The Encouragement Well

When Prayer Feels Hard

When prayer feels hard, it does not mean your faith has failed. Sometimes it means your soul is tired, your heart is overwhelmed, and life feels like too much to carry. In this episode of The Encouragement Well, Rachel sits with the woman who still believes God, still loves God, and still wants to pray—but feels weary, discouraged, or unsure of what to say. Through Scripture and the story of Hannah, this episode offers encouragement for honest prayer in tired seasons and reminds you that God is not measuring the beauty of your words. He is meeting the honesty of your heart. Together, we reflect on what it means to pray when you feel weak, how the Holy Spirit helps when words will not come, and why even the simplest prayer can still reach heaven. Whether all you can whisper is “Lord, help me,” this episode is a gentle reminder that God is near, He hears you, and you are still welcome in His presence. Scriptures referenced: Romans 8:26 Psalm 61:2 Matthew 11:28 1 Samuel 1 1 Kings 19 Psalm 34:18 Psalm 56:8 Psalm 13 Psalm 42 Mark 9:24 Hebrews 4:16 Matthew 14 Isaiah 40:29 Lamentations 3:22–23 Matthew 6 2 Corinthians 12:9 00:00 Intro 02:44 When You Still Believe, But You're Tired 05:35 Why Hard Seasons Can Make Prayer Feel Heavy 08:54 The Spirit Helps Us When We Do Not Have The Words 11:25 Simple Prayers for Weary Days 14:09 God Does Not Need Polished Words; He Wants Your Honest Heart 16:22 Closing Encouragement  18:15 Prayer 21:00 Outro

Prayer as a Weapon, Not a Performance- Learning to pray with power without trying to sound perfect.

In this opening episode of Series 6- The Praying Woman: Covering, Consecration & Surrender, Rachel invites listeners to release the pressure of “performing” in prayer and return to honest communion with God. If you have ever felt intimidated by prayer, compared your words to someone else’s, or wondered if your simple prayers were enough, this episode is a reminder that prayer does not have to sound perfect to be powerful. God is not looking for polished words. He is looking for a surrendered heart. Rachel reflects on how God meets us where we are, how Jesus taught His own disciples to pray, and why the posture of our hearts matters more than the performance of our words. This episode encourages you to come boldly, pray honestly, and trust that God hears the whisper, the cry, the journal entry, the car prayer, the kitchen prayer, and the prayer you barely had strength to say. Scriptures referenced: Hebrews 4:16, Luke 11:1, Matthew 6:5–6, Isaiah 64:6, James 5:16, Ephesians 6:18. 00:00 Intro 03:31 When Prayer Feels Intimidating 08:50 Prayer Was Never Meant to Be a Performance 15:08 Scripture Shows Us Bold, Honest, Imperfect Prayers 18:26 How to Begin Praying With Authority in Your Real Voice 21:58 Your Posture in Prayer is What Matters Most 26:49 Closing Encouragement 28:23 Prayer 30:26 Outro

Purpose in Seasons of Pause and in Seasons of Pain

In this heartfelt episode of The Encouragement Well, Rachel Haywood speaks to the woman who feels paused, hidden, tired, or tender from a painful season and wonders if her purpose is still intact. Through Scripture, honest reflection, and encouragement rooted in faith, this episode reminds listeners that purpose is not lost because life got quiet, and calling is not canceled because life got hard. Rachel reflects on Hagar, Hannah, Psalm 23, Ephesians 2:10, John 15:4, and Zechariah 4:10 to remind women that God sees them in the wilderness, meets them in their pain, restores their souls, and helps them take the next faithful step. This conversation is for the woman who is healing, waiting, rebuilding, or learning how to walk with God at a different pace. If you have been wondering whether your pause means you have been put away, or whether your pain has disqualified you, this episode is a gentle reminder: God is still leading, still restoring, and still holding your purpose in His hands. 00:00 EPISODE 24 — Purpose in Seasons of Pause and in Seasons of Pain 05:01 When Purpose Feel Paused 11:47 Pain Doesn't Pause Your Purpose 15:27 The Shepherd Restores You So You Can Keep Walking 22:45 What God Develops in the Pause and in the Pain 31:32 What Purpose Can Look Like in Seasons of Pause and in Seasons of Pain 34:59 Walking Out Purpose Right Here 40:47 Closing Encouragement 42:28 Prayer 44:27 Outro

Your Calling Isn’t Cancelled (Even If Life Got Messy)

Episode 23: Your Calling Isn’t Cancelled (Even If Life Got Messy) Have you ever looked at your life and thought… this is not how I thought this would go? In this deeply honest and hope-filled episode, we’re talking about the quiet fear so many of us carry—the feeling that we’ve missed our moment. That somewhere between motherhood, responsibilities, unexpected life turns, and just trying to survive… our dreams got delayed, and maybe even left behind. But what if that’s not the end of your story? In this conversation, we unpack the lie of “I missed it” and replace it with truth rooted in God’s Word. Through personal reflection and real-life testimony—including a 10-year journey back to pursuing higher education—we explore how God uses detours for development, how nothing in your story is wasted, and what it looks like to rebuild your life with Him—without shame. This episode is your reminder that your calling is not fragile. It hasn’t been canceled. It hasn’t expired. And it hasn’t passed you by. You are still called. You are still chosen. And your story is still being written. ✨ 📖 Scriptures referenced: * Romans 8:28 * Psalm 37:23–24 * Lamentations 3:22–23 * Joel 2:25 If you’ve been feeling behind, uncertain, or like it’s too late… this episode will meet you right there—and gently call you forward. 00:00 TEW EPISODE 23 — Your Calling Isn’t Cancelled (Even If Life Got Messy) 01:44 I Missed My Moment 03:48 God Uses Detours 06:10 Rebuilding with God 07:20 Still Called, Still Chosen 10:26 Closing Encouragement 11:06 Prayer 11:57 Outro

Becoming Who God Called You to Be (Even If It Scares You)

What do you do when the very thing you prayed for… finally happens—but you don’t fully feel like yourself inside of it? In this deeply personal and faith-filled episode of The Encouragement Well, Rachel opens up about her 7-year journey of praying, pushing, and persevering toward her calling—only to face rejection, closed doors, and seasons that felt like she was moving backwards instead of forward. But what if those seasons weren’t setbacks… but setups? Through honest storytelling and powerful biblical connections, this episode explores what it really means to become—to step into who God called you to be, even when it feels uncomfortable, unfamiliar, and yes… a little scary. ✨ In this episode, you’ll be encouraged to: * Reframe rejection and delay as redirection * Understand the purpose of “wilderness” seasons (Exodus 13:21; Exodus 14:13) * Navigate identity shifts when your role changes but your confidence hasn’t caught up * Embrace the refinement process without losing yourself (Isaiah 48:10; 2 Corinthians 5:17) * Move forward even when fear is present (Joshua 1:9; 2 Timothy 1:7) With anchor scriptures like Isaiah 43:19, Exodus 3:11–12, Joshua 1:9, and 2 Timothy 1:7, Rachel reminds you that God is not confused about who you are—and He hasn’t brought you this far without purpose. If you’ve been feeling stretched, uncertain, or caught between who you used to be and who you’re becoming… this conversation is for you. 🤍 Reflection to carry with you: * What has God already shown you about who you are in this season? * What is He asking you to trust Him with right now? * What would it look like to take one faithful step forward today? 0:00 Intro 02:03 The Prayer That Changed Everything 06:05 When God Calls You Forward, Not Back 08:59 You Are Not Losing Yourself… You’re Being Refined 12:20 “Wait… Who Am I Now?” 15:37 The Nervousness is Part of the Process 18:41 Closing Encouragement  19:48 Prayer 20:45 Outro