Pursue YOU with Pat Smith

Pat Smith
  • 4.9 (17)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Updated Weekly

Pursue YOU is a faith-centered personal growth podcast for women who feel like they’ve lost themselves in the roles, responsibilities, and expectations of life. If you’ve ever looked up and wondered, How did I get here? — this show is for you. Hosted by Patricia “Pat” Smith, Pursue YOU explores identity, healing, resilience, purpose, and the courage to rebuild from within. Through vulnerable reflections and powerful conversations with leaders and faith voices, Pat creates space for women navigating life transitions, rediscovering themselves, and redefining who they are beyond the labels. If you’re ready to reconnect with your identity, confront fear, and step into your next chapter with clarity and confidence — It’s time to Pursue YOU.

  1. 16h ago

    What 30 Years of Friendship Taught Us About Showing Up for Each Other

    What do you need from your friendships in this season of life? Pat Smith and her longtime friend Millicent Finney reflect on how friendship changes in your 50s and 60s, why different seasons require different kinds of support, and what it really means to show up for someone. From navigating decades of motherhood and family life together to literal late-night rescue calls, Pat and Millicent reveal the kind of friendship where the roles may change—but you still know, “If I need something, you’re there.” Along the way, Pat catches herself minimizing what she brings to the friendship and realizes that love doesn’t have to look equal to be mutual. RESOURCES Pat Smith  IG | @patsmithty  PURSUE YOU is produced by EPYC Media Network

  2. 4d ago

    8: Putting Everyone Else First: People-Pleasing, Perfectionism & Finding Yourself at 60 with Millicent

    What happens when the woman who holds everything together finally admits she is tired? In this deeply emotional episode of Pursue YOU, Pat Smith is joined by her lifelong friend Millicent Finney for a raw, unscripted conversation about friendship, faith, perfectionism, identity, and the hidden cost of always being the strong one. For decades, Millicent has been the protector, the problem-solver, the woman who makes everything happen for everyone else. But in this conversation, she opens up about what it looks like to turn that same care inward for the first time. From navigating marriage, motherhood, and career, to confronting people-pleasing, image pressure, and the fear of disappointing others, Millicent shares how God is calling her into a new season of alignment and self-trust. Tune in as Pat and Millicent explore what it means to pursue yourself without guilt, how friendships evolve across seasons, and why choosing yourself is not selfish; it is a matter of self-care. This episode is for every woman who has put herself last for too long and is finally ready to step into who God created her to be. KEY POINTS  00:00 - Introduction — Being the strong friend can cost you yourself 00:38 - Forgetting your purpose while caring for everyone else 00:49 - Finding your way back to God’s purpose 19:23 - Learning to pursue yourself after a lifetime of serving others 21:17 - Confidence, humility, and walking boldly with God 53:23 - The perfectionism that keeps you stuck 55:18 - The exhaustion of trying to look like you have it all together 56:21 - When God creates space for you to rediscover yourself 57:47 - Fighting for yourself as much as you fight for others 1:00:33 - It’s never too late to choose yourself QUOTES  “Showing up for myself is not the same as showing up for others.” – Millicent Finney “You operate under these safety rules, and you get nowhere.” “It’s a blessing and a burden to always be the one making it happen.” “Remove boundaries from yourself. Anything you put on yourself, no one gave it to you.” “It’s never too late. Just stop getting in the way of yourself.” GUEST RESOURCES  RESOURCES Pat Smith  IG | @patsmithty  PURSUE YOU is produced by EPYC Media Network

  3. Aug 31

    What Does the Bible Actually Say About Same-Sex Relationships? | Pastor Delman Coates

    Pastor and biblical scholar Dr. Delman Coates joins Pat Smith for a candid conversation about the Bible, homosexuality, and the Scriptures Christians have long used to discuss same-sex relationships. Dr. Coates challenges traditional interpretations of Leviticus, Sodom and Gomorrah, Romans, and Matthew 19, explaining why historical context, language, consent, and translation matter when reading Scripture. Whether you agree or disagree, this conversation invites you to look closer, ask deeper questions, and study the text for yourself. GUEST RESOURCES Pastor Delman Coates Website | delmancoates.org RESOURCES Pat Smith IG | @patsmithty PURSUE YOU is produced by EPYC Media Network

  4. Aug 26

    7: When Faith Makes You Feel Shame: Rethinking What We Were Taught with Dr. Delman Coates

    What if the faith you were taught was never meant to imprison you? In this bold and deeply freeing episode of Pursue You, Pat Smith sits down with Pastor and theologian Dr. Delman Coates for a powerful conversation about Scripture, identity, marriage, sexuality, and the harm caused when faith is stripped of context and compassion. Together, they unpack how the Bible has been misused to shame people navigating divorce, relationships, sexuality, and major life decisions.  “Grief, divorce, sexuality… these are complex issues, and the church gives people simple answers.” – Pastor Delman Coates.  Dr. Coates challenges rigid interpretations of Scripture and explains why many commonly quoted verses have been misunderstood, mistranslated, or weaponized… often leaving people stuck in fear, silence, and self-condemnation. This episode delves into what it truly means to live a faith rooted in love, justice, and freedom. If you’ve ever felt torn between your faith and your heart, silenced by shame, or afraid to ask hard questions in church, this episode will meet you with clarity, courage, and grace. 👉 Learn more at lifesavingdivorce.com and explore the book The Life-Saving Divorce for deeper guidance.  KEY POINTS  00:00 - Introduction  03:59 – When Scripture creates bondage instead of freedom. 09:26 – Pat redefines what a “successful” marriage actually means. 12:49 – The spiritual weight of believing divorce means disappointing God. 17:11 – God can give us agency to choose a new season. 20:25 – Why context matters when interpreting Scripture. 26:54 – Desire is something to manage, not automatically demonize. 35:42 – Faith does not require everyone to think the same. 41:00 – Reaching the point where you finally choose yourself. 43:34 – How shame caused Pat to silence herself and step away from ministry. 1:27:13 – Why we need more voices in the middle, not just the extremes. QUOTES  “We use scripture to put people in bondage instead of freeing them.” – Pastor Delman Coates “God is not always an either-or God. God is a both-and God.” – Pastor Delman Coates “There are no texts in Scripture that condemn consensual, same-gender loving people.” – Pastor Delman Coates “Scripture is about critiquing systemic injustice, not policing personal piety.” – Pastor Delman Coates “We should come alongside people to help them navigate hard decisions, not demonize them.” – Pastor Delman Coates GUEST RESOURCES  Pastor Delman Coates Website | delmancoates.org RESOURCES Pat Smith  IG | @patsmithty  PURSUE YOU is produced by EPYC Media Network

  5. Aug 24

    Ambiguous Loss: The Hidden Grief of Divorce, Friendship & Identity | Pat Smith & John Onwuchekwa

    Grief isn't always about losing a loved one. Sometimes it's grieving a marriage, a friendship, your health, or the future you imagined. In this powerful conversation, Pat Smith and John Onwuchekwa explore ambiguous grief—the hidden losses that come from divorce, broken relationships, chronic illness, and the life you thought you'd have. If you've ever struggled to explain why you're still hurting, this conversation may help you understand why. GUEST RESOURCES  John Onwuchekwa Website | johno.co IG | @jawn_o RESOURCES Pat Smith  IG | @patsmithty  PURSUE YOU is produced by EPYC Media Network

  6. Aug 19

    6: Grieving Loved Ones, Divorce & the Life You Thought You'd Have | Pat Smith & John Onwuchekwa

    What if grief isn’t a journey to finish, but a language to be fluent in?  In this deeply moving episode of Pursue YOU, Pat Smith is joined by grief educator and faith leader Dr. John Onwuchekwa for one of the most honest conversations about loss, loneliness, and healing you’ll hear. As the author of We Go On: Finding Purpose in All of Life’s Sorrows and Joys biblical book, he highlights the importance of acknowledging one’s true purpose, letting it shape our relationships, careers, and life choices.  Together, they explore how grief lives in the body, why isolation makes pain heavier, and how faith can both complicate and comfort the grieving process. Dr. John also challenges the common belief that grief is a journey with an endpoint and reframes it as a language we must learn to speak fluently. From losing parents and siblings to grieving marriages, homes, identities, and seasons of life, this episode validates losses that many people are told they should be “over by now.” If you have ever felt ashamed of how long you’ve been grieving, confused by why your body hurts, or lonely in your pain, this conversation will meet you with truth, compassion, and permission to heal, without rushing yourself. KEY POINTS  00:00 – Introduction 19:18 – Grief is not a journey. It is a language you learn to speak. 21:20 – Loss is not limited to death. Divorce, identity shifts, and endings count too. 43:48 – Shame makes grief heavier and healing harder. 45:13 – Avoiding grief is what causes people to get stuck in it. 51:28 – Your body does not lie. It remembers what your mind tries to avoid. 54:41 – You are not weak for grieving. You are human. 57:44 – Grief done in isolation becomes trauma. 59:07 – You don’t need answers. You need someone to sit with you in the dark. 1:00:52 – Healing happens through connection, not timelines. QUOTES  “Grief is not a journey. It is a language.” – John Onwuchekwa “The goal of a language is not to finish. It is to become fluent.” – John Onwuchekwa  “Your body does not lie. It tells the truth.” – John Onwuchekwa “The only people that get stuck in grief are people that try to avoid grief.” – John Onwuchekwa “Grief is bad when it is done in isolation.” – John Onwuchekwa “People are not scared of the dark. They are scared of being alone in the dark.” – John Onwuchekwa  GUEST RESOURCES  John Onwuchekwa Website | johno.co IG | @jawn_o RESOURCES Pat Smith  IG | @patsmithty  PURSUE YOU is produced by EPYC Media Network

  7. Aug 12

    5: The Relationship I Never Built With Myself: Learning to Love All Parts of Me with Ludmila Woodruff (Part 2)

    In PART 2 of this transformative conversation, Pat Smith and relationship coach Ludmila Woodruff move beyond the lessons of marriage and into the relationship that shapes every other one: the relationship with yourself. As Pat courageously confronts the beliefs she's carried for decades, she realizes that the validation, love, and confidence she searched for in others could never replace what she had never learned to give herself. Together, they explore why self-worth affects the love we receive, how childhood wounds become adult relationship patterns, why so many women struggle to receive compliments, advocate for themselves, and feel financially secure, and how healing begins when we stop rejecting the woman staring back at us in the mirror. This episode is a powerful invitation to finally build the relationship you've been missing all along: the one with yourself. KEY POINTS  00:00 – Introduction 01:37 – Why healing starts by building a relationship with yourself.  04:40 – High-achieving women are often the support for everyone else.  09:35 – The healthiest relationships begin when you become securely attached to yourself. 10:16 – Ludmila's powerful mirror exercise for learning to genuinely love yourself. 18:42 –  Why self-worth determines the love you're able to receive. 22:46 – The permission slip to rewrite the stories you've believed about yourself for years. 30:04 – Love is not enough: Women must advocate for themselves emotionally and financially. 36:07 – The realization that changes everything. 42:22 – Pat choosing courage, self-compassion, and a brand new relationship with herself. QUOTES  "I did not love Pat. I didn't see me. I didn't totally receive all of me." – Pat Smith "You haven't built a relationship with yourself yet." – Ludmila Woodruff "I don't think I ever looked at myself as a winner." – Pat Smith "Your husband doesn't see a woman who feels beautiful. He sees a woman who performs." – Ludmila Woodruff GUEST RESOURCES  Ludmila Woodruff ludmilawoodruff.com  IG | @ludmilawoodruff  RESOURCES Pat Smith  IG | @patsmithty  PURSUE YOU is produced by EPYC Media Network

  8. Aug 10

    The Childhood Belief That Followed Me Into Marriage | Pat Smith on Pursue You

    Why do so many women lose themselves in relationships? In this powerful conversation, Pat Smith realizes that her need to be perfect wasn't a personality trait—it was a survival strategy. Relationship coach Ludmila Woodruff unpacks how childhood experiences can teach us to earn love through performance, and why that pattern often leads to burnout, resentment, and losing ourselves. GUEST RESOURCES  Ludmila Woodruff ludmilawoodruff.com  IG | @ludmilawoodruff  RESOURCES Pat Smith  IG | @patsmithty  PURSUE YOU is produced by EPYC Media Network

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About

Pursue YOU is a faith-centered personal growth podcast for women who feel like they’ve lost themselves in the roles, responsibilities, and expectations of life. If you’ve ever looked up and wondered, How did I get here? — this show is for you. Hosted by Patricia “Pat” Smith, Pursue YOU explores identity, healing, resilience, purpose, and the courage to rebuild from within. Through vulnerable reflections and powerful conversations with leaders and faith voices, Pat creates space for women navigating life transitions, rediscovering themselves, and redefining who they are beyond the labels. If you’re ready to reconnect with your identity, confront fear, and step into your next chapter with clarity and confidence — It’s time to Pursue YOU.

Information

  • Creator
    Pat Smith
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    17
  • Copyright
    © 2026