Carla Hanes: Identity in Christ, Renewing Your Mind, and Parenting from Spiritual Authority

Carla Hanes: Identity in Christ, Renewing Your Mind, and Parenting from Spiritual Authority

In this episode of Love Letter Faith, I'm joined by speaker, mom, and identity teacher Carla Hanes for a conversation about what it really means to know who you are in Christ—and how that truth shapes the way we live, lead, and parent. Carla grew up as a missionary kid in Hawaii, later studied political science and worked on Capitol Hill, then moved into interior design, speaking, and raising her three sons. Through each season, God has continued to teach her that identity is not something we strive to earn, but something we receive from Him. In our conversation, Carla shares how knowing "whose you are" changes everything. We talk about learning the language of Truth in God's Word, recognizing the lies we've agreed with, and allowing Scripture to renew the way we think. Carla also shares such practical wisdom for moms—like asking God how He sees us each day, journaling what He speaks, anchoring every word in Scripture, and speaking life verses over our children. We also talk about parenting from spiritual authority, trusting God in hard seasons, and believing that even the valleys can be used to form character, strengthen faith, and prepare our children for the calling God has placed on their lives. This conversation is full of encouragement for anyone who has struggled with insecurity, identity, or the pressure to do enough to become enough. My prayer is that it reminds you that before you ever perform, achieve, or prove anything, God has already spoken truth over who you are. In this episode, we talk about: * What identity in Christ really means * Learning to hear and agree with God's voice * Recognizing lies and replacing them with Scripture * Renewing your mind through God's Word * Asking God, "How do You see me today?" * Speaking life and truth over your children * Parenting from spiritual authority instead of fear * Trusting God to use hard seasons for purpose and calling Follow Carla Hanes: https://www.instagram.com/carlahanes [https://www.instagram.com/carlahanes] Follow Chapple Chandler: https://www.instagram.com/chapplechandler/ [https://www.instagram.com/chapplechandler/] Follow Love Letter Faith: https://www.instagram.com/loveletterfaith/

The Love That Stayed: Scarlet Stearns on Abandonment, Forgiveness, and a Love That Never Left

In this episode of Love Letter Faith, Chapple sits down with Scarlet Stearns to talk about how our earliest experiences with love can shape the way we see ourselves, others, and even God. Scarlet shares what it was like growing up with a single mother battling addiction, and how that environment led her to believe love had to be earned. That belief followed her into her relationships and into her understanding of God—creating a cycle of striving, fear, and insecurity. After coming to faith in fifth grade, Scarlet moved to Big Oak Ranch, where she experienced both stability and repeated loss as house-parent families came and went. Those transitions left deep wounds, hardening her heart and leading her to wrestle with anger toward God. At 16, Scarlet faced one of the most pivotal moments of her life when her mother passed away suddenly. But just before her death, Scarlet was able to offer forgiveness through a letter—bringing a profound sense of closure, healing, and freedom. Through it all, Scarlet shares how God patiently and faithfully reshaped her identity—not through performance, but through grace. Today, that transformation fuels her ministry, Feel The Smile, where she pours into young women through Bible studies, retreats, and intentional community. This conversation is for anyone who has ever felt like they had to earn love—and is ready to receive the kind of love that never leaves. Follow Chapple and Love Letter Faith: * Chapple's Instagram: @chapplechandler [https://www.instagram.com/chapplechandler?igsh=ODgyYzI2aHN2eHJ0&utm_source=qr] * Love Letter Faith: @loveletterfaith [https://www.instagram.com/loveletterfaith?igsh=NG9xc2kzem5jOHhp] Follow Scarlet and Feel the Smile: * Scarlet's Instagram @scarletstearns [https://www.instagram.com/scarletstearns?igsh=MWc3ajZyMmQyaWY5Mg==] * Feel the Smile @feelthesmileorg [https://www.instagram.com/feelthesmileorg?igsh=Yno3cWZuNDVobHBn]

From Striving to Rooted: Amy Romfo on Inner Healing, Identity, and Hearing God in Dreams

In today's episode of Love Letter Faith, Chapple sits down with Amy Romfo—Charleston-based home and lifestyle creator behind The Coastal Oak and co-host of the Under the Oaks Podcast—for a deeply honest conversation about identity, inner healing, and the hidden cost of performance culture. What began as a creative outlet—DIY projects, furniture flips, and documenting a home renovation—quickly grew into a platform. But along the way, striving, comparison, and the pressure to perform began to take root. In this episode, Amy opens up about how those pressures resurfaced deeper wounds, including past trauma and a struggle with an eating disorder—and how an unexpected invitation to a church retreat became a turning point. At a retreat at Church Creek, Amy encountered the Holy Spirit in a way that changed everything. She began learning to recognize God's voice, through scripture, prayer and dreams, and stepped into a season of heart healing. During a time of 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting, a vivid dream brought buried pain to the surface—memories of bulimia, shame, and self-hatred—leading Amy to pursue intensive therapy in Colorado. Through heart prayer and EMDR, she revisited a moment of deep despair from her past… but this time, she didn't face it alone. She shares a powerful picture of Jesus meeting her in that memory—lifting her up and speaking truth over her life: You are clean. You are chosen. You are free. You are My masterpiece. Anchored in the truth of Ephesians 2:10, Amy began to replace lies with Scripture and rebuild her identity—not in what she produces, but in who God says she is. This episode is a reminder that healing is possible, that God meets us in our deepest wounds, and that we were never meant to live for performance—but from a place of being deeply known and loved. Follow Chapple here: https://www.instagram.com/chapplechandler/ [https://www.instagram.com/chapplechandler/] Follow Love Letter Faith here: https://www.instagram.com/loveletterfaith/ [https://www.instagram.com/loveletterfaith/] Follow Amy here: https://www.instagram.com/thecoastaloak/ [https://www.instagram.com/thecoastaloak/] Follow Under the Oaks here: https://www.instagram.com/undertheoakspodcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/undertheoakspodcast/]

Back to the Beginning: Identity, Shame, and the God Who Redeems

In this episode of Love Letter Faith, Chapple takes us back to the very beginning—to Genesis 1–3—to rediscover truth in a world that often feels uncertain and overwhelming. As headlines stir fear and questions about what's happening in the world, this episode is a gentle but grounding reminder: God has never lost control of the story. Together, we walk through creation, where God intentionally made humanity in His image—male and female—with purpose, identity, and authority. But we also look at the moment everything shifted: the serpent's first question—"Did God really say?"—and how that seed of doubt led to deception, shame, hiding, and separation. Chapple unpacks: * The significance of being created in God's image * How the enemy still uses doubt to distort truth today * Adam's silence and the weight of inaction * God's response to sin—not just with justice, but with mercy * The powerful promise in Genesis 3:15 that points to Jesus from the very beginning Even in the fall, we see the heart of God—to pursue, to cover, and to redeem. This episode closes with three anchoring truths: ✨ You are created in the image of God—your identity is secure ✨ Your story is marked by redemption, not shame ✨ God has never left you—He is present, even now If the world feels heavy or uncertain, this is your invitation to come back to the beginning… and remember what is true.

Sophia Groth: Adoption, Pressures of Performance, and Finding Worth Beyond Gymnastics

On this episode of Love Letter Faith, Chapple Chandler sits down with Sophia Groth — a former All-American gymnast at Auburn University now serving in development for SMU Athletics — for an honest conversation about identity, performance, and being chosen. From a young age, gymnastics wasn't just something Sophia did — it was who she was. The medals, the pressure, the expectations, and the spotlight all shaped her sense of worth. But beneath the achievements was a deeper story. Adopted from China as a baby, Sophia shares the miraculous details of her early life — how her paperwork was unexpectedly moved to an adoptable orphanage file, and how a nanny secretly took her home to care for and feed her. What could have been forgotten became a testimony of divine protection. In seventh grade, during a dark and defining season, Sophia met Jesus. And slowly, her identity began to shift from performance to belonging. Together, Chapple and Sophia talk about: * The pressure of tying your worth to achievement * What it means to be chosen — in adoption and in Christ * How understanding God as Father reshapes identity * The difficult but beautiful transition out of elite sport * Representing Baby Steps through NIL and supporting women facing unplanned pregnancies * The Scripture that anchored her story: Ephesians 3:20 Sophia's story is a reminder that you are not what you achieve. You are not what you produce. You are not what you perform. You are chosen. You are known. You are loved. And in Christ, your identity is secure. Follow Chapple here: https://www.instagram.com/chapplechandler/ [https://www.instagram.com/chapplechandler/] Follow Love Letter Faith here: https://www.instagram.com/loveletterfaith/ [https://www.instagram.com/loveletterfaith/] Follow Sophia Groth here: https://www.instagram.com/sophia_groth [https://www.instagram.com/sophia_groth]