Ep. 20: Suffering Is Never Wasted With God with Lindsey Lavender
Echos of Impact
What if the pain you wish away is the very place God is doing His deepest work? In this powerful episode of Echos of Impact, Cherise and Briana sit down with Lindsey Lavender, founder of Live On Mission Ministry, to talk about suffering, faith, and trusting God when life does not make sense. Lindsey shares her story of a life-altering accident that resulted in a traumatic brain injury, chronic illness, and years of recovery. Through it all, she has learned to hold tightly to the truth that suffering is never wasted when it is placed in God’s hands. With honesty and humility, Lindsey invites...
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Ep. 19: Six Months Without Alcohol: A Season of Surrender
Echos of Impact
What if God isn’t asking you to give something up because it’s bad, but because He’s offering something better? In this reflective and honest episode of Echoes of Impact, Briana and Cherise sit down for a heart-to-heart conversation to welcome a new year and explore what it looks like to listen closely when God invites us into something deeper. Together, they talk about words for the year, identity, obedience, and the quiet ways God confirms His direction in our lives. Briana shares her journey of giving up alcohol for six months—not out of shame or obligation, but out of...
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Ep. 18: Gold in the Cracks: When Breaking Becomes Becoming
Echos of Impact
Trigger Warning: This episode includes discussion of loss (death of a spouse), alcohol use, and eating disorders (anorexia + bulimia). Please use discretion as you listen. In this inspiring episode of Echos of Impact, Briana Gray and Cherise Thompson sit down with Heather Palmer—Kansas City local, yoga teacher, and author of Gold-In Cracks—for an honest conversation about resilience, surrender, and what it looks like to let God meet us in the hard places. Heather shares her story of getting married young, walking through her husband’s cancer journey, and becoming a widow with a...
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Ep. 17: Smelling Like Smoke: Getting Close Enough to Make a Difference with Amber Keller
Echos of Impact
In this powerful and deeply moving episode of Echos of Impact, Briana sits down with Amber Keller—follower of Jesus, wife, mom of three girls, writer, and coordinator of a women’s prison ministry—to talk about purpose, obedience, and what it really means to follow Jesus into hard and holy places. Amber shares her story of growing up as a missionary kid in Peru during years of terrorism, navigating identity and faith after returning to the U.S., and experiencing God’s tender pursuit during a season of wandering. That journey ultimately led her into prison ministry—an unexpected...
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Ep. 16: Busy for God or Bearing Fruit?
Echos of Impact
In this honest and reflective episode of Echos of Impact, Cherise and Briana sit down for a behind-the-scenes conversation about something many Christians wrestle with—but don’t always name: the difference between being busy for God and actually bearing fruit. We talk about how easy it is to slip into checklist Christianity—doing all the “right” things, staying involved, showing up faithfully—while still missing the deeper intimacy God is inviting us into. This episode gently challenges the idea that fruit can be forced through effort, discipline, or religious activity, and instead...
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Ep. 15 There’s No Retirement in the Kingdom of God with Katharine Rose
Echos of Impact
In today’s episode of Echos of Impact, we sit down with Katharine Rose—writer, speaker, and host of the podcast Eternal Echoes—for a rich and deeply meaningful conversation about purpose, obedience, legacy, and listening closely to God’s voice. Katharine shares her personal journey through striving, wilderness seasons, delayed obedience, and surrender. She opens up about learning the hard way that just because something is good doesn’t mean it’s God, and how the Lord patiently redirected her when she tried to take control of the calling placed on her life. We also dive into the...
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Ep. 14: From Broken to Called — A Journey Through Addiction to Ministry with Lisa Herrington
Echos of Impact
Trigger Warning: In this episode, Lisa shares honestly about her journey with addiction, including substance abuse, suicidal thoughts, and the emotional impact on her children and family. We encourage you to listen at your own pace and take care of your heart as you do. In this powerful episode of Echos of Impact, Briana sits down with Lisa Herrington, a wife of 41 years, mom of four, grandmother of six, and now a Care & Compassion Pastor at Blue Oaks Church in California. Lisa’s story is one of deep brokenness, radical honesty, and the life-changing grace of God meeting her in the...
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Ep. 13: God Told Me to Get My House in Order — Here’s What Happened Next
Echos of Impact
In this heart-to-heart episode of Echos of Impact, Briana and Cherise sit down for one of their monthly conversations — the kind where we open our Bibles, open our real lives, and invite you into what God has been speaking in this season. This week’s episode unfolds around two powerful images: ✨ a surprising word from God — “Get your house in order” — and ✨ a vivid picture of sitting at a tiny children’s table as Jesus invites Briana to “play chess” with Him, a game she doesn’t know how to play. Through these moments, God begins revealing deeper truths about...
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Ep. 12: Faith After Flatline; A Second Chance at Life— with Kate
Echos of Impact
Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussion of medical trauma, cardiac arrest, and near-death experiences. Please listen with care. In this powerful episode of Echos of Impact, Cherise sits down with Kate, a Kansas City native, wife, mom of six in a blended family, nana of three, and women’s Bible study leader. This conversation is tender, faith-filled, and full of the kind of perspective that only comes when God carries you through what should have been your final moments. In June of this year, at just 44 years old, Kate suffered a sudden and life-threatening heart attack — the kind...
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Ep. 11: The ‘Yes’ Hidden in Every ‘No’: Resting in God’s Love with Emily Love.
Echos of Impact
In this heartfelt and restorative episode of Echos of Impact, Briana sits down with Emily Love—Kansas City native, event designer, and spiritual director in training—to talk about what it means to slow down and let God do the deeper work within us. Emily shares her powerful story of burnout, slowing down, and learning that rest can be the hardest work of all. Through seasons of exhaustion, recovery, and healing—including a serious car accident that became a defining moment of surrender—Emily discovered that purpose isn’t found in constant striving, but in being present with God right...
info_outlineTina Smith on trading performance for God’s peace
⚠️ Trigger Warning: This episode includes discussion of abuse and childhood cancer, which may be sensitive for some listeners.
In this powerful episode of Echos of Impact, Briana and Cherise sit down with Tina Smith—a licensed therapist, author, and coach for women in leadership and entrepreneurship. Tina’s story is one of deep faith, perseverance, and surrender. As a mom to three children, including a childhood cancer survivor, she’s walked through immense challenges that have refined her heart and renewed her faith.
For over 25 years, Tina has dedicated her life to helping others heal—founding the Selah Treatment Center, a charitable organization in Canada that provides accessible, subsidized mental health care. She’s also the author of Renewing Our Minds in Love: Integrating Neuroscience and Scripture for Wholeness and Healing, a book that beautifully bridges science and faith to help readers find spiritual and emotional restoration.
Together, we talk about what it means to reach the end of ourselves and find strength in surrender—how God uses breaking points to rebuild us stronger, and how we can move from performance-based faith to resting in God’s love. Tina shares practical tools for taking the pressure off, creating safe community, and learning to be fully human and fully loved.
What We Cover:
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How surrender and faith shaped Tina’s story of healing
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The connection between trauma, neuroscience, and Scripture
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Why it’s okay to stop performing and start resting in grace
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Practical ways to take the pressure off and embrace your humanity
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The importance of therapy and safe community in spiritual growth
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Letting go of self-sufficiency and learning to trust God again
Key Quotes:
“It’s okay to be human. It’s okay to fail. You are loved completely as you are, and God still has more for you.”
“Religious practices can cripple us, but Jesus restores us. He doesn’t want us to perform for love—He wants us to rest in it.”
“When we let go of performance, we make space for God’s peace to move in.”
About Tina Smith:
“I’m a proud mom to one young adult son—a childhood cancer survivor—and two teenage daughters. My family’s journey has deeply shaped my perspective on resilience, hope, and the power of healing.
For over 25 years, I’ve served as a therapist in the field of mental health, building a thriving private counselling practice and founding Selah Treatment Center—a charitable organization in Canada dedicated to providing accessible, subsidized mental health support.
I am also the author of Renewing Our Minds in Love: Integrating Neuroscience and Scripture for Wholeness and Healing, and a coach for women in leadership and entrepreneurship, helping them find healing, strength, and clarity so they can lead with confidence and create a lasting legacy.
My life’s work has not only been shaped by professional achievements but also by painful hardships, failures, and the ongoing journey of finding myself again. Through it all, I carry a passion for empowering others to rise and flourish in every season.”
Connect with Tina Smith:
🌿 Website: swordandgrace.org
📚 Book: Renewing Our Minds in Love: Integrating Neuroscience and Scripture for Wholeness and Healing
💼 Selah Treatment Center: selahsupport.ca
📸 Instagram: @tinajoansmith
📘 Facebook: Tina Smith
📩 Coaching Inquiries: swordandgrace.org
Join the Conversation:
How has God met you in moments of surrender? Share your thoughts with us on Instagram or in our Facebook community!
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Take the Next Step:
✨ Interested in joining The Woman’s Success Code? Discover how you can grow in faith, purpose, and community here.
💛 Ready for a fresh start? Schedule your complimentary Life Audit with Briana here.
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Until next week, friends! 💛