Hope for Your Hard Waiting Room Questions – I’m Waiting, God! – Week One

Hope for Your Hard Waiting Room Questions – I’m Waiting, God! – Week One

by | Oct 5, 2026 | Hope, I'm Waiting, God!, Trust, Waiting

It’s the first week of our NEW series, I’m Waiting, God! Welcome to our new Happy Monday, friends - we’re glad that you’re here. For the next four weeks, we’re tackling one of our toughest faith challenges: How do we trust God and hold onto hope when we’re waiting for an answer to our prayers?  Today’s Happy Monday gives voice to the hard questions that we ask when God seems silent. I also share the foundation needed if you want to wait well on God.
 
HARD QUESTIONS HOVERING IN OUR WAITING ROOMS
Spiritually, waiting is the gap between when we pray and when we see or sense God’s answer to our prayers. Our level of patience in a waiting room - meaning our mindset or attitude -  determines how peaceful or painful our waiting room season will be. It’s common for uncomfortable, even desperate questions to surface in our minds. Sometimes we don’t want to admit we’re asking these questions, but they can scream in our consciousness. Questions like:
 
God knows how much this means to me, so why is He taking so long?
 
I know that God can honor this deep desire of my heart, but will He?
 
Why did God answer her prayer before mine?
 
What if God’s will is different than mine? Will I be okay if God says “No”?  
 
I’ve been waiting for so long. Has God closed the door or said no?  
 
If these questions have crept into your mind, you aren’t alone. There’s a slogan, “Sometimes, we need to say the quiet parts out loud.” Often, we keep those hard questions secret because we don’t want others to think that we’re questioning God or that we have weak faith. But it’s okay for us to ask hard questions and to tell God how hard waiting is.
 
REMEMBERING THE GOD THAT WE’RE WAITING FOR
When God seems silent, especially for a long time, we may begin to speculate about why God hasn’t answered our prayers. Or we decide we need to take our faith more seriously. So, we double down on praying more, reading the Bible, or attending church. We worry that God won’t answer unless we show Him that we’re serious about Him.
 
While increasing our time in God’s presence or soaking ourselves in God’s Word definitely can bless us in our waiting seasons, God isn’t waiting for you to prove that you’re a better Christian before He answers your prayers. Honestly, how many times has God blessed you even though you weren’t faithful or you struggled to believe? We cannot control how or when God answers our prayers. When we feel like we need to convince God to answer our prayers, that actually makes us feel like God isn’t for us - that He doesn’t care about our prayers.
 
Like many of you, I’m waiting on God to answer some big prayers - for prodigal loved ones and for a deep desire in my heart. I’ve been in my waiting room season for years, and honestly, I could be there for many more.  On the days when my heart is extra heavy with the task of waiting, I begin to walk myself through shifting my focus from what I’m waiting for to Who I’m waiting with. When I focus on waiting with God, I see Him before I see my situation.
  1. CLING TO GOD’S CHARACTER, NOT YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES.
Sometimes, we’re so afraid or desperate that we forget the heart of God. We fall into the habit of praying “Fix it, God” or “Hurry up, God.” We lose sight of God’s character and the fact that God wants the very best for you and me. Here’s one of those reminders of the God that sits with us in our waiting room.
 
But you, O Lord, are a God of compassion and mercy,
slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.  
-Psalms 86:15 NLT
 
Look at the underlined words. Which one of those words or phrases feels farthest away from you? Which one comforts you?  For me, faithfulness is the word that comforts me. I have journals filled with the records of God’s constant dependability. Even when things haven’t turned out as I’d hoped, He has been faithful. (I've included a breakdown of each word in Psalm 86:15 in the pink box at the end of this devotion.)
 
2. TELL YOUR FEARS ABOUT GOD
Recently, I released a Bible study on prayer, titled Matthew: Pray Like This, about centering God in our prayers rather than our problems. One of the things I like to say is this: Sometimes we need to spend more time telling God our problems instead of endlessly telling God about them.
 
"Talking your problems about God" means that you speak God's truth to your fears. For example, you can tell your fears, “Listen, you try to tell me lies, but God has been faithful and He won't fail me.”  
 
3. BELIEVE THAT GOD WANTS HIS BEST FOR YOU
Do you believe that? It’s okay if you don’t right now. My only ask is that you stick with me during this series, even if your heart is closed off to Him right now. I know you might be afraid that God won’t answer in time or that His answer might be different from yours. He knows your deep fears. At the same time, when we remember God’s character from Psalm 86:15, then we can see that God sees you, He is with you, and even if it doesn’t feel like it right now, God wants what is best for you and those that you love.
 
COMING NEXT WEEK! Next week, we’ll talk about our struggles with God’s timing and how His timeline is almost always way slower than we’d like.
 
I’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU: If you need a reminder of God's heart and character, leave a comment with a “🩷."  If you'd like to share more, tell me which aspect of God’s character in Psalms 86:15 means a lot to you today.
Restoring Your Soul After Spiritual Trauma with Colleen Ramser 

Restoring Your Soul After Spiritual Trauma with Colleen Ramser 

by | Oct 5, 2026 | Bold Brave & Beautiful Podcast

00:00:00

What if the place where you expected to find God became the place where you were hurt? For some women, spiritual wounds can affect much more than their relationship with a church. Spiritual trauma and wounding can affect your ability to pray, how you engage with the Bible, your willingness to be in community, and even your ability to trust God. The stakes are high!

In this NEW Bold, Brave & Beautiful podcast episode, I’m honored to speak with Colleen Ramser, author of The Shattered Soul: Restoring Wholeness and Rebuilding Your Faith After Spiritual Trauma. She’s an EMDR-certified licensed professional counselor and trauma specialist who works at the intersection of trauma and faith. Most of all, Colleen brings both professional expertise and personal experience as a survivor of trauma to this important conversation.

We talk honestly about spiritual abuse and the ways these experiences can shape how we see ourselves, other people, and God. Colleen also shares what healing can look like when we refuse to minimize what happened but also don’t want our wounds to have the final word. If you’ve experienced spiritual hurt or if you love someone who has.

This powerful conversation offers compassion, honesty, and hope. My prayer is that this episode reminds you that being wounded by people does not mean you have to walk away from God.

 

Resources From This Episode:

The Shattered Soul

Colleen's Website

Colleen’s Facebook Page

Here, Not There Podcast Hosted by Colleen Ramser

 

About Today’s Guest:

Colleen Ramser, MA, is an EMDR-certified licensed professional counselor (LPC), speaker, and writer who meets Christ followers at the intersection of trauma and faith. She is a sought-after trauma specialist—particularly on issues of spiritual abuse, domestic abuse, and complex trauma—and she has spent years journeying with souls in the church and within the scope of her clinical practice. Colleen also frequently speaks to pastors, ministry leaders, organizations, and other mental health professionals who desire to help survivors individually and to address systemic harm. She has appeared on podcasts such as The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill and The Slow Work. As a survivor of trauma, Colleen is a compassionate witness on the journey, bringing not only her clinical expertise but also a deep knowing of dark nights and the breath of new mercies. Colleen lives in Louisville, Kentucky, with her husband and two kids and enjoys being swallowed up by God's beautiful landscapes and catching a good pun.

 

Share The Episode:

Know a woman who needs this reminder that God's love is steady even when life isn't? Share this episode with her!

Bold, Brave & Beautiful releases new episodes on the 1st and 3rd Monday of each month.

Find all the episodes in the podcast archive at BarbRoose.com/podcast

 

About Your Host:

Barb Roose is a Christian speaker, Bible teacher and author who helps overwhelmed women stop carrying the things God never asked them to carry so those women can experience God’s peace, freedom, and purpose. She speaks nationally and internationally at conferences and retreats, including Aspire Women’s Events, ECPA Leadership Summit, Proverbs 31 COMPEL and She Speaks Conference. Barb is the author of seven Bible studies, including Surrendered: Letting Go and Living Like Jesus, Joshua: Winning the Worry Battle, and five books, including Stronger Than Stress. She hosts the Bold, Brave & Beautiful podcast and writes her weekly Happy Monday devotional. Barb is the proud mom of three adult kids. She lives in northwest Ohio and prefers to eat dessert first.

Experience Life-Transforming Power of Prayer

Pray Like This Bible Study by Barb Roose

As a Christian, you know you’re supposed to pray. But do you ever find yourself wrestling with any of these questions related to prayer?

Do I have to pray the right way for God to answer my prayer?

Do I have to pray the right way for God to answer my prayer?

Am I still praying if I read pre-written prayers?

If you’ve pondered these questions or others about prayer, my Pray Like Bible Study is for you.

Even if you're a prayer warrior, Pray Like This sharpens your prayer focus and is a great resource for you to teach others about prayer.There's a reason why Jesus was passionate about prayer and I want to show you how!

Click Here
How NOT to Eat Our Feelings – Week Four

How NOT to Eat Our Feelings – Week Four

by | Sep 21, 2026 | I'm So Over It, Self-Care

It’s the final week of our Taking Care of You series! So many of you have written to share how you’re recommitting to self-care.
 
Let’s jump into the final week. Today’s topic is a big one -  Emotional Eating! What is emotional eating? There's lots of technical ways to define it, but I like this one: “Emotional eating is when your stomach gets invited to a problem it has absolutely nothing to do with.”
Anytime we discuss food, it can be complicated. We need food to survive. We can also use food to show love and build connection with others. At the same time, for many of us, food has become a stronghold or stumbling block.
 
In light of all of that, we need to talk about emotional eating as part of our taking care of ourselves. For some, this will be a difficult, yet necessary devotion, and I am praying for you! As you read, ask God to help you be open to His leading and ask Him to lead you to freedom from emotional eating.
 
THE COST OF EMOTIONAL EATING
The best example of the cost of emotional eating in Scripture is the story of Esau and Jacob, twin brothers with a strained relationship. In Genesis 25, Esau arrives home after hunting. Notice his state of mind:
 
One day, Esau arrived back at their family home and he was tired and hungry. His younger brother, Jacob, was cooking, and grumpy Esau declared: “ Esau said to Jacob, 'I’m starved! Give me some of that red stew!”
 
Was Esau actually starving? Likely not. Earlier in the chapter we’re told that Esau was a skilled hunter. He could have shot, killed, and cooked something while he was out hunting. Even if he had bad luck hunting, he wasn’t starving because his father, Isaac, was a wealthy man.
 
Nonetheless, he barks at his younger brother, Jacob, whose name means "supplanter" or "deceiver," to give him food. Looks like Jacob has been waiting for a moment to live up to his name. Notice what he asks for and pay attention to Esau’s response:
 
But Jacob said, “First you must swear that your birthright is mine.” So Esau swore an oath, thereby selling all his rights as the firstborn to his brother, Jacob.
 
Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and lentil stew. Esau ate the meal, then got up and left. He showed contempt for his rights as the firstborn.
 
I suspect that Jacob had been waiting to trick Esau. But it should have been this easy. Esau should have given Jacob side-eye at such an outrageous request.  A bowl of stew in exchange for a double portion of an inheritance and leadership of their family? There’s no comparison! Since Isaac was wealthy, Esau’s birthright was very valuable.
 
Yet, Esau didn’t care. He was hungry in that moment. Even though Esau had so much to gain, his desire to fill his stomach cost him that future blessing. Many of us can relate. Emotional eating is costly to our future if we’re not paying attention. I don’t think that I’m saying anything that you don’t already know.
 
Too often, we minimize emotional eating. We assume it’s not harming anyone until our scale or our doctor raises a concern. But God takes it seriously. Later in Hebrews 12:16, Esau was called godless and immoral for disregarding his inheritance and influence for a bowl of stew.
 
It seems so harsh that the New Testament writer would be so harsh.
More than just calories and weight gain, emotional eating offers a temporary shortcut to relief, but robs us of long-term healing and blessing that only God can provide.
 
WHAT ARE WE LOSING OUT FOR OUR BOWL OF STEW?
Once upon a time, I had a passionate relationship with Snickers bars. I loved them so much because they always made me feel better whenever I was overwhelmed, lonely, or sad. I could always count on that sugary chocolate bar to soothe my nerves.
 
Even though I’ve never had a weight problem, years ago, God made it clear that I was substituting food for comfort instead of turning to Him for help, redirection, correction, or peace.
 
When we use emotional eating as a rescue for our emotions, we’re just like Esau, trading out spiritual blessing for a temporary soothing.
 
Sitting down with a bowl of salty chips instead of seeking God’s peace.
 
Preparing your favorite comfort meal instead of seeking the Comforter (God’s Spirit) to minister to your heart.
 
Pouring that regular nightly glass of wine instead of winding down with God’s Word and finding help for your anxiety.
 
Again, there’s nothing wrong with chips, good food, or even the occasional glass of wine (if you don’t drink, this doesn’t apply to you). However, if you’re feeling a prompting or nudging from God about a certain food or beverage, then read this verse and ask this question:
 
So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. -1 Corinthians 10:31 NLT
 
QUESTION: Are there any specific food(s) you’ve been eating that make it hard for you to live out this verse?
 
LET’S GET PRACTICAL
As someone with a history of emotional eating, I sense God inviting me to not keep desserts in my home during our family’s addiction crisis and for many years after. I was vulnerable during those years and as my my dear friend, Jill Savage, says, “Why sign up to give yourself a headache?” 
 
I didn't skip dessert during those years. but, if I made a dessert, I'd send the rest home with people. On rare occasions, I'd throw the rest away if there was no one around to take it. (I know that is extreme, but I preferred the consequence of wasting food rather than the consequences overeating.)
 
Making that decision wasn’t easy, but it brought me peace - and it removed temptation so that I would turn to God instead of turning to sweets when I was stressed or sad. I'm not saying that this is what you need to do, but I wanted to share my experience.
 
I want to share some practical next steps with you, but keep this in mind: God’s power is more effective than your willpower. So if you feel God’s prompting you to make a change, His power will help you change! These aren’t in any particular order:
  1. Switch to online grocery shopping. Select your groceries online to reduce impulse buys. Of course, it's possible to still overbuy online, but selecting your food outside of the store can be a helpful if you tend to add things to your cart while strolling in the store.
  2. Discern your “just in case they come over” foods. Look in your pantry and notice how many foods you buy “just in case.” Yes, we like to be prepared if people come over, but often, those “just in case” foods are also foods we’re happy to eat without company, right? You can keep “just in case” foods, but consider buy the the ones that don't tempt you.
  3. Give Up ONE Stumbling Block. What food(s) are your emotional kryptonite? If one or more foods came to mind as you read, would you pick one and give it up today? Be warned, your body will fight back, and you’ll want to give in. But surrender is your path to peace. Consider keeping my short Surrendered Prayer on repeat: God, I can’t. But You Can. I will let You. Amen. (For stubborn emotional eating, seeking professional help may be wise.-
  4. Don’t Tackle Emotional Eating Alone! If you know that big changes are needed, check out my friends at First Place 4 Health (click here). This is a long-time Christian organization that focuses on honoring God with our bodies.
I'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU! If today's devotion resonated with you, let me know! Just comment with the word “Food” and I'll know that you feel God's prompting on this topic. Of course, you'll welcome to let me know more - and if you're going to try one of the next steps. I'd love to hear from you!

Read the Entire Series: Taking Care of You

Week One:  Morning Enemy #1

Week Two: God, I'd Rather Be Sleeping!

Week Three:  Don't Skip This One…

Holding Onto Your Identity in Christ When Life is Hard with Amy Bragg Carey and Anna Marie Carey

Holding Onto Your Identity in Christ When Life is Hard with Amy Bragg Carey and Anna Marie Carey

by | Sep 21, 2026 | Bold Brave & Beautiful Podcast

00:00:00

What happens when you know God loves you, but your circumstances make it hard to believe that He cares?

In this episode of Bold, Brave & Beautiful, I’m joined by mother-daughter authors Amy Bragg Carey and Anna Marie Carey, authors of Claimed by God: Thirty Declarations of Your Identity in Christ.

You know how much I care about saying the hard things with hope! That’s exactly how Amy and Anna came to our conversation. I was impressed and appreciative of their willingness to be vulnerable about their own struggles with self-doubt, identity, and difficult seasons. They didn't offer simple answers or pretend that declaring God's truth makes life's hard circumstances disappear. Instead, they shared honestly about what they've learned: God's love is true and steady even when our circumstances are anything but.

Amy and Anna Marie talk about what it looks like to anchor our identity in Christ when we're struggling to believe what God says about us, why our words matter, and how declaring Scripture can help reshape our perspective—even before our circumstances change.

If you've ever found yourself wondering, "If God really loves me, why does my life feel like this?" I think you'll find comfort in their courage and honesty.

 

Resources From This Episode

Connect with Amy and Anna Marie via email: president@friendsuniversity.edu.
Claimed by God on Amazon

 

About Today’s Guests:

Amy Bragg Carey (EdD, Azusa Pacific) is the president of Friends University in Wichita, Kansas. She serves on the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities board and the International Friends Missions board. Amy lives in Kansas with her husband, Bryan.

Anna Marie Carey (BS, University of Northwestern, St. Paul) is a songwriter, copywriter, and video producer. She is also the worship director at The Gathering Community Church in Robbinsdale, Minnesota. Anna lives in the Twin Cities in Minnesota.

 

Share the Episode

Know a woman who needs this reminder that God's love is steady even when life isn't? Share this episode with her!

Bold, Brave & Beautiful releases new episodes on the 1st and 3rd Monday of each month.

Find all the episodes in the podcast archive at BarbRoose.com/podcast.

 

About Your Host

Barb Roose is a Christian speaker, Bible teacher and author who helps overwhelmed women stop carrying the things God never asked them to carry so those women can experience God’s peace, freedom, and purpose. She speaks nationally and internationally at conferences and retreats, including Aspire Women’s Events, ECPA Leadership Summit, Proverbs 31 COMPEL and She Speaks Conference. Barb is the author of seven Bible studies, including Surrendered: Letting Go and Living Like Jesus, Joshua: Winning the Worry Battle, and five books, including Stronger Than Stress. She hosts the Bold, Brave & Beautiful podcast and writes her weekly Happy Monday devotional. Barb is the proud mom of three adult kids. She lives in northwest Ohio and prefers to eat dessert first.

Experience Life-Transforming Power of Prayer

Pray Like This Bible Study by Barb Roose

As a Christian, you know you’re supposed to pray. But do you ever find yourself wrestling with any of these questions related to prayer?

Do I have to pray the right way for God to answer my prayer?

Do I have to pray the right way for God to answer my prayer?

Am I still praying if I read pre-written prayers?

If you’ve pondered these questions or others about prayer, my Pray Like Bible Study is for you.

Even if you're a prayer warrior, Pray Like This sharpens your prayer focus and is a great resource for you to teach others about prayer.There's a reason why Jesus was passionate about prayer and I want to show you how!

Click Here
Don’t Skip This One… – Taking Care of You – Week Three

Don’t Skip This One… – Taking Care of You – Week Three

by | Sep 14, 2026 | Self-Care, Taking Care of You

Let's jump in! Today's topic: Exercise
 
Has a healthcare professional suggested that you exercise to build or rebuild your strength? Is your scale confirming that you need to sit less and move more?  
 
Today's topic is exercise! There are lots of reasons why Christian women struggle with exercise. Which ones resonate with you?
  1. We're so busy taking care of everyone and everything, so it seems like there’s no time to workout or we’re too tired.                                                       
  2. Perhaps you were raised to believe that exercise was “worldly” and good Christian women didn’t need to be caught up in what the world is doing.                                                                                                                                          
  3. Have you been discouraged by the unrealistic expectations for women's bodies to look a certain way, so you gave up on exercise altogether?                                                                                                                           
  4. For many of us, all the sweating and exertion is uncomfortable, so we skip it.
I know many of you dread this conversation, so I'm writing today with compassion, candor, and practical help. I want more for you - and God does, too! Here’s the big idea that I want to convey in today’s Happy Monday devotion: Moving our body for is for our good and prepares us to be used for God's glory.
 
While we don't read about pilates or pickleball in the New Testament, various authors use athletic imagery on many occasions:
 
And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. -Hebrews 12:2 NLT
 
I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. -Philippians 3:14 NLT
 
In ancient times, athletes trained for races and events. As the scriptural authors wrote about these contests and used words like endurance and perseverance, those words paint a picture of someone who must be prepared or else they won't make it to the end. While there's spiritual application, there's a physical layer as well. Some of the endurance we need to do the work that God has called for us to do requires that bodies be able to withstand the physical toll. Unfortunately, some of us are on the sidelines because our bodies need to get stronger first. 
 
THE PROBLEM BEHIND THE PROBLEM
Here’s what I think: We've been turned off by how the culture has worshipped tiny waists, tight abs, and youth - and rightly so. However, in our full-force rejection of anything related to body image, we’ve neglected God’s common sense wisdom for why exercise is important. We've forgotten that: 
  • Moving our bodies improves blood flow, which improves healthy digestion and better sleep. Some of us are a nightly walk away from better sleep!
  • God created our bodies to release feel-good hormones when we exercise, which naturally lift our mood. This can help with anxiety.
  • There’s research suggesting that the bilateral motion involved with walking can help repair trauma in our brain and body.
WHY I WALK…
I began walking for stress relief over fifteen years ago while living with an alcohol-addicted spouse.  Most of my walks began with angry or anxious tears streaming down my face. However, an hour later, that movement regulated my body. I'd listen to worship music to refocus my mind. I felt the endorphins that came from moving my body, so I felt uplifted and less hopeless. God also used walking not only to help me keep my mouth shut so I wouldn’t say things I’d regret. I kept walking for the next few years during that stressful situation until I discerned God’s leading to make needed changes.
 
Now, at 54 years old, I remain committed to moving my body each day. I tend to walk after work to help drain the stress of the day from my bodies and to take deep breathes to refill my body with oxygen. This helps me sleep well, too! I also use hand weights and calisthenics, like jumping jacks and squats to keep my muscles and joints strong. All of these movements work together to strengthen my body so that I have the energy and stamina to travel, speak, and serve all of you. 
DON’T GIVE UP ON YOUR BODY
Even if you feel like it’s too late or you’re hopeless out of shape, don’t give up on your body! If you're not dead, then God's not done with using you to make a difference! 
 
I love dreaming of seeing all of us with our heads high, shoulders back, and voices strong yelling, Here am I God, send me! May today's devotion be a reminder that God still has adventure and purpose waiting for you, so never stop praying for ways for Him to use you and then get prepared!
 
Also, our physical selves will return to dust when we die, but God doesn’t give up on our bodies. He will resurrect our imperfect bodies, just as He resurrected Jesus’ broken body. Even though Jesus’ body was beaten and scarred, God redeemed it, even though God left the scars. This shows us that our bodies tell the story of our faith just like our mouths speak our faith, too.
 
WHERE TO START?
Do you need to start or restart moving your body? Today's a good day to start:
  1. Start slow - Of course, check with your healthcare provider if you haven't moved in awhile. Please do not try to work out for an hour to start. Start small and slow, like a walk or 1lb pound weights! Check out Grow with Jo on YouTube for simple exercises.                                                                      
  2. Walk with friend(s) - A good place to start is mimicking what Jesus did: He walked with friends. You have many options! You can walk with a friend or call each other and talk while you walk in your respective places. There are also walking discipleship groups where women choose a verse or Bible story to discuss while walking for 30 minutes.                                                                                  
  3. Step Tracker - Most of us overestimate how much we're walking each day. Accountability is important, so I suggest using step trackers. My step tracker is my watch (because it tracks sleep, too!), but if you don’t want to buy a watch, here’s a simple, low-cost step tracker you can clip to your shirt or pocket to make sure you're actually moving your body.                                                                  
  4. Don't worry about what everyone else is doing! We all have different capacities. I'm giving you permission to give yourself what you need and not worry about what others will say.
I’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU! Did you sense any helpful a-ha moments or sense God prompting you? What next steps were confirmed as you read or are there any changes that you need to make? Comment and tell me more!

Read the Entire Series: Taking Care of You

Week One:  Morning Enemy #1

Week Two: God, I'd Rather Be Sleeping!

Week Four: How NOT to Eat Our Feelings

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