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We sit down with Melanie Cox, author of the book "You Have to Know," and talk about the hidden battles so many women carry, from shame and regret to the fear that God’s love depends on performance. Melanie shares hard stories and bold truth about redemption, identity, church pain, and what changes when we start living from God’s love instead of striving for it.
• why Melanie wrote "You Have to Know" after a cancer scare and what she wanted her kids to learn about God
• the difference between praying from regret and praying with authority and trust
• breaking the lies of not enough and too much by anchoring identity in Christ
• separating God from the people who hurt you and finding healthy church community
• spiritual battle language and why words, mindset, and daily relationship with God matter
• striving for love versus receiving love and how that shift brings peace
• Melanie’s healing journey through infertility, depression, and a renewed faith in God’s promises
Find Melanie Cox on Instagram to send her a message. If you send her your email address, she will send you a free digital copy of the book.

ItsMelanieCox on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsmelaniecox/

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We talk with Chick-fil-A Operator and franchisee, Wesley Key about losing his faith in seminary, building it back through one simple lunch, and learning the hard way that success cannot silence the voice that says we are not enough. We trace how awards, grief, COVID-era pressure, anxiety, and surrender reshape his leadership, his family life, and the purpose behind his book.
• growing up in church while lacking personal faith roots
• becoming an atheist in seminary after an ethics debate
• a mentor’s persistence and a low-pressure gospel invitation
• taking on the lowest volume Chick-fil-A and rebuilding with hiring and culture
• community outreach built on generosity and local relationships
• the hidden cost of excellence, awards, and perfectionism
• grief, pandemic disruption, inflation stress, and escalating anxiety
• a medication spiral that intensifies suicidal thoughts
• surrender as a daily practice and the start of healing
• inside-out transformation that rebuilds purpose and identity
• God’s faithfulness in seasons of desert and failure
you can send an email to my podcast. When you go on your podcast platform, there’s something that says you can send an email, or you can send an email to me at stephanynelson.com, and we’re gonna give away five copies of Wes’s book to the first five people who respond.

Subscribe to the Pivotal People newsletter for new episodes, giveaways and more: https://stephanienelson.com/newsletter/
Learn more at StephanieNelson.com
Follow us on Instagram @stephanie_nelson_cm
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Order Stephanie's book Imagine More: Do What You Love, Discover Your Potential

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We sit down with novelist Johanna Vann to talk about writing "Where Wilted Flowers Bloom" and why a fictional story can tell the truth about grief more powerfully than a stack of nonfiction. We also share the behind-the-scenes reality of publishing, motherhood, and faith that doesn’t rely on tidy answers when life hurts.
• Johanna’s path from broadcast journalism to award-winning novelist
• Writing in slim margins while homeschooling and raising little kids
• Hiring an editor, learning craft, and pushing past insecurity
• The emotional core of "Where Wilted Flowers Bloom" and why it resonates
• Grief after losing a baby and the strain it can put on marriage
• Multigenerational friendship and how neighbors can become lifelines
• Christian fiction without cheesy shortcuts and why platitudes can wound
• Practical ways to choose community and show up for people nearby

If you'd like to contact Johanna, find her on social media and send her a message. You can also find her on her website :

https://www.johannavann.com/

Subscribe to the Pivotal People newsletter for new episodes, giveaways and more: https://stephanienelson.com/newsletter/
Learn more at StephanieNelson.com
Follow us on Instagram @stephanie_nelson_cm
Follow us on Facebook at CouponMom

Order Stephanie's book Imagine More: Do What You Love, Discover Your Potential