This week, I’m joined by ⁠@pieterlvalk⁠, licensed counselor, ministry leader, and cofounder of a modern Christian monastery, for a conversation that challenges what we’ve been taught about singleness. We talk about: 💬 The difference between common and vocational singleness 🏠 Why celibacy doesn’t have to mean isolation 🧭 How to discern your calling without rushing it 🤝 Practical ways to build true community as a single Christian 👨‍💻 The difference between loneliness and aloneness 🙏 And if God alone is really enough If you’ve ever felt alone in your singleness, unsure of your future, or just hungry for deeper connection—this one’s for you.

You can find more work from Pieter L. Volk by following him on instagram @pieterlvalk, checking out his ⁠resource links⁠, or following @nashvillefamilyofbrothers.

To support Holy Heartbreak Podcast, you can leave us a tip ⁠here⁠.

In this solo episode, Ryan Dawn takes listeners into the story of Abraham — not the highlight reel, but the quiet, difficult years of waiting between promise and fulfillment. With honesty and depth, she explores how desire, when unmet or delayed, can shape our spiritual lives — sometimes deepening our devotion, other times becoming distorted into idols.

Drawing from biblical narrative and personal reflection, Ryan shares how God uses seasons of delay to transform us — not just our circumstances. She unpacks why we often want "Abraham results" without "Abraham waiting," and how surrendering control can lead to deeper intimacy with God.

If you’ve ever felt stuck in between what God spoke and what you're actually seeing — this episode is a reminder that your waiting isn’t wasted.

✨ Topics covered:

• Why God gives promises, not plans
• The difference between desire and idolatry
• How control can quietly take over our faith
• Building altars to God instead of to our wants
• What our waiting reveals about our hearts

Scripture-rich, deeply reflective, and honest — this is for anyone walking through a long season of longing.

What if the healing you’ve begged God for never comes?

In this vulnerable conversation, Ryan Dawn sits down with author and speaker Brenna Blain (@bunonmyhead) to talk about suffering, mental health, and what it looks like to stay faithful when your prayers aren't answered (at least the way you'd expect). Brenna shares openly about living with bipolar disorder, the pain of unanswered prayers, and the pressure to perform spiritual perfection in Christian spaces.

Together, they unpack:

• Why the Church often doesn’t know what to do with real suffering
• How prosperity gospel lite sneaks into our expectations
• The tension of preaching while struggling
• Why vulnerability isn’t a liability—it's protection
• Finding God in slow, quiet, ordinary healing
• The difference between hoping for rescue and being sustained by presence

This episode is for anyone who’s still hurting and still here. For the ones who keep showing up, not because it’s easy—but because they still believe God is who He says He is.

🎧 Listen wherever you get your podcasts

📘 Grab Brenna’s book ⁠Can I Say That? How Unsafe Questions Lead Us to The Real God⁠

🔗 Follow her at ⁠@bunonmyhead⁠

🎧 Hear more of her story on ⁠With The Perrys⁠ and ⁠The Deep End With Lecrae⁠