The Devoted Dreamers Podcast

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**The Devoted Dreamers Podcast**

What if the dream in your heart was placed there by God for a reason?

Merritt Onsa, host of The Devoted Dreamers Podcast, helps Christian women in midlife find the courage to pursue their God-shaped dreams—even when fear, doubt, and imposter syndrome say they’re not ready.

Through real conversations with women living out their callings and short solo episodes full of biblical truth and encouragement, you’ll discover:
✨ How to move forward even when you feel unqualified
✨ The source of lies that keep dreamers stuck (and the truth that sets you free)
✨ Practical wisdom for taking the next brave step with God

This is your safe place to wrestle with questions about how to move forward, get clarity for your calling, and remember you don’t have to do it alone.

Together we’re building a community of sisters in Christ who will remind you where your hope lies and encourage you to keep taking the next step.

If you’re ready to stop second-guessing and start walking boldly with Jesus toward the life He’s calling you to, you’re in the right place.

Latest Episodes:

**117 || Breakthrough Lessons for Staying Focused on Your Dream || Laurel Smith** May 01, 2019
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Creative business owner Laurel Smith had a dream about making jewelry before she even possessed the knowledge or tools to do so. Over the next 14 years that dream grew into the reality that is Laurel Denise today. However, its God-given purpose didn’t become clear to her until years later. Laurel’s story reminds us that understanding your purpose and calling takes time.

In this episode, you’ll learn about how, in that season, she also experienced a shift from achieving to slowing down so she could make space for her calling as a mother. If you’re a mom with a dream, you know that’s not easy. Laurel shares the secret of how she learned to focus her time and energy so she could pursue her creative dream of jewelry making and her passion and calling to motherhood.

Laurel Smith is the owner and creative director of Laurel Denise, a shop that creates meaningful, handmade jewelry, home goods and accessories meant to encourage, inspire and remind women of what they cherish most in life. Laurel believes in encouragement over competition and prides herself on selling kind, joyful, and honest products. Laurel started the business in 2005 and now employs four women in her studio and a few local moms in her town to help create some of the handmade jewelry while their kiddos sleep. In her limited free time, she loves spending time with her two kids and husband, reading the latest popular fiction novel, or listening to her favorite podcasts.

You’ll find the show notes and all the ways to connect with Laurel, here: http://www.merrittonsa.com/podcast/117

Don’t forget to listen to the end of the show to find out how you can get your very own copy of Laurel’s “Daughter of the King” printable for free!

**CONNECT WITH LAUREL:**

Website || Instagram || Facebook

**MENTIONED ON THE SHOW:**
Books:
Road Back to You by Ian Cron and Suzanne Stabile

Podcast:
Don’t Mom Alone by Heather MacFadyen

**GET MORE INVOLVED...BECOME A DEVOTED DREAMERS PATRON**

Listener support makes this show possible! Click here to learn more about how you can get involved!

**GET CONNECTED WITH THE COMMUNITY:**

Find your tribe in the Devoted Dreamers Insiders Facebook Group where you can connect with other like-minded women in pursuit of their God-shaped dreams.

Leave your review of the show on Apple Podcasts/iTunes or Stitcher

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts * Subscribe on Android

*Some links to products listed here are affiliate links. When you click those and make a purchase, I earn a com*
Sign up for Dream Believers. Just $49/month or $490 for the year (get 2 months free!)
NEXT STEPS:
Connect with Merritt: Website || Instagram || Book a Call
Leave a Review: Apple Podcasts/iTunes
Subscribe: on Apple Podcasts * on Android
Join the *Dream Believers* community

MORE ABOUT THE DEVOTED DREAMERS PODCAST:
Produced by Jonathan R. Clauson.
Theme music by Reaktor Productions.
Ad music by Komiku.

**116 || [SOLO] Two Simple Reasons Your Dream is Not About You || Merritt Onsa** Apr 17, 2019
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God has a plan for His people and His Kingdom; that means He has a plan for you and your life, too. You likely have a dream of your own, a passion that burns deep inside and makes you want to leap from bed in the morning.

Maybe your dream is a desire to change the world for the better, or make beautiful things, or teach others what you have learned on your journey. Whatever it is, God put it in your heart on purpose.

When that dream begins to bubble up, you might be so busy doing what I did – figuring out the next steps – that you completely forget to ask who your dream is meant to serve. This episode will coach you through a list of questions to ask yourself, journal and to pray over as you consider who your dream is for, because one thing is for certain, if it’s from God, your dream is not solely about you.

This solo episode is tied directly to my last three solo episodes (#107 - You are a Daughter of the King and #110 – You Have Great Value and Worth, and #113 – You Were Created for a Reason) in case you want to listen in order.

You’ll find the show notes, the homework questions, the Bible verses I mentioned in this episode, and the links to other episodes I referenced, here, in the show notes: http://www.merrittonsa.com/podcast/116.

**MENTIONED ON THE SHOW:**

20,000 Words Podcast by April McKinney – Don’t miss these episodes:

#42 – The Nester (Myquillyn Smith) – All things Cozy Minimalist Décor!
#39 – Sandi Patty – Sexual Abuse, Accountability, Encouragement
#37 – Morgan Cheek – Joy in Hardship, When life doesn’t go as planned

The Passion of the Christ movie

Sign up for my monthly Dream Letter HERE: Bit.ly/dreamltr

Check out the show notes for a list of homework questions that will help you process who your dream will serve.

**GET INVOLVED WITH THE COMMUNITY...BECOME A DEVOTED DREAMERS PATRON**

*If you enjoy just one episode a month, please join my support team with a $5 monthly contribution so that I can continue to provide you with amazing content each week; just click the button above.*

Find your tribe in the Devoted Dreamers Insiders Facebook Group where you can connect with other like-minded women in pursuit of their God-shaped dreams.

Leave your review of the show on Apple Podcasts/iTunes or
Sign up for Dream Believers. Just $49/month or $490 for the year (get 2 months free!)
NEXT STEPS:
Connect with Merritt: Website || Instagram || Book a Call
Leave a Review: Apple Podcasts/iTunes
Subscribe: on Apple Podcasts * on Android
Join the *Dream Believers* community

MORE ABOUT THE DEVOTED DREAMERS PODCAST:
Produced by Jonathan R. Clauson.
Theme music by Reaktor Productions.
Ad music by Komiku.

**115 || Four Opportunities You'll Find on the Way to Your Dream || Christa Hutchins** Apr 10, 2019
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LISTENER SURVEY - DEADLINE IS APRIL 15TH!

Please take a few minutes to respond to our listener survey. You’ll be entered to win your choice of a $10 Amazon gift card or a signature Devoted Dreamers coffee/tea mug!

Ministry coach Christa Hutchins is the woman you’ll want by your side if you’re feeling overwhelmed in managing the details of your dream. She loves to serve Christian women who speak, write or lead, helping them develop strategies to accomplish their goals and dreams. But even if you’re not that far along yet, don’t know exactly what your dream is, or are in a season of waiting on the right timing, Christa shares a few clues on what you can do when you have a dream, but it’s just not time yet.

In this episode, Christa offers a healthy reminder that we don’t have to define ourselves by any one thing, meaning that the silos we live in (single woman, mother, wife, employee, creative, etc.) may not be as segmented as we think. You’ll learn how to make the most of a season of waiting, like David did in the 20 years from his anointing to his appointing as king. You’ll discover, hopefully again, that you don’t have to do it alone. In fact, it’s better not to.

Christa Hutchins is a “doer-of-things” who provides ministry coaching and project management for women communicators and leaders. Her writing provides practical insight into moving your God-sized dream from vision to action. Christa lives in South Louisiana with her husband in their delightfully empty nest, where you usually will find her with her nose stuck in a book or sipping on a triple tall, non-fat peppermint mocha.

You’ll find the show notes and all the ways to connect with Christa, here: http://www.merrittonsa.com/podcast/115

**CONNECT WITH CHRISTA:**

Website || Instagram || Facebook

**MENTIONED ON THE SHOW:**

Proverbs 31 Ministries

Esther Littlefield’s Christian Woman Leadership Podcast

Confessions of a Crappy Christian Podcast

For leaders – anything by John Maxwell

The John Maxwell Leadership Podcast

Books by John Maxwell on Amazon

Radiant.NYC – website and Instagram – for women in NYC who are learning to live radiantly and unashamed but are still trying to figure it out in life in the city.

**GIVEAWAY** – Here’s your chance to win one month of free accountability coaching with Christa Hutchins. Find the giveaway on my Instagram and in show notes here.

**GET MORE INVOLVED...BECOME A DEVOTED DREAMERS PATRON**

Listener support makes this show possible! Click here to learn more about how you can get involved!

**GET CONNECTED WITH THE COMMUNITY:**

Sign up for Dream Believers. Just $49/month or $490 for the year (get 2 months free!)
NEXT STEPS:
Connect with Merritt: Website || Instagram || Book a Call
Leave a Review: Apple Podcasts/iTunes
Subscribe: on Apple Podcasts * on Android
Join the *Dream Believers* community

MORE ABOUT THE DEVOTED DREAMERS PODCAST:
Produced by Jonathan R. Clauson.
Theme music by Reaktor Productions.
Ad music by Komiku.

**114 || How to Let Your Faith Lead Your Dream || Amber Brannon** Apr 03, 2019
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**TAKE THE LISTENER SURVEY**

Please take a few minutes to respond to our listener survey. You’ll be entered to win your choice of a $10 Amazon gift card or a signature Devoted Dreamers coffee/tea mug! Deadline to enter: April 15th!

Entrepreneur Amber Brannon returns to the podcast to share how she’s grown in her faith since our last conversation in 2017, and how God has transformed her dependence on Him personally and in her business.

In this episode, you’ll learn the importance of being clear about who you are (and who you aren’t) as you pursue your dream. Amber describes what that process was like for her company, Copperheart Creative, and how it helped them discover the types of clients they love to serve. Amber teaches us what she learned from trying to control everything – including that it’s not possible – and how she’s letting Jesus take control, instead. Plus, there’s a tried and true sign that you’re not trusting God; she knows because it happened to her. Amber reminds us what it’s like when you try to go it alone, and you’ll be inspired to follow in her footsteps to find women who can walk with you on the journey of pursuing your dream.

Amber is a lover of people and Jesus, and a self-confessed coffee-choc-oholic who wants to unleash stunning design on the world. After much wrestling with God she quit her steady full-time job with no backup plan and started doing freelance design work. Today, she is listed among the Top 10 Designers in Tennessee, but experience has taught her that she can’t do it all alone. The best lesson she has learned since starting her business is to join other talented people who complement her skills. That’s how Copperheart Creative was born! Together, they are a team of creative entrepreneurs focused on branding, each specialized in their own craft, and serving businesses with heart.

You’ll find the show notes and all the ways to connect with Amber, here: http://www.merrittonsa.com/podcast/114
Sign up for Dream Believers. Just $49/month or $490 for the year (get 2 months free!)
NEXT STEPS:
Connect with Merritt: Website || Instagram || Book a Call
Leave a Review: Apple Podcasts/iTunes
Subscribe: on Apple Podcasts * on Android
Join the *Dream Believers* community

MORE ABOUT THE DEVOTED DREAMERS PODCAST:
Produced by Jonathan R. Clauson.
Theme music by Reaktor Productions.
Ad music by Komiku.

**113 || [SOLO] You Were Created for a Reason || Merritt Onsa** Mar 20, 2019
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Please take a few minutes to respond to our listener survey. You’ll be entered to win your choice of a $10 Amazon gift card or a signature Devoted Dreamers mug!

* * * * * * *

There is purpose for your life; you are not here by accident. I believe there’s enough in God’s word to back this up, so today I’m talking about the two perspectives I’ve been wrestling with related to this topic and how we decipher our God-shaped dreams. The first perspective is that He uses our gifts and talents for our good, for the good of others, and for His Kingdom. The second perspective is that He uses us in spite of our weakness, failure, or even our blatant rejection of His calling upon our lives.

If you’re not sure yet what your God-shaped dream might be, you may find yourself feeling confused. Should your dream flow out of what you’re naturally good at or the skills and life experiences that have made you who you are today? Or might God be calling you to something completely outside of anything you’ve ever considered? Listen in, and let me know what you think.

This solo episode is tied directly to my last two solo episodes (#107 - You are a Daughter of the King and #110 – You Have Great Value and Worth), in case you want to check those out before you hear this one.

I’ve got a homework assignment for you again. I suggest you to take the next 30 days to process through and write out your answers to these questions if you’re still trying to figure out your God-shaped dream.

You’ll find the show notes, the questions, the verses I mentioned in this episode, and the links to other episodes I referenced, here, in the show notes: http://www.merrittonsa.com/podcast/113.

**GET MORE INVOLVED...BECOME A DEVOTED DREAMERS PATRON**

Listener support makes this show possible. Click here to learn more about how you can get involved!

**GET CONNECTED:**

Find your tribe in the Devoted Dreamers Insiders Facebook Group where you can connect with other like-minded women in pursuit of their God-shaped dreams.

Leave your review of the show on Apple Podcasts/iTunes or Stitcher

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts * Subscribe on Android

*Some links to products listed here are affiliate links. When you click those and make a purchase, I earn a commission that supports this podcast. Thanks for your support!*
Sign up for Dream Believers. Just $49/month or $490 for the year (get 2 months free!)
NEXT STEPS:
Connect with Merritt: Website || Instagram || Book a Call
Leave a Review: Apple Podcasts/iTunes
Subscribe: on Apple Podcasts * on Android
Join the *Dream Believers* community

MORE ABOUT THE DEVOTED DREAMERS PODCAST:
Produced by Jonathan R. Clauson.
Theme music by Reaktor Productions.
Ad music by Komiku.

**112 || Because Fear Will Try to Steal Your Dream|| Julie Watson** Mar 14, 2019
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**LISTENER SURVEY**
Please take a few minutes to respond to our listener survey so we can get to know you better. You’ll be entered to win your choice of a $10 Amazon gift card or a signature Devoted Dreamers mug!

**ABOUT THIS EPISODE**
God created you for a reason. This is our theme for the month of March, and in this episode, Julie Watson shares how she fought back fear and a lack of confidence to pursue the dreams God has given her for the one life she has to live.

Through Julie's story we are reminded how God often calls us into places where we feel incompetent, like we can’t do it, or are just too full of fear to move forward (think of Moses). But He meets us in our “gaps,” and He grows us when we say “yes” despite our objections to the challenges before us. Julie reveals the truth about the training, education or preparation you need to pursue your dream – and it’s probably not what you think! Finally, she asks a poignant question towards the end that helps us think about what we really want for our life and our dream.

Julie is a certified health coach and life coach and a newly published author. After battling with her own health and life struggles, she is passionate about helping women increase their health so they can live out the life they’re called to live. She believes we are created for more, to flourish not flounder in our everyday life. Julie lives in the country with her husband and their combined family of five children. In her free time, she can be found writing, researching, running, teaching others about healthy living, and connecting with friends over a great cup of coffee.

You’ll find the show notes here: http://www.merrittonsa.com/podcast/112

**CONNECT WITH JULIE:**
Website || Instagram || Facebook

**MENTIONED ON THE SHOW:**

Google “I Am” statements as a reminder of your identity in Christ

The four pillars mentioned in Julie’s book, True Health:
True health
Realizing your potential
Understanding you
Enlightenment by the Holy Spirit

**RECOMMENDED RESOURCES:**

**Books**

*Battle Ready* by Kelly Balarie

*High Performance Habits* by Brendon Burchard

*Miracle Morning* by Hal Elrod

*Dream* by Dutch Sheets

*4 Keys to Hearing God’s Voice* by Mark Virkler

Not mentioned in our conversation, but Julie shared this book with me later as a great resource for anyone dealing with grief or wondering how to respond to friends and loved ones who are:

*A Grace Disguised: How the Soul Grows Through Loss* by Jerry Sittser

**GET MORE INVOLVED...BECOME A DEVOTED DREAMERS PATRON**

Your monthly contribution helps us ensure the podcast
Sign up for Dream Believers. Just $49/month or $490 for the year (get 2 months free!)
NEXT STEPS:
Connect with Merritt: Website || Instagram || Book a Call
Leave a Review: Apple Podcasts/iTunes
Subscribe: on Apple Podcasts * on Android
Join the *Dream Believers* community

MORE ABOUT THE DEVOTED DREAMERS PODCAST:
Produced by Jonathan R. Clauson.
Theme music by Reaktor Productions.
Ad music by Komiku.

**111 || How to Find Remarkable Beauty in Ordinary Dreams || Ashley Hales** Mar 06, 2019
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God created you for a reason. This is our theme for the month of March, and in this episode, Ashley Hales shares how her life today feels far more ordinary than what she dreamed as a younger person – and why that’s exactly where God wants her right now.

Through her story we learn the importance of pressing in to the greater story of the gospel because of how it impacts our lives and relationships with others. She reminds us of our identity in Christ through the story of the prodigal son and God's love for His children. You’ll also discover the value of instituting small disciplines in your life like finding a verse to meditate on, or a way to move your body each day, or anything that helps you detach from your everyday role(s). She also talks about why she wrote her first book, *Finding Holy in the Suburbs: Living Faithfully in the Land of Too Much (IVP)*, even though she never expected to author a book.

Ashley holds a PhD in English from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. She’s a writer, speaker, and hosts The Finding Holy Podcast. Ashley is married to a church planter in the southern California suburbs and is a mother to four children. Her writing has been featured in *The Gospel Coalition*, *Books & Culture*, and *Christianity Today*.

You’ll find the show notes and all the ways to connect with Ashley, here: http://www.merrittonsa.com/podcast/111

**CONNECT WITH ASHLEY:**

Website || Instagram || Twitter

**MENTIONED ON THE SHOW:**

MOPS International
Resurrection Orange County

**FAVORITE RESOURCES:**

**Books**

*Finding Holy in the Suburbs* by Ashley Hales

*Teach Us to Want* by Jen Michel

*Liturgy of the Ordinary* by Tish Harrison Warren

*Long Days of Small Things* by Catherine McNiel

*Poetry 180* by Billy Collins

**Podcasts**

*Finding Holy Podcast* by Ashley Hales

SUPPORT THE PODCAST
BECOME A DEVOTED DREAMERS PATRON

Your monthly support makes the podcast possible. Click the Patron button to learn more.

**GET CONNECTED:**

Find your tribe in the Devoted Dreamers Insiders Facebook Group where you can connect with other like-minded women in pursuit of their God-shaped dreams.

Leave your review of the show on Apple Podcasts/iTunes or Stitcher

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts *
Sign up for Dream Believers. Just $49/month or $490 for the year (get 2 months free!)
NEXT STEPS:
Connect with Merritt: Website || Instagram || Book a Call
Leave a Review: Apple Podcasts/iTunes
Subscribe: on Apple Podcasts * on Android
Join the *Dream Believers* community

MORE ABOUT THE DEVOTED DREAMERS PODCAST:
Produced by Jonathan R. Clauson.
Theme music by Reaktor Productions.
Ad music by Komiku.

You Have Great Value and Worth in Christ Feb 20, 2019

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Ep 110 Show Notes are here: http://www.merrittonsa.com/podcast/110

This solo episode is tied directly to my last solo episode (#107, so go listen if you haven’t already). In this one I’m talking about our value and worth because we are daughters of the Most High King.

You’ll hear a few more bits of my story prior to becoming a Christian, and then even after Jesus rescued me, about how I rested my value on something that was ultimately going to fail me.

I share the best response I ever got from a Christian man who knew he couldn’t bear the weight of my identity on his back.

And I talk a bit about what’s going on my world right now that has revealed to me that I am, yet again, struggling to remember that my security is in Christ.

You also have a homework assignment after this one. It’s just a little journaling, so whether that practice is new to you or you have stacks of journals laying around, I hope you will plan for some alone time after listening to this one. I provide a few journaling prompts as well as tips on how to journal if you’ve never done it before.

MENTIONED ON THE SHOW:

Episode 107 – Solo Episode – You are a Daughter of the Most High King

Episode 109 with Cari Jenkins – Believing the God Who Sees You

Journaling Homework:

What is it that you are trying to rest your value and worth in besides Jesus?

What is it that, if you lost it, would make you feel sick to your stomach or cause you to forget that there’s any good thing in your life?

What would feel like the end for you if you lost it? Like death might seem sweeter than enduring the loss of this thing you treasure?

NEXT STEPS:
Connect with Merritt: Website || Instagram || Book a Call
Leave a Review: Apple Podcasts/iTunes
Subscribe: on Apple Podcasts * on Android
Join the Dream Believers community

MORE ABOUT THE DEVOTED DREAMERS PODCAST:
Produced by Jonathan R. Clauson.
Theme music by Reaktor Productions.
Ad music by Komiku.