Becoming the Oak: Rooted in Christ

Kendra George
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Spirituality
  • Updated Weekly

Real Women. Real Faith. Real Growth. Becoming the Oak is a Christ-centered podcast for women who want peace and joy not because life is easy, but because their hearts are rooted in Jesus. Each episode features honest conversations with women who share real stories of faith grown through life’s challenges. If you’ve ever felt weary, spiritually stuck, or unsure how to stay grounded, this podcast is for you. Together, we explore what it means to remain planted in truth, strengthened by grace, and anchored in hope — even when the winds rise. New Episodes Weekly

  1. 3d ago

    The Wind Can't Touch Roots | What Fifty Years Taught Me About Grace, Grit, and Growing Deeper in Christ

    What does fifty years of living teach you about faith, grace, and growing deeper in Christ? In this heartfelt solo birthday episode of Becoming the Oak Rooted in Christ, Kendra George shares eight of the most important lessons she has learned across five decades of life — and why the storms that tried to break her only made her roots stronger. From giving herself the grace she so freely gives others, to letting go of judgment and comparison, to what she would tell every young mother about being present, to why failure is not the opposite of success — this episode is an honest and personal reflection on what it truly means to become the oak. Not all at once. Not without storms. But root by root, lesson by lesson, one faithful attempt at a time. In this episode: Why grace — given to yourself — is one of the most underrated spiritual practices there isThe moment she realized judgment and comparison were robbing her of connection and joyWhat she wishes she had known as a young mother about presence and finding joy in small momentsWhy failure is not the opposite of success — it is a faithful attempt in learningHow living with intention completely changed the way she moves through her lifeFeatured Scriptures & Talks: Brother Brad Wilcox — Worthiness is Not Flawlessness — on grace and what God actually asks of usElder Dieter F. Uchtdorf — "God does not need people who are flawless. He seeks those who will offer their heart and a willing mind"Philippians 4:13 — "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me"The Oak Tree poem by Johnny Ray Ryder Jr. — the poem that anchors the entire Becoming the Oak brand1 Thessalonians 5:18: Gratitude in all things — New Testament teachings on being grateful in every circumstanceThis episode is for you if: You are too hard on yourself and need permission to extend a little graceYou are in the thick of a hard season and wondering if you have what it takesYou are a young mother who needs to hear that the small moments matter more than you thinkYou want practical and honest encouragement for living with more intention and less fearYou need to be reminded that the wind will always blow — but it cannot touch your rootsConnect with Becoming the Oak:Want to share your story? I am always looking for guests. Click Here to apply Website: becomingtheoak.comEmail: kendra@becomingtheoak.comInstagram: @becomingtheoak

  2. Aug 31

    Both Things Can Be True | Grief, Identity Loss, and Turning Outward

    What happens to your identity when the person who has been your anchor your entire life is suddenly gone? In this tender and deeply honest episode of Becoming the Oak Rooted in Christ, certified life coach Cathi Chisholm opens up about losing her mother just months before recording — and what grief has taught her about identity, the atonement of Jesus Christ, and the surprising healing power of turning outward. From the way her mother was the first of every one of her five senses, to the identity shift that came with suddenly becoming the family matriarch, to the profound truth that immense grief and deep peace can coexist — Cathi's story is one of the most honest and layered conversations about grief, faith, and healing you will ever hear. In this episode: How losing her mom shifted Cathi's identity in ways she never expectedWhy immense grief and deep peace can coexist — and what that actually feels likeThe morning routines and grounding practices that have carried her throughHow turning outward — even in small, simple ways — became the most healing thing she could doWhat Cathi would say to anyone who feels like joy is completely out of reach right nowFeatured Scriptures & Talks: Philippians 4:7 — the peace of Christ that passes all understandingElder Stephen C. Barlow — Lovest Thou Me, October 2025 General Conference — on how God speaks to us in ways we individually can recognizeElder Dieter F. Uchtdorf — Grateful in Any Circumstances — on finding gratitude in the situation not about itThe healing power of morning routines, breathing practices, nature, and intentional scripture studyThis episode is for you if: You are grieving the loss of a parent or someone deeply close to youYou have ever felt your identity shift after a significant lossYou are struggling to find joy and cannot see any light on the horizon right nowYou want honest, grounded encouragement from a woman who is still in the middle of itYou need to be reminded that both grief and peace can be true at the same time — and that Christ can hold all of it with youA note for anyone struggling:If you are experiencing grief, depression, or feelings of hopelessness and need someone to talk to, please reach out. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available by calling or texting 988. The Crisis Text Line is available by texting HOME to 741741. You are not alone and support is available. Connect with Becoming the Oak:Share Your Story: Guest Application Website: becomingtheoak.comEmail: kendra@becomingtheoak.comInstagram: @becomingtheoak Be still. Believe. Become. The content offered by Becoming the Oak is neither made, provided, approved, nor endorsed by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Any content or opinions expressed, implied, or included in or with the services or workshops offered by Kendra George are solely those of Becoming the Oak and not those of Intellectual Reserve, Inc. or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

    Both Things Can Be True | Grief, Identity Loss, and Turning Outward

  3. Aug 24

    Hold On, Light Comes | Gratitude, Consecration, and Finding God in Every Hard Season

    What does it look like to find God inside a trial — not just after it? In this deeply moving episode of Becoming the Oak Rooted in Christ, Becky Hopkins shares a life marked by hard things — a near-fatal car accident that left her in a coma for a month, the birth of a son with Down syndrome, and a year that included a teenager's mental health crisis, a husband's hospitalization, a frightening migraine, and a nine-year-old's surgery on Mother's Day. Through every single one of these seasons Becky has practiced the same thing — looking for blessings not about the situation but in it. Her testimony is a powerful reminder that God consecrates our pain, that gratitude is a muscle we have to practice, and that holding on — even by the thinnest thread — is always worth it. In this episode: How a near-fatal car accident at twenty-five shaped the occupational therapist and woman of faith Becky would becomeWhat Elder Uchtdorf's talk on gratitude taught her while her newborn son was in the NICUThe difference between being grateful about a situation and being grateful in itHow a year that included a son's mental health crisis, a husband's hospitalization, a scary migraine, and a broken femur was still consecrated for goodWhy holding on — even by the thinnest thread — is always worth itFeatured Scriptures & Talks: Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf — Grateful in Any Circumstances, April 2014 General ConferenceElder Henry B. Eyring — on writing down tender mercies and seeing God's hand dailyPresident Russell M. Nelson — on seeking and expecting miraclesDavid and Goliath — 1 Samuel 17 — on facing giants with God's helpMichael McLean — Hold On, the Light Will ComeThis episode is for you if: You are in a season where joy feels far away and you are just trying to hold onYou want practical tools for finding gratitude inside hard things — not just after themYou are a parent navigating a child's mental health crisis and wondering if you are doing enoughYou need to be reminded that God consecrates our pain and does not waste a single hard thingYou want to hear an honest, grounded testimony from a woman who has been through a lot and is still smilingIf you or someone you love is struggling:If you or someone you know is experiencing thoughts of suicide or a mental health crisis, please reach out for help. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available by calling or texting 988. You are not alone and help is available. Connect with Becoming the Oak:Want to share your story? Click here for the application. Website: becomingtheoak.comEmail: kendra@becomingtheoak.comInstagram: @becomingtheoak Be still. Believe. Become.

    Hold On, Light Comes | Gratitude, Consecration, and Finding God in Every Hard Season

  4. Aug 17

    He Goes Before You | A Testimony That He Already Knows, He Already Loves, and He Has Already Prepared

    Enjoying this episode? What we talk about today is exactly what we are going deeper into in my upcoming workshop — Rooted Not Rattled. Registration is now open. Details below.What if the hardest season of your life was already accounted for before it began? In this powerful episode of Becoming the Oak Rooted in Christ, Kathryn Larsen Spagnolo shares her remarkable testimony of a God who goes before us — through job loss, a house they could not afford, two children in mental health crises, and a husband whose health continues to decline. From the moment she discovered that losing their income had actually made it possible to afford the mental health care their children desperately needed, to the basket of gift cards handed through a car window, to the cash arriving in the mail from people with no return address — Kathryn's story is one of the most vivid and tender illustrations of God's foreknowledge and provision you will ever hear. He already knew. He already loved. He had already prepared the way. In this episode: How job loss, a house they could not afford, and two children in mental health crises all hit at the same time — and what God had already put in placeWhy humbling yourself enough to receive help is sometimes harder than giving itThe phrase I will go before your face and how it became the thread running through Kathryn's entire storyWhat a book called God Comes to Women taught Kathryn about how God meets women differently than menHow looking for sunflowers changes everything you are able to seeFeatured Scriptures & Talks: President Russell M. Nelson — Confidence in the Presence of God, April 2025 General Conference — "As we go to our Heavenly Father with increasing confidence, we will be filled with more joy"President Nelson — "Seek and expect miracles"Elder Jeffrey R. Holland — on prayer and the angels waiting to serve usGod Comes to Women by Heather Farrell and Jen Mabry — on how God meets women where they areThe scriptural pattern of I will go before your face — Moses, Abraham, Joseph Smith, Nephi, the brother of JaredThis episode is for you if: You are in the middle of something hard and wondering if God sees youYou have ever struggled to accept help when you needed it mostYou want to be reminded that God arranges things in advance — before you even know you need themYou need practical encouragement for finding joy and miracles in the middle of an impossible seasonYou are carrying job loss, mental health challenges, medical uncertainty, or financial hardshipResources mentioned: God Comes to Women by Heather Farrell and Jen MabryThe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Bishop's Storehouse — available through your local bishop for those in needNAMI — National Alliance on Mental Illness — nami.org — for mental health support and resources ROOTED NOT RATTLED — Virtual WorkshopAugust 27, 2026 | 11:00 AM PDT | 90 Minutes | $30 Enter ROOTED in the Discount Code and get $10 off thru August 18th. Everything we talked about in today's episode — the roots, the soil, the process of becoming — is exactly what we are going to dig into together in this workshop. We will look at it all through the lens of nervous system regulation and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is where the becoming gets practical. Register here! : I would love to see you there. Connect with Becoming the Oak:Website: becomingtheoak.comEmail: kendra@becomingtheoak.comInstagram: @becomingtheoak Be still. Believe. Become.

    He Goes Before You | A Testimony That He Already Knows, He Already Loves, and He Has Already Prepared

  5. Aug 10

    Beyond Her Prayers | How Despair Became the Doorway to Miracles

    What do you do when you are doing everything right and still not seeing results? In this beautiful and deeply layered episode of Becoming the Oak Rooted in Christ, Nancy Boyer shares her journey through deep despair, career loss, infertility, financial uncertainty, and the internal wrestling every mother faces between calling, career, and what it truly means to nurture. From the moment a scripture in Alma 58 spoke peace to her soul in the middle of unanswered prayers, to the Old Testament story of Abigail that became a symbol of Christ's compensating blessings, to the day God answered her prayer for a baby with twins — Nancy's story is a powerful reminder that God not only hears our prayers but exceeds them in ways we never could have imagined. And the miracles? They are not waiting on the other side of the hard. They are right there inside of it. In this episode: How a season of deep despair after losing her career led Nancy to one of the most specific answers to prayer she has ever receivedThe Old Testament story of Abigail that became a profound symbol of Christ's compensating blessings in her lifeThe internal wrestling every mother faces between calling, career, and what it really means to nurtureWhy repentance is not just about sin — it is about turning again to Christ every single dayHow shifting from this is happening to me to this is happening for me changes everythingFeatured Scriptures & Talks: Alma 58:11 — "The Lord our God did visit us with assurances that he would deliver us. Insomuch that he did speak peace to our souls"Sister Camille Johnson — Invite Christ to Author Your Story, October 2021 General ConferenceMatthew 11:28-30 — on being yoked with Christ and finding restThe story of Abigail and Nabal — 1 Samuel 25 — as a symbol of Christ's compensating blessingsThis episode is for you if: You are doing everything right and still not seeing the results you are praying forYou are wrestling with questions about motherhood, career, and callingYou feel like joy is far away or like God is taking too long to answerYou need to be reminded that the miracles are not waiting on the other side of the hard — they are right inside of itYou want practical and honest encouragement for turning back to God when fear and overwhelm take overConnect with Nancy: @lilyandolivecoBooks - Draw Near Unto MeA Christ-Centered Easter CelebrationConnect with Becoming the Oak:Website: becomingtheoak.comEmail: kendra@becomingtheoak.comInstagram: @becomingtheoak Be still. Believe. Become.

    Beyond Her Prayers | How Despair Became the Doorway to Miracles

  6. Aug 3

    Pick Up the Oars | A Military Wife's Journey From Lost to Rooted in Christ

    What happens when you spend years letting life happen to you instead of choosing it? In this vulnerable and powerful solo episode of Becoming the Oak Rooted in Christ, Kendra George opens up about one of the most personal chapters of her life — being a military wife. From the day her husband deployed to Iraq for fifteen months, to the quiet chaos that followed when he came home changed, to the years she spent trying to keep everyone happy while slowly losing herself in the process — Kendra shares the raw and honest journey of a woman who finally picked up the oars and started choosing her life. If you have ever felt depleted, resentful, or like life is just happening to you, this episode will meet you right where you are and send you forward with faith. In this episode: The rowboat analogy that perfectly captures what it feels like to drift through life without intentionWhat happened when my husband came home from fifteen months in Iraq and everything quietly changedHow I lost myself trying to keep everyone else happy — and didn't even realize it was happeningThe moment I finally picked up the oars and started choosing my life instead of just surviving itWhat Richard G. Scott, Sister Camille Johnson, and Randall Ridd taught me about faith, agency, and living with real intentFeatured Scriptures & Talks: Richard G. Scott — The Sustaining Power of Faith in Times of Uncertainty and Testing, April 2003 General Conference — "God uses your faith to mold your character"Sister Camille Johnson — "Life is hard. And we can make the hard holy by incorporating Jesus Christ"Randall Ridd — on living with real intent and asking yourself whyPhilippians 4:13 — "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me"This episode is for you if: You are a military spouse or love someone who isYou have ever lost yourself trying to keep everyone else happyYou feel like life is happening to you instead of being chosen by youYou want to be reminded that agency is one of God's greatest giftsYou are ready to stop drifting and start rowing toward the life you want Connect with Becoming the Oak:I'd love to hear your story: Click Here to apply to be a guest. Website: becomingtheoak.comEmail: kendra@becomingtheoak.comInstagram: @becomingtheoak Be still. Believe. Become.

    Pick Up the Oars | A Military Wife's Journey From Lost to Rooted in Christ

  7. Jul 27

    Nobody Gets to Decide | One Woman's Journey Home Through Abuse, Doubt, and Redeeming Love

    What do you do when the faith you grew up with no longer feels like it fits — and the life you built is crumbling underneath you? In this deeply moving episode of Becoming the Oak Rooted in Christ, Amy Herbert shares her courageous and tender journey through twenty-six years of emotional abuse, resigning her church membership, a devastating divorce, and the darkest moment of her life sitting by a lake not wanting to live. From the words God whispered to her in the temple years before her life fell apart, to the fluffy dogs He sent her on the worst day of her life, to the moment she stood before the Christus statue and heard her husband whisper welcome home — Amy's story is a powerful testament to the God who never stops reaching, never stops speaking, and never gives up on His children. Nobody gets to decide whether you are too far gone. Nobody but Him. In this episode: How twenty-six years in an emotionally abusive marriage slowly eroded Amy's sense of who she wasThe moment she resigned her church membership — and what God did nextThe day she sat by a lake not wanting to live and what God sent her in her darkest momentWhy she does not regret leaving — and what she found when she came backWhat Amy would say to any woman who feels like joy is far away from her right nowFeatured Scriptures & Talks: Elder Gilbert — Come Home, April 2026 General Conference — "Because of our covenant with God, he will never tire in his efforts to help us and we will never exhaust his merciful patience with us"2 Nephi 32 — on the doctrine of Christ and feasting on the words of ChristPresident Russell M. Nelson — on God's merciful patience and covenant loveThe hero's journey and the doctrine of Christ — how God tells the same redemptive story across every culture and every ageThis episode is for you if: You have ever felt too lost, too broken, or too far gone for God to find youYou are walking through a faith crisis or asking hard questions about what you believeYou have loved ones who have left the church and you are trusting God with their pathYou need to be reminded that God speaks to us in the language of our understandingYou are walking through or recovering from an abusive relationship Have a story to share? I'd love to have you as a guest. Click Here for an application. Connect with Becoming the Oak:Website: becomingtheoak.comEmail: kendra@becomingtheoak.comInstagram: @becomingtheoak Be still. Believe. Become.

    Nobody Gets to Decide | One Woman's Journey Home Through Abuse, Doubt, and Redeeming Love

  8. Jul 20

    Something Was Still Missing | Finding the Faith I didn't know I was Looking For

    Have you ever felt like something was missing but couldn't quite name what it was? In this beautiful episode of Becoming the Oak Rooted in Christ, Melissa Weatherby and Alexis McKenzie share their mother-daughter conversion story — a journey that began with a quiet spiritual ache, was sparked by a single Instagram message, and ended with an entire family being baptized while a daughter watched via Zoom from her mission field. From Alexis's struggle with identity and an eating disorder in her freshman year of high school, to Melissa watching her daughter's light grow brighter every single week, to the moment a husband said yes at the kitchen table before his wife could even finish her thought — this episode is a powerful reminder that God is always working, always orchestrating, and always drawing His children home. In this episode: How a single Instagram message set off a chain of events that changed everythingWhat Melissa and Alexis each describe as the missing piece they didn't know they were looking forThe difference between feeling the Spirit in strokes of lightning versus carrying a constant lightHow a daughter's joy and light drew her entire family to the gospel of Jesus ChristWhat both women would say to anyone sitting in the darkness right now wondering if there is moreFeatured Quotes & Talks: The power of one — how one friendship, one dinner, and one set of missionaries changed an entire family's eternal trajectoryThe Holy Ghost as a constant companion versus strokes of lightning — understanding the gift of the Holy GhostMoses 6:63 — all things testify of Christ, including the stories we carryThis episode is for you if: You have ever felt that quiet spiritual pull toward something moreYou are curious about faith but don't know where to startYou love a powerful conversion story rooted in real life experiencesYou want to be reminded that God is orchestrating things in your life even when you can't see itYou know someone who is searching and needs to hear they are not alone Connect with Becoming the Oak:Website: becomingtheoak.comEmail: kendra@becomingtheoak.comInstagram: @becomingtheoak I'd love to hear your story. Click Here to apply Be still. Believe. Become.

    Something Was Still Missing | Finding the Faith I didn't know I was Looking For
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Real Women. Real Faith. Real Growth. Becoming the Oak is a Christ-centered podcast for women who want peace and joy not because life is easy, but because their hearts are rooted in Jesus. Each episode features honest conversations with women who share real stories of faith grown through life’s challenges. If you’ve ever felt weary, spiritually stuck, or unsure how to stay grounded, this podcast is for you. Together, we explore what it means to remain planted in truth, strengthened by grace, and anchored in hope — even when the winds rise. New Episodes Weekly

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