In this episode, I’m joined by one of my closest friends, Bethny Ricks, who has been a steadfast source of support in my own journey—especially when hope felt hard to hold on to.

Bethny is the author of Face Forward: Reclaiming Hope When Everything Falls Apart, and today, she opens up about her personal story of navigating life’s toughest hardships, including divorce, single parenthood, and severe health challenges. Her journey from being a senior executive—named one of America’s Top 100 African Americans in Business, twice—to pivoting toward her passion for writing and speaking has given her a unique perspective on leadership and resilience.

With over two decades of leadership experience in multi-billion-dollar companies, Bethny’s insights are unmatched. But it’s her heart for helping others through their darkest seasons that truly sets her apart.

In this conversation, we explore:

• The role of mentors in navigating life’s challenges
• The battle for self-worth and confidence in the face of hardship
• The importance of community and faith in fostering resilience

Bethny shares how God’s unwavering faithfulness carried her through some of her darkest times and how hope can be reclaimed, even when everything feels like it’s falling apart.

Whether you’re facing struggles or need a reminder of the hope that’s waiting on the other side, this episode offers deep insights and practical advice.

Follow Bethny @Bethnyricks @Jesusledbiblefed

Buy Bethny's book Face Forward: https://a.co/d/7wlzeGG

Connect with Bethny: https://www.bethnyricks.com/

In this solo episode, Cass shares her journey through physical and mental health struggles in 2023, exploring how radical honesty can heal emotional wounds and strengthen relationships. Drawing from Ephesians 4:15, she encourages listeners to embrace truth-telling with love, offering practical steps to cultivate honesty and vulnerability in Christ-like ways.

In this episode we chat about:

• Navigating unexplained physical and mental health challenges.
• The lingering effects of childhood trauma and CPTSD on emotional openness.
• Practical tips for cultivating radical honesty: increasing self-awareness, finding safe, trusted spaces to share, and learning to embrace discomfort.
• Truth-telling in relationships carries both risks and rewards, but it leads to deeper connections.
• Christ-like honesty is transformative, helping us grow in our relationships with others and God.
• Speaking the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15) is a biblical foundation for healthy relationships.

Are you ready to embrace radical honesty in your relationships? Start by inviting Jesus into your healing journey, and take small steps toward being more open and vulnerable.

Share this episode with someone who needs encouragement in their own truth-telling journey, and don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review to help more people find the Hard and Holy Podcast!

Connect with Cass:

Visit https://www.cassandraspeer.com

Follow on Instagram @cassandralspeer https://www.instagram.com/cassandralspeer

Join the conversation using #hardandholypodcast

Welcome to the Hard & Holy Podcast! I’m Cass and I’m so honored you are here.

Are you weary with religion and wondering if your doubts are an indication of a lack of faith?

I’ve found myself in this exact situation, time and time again. If this resonates, I’m glad our paths have crossed.

In this inaugural episode, we chat about:

• How life often DOES hand us much more than we can handle, but there isn't anything that God can’t carry you through.
• Three, tangible ways God’s kindness and goodness can be.
• What if the hard and heavy things give us a glimpse of God’s sovereignty instead of testifying against it?

Here, we carry the heartache of today along with the hope of eternity.

Let’s tell the truth about the hard things we walk through - so we can witness to God’s kindness in the midst of our suffering.

www.cassandraspeer.com

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