Unexpected with Hannah Love

Latest Episodes:

Episode 38: Room to Grow Mar 06, 2023

Show notes

We are back! After the unexpected arrival of our newest little man THREE weeks early, we are back up and running! In this episode, I reflect on Abram’s birth story…and how God revealed some pretty beautiful truths through it. See, in the months leading up to the due date, I had been walking. Physically speaking, I knew that keeping up with a 6 year old, 3 year old, and newborn would be demanding. I set the goal for myself to walk forty miles a week while pregnant (as soon as the first trimester sickness eased anyway). And so, I did. Forty miles a week and between 100-250 flights of stairs a week depending on my schedule. I could tell my stamina was going to be better after this pregnancy and was so excited that I was doing prep work that would pay off after the baby was born. My core felt stronger and tighter than it had during my second pregnancy.. I couldn’t help but wonder, though… if all that walking was part of what made the baby stop growing. All that walking had kept my muscles strong but maybe those strong muscles had somehow cut off baby Abram’s room to grow. There really were no answers for that. With the diagnosis of Fetal Growth Restriction, I was simply told that the baby ‘ran out of room’ to grow without a cause or even a speculation as to why. It was so frustrating because I felt I had done the best job on this pregnancy to stay active and healthy. I had put in the work. I kept thinking about the irony of that. My preparation seemed to stop the growth of my baby. This is where I could see God showing me something. I began thinking of how this looks like us, a lot, as christians. We put in the work. We prepare. It’s a good thing. But at some point, we have to step out of the way and hand it over to God. We can only take ourselves so far. We can only grow so much in our own strength and our own humanity. We are limited. But God is limitless. I thought maybe, just mayyyybe, God was reminding me that we will always run out of room to grow… when we try to do it in our own strength. And honestly, I’m so thankful for that. If I had had it my way, my own plans for my life would have gone no further than a little house in a little town, minding my own business and not pursuing anything more. Safe, but ineffective at what God was really wanting from me. Instead, God DID have His way in my life…and because of it, I’m speaking thousands every week. Totally outside of my comfort zone. But pursuing the very things God put inside of me before I was even formed in my mother’s womb. God knows the end from the beginning. Sometimes, He just needs us to surrender our own way..our own life-preparation and let Him show us how much bigger it can be. And not just bigger, but more full. Because we do live in fullness when we are pursing God’s will over our own. Thank you to our sponsor: Talk About from Awana. Go to talkaboutdiscipleship.com to download your free Holy Week Family Guide and talk faith with your family this spring!

Episode 37: Gifts of Influence (Government & Religion) Jan 16, 2023

Show notes

Hello everyone! We are well on our way to winding down this series on the gifts of influence. If you are just jumping in, this entire concept is based around the seven mountains of influence. My hope is that this series will be a tool for identifying your own special gifts and reflecting on where God has placed each of you (and why)! So far, we have covered these areas of gifting: Media, Arts & Entertainment, Business, Family, and Education. Today, I thought I would wrap it all up with the two most difficult mountains for me to write about. Government and Religion. (And for different reasons). In the arena of government, I truly have no personal references from which to pull! However, what I DO have is an understanding of HOW Christianity shaped the democracy on which this great country was founded. It would take a mountain of books to fit all of the words, speeches, and references over the years of key political figures who acknowledge the Christian foundation on which this nation was built. Interestingly enough, though, even as I researched this topic, it would appear many current day articles are doing their best to re-write history. Painting the picture that our origins have been mistranslated. This only seems to confirm what generals.org was referencing. It doesn’t take a scholar to notice the lengths to which current day lawmakers and representatives are going to to erase God from everything! Which leads me to my next point…this is exactly the reason it is SO important today for those of you gifted in this sphere to step into your roles! Those adept at debating, speaking, lawmaking, and generally, those comfortable in leadership as a representative of a community! YOU are the ones who will turn the tide. Stand your ground. Remember your foundations. Seek justice, restore order, and encourage a nation to get back to the morals and values it was founded in! Again, I can’t give a personal testimony about the impacts of Christianity in government, but I do know it’s how we, as a nation, began. I also know, it is up to those gifted in this arena to keep fighting the fight. Especially if we want to see differences being made at national and worldwide levels. And last, we have the final arena I’m covering today…religion. Like government, it is also a bit hard to touch on. Ironically, it has been made tricky because of the very spirit of religion within the Church. In many ways, churches and institutions have replace the fundamentals (I.e. faith being based on a personal relationship with Jesus Christ).. and have instead focused on religious practices and traditions. This is a dangerous place to be… In fact, I found a quote that sums it up nicely. “Faithless action is acting on your own outside of God’s direction, grace, and ability.” - hopefaithprayer.com After all, Ephesians 2:8-9 reminds us “For by grace you have been saved by faith. Nothing you did could ever earn this salvation, for it was the love gift from God that brought us to Christ! So no one will ever be able to boast, for salvation is never a reward for good works or human striving.” Today, I hope you’ll listen in and catch some highlights from both of these spheres of influence in government & religion. I pray no matter what arena or mountain of influence you find yourself in…you’ll examine your heart motive. The ‘why’ behind it all. Are you using your gifts to glorify or to gain personal success? Have you asked God how to use your gifts and when to use them and where? He gave them to YOU for a reason, sweet friend. Now, I challenge you to ask Him about the why’s. When you find it, He’ll open the right doors, and close the wrong ones. He’ll set you on the path to where He’s been calling you all along…

Episode 36: Gifts of Influence (Education) Jan 09, 2023

Show notes

Welcome back and Happy New Year! I hope you’ve all had an amazing Christmas and a happy and healthy start to 2023! Even though the season of “Gift-giving” is technically over, I’m happy to report that this entire series on gifts is one that could and should be carried throughout the whole year! Especially as each and every one of you will be taking your own set of unique gifts out into the world this year! You’ll be influencing lives…being salt and light to all you meet. So, If you’re still with us in this series, I’m back today and ready to dive into the mountain of influence of…. Education! Technically, I feel like we all play a part in this sphere. And even if we haven’t been educators ourselves, we have certainly all benefitted from those who are. If you think about it, most of us have been to school in some capacity or have learned a skill or trade by watching someone else teach by example. One of the reasons I feel education is such a vital sphere of influence is because it plays a big role in supplementing what the family does. In other words, these are the ones who (outside of family) come into direct contact with people one on one. They get to develop impactful relationships beyond those immediate family connections. Teachers, educators, mentors, counselors, nurses… (and really anyone in the medical community, too) would all be examples of those falling into the Education gifting. Yes, much of what they do is education based..but the other half of that equation is applying that knowledge or those skills and using them to pour into the lives of people young and old. These are the ones who have the opportunity to reinforce values and ideas taught within the home and even church. These are the ones who love by teaching, encouraging, serving, and healing. They share their knowledge and pour out in tangible ways. After today’s episode, I pray you’ll reflect on those who have gone before you to teach, instruct, correct, and ultimately…to love you well. I pray you’ll recognize within yourselves the same talents and giftings cultivated by those who poured into you. If your gifts of influence are in the world of education, you’re a special one. And many of you need that reminder today, as a new year dawns. Go and serve. Teach, knowing you are making more of an impact than you could imagine. God has equipped you for a time such as this.

Episode 35: Gifts of Influence (Family) Dec 19, 2022

Show notes

Welcome back! If you’ve been following along, you’ll know we have been covering some of the areas of influence we have in this world. This whole series is based on the natural giftings God has given us all… not only our giftings but also on the AREAS of influence that God has placed us in. My hope is that by using the concept of the Seven Mountains of Influence, you’ll have a kind of tool for identifying your mountain or mountains of influence and be encouraged! Once you’re able identify your gifts… you’ll be more confident about your place in the body of Christ AND you’ll be able to be more intentional about using your gifts where you are! Now, since many of my episodes actually touch on the importance of foundations (both laid for us by our parents and that we lay for our own children), I thought I would pivot to touch on another aspect of Family, today. Because of all of the giftings, FAMILY falls into a special category. I personally feel like family life is like an external GIFT from God. While the other gifts we will cover have more to do with internal gifts that God has given each of us uniquely… the family, (as I see it) is more external because it isn’t a gift from within our own abilities… instead it is a gift of multiplication beyond ourselves. Think about it… family multiples your joy, your capacity, and your ability to view God the way He views you…as His children! It’s like the granddaddy of all the gifts. It is so deep and rich and impactful and purposeful. Not only in your own life but in the lives of your children and ultimately, on the world. After listening to today’s episode, my prayer is that you’ll see family for what it is. A gift. Not only a gift but the most direct place of impact and ministry that you could have in your life. There are many other gifts… and you’ll have time to explore them throughout your life. But the gift of family is one worth prioritizing. I’m praying God uses these words and this reminder to encourage you today and the place you hold in the lives of children (yours or even those whom you pour into). Your place in their lives cannot be replaced or replicated. So love them well. And allow God to grant fullness and joy as you walk out His design. Purpose is waiting… Thank you to our partners! Awana: Visit TalkAboutDiscipleship.com and use code HANNAH to try Talk About for FREE. Abide: Download Abide Sleep and Pray Meditation today and text my promo code UNEXPECTED to 22433 today to get 25% off!

Episode 34: Gifts of Influence (Business) Dec 12, 2022

Show notes

Hello! And welcome back. If you have been following along, you’ll know that over the last two weeks, we have been covering the seven mountains of influence. My hope is that you’ll be able to use this series as a tool for identifying your mountain or mountains of influence and be encouraged! Once you’re able identify your gifts, you’ll be able to be more intentional about using them where you are! Every person has God-given gifts. And because of these, every person is equipped to play a unique part in the body of Christ. Did you know the the Bible says this about gifts… Proverbs 18:16 “A man’s gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men.” KJV Another version says: “A gift opens the way and ushers the giver into the presence of the great.” NIV Not only are gifts a blessing to the one who posses them, but they are a potential catalyst to bless the whole world. Talents have the potential to bring you before great men, set you on a stage, make you stand out, reach the masses, and maybe even bring financial blessing. So, what are yours? And what will you do with them when you discover God gave them to YOU, for a time such as this? Today we will be tackling the giant mountain of Business. On its face, business sounds a bit boring. BUT pulling back the curtain on it, I think this area can be one of the most exciting. Especially for creative people who thrive on new ideas. Idea people become entrepreneurs. And entrepreneurs are… well, they are business people! On today’s episode, I’ll share the story of a renowned Christian businessman named RG LeTourneau. His life is transformed once he realized God doesn’t necessarily need another preacher, but needs people in business, too! And while we may not all be large scale business owners, corporate moguls, or even the leading role in someone else's company, we all have a beginning. A start. A calling. Giftings that can take us to the next level..and the next, and the next.. of whatever business you’re passionate about. Perhaps you’re an idea person. So? Come up with great ideas! Learn to delegate the logistics of them. Understand your strengths AND your weaknesses.. then designate those who are more capable of executing (if that isn’t your strong suit)! Again, God doesn’t give gifts for no reason.. and as Bob Goff says, “God also doesn’t compare what He creates”. So don’t look around at all those who have done incredible things and be discouraged. Instead, learn from them what you can, and incorporate your own personal skillsets where you are! The most beautiful part is that you (and many others) can prosper with purpose. Once you understand your work can be a type of ministry to God. You’ll touch lives where you are. You’ll reach those who may never be reached otherwise. Just by living and working in your area of business with integrity and Christian principles. The world won’t be able to ignore the fruit that comes from your labor. So today, I pray this reminder finds you where you are and reminds you of exactly that. God doesn’t need everyone to be preachers. He needs businessmen (and women), too. Just like He needs all manor of people to act as the body of Christ in the world.. Bringing light to the darkness of this world… Thank you to our sponsors! Thistle Farms: Go to ThistleFarms.org and enter the code unexpected to receive 15% off your order! Awana: Visit TalkAboutDiscipleship.com and use code HANNAH to try Talk About for FREE.

Episode 33: Gifts of Influence (Arts and Entertainment) Dec 05, 2022

Show notes

Welcome back to our Gifts of Influence series! Here during the holidays madness, I thought it would be a great time to reflect on the gifts God has given each of us! Using the Seven Mountains of Influence as a tool, my hope is that you’ll all be able to identify your mountain or mountains of influence and how you can can be intentional about using them where you are! Every person has God-given gifts. And because of these gifts, every person is equipped to play a part in the body of Christ. Just as a little refresher, I’ll name the seven Mountains of Influence that inspired this series. They are Media, Education, Family, Business, Arts & Entertainment, Religion, and Government. Today, we’ll be covering a big one: Arts & Entertainment. According to generals.org : “In this mountain we find some of the most influential forces shaping our society. Music, filmmaking, television, social media, and the performing arts drive the cultural tastes, values, and standards of a nation’s citizens, particularly its youth. With a heavy reliance on the strong appeal of sex, drugs and alcohol, the arts and entertainment industries wield significant influence. The body of Christ needs powerful righteous men and women who are not afraid to take their God-given talent into the arts and entertainment arenas. People ready to further His purposes, while impacting those who are lost in darkness and would not otherwise be interested in any kind of Christian message in traditional forms.” I love that last bit… “impacting those who are lost in darkness and would not otherwise be interested in any kind of Christian message in traditional forms.” I personally believe this is why Arts & Entertainment is one of the most important arenas (at least for younger generations)… It’s the place that holds the most potential for bringing God’s presence into the lives of those who may not experience it any other way. It’s the mountain that touches those who often run from or simply have no interest in God. They prefer, rather, to be engulfed in world; pop-culture, relevant hot-topics, and the lifestyles of the famous. It makes sense that this is the mountain where we can most deeply effect the lives of the coming generations. This particular sphere of influence is one that gets to take the world stage more often than many of the others. After all, entertainment belongs on a platform. It’s crucial, then, for those who possess these gifts to understand their role in it. It’s tricky, too. Because if you’re really really extraordinary at what you do… chances are, the world will elevate you. I’ve noticed that many who posses God-given gifts in the arts & entertainment sphere are the very ones who ‘make it’ in the secular world. I’m not saying this is bad thing. On the contrary, the bigger the audience, the greater the opportunity to share the Gospel. However, the other side of that coin is that many other things can come with a certain level of success: fame, money, pride… and ultimately any major form of distraction the world could throw at a person. This is why I said it can get tricky. Unless you have a solid foundation AND continue to fix your eyes on Jesus above all else, it can be easy to get lost in it all. I say this not to discourage any of you from stepping fully into this sphere of influence, but rather to remind you how you got there in the first place and, ultimately, as a reminder of why you’re there, too! To bring light into dark places. Matthew 5:14 reminds us: “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.”. And that is exactly what your life will be like on the mountain of Arts & Entertainment… Thank you to our sponsors! Awana: Visit TalkAboutdiscipleship.com and use code HANNAH to start your two free months. Abide: Download Abide Sleep and Pray Meditation today and text my promo code UNEXPECTED to 22433 today to get 25% off!

Episode 32: Gifts of Influence (Media) Nov 21, 2022

Show notes

As overwhelming as this season can become, I thought it would fun to turn the stress of shopping and gifting into something more positive. The gifts I’m talking about are ones we can offer the world all the time, just by living out the talents God has given each of us! Whether we realize it or not, we all have really special things to offer the kingdom of God. As the fire began to burn more deeply in me to DO something for God, I began to evaluate what I could even bring to the table. To be very honest…initially, I felt like there weren’t many job-openings in God’s kingdom for a stay-at-home-mom. Sadly, I feel like this is something many Christians can relate to. We let little lies settle in like “Who am I to do that?” Or “Im just a _____, I could never do what they do…” It’s like we get stuck thinking the only quote-unquote qualified people who really make a difference are preachers or evangelist…and that’s just not the case! Today, I wanted to share a concept I learned about a few years ago that helped change my perspective on this. And…since it helped me, I figured…chances are good this could help someone else, too! You may or may not have heard about this concept before. It’s called the Seven Mountains of Influence. In essence, these are the seven facets of society that have the MOST influence. The exciting part is that we ALL fall into one (or several) of these categories. Now, I’m a very practical thinker so having categories to look at immediately made me feel like I DID have a space to make a difference. So, without further adieu, want to hear what they are?? They are: Government, Education, Family, Business, Arts & Entertainment, Media, and Religion. I mean…its genius! And so simple. Of course we all have a place. Of course we ALL have a role to play. We are, after all, the body of Christ. We can’t all be preachers! And while God does give us a list of special giftings in the Bible, known as the Grace-Gifts of Christ: Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers..(see Ephesians 4:11), chances are, we aren’t going to feel like we fall into one of those categories. I’ll jump into those gifts another time, because they are wonderful and worth learning about. But again, words like apostle and prophet and preacher are a bit intimidating. I prefer to look for the more practical ways our gifts can serve. And that is exactly why the seven mountains of influence was such an eye opener for me. It gave me a jumping off point. It allowed me to ask myself what group (or groups) I fell into. And then, I could review even more closely the things I brought in those areas that were unique to me. For example. I knew I was a stay at home mom and felt very much that my fist sphere of influence was the Family. But beyond that, I knew God had given me a gift for writing, art, and photography. I also saw God had given me a platform on social media (because of my husband, who’s career is on a world stage). The more I mulled it over, I thought, well… I can influence my family for Christ AND I can use arts/entertainment to encourage others in the media sphere. In a weird way, it was like using a key to crack the code of how to use the natural Gifts God gave me. Not just how to use them but where to use them, too! With allll of this in mind, my hope is that this series equips you to look at your own gifts to see how and where you can live for Him…influencing the Kingdom in ways only You can! After all, it is the season for gifts! So, lets start right off the bat today with a big one: Media… Thank you to our sponsors! Awana: Try one FREE month with promo code: HANNAH on TalkAboutDiscipleship.com. Thistle Farms: ThistleFarms.org created a special code–unexpected–that will give you 15% off when you enter it at checkout.

Episode 31: Interview with Franni Rae Cash Cain (Pt. 2) Nov 14, 2022

Show notes

This week on Unexpected is the second half of my conversation with my sweet friend, Franni Cash Cain! Franni is the one and only female in the award winning Christian group, We The Kingdom. In the first half of our two part conversation, we dove into Franni’s story beginning in her early years. (If you haven’t caught it, go back and give it a listen)! With an uncanny gift for song and a love of all things creative, she takes us through her life…including years of unexpected trauma that left her reeling. Listen in to find out exactly how God worked in the darkest season… bringing healing through music. Like so many of us, God works Franni’s story into one hope after loss and joy after heartache.. tune in to this second half to catch all of the lessons learned along the way! Thank you to our sponsors! Awana: Try one FREE month with promo code: HANNAH on TalkAboutDiscipleship.com

Episode 30: Interview with Franni Rae Cash Cain (Pt. 1) Nov 07, 2022

Show notes

This week on Unexpected I sit down for a visit with my incredible friend, Franni Cash Cain! Franni is the one and only female in the award winning Christian group, We The Kingdom. In this first half of our two part conversation, we dive into Franni’s story beginning in her early years. With an uncanny gift for song and a love of all things creative, she takes us through her life…including years of unexpected trauma that left her reeling. Listen in to find out exactly how God worked in the darkest season… bringing healing through music. Thank you to our sponsors! Awana: Try one FREE month with promo code: HANNAH on TalkAboutDiscipleship.com Abide: Download Abide Sleep and Pray Meditation today by texting my promo code UNEXPECTED to 22433 today to get 25% off! The Chosen: For more information, visit TheChosenTickets.com.

Episode 29: The Story of Sarah Oct 31, 2022

Show notes

I really prayed on what story to share today. As I prayed, I kept feeling pulled to the story of Sarah. As soon as God told me who, I knew exactly what I was to share about her. It’s not just any part of her story, but a part that nobody talks about. So as I went back to refresh myself on the details, all I could think was…. Sarah lived through things many women have lived through. Shame, confusion, and (very likely) a sense of inadequacy. Before I jump right into her story, I’ll piece in a little of my own. I think it’s important to understanding why I read Sarah’s story and saw things in it that might be overlooked by others. Let me explain… I’ve made reference (in past episodes) to a season of my life that was full of heaviness. Though I don’t like to dwell, I do like to hold onto the reminder that that season grew me in important ways. Along with that growth, though, came a lot of wounding. Some of the wounds were consequences of my own actions, but some were also out of my control. I think that’s a hard truth many people live with today. The understanding that we could have made better choices or avoided situations that ultimately hurt us. But I also think there can be a lot of confusion around circumstances out of our control.. and that nagging notion that maybe, just maybe, there was something we could have done to avoid those life-impacting wounds. For me, a choice I made was to be in a relationship with someone I knew wasn’t right for me. Before long, I felt isolated and trapped in an abusive situation. I didn’t know how to escape. It felt far from my own control. It went on for years before I found the courage to remove myself. And before I started doing a lot of healing work with the Lord, that season held a lot of shame. There was grief, and anger, and resentment, but mostly, there was a heavy sense of shame that I let it happen or even let it continue. Now, because I DO have firsthand experience, I can say with all sincerity that those feelings of guilt, shame, or inadequacy are ones that satan loves to wield against us. If we let him. Thankfully, for me, God led me out of that season. Like coming out of a black tunnel by following a pinprick of light that got bigger as I drew closer to it… He pulled me out of it with a knowing that He wanted more for me. I’m so grateful for that. And I’m grateful for those who prayed over my heart during that time. And even though I was able to come out of it with renewed strength in Christ, I can also see how people could hold onto those wounds for years. Grasping in the dark for the ‘why’. Wrestling with feelings of worthlessness. Unknowingly letting the enemy keep them in the dark, whispering “you did this to yourself” or “nobody will love someone as broken as you”. I could see how the enemy would do his best to use every one of these lies against someone to keep them from their calling. I’m not saying I didn’t wrestle with these thoughts on occasion, but what I did have was a foundation on the one true God. He was the one wrapping me in light and whispering the truth of who HE said I was to combat the lies… So today, I wanted to do the same for anyone out there who has yet to escape the darkness of their own past. I hope and pray the story of Sarah will be just the reminder you need.. As I reflect on her life and the way God chose her and used her anyway, I’m reminded how much more He can use those of us who have also felt trapped by the past. By feelings the enemy brings up over and over again to try to keep you from answering God’s call. So today, I want to encourage you. God’s grace cover’s shame, and His love redeems and restores your story. Surrender those wounds to him and walk in the freedom He offers…. Thank you to our sponsors! Talk About from Awana: Try one FREE month with promo code: HANNAH on TalkAboutDiscipleship.com. The Chosen: For more information, visit TheChosenTickets.com.

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