Some stories stay with you… and this is one of them.

Today on the Anchored by the Sword Podcast, I’m joined by Haylee Graham, author of the upcoming book: Take the Horse and Run: The Incredible True Story of a Horse Fighting for His Life—and the Girl Who Would Stop at Nothing to Save Him (releasing April 7!)

And let me just say this…

I planned to just skim the book to prepare for this interview…
But I ended up reading the entire thing in one sitting because I could not put it down.

This story is raw, gripping, and full of redemption.

In this episode, Haylee shares her journey of:

Growing up in chaos, instability, and searching for meaning
Battling depression, anxiety, and a suicide attempt
Encountering God in her lowest, darkest moment
Finding healing and identity in Christ
And the powerful role her horse, Cartier, played in her story

What I love most about this conversation is how it reminds us that:

God will meet us wherever we are
Even when we don’t recognize Him, He is still present
And sometimes… He shows up in the most unexpected ways

For Haley, that looked like a horse.

For you, it might look different—but the truth remains the same:

God is always working
God is always pursuing
And God is always redeeming

Haylee’s story is a beautiful reminder that even when life feels broken beyond repair, God is still the Master Weaver—bringing everything together for good.

Listen now and be reminded:

Even in your darkest moments…
God is still there, still working, and still writing your story.

Bio:

Haylee Graham, daughter of actor Gary Graham and actress Susan Lavelle, is an award-winning author, screenwriter, and speaker who has written professionally for over a decade. A member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, she has penned four young adult novels and earned literary accolades from the International Christian Film Festival, IndieX Film Fest, CARE Awards, and the 168 Film Festival. Haylee's work has appeared in Chicken Soup for the Soul andGoodNews Northwest, and she has been featured on the KTLA 5 Spoken Dreams podcast series, as well as in publications such as The Los Angeles Tribune, Voyage LA, and Bold Journey magazine.

Her short film Out of the Quiet received over twenty-eight awards and nominations at major film festivals across the country, while her latest film Planted swept the 20th Annual 168 Film Festival with honors including Best Screenplay and Best Film of the 168 Festival.

Take the Horse and Run, her debut memoir, is the extraordinary true story of her bond with Cartier—the beloved horse whose online presence has drawn a fan base of thousands of followers and millions of views. The memoir has been adapted for the screen as The Horse Thief by Writers Guild of America screenwriter Dan Goforth (Walk. Ride. Rodeo.).

Anchor Verses:

Psalm 62:6

Jeremiah 29:11

Connect with Haylee:

Website: https://www.hayleegrahamwrites.com

IG: https://www.instagram.com/hayleegrahamauthor

Preorder Take the Horse and Run: https://a.co/d/0iLLJuQQ

***We love hearing from you! Your reviews help our podcast community and keep these important conversations going. If this episode inspired you, challenged you, or gave you a fresh perspective, we’d be so grateful if you’d take a moment to leave a review. Just head to Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen and share your thoughts—it’s a simple way to make a big impact!***

There are some conversations that are hard… but so necessary.

Today on the Anchored by the Sword Podcast, I’m joined by Alisha Roth, author of the brand new book: Courageous Divorce: A Christian Woman’s Guide to Healing, Rebuilding, and Embracing an Abundant Life (releasing this Tuesday!)

In this episode, Alisha shares her deeply personal story—growing up strong in her faith, longing to do everything “right,” and then walking through a marriage that became unhealthy, painful, and ultimately unsafe.

This is a conversation about the things we don’t always talk about in the Church…

The hidden struggles.

The shame.

The silence.

And the feeling of being completely alone.

Alisha vulnerably shares:

✨ Her journey through marriage, brokenness, and divorce

✨ The reality of abuse and the confusion many women face

✨ The weight of shame—and how God meets us in it

✨ The stigma of divorce in Christian spaces

✨ Rebuilding faith after everything feels like it’s falling apart

✨ Finding authentic community and healing on the other side

✨ Hope for women who feel stuck, afraid, or unsure of what to do next.

One of the most powerful reminders from this episode:

👉 You are still loved.

👉 You are not disqualified.

👉 And God is still making a way—even here.

Alisha’s story is a testimony that even after deep pain and brokenness, God can restore, rebuild, and bring beauty again.

If you—or someone you know—is walking through divorce, questioning what comes next, or feeling alone in the process…

This episode is for you.

Bio:

Alisha Roth is a writer and editor. She loves to write about homeschooling, raising children, spirituality, and sharing an honest look into her life of divorce, co-parenting, love, and evolving faith. As a woman and a mother to five daughters, she's passionate about encouraging women to empowerment and wholeness. She is the author of Courageous Divorce and has been a contributor and editor for a parenting and homeschooling magazine, with several of her articles also being printed in HarperOne publications. You can also find her essays in the book Homegrown and The Way Back to Ourselves and Being Human magazines.

Anchor Verses:

Isaiah 43:19

Ezekiel 37

Connect with Alisha:

Website: https://www.alisharoth.com

IG: https://www.instagram.com/littlewomenfarmhouse

LINKTREE: https://linktr.ee/littlewomenfarmhouse

***We love hearing from you! Your reviews help our podcast community and keep these important conversations going. If this episode inspired you, challenged you, or gave you a fresh perspective, we’d be so grateful if you’d take a moment to leave a review. Just head to Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen and share your thoughts—it’s a simple way to make a big impact!***

What if the way we’ve been taught to hustle isn’t the way God intended us to live?

In today’s episode of the Anchored by the Sword Podcast, I’m joined by returning guest and friend Erin Harrigan, who was previously on Episode 273 where we talked about redefining success and trusting God’s timing. Erin is back to share about her brand new book, Redefining Hustle: Navigating Success with Jesus.

So many of us live in a culture that tells us to work harder, move faster, and rely on ourselves to get ahead. But Erin reminds us that while God created us with ambition and purpose, He never intended for us to hustle the world’s way.

In this conversation we talk about:

✨ The difference between pursuing success and navigating success with Jesus

✨ Why hustle isn’t the problem—but how we hustle matters

✨ Learning to surrender control and let Jesus be the true captain of the ship

✨ The struggle of self-sufficiency and trusting God instead of ourselves

✨ Setting healthy boundaries in work and ministry

✨ Finding harmony instead of “work-life balance”

✨ Why abiding in Christ changes everything about how we lead, work, and live

If you’ve ever felt the pressure to keep running, keep producing, and keep striving, this episode is a reminder that God never asked us to carry the weight of the world on our shoulders.

Instead, He invites us to walk with Him, trust His direction, and allow Him to lead the way.

You don’t have to hustle harder to prove your worth.

You simply need to stay connected to the One who already holds the plan.

🎧 Listen now and be encouraged to let Jesus lead your work, your calling, and your pace.

Bio:

Erin Harrigan equips high-achieving Christian women to stop striving in their own strength and start leading, working, and building with Jesus at the center. Through private and group coaching, speaking, podcasting, and writing, Erin empowers sisters in Christ to redefine hustle to navigate success with Jesus.

Erin hosts the award-winning podcast, Redefining Hustle: Navigating Success as a Christian Woman, and her books include:

Redefining Hustle: Navigating Success with Jesus

We Lead: Building Connection, Community, and Collaboration for WOMEN IN BUSINESS, Volumes 1-3 (contributing author).

Erin loves the beach, tacos, singing along to Broadway show tunes, and living in Southern Maryland with her husband Brian and their Bernedoodle, Rory.

Anchor Verses:

John 15: 4-5

Psalm 127: 1-2

Connect with Erin:

Website: https://erinharrigan.com

IG: https://www.instagram.com/erindharrigan

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@erinharrigan?si=7dxgGJuUjdr2zHqJ

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinharrigan/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/share/1DjWXj5U8s/?mibextid=wwXIfr

***We love hearing from you! Your reviews help our podcast community and keep these important conversations going. If this episode inspired you, challenged you, or gave you a fresh perspective, we’d be so grateful if you’d take a moment to leave a review. Just head to Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen and share your thoughts—it’s a simple way to make a big impact!***

In this powerful episode, I’m joined by Kimberly Haar, a licensed professional counselor and author of the new book Healing From Life’s Deepest Hurts: Reclaiming Your Life After Grief, Loss or Trauma. Kimberly shares her incredible testimony of surviving a multiple hour assault by her ex-husband, the attempted murder of her then-boyfriend and navigating the long road of healing from deep trauma, grief, and abuse.

We talk about:

• The moment her life changed forever—and how God met her there

• What it looks like to walk through complex trauma as a believer

• How to rebuild emotionally and spiritually after domestic violence

• Why counseling, faith, and truth-telling are all part of healing

• How to move forward with hope even when your past is full of pain

Whether you’re walking through a hard season or love someone who is, this conversation will stir your faith, offer tools for healing, and remind you that God never wastes our pain.

Bio:

Kimberly Haar, LPC, LMFT, is a survivor of domestic violence, a licensed professional counselor, and a licensed marriage and family therapist with nearly two decades of experience helping others find healing and wholeness in life. She holds an MA in Marriage and Family Therapy from Southern Nazarene University and is a featured cohost on Oasis Radio Network. Kimberly's therapy practice is located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where she continues to inspire hope and strength in those facing life's challenges.

Anchor Verses:

Psalm 23

Psalm 34:18

Connect with Kim:

Website: https://kimberlyhaar.com

IG: https://www.instagram.com/kimberly.haar

FB: https://www.facebook.com/KimberlyJHaar/

***We love hearing from you! Your reviews help our podcast community and keep these important conversations going. If this episode inspired you, challenged you, or gave you a fresh perspective, we’d be so grateful if you’d take a moment to leave a review. Just head to Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen and share your thoughts—it’s a simple way to make a big impact!***

In this episode of Anchored by the Sword Podcast, I’m joined by Willow Weston, whose brand-new book Collide: Running Into Healing When Life Hands You Hurt released today, March 10. Willow shares her powerful story of how God met her in the middle of deep pain and completely transformed her life.

Growing up in a difficult environment with an alcoholic parent, Willow carried years of unspoken hurt and brokenness. By the time she reached college, the weight of those secrets had become overwhelming. But God had a different plan for her life—one that began with a “crazy Christian lady” named Cindy who simply invited Willow into her home, listened to her story, and introduced her to Jesus.

Through that relationship, Willow began asking deeper questions about faith, purpose, and healing. At 21 years old, she surrendered her life to Christ, and everything changed.

In this conversation, Willow shares how her personal healing journey led to the creation of Collide Ministries, which now serves thousands of women each year.

Together we talk about:

• Why avoiding pain actually causes more pain

• The difference between asking God for healing and participating in healing

• How unresolved hurt can impact our relationships, families, and even our physical health

• The importance of safe community and letting others carry our burdens

• Why you don’t have to have everything figured out before God can use your story

Willow reminds us of a powerful truth:

Jesus never avoided pain—He ran straight toward it.

And if you’ve been avoiding your own wounds, today might be the day God is inviting you to step toward healing.

If you’re feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure where to start, this episode is for you.

Your healing matters.

And you are worthy of it today.

Bio:

Willow Weston is an author, a speaker, a podcast host, and the founder of Collide, a ministry impacting women nationwide. With decades of experience, Willow brings passion and truth, sharing her own journey of pain to inspire others to invite Jesus into their brokenness so they, too, can experience healing. Willow leads conferences that empower, heal, and transform women. She has authored several Bible studies, including The Birds and the Lilies; Personal and Powerful; Go Ahead; Yes, You; and Collide and Converse.

Willow loves telling stories and inviting others to share theirs. She's a spelling bee champ but loses miserably in Trivial Pursuit. She can throw a mean dinner party but is a criminal at the local library. She has a hippie name and once lived on a school bus as a kid. Willow frequents coffee shops more than she'd like to admit and sits across from hurting people in the hope that they will find help for their pain. She uses china on Wednesdays and loves making the ordinary feel extraordinary. Willow battles insecurity and old wounds every day, just like you probably do too.

She collided with Jesus in college, and He became her direction, her healer, her hope, and her rescuer. Jesus met her in her brokenness and has used her there too. She's been married for more than 30 years and has two kids who teach her more about God and life than she could ever teach them. Willow is as real as you get, obsessed with hosting parties, coffee, the beach, and a good, good story.

Anchor Verse:

Deuteronomy 30:3

Connect with Willow:

Website: https://www.willowweston.com

Ministry Website: https://wecollide.net

IG: https://www.instagram.com/willowanneweston

***We love hearing from you! Your reviews help our podcast community and keep these important conversations going. If this episode inspired you, challenged you, or gave you a fresh perspective, we’d be so grateful if you’d take a moment to leave a review. Just head to Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen and share your thoughts—it’s a simple way to make a big impact!***

This week's podcast has been a long time coming and it couldn't have happened at at better time! My friend, Grace Wabuke Klein is on today to talk about her beginnings in Uganda to marrying the love of her life and everything in between! She is a fantastic lover of the Lord and cheerleader for everyone to walk in what God has for them to do! Some of the struggles she went through will encourage you today, especially if you find yourself in a season where you don't know what is next or where to go. Grace reminds each of us to remain open to what God wants to do in our lives and to continue having faith. In her first book, Flourish: Finding Purpose in the Unknown and Unexpected Seasons of Life⁠⁠, she breaks life down into seasons and how to work through each of them with her own stories and through the Word of God. Enjoy today's episode and give Grace a follow today!

Bio:

Grace Wabuke Klein and her husband Phil lead focus412, a ministry that helps churches grow. Through this ministry, they have worked with some of the largest and most influential churches across the country. Grace was born in Uganda during the tyrannical reign of Idi Amin, and her family fled to the United States and settled in Minnesota. Grace has a bachelor’s degree in U.S. History from the University of California, Berkeley, and earned a Master’s in Intercultural Studies from Fuller Theological Seminary. She was on the pastoral leadership team at Faith Church in West Covina, California. For more than 15 years, she had the honor of empowering thousands in their leadership and spiritual growth. Grace and her husband have been married for over five years and reside in Birmingham, Alabama.

Anchor Verses:

James 4:8

Philippians 4:13

Amos 9:13-14

Connect with Grace:Website: https://www.gracewabukeklein.comIG: https://instagram.com/gracewabukekleinPreorder book: Flourish: Finding Purpose in the Unknown and Unexpected Seasons of Life⁠ *If you live in the NE Ohio area, Grace will be speaking at Faith Family Church the weekend of August 26-27th! Go on out and let her know you heard her on the podcast!****This podcast is a proud member of the Spark Network! It is a network of Christian podcasts that cover so many different topics! Head over to: https://www.sparkmedia.ventures/spark-network#/ to find more amazing podcasts!!***

Hey friends, welcome back to Anchored by the Sword Podcast. Today’s conversation is tender, honest, and so needed.

I’m joined by Tiffany Stein, who just released a brand-new book: Mourning God: Grieving Loss, Wrestling with God, and Finding Your Way Back to Life. And let me tell you — this episode is for anyone who has ever walked through grief, felt disoriented in their faith, or wondered, “God… where are You in this?”

In this episode, Tiffany shares:

• Life in Austin, Texas, and how she now gets to disciple nine-year-olds as a 4th grade teacher at a Christian private school

• Her background in church ministry (including serving as a women’s pastor) and what it looked like to walk with people toward Christ

• Her personal “freedom journey” — from fearing a “righteous and angry God,” to slowly discovering God as loving, present, and safe

• How seasons of depression, questioning, and searching shaped her faith (and why asking hard questions doesn’t mean you’re walking away from God)

Tiffany’s story of loss

Tiffany opens up about the devastating loss of her son, David, who was born in 2018 with a congenital heart abnormality and spent 53 days in the NICU before he went to be with the Lord. She shares what it was like to grieve publicly while also serving as pastors — and how the hardest part wasn’t only the loss… but the feeling that God’s presence “lifted” afterward.

That “double grief” became part of what birthed this book:

• grieving her child

• and grieving the God she thought she knew

A word for the Church: please stop saying thiscat

We also talk about how well-meaning Christians sometimes use “quick words” that actually cause more harm — especially phrases like:

“Everything happens for a reason.”

Tiffany gives such a needed invitation for believers to learn the ministry of presence, and to normalize lament the way Scripture does (because yes… a huge portion of the Psalms are lament).

Sometimes the holiest thing you can do is:

• show up

• sit in silence

• bring a meal

• remember the anniversary

• send the Mother’s Day card

• and let people grieve without being corrected

Because grief doesn’t need to be fixed — it needs to be witnessed.

Friend, if you’re grieving… if you’re wrestling… if you’re angry… if you feel distant… please hear me: you are not disqualified. God can handle your questions, your tears, and your lament.

Bio:

Tiffany Stein is an ordained minister and trusted shepherd with more than a decade of ministry experience. She currently serves as a fourth grade teacher at Austin Classical School and previously served as women’s pastor and marriage and care director at Irving Bible Church in Dallas, Texas. Tiffany is a native Texan and a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary and Oklahoma Baptist University. She has a deep desire to see individuals grow in the fullness and joy of Christ and comes alive when writing and teaching. She delights in one-on-one conversations with a cup of hot tea in hand and takes every opportunity to hike the Texas Hill Country. Tiffany is married to Jason, the executive pastor at The Well Austin. They have two beloved children: David, who is with the Lord, and Emma Ruth. The Steins live in the suburbs of Austin.

Anchor Verses:

2 Corinthians 1:3–4

Romans 12:15

Psalm 27:13–14

Connect with Tiffany:

Website: https://www.tiffanystein.com

IG: https://www.instagram.com/tiffanyrstein

***We love hearing from you! Your reviews help our podcast community and keep these important conversations going. If this episode inspired you, challenged you, or gave you a fresh perspective, we’d be so grateful if you’d take a moment to leave a review. Just head to Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen and share your thoughts—it’s a simple way to make a big impact!***