Happy Wednesday!

Today we are joined by guest Melissa Dougherty alongside our host and co-host, Janell and Sarah.

In this episode, we dive into the growing influence of New Age beliefs and New Thought theology — ideas that have subtly made their way into the church and Christian culture. We tackle questions many believers are asking today: Is the Enneagram demonic? Is yoga okay for Christians? Why are so many Christians blending biblical truth with New Age practices?

Melissa helps break down the key differences between New Age and New Thought, exposing how these belief systems can distort the Gospel while also encouraging Christians to pursue discernment and biblical truth.

We hope this thought-provoking conversation challenges, equips, and encourages you in your walk with Christ.

About Melissa:

Melissa Dougherty is a Christian Apologist best known for her YouTube channel, where she covers a variety of theological topics. In addition to her theological and cultural discussions, she engages her audience with satirical skits and hosts a range of esteemed guests. Academically, she has earned Associate degrees in both Early Childhood Multicultural Education and Liberal Arts. Furthermore, she holds a Bachelor's degree in Religious Studies from Southern Evangelical Seminary and is currently pursuing her Master's degree in Christian Apologetics from the same institution. Melissa resides in New Mexico with her husband and their two daughters.

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LINKS

https://www.melissadougherty.co/about

Are Jesus and God the Same? with Erin Baumgaertel

Delighting in the Love of God with Stephanie Rousselle

Taking Back Your Thoughts with Mary Rooney Armand

The Gift of Desperation with Shelli Strickland

How Do I Know God's Will For My Life? - Cailee's Story

Listen on:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2MuVWFbZzue3ZLgCtIJGzB

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/finding-something-real-podcast/id1481017856

www.janellmwood.com

Follow us on:

Instagram: finding_something_real

Facebook: Finding Something REAL with Janell Wood

Tiktok: @findingsomethingreal

Happy Wednesday!

This week we are joined by guest Erin Baumgaertel for a conversation on one of the most foundational — and most misunderstood — topics in Christianity: the Trinity.

Together we dive into questions like: Are Jesus and God the same? How does the Trinity actually work? And what makes the Christian understanding of God distinct from beliefs held by groups like Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons?

This episode is thoughtful, biblical, and packed with insight to help you better understand the nature of God and grow in confidence when defending your faith. We hope this conversation encourages you and deepens your understanding of who God is.

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LINKS

https://ses.edu/people/erin-baumgaertel/

Delighting in the Love of God with Stephanie Rousselle

Taking Back Your Thoughts with Mary Rooney Armand

The Gift of Desperation with Shelli Strickland

How Do I Know God's Will For My Life? - Cailee's Story

I Was Trying to Prove Atheism with Mary Jo Sharp

The Kingdom of God Starts Now with Brant Hansen

The Gospel is Offensive with Adam and Candice Coleman

Taking Back Your Power Through Forgiveness with Amy Orr-Ewing

Does My Suffering Have Any Meaning with Allen Crostic

How Can I Defend Being a Christian? with Ryan Pauly

I Was Running Away From God with Travis Monen

How to Navigate Relationships in a Godly Way

Can Christian's Struggle with Mental Health? - Christie's Story

Listen on:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2MuVWFbZzue3ZLgCtIJGzB

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/finding-something-real-podcast/id1481017856

www.janellmwood.com

Follow us on:

Instagram: finding_something_real

Facebook: Finding Something REAL with Janell Wood

Tiktok: @findingsomethingreal

Happy Wednesday!

In this episode, we sit down with Stephanie Rousselle to talk about her new book "Awaken Delight" and her journey toward Delighting in God. Stephanie once identified as an atheist, and she shares the story of how her perspective shifted in a deeply personal way—moving from skepticism to a faith shaped not just by belief, but by joy, beauty, and delight.

Rather than focusing only on arguments or doctrine, Stephanie invites listeners into a different way of seeing: one where knowing God is not merely intellectual, but relational and transformative. She reflects on the moments, questions, and inner tensions that led her to rethink what she believed about meaning, truth, and God.

Joining the conversation are cohosts Sarah and Katelyn. Katelyn, who currently identifies as an atheist, brings an honest and thoughtful perspective, engaging openly with Stephanie’s story and ideas. Her questions and reflections add depth to the discussion, highlighting both points of connection and real disagreement in a respectful, curious exchange.

Together, the conversation explores big questions about belief, doubt, and what it means to “delight” in something—or someone—you’re still trying to understand. It’s an honest, layered dialogue that doesn’t rush to easy conclusions, but instead makes space for listening, tension, and reflection.

We hope you enjoy this week's episode!

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LINKS

Awaken Delight: Satisfying Your Soul's Longing for God

https://www.gospelspice.com/

Taking Back Your Thoughts with Mary Rooney Armand

The Gift of Desperation with Shelli Strickland

How Do I Know God's Will For My Life? - Cailee's Story

I Was Trying to Prove Atheism with Mary Jo Sharp

The Kingdom of God Starts Now with Brant Hansen

The Gospel is Offensive with Adam and Candice Coleman

Taking Back Your Power Through Forgiveness with Amy Orr-Ewing

Does My Suffering Have Any Meaning with Allen Crostic

How Can I Defend Being a Christian? with Ryan Pauly

I Was Running Away From God with Travis Monen

How to Navigate Relationships in a Godly Way

Can Christian's Struggle with Mental Health? - Christie's Story

Listen on:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2MuVWFbZzue3ZLgCtIJGzB

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/finding-something-real-podcast/id1481017856

www.janellmwood.com

Follow us on:

Instagram: finding_something_real

Facebook: Finding Something REAL with Janell Wood

Tiktok: @findingsomethingreal

Happy Wednesday!

This week we’re joined by special guest Shelli Strickland, along with four of our co-hosts—Ana, Cailee, Sarah, and Frankie.

Shelli shares her powerful testimony of coming to faith and how what she calls “the gift of desperation” ultimately led her to Jesus. Through reaching a breaking point, she was able to fully surrender and invite God into the deepest, most broken areas of her life.

Her story is one of healing, redemption, and identity. While she’s incredibly grateful for the ways the Lord has restored her, what means the most is knowing who she is now—a daughter of the living King.

We pray this episode encourages you and reminds you that even in your lowest moments, God is working, pursuing, and restoring.

We hope you enjoy this episode!

About Shelli Strickland

Shelli Strickland is a Christian speaker, author, and mentor who leads the ministry Graced For More. She is passionate about sharing the gospel and helping others experience healing, freedom, and restoration through Jesus Christ.

Her personal story is rooted in transformation—having been delivered from addiction, bondage, and brokenness, she now uses her testimony to encourage others that God can redeem any situation. Her ministry focuses on guiding people out of shame and into identity, freedom, and purpose in Christ.

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LINKS

Graced For More

How Do I Know God's Will For My Life? - Cailee's Story

I Was Trying to Prove Atheism with Mary Jo Sharp

The Kingdom of God Starts Now with Brant Hansen

The Gospel is Offensive with Adam and Candice Coleman

Taking Back Your Power Through Forgiveness with Amy Orr-Ewing

Does My Suffering Have Any Meaning with Allen Crostic

How Can I Defend Being a Christian? with Ryan Pauly

I Was Running Away From God with Travis Monen

How to Navigate Relationships in a Godly Way

Can Christian's Struggle with Mental Health? - Christie's Story

Listen on:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2MuVWFbZzue3ZLgCtIJGzB

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/finding-something-real-podcast/id1481017856

www.janellmwood.com

Follow us on:

Instagram: finding_something_real

Facebook: Finding Something REAL with Janell Wood

Tiktok: @findingsomethingreal

Happy Wednesday!

We are so excited to introduce one of our co-hosts, Cailee, on today’s episode!

Cailee is truly a light—she loves deeply, cares genuinely, and reflects the heart of Christ in the way she lives. Though she’s been a Christian her whole life, she opens up about the real and honest struggles she faces—like discerning God’s will and feeling confident in defending the faith she believes in.

In this episode, Cailee shares parts of her personal story, including what it was like growing up with large age gaps between her and her siblings, often feeling like an only child, and navigating life without a close relationship with her dad. Through it all, her story is marked by resilience, faith, and a desire to grow.

You’ll also hear about her friendship with fellow co-host Katelyn, who is not a Christian, and how Cailee has faithfully shown the love of Christ through her actions and relationship. It’s a powerful example of living out your faith in a genuine and impactful way.

We hope you love Cailee as much as we do!

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LINKS

I Was Trying to Prove Atheism with Mary Jo Sharp

The Kingdom of God Starts Now with Brant Hansen

The Gospel is Offensive with Adam and Candice Coleman

Taking Back Your Power Through Forgiveness with Amy Orr-Ewing

Does My Suffering Have Any Meaning with Allen Crostic

How Can I Defend Being a Christian? with Ryan Pauly

I Was Running Away From God with Travis Monen

How to Navigate Relationships in a Godly Way

Can Christian's Struggle with Mental Health? - Christie's Story

Listen on:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2MuVWFbZzue3ZLgCtIJGzB

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/finding-something-real-podcast/id1481017856

www.janellmwood.com

Follow us on:

Instagram: finding_something_real

Facebook: Finding Something REAL with Janell Wood

Tiktok: @findingsomethingreal

Happy Wednesday!

We’re back with another episode, and this week we’re joined by special guest Mary Jo Sharp, along with our co-host Sarah.

Mary Jo shares her powerful testimony of once trying to disprove Christianity—setting out to prove atheism was true—but instead encountering the truth of Jesus in a life-changing way. What began as skepticism turned into a deep conviction, and now she dedicates her life to defending and speaking on behalf of the Christian faith.

In this episode, we dive into the importance of apologetics and why understanding why we believe matters. Mary Jo reminds us that while intellectual answers are important, they’re meant to move from the head to the heart. When both our mind and heart work together, it shapes us to become more like Christ.

This conversation is both thoughtful and encouraging, whether you’re wrestling with questions or looking to grow deeper in your faith.

We hope you enjoy this week’s episode!

About Mary Jo Sharp

Mary Jo Sharp is a Christian apologist, speaker, and author known for her passion for helping people understand and defend the truth of the Christian faith. After coming to faith in Christ from a background of skepticism and atheism, she developed a deep commitment to exploring life’s hardest questions and equipping others to do the same.

She is the founder of Confident Christianity Apologetics Ministry and serves as an assistant professor of apologetics at Houston Christian University. Mary Jo has written several books, including Why I Still Believe and Defending the Faith, where she addresses doubts, cultural challenges, and the intellectual side of Christianity.

Through her teaching, writing, and speaking, Mary Jo encourages believers to engage their faith with both heart and mind, offering thoughtful responses to tough questions and helping others build confidence in what they believe.

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LINKS

The Kingdom of God Starts Now with Brant Hansen

The Gospel is Offensive with Adam and Candice Coleman

Taking Back Your Power Through Forgiveness with Amy Orr-Ewing

Does My Suffering Have Any Meaning with Allen Crostic

How Can I Defend Being a Christian? with Ryan Pauly

I Was Running Away From God with Travis Monen

How to Navigate Relationships in a Godly Way

Can Christian's Struggle with Mental Health? - Christie's Story

Listen on:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2MuVWFbZzue3ZLgCtIJGzB

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/finding-something-real-podcast/id1481017856

www.janellmwood.com

Follow us on:

Instagram: finding_something_real

Facebook: Finding Something REAL with Janell Wood

Tiktok: @findingsomethingreal

Happy Wednesday! We’re back with another episode, and we’re so excited to welcome one of our favorite guests—Brant Hansen! We’re also joined by our co-hosts, Cailee and Sarah, for a powerful and honest conversation.

Brant is the author of Unoffendable, a book we absolutely love here on the podcast. He has a unique gift of being unapologetically himself while sharing his faith in a real and relatable way. In this episode, Brant opens up about his journey as a skeptic and how he’s often drawn to outcasts—because that’s where he feels he connects most with people.

Together, we dive into what it really means to live in the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom isn’t something that starts someday in heaven—it’s available right now. While many believe following Jesus is difficult, we talk about how the opposite is actually true. The cost of not following Him is far greater. The invitation to the Kingdom is right in front of us—if we’re willing to accept it.

We hope this conversation encourages you, challenges you, and reminds you of the beauty of walking with Jesus today. Enjoy this week’s episode!

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LINKS

www.branthansen.com

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLO4Y5McDc3BX7pQknsiG3WV7TKbb3WaC8&si=2QGmt-q7U7MVT1Fu

The Gospel is Offensive with Adam and Candice Coleman

Taking Back Your Power Through Forgiveness with Amy Orr-Ewing

Does My Suffering Have Any Meaning with Allen Crostic

How Can I Defend Being a Christian? with Ryan Pauly

I Was Running Away From God with Travis Monen

How to Navigate Relationships in a Godly Way

Can Christian's Struggle with Mental Health? - Christie's Story

I Need Jesus to Show Me More with Alycia Wood

Do the Things in the Bible Still Happen? with Alycia Wood

Did the Resurrection Actually Happen? with Andy Bannister

Listen on:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2MuVWFbZzue3ZLgCtIJGzB

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/finding-something-real-podcast/id1481017856

www.janellmwood.com

Follow us on:

Instagram: finding_something_real

Facebook: Finding Something REAL with Janell Wood

Tiktok: @findingsomethingreal