Waking up with purpose can feel impossible when trauma, stress, and old memories still live in the body. In this episode, we explore how God designed the body, brain, and spirit to work together for healing and resilience. You’ll learn how the gut–brain connection influences mood, anxiety, and stress response, why nourishment and hydration matter spiritually and neurologically, and how small morning habits can help interrupt old trauma-driven thought patterns. This episode blends biblical truth, neuroscience, and practical tools to help you step into purpose—even on heavy days.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Why purpose is not just spiritual but neurological and physical
• How trauma wires the nervous system—and how healing rewires it
• What the gut–brain connection is and why it matters for emotional health
• What GABA is and how it supports calm and emotional regulation
• How nutrition and hydration affect mood, anxiety, and resilience
• Why self-stewardship is an act of spiritual alignment
• Simple morning practices to interrupt stress cycles
• How supporting the body helps renew the mind

Scripture Anchors

• Romans 12:2
• Proverbs 4:23
• John 10:10
• Psalm 139:14

Resources Mentioned

✨ Free Gut Health Reset Guide for Women

🔗 Connect with Me:

>> Visit https://lesliechermak.com/work-with-leslie/ for more support.

>> Take this FREE quiz: Reclaiming Your Life: A Biblical Wellness Quiz for Childhood Trauma Survivors

>> Take a deeper dive discovering your purpose: Ignite Your Purpose and learn how to think through God's Word in this self paced online course.

This time of year always brings up emotions and feelings that either hold you back or move you forward. Why not this be the year where you can truly dream?

In This Episode: ✓ Why the end of the year is the perfect time to dream with God ✓ How negative self-talk steals clarity ✓ The 5-step God-led goal-setting process you can start today ✓ Scriptures to anchor your mind ✓ How to prepare your heart for 2026

Scriptures Mentioned: • Proverbs 3:5–6 • Psalm 37:23–24 • Psalm 119:105 • Psalm 16:7–11

>>Grab your set of “My Identity In Christ Cards”

https://lesliechermak.myflodesk.com/identitycards

🔗 Connect with Me:

>> Visit https://lesliechermak.com/work-with-leslie/ for more support.

>> Take a deeper dive discovering your purpose: Ignite Your Purpose and learn how to think through God's Word in this self paced online course.

>> I’ll meet you in your inbox on Fridays!

https://lesliechermak.myflodesk.com/newsletter

Music score: Kevin Manthei Music

In this pre-Thanksgiving episode, Leslie offers a heartfelt message to women who find the holidays emotionally challenging—especially survivors of childhood trauma. She shares her own journey of learning to show up differently during family gatherings, how surrendering her own expectations helped her find peace, and how Jesus brought restoration and freedom from painful memories.

You'll also learn a simple but powerful gratitude and grounding exercise you can use anytime to reset your attitude, calm your nervous system, and reconnect with God’s presence. Leslie closes with a prayer of peace, protection, and joy for your upcoming holiday gatherings.

In This Episode You’ll Hear:

• Why the holidays can be difficult for trauma survivors
• Leslie’s personal story of shifting from dread to joy during family gatherings
• A mindset shift that helps you stay centered in gratitude
• A calming breathing method to help regulate your emotions
• A grounding exercise that brings you back into peace and presence
• Encouragement for women walking into tender family dynamics
• A prayer covering your heart, your memories, and your holiday week

Who This Episode Is For: Women healing from childhood trauma • Christian women • Moms navigating emotional triggers • Anyone feeling overwhelmed heading into Thanksgiving • Anyone seeking hope, peace, and grounding during the holidays

Resources Mentioned:

• Breathing + gratitude grounding exercise
• Scripture-based encouragement
• Hope in the Fire podcast community

🔗 Connect with Me:

>> Visit https://lesliechermak.com/work-with-leslie/ for more support.

>> 5 Simple Steps to Becoming An Overcomer: https://lesliechermak.myflodesk.com/overcomer

>> Take this FREE quiz: Reclaiming Your Life: A Biblical Wellness Quiz for Childhood Trauma Survivors

>> Take a deeper dive discovering your purpose: Ignite Your Purpose and learn how to think through God's Word in this self paced online course.

>> I’ll meet you in your inbox on Fridays!

https://lesliechermak.myflodesk.com/newsletter

Music score: Kevin Manthei Music

In this heartfelt episode, Leslie opens up about her mother’s legacy of faith and the powerful lessons she discovered while reading through her journals and Bibles after her passing.

Life’s trials can shake us to our core, but they can also become sacred training grounds for the future God has planned for us. Through personal reflection and her mother’s timeless wisdom, Leslie reminds us that:

• Adversity is one of God’s most effective tools for strengthening our faith.
• When God allows adversity, it’s never to hurt us, but to help us.
• We are never alone—He promises to never leave or forsake us.

If you’re walking through loss, pain, or uncertainty, this episode will help you find purpose in the middle of your storm and hope in the fire.

🎁 Free Resource: Download Leslie’s “5 Steps to Becoming an Overcomer” — a simple, faith-based guide to help you reclaim your identity in Christ and walk forward in healing. 👉 https://lesliechermak.myflodesk.com/overcomer

📖 Scripture to Reflect On:

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” — Romans 8:28

✨ Takeaway: Your trials are not the end of your story—they are training you for the purpose God created you for.

So many women feel “stuck” in old habits, emotional reactions, or patterns they’ve tried to change a thousand times. But today I want to show you something powerful: You are not stuck. You are rewiring.

On this episode, we talk about how small daily choices create big healing, how triggers form habits, and how God uses the renewing of our minds to help us overcome behaviors that no longer serve us. You’ll learn how to interrupt old patterns, create new pathways in your brain, and make room for peace, confidence, and emotional freedom.

If you’ve ever felt frustrated with yourself, this episode will help you breathe again and believe again.

In this episode:

• Why healing often starts with small daily steps
• How habits are formed in the brain (in simple language!)
• What triggers are and why they matter more than the behavior itself
• How interrupting a pattern starts to rewire the brain
• Faith-based ways to replace negative self-talk with truth

Scripture: Romans 12:2 — “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

Free Resource Mentioned: 📘 Download “5 Steps to Becoming an Overcomer” — a free, faith-filled guide to help you take simple steps toward healing and wholeness. 👉 https://lesliechermak.myflodesk.com/overcomer

Listen & Share: If this episode encouraged you, share it with another woman who needs hope, healing, and the reminder that she can change.

👉 Leave a 5 star review! ✨ This helps women like you find hope and encouragement.

In this episode of Hope in the Fire, Leslie invites you to reflect on one simple but life-changing question: Is your health worth investing in?

Many of us pour our energy into others, but neglect our own well-being — emotionally, physically, or spiritually. Leslie shares how true healing comes through partnership with God and why investing in your health is an act of faithful stewardship, not selfishness.

You’ll discover three practical steps you can take this week to begin prioritizing your wellness — without guilt, overwhelm, or huge expense. Because God doesn’t just want to heal your spirit — He wants to restore your whole health.

💫 In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why God cares about your whole health — body, mind, and spirit
• The difference between stewardship and striving
• How trauma and emotional wounds affect physical health
• Three small, faithful steps you can take toward healing today
• How to invite God into your wellness journey as your ultimate Healer

🔥 Key Scripture:

“But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,” declares the Lord. — Jeremiah 30:17

💬 Favorite Quotes:

• “Investing in your health isn’t striving — it’s stewardship.”
• “You are worth the investment because you are God’s masterpiece.”
• “Faithful steps lead to powerful transformation.”

🕊️ Call to Action:

What’s one small way you can invest in your wellness this week as a step toward the life God designed for you? Take that step — and tag me @lesliechermak so I can cheer you on!

🎁 Want more? Download my free guide: 5 Steps to Becoming an Overcomer — a biblical roadmap to healing, hope, and lasting transformation. 👉 https://lesliechermak.myflodesk.com/overcomer

🔗 Connect with Me:

>> Visit https://lesliechermak.com/work-with-leslie/ for more support.

>> Take this FREE quiz: Reclaiming Your Life: A Biblical Wellness Quiz for Childhood Trauma Survivors

>> Take a deeper dive discovering your purpose: Ignite Your Purpose and learn how to think through God's Word in this self paced online course.

>> I’ll meet you in your inbox on Fridays!

https://lesliechermak.myflodesk.com/newsletter

Music score: Kevin Manthei Music

This year hasn’t gone the way I expected. I faced the loss of my mom, my dad, and just 2 years ago my sister — three heartbreaks that brought me to my knees. But through it all, I’ve learned something powerful: being an Overcomer isn’t about never falling — it’s about choosing to trust God even when you don’t understand.

In this heartfelt episode, I open up about my own journey through grief and how God has taught me to find joy again in the middle of the pain. We’ll talk about what it really means to overcome, how to stay rooted in God’s Word, and how to reclaim your identity in Christ after life has shaken you.

If you’ve been walking through a hard season — or if you’ve ever wondered how to keep your faith when life falls apart — this conversation is for you.

✨ In this episode, you’ll learn:

The difference between trying harder and trusting deeper

3 ways to cultivate joy in painful seasons

How to stand firm in your identity as a daughter of God

The Scriptures that anchor you when your world feels uncertain

📖 Key Verses:

Proverbs 3:5–6

Philippians 4:13

Isaiah 41:10

💬 Favorite Quote:

“Overcoming isn’t about perfection. It’s about perseverance — trusting that even in the fire, God is still with you.”

👉 If this episode encouraged you, share it with a friend who needs hope today.

🔗 Connect with Me:

>> Grab your copy of my 5 Simple Steps to Becoming An Overcomer

>> Visit https://lesliechermak.com/work-with-leslie/ for more support.

>> Take this FREE quiz: Reclaiming Your Life: A Biblical Wellness Quiz for Childhood Trauma Survivors

>> Take a deeper dive discovering your purpose: Ignite Your Purpose and learn how to think through God's Word in this self paced online course.

Music score: Kevin Manthei Music

Grief is something every one of us will face, yet so many myths surround it: “Strong Christians don’t grieve.” “You should be back to normal in a few months.” “Crying is weakness.” In this heartfelt episode of Hope in the Fire, I share the truth about grief, my own journey through the recent loss of my parents and sister, and how God meets us in our deepest pain.

Whether you’re in a season of grief yourself or supporting someone who is, this conversation will remind you that grief is not a sign of weakness—it’s a necessary, God-given process of healing.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• The most common myths about grief (and why they aren’t true)
• Why grieving is a normal, healthy, and God-designed response to loss
• My personal story of losing my parents and sister, and the unique ways grief showed up in each situation
• How grief affects us emotionally, physically, and spiritually
• Biblical encouragement from the story of Job and the words of Jesus
• Practical ways to take care of yourself in grief—from leaning on God to worship, journaling, creativity, and movement

Scripture Highlight:

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” —Matthew 5:4

>>Grab your set of “My Identity In Christ Cards”

https://lesliechermak.myflodesk.com/identitycards

🔗 Connect with Me:

>> Visit https://lesliechermak.com/work-with-leslie/ for more support.

>> Take this FREE quiz: Reclaiming Your Life: A Biblical Wellness Quiz for Childhood Trauma Survivors

>> Take a deeper dive discovering your purpose: Ignite Your Purpose and learn how to think through God's Word in this self paced online course.

>> I’ll meet you in your inbox on Fridays!

https://lesliechermak.myflodesk.com/newsletter

Music score: Kevin Manthei Music