Can Stories Change Us? with Sara Brunsvold
Flourish-Meant: You Were Meant to Live Abundantly
Release Date: 06/20/2025
TIme to Be You with Sandra Allen Lovelace
Flourish-Meant: You Were Meant to Live Abundantly
It's time to become who you were meant to be! Today, host Tina Yeager sits down with Sandra Allen Lovelace, a trauma-informed author, coach, and speaker who has spent over 50 years encouraging women in their Christian walk across five continents. Together, they dive into the powerful topic of embracing your true, God-designed self—why now is the time to step into your unique calling, and how trauma and everyday distractions can hold you back from living abundantly. Sandra shares her personal healing journey, practical steps to move forward, and strategies for connecting your mind, body, and...
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Fail Forward via Reinvention with GiGi Butler
Flourish-Meant: You Were Meant to Live Abundantly
Can you recover from failure through reinvention? Today, we’re diving deep into the art and heart of reinvention with none other than Gigi Butler, the visionary founder of Gigi’s Cupcakes. While Gigi is known for her sweet success, her journey is anything but easy. From cleaning houses and chasing a country music dream to building a nationwide cupcake empire—only to face major setbacks during the pandemic—Gigi’s story is a true testament to failing forward. In this conversation, recorded live at the National Religious Broadcasters Convention, Gigi opens up about the gritty realities...
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Misunderstood Promises with Hannah Pierrou
Flourish-Meant: You Were Meant to Live Abundantly
How can we respond to misunderstood promises? Host Tina Yeager sits down with Hannah Pierrou—storyteller, artist, author, and founder of Treehouse Storytellers—to explore the topic of misunderstood promises, especially those that shape our families and culture. Together, they discuss: Cultural Promises vs. God’s Truth: How our society’s shifting narratives affect both adults and kids, and what it means to reclaim biblical promises in the face of distortion. The Rainbow’s True Meaning: Drawing from her new children’s book, Misunderstood: A Girl with a Promise the World Forgot,...
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When You Feel Overlooked with Mary DeMuth
Flourish-Meant: You Were Meant to Live Abundantly
Have you ever felt overlooked? In today’s episode, host Tina Yeager sits down with Mary DeMuth—literary agent, prolific author, and podcaster—to talk about the universal experience of feeling overlooked and misunderstood. Drawing from her latest book, The Most Overlooked Women of the Bible, Mary shares her own story of walking through pain and isolation, particularly within church communities, and offers honest insight on coping with being unseen and undervalued. Together, Tina and Mary explore the emotional weight of being overlooked, the challenge of rebuilding trust after betrayal,...
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Expectations vs True Identity with Amanda Cox
Flourish-Meant: You Were Meant to Live Abundantly
How do you establish a belief in your true identity amid other people's expectations? Host Tina Yeager sits down with Christie Award-winning novelist and former therapist Amanda Cox for a heartfelt conversation on navigating the complex space between others’ expectations and our true identities. Together, they explore how the search for belonging, the weight of family dynamics, and the pressure to seek approval can both hinder and reshape our sense of self. Amanda shares her personal journey, professional insights, and the powerful ways her novels—like The Bitter End Birding Society and He...
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Purposeful Living with Chronic Illness with Katie Powner
Flourish-Meant: You Were Meant to Live Abundantly
How can we find purposeful living, even when facing chronic illness? In today’s episode, host Tina Yeager sits down with Christy Award-winning novelist Katie Powner to discuss purposeful living in the face of chronic illness. Together, they delve into how limitations can shape our character, draw us into deeper connections with others, and open unexpected doors to meaning and resilience. Whether you’re navigating chronic illness yourself or supporting a loved one who is, this conversation offers authentic insights, practical encouragement, and a reminder that every life—no matter the...
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Responding to Suicide Grief with Tracie Peterson
Flourish-Meant: You Were Meant to Live Abundantly
How can we respond to suicide grief? In today’s powerful episode, host Tina Yeager sits down with bestselling author Tracie Peterson—affectionately known as the queen of historical fiction—to explore the complicated and often unspoken aspects of suicide grief. Drawing from personal experiences and extensive research for her latest novel, Tracie opens up about why she chose to address suicide in her fiction and how storytelling can offer a gentle, healing space for those processing loss. Together, Tina and Tracie discuss the stigma and secrecy historically surrounding suicide, the...
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Restored with Meshali Mitchell
Flourish-Meant: You Were Meant to Live Abundantly
Do you need restoration today? Today’s guest is Meshali Mitchell—portrait artist, storyteller, and author of the book Restored. In this deeply heartfelt conversation, Meshali shares her personal journey of restoration, drawing parallels between renovating a crumbling 1886 farmhouse and the process of emotional and spiritual healing. She opens up about her upbringing as an evangelist’s daughter, her battles with depression and anxiety, and the ways that desperation and brokenness became the threshold to true healing. Meshali discusses practical steps and soul-deep truths, from seeking...
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Conquer What is Defeating You with Karl Clauson
Flourish-Meant: You Were Meant to Live Abundantly
How can you conquer what's defeating you? In this powerful episode, recorded live at the National Religious Broadcasters Convention in Dallas, host Tina Yeager sits down with Karl Clauson—host of Moody Radio’s "Karl and Crew Mornings," pastor of vision and leadership at 180Chicago, and an Iditarod Trail sled dog race finisher. Together, they dive deep into the topic of “Conquering What Is Defeating You.” Karl opens up about his own struggles with addiction, the true meaning of sin, and how shame and self-justification can keep us trapped in destructive cycles. The conversation unpacks...
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Former Anorexic Hungers for God with Emily Wierenga
Flourish-Meant: You Were Meant to Live Abundantly
How did a former anorexic learn to hunger for God? On today’s Flourish-Meant episode, we dove deep with Emily Wierenga, award-winning author and founder of the Lulu Tree, as she shared her powerful journey from battling anorexia to discovering how true fulfillment comes from hungering for God. Emily opened up about overcoming deep-rooted struggles, finding healing through serving others, and building a purpose-driven life that impacts communities worldwide. Her message? Your pain has a greater purpose and you’re never alone in your struggles. Let Emily’s story inspire you to pursue...
info_outlineCould stories actually change you?
Tina Yeager and Christie Award-winning author Sarah Brunsvold explore the transformative nature of storytelling, discussing how both fiction and true stories can shape our character, deepen our empathy, and impact our relationships. Drawing from her own writing journey and research, Sarah reflects on the unique ways stories reach places in our hearts that nonfiction sometimes can’t, offering both inspiration and caution about the types of stories we let into our lives. Tune in for practical insights, personal experiences, and an inspiring look at how stories can help us grow, strengthen our faith, and remind us that we’re not alone.
What You’ll Discover in This Episode:
🌱 The Power of Storytelling:
Sara and Tina discuss how fiction allows us to experience life through different lenses, opening safe spaces to process emotions and explore topics we might otherwise avoid. Sara highlights how the stories we encounter can speak to us in ways that nonfiction sometimes can’t, meeting us right where we are.
🌿 The Psychology Behind Stories:
Tina shares insights into why we’re so impacted by stories—how our brains receive them in the same space as music, scent, and memory, making us more open and receptive (and sometimes vulnerable!). Sara reflects on why fiction often inspires us to seek out deeper truths, sometimes leading us to explore nonfiction and scripture on themes like forgiveness.
🌸 Discernment in Story Selection:
Not all stories lead us toward growth. Sara candidly discusses the risks of absorbing ideas from fiction that might not align with our values and the importance of approaching stories with discernment and community support.
🌗 Stories Changing Relationships:
Learn how fiction can build compassion and empathy, helping us understand others’ motivations and break down relational roadblocks. Discussing literature together can even give us new perspectives on familiar experiences.
✨ Real-Life Transformation:
Sara shares reader stories—including how her own novel touched the life of an elderly man who wasn’t a believer—which show how deeply fiction can affect our beliefs and self-understanding.
A Key Takeaway from Sara:
Come to every story—whether it’s familiar or outside your comfort zone—with expectancy. Trust that there’s something waiting for you, and let God meet you in the pages.
Stay Connected with Sara Brunsvold:
You can find free resources and get to know Sara better at sarahbrunsvold.com. Follow her on Instagram and Facebook for uplifting conversations and book updates!
We’d Love to Hear From You!
Have you been transformed by a story? Comment here or join us on social media to share how fiction has shaped your life.
We're thrilled to accompany you on this journey of faith, growth, and transformation. As always, we appreciate your support! Please subscribe and share this episode. We can't wait for you to join us for future episodes of Flourish-Meant.
To book Tina as a speaker, connect with her life coaching services, and more, visit her website: https://tinayeager.com/
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