine episodes, countless Friday chats, and so many sacred conversations about wilderness seasons, anxiety, courage, grief, formation, and becoming. This year proved something: women are hungry for honest faith. And as we step into year two, something is shifting. Today, I'm sharing the heart behind our next chapter--where we're headed, what we're buidling together,  and the new name that reflects the movement this space is becoming. Year one was about belonging. Year two is about becoming.  Welcome to what's next.

This may be a hot take, but is faith truly fearless? Can you be brave and still afraid- and what does honest faith look like when courage feels quiet, rest feels necessary, and following God asks us to slow down instead of strive? These are some of the questions sitting at the center of today's one-year birthday episode with my dear friend, author, pastor, and Bible teacher-Jess Connolly. Our conversation is deeply honest about what it means to live fully awake with God- even when we're tired, stretched thin, or unsure of the next step. And it definitely feels less like an interview and more like two friends telling the truth together about courage, calling, and the sacred invitation to rest. Jess shares pieces of her journey from humble beginnings that started in a season of exhaustion and searching for hope-- to pastoring, writing, and recently returning from a three month sabbatical. Together, we talk about the pace, presence, the courage it takes to keep going when fear may still be present, devotion and depletion, and how women can care for themselves without living in guilt or shame. If you have ever wondered whether faith has room for the fear you experience, fatigue, or your honest questions- this episode is a gentle reminder that bravery doesn't always look loud, and rest is not somehting you have to earn. Connect with Jess Connolly: https://jessconnolly.com   hello@jessconnolly.com Interested in podcast collaboraton or having Brandy come speak at your event?  Book Brandy today:) Connect further with Brandy:    myeighthandgrace@gmail.com Instagram Substack-Musings of Grace                 A one-year podcast birthday conversation on courage, sabbatical, burnout, and learning to follow God honestly, even when we're still afraid. 

I love a good self-aware moment:)if you do too, and a whole ramble-- this one's for you. Snow predictions, family group chats, soup season, and a cozy conversation about caring for ourselves in a loud world. In this episode, we talk nervous system care, gentle morning rhythms, faith that doesn't rush healing, and how to move out of survival mode with more joy, grace, and steadiness- one ordinary day at at time.  Also, maybe you'll be able to tell me how many times I said ramble.   If you want to connect: Podcast colabs and speaking engagement: myeighthandgrace@gmail.com Blog + Website: https://www.brandyadawson.com Instagram- Let's keep the chat going: @brandyadawson Substack for the wildly hopefuls:Musings of Grace

What if I am vulnerable enough to share a real-life stewardship story: RO, nervous system system regulation, and letting Jesus carry what was never ours to hold- would you want to hear it? if so, and you're craving a real-life... let's chat! This is a real-life, real-body episode,-grounded, non-performative, and not trend-chasing. We're talking health without hustle, care without shame, staying wide awake, and letting God carry what we cannot..... Gentle January is coming to a close and the world still feels loud, its being the world. In this solo episode, we talk about stewarding a healthier journey, staying awake without hardening, holding justice and mercy together, and moving into Febuary with tenderness, conviction, and hope. This isn't a debate or teaching- it's a reflective conversation about faithfulness, nervous systems, joy, and what it means to mother a movement across generations without losing softness.(Insert our Soft Girl Era:)  I'm sharing my RO journey, not because the numbers are impressive and not because a shot is magic, but because I am learning slow, integrated stewardship: hormones, nourishment, nervous system care, boundaries, and Jesus at the center help me be the best me I can be- and I am still learning more. I'm also naming something tender in the air right now: the pressure to respond to everything, all the time-until our hearts harden or our nervous systems collapse.  A reminder that even here, even now, He is with us- and there is still freedom, peace, and wildly hopfeul expectation. To connect with Brandy: Podcast collaboration and speaking inquiries: myeighthandgrace@gmail.com Website, Blog+ Newsletter info: https://www.brandyadawson.com Substack for the wildly hopefuls + radically expectant:Musings Of Grace Instagram(please feel free to DM me to keep the chat going:)@brandyadawson *All resource guides can be found on Substack, Blog, +Newsletter

You love Jesus but you're tired, let's talk about that. Many of us walk through life existing because we're so tired. Faithful women are living exhausted- not because their faith is weak, but because their bodies have been carrying too much for too long.  In this episode, we talk about the difference between devotion and depetion, why spiritual burnout often shoes up in the nervous system, and how anxiety isn't a faith problem. Scripture shows us about rest, regulation, and living faithful- without being in survival mode.  If you love Jesus, still showing up, and quietly worn out in your bones, you want to listen in to this. We'll talk about working without urgency, resting without guilt, and finding a softer, steadier rhythm that doesn't require quitting your real life. This one's for you. To connect with Brandy:  for podcast collaboration and speaking engagements- myeighthandgrace@gmail.com Website, Blog+ Newsletter: https://www.brandyadawson.com Social Media- Follow along and DM me to chat:)@brandyadawson Substack- Musings Of Grace

What if consistency isnt loud, but it's quiet and faithful and wildy underated. What if gentle doesn't mean uncimmited, it just means we stopped bullying ourselves into obedience? Today, we're going to talk about it, because God designed our bodies with wisdom. In this episode of eighth & GRACE, Brandy slows down and clarifies what our "Soft Girl Era" actually is and what it is not. We talk honestly about burnout, overstimulation, anxiety, and why so many Christian women feel exhausted while doing "all the right things."  This one feels peersonal. A little tender. And honestly, maybe even a little more spicy. Grounded in Scripture, real statistics, gentle humor, and deep compassion, this episode reframes consistency as faithfulness-not hustle-and discipline as devotion, not punishment. Soft. Strong. Brave. Steady. To connect with Brandy for podcast collaboration and speaking engagements: myeighthandgrace@gmail.com Website + Blog: https://www.brandyadawson.com Instagram- follow along and DM me to chat:@brandyadawson Substack:Musings of Grace Link to Gentle January Resourses

If the new year already feels loud, demanding, or like it's asking you to hurry up-this episode is for you. In today's conversation, Brandy Dawson introduces the Gentle January Rhythm- where we're choosing a different beginning. One rooted in presence instead of performance and pressure, steadiness instead of striving, grace instead of performance, and softness that still holds courage and strength. Becase a new year doesn't have to mean a new you, to have a new rhythm.  This episode sets the tone for what's coming this season on eighth & GRACE; walking through life together, honest conversations about faith and formation, gente rhythms, and Friday favorite finds woven into everday discipleship. Whether you're craving rest, recalibration, or simply a soft place to exhale, you're welcome here.  You can connect with Brandy for podcast collaboration and speaking engagements: myeighthandgrace@gmail.com Website, Blog+ Wekkly Newsletter: https://www.brandyadawson.com Substack:Musings Of Grace You will find links to today's favorite finds on Substack + The weekly newsletter:)

What does it look like to build what God has given you without burning out? In this episode of eighth & GRACE, Brandy sits down with Dusty Hegge for a grounded, honest conversation about faith, work, and the tension so many women feel between calling and exhaustion. Dusty has spent years helping Christian authors, creatives, and leaders build sustainable businesses rooted in discipleship - not hustle, striving, or performance. Together, they talk about faithful work, ADHD, rhythms that support real life, wintring seasons, balancing female entrepreneurship + staying at home while working moms, burnout, and learning to trust God with the process.  This episode is for the woman who loves Jesus, feels called to build something meaningful, and tired of feeling she's behind doing it wrong.  There's no pressure here. No hustle theology. Just permission to build slowly, rest honestly, and trust God with outcomes.  If youre navigating faith, work, and fatigue, all at once.... this conversation will help you exhale.  To further connect with Dusty: https://www.dustyhegge.com Connect with Brandy for podcast collaboration and speaking engagements: myeighthandgrace@gmail.com Website, blog, newsletter: www.brandyadawson.com Instagram:@brandyadawson Substack:Musings of Grace

What if the holidays don't need you to be more festive- just more present? In this Christmas edition of What About This? Brandy Dawson sits with the reality many of us feel but don't always name, the joy and anxiety of this season. The full rooms and the empty chairs. The laughter and the ache. The pressure to hold it all together while your nervous system is already tired.  This episode weaves together theology, breath prayers, and practical nervous system regulation for women balancing holiday stress and expectation. You'll find grounding practices you can actually use- at the table, in the bathroom, in the car or in the middle of an awkward moment.  If your feeling both festive and fragile, there's a seat for you here. Christmas can feel both joyful and overwhelming this year and if you're nodding yes....you're not alone. This holiday episode is for the woman navigating anxiety, grief, family tension, and the ache in-between.  Complete with breath prayers, nervous system support, grace filled encouragement, and Brandy's Holiday Report/2025 Gift Giving Guide. Connect with Brandy for podcast collaboration or speaking engaement requests: myeighthandgrace@gmail.com Website, blog+Newsletter: https://www.brandyadawson.com Instagram:https://instagram.com/brandyadawson Substack:Musings of Grace Holiday Gift Guide will be linked on Substack, Website, Instagram:)

What if the most holy moments of Christmas happen in the ordinary, even the painful places? In this tender + hilarious holiday episode, Brandy Dawson shares real-life hope for weary hearts, simple joy-filled traditions that won't break the bank, inexpensive gift ideas,(for the pups too;) and a needed reminder that Jesus sits high but comes low so you are never alone there. It's a "When Low is Holy- Deck the Halls Edition" kind of Christmas- complete with a breath prayer, communion moment, and two free soul-care guides to help you breathe lighter again this season.  Tinsel may be thin.....but LOVE is still holding everything together, including you.  The twinkling lights on the viral Christmas trees may feel like they're judging you for not having your life life together, don't worry- No one really does. And if you are living on caffeine, prayer, and maybe one thread of tinsel.... this episode is your reminder that Jesus came for the ones with tired hearts and messy houses too. You're doing better than you think (and you're still wildly loved.) Because trying to make holiday magic while holding back tears is.... A LOT. So..... yeah.       If this December looks a little unhinged? Same, friend. Same. We're all in this together. And He is with us in the tangled lights, the tears you wipe in the aisle at Target, the words under your breath in the Wal-Mart parking lot, and the hope you're clinging to. Joy is abundant in this place too! Now, Let's Chat~ To connect with Brandy for podcast collaboration or speaking engagements: myeighthandgrace@gmail.com Website + Blog ( Also to get free guides): https://www.brandyadawson.com Follow along on instagram + Chat in Dm's:https://instagram.com/brandyadawson Substack Newsletter and convos for the wildly hopefuls:Musings of Grace    

In today's What About This? episode, Brandy shares something personal and unexpected- the chat from an interview she originally recorded for Her Story with her.BIBLE. What she planned to say and what actually came out in that studio at Cru in Orlando were to very different things... and that's exactly why she's sharing it here too. Inside this personal conversation, you'll hear pieces of Brandy's journey she hasn't shared on this podcast before- tender parts of her story that rose to the surface without warning, the kind of truth that slips out when God knows someone listening needs it. She opens up about broken places, growing up with less than those around her, what is was like growing up with a teenage mom, and her daughters that followed in those footsteps. This episode is real- it's honest. And it's told from wilderness seasons where unexpected healing is the holy ways God rebuilds a daughter from the inside out.  If anything, she hopes you'll hear that no one is too lost, too late, or too wounded for resurrection. And if your life hasn't unfolded the way you imagined, planned, or dreamed of when you were a little girl- the same God who found Brandy...will find you too. Right here. Right where you are.  This, this is redemptive grace.   To connect with Brandy for podcast collaboration or to request her to speak at your engagement: myeighthandgrace@gmail.com Website, blog,+ newsletter: https://www.brandyadawson.com Instagram- follow along and chat in DM's:@brandyadawson Substack: https://substack.com/@brandydawson25?utm_source=user-menu

There's a reason a woman's voice is helping listeners fall in love with the Bible again... and you won't believe how it started. In this episode Brandy sits down with Jenny Steinbach, producer of her.BIBLE- a free NLT audio Bible read by multi-ethnic women to explore the healing power of scripture spoken in women's voices.  Together, Brandy and Jenny talk about the origin story behind her.BIBLE and why a woman's voice can be life-giving for survivors of spiritual or relational harm and how hearing scripture forms our hearts in powerful ways. Get ready to hear tender impact stories of moms listening to a chapter a night with their children, women reconnecting with scripture after trauma, and how listening has helped many women struggling with anxiety.  Where to listen: Free IOS + Andrid apps, herbible.org Connect with Brandy for podcast collaborations and speaking engagements: myeighthandgrace@gmail.com Website + Blog: https://www.brandyadawson.com Instagram:@brandyadawson

What happens when your life shatters and God asks you to trust Him anyway? In this sacred and unfiltered conversation, licensed counselor and trauma survivor Kimberly Haar shares hw God met her in the aftermath of unthinkable pain- after surviving domestic violence, assault, and loss, and transformed her story into a testimony of redemption, freedom, and joy.  This episode holds space for those walking through grief, trauma, or the long road to spiritual restoration. Moving from why me to what now, pairing therapy with theology, and finding faith when everything seems to be falling apart.  You'll leave reminded that healing is possible, hope is real, and no story is too far gone for redemption. *Before listening, please note: this episode contains sensitive discussion of domestic violence and trauma. I you need to pause, breathe, or take breaks-you are safe to do so. Healing happens gently. Connect with Kimberly + Order her book Healing From Life's Deepest Hurts: https://www.kimberlyhaar.com Connect with Brandy for podcast collaboration and speaking engagements: myeighthandgrace@gmail.com Website, Blog, Newsletter: https://www.brandyadawson.com Instagram:brandyadawson Substack: Musings of Grace  

What if the Bible stories we've always known- like Adam and Eve, David and Goliath, Jonah and the whale- looked completely different when seen through ancient eyes? In this thought-provoking and refreshingly honest episode of eighth & GRACE, host Brandy A. Dawson sits down with Harvard-trained archaeologist and Theologian Amanda Hope Haley, known as the Red-Haired Archaeologist, to dig beneath centuries of interpretation, art, and assumption. Together they explore how archaeology, context, and culture can illuminate the scriptures rather than threaten them and why asking hard questions can actually strenghten our faith.  It's a conversation that's a little bit spicy and whole lot sacred. One that might stretch your theology, challange your comfort zones, and deepen your awe for the God who still speaks through ancient stoes.  Whether you're a Bible nerd like me, a curious skeptic, or a believer craving something deeper, this episode will inspire you to see God's Word in it's origional world  and rediscover it's wonder today. Connect with Amanda: redhairedarchaeologist.com Connect with Brandy for podcast collaborations or speaking engagements: www.brandyadawson.com Email: myeighthandgrace@gmail.com Instagram:brandyadawson Substack: musingsofgrace  

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