![Perspectives Into Practice: How to Walk with God in Real Life: Faith in Practice & Spiritual Growth podcast logo](https://res.cloudinary.com/guidedsteps/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1770692402/perspectivesintopractice/podcast/93c1f77c54c8d7a9.jpg) Perspectives Into Practice Podcast March 31, 2026 Season 2, Episode 1400:19:50Published March 31, 2026 # Healing And Faith: Choosing Joy When God Rebuilds Us ![Podcast episode artwork for Healing And Faith: Choosing Joy When God Rebuilds Us](https://res.cloudinary.com/guidedsteps/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1772938806/perspectivesintopractice/episode/f6ad168e9b5d53a2.jpg) Listen Now Click play to start listening Your browser does not support the audio element. [Listen or download audio](https://episodes.castos.com/67919520171485-95710309/2370668/c1e-vqooqi5r24mcd7p34-34xj02kwipnx-pa1nrj.mp3) ![Podcast episode artwork for Healing And Faith: Choosing Joy When God Rebuilds Us](https://res.cloudinary.com/guidedsteps/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1772938806/perspectivesintopractice/episode/f6ad168e9b5d53a2.jpg) [Browse All Episodes](/podcast) Share This Episode Share episode on social media [Share on Twitter](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Healing%20And%20Faith%3A%20Choosing%20Joy%20When%20God%20Rebuilds%20Us&url=undefined%2Fpodcast%2Fhealing-and-faith-choosing-joy-when-god-rebuilds-us)[Share on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=undefined%2Fpodcast%2Fhealing-and-faith-choosing-joy-when-god-rebuilds-us)[Share on WhatsApp](https://wa.me/?text=Healing%20And%20Faith%3A%20Choosing%20Joy%20When%20God%20Rebuilds%20Us%20undefined%2Fpodcast%2Fhealing-and-faith-choosing-joy-when-god-rebuilds-us) ## About This Episode Hey friends, hand to heart, I have to tell you how this conversation with Melissa stuck with me. She walked me through a season that began with a massive brain infection, years of neurological healing, and the slow work of God restoring joy in ways she never expected. What grabbed me was not the list of hardships, it was how God rebuilt her in the valley, how He used late night moments with Scripture, a call to obedience, and yes, horses on a ranch to bring back life. I remember Melissa sharing how she didn’t grow up in church, how she met Jesus when she met her husband, and then how illness became the place she could no longer keep God at arm’s length. She said when she woke up in the middle of the night, often the Lord would meet her there. Those quiet, tender interruptions shaped her faith and taught her to be led by the Holy Spirit. Can I tell you something? Those middle of the night moments have been the making of so many of us. Here’s the thing, healing wasn’t only about the physical. Melissa found a life saving infectious disease doctor who walked with her through late stage neurological Lyme disease, but God then asked her to press into mental and spiritual healing. He told her to use the horses. That sounded strange at first, but obedience led her to get certified in trauma recovery with Unbridled in Minnesota and to begin a ministry on the ranch. It was outside of her comfort zone, and she felt like an introvert being gently pushed. Sometimes God will do that - He will nudge, He will push, and then He will give the peace to take the step. Scripture kept coming up in our talk. I thought of Psalm 30:11 where God turns mourning into dancing and clothes us with joy. That truth threaded through Melissa’s story. She described supernatural peace the morning the local news arrived to film her with the horses - a push from God that also became a gift to help her move forward and to teach others how to choose joy while walking through hard seasons. If you want something you can put into practice, here are a few things Melissa and I talked through that you can try this week: - Be still in the night - if sleep won’t come, spend a few minutes with Scripture and invite the Holy Spirit to speak. - Say yes to small obedience - share one part of your story or one honest post, even if you’re scared. - Use what you have - your gifts, your home, your experience can be a lifeline for someone else. - Pursue whole healing - physical care and medical wisdom are important, but don’t skip the mental and spiritual work. You see, choosing joy is not pretending pain isn’t real. It’s trusting God in the middle of the muck and letting Him rebuild what feels broken. Melissa’s life on the ranch, her horses, and her obedience became tools God used to restore rhythm and hope. If you’re stuck, I want to whisper this to you: obedience opens doors, and God will provide the peace and the means to walk through them. I hope this episode gives you practical next steps and a fresh dose of courage. We talked about real things - diagnosis, therapy, training, fear, and the slow, beautiful work of God. Please listen to the full conversation with Melissa on this episode, share it with a friend who needs to hear about choosing joy, and leave feedback so we know how this spoke to your own life. Thank you for listening, sharing, and for the ways you encourage this community. ## 📝 Related Blogs 4 blog articles inspired by this episode [ ![Featured image for Choosing Joy in the Valley: How God Rebuilds Us Today](https://res.cloudinary.com/guidedsteps/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1784927772/perspectivesintopractice/blog/choosing-joy-valley-how-god-rebuilds-us-today-1784927771723.jpg) Blog article ## Choosing Joy in the Valley: How God Rebuilds Us Today Choosing joy in the valley is not about pretending everything is fine; it’s choosing to trust God when the road is rough and letting His rebuild begin in us. Read related article: Choosing Joy in the Valley: How God Rebuilds Us Today ](/blog/choosing-joy-valley-how-god-rebuilds-us-today) [ ![Featured image for How Horses and Ranch Healing Bring Hope and Direction](https://res.cloudinary.com/guidedsteps/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1784334460/perspectivesintopractice/blog/how-horses-ranch-healing-bring-hope-direction-1784334459923.jpg) Blog article ## How Horses and Ranch Healing Bring Hope and Direction Discover how horses and ranch life become instruments of healing and hope. A warm, practical exploration of faith, restoration, and resilient living on the prairie. Read related article: How Horses and Ranch Healing Bring Hope and Direction ](/blog/how-horses-ranch-healing-bring-hope-direction) [ ![Featured image for Outgrowing Comfort: Practical Ways to Answer God's Call](https://res.cloudinary.com/guidedsteps/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1784333862/perspectivesintopractice/blog/outgrowing-comfort-practical-ways-answer-gods-call-1784333861980.jpg) Blog article ## Outgrowing Comfort: Practical Ways to Answer God's Call Exploring how to move beyond safety with faith, hope, and practical steps. Learn to say yes to the next right thing, build joy, and answer God’s bold calls together. Read related article: Outgrowing Comfort: Practical Ways to Answer God's Call ](/blog/outgrowing-comfort-practical-ways-answer-gods-call) [ ![Featured image for Slow Down, Listen, and Let the Holy Spirit Lead | Guide](https://res.cloudinary.com/guidedsteps/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1784334493/perspectivesintopractice/blog/slow-down-listen-let-holy-spirit-lead-guide-1784334493195.jpg) Blog article ## Slow Down, Listen, and Let the Holy Spirit Lead | Guide Slow down, listen, and let the Holy Spirit lead your next step. A warm, practical guide to pausing, hearing God, and moving forward with hopeful transformation. Read related article: Slow Down, Listen, and Let the Holy Spirit Lead | Guide ](/blog/slow-down-listen-let-holy-spirit-lead-guide) ### Episode Transcript (3,651 words) \[2 Speakers Detected\] \[Total Utterances: 44\] --- \[0:01 -> 0:02\] Speaker 1: Hey, friend. \[0:02 -> 1:19\] Speaker 2: Welcome to Perspectives Into Practice, a place where life's stories meet practical wisdom. Together, we'll explore how faith-filled perspectives can transform the way we live, love, a... ### Share This Episode [Twitter](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Healing%20And%20Faith%3A%20Choosing%20Joy%20When%20God%20Rebuilds%20Us&url=https%3A%2F%2Fperspectivesintopractice.com%2Fpodcast%2Fhealing-and-faith-choosing-joy-when-god-rebuilds-us "Share on Twitter")[Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fperspectivesintopractice.com%2Fpodcast%2Fhealing-and-faith-choosing-joy-when-god-rebuilds-us "Share on Facebook")[LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fperspectivesintopractice.com%2Fpodcast%2Fhealing-and-faith-choosing-joy-when-god-rebuilds-us "Share on LinkedIn")[WhatsApp](https://wa.me/?text=Healing%20And%20Faith%3A%20Choosing%20Joy%20When%20God%20Rebuilds%20Us%20https%3A%2F%2Fperspectivesintopractice.com%2Fpodcast%2Fhealing-and-faith-choosing-joy-when-god-rebuilds-us "Share on WhatsApp")[Email](mailto:?subject=Healing%20And%20Faith%3A%20Choosing%20Joy%20When%20God%20Rebuilds%20Us&body=https%3A%2F%2Fperspectivesintopractice.com%2Fpodcast%2Fhealing-and-faith-choosing-joy-when-god-rebuilds-us "Share on Email")[Reddit](https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fperspectivesintopractice.com%2Fpodcast%2Fhealing-and-faith-choosing-joy-when-god-rebuilds-us&title=Healing%20And%20Faith%3A%20Choosing%20Joy%20When%20God%20Rebuilds%20Us "Share on Reddit")[Pinterest](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fperspectivesintopractice.com%2Fpodcast%2Fhealing-and-faith-choosing-joy-when-god-rebuilds-us&description=Healing%20And%20Faith%3A%20Choosing%20Joy%20When%20God%20Rebuilds%20Us "Share on Pinterest") ## More Episodes You Might Enjoy [ ![Podcast episode artwork for Trusting God Through Delayed Healing And Recovery Podcast](https://res.cloudinary.com/guidedsteps/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1785207604/perspectivesintopractice/episode/14f3346d27d58acc.jpg) Season 2, Episode 30 Podcast episode ## Trusting God Through Delayed Healing And Recovery Podcast Friends, this episode of Perspectives Into Practice meets us in the honest middle of waiting, recovery, and learning to surrender. I’m joined by Steph... Listen to related episode: Trusting God Through Delayed Healing And Recovery Podcast ](/podcast/trusting-god-through-delayed-healing-and-recovery-podcast) [ ![Podcast episode artwork for Trusting God When Roles Change: Finding Identity In Christ](https://res.cloudinary.com/guidedsteps/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1772852404/perspectivesintopractice/episode/f957615c3716a2e7.jpg) Season 2, Episode 10 Podcast episode ## Trusting God When Roles Change: Finding Identity In Christ Hey friends, hand to heart, this conversation landed gently and honestly with me. In this episode Pat and I talk about what it feels like when a role... 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