
Hosted by the Girl Named Blake · EN
This week I sit down with Elise Orozco from Raising Rock for a conversation that feels deeply personal and incredibly timely. We share remarkably similar stories of stepping away from ambition, hustle, and outside success in exchange for something we discovered mattered far more: presence. Elise opens up about leaving a high-level corporate career after realizing that while she was succeeding professionally, her family was often receiving the exhausted leftovers of what remained. What follows is an honest conversation about motherhood, identity, slowing down, surrender, and learning to embrace God's priorities instead of culture's expectations. Sponsor: CrowdHealth Looking for an alternative to traditional health insurance? CrowdHealth offers: Lower-cost prescriptions and labs Access to vetted doctors Bill negotiation support Community-centered healthcare solutions Get started for $99 for your first three months using code SPEAKEASY at joincrowdhealth.com.

Year two of homeschooling is officially in the books, and I'm sitting down for an honest recap of what worked, what didn't, and what I wish I had known sooner. If you're considering homeschooling, preparing for your first year, or just curious what life actually looks like after the highlight reels, this episode offers a realistic look at the beauty and challenges of homeschooling life. I share the biggest lessons from year two: Year one felt like survival, year two finally felt like life Every path has challenges, choose the hard that works best for your family Connection before curriculum, children learn best when they feel seen Homeschooling is growing everyone, not just the kids Many frustrations came from my own expectations trying to recreate traditional school at home I also walk through our current daily rhythm, curriculum favorites, and how I address common fears about kids falling behind, socialization, and working while homeschooling. After two years, one thing is clear: the girls are thriving, and so is our family. This episode is about letting go of perfection and embracing the messy, beautiful reality of learning together. SPONSOR CrowdHealth Looking for an alternative approach to healthcare? CrowdHealth provides: Access to vetted doctors Lower prescription and lab costs Bill negotiation support Community-centered healthcare solutions Get started for $99 for your first three months with code SPEAKEASY at joincrowdhealth.com.

This episode is an invitation to rethink what sanctification actually looks like. If you've felt pressure to transform yourself overnight or believed that becoming like Jesus should be faster and cleaner than it is, this conversation will meet you right where you are. I sat down with Matt Chandler to talk about sanctification, suffering, surrender, and the slow process of spiritual formation. This feels less like an interview and more like a mentoring session with someone who has walked with God through incredible highs and devastating lows. Matt makes the case that becoming like Jesus is not a light switch flipping on, it's an oak tree slowly growing over time. An oak becomes strong through rain, sunlight, dry seasons, storms, and deep freezes. In the same way, spiritual maturity develops through every season of life, not just the easy ones. In this episode, Matt walks through what spiritual formation actually looks like: Sanctification is messy and non-linear, but every turn moves you forward Growth starts with humility and surrender, not strength or self-reliance God is not waiting for you to fail, He's cheering your growth like a loving Father When you mess up, run toward God, not away from Him Suffering is often where we grow most because God meets us there Community is essential, you cannot become like Jesus in isolation Rather than perfection and performance, Matt shares the invitation to stay close to Jesus, let Him transform you over time, and trust Him in every season. Nothing is wasted. God uses it all to form us into the image of Jesus. Becoming like Jesus is slow, messy, humbling, and beautiful. This episode is about surrendering the pressure to fix yourself and letting Jesus do the transforming work. If you don't quit, you win. SPONSORS CrowdHealth A different approach to healthcare that helps you: Access vetted doctors Lower prescription and lab costs Receive support negotiating medical bills Use code SPEAKEASY at joincrowdhealth.com to get started. Just Thrive A clinically proven probiotic designed to support: Gut health Energy Digestion Immunity Get 20% off your order at justthrivehealth.com with code BLAKE.

In this powerful and practical conversation, I sat down with Addison Bevere to unpack one of the most common struggles in the Christian life: prayer. If you've ever felt like you're "bad at prayer," distracted, or unsure what to say, this episode meets you right there and gently reframes everything. Addison shares that even growing up in a spiritually strong family, he felt like he didn't measure up. His journey into understanding prayer began from a place of deficiency, not mastery. Sponsors: Crowdhealth An alternative to traditional health insurance that gives you: * Lower-cost prescriptions and labs * Access to vetted doctors * A team to help manage bills You pay the first $500, and the community helps cover the rest. Get started for $99 for your first three months with code SPEAKEASY at joincrowdhealth.com. --------------------------------------- Just Thrive A clinically proven probiotic designed to: * Support gut health * Improve digestion * Strengthen immunity Try it risk-free for 90 days. Get 20% off your first order at justthrivehealth.com with code BLAKE.

In this episode, Brooke and I dive into a struggle so many Christian women share: feeling disconnected from their bodies, overwhelmed in their lives, and genuinely unsure why their health is suffering. What often shows up: Constant stress and urgency Snapping at loved ones Poor health or confusing symptoms Feeling unable to slow down The root issue isn't just physical, it's a whole-person misalignment. Connect with Brooke: Join the Faithfully Nourished Community: https://brooke-rozmenoski.mykajabi.com/faithfully-nourished-community Book a FREE 30 Minute Consultation (first 30 people!): https://calendly.com/brookerozzie/clarity-call-from-speakeasy-podcast Follow Brooke on IG @brookerozzie Follow Faithfully Nourished on IG @faithfullynourished_ Podcast: Faithfully Nourished Sponsor: CrowdHealth CrowdHealth is an alternative to traditional health insurance. Members get: Lower-cost prescriptions and labs Access to vetted doctors A care team to help manage bills Get started for $99 for your first three months with code SPEAKEASY at joincrowdhealth.com.

Today I'm answering two of the most common questions I get: where to start in the Bible and how to journal in a way that actually helps you grow. Not a rigid formula, just some simple, practical rhythms that have helped me stay grounded in my relationship with God. Sponsor: CrowdHealth If you are looking for an alternative to traditional health insurance, CrowdHealth offers a different approach. With CrowdHealth, you pay a monthly fee that gives you access to lower-cost prescriptions, lab testing, and a network of vetted doctors. If a major medical need arises, you pay the first $500, and the community helps cover the rest. You can get started for $99 for your first three months by using code SPEAKEASY at joincrowdhealth.com. (CrowdHealth is not insurance.)

In this episode, I sat down with my husband Jeremy to talk about 15 years of marriage, the early struggles, the growth, and how we got to where we are today. Because what you see now? It didn't always exist. And that's kind of the whole point. We laughed, we got vulnerable, and we talked about the stuff a lot of couples deal with but don't always say out loud, especially in those early years. Whether you're newly married, in the thick of parenting, or feeling stuck in communication patterns, I hope this episode reminds you that strong marriages are built, not found. Sponsor: CrowdHealth CrowdHealth is a health insurance alternative that puts you back in control. Get started for $99 for your first 3 months using code SPEAKEASY at: joincrowdhealth.com CrowdHealth is not insurance—it's a better way to pay for healthcare.

In this episode, I sit down with author and Bible teacher Hanna Seymour to talk about what it really looks like to grow spiritually in the middle of real life with busy schedules, motherhood, exhaustion, and all. We unpack Hanna's book Everyday Spiritual Habits and tackle one of the most common questions believers wrestle with: How do I actually stay consistent in my faith without feeling overwhelmed or burnt out? This conversation blends practical wisdom, biblical truth, and even habit science to help you build rhythms that truly last. Throughout our chat, we share our personal journeys from checkbox Christianity and inconsistent routines to discovering life-giving rhythms with God that are flexible, sustainable, and deeply transformative. After this conversation, I hope you'll walk away encouraged that spiritual growth isn't about perfection, it's about connection. In this episode, we cover: why spiritual "discipline" can feel overwhelming and how to reframe it as life-giving habits how to build habits that stick using simple, realistic steps the power of starting small (even 30 seconds counts) how to connect with God in everyday moments (laundry, dishes, driving, etc.) habit stacking and identity-based growth (who you're becoming vs. what you're doing) how different life seasons require different rhythms and that's okay lesser-talked-about disciplines like gratitude, celebration, silence, and solitude practical ways to memorize Scripture and stay rooted in truth why shame has no place in your spiritual journey If you've ever felt like you're failing at reading your Bible, praying consistently, or "doing enough," this episode is a breath of fresh air. It's not about adding pressure, it's about discovering a better way to walk with Jesus in your everyday life. Sponsor: CrowdHealth CrowdHealth is a health insurance alternative designed to give you more control and transparency. Get started for $99 for your first 3 months with code SPEAKEASY at joincrowdhealth.com. CrowdHealth is not insurance.

In today's episode, I sit down with Christian artist and author Stephen McWhirter for a raw, hope-filled conversation about redemption, forgiveness, and the transforming power of Jesus. Stephen shares the powerful story behind his music and about his book, Radical Restoration, where he talks about how he grew up in a home marked by abuse, spiraling into deep addiction, and ultimately encountering God in a life-changing moment that set him on a completely new path. His testimony is a reminder that no one is too far gone for grace and that restoration is possible even after years of pain and brokenness. We dive into the difficult but freeing topic of forgiveness: what it truly means, what it doesn't mean, and how God calls us to release the debts others owe us without minimizing real wounds. We talk honestly about the tension between forgiveness and reconciliation, the healing that comes through surrender, and the way God's love can transform even the deepest bitterness into freedom. In this conversation you'll hear about: Stephen's journey from addiction to worship ministry how encountering grace reshapes identity and purpose why forgiveness is both a command and a gift the difference between forgiving someone and allowing access to your life how asking God for His heart toward others changes everything practical first steps toward healing from past hurt If you've ever struggled to forgive, wondered whether real change is possible, or needed hope that God can restore what feels permanently broken, this episode will deeply encourage you. Sponsor: CrowdHealth CrowdHealth is a health insurance alternative helping families step outside a confusing system. Get started for $99 for your first 3 months with code SPEAKEASY at joincrowdhealth.com. CrowdHealth is not insurance.

Today's episode is a long overdue catch-up. I'm finally sharing the fuller story of what happened in 2025: the year God completely flipped my life, my work, my identity, and my priorities upside down. If you've noticed that my content has shifted a lot over the last year, this is the why. For years, this podcast has felt like the most full expression of me. Faith, motherhood, politics, wellness, the Bible, all of it. But Instagram had become heavily political. Eventually, the very work I thought was most important started costing me more than I realized, my peace, my presence, my family, and honestly, my soul. In this episode, I'm sharing the story of how God began asking me to do something that felt harder than any "jump" of obedience He'd ever asked of me before: sit down, pull back, do less, trust Him, and let Him carry what I had been trying to hold together myself. We talk about: how political content became my full-time work the moment I realized my priorities were deeply out of order what disobedience looked like in real time why 2025 felt like my "belly of the whale" year the vision God gave me that changed everything identity, striving, motherhood, and learning to be a daughter before a warrior why I stepped back from politics online what God has been rebuilding in me ever since This one is personal. It's vulnerable. And it's probably the clearest picture I've given yet of the shift God has been walking me through. If you're in a season where God is asking you to slow down, let go, or trust Him in ways you do not like, this episode is for you. Sponsor: CrowdHealth CrowdHealth is a health insurance alternative helping families step outside a broken system. Get started for $99 for your first 3 months with code SPEAKEASY at joincrowdhealth.com. CrowdHealth is not insurance.