Authentically Amber: Navigating Life's Anxious Moments & Everything In-Between

Amber Ginter Johnson
  • 5.0 (12)
  • Christianity
  • Updated Biweekly

Hi, friends! Welcome to Authentically Amber, a podcast for anyone navigating the rollercoaster of adulting and living out their faith in a messy world. Join me, Amber Ginter Johnson, for raw, honest conversations on life’s challenges—from mental health and faith to practical wisdom for everyday living—all designed to help you grow, heal, and thrive. Whether you're facing change, struggling with anxiety, or just need someone who gets it, you're not alone. Get comfortable as we dive into the messiness of life—and everything in between—together. This is Authentically Amber.

  1. Sep 30

    Finding Jesus in the Middle of OCD and Church Hurt with Charis Rae

    Season 2, Episode 20: Finding Jesus in the Middle of OCD and Church Hurt with Charis Rae Description: What does faith look like when your mind won’t stop racing—and the church isn’t always helpful? In today’s episode, I sit down with my friend Charis Rae Mace to talk about her journey with OCD, her experiences with mental health in church, and how she found Jesus even when prayer didn’t “fix” everything. We dive into deconstruction, hidden ways church culture can unintentionally promote OCD and superstition, and the beautiful ways faith can still bring hope and healing. If you’ve ever felt trapped by anxiety, OCD, or church expectations, this conversation reminds you that faith and mental health can coexist—and that finding Jesus doesn’t always mean finding the church. What You’ll Hear in This Episode:✨ Charis’ personal journey with OCD and faith✨ Ways church culture can unintentionally harm mental health✨ How deconstruction can lead to a deeper, healthier faith✨ Practical ways to experience God’s presence outside of church systems✨ Encouragement for navigating anxiety, OCD, and spirituality Takeaways:✨ Mental health struggles don’t make someone less faithful✨ Prayer is powerful, but sometimes faith also needs boundaries, self-awareness, and support✨ Church culture can unintentionally reinforce fear, guilt, or superstition✨ God’s presence and care are real—even outside traditional spaces✨ Healing and faith can coexist in imperfect systems Resources Mentioned:📚 Charis Rae Mace (author and friend of Amber) Let’s Connect:💻 Website: ⁠AmberGinter.com⁠📸 Instagram: ⁠@amberginterauthor⁠ Reminder: You can find Jesus in the middle of OCD, church hurt, and mental health struggles—faith and healing can coexist.

    Finding Jesus in the Middle of OCD and Church Hurt with Charis Rae

  2. Sep 16

    Don’t Just Wing It: Living with Purpose, Faith, and Focus with Pastor Tim Moore

    Season 2, Episode 19: Don’t Just Wing It: Living with Purpose, Faith, and Focus with Pastor Tim Moore Description: What would your life look like if you stopped drifting—and started living on purpose? In today’s episode, I sit down with Pastor Tim Moore of X Church to talk about his transformational new book, Don’t Wing It: The Essentials for Money, Dating, Taxes & Everything Else. With his signature blend of humor, biblical clarity, and straight-to-the-heart honesty, Tim unpacks why so many of us feel overwhelmed, confused, and directionless—and how to anchor our lives in God’s purpose instead. We talk about identity, calling, character, spiritual formation, Gen Z’s search for meaning, and how to stop winging it and start walking in who God designed you to be. If you’ve been feeling stressed, scattered, or stuck—this conversation will remind you that purpose isn’t something you stumble into. It’s something God forms in you. What You’ll Hear in This Episode:✨ Why “winging it” is the default mode for so many young adults✨ How identity and purpose are formed—not found✨ The role of character, discipline, and responsibility in spiritual growth✨ How Gen Z can pursue meaning without burning out✨ What it looks like to trust God when life feels unclear✨ Practical steps to move from confusion to clarity Takeaways:✨ You don’t need to have life figured out to live with purpose✨ Drift happens naturally—intentionality doesn’t✨ God’s design for your life is built through daily faithfulness✨ Spiritual disciplines create stability in a distracted world✨ Purpose is shaped one decision, one habit, one step at a time Resources Mentioned:📚 Don’t Wing It: The Essentials for Money, Dating, Taxes & Everything Else by Pastor Tim Moore📸 Instagram: @timmoore.online💻 Website: TimMoore.online⛪ X Church Let’s Connect:💻 Website: ⁠AmberGinter.com⁠📸 Instagram: ⁠@amberginterauthor⁠ Reminder:You don’t have to wing your life—God invites you to walk with purpose, faith, and focus.

    Don’t Just Wing It: Living with Purpose, Faith, and Focus with Pastor Tim Moore

  3. Sep 2

    A Soft Place to Land: Finding Hope in the Hard Seasons with Tanner Olson

    Season 2, Episode 18: A Soft Place to Land: Finding Hope in the Hard Seasons with Tanner Olson Description: What does hope sound like when life gets heavy? In this gentle and grounding episode, Amber sits down with author, poet, and friend Tanner Olson—the beloved voice behind Written to Speak—to talk about his newest book, Getting Through What You’re Going Through: Notes and Poems for Hoping and Becoming (Zondervan Gift, releasing February 17, 2026). Tanner writes for the in-between moments—between heartbreak and healing, fear and faith, burnout and becoming. His short, powerful reflections create a soft place to land for anyone walking through a hard season. Together, Amber and Tanner talk about mental health, slowing down, infertility and grief, hope, creativity, poetry, and the courage it takes to keep going when you’re not sure you can. If you’re tired, overwhelmed, or unsure how to take the next step—this conversation is for you. What You’ll Hear in This Episode: ✨ Tanner’s story and the heart behind Getting Through What You’re Going Through✨ Why slowing down is essential for mental health—especially for Gen Z✨ Honest conversations about anxiety, grief, infertility, adoption, and hope✨ How poetry creates space to breathe when words feel hard✨ What it really looks like to honor the in-between seasons Takeaways:✨ Faith that doesn’t rush healing—but walks with you through it✨ A special reading from Tanner’s new book✨ A rapid-fire round that includes Pancake the dog 🐶 ✨ Hope doesn’t have to be loud to be real✨ You don’t have to fix everything to take the next step✨ The in-between seasons still matter✨ Slowing down is not failure—it’s wisdom✨ You are not alone in what you’re going through Resources Mentioned: 📚 Getting Through What You’re Going Through: Notes and Poems for Hoping and Becoming — Tanner Olson (Zondervan Gift, Feb 17, 2026)📚 Walk a Little Slower — Tanner Olson📚 All the Things I Say to God — Tanner Olson💻 Website: https://writtentospeak.com📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/writtentospeak 💻 Website: ⁠https://AmberGinter.com⁠📸 Instagram: ⁠https://instagram.com/amberginterauthor⁠ Reminder: Sometimes getting through what you’re going through starts with slowing down and taking one gentle step forward.

    A Soft Place to Land: Finding Hope in the Hard Seasons with Tanner Olson

  4. Aug 19

    Loving Through Addiction — Supporting Recovery and Finding Hope After Loss Interview

    Season 2, Episode 17: Loving Through Addiction — Supporting Recovery and Finding Hope After Loss with Caroline Beidler Description: What does it mean to love someone caught in addiction—or to grieve someone you’ve lost to it? In this deeply personal and hope-filled episode, Amber sits down with author, speaker, and recovery advocate Caroline Beidler, MSW, to talk about loving well through addiction, supporting recovery without losing yourself, and holding onto faith after loss. Drawing from lived experience, professional insight, and faith, Caroline shares wisdom for families impacted by addiction, overdose loss, relapse, and long-term healing. Together, Amber and Caroline explore boundaries, grief, shame, recovery, and the redemptive power of community and story. What You’ll Hear in This Episode:✨ Caroline’s personal journey through addiction, recovery, and calling✨ How to love someone in addiction without enabling or self-abandonment✨ What to say—and what not to say—to someone grieving an overdose loss✨ Healthy boundaries rooted in love, not guilt✨ Why recovery involves families, faith, and emotional healing—not just sobriety✨ How storytelling breaks shame and creates belonging Takeaways:✨ You are not responsible for someone else’s addiction or recovery✨ Grief and hope can coexist—even when the outcome isn’t what you prayed for✨ Boundaries can be compassionate and Christ-centered✨ Recovery is holistic: spiritual, emotional, relational, and physical✨ Your story, even the painful parts, can bring healing to others Resources Mentioned:📚 https://whenyoulovesomeoneinrecovery.com/— Caroline Beidler📚 You Are Not Your Trauma — Caroline Beidler📚 Downstairs Church — Caroline Beidler💻https://www.carolinebeidler.com/📸 Instagram: @carolinebeidlerofficial🌿 Circle of Chairs Community🌐 Recovery.com Let’s Connect:💻 Website: ⁠AmberGinter.com⁠📸 Instagram: ⁠@amberginterauthor Reminder: Addiction doesn’t get the final word—grace, healing, and hope do.

    Loving Through Addiction — Supporting Recovery and Finding Hope After Loss Interview

  5. Aug 5

    Good Enough: Anxiety, Hustle Faith, and Learning You Don’t Have to Earn God’s Love with Felicia Joy

    Season 2, Episode 16: Good Enough — Anxiety, Hustle, Faith, and Letting Go of Earning God’s Love with Felicia Joy Description: What if your anxiety isn’t a sign of weak faith—but a sign you’ve been trying to earn God’s love? In this honest conversation, Amber and Felicia Joy talk about the pressure to do all the things, never feel good enough, and how that mindset quietly turns faith into performance. Together, they explore anxiety, perfectionism, counseling, and the freedom that comes from remembering you don’t have to earn grace. What You’ll Hear in This Episode:✨ Felicia’s faith journey and the church messages that shaped her early beliefs✨ How anxiety and pressure to “get it right” impact our relationship with Jesus✨ The difference between hustle faith and grace-filled faith✨ Why anxiety doesn’t mean you’re failing God✨ Honest conversation about counseling and mental health as a Christian Takeaways:✨ You don’t have to earn God’s love by being calmer, better, or more put-together✨ Anxiety is not a spiritual failure✨ Counseling can be a healthy, faith-honoring step✨ A bad therapy experience doesn’t mean you should give up on getting support✨ Rest and grace are part of healing—not rewards for getting it right Resources Mentioned:📚 Felicia Joy💻 Website: https://iamfeliciajoy.com/🛍️ Etsy Shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/iwearhope📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamfeliciajoy/ Let’s Connect:💻 Website: ⁠AmberGinter.com⁠📸 Instagram: ⁠@amberginterauthor⁠ Reminder:You are not behind, broken, or failing—God’s love is not something you have to earn.

    Good Enough: Anxiety, Hustle Faith, and Learning You Don’t Have to Earn God’s Love with Felicia Joy

  6. Jul 8

    Calling, Change, and the College-to-Career Leap —with Lillian Chung

    Season 2, Episode 14: Calling, Change, and the College-to-Career Leap — Interview with Lillian Chung Description: The leap from college to the “real world” can feel exciting, overwhelming, and uncertain all at once. In this episode of Authentically Amber, I sit down with Lillian Chung, a recent college graduate who moved to Florida to begin an internship with Cru’s Jesus Film Project. Together, we unpack calling, transition, identity, anxiety, adulthood, and what it means to walk with God into a brand-new season. Whether you’re graduating soon, navigating your first job, or unsure where God is leading, this episode will remind you that you’re not alone—God is already in your future. What You’ll Hear in This Episode:✨ Lillian's story: graduating, moving states, and starting with the Jesus Film Project✨ What the college-to-career transition really feels like—emotionally, spiritually, and mentally✨ How calling often unfolds step by step, not all at once✨ Navigating anxiety, loneliness, pressure, and uncertainty as a young adult✨ Practical tools for trusting God through major life changes✨ Encouragement for Gen Z stepping into adulthood with courage, faith, and grace Takeaways:✨ You don’t have to have your whole future figured out—just the next faithful step.✨ Calling is less about the job you have and more about who you’re becoming in Christ.✨ Big transitions often bring big emotions—and that’s human, not a sign of weak faith.✨ God is faithful in the unknowns, and He walks with you as you grow into adulthood. Resources Mentioned:🎥 Jesus Film Project (Cru) — learn more at: https://www.jesusfilm.org 📚 Let’s Connect:💻 Website: AmberGinter.com📸 Instagram: @amberginterauthor Reminder: You don’t have to know the whole map to take the next step—God is already in your future, guiding you right where you are today.

    Calling, Change, and the College-to-Career Leap —with Lillian Chung

  7. Jun 24

    Heartbreak, Healing, and Hope — Ryan Holland on Relationships, Breakups, and Mental Health

    Season 2, Episode 13: Heartbreak, Healing, and Hope — Ryan Holland on Relationships, Breakups, and Mental Health Description: Breakups hurt—mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. In this episode of Authentically Amber, I sit down with Ryan Holland, host of the Holy Heartbreak podcast, to talk about navigating the messy, complicated world of relationships and loss. Ryan unpacks how relational pain can trigger anxiety, impact self-worth, and shape our spiritual lives. Together, we look at coping strategies, faith-based resilience, and how heartbreak can actually become a doorway to deeper healing. Whether you’re currently heartbroken or untangling wounds from the past, this conversation will remind you that God meets you in heartbreak—and leads you toward hope. What You’ll Hear in This Episode:✨ Ryan’s story and how Holy Heartbreak was born✨ How breakups affect anxiety, sleep, confidence, and identity✨ Why unrequited love can feel physically painful✨ Faith-based ways to cope with heartbreak✨ Mental health tools to regulate emotions after relational loss✨ Lessons you can’t afford to miss from your breakup✨ Encouragement for Gen Z + young adults navigating relational confusion Takeaways:✨ Heartbreak isn’t weakness—it’s evidence of your capacity to love.✨ Faith + mental health practices can coexist and strengthen one another.✨ God doesn’t waste relational pain; He reshapes you through it.✨ Healing is slow, sacred, and absolutely possible. Resources Mentioned:🎙️ Holy Heartbreak Podcast — hosted by Ryan Holland📸 Instagram: @holyheartbreak.podcast and Ryan's personal channel here. Let’s Connect:💻 Website: AmberGinter.com📸 Instagram: @amberginterauthor Reminder: Heartbreak is hard—but you’re not alone. God sees your pain, and with Him, healing and hope are possible.

    Heartbreak, Healing, and Hope — Ryan Holland on Relationships, Breakups, and Mental Health

  8. Jun 10

    Boundaries, Rights, and Biblical Wisdom in Counseling – Interview with Dr. Luther Smith

    Season 2, Episode 12: Boundaries, Rights, and Biblical Wisdom in Counseling – Interview with Dr. Luther Smith Description: What happens when you step into a counseling session—whether as a counselor or as someone seeking help? In this episode of Authentically Amber, I’m joined by Dr. Luther Smith, host of The Re(Nyoo)ed Mind Podcast and Department Chair of Biblical Counseling at Calvary University, to explore the often-overlooked dynamics of counseling: how counselors protect themselves, what rights clients have, and how Scripture equips us to navigate both. Dr. Smith also shares his personal journey into counseling and offers wisdom for Gen Z navigating faith, therapy, and mental health. What You’ll Hear in This Episode: ✨Luther's personal journey to counseling. ✨How can counselors and clients protect themselves in counseling sessions? ✨Where do we see biblical support for counselor and client rights? ✨Why does this matter to Gen Z? ✨Practical next steps you can take: What if I'm scared to go to counseling? Takeaways: ✨Counseling doesn't have to be scary and overwhelming. ✨ You do have rights as a counselor and counselee. ✨The first session might be awkward, but you can advocate for yourself. Resources Mentioned: 📖 Contagion by Erin Bowman Connect with Luther: 💻 Spotify 📸 Website 💻 Email-lsmithnyoomind@gmail.com 📸 IG Let’s Connect: 💻 Website: AmberGinter.com📸 Instagram: @amberginterauthor Reminder: Counseling is not just about healing our wounds—it’s about walking in the freedom Christ desires for us. Faith and counseling, when combined, can bring holistic transformation.

    Boundaries, Rights, and Biblical Wisdom in Counseling – Interview with Dr. Luther Smith
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About

Hi, friends! Welcome to Authentically Amber, a podcast for anyone navigating the rollercoaster of adulting and living out their faith in a messy world. Join me, Amber Ginter Johnson, for raw, honest conversations on life’s challenges—from mental health and faith to practical wisdom for everyday living—all designed to help you grow, heal, and thrive. Whether you're facing change, struggling with anxiety, or just need someone who gets it, you're not alone. Get comfortable as we dive into the messiness of life—and everything in between—together. This is Authentically Amber.

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