In The Midst
A podcast where we get real, raw, and redemptive, all while keeping Jesus at the center. I’m your host, Heather, a Jesus-loving, grace-walking, sports-toting, dance-momming mama of four. My life is full of loud car rides, fast food wrappers, missing socks, and wild schedules but more than anything, it's full of the presence of God.
Anchor Scripture for This Season:
Psalm 46:5 (NIV)
“God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.”
This verse is a promise for every episode, every listener, and every storm. You can’t fall when God is in the middle of it. He is your strength, your steady place, and your saving grace.
Let’s laugh, cry, heal, and grow, together.
Let’s get real. Let’s get free. Let’s find Jesus In the midst.
In The Midst
Alarm Clocks, Not Architects: When God Sends You to Sound the Warning
Have you ever felt like you're the only one who sees through the carefully crafted personas and polished spiritual performances? "Stop Faking It" dives deep into the uncomfortable space between staying silent and speaking truth in a world that rewards pleasant pretending over authentic confrontation.
This raw, unfiltered exploration begins with a spontaneous moment of worship—no script, no notes—as Heather shares her own journey of wrestling with obedience when it feels easier to stay quiet. Drawing from Romans 12:9 and Ephesians 5:11, we examine the godly responsibility of exposing darkness while maintaining a spirit of love. The message is clear and challenging: "Truth and grace are never in conflict, but silence and sin always are."
For those constantly cleaning up messes they didn't create—the perpetual fixers and emotional janitors—this episode offers liberating permission to walk away when your spiritual assignment is complete. God may have placed you in someone's life to be the alarm, not the architect; to sound a warning, not rebuild the entire structure. And when that purpose is fulfilled, choosing to step away isn't failure—it's freedom. Just as Jesus never filtered his message to keep people comfortable (he flipped tables in the temple, after all), we're called to speak truth with boldness tempered by genuine love. The crucial difference lies in our motivation: "Is this God-led or ego-fed? Are you exposing to heal or exposing to harm?"
Stop carrying what God told you to let go. Stop covering for people He asked you to uncover. Be real, be bold, and discover that the truth really does set you free. Share this message with someone who needs permission to put down the spiritual mop and walk in their true purpose today.
We are a free Christian/Family podcast. However, with your support, we can further the kingdom and provide access to this podcast around the world. We appreciate you giving as it will be used for the kingdom. If you can't support monetarily, we ask you to pray that God continue to be the center of this mission and stories heard through this podcast are a reflection of his goodness. We are thankful for you tuning in and hope you find blessing, In the Midst. -Love HC
Welcome to In the Midst. You know, sometimes you just stumble upon something and you just know. You know that it's sent straight from heaven above. Well, today I was getting ready to talk to you about a totally different subject and I just needed a moment in worship. It has been quite chaotic. I just needed a moment in worship. It has been quite chaotic just accepting a new job and figuring out the logistics of how things are going to go, as the last year I've been at home with my family and I just can't get over just the overwhelming no of God's presence in my life. And what I didn't realize is the year off had nothing to do with me, but everything to do with Him. And I feel like I get on this podcast and I just cry and get emotional. But I think you need the real and sometimes I question my faithfulness and I question where we are as a family and as we're making decisions as a family and as we're making decisions. And I come to the place where I just need to get to my knees and as I'm talking to you, I'm not sitting at my desk as I normally would be in a microphone or anything real fancy. I'm literally sitting with my phone on the floor, crisscross applesauce, in just total awe of His great power and mercy. No script, no notes, just true heart for God.
Speaker 1:Right now, and as I was listening to some worship songs that you and I both probably hear on Sundays, I got off on he is here, and then it moved me to a song that I haven't heard in a long time. But who Am I? And it just made me think, as I've listened to this for a second. He was the voice that calmed the sea. He could call out to the rain and calm the storm. How could I ever doubt his great power? And something so small is giving me a desire of my heart. I've longed to understand my place in this world and I still don't understand all of it. And, goodness, I go back to something. My mom always told me that if he lights every stone that you're to step on, would you still go?
Speaker 1:And as I've matured over the last year in his word and in him, I'm starting to realize that we can't plan life. We can prepare for His plan by His Word and by prayer, but we've got to realize that we are His. I am yours, god. I am yours, god. And when we we've talked about this before in several podcast episodes. But just being able to lay it at his feet and to walk in his ways, I just thought my testimony was done because it's just begun was done because it's just begun. You know, god is not looking at our past once we lay it down. He's looking at how he's going to use us in our future. And the song is I'm a flower quickly fading here today and gone tomorrow, a wave tossed in the ocean and a vapor in the wind. Still, you hear me when I'm calling Lord, catch me when I'm falling, and you've told me who I am. I am yours, and that's something we forget. Whose we are, no matter what we're walking through, no matter what we're going through, he's still the same Yesterday, today and forever, and in that promise we are still His.
Speaker 1:I don't think I've stopped to even say this is Heather, but I do want to start by saying this Today's episode, if it's not already a little heavy, it's going to be a little bolder and a whole lot needed. This is going to ruffle some feathers, but I've never been one called the fluff pillows. So grab your coffee, pull over for a second if you need to, because we're going to dive into some truth today. The episode is called Stop Faking it, and I'm not just talking about other people, I'm talking to us, about the masks we wear, the peace we pretend to have, and the way we sometimes trade conviction for comfort, all in the name of keeping it together. Boy, how I didn't realize all of what I just told you before was going to run square into this. It's awesome how God prepares our hearts for our own message that he's already given us to give to you. But he knew that I would need preparation to be able to give you truth today. So let's get honest.
Speaker 1:Have you ever felt like you've been the one who always finds out, the one who notices what's really going on while everyone else is clapping? You see through the highlight reels, the polished posts, the God is good captions that cover up the real brokenness, and then you really start to wonder why is this always falling on me? How do I always end up here? You didn't ask to carry it, you didn't sign up to be the truth bearer, but somehow God keeps giving you the insight, the discernment, the weight of what others pretend not to see. And with that weight comes the question can I be real. Can I speak up? Can I still love Jesus and others and call out what's wrong? Am I Christ-like if I'm bold, or does that make me hard to deal with? You can absolutely be bold, unfiltered, and still be Christ-like, but what you can't be is fake and obedient at the same time.
Speaker 1:Romans 12, 9 says Love must be sincere. Hate what is is evil and cling to what is good. You cannot love sincerely while tolerating evil. You cannot cling to what is good while pretending brokenness doesn't exist. Truth and grace. I'm going to say those two words one more time. Truth and grace are never in conflict, but silence and sin always are. The world doesn't need a polished version of you. It needs an honest you walking in freedom of Christ. When you see it, name it. Let's talk about this calling to see things for what they really are.
Speaker 1:Some of you listening have been the one to notice the lie before it unraveled. Did you say anything? Or did you just take a step back and say, hmm, not getting into that? Some have watched people cheat others, manipulate stories and distort truth to serve their own agenda. And, the worst part, they did it with a smile and maybe even in the name of Jesus. You've sat back and said I don't want to cause division or that's not my place. Guys, I've been there, I've done the same. But what if God gave you the insight because you were the one he trusted to speak?
Speaker 1:Ephesians 5.11 says have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. That verse isn't about drama, it's about responsibility, the difference between gossip and godly confrontation. There is a line between stirring trouble and shining light, and it took me a long time to realize that. It took a lot of prayer and really focus on what God's desire for my heart is, because I find myself a lot of times right dead, center of a mess, and I have to make a decision. I'm in this. Am I just going to seep to the side? Am I going to allow myself to be used? How am I going to say what I need to say when sin starts rotting the foundation? It's not loyalty to stay silent, it's disobedience. Your voice may be the very thing that keeps someone else from falling into that same trap. You aren't stirring up division, you're trying to shut down destruction. Do you hear me? You are not stirring up division, you are trying to shut down destruction. Clean up crew. You're not crazy. I feel like I should have a yellow bucket, a mop and some gloves at all times.
Speaker 1:Let's talk to those of you who are always cleaning up the mess. You're the glue in your family. You're the glue in your family. You're the person people call when things fall apart, but somehow you weren't invited to the table when decisions were being made and if you were, they didn't listen to you. Anyway. You're always helping, always caring, always covering and, if you're honest, you're tired. You didn't create the crisis, but you're left managing the aftermath. You're putting out fires while someone else keeps striking matches and you're wondering why am I still in the middle of this? Here's what I want you to know Once the trash is taken out, you're allowed to walk away.
Speaker 1:You were never called to be the permanent janitor for people who enjoy making a mess. You cleaned it up, you showed up, you did what God asked you to do, and in Galatians 6, 9, he tells us let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. But sometimes doing good also means knowing when you're done. Obedience isn't just standing in the mess, it's knowing when to step out of it. God may have assigned you to expose it, but God didn't assign you to endure it. You weren't sent there to be a savior. Jesus already filled that job and it's okay to walk away. But listen really close, friend. When your part is done, it is okay to walk away. That doesn't make you prideful. That doesn't even make you unloving. That makes you free.
Speaker 1:Sometimes God places you in someone's life to be the alarm, not the architect, to sound the warning, not to fix the structure, to offer truth and not carry consequences. In John 15, 16, he says you did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit, fruit that will last. That fruit doesn't always come from staying in the fire. It comes from obeying when God says that's enough. And yes, sometimes that means losing friendships that were really just spiritual assignments. You were there to present them, jesus, and they chose something else. That's not on you. You did your part. Now let God go do his.
Speaker 1:Jesus didn't fake it, and neither should you. Jesus never played nice with sin. Matthew 23, 27,. Jesus said woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You are like whitewashed tombs beautiful on the outside but full of dead bones inside. He confronted the hypocrites. He called out injustice. He confronted the hypocrites. He called out injustice. He flipped tables in the temple and he never apologized for protecting the sacred.
Speaker 1:Jesus didn't filter his message to keep people in pews. Let me say that again. Jesus didn't filter his message to keep people in pews. He didn't get on Facebook and create something that draws followers to keep them watching. He didn't cater to the feelings at the expense of the Father's will. He spoke what was true and he set people free.
Speaker 1:So if you want to follow Jesus, you better get used to telling the truth with boldness and grace. But don't be mean. Be real. Being unfiltered is not the same as being unkind. We are called to speak truth in love. That means not every truth needs a microphone or spotlight. It also means silence isn't a virtue if it's covering sin. You need to think about that.
Speaker 1:Ephesians 4.15 says Speak the truth in love. So ask yourself is this God-led or is it ego-fed? Are you exposing to heal or exposing to harm? Do your words come from a place of prayer, not pettiness? We're not called to be perfect. We're called to be pure in heart and when your motives are right. You can be both direct and deeply Christ-like. And while we're at it, let's talk about everyday interactions.
Speaker 1:This truth-telling doesn't mean you walk around bitter and loud. It doesn't mean unloading your entire day on the cashier at Walmart. When they ask you how you are, thank you, because here's the thing they might be carrying something heavier than you. Proverbs 18.21 says the tongue has the power of life and death. Let's choose life Instead of venting, listen Instead of unloading, ask how they are Instead of complaining. Say, hey, can I pray with you right now? You might be the only Jesus they see today. Even if your own heart needs a mop and a miracle, show up anyway. That's faith, that's boldness, that's kingdom work.
Speaker 1:So here's what I want to leave you with today I beg you to stop faking it to be accepted. Stop hiding truth to keep friends. Stop covering for people God asked you to uncover and stop carrying what he told you to let go. John 8, 32 says then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free. You were not created to live under pressure. You were created to live in power. You were not called to pacify darkness. You were made to shine light. So if you've been the one called to clean, correct confront, then do it, and when the job is done, walk away in obedience, because, at the end of the day, god is still in the midst, and that's where I want to be too. Thank you for joining me for episode 5 of In the Midst. Stop Faking it. If this stirred something in you, don't keep it to yourself. Share it. Let the bold be encouraged, let the weary be strengthened, and let's all commit to walk in truth. No filters, no faking. I'll see you next time right here in the midst.