Holidays have a way of turning up the volume on everything—joy, grief, pressure, and hope. This week, we follow a small family errand that became a marker moment: a dad, his daughter, his brother home after 15 years, and their mother, all riding out to find a Christmas gift. In the middle of the drive, a bald eagle swept overhead—an unmistakable nudge that love and legacy keep circling back. That sign connected to a deeper reminder we all need right now: you’re not as far from your purpose as you think.

From there we get honest about money stress, marketplace no-shows, and the mental spiral that tells you to quit your dreams. We unpack a faith-centered framework that helps you hold steady when life feels late: divine presence, the bigger picture, trust and surrender, and preparation. These four pillars turn setbacks into signals and build the “confidence calluses” that carry you through the next round of uncertainty. You’ll hear how this lens reshaped holiday anxiety, softened the edge of comparison, and opened a little more room for grace.

The heart of the episode lands in a moment long thought impossible: walking into church as a family—wife, daughter, and brother—standing together as music swells and baptisms unfold. It didn’t erase past losses or fix everything overnight, but it reframed what’s possible. We left with a simple commitment and a stronger hope. If you’re feeling behind, overwhelmed, or just tired, this conversation will meet you where you are and nudge you forward one step at a time.

If this resonates, follow the show, share it with someone who needs a lift, and leave a quick review. Your words help bring more people into a community where struggle becomes growth and faith fuels the next step.

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A snow globe of a day turns into a reunion years in the making as we welcome my brother home and share our first Thanksgiving together in decades. We open about addiction, boundaries, small business stress, and the hope that comes from second chances.

• early holiday stress, small business sales push, and marketing noise
• seeing Christmas through our daughter’s eyes and finding perspective
• family history, addiction, prison time, and grief across years
• reunion timeline from halfway house to Thanksgiving Eve pickup
• first Thanksgiving together in twenty years and what it meant
• balancing hope with accountability and clear boundaries
• messages to people battling addiction and to their families
• gratitude for listeners and new cities joining the community

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Holidays bring glitter and gravity at the same time. We’re laughing about hot coffee and bulldogs one minute, then staring down the second anniversary of my dad’s passing the next. That’s real life at our place: farm chores, craft fairs, small business hustle, and the quiet question that keeps chasing me—am I still making him proud?

We walk through the messy middle. I talk about avoiding my to-do list because I’m afraid of its size, watching the fences Dad and I built sag, and feeling like I don’t stack up to the man who seemed to do everything. Then Mom gets a surprise video reading from a trusted medium, and detail after detail lands with impossible precision—first dates, favorite songs, a Christmas stocking we’d bought hours earlier, even the TV volume quirks she never mentioned. That validation cracks something open. We finally watch the tribute video I made for his service. It wrecks me in the best possible way.

That night a dream arrives with steel-toe boots and an unshakable presence. I’m overwhelmed by bills and fear, and Dad walks up the stairs like he used to, hands me a look that burns brighter than words, and tells me everything without saying a thing: get up. From there we talk about practical hope—naming grief without feeding it, writing the list, accepting help, honoring signs without needing to control them, and choosing to live a life worthy of the people who loved us into being. If you’ve lost someone and still scan the sky for a sign, this conversation is for you.

If this episode gives you a little courage or a little comfort, share it with someone who needs it. Subscribe, leave a review, and tell us: what’s a sign that makes you feel your people are still with you?

If you found value in today's show please return the favor and leave a positive review and share it with someone important to you! https://www.sharethestrugglepodcast.com/reviews/new/
Find all you need to know about the show https://www.sharethestrugglepodcast.com/
Official Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077724159859

Join the 2% of Americans that Buy American and support American Together we can bring back American Manufacturing https://www.loudproudamerican.shop/
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Thank you for Supporting My American Dream!