Every Thought Captive: Honest Conversations on Faith and Emotions | Christian Women, Trusting God

Rachel Russell | Christian Women, Taking Thoughts Captive, Trusting God
  • 5.0 (9)
  • Christianity

A podcast for Christian women who love God and still struggle with anxiety, depression, and fear. Every Thought Captive explores the real tension between faith and emotions through honest conversations about motherhood, trusting God in hard seasons, and learning to take every thought captive instead of letting your thoughts take you. No perfect answers. Just Christ and the Christ-dependent women trying to follow him. Each episode features honest conversations with real women who are learning, just like you, to take every thought captive to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). A podcast from Harp and Timbrel.

Episodes

  1. Why Conflict Feels So Scary | Christian Women, Overthinking & Rehearsing the Worst-Case Scenario | 6

    May 8

    Why Conflict Feels So Scary | Christian Women, Overthinking & Rehearsing the Worst-Case Scenario | 6

    Have you ever wished you were better at conflict? Maybe you avoid it completely, stuffing things down until they explode. Maybe you charge straight in and regret your tone later. Maybe you lay in bed at night overthinking a conversation that hasn't even happened yet, playing out the worst-case scenario on repeat like your brain just won't quit. If you're a Christian woman who has ever spiraled into anxiety over a hard conversation or replayed an argument in your head for days, this one's for you. Conflict is one of those things most of us know can be good, but in the moment it never feels that way. It feels personal. It feels emotional. And when pride gets involved, even good intentions can go sideways fast. This episode is an honest conversation about what it actually looks like to handle conflict well, in marriage, with your kids, and with the people around you. We talk about humbling yourself even when the other person doesn't, choosing connection over being right, and what it means to take those racing thoughts captive instead of letting them take you. Because overthinking and fear will rehearse the worst for you all night long if you let them. But trusting God looks like rehearsing faith instead of fear and choosing to believe that good things are still possible. Philippians 4:8 has something to say about what we think on. And it might change the way you handle your next hard conversation. You're not alone in this. And you're not the only one still learning. ✝️ Shop Harp and Timbrel 📖 Shop our Personalized Bibles: https://www.harpandtimbrel.com/products/pink-kjv-bible-with-engraving-options?_pos=1&_sid=03e030907&_ss=r&variant=52376831951029 👕 Shop our Christian T-Shirts: https://www.harpandtimbrel.com/collections/faith-based-t-shirts 📓 Get the Every Thought Captive™ 14-Day Devotional Workbook: https://www.harpandtimbrel.com/products/14-days-to-take-every-thought-captive 📔 Pre-Order the Every Thought Captive™ Guided Journal (Shipping Summer 2026): https://www.harpandtimbrel.com/products/every-thought-captive%E2%84%A2-guided-journal-pre-order 🕐 Chapters 0:00 — Intro 0:15 — How do you view conflict? 2:40 — Pride and why it makes conflict so hard 5:05 — Do you need time to process or do you want to hash it out right now? 7:26 — Rehearsing scenarios in your mind and choosing faith over fear 9:51 — Navigating conflict with your kids 12:10 — "This is how I'm feeling" vs. "You're making me feel this way" 14:36 — Philippians 4:8, think on these things

    15 min
  2. Depression, Shame, and the Lie That You're Not Allowed to Struggle | Motherhood, Faith, Emotions | 5

    Apr 27

    Depression, Shame, and the Lie That You're Not Allowed to Struggle | Motherhood, Faith, Emotions | 5

    Have you ever been in a season so dark you didn't know how to explain it to anyone? Maybe you've felt the heaviness settle in and you don't even know where it came from. Maybe you've told yourself you shouldn't be struggling because other people have it worse. Maybe the shame of feeling depressed as a believer has kept you from telling a single person, because if you just had more faith or prayed harder or tried more, you wouldn't feel this way. And now you're overthinking whether something is wrong with you on top of everything else. If you're a Christian woman who has ever battled depression and felt too ashamed or too weak to say it out loud, this episode will meet you right where you are. This is an honest conversation about what depression really looks like in motherhood and faith, the seasons where anxiety and fear stack on top of each other until you can barely get out of bed, the shame of feeling like your struggle isn't valid, and the freedom that comes from finally letting someone in. We talk about taking your thoughts captive when your thoughts are telling you it's hopeless, overcoming fear of asking for help, and trusting God when you can't feel him anywhere. We talk about moving your body as a first step, being painfully honest with the Lord, and why gratitude might be the most underrated weapon you have. Two things can be true. Someone else can have it harder and your pain can still be so real you can't function. David looked at his own soul and said, "Why are you downcast? Put your hope in God." He had to preach to himself. So do we. You're not weak. You're not alone. And asking for help might be the bravest thing you ever do. 📖 Shop our Personalized Bibles: https://www.harpandtimbrel.com/products/pink-kjv-bible-with-engraving-options?_pos=1&_sid=03e030907&_ss=r&variant=52376831951029 👕 Shop our Christian T-Shirts: https://www.harpandtimbrel.com/collections/faith-based-t-shirts 📓 Get the Every Thought Captive™ 14-Day Devotional Workbook: https://www.harpandtimbrel.com/products/14-days-to-take-every-thought-captive 📔 Pre-Order the Every Thought Captive™ Guided Journal (Shipping Summer 2026): https://www.harpandtimbrel.com/products/every-thought-captive%E2%84%A2-guided-journal-pre-order Chapters: 00:00 What Depression Really Looks Like 04:53 The Shame of Depression and Why We Hide It 09:37 What Would You Tell Yourself in That Season? 12:00 How to Fight Back Physically and Spiritually 16:36 When Life Compounds and You Can't Carry It Alone 18:54 Worship, Scripture, and Learning to Trust God 21:14 Gratitude as a Weapon Against Depression

    24 min
  3. Being Mad at God | Overthinking, Trusting God When Life is Hard, When God Feels Silent | 4

    Apr 16

    Being Mad at God | Overthinking, Trusting God When Life is Hard, When God Feels Silent | 4

    Have you ever been mad at God and felt guilty about it? Maybe you're anxious and overwhelmed and you know you're supposed to trust him but you're frustrated because nothing is changing. Maybe you've done everything you know to do, prayed more, fasted more, tried harder, and you're still waking up with a pit in your stomach every morning. Maybe you've just stopped praying altogether because you don't even know what to say to him anymore. If you're a Christian woman who has ever been angry at God, shut down on him, or felt like admitting you're frustrated with him makes you a bad believer, this episode is for you. This is an honest conversation about what happens when anxiety and faith collide and nobody talks about the anger underneath it. We talk about the spiral of overthinking everything, the pressure of feeling like it's all on you to make the right decisions in motherhood and life and marriage, and the formula trap of believing that if you just did more, God would finally come through. We get honest about depression, about fear, about shutting God out when we're mad at him instead of telling him the truth. And we ask the question most of us are afraid to ask out loud: is it okay to disagree with God? Here's what we landed on. In order to trust God, you have to disagree with him. Because if you agreed with everything he was doing, it wouldn't require trust. And taking your thoughts captive doesn't mean pretending you're fine. It means being honest about where you are and choosing to believe he's still good even when you're not feeling it. Overcoming fear and frustration with God isn't a one-time event. It's training, choosing faith over and over until it becomes the thing you reach for when everything falls apart. You're not a bad Christian for being frustrated. You're a real one. And he can handle it. 📖 Shop our Personalized Bibles: https://www.harpandtimbrel.com/products/pink-kjv-bible-with-engraving-options?_pos=1&_sid=03e030907&_ss=r&variant=52376831951029 👕 Shop our Christian T-Shirts: https://www.harpandtimbrel.com/collections/faith-based-t-shirts 📓 Get the Every Thought Captive™ 14-Day Devotional Workbook: https://www.harpandtimbrel.com/products/14-days-to-take-every-thought-captive 📔 Pre-Order the Every Thought Captive™ Guided Journal (Shipping Summer 2026): https://www.harpandtimbrel.com/products/every-thought-captive%E2%84%A2-guided-journal-pre-order Chapters 00:00 Struggling with Anxiety and Faith06:07 The Pressure to Advance and Succeed12:00 Verbalizing Emotions and Relationship with God17:57 Training for Faith and Perseverance

    20 min
  4. Believing the Lies in Your Head | Overthinking, Taking Thoughts Captive, Anxiety, Trusting God | 3

    Apr 9

    Believing the Lies in Your Head | Overthinking, Taking Thoughts Captive, Anxiety, Trusting God | 3

    Have you ever known something was true and felt the complete opposite? Maybe you know God is good but your emotions are telling you everything is falling apart. Maybe you know he's called you to something but the anxiety, the self-doubt, and the overthinking are so loud you can barely hear anything else. Maybe you've wanted to quit whatever he put in front of you more times than you can count. If you're a Christian woman who has ever been stuck between what scripture says and what your depression, fear, or anxiety are screaming at you, this episode is for you. This is an honest conversation about the daily tension between truth and emotions and what it actually looks like to take your thoughts captive when your thoughts won't stop. We talk about the wrestle of overcoming fear when it feels bigger than your faith, choosing obedience even when you don't feel qualified, and why trusting God sometimes just means showing up again tomorrow when everything in you wants to walk away. We talk about the seasons of motherhood and calling and waiting that feel pointless but are actually preparing you for something you can't see yet. Your feelings are real. But they're not the final word. And sometimes the bravest thing you can do is keep going when your emotions are begging you to stop. You're not too emotional. You're not too much. And God is not surprised by any of it. 📖 Shop our Personalized Bibles: https://www.harpandtimbrel.com/products/pink-kjv-bible-with-engraving-options?_pos=1&_sid=03e030907&_ss=r&variant=52376831951029 👕 Shop our Christian T-Shirts: https://www.harpandtimbrel.com/collections/faith-based-t-shirts 📓 Get the Every Thought Captive™ 14-Day Devotional Workbook: https://www.harpandtimbrel.com/products/14-days-to-take-every-thought-captive 📔 Pre-Order the Every Thought Captive™ Guided Journal (Shipping Summer 2026): https://www.harpandtimbrel.com/products/every-thought-captive%E2%84%A2-guided-journal-pre-order Chapters: 00:00 The Tension Between Truth and Emotions 09:14 The Impact of Scripture 15:44 Managing Emotions with Faith and Testimony

    18 min
  5. Feeling Alone and Disconnected | Loneliness, Motherhood, and Overcoming Anxiety | 2

    Apr 2

    Feeling Alone and Disconnected | Loneliness, Motherhood, and Overcoming Anxiety | 2

    Have you ever felt disconnected? From your friends, from your family, from God? Maybe you're in a season right now where the days are long and lonely. Your husband is working. The kids need everything from you. And somewhere in the middle of all the diapers and dishes and exhaustion, you realize you can't remember the last time you had a real conversation with another adult. Or the last time you opened your Bible without falling asleep. In this episode, Rachel and Kimberly get honest about what it feels like to be completely disconnected in the middle of motherhood. Kimberly shares her story of being a mom of four kids five and under, living an hour away from family and church, with a husband working long hours, and feeling like she was drowning. She talks about what God spoke to her in that season, the pressure that came with it, and the uncomfortable (and honestly kind of hilarious) things she did to fight her way out of isolation. We talk about why loneliness can actually feel comfortable, how worry and anxiety can disguise themselves as productivity, what it looks like to take a step even when it feels awkward, and why God never designed us to do life alone. If you're in a season where you feel stuck, isolated, or just plain tired, this one is for you. You are not alone. 📖 Shop our Personalized Bibles: https://www.harpandtimbrel.com/products/pink-kjv-bible-with-engraving-options?_pos=1&_sid=03e030907&_ss=r&variant=52376831951029 👕 Shop our Christian T-Shirts: https://www.harpandtimbrel.com/collections/faith-based-t-shirts 📓 Get the Every Thought Captive™ 14-Day Devotional Workbook: https://www.harpandtimbrel.com/products/14-days-to-take-every-thought-captive 📔 Pre-Order the Every Thought Captive™ Guided Journal (Shipping Summer 2026): https://www.harpandtimbrel.com/products/every-thought-captive%E2%84%A2-guided-journal-pre-order Chapters: 00:00 Navigating Disconnection in Motherhood 05:11 Fighting Isolation and Finding Connection 09:12 Why We're Not Meant to Do Life Alone 12:08 Getting Unstuck and Saying Yes to What God Called You To

    16 min
  6. When Life Doesn’t Go as Planned | Trusting God, Christian Women, Overcoming Disappointment | 1

    Mar 26

    When Life Doesn’t Go as Planned | Trusting God, Christian Women, Overcoming Disappointment | 1

    Have you ever looked at your life and thought, this is not what I pictured? Maybe you thought you'd be further along by now. Maybe the career, the marriage, the motherhood journey, none of it looks the way you imagined it would. And maybe the gap between where you are and where you thought you'd be has left you stuck in overthinking, anxiety, and a low-grade fear that you somehow missed it. If you're a Christian woman who has ever felt the weight of disappointment, wrestled with depression in a season that didn't make sense, or laid awake at night wondering if God actually has a plan for your life, this episode is for you. This is an honest conversation about what it feels like when your faith and your reality don't line up. We talk about trusting God when his timing doesn't match your urgency, the fear that comes when you can't see where he's leading, and why the hardest seasons of motherhood and waiting and not knowing might be doing more in you than you realize. Sometimes he doesn't need you to get it right. He just wants your yes. Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when it's realized it becomes a tree of life. And sometimes that realization takes longer than you want it to. But his plans are still good. You're not behind. And you haven't missed it. 📖 Shop our Personalized Bibles: https://www.harpandtimbrel.com/products/pink-kjv-bible-with-engraving-options?_pos=1&_sid=03e030907&_ss=r&variant=52376831951029 👕 Shop our Christian T-Shirts: https://www.harpandtimbrel.com/collections/faith-based-t-shirts 📓 Get the Every Thought Captive™ 14-Day Devotional Workbook: https://www.harpandtimbrel.com/products/14-days-to-take-every-thought-captive 📔 Pre-Order the Every Thought Captive™ Guided Journal (Shipping Summer 2026): https://www.harpandtimbrel.com/products/every-thought-captive%E2%84%A2-guided-journal-pre-order Chapters: 00:00 Navigating Career and Life Choices 11:03 Trusting God's Timing and Plans

    16 min
  • 6 Episodes

5
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

A podcast for Christian women who love God and still struggle with anxiety, depression, and fear. Every Thought Captive explores the real tension between faith and emotions through honest conversations about motherhood, trusting God in hard seasons, and learning to take every thought captive instead of letting your thoughts take you. No perfect answers. Just Christ and the Christ-dependent women trying to follow him. Each episode features honest conversations with real women who are learning, just like you, to take every thought captive to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). A podcast from Harp and Timbrel.

Information

  • Creator
    Rachel Russell | Christian Women, Taking Thoughts Captive, Trusting God
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    6
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Rachel Russell | Christian Women, Taking Thoughts Captive, Trusting God