Initiated by GOD

Hardly Initiated Network
Hardly Initiated Network
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Spirituality
  • Weekly

Initiated By God isn't a show. It's an assignment.Hosted by Jessica Laine MacDonald, Initiated By God is a faith-forward interview series for people who've heard God call them to something — and are trying to find the courage to say yes. After a life-altering accident and a miraculous recovery, Jessica surrendered her platform to God and stepped into a new season of obedience. This show is what came out of it.Each episode, Jessica sits down with pastors, leaders, entrepreneurs, and everyday believers for raw, unfiltered conversations about calling, spiritual warfare, healing, transition, and what it actually costs to obey God when nobody around you understands. No veneer of perfection. No church-flyer answers. Just real testimony from people who've been broken, rebuilt, and sent. If you're stepping into a new assignment, running from one, or sitting in a season you didn't choose — this show was initiated by God for you.New episodes weekly. Stay initiated.

  1. 5d ago

    Faith, Healing & Healthy Relationships: Loving God Without Losing Yourself | Albaner C. Eugene Jr.

    join our waitlist to our EXCLUSIVE COMMUNITY and be the first to have access https://stayinitiated.com You can know Scripture, understand why you’re hurting, and still need help. So what does healing require beyond having the right explanations? In this episode of Initiated by God, Jessica Lane McDonald sits down with minister, counselor, speaker, and author Albaner C. Eugene Jr. for an honest conversation about faith, emotional health, church hurt, and learning to receive love without feeling you have to earn it. Albaner opens up about isolation, his struggle with marijuana addiction, painful experiences in ministry, and how community and counseling helped him change the way he lives and serves others. Together, they explore: • Why explaining your pain isn’t the same as processing it • How faith, therapy, and community can work together • The difference between dying to yourself and tolerating abuse • People-pleasing, toxic loyalty, and setting boundaries • Why being truly known can make love feel uncomfortable • Marriage, emotional safety, and taking responsibility for your words • Finding hope when you’re tired of trying “Your healing may be a conversation away.” — Albaner C. Eugene Jr. If you’ve been everybody’s person while struggling to admit you need support, this conversation is for you. What part of this conversation resonated with you? Let us know in the comments. Subscribe to the Hardly Initiated Network for more Initiated by God conversations, turn on notifications, and share this episode with someone who needs it. Featured book: Momentum, Albaner’s 100-day devotional about regaining hope and moving forward. Chapters: 00:00 Healing Beyond Explanations 00:37 Meet The Host And Guest 02:29 Community Keeps You Alive 03:22 Introversion And Social Anxiety 04:26 Gift Of Encouragement 06:25 Saying Yes To God 09:02 External Progress Vs Inner Truth 11:38 Faith Meets Counseling Tools 16:20 Stop Intellectualizing Pain 17:47 Addiction And Slow Deliverance 19:13 Why God Allows The Struggle 24:49 Processing Grief Builds Capacity 26:37 Grace And Mercy Explained 27:19 Mercy for Mistakes 28:27 God Won’t Waste Pain 29:21 Instruction and Conviction 32:04 Empowered to Endure 33:20 Healing Through Honesty 35:38 Fruit Under Pressure 36:55 Unhealthy Ministry Dynamics 38:42 Standards for Leaders 44:24 Helping the Church Hurt 49:10 Boundaries and Toxicity 53:03 Biblical Confrontation Process 57:44 Toxic Loyalty vs Faithfulness 58:22 Breaking Toxic Loyalty 59:13 Learning to Receive Love 01:00:53 Why Real Love Feels Scary 01:02:39 What Intimacy Really Means 01:03:58 Marriage as Service 01:05:41 Get Help Before 5 Percent 01:09:18 Conflict Tools and Taking Space 01:10:54 The Myth of Perfect Marriages 01:13:31 Happy vs Joy in Marriage 01:16:02 Verbal Abuse and Gaslighting 01:20:09 Setting Boundaries and Seeking Growth 01:24:04 Momentum Book and Final Wrap #InitiatedByGod #AlbanerEugene #FaithAndMentalHealthHost Jessica Laine-MacDonald: https://www.instagram.com/itsjessicalaine/ Renew The Mind Journal: https://www.hardlyinitiated.com/products/renew-the-mind-journal Fight The Flesh Bracelet: https://www.hardlyinitiated.com/products/fight-the-flesh-bracelet Hardly In Love Dating Cards: https://www.hardlyinitiated.com/products/dating-deck Apply for Teach The Game Thursdays: https://forms.gle/b3mxsAhMd6hx4AnN9 Host Jessica Laine-MacDonald: https://www.instagram.com/itsjessicalaine/ Renew The Mind Journal: https://www.hardlyinitiated.com/products/renew-the-mind-journal Fight The Flesh Bracelet: https://www.hardlyinitiated.com/products/fight-the-flesh-bracelet Hardly In Love Dating Cards: https://www.hardlyinitiated.com/products/dating-deck Apply for Teach The Game Thursdays: https://forms.gle/b3mxsAhMd6hx4AnN9

  2. Oct 12

    Is Your Partner Paying for Your Past? | Love McPherson

    Sometimes an argument about what happened five minutes ago carries the weight of something that happened 20 years ago. But understanding where your pain comes from doesn’t give you permission to keep hurting the person you love. In this episode of Initiated By God, I sit down with relationship expert, counselor, and author Love McPherson for an honest conversation about childhood wounds, marriage, boundaries, and what it takes to change the patterns we learned growing up. Love opens up about how she once tore her husband down during arguments—and the boundary that made her recognize her own behavior. We also unpack: • Why familiar relationships can feel like chemistry • The difference between supporting someone and carrying their responsibilities • Why knowing your triggers doesn’t automatically change your behavior • How faith and boundaries intersect when loyalty becomes harmful • Learning to love your spouse through parenthood, grief, and aging • Breaking patterns before another generation inherits them This conversation challenged me, moved me, and brought us somewhere deeply personal. Watch the full episode, and tell us: What relationship pattern have you had to unlearn? Chapters: 00:00 Tearing Him Down 01:31 Welcome and Setup 03:45 Learning Love Early 07:50 Unlearning Conflict 11:06 Why Inner Child Matters 14:23 Amygdala Autopilot 19:41 Signs and Getting Help 25:59 Avoidance and Boundaries 32:50 Triggers vs Boundaries 36:02 Carrying Their Load 46:57 Toxic Loyalty Explained 48:10 Loyalty Becomes Toxic 49:49 Defining Real Abuse 50:20 Dating Your Childhood 57:09 Familiar Feels Like Home 58:39 When Peace Feels Wrong 01:00:20 Healing Versus Talking 01:01:54 Stop Building Partners 01:05:19 Inner Child Work Steps 01:11:24 Safety and Respect Needs 01:17:56 Marriage Seasons Change 01:24:05 Breaking Generational Avoidance 01:30:03 Legacy Before Loss 01:32:29 Boundaries Shift Marriage 01:35:45 Closing and Where to Find Book Find Love McPherson and her book, Train Up a Child: Cutting to the Core to Heal Your Inner Child, at: https://lovemcpherson.com Instagram: @love_mcpherson Subscribe to Initiated By God for more honest conversations about faith, relationships, and growth. As always, stay initiated. #InitiatedByGod #LoveMcPherson #Relationships Host Jessica Laine-MacDonald: https://www.instagram.com/itsjessicalaine/ Renew The Mind Journal: https://www.hardlyinitiated.com/products/renew-the-mind-journal Fight The Flesh Bracelet: https://www.hardlyinitiated.com/products/fight-the-flesh-bracelet Hardly In Love Dating Cards: https://www.hardlyinitiated.com/products/dating-deck Apply for Teach The Game Thursdays: https://forms.gle/b3mxsAhMd6hx4AnN9

  3. Sep 28

    She Felt Rejected by the Church—Then Built One on TikTok | Initiated by God

    Candice grew up in church. After becoming pregnant as a teenager, she felt the support she had known fall away. Years later, following a divorce and the end of a job, she sensed a call to move her prayer community onto TikTok. Seventeen people joined the first day. In this conversation with Jessica, Candice talks about church hurt, learning to hear God for herself, the fear of starting something unfamiliar, and why she believes digital ministry still needs real human connection. She also shares what it took to keep showing up after the first prayer session. What does it look like to make room for people who still love God but feel disconnected from church? Share your thoughts below. Subscribe to Initiated by God for more conversations about faith, purpose, and obedience. #InitiatedByGod #ChurchHurt #DigitalMinistry

  4. Sep 21

    From Homelessness to Hope: the speaker’s Journey to Purpose

    From a homeless teenager living out of his car to a PhD holder and founder of Love Beyond Walls, the speaker’s story is one of profound transformation and faith. In this episode, he shares the raw realities of trauma, poverty, and invisibility, and how mentorship, community, and unwavering belief in purpose reshaped his life. Discover how Dr. Lester’s journey challenges stereotypes about homelessness and reveals the power of empathy over sympathy. Hear about his bold choice to live on the streets to raise awareness and the deep lessons learned about human dignity and service. Takeaways include: - Purpose often emerges from the pain we endure. - Healing requires both personal responsibility and community support. - True empathy means seeing beyond circumstances to the inherent worth in everyone. - Faith can sustain us through the darkest seasons. - Service to others transforms both giver and receiver. How do you see purpose unfolding in your own life amid challenges? Share your thoughts below. Subscribe for more honest conversations on faith, healing, and human connection. Share this episode to inspire others. Watch our related episode on healing from trauma here: [RELATED VIDEO URL] ## Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Early Life Struggles 05:40 Mentorship and Spiritual Awakening 13:21 Living the Message: From Homelessness to Service 23:09 Empathy, Worthiness, and Community Impact 30:53 Personal Challenges and Redefining Worth 35:56 Purpose Through Persistence and Film Project #Purpose #FaithJourney #HomelessnessHost Jessica Laine-MacDonald: https://www.instagram.com/itsjessicalaine/ Renew The Mind Journal: https://www.hardlyinitiated.com/products/renew-the-mind-journal Fight The Flesh Bracelet: https://www.hardlyinitiated.com/products/fight-the-flesh-bracelet Hardly In Love Dating Cards: https://www.hardlyinitiated.com/products/dating-deck Apply for Teach The Game Thursdays: https://forms.gle/b3mxsAhMd6hx4AnN9

  5. Sep 14

    Darius Benders on Faith, Financial Pressure, and Starting Over

    The conversation doesn’t have to end when the video does. If Hardly Initiated has challenged your thinking, opened your mind, or made you feel understood, come be part of what’s next. We’re building the Hardly Initiated community, and we want you in it. Join the waitlist to be among the first to hear when we launch 👉 https://stayinitiated.com. Darius Benders had about $1,200 to his name and needed his mother’s help to pay his phone bill. Then he drove to Atlanta for a conference he could barely afford. Was that faith—or a risk he couldn’t afford to take? On Initiated by God, Jessica Laine MacDonald sits down with Darius for a conversation about the pressure of starting over, the relationships that changed his direction, and what happened after he gained access to money. An entrepreneur and credit and funding educator, Darius shares how a conference connection led to weekly accountability calls and, in his account, $167,000 in funding in 47 days. But Jessica keeps pressing beyond the numbers: access to money isn’t the same as wealth, and believing in a decision doesn’t automatically make it wise. In this episode, we explore: The embarrassment that pushed Darius to make a change. How follow-through turned a new connection into an ongoing relationship. What losing money in additional ventures taught him about focus. How distrust affected his ability to grow with other people. Why depending on God can remain a struggle after circumstances improve. When have you had to distinguish faith from pressure to make something happen? What helped you decide? Subscribe to Hardly Initiated for honest conversations about faith, relationships, and growth. Share this with someone navigating a difficult next step. Find Darius: @dariusbenders Chapters: 00:00 Broke and Embarrassed 00:15 Risky Drive to Atlanta 00:44 Funding Changed Everything 01:21 Meet the Host and Guest 02:36 Pandemic Season of Faith 04:04 Cell Phone Bill Breaking Point 06:05 Faith Versus Recklessness 08:51 Car Ride Mindset and Environment 10:24 Inside the Conference Room 11:15 Networking and Accountability 14:56 Credit as Leverage 17:10 From Funding to Cash Flow 20:25 Mistakes and Doubling Down 21:44 Going Viral for Traffic 23:25 Discipline to Keep Wealth 24:28 Consumer Mindset Traps 24:51 Strategic Debt vs Reckless 26:01 Trust in Partnerships 28:01 Trauma and Money Boundaries 30:48 What Success Reveals 33:05 Character Corrections 34:42 Does Money Buy Happiness 36:22 Staying Dependent on God 38:27 Discernment Over Deals 41:18 Identity Beyond Success 43:49 Faith Over Fear Action 48:23 Study Money and Credit 49:23 Where to Find Darius 49:40 Final Takeaways #HardlyInitiated #FaithAndFinance #DariusBendersHost Jessica Laine-MacDonald: https://www.instagram.com/itsjessicalaine/ Renew The Mind Journal: https://www.hardlyinitiated.com/products/renew-the-mind-journal Fight The Flesh Bracelet: https://www.hardlyinitiated.com/products/fight-the-flesh-bracelet Hardly In Love Dating Cards: https://www.hardlyinitiated.com/products/dating-deck Apply for Teach The Game Thursdays: https://forms.gle/b3mxsAhMd6hx4AnN9

  6. Sep 7

    Joy Hunt: The Red Flags I Ignored Before Losing Everything

    A successful marriage. Successful businesses. Luxury cars. A multimillion-dollar life. But behind what looked like success, Joy Hunt says she was losing access to her finances, overlooking warning signs and slowly losing herself. In this episode of Initiated by God, Jessica Laine MacDonald sits down with attorney, entrepreneur, mother and business owner Joy Hunt for an honest conversation about financial control, betrayal, divorce, faith and what happens when the life you worked so hard to protect begins falling apart. Joy explains why she says she “colored the red flags green,” how she found herself asking for grocery money while living in a home with a $10,000 mortgage, and why one of her hardest realizations was that although she knew how to protect businesses, she had failed to protect herself. They also unpack: • How financial abuse can hide behind the appearance of provision • The difference between enduring a difficult season and accepting disrespect • Why successful women sometimes protect the image of a relationship • What financial transparency should look like inside marriage • How Joy rebuilt her faith, identity and finances after losing everything If you have ever ignored something because leaving felt scarier than staying, this conversation is worth sitting with. What is one red flag people often explain away for too long? Chapters: 00:00 Attempted Murder Shock 01:15 Welcome to Initiated 02:28 Toxic Marriage Turning Point 03:39 Hard Reset Rebuild Joy 04:54 Attorney Without Protection 06:05 Losing It All Quietly 07:12 Financial Abuse Red Flags 09:08 Warning Signs Checklist 11:38 Identity Stripped Away 12:41 Reinventing the New Joy 13:17 God in the Storm 14:37 Silence and Stillness 15:11 Winning While Hurting 18:26 Endurance vs Obedience 20:00 Forgiveness and Boundaries 21:09 Ignoring Gods Signs 24:14 Protect Yourself Financially 26:43 Money Wealth Security 27:55 Stewarding God Vision 29:41 Losing It All Lesson 32:01 Faith Move Or Reckless 33:53 Purpose Over Millions 35:31 From Broke To Bank 36:45 Why Smart Women Stay 40:16 Advice For Starting Over 42:41 All In On Purpose 47:43 God Removes Reveal 50:10 Book Links Farewell #HardlyInitiated #Relationships #Faith

  7. Aug 31

    Mother Wounds, Boundaries & Marriage with Dr. Sarita Lyons

    Can you survive a wound and still unknowingly repeat it? Jessica Laine MacDonald sits down with psychotherapist, Bible teacher, and author Dr. Sarita Lyons to examine how childhood pain follows us into marriage, parenting, faith, and conflict. Dr. Lyons explains why we can become—or attract—the person who hurt us, how self-protection can sound like discernment, and why biblical honor does not require enabling abuse or pretending the past was healthy. She also distinguishes confession from genuine repentance and offers a practical standard for recognizing lasting change. The conversation includes Dr. Lyons’ personal journey away from Jesus, her dramatic return to faith, and the lessons behind her book Honor Thy Mother. This episode is for anyone ready to tell the truth about what happened without allowing it to determine what happens next.

  8. Aug 24

    He Turned Down a $37 Million Opportunity Here’s Why

    Would you turn down $37 million if accepting it meant walking away from your purpose? Live from Invest Fest, Jessica Lane McDonald joins Touré Roberts, Tim Timberlake, and Philip Anthony Mitchell for a powerful conversation about discerning opportunity, pursuing success, and remaining faithful to what God has called you to do. The panel examines why every open door is not necessarily a God-directed door, how ambition can distort discernment, and why convictions must be established before a major opportunity arrives. They also discuss stewardship, intimacy with God, identity beyond achievement, and the character required to sustain influence. In this episode, you’ll discover: • How to distinguish a good opportunity from a God opportunity • Why success can become a dangerous distraction • How peace, purpose, and convictions can guide major decisions • Why character matters more than talent • What it means to pursue prosperity without being possessed by it • How to trust God during seasons of waiting and sacrifice If you have ever wondered whether an opportunity is an answer to prayer or a distraction from your assignment, this conversation will help you evaluate what the opportunity may truly cost.

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Initiated By God isn't a show. It's an assignment.Hosted by Jessica Laine MacDonald, Initiated By God is a faith-forward interview series for people who've heard God call them to something — and are trying to find the courage to say yes. After a life-altering accident and a miraculous recovery, Jessica surrendered her platform to God and stepped into a new season of obedience. This show is what came out of it.Each episode, Jessica sits down with pastors, leaders, entrepreneurs, and everyday believers for raw, unfiltered conversations about calling, spiritual warfare, healing, transition, and what it actually costs to obey God when nobody around you understands. No veneer of perfection. No church-flyer answers. Just real testimony from people who've been broken, rebuilt, and sent. If you're stepping into a new assignment, running from one, or sitting in a season you didn't choose — this show was initiated by God for you.New episodes weekly. Stay initiated.

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