Be Encouraged! Podcast

Jackie Brindle

I’m Jackie Brindle and this podcast is here to encourage you in your day-to-day, or for whatever life throws at you! I am a mom of three, wife, teacher, runner, and life is busy! One thing I am learning is that with God, nothing is impossible! My vision is that this podcast -- these conversations are meaningful to you. I pray that it uplifts you, right where you are! Whether you are listening over a cold or hot cup of something, heading to work, working out, or anywhere you listen, I hope it lifts you up and onward! So push play... and Be Encouraged!

  1. 1d ago

    Season 5 Episode 4, Chosen Series: Chosen, to Choose Hope with Johanna Rojas Vann

    What happens when you write about hope… and then life asks you to actually live it? Heyyy Encouragers! Welcome back to the Be Encouraged! Podcast and the CHOSEN Series. Season 5, Episode 4 is here, and today I’m talking with the beautiful Johanna Vann about something we all need: HOPE. Johanna is a Christian, multi-award-winning author who beautifully writes about the messy parts of life while pointing us back to the truth that God redeems, God heals, and God is still working—even in the hardest places. Her newest book, Where Wilted Flowers Bloom, tells a story of loss, fresh starts, and hope. But what makes this conversation especially powerful is that while Johanna was writing about hope, she would soon find herself walking through a deep loss of her own. Would she believe the hope she had written about? And now, in a completely different season, Johanna is also a brand-new mom of four! Talk about trusting God in the middle of a full and beautiful life! We talk about grief, motherhood, healing, faith, and what it means to believe that God can bring beauty from places that feel broken. The pain may be real, hard, and full of sorrow.  Yet God is still a good God who gave us hope in Christ Jesus. And so we hope.  I walked away from this conversation being ignited, and I truly believe you will be, too. My favorite part is in the very last few minutes of our conversation ---- it will be worth listening to!! :) Grab your coffee, take your walk or run, and come spend some time with us. And if this episode encourages you, share it with someone who may need a little hope today. You never know how God might use your share to remind someone they aren’t alone. “Therefore, encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”— 1 Thessalonians 5:11 Where Wilted Flowers Bloom by Johanna Vann is available wherever you find your favorite books. Be Encouraged. 🤍 - Jackie #BeEncouragedPodcast #ChosenSeries #Hope #ChristianPodcast #FaithAndHope Learn more about Johanna Vann by clicking the link below:  https://www.johannavann.com/books You can also purchase “Where Wilten Flowers Bloom” by Johanna Vann wherever you find your favorite books to read!

  2. Sep 21

    Season 5 Episode 3, Chosen Series: Chosen in the Journey to be Salt and Light with Timothy Kelly

    Heyyy Encouragers!! I’m Jackie Brindle, your host, and you’re listening to Season 5 of the Be Encouraged! Podcast — our CHOSEN series! If you have a moment today, please write a review on Apple Podcast – it will help the algorithm get this out there for more to be encouraged, just like you! Thank you!  Let’s quick recap: In Episode 1, we talked about being chosen in the hard and hidden seasons with Shalene Roberts. In Episode 2, April Osteen Simons reminded us that we are chosen to be near to God. And today, Episode 3 asks a question that I hope makes you stop and think: What kind of legacy are you leaving behind? Are you called? Are you chosen to make an impact? And who is watching your life? Friend, I deeply desire for you to know this: you are chosen to be salt and light in this world. Every single day is an opportunity to answer God’s call on our lives and leave a legacy that can inspire others — even generations to come. Because the truth is, your life matters to God… and it matters to someone else. Your smile. Your personality. Your tenacity. Your resilience. The way you keep going when things get hard. It matters. And in this episode, we get to hear a powerful story of legacy from someone who experienced it firsthand. Our guest is Timothy Kelly, brother of the late Sarah Young, author of the beloved Jesus Calling and many other books that have encouraged millions of people to draw closer to God through Scripture and Sarah’s personal reflections. Tim was deeply impacted by his sister’s life and faith, and he shares her story in his book, Sarah Young’s Journey to Jesus: A Brother’s Remembrances.” The foreword was written by Kathie Lee Gifford. Tim shares how Sarah felt called to write, the persistence it took to see that calling come to life, the closed doors, the open doors, and the faithfulness it took to keep going. And maybe that’s exactly what you need to hear today. Because sometimes the calling God places on your life doesn’t happen overnight. Sometimes there are closed doors. Delays. Disappointments. Moments when you wonder if what you’re carrying really matters. But God can use every part of the journey. He uses it all to shape our life and legacy.  My prayer for you in this episode is that you would recognize that you are called to be salt and light right where God has placed you. Keep going. Don’t lose confidence in what God has called you to do. Your story, your obedience, and your faithfulness may be impacting someone in ways you will never fully see. So grab your cup of coffee, get out on your walk or run, or wherever you are… Let’s dive into this conversation. And as always — BE ENCOURAGED! Jackie Resources: To learn more about Timothy Kelly and to purchase "Sarah Young's Journey to Jesus," Click the link below: https://www.whitakerhouse.com/authors/timothy-kelly Bible Reflection Verse: Matthew 5:13-16

  3. Sep 7

    Season 5 Episode 2: Chosen Series, "Chosen to be Near to God" with April Osteen Simons

    Heyyy Encouragers! Welcome to the Be Encouraged! Podcast! I’m your host, Jackie Brindle, and I’m so glad you’re here. We’re in Season 5, and today is Episode 2 of our Chosen Series: “Chosen to Be Near to God.” Have you ever felt like God is distant or wondered what it really means to have a relationship with Him? Maybe you simply need a jumpstart to remember this truth: you were intentionally created, deeply loved, and chosen by God. Ephesians 1:4 says: “For he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him.” God didn’t just choose you to accomplish something for Him—He chose you to be near to Him. And through Jesus, He made a way for us to draw close. Today, April Osteen Simons is here to encourage us to wake up with a new perspective and believe that we are intentionally designed, deeply loved, and chosen by God. April is a mother, grandmother, motivational speaker, and author of Jump Start Your Day: Brighten Your Mornings for a Bolder, Better Life. She also shares encouragement through her House of Hope YouTube series, the Better Life Podcast, and as a guest on Daystar’s Joni Table Talk. So, how might knowing you are chosen to be near to God change the way you start your day? If this conversation encourages you, share it with a friend who may need a fresh wind of faith-filled encouragement today—and tag me on Instagram @be_encouraged_podcast so we can encourage even more people together. And if you’re new here, subscribe to the Be Encouraged! Podcast so you never miss an episode. Let’s jump in! Jackie RESOURCES Learn more about April Osteen Simons: https://www.aprilsimons.com/• House of Hope YouTube Channel• Order her book, Jump Start Your Day: Brighten Your Mornings for a Bolder, Better Life• Listen to the Better Life Podcast• Follow April on Instagram BIBLE VERSES MENTIONED• Ephesians 1:4• Ephesians 6:10–24• Colossians 1:3

  4. Aug 24

    Season 5 Episode 1, Chosen Series: Chosen in the Hard, Hidden Seasons with Shalene Roberts

    Welcome to the Be Encouraged! Podcast, This is our first episode in the Chosen Series which is anchored on Ephesians 1:4 which says, “For he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blamless in love before him.”   This means He chose us even knowing that as a believer or not, we would face hardships, fail, try again, and again, to have a relationship with God, even if life has it’s ups and downs or you’re somewhere in between.  Today, I am so honored to introduce our special guest, Shalene Roberts, author of When Mothering Is Hard and No One Sees: Where Gritty Meets Glorious in God’s Eternal Plans for Moms. Shalene is also the voice behind a beloved blog that has encouraged thousands of moms who are walking through the beautiful, messy, stretching, and often hidden realities of motherhood. And today, she’s here to unpack what it means to be chosen in the hard, hidden seasons of life. Because sometimes the very season that feels like it’s taking everything out of you is the season God is using to shape something eternal within you. Perhaps it will become your testimony of God’s goodness and faithfulness!  Shalene is going to remind us that the hidden places are not wasted places. The hard days are not forgotten days. And motherhood, even when no one sees the sacrifice, the tears, the faithfulness, or the grit, is still deeply seen by God. I know this conversation is going to encourage you, inspire you, and spark something in you that may have felt dormant for a long time. My prayer is that it will ignite hope in your heart again and remind you that God is not finished with your story. So, wherever you are today—whether you’re in the middle of a beautiful season, a brutally hard one, or somewhere in between—take a deep breath, lean in, — grab your cup of coffee/tea, get on your walk or run/ and wherever you are let’s be encouraged. --- Jackie  Resources:  Learn more about Shalene Roberts by clicking here!  Download the You Version Bible App and check out her 7-day FREE devotional reading plan based on her new book, “When Mothering is Hard and No One Sees”. https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/70045 Order “When Mothering is Hard and No One Sees” by Shalene Roberts https://a.co/d/0eybxQxz  Follow on social media  Instagram: @shalenerobertsblog Enjoyed this episode!? Share it on Instagram and tag @be_encouraged_podcast,  send your friend a text with the link to the podcast, or write a raving review on Apple Podcast or Spotify to encourage more people, just like you! :)  Bible Reflections:  Ephesians 1 and 2 Psalm 139

    Season 5 Episode 1, Chosen Series: Chosen in the Hard, Hidden Seasons with Shalene Roberts
  5. Apr 16

    Season 4, Episode 8: "Achieve Series: Uncomplicate Prayer" with Shellie Tomlinson

    Heyyy there Encouragers! I hope you’ve loved journeying through the Achieve Series with us—because we’ve officially reached the FINAL episode! 🎉 Before we wrap, here’s a quick recap of where we’ve been:We started with learning how to trade perfection for peace, moved into living intentionally with the time God has given us, and were reminded to keep Jesus at the center of every decision. Along the way, we leaned into obedience in the small moments, embraced humility over pride, and found hope in life’s setbacks—trusting God to turn them into setups. And most recently, we were encouraged to get up, go, and do the next thing God is calling us to. Now for Episode 8… the grand finale!Shellie Tomlinson brings this entire series home by pointing us to one of the most powerful ways we achieve anything good—from God and for God: prayer. Prayer isn’t just a box to check—it’s our lifeline. It’s how we stay connected to God, grounded in truth, and strengthened for everything we’re called to do. In this episode, Shellie beautifully simplifies prayer, helping us experience a deeper, richer, and more authentic relationship with God through it. I pray you encounter God's steadfast love as you pray and turn your heart to God in all that you are achieving today! So grab your coffee, head out for a walk or run, and get ready to Believe, Receive, and Achieve all that God has for you. Be encouraged! 💛 Jackie More Resources: Click on the link below to learn more about Shellie Tomlinson or to preorder her book, "Don't Try to Pray Like Her" https://belleofallthingssouthern.com/ Bible Verses: Psalm 129, Psalm 118:1-29 Social Media Follow the Be Encouraged! Podcast on Instagram @be_encouraged_podcast

  6. Feb 28

    Season 4 - Episode 6, Achieve Series: "Setback to Set Up" - host Jackie Brindle

    Welcome to the BE ENCOURAGED! Podcast!  We are in Season 4 - the Achieve series and now you are listening to Episode 6 called: "Setback to Set Up." If you’re walking through a setback right now — this is for you 🤍 A setback can feel like defeat. A delay. A door closing. A hurdle. An obstacle. A retreat back to home base or square one. A diagnosis. A missed opportunity. Or simply the weight of feeling “behind.” In this week’s Setback or Setup episode, I share how one of my own unexpected setbacks — an injury that forced me to slow down — became the very place God grew my faith the most. In the middle of sleepless nights and frustration, He met me. Not with instant healing — but with deeper intimacy. I learned who God is, who I am to Him, and the incredible importance of God's anchoring word in my life. Through the honesty of Psalms, the endurance of Job, the faithfulness of Ruth, and the perseverance of Joseph, I was reminded: God is not absent in your setback. He is active in it. God is setting you up! He is constant. He is not panicked, He is not surprised, He is not hurried to finish His divine work, because good plans take time! The process to trust Him, maybe hard. That's true about life --- it can be hard. But I also know another truth about your life. God loves you. This episode will encourage you to: • See your disappointment through God’s lens • Lament honestly — and still trust • Believe that your setback is preparing your comeback. Receive hope anchored in the light of His word. You are not behind. You are being prepared - refined - and are in the process of God reframing your setback to the BEST- set up!  God is not finished with your "setback" to "set up" story🤍 Be encouraged! Jackie Bible readings that will encourage you for the week! Psalm 34 Psalm 16 Psalm 46:10 John 1:1-5

About

I’m Jackie Brindle and this podcast is here to encourage you in your day-to-day, or for whatever life throws at you! I am a mom of three, wife, teacher, runner, and life is busy! One thing I am learning is that with God, nothing is impossible! My vision is that this podcast -- these conversations are meaningful to you. I pray that it uplifts you, right where you are! Whether you are listening over a cold or hot cup of something, heading to work, working out, or anywhere you listen, I hope it lifts you up and onward! So push play... and Be Encouraged!