Hard & Holy with Cassandra Speer

In the wake of recent election tensions, The Hard and Holy Podcast takes on a timely and challenging topic—peacemaking.

Cass dives into the significant difference between simply keeping the peace and actively making peace, especially in a world where true peace can feel elusive. Through personal stories and the powerful teachings of Jesus in Matthew 5, we explore the transformative, often messy work of becoming peacemakers in our own lives.

This episode invites listeners to move beyond surface-level harmony to the deeper, active work of peacemaking that Jesus modeled.

Together, we’ll unpack how real peace requires courage, empathy, and a commitment to truth, grounded in a sense of true community, or koinonia. Here, we discover practical ways to engage with the people around us in a way that reflects God’s shalom—His wholeness and healing.

In this episode we chat about:

• Understand the Difference: Learn why making peace involves active engagement, not just avoiding conflict or keeping things calm.
• Embrace Jesus’ Call to Peacemaking: Discover how Jesus’ radical call to be a peacemaker challenges the status quo and offers a vision of wholeness and justice.
• Practice Empathy and Listening: Explore how listening with empathy and compassion can create spaces of true connection and understanding.
• Seek Reconciliation, Not Just Agreement: Discover how reconciliation values unity over conformity, building stronger, more authentic relationships.
• Pursue Peacemaking in Community (Koinonia): Find out why true peacemaking requires a Christ-centered community where we are safe to confront and be confronted in love.Ground in 

The episode closes with a liturgy-inspired prayer, inviting listeners to embrace this holy calling through God’s guidance and strength.

Join us for a heartfelt discussion on the hard, holy work of becoming peacemakers who embody God’s shalom in every relationship and interaction.

Links and Resources

Connect with Cass:  https://www.cassandraspeer.com

Follow on Instagram @cassandralspeer

https://www.instagram.com/cassandralspeer 

Join the conversation using #hardandholypodcast

In this episode, I'm thrilled to welcome Molly Stillman, author of If I Don’t Laugh, I’ll Cry to discuss how laughter and faith carried her through trauma and grief. Molly shares the process of writing her memoir, balancing humor with hard truths, and embedding seeds of faith that speak to both believers and seekers.

Together, we explore laughter as a God-given healing gift, backed by scripture and science, and offer insights on managing emotions and choosing joy in challenging times.

Primary Takeaways:

• Laughter as a healing gift from God
• The balance of humor and hardship in storytelling
• Tips for managing emotions with faith and resilience

Tune in for an inspiring blend of hope, humor, and heartfelt wisdom.

Connect with Molly: 

Website: Still Being Molly

Book: If I Don't Laugh, I'll Cry

Instagram: @stillbeingmolly

In this inspiring episode of Hard and Holy, I sit down with Faith Broussard Cade, an acclaimed counselor and author of Shine Bright Anyway. Faith shares her powerful story of resilience after a traumatic brain injury changed the course of her life, shifting her from an aspiring journalist to a mental health professional. Despite chronic health challenges and career upheaval, Faith started a self-love affirmation challenge on Instagram that grew into a movement touching the lives of many—including celebrities.

Together, we explore the importance of empathy, self-compassion, and vulnerability in the face of adversity. Faith’s insights on setting boundaries, seeking help, and managing mental health will encourage you to embrace your worth, trust the process, and stay deeply connected to yourself and your community.

We’ll dive into:

• How to cultivate empathy and self-compassion during difficult seasons
• Practical tips on setting healthy boundaries and seeking help when needed
• Insights into managing mental health while balancing personal and professional challenges
• The power of vulnerability in building stronger connections with yourself and others
• Faith’s journey from a traumatic brain injury to creating a global self-love movement

I hope this episode inspires you to let your light shine, even on the darkest days.

For more insights and updates on Faith’s events and workshops, connect with her on Instagram, her website, and Facebook.

Shine Bright Anyway: https://www.amazon.com/Shine-Bright-Anyway-Affirmations-Declare/dp/1400246636 

Connect with Faith: https://www.fleurdelisspeaks.com/ 

IG: https://www.instagram.com/fleurdelisspeaks?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw== 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fleurdelisspeaks 

In this solo episode, Cass unpacks the beauty of "sacred sob sessions"—those profound, solitary moments when tears become a form of worship and communion with God.

Sharing personal stories, insights from her time at Denver Seminary, and wisdom from the book Burnout, Cass explores the emotional, spiritual, and physiological benefits of crying.

Drawing on the work of theologian Katherine Sonderegger, she delves into God’s omnipotence and empathy in relation to human suffering, offering a nuanced perspective on the problem of evil and God’s presence in our pain. Through biblical references such as Psalm 56:8 and Romans 8, she reveals how tears can act as silent prayers, expressions of repentance, and channels for divine connection.

Key takeaways from this episode include:

• Tears as a form of worship and silent prayer: exploring how tears express repentance, longing, and spiritual vulnerability.
• God’s omnipotence and empathy in suffering: incorporating Sonderegger’s insights into the problem of evil, highlighting God’s compassionate presence through Jesus’s tears.
• Therapeutic benefits of crying: understanding the mental, emotional, and physiological relief that comes from a good cry.
• Creating space for vulnerability:  encouraging listeners to embrace their emotions and invite God into their most tender moments.

With practical advice for expressing emotions and a heartfelt prayer for comfort and healing, this episode offers a compassionate reminder that our tears can be a powerful form of worship and a pathway to experiencing God’s presence in our most vulnerable moments.

Ready for a good cry? Grab some tissues, invite Jesus into the mix, and let’s turn those tears into a sacred sob session. Because sometimes, a little holy waterworks is exactly what the soul needs!

Links and Resources

Learn How to Hack Your Crying with Erin Moon on Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/erin.h.moon 

Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily Nagoski and Amelia Nagoski

https://a.co/d/0y0JgKh 

Cassandra's "Cry Sesh" Playlist 

https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/cry-sesh/pl.u-V9D77Mpia3akkR 

Katherine Sonderegger's Systematic Theology: The Doctrine of God, Volume 1 

https://a.co/d/2QH1v20 

Connect with Cass:  https://www.cassandraspeer.com

Follow on Instagram @cassandralspeer 

https://www.instagram.com/cassandralspeer 

Join the conversation using #hardandholypodcast

In this episode, I’m thrilled to welcome Whitney Lowe, a gifted Bible teacher and author of Set Your Eyes Higher. Whitney is a dynamic Christian influencer who disrupts the digital space with hope, peace, and biblical truth. She joins me to explore the importance of embracing true rest and avoiding the allure of counterfeit comfort in a world that constantly pulls at our attention.

Together, we dive into how genuine engagement with Scripture can refocus our hearts and minds, even in the midst of social media chaos. Whitney opens up about the significance of the Sabbath, spiritual rest, and how we can find peace amidst burnout and cultural pressures. Whether you’re navigating faith, community, or simply trying to stay grounded in the digital age, this episode is full of wisdom and practical strategies for finding rest in God’s presence.

Key Takeaways:

• True Rest vs. Counterfeit Comfort: How to recognize and avoid the traps of superficial rest.
• Faith in the Digital Age: Insights on maintaining a Christ-centered perspective online and in real life.
• Sabbath and Spiritual Rest: The biblical importance of rest and how to apply it in a fast-paced world.
• Navigating Burnout: Practical tips for managing exhaustion through faith and community.
• Walking in Love and Truth on Social Media: Whitney’s strategies for engaging authentically while protecting your peace.

I hope this conversation inspires you to set your eyes higher and find true rest in Jesus. 

Connect with Whitney: https://www.scribbledevos.com/

IG - @scribbledevos (Whit, page isn’t loading, I’m sure you know ?)

FB: scribbledevos

TikTok: @wpiersonlowe

Set You Eyes Higher: https://www.amazon.com/Set-Your-Eyes-Higher-Devotional/dp/0310464404 

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

Trauma. Church hurt. Broken. These words are thrown around a lot within the context of Christianity - but what do they *actually* mean and how can we use them in a helpful and healing way?

In today’s episode, I'm is sitting down with Pricelis Perreaux-Dominguez, author, podcaster, and CEO+Founder of Full Collective, a community to ignite the Body of Christ. We are chatting about how to experience personal and collective healing from bruising inflicted within a church setting. Tune in to hear:

• What to do with ‘deep bruising’ within the Church (The body of Christ)
• What Collective Healing means to both of us
• The importance of knowing The Word to know how to protect against spiritual manipulation
• The definition of being Trauma informed
• The reminder we need when interacting with people we disagree with

You are already called to BE a sanctuary. You don’t have to become it - you just have to activate it. Praying over you today, sweet friend.

Please check out all of Pri’s resources below!

Author’s Website: https://www.pricelispd.com/

Being a Sanctuary Book: https://www.pricelispd.com/basbook

Ministry Websites: https://wearefullcollective.com/ and https://www.sowerssummit.com/

Being a Sanctuary Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/being-a-sanctuary-podcast/id1524089544

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pricelispd/?hl=en https://www.instagram.com/we.are.full/l https://www.instagram.com/sowerssummit/

Blog/Substack: https://pricelis.substack.com/

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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