Hey friends, it's Amber here!

Ever mix up your art history and accidentally stumble into a profound truth? Yeah, me too. That's basically how this entire episode was born.

I'm digging into what it means to be a person before your time, how to cut off the voices of critics (metaphorically, friends!), and why your "random" brain connections might actually be divine downloads.

If you've ever felt too scattered, too creative, or too different for the traditional path—this one's for you. Grab your shovel. Let's dig in the dirt together and see what God's been whispering through the chaos.

What You'll Hear in This Episode:

[00:00-01:00] The Art Book Confession How my British father-in-law taught me to contemplate art, and why getting Van Gogh and Da Vinci historically confused turned out to be the whole point.

[01:00-03:00] The Innovators Were Always Misunderstood Why every person we look back on as a genius was criticized in their own time—and what that means for you and your "crazy" ideas right now.

[03:00-05:00] The Biblical Before-Their-Time Club Noah building a boat with no water. Da Vinci sketching helicopters in the 1400s. What divine inspiration looks like when nobody else can see it yet.

[05:00-07:00] When "Crazy Chaos" Is Actually God Speaking How to tell the difference between random thoughts and divine downloads (hint: you might not know until you dig deeper).

[07:00-09:00] My Van Gogh Moments: The 50-Year Journey Getting real about my journalism degree, my communication fears, my paradox life, and the four big revelations that helped me find my authentic voice.

[09:00-11:00] The Self-Inventory Questions Here's what I want you to take away: specific questions to help you figure out what voices you need to cut off and what God's been whispering that you've been dismissing.

[11:00-13:00] Prayer for the Innovators Praying for everyone who feels alone in their vision, misunderstood in their calling, or crazy for following what God's put in their hearts.

[13:00-14:00] Your Da Vinci Moment Is Waiting The call to action, the encouragement, and my signature chaotic sign-off.

Perfect for: Neurodivergent Christians, creative souls, innovators, anyone who's been told they're "too much," people who need permission to trust their messy brain, and short yellow pencil sisters who are tired of hiding their struggles.

Not for: People who want clean, systematic theology with zero paradox.

Length: 14 minutes

Amber Weigand-Buckley is an award-winning author, podcaster as well as editor and art director for Leading Hearts magazine. She is also co-host of Coffee Chat with Amber & Lisa. Be on the lookout for her May 2026 release #sisterhoodoftheshortyellowpencils: Mental Health Mayhem, One Sticky Note at a Time. Follow her @barefacedgirl on socials for more.

Hey friends! Welcome back to another episode of Random Devo Thoughts with Amber. Today, I'm diving into the messy world of writing my book #sisterhoodoftheshortyellowpencils and all the chaos that came with it. I'll share how I almost gave up, the struggles with editing, and why I decided to break all the rules to stay true to my neurodivergent readers. We'll talk about how even Jesus was a rule-breaker with his parables and why it's so important to reach the 'one' person who needs our message the most.

Amber Weigand-Buckley is an award-winning author, podcaster as well as editor and art director for Leading Hearts magazine. She is also co-host of Coffee Chat with Amber & Lisa. Be on the lookout for her May 2026 release #sisterhoodoftheshortyellowpencils: Mental Health Mayhem, One Sticky Note at a Time. Follow her @barefacedgirl on socials for more.

Hey friends, it's Amber! In this episode of Random Devo Thoughts, I dive into the universal experience of hitting your limit—that moment when your brain says 'That's enough.' Let's talk about the different ways we react when we're overwhelmed and explore how these moments can be invitations from God to rest in His presence. Instead of fighting our meltdowns, what if we allowed ourselves to melt into God's love? Join me for some heartfelt insights, genuine encouragement, and a fresh perspective on navigating faith and mental health.

Amber Weigand-Buckley is an award-winning author, podcaster as well as editor and art director for Leading Hearts magazine. She is also co-host of Coffee Chat with Amber & Lisa. Be on the lookout for her May 2026 release #sisterhoodoftheshortyellowpencils: Mental Health Mayhem, One Sticky Note at a Time. Follow her @barefacedgirl on socials for more.

Hey guys, I'm literally sitting in a Walmart parking lot composing this episode with Stanley, my Great Pyrenees, and he's got his head out the window doing what he does best—seeking discovery. And it got me thinking in the neurodivergent spaghetti of my mind about wonder, about a tiny wooden piano from Christmas 1979, and about how we've lost the art of unwrapping presents in God's presence. This episode is part childhood nostalgia, part theological deep dive, and part dog-inspired revelation. And to be honest, it might be one of my favorite conversations I've had with myself in a parking lot.

Timestamps:

[00:00] Welcome to parking lot theology with Stanley
[00:45] Christmas 1979 and the Holy Trinity of childhood desire
[02:00] The wooden piano that changed everything
[03:15] Stanley's posture of wonder (and why it matters)
[04:00] Unwrapping presents in God's presence (the wordplay that broke me)
[06:00] When the miraculous becomes mundane
[06:45] The astronomer, the Star of Bethlehem
[08:00] Why science doesn't ruin the miracle
[09:15] God made photosynthesis (so stop apologizing for your questions)
[10:30] The box that never runs out
[11:30] When wooden pianos end up in the attic
[12:30] Prayer: Help us keep our heads out the window
[13:30] Stanley needs me to hurry up and end this

Amber Weigand-Buckley is an award-winning author, podcaster as well as editor and art director for Leading Hearts magazine. She is also co-host of Coffee Chat with Amber & Lisa. Be on the lookout for her May 2026 release #sisterhoodoftheshortyellowpencils: Mental Health Mayhem, One Sticky Note at a Time. Follow her @barefacedgirl on socials for more.

Ever feel like we're living in a Planet of the Apes sequel nobody asked for?

In this episode, I'm talking about the spiritual bananas the world keeps handing us and why vacuum-sealing rotten fruit never turns it into something good. Spoiler: fear doesn't become peace with time, and bitterness won't turn into banana bread.

I'm getting real about how to anchor yourself to sanity when everyone else seems to be losing theirs, and what Jesus's approach teaches us about breaking free from primitive mindset.

If you're tired of getting pelted with recycled opinions and ready to cultivate something that actually lasts, this one's for you.

Hint: It involves throwing away the bananas and making room for strawberry preserves.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 - Intro
00:45 - Don't Invest in the Bananas
01:30 - The Planet of the Apes Problem
03:00 - What We're Getting Pelted With
06:00 - The Right Fruit vs. The Wrong Fruit
07:30 - Why Vacuum-Sealing Rotten Fruit Never Works
10:15 - Jesus's Approach
12:00 - Breaking the Primitive Mindset
14:00 - What to Preserve Instead
17:00 - Prayer
17:45 - Outro

KEY INFO:

Scripture: Galatians 5:22-23
Length: ~18 minutes
Topics: Fruit of the Spirit, Cultural Chaos, Discernment, Spiritual Growth

Amber Weigand-Buckley is an award-winning author, podcaster as well as editor and art director for Leading Hearts magazine. She is also co-host of Coffee Chat with Amber & Lisa. Be on the lookout for her May 2026 release #sisterhoodoftheshortyellowpencils: Mental Health Mayhem, One Sticky Note at a Time. Follow her @barefacedgirl on socials for more.

Ever feel like you're drowning in a mud puddle while acting like you need a life raft? Yeah, me too. In this episode, I'm tackling that gloomy voice in our heads that sounds suspiciously like Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh—you know, the one convinced everything is conspiring against us.

Here's the thing: COVID turned us all into Eeyores somehow, normalizing a victim mentality where we're waist-deep in water calling it an ocean. But I'm here to tell you how pink inflatable birds became my spirit animal when negativity reared its ugly head.

So grab your metaphorical floaty and join me as I figure out how to be awkward, imperfect, and unapologetically fabulous—even in the mess.

01:00 - Meet Your Inner Eeyore (He's the Worst)

02:00 - COVID Turned Us All Into Depressed Donkeys

03:00 - Are You Bringing Sunshine or a Complaint Convention?

04:00 - Your Words: Medicine or Straight-Up Poison?

05:00 - I Created a Flamingo Cult During Lockdown

06:00 - Meet Tilly: Our Pink Mascot of Chaos

07:00 - I Became the Oprah of Flamingos (You Get a Flamingo!)

08:00 - People Swimming in Mud Puddles: A Springfield Love Story

09:00 - Job 11:16 or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Puddle

10:00 - You're Not Drowning, You're Just Dramatic

11:00 - Find Your Floaties (No, Really, Find Them)

12:00 - Put a Flamingo on Your Problems

13:00 - Prayer for Hot Mess Flamingo People

14:00 - Two Songs: Pick Your Soundtrack (Eeyore or Fabulous?)

Amber Weigand-Buckley is an award-winning author, podcaster as well as editor and art director for Leading Hearts magazine. She is also co-host of Coffee Chat with Amber & Lisa. Be on the lookout for her May 2026 release #sisterhoodoftheshortyellowpencils: Mental Health Mayhem, One Sticky Note at a Time. Follow her @barefacedgirl on socials for more.

I'm getting real about life with a buckshot brain—you know, the kind that walks into the kitchen to make dinner and ends up reorganizing the hall closet while something burns on the stove. This episode tackles the guilt, the chaos, and the grace of living scattered, including a very honest confession about my legally blind husband tripping over things I've left in random "logical" places. I'm also sharing 5 things that help me wrangle my focus back to what actually matters (most of the time). Spoiler: God's not waiting for you to get your act together before He shows up.

Chapter Tracks:

1. 0:00 – Intro: Buckle Up, Buttercup
2. 1:00 – My House Is a Booby Trap (Sorry, Philip)
3. 2:00 – When Someone Else's Organizational System Lasts Exactly Six Days
4. 3:00 – The Guilt Spiral Nobody Asked For
5. 4:00 – Hyperfocus Is Great Until Dinner's on Fire
6. 5:00 – Accidentally Becoming a Human Speed Bump
7. 6:00 – Philippians 4:8, But Make It ADHD
8. 7:00 – Three Rooms Away From the Original Mission
9. 8:00 – Jesus Said His Yoke Is Light So Why Am I Like This
10. 9:00 – Five Things That Actually Help (Sometimes)
11. 11:00 – That Church Sign Came for Me Personally
12. 12:00 – Fearfully, Wonderfully, and Chaotically Made
13. 14:00 – Inviting God Into Every Room You Wander Into
14. 15:00 – A Prayer for Buzzing Brains
15. 16:00 – Outro: He's Already in the Scatter

Amber Weigand-Buckley is an award-winning author, podcaster as well as editor and art director for Leading Hearts magazine. She is also co-host of Coffee Chat with Amber & Lisa. Be on the lookout for her May 2026 release #sisterhoodoftheshortyellowpencils: Mental Health Mayhem, One Sticky Note at a Time. Follow her @barefacedgirl on socials for more.

Ever feel like you're fighting for a seat at tables where nobody actually wants you there? Yeah, me too. And honestly? I'm exhausted.

Here's the thing: I spent way too long trying to prove I belonged at the "important people" table—the leadership table, the ministry table, that table where everyone seems to have their act together. But something shifted for me recently. What if I was never meant to be at THAT table? What if God's been preparing a completely different seat?

If you've been second-guessing your gifts, exhausting yourself trying to fit in, or listening to the comment section of your life louder than God's voice? This episode is for you.

Time to stop scrapping for crumbs and start feasting at the right table.

Grab your coffee (or whatever gets you through the day), and let's talk about what happens when you finally realize you're not the backup casserole—you're the beloved child at the Father's table.

Timestamps: [00:00] Why I'm tired of being the object lesson

[02:30] The table I was actually meant for

[05:00] Colliding with God's love (and what that changes)

[08:00] The Saffy Burrito analogy that will make sense, I promise

[11:00] Moving in boldness when you know you belong

[13:00] Prayer for the beloved

Amber Weigand-Buckley is an award-winning author, podcaster as well as editor and art director for Leading Hearts magazine. She is also co-host of Coffee Chat with Amber & Lisa. Be on the lookout for her May 2026 release #sisterhoodoftheshortyellowpencils: Mental Health Mayhem, One Sticky Note at a Time. Follow her @barefacedgirl on socials for more.