If you've been carrying an unwritten message, a story that feels scattered, or a calling that seems stalled, this episode is for you. In the Season 1 finale of Welcoming Slow Growth — a podcast for writers and creatives walking a faith-filled path — book coach Emily Grabatin reflects on what 11 creatives taught her about spiritual growth through one unexpected thread: the word came before the breakthrough.

Through stories of chronic illness, homelessness, life's heaviness, and humble faithfulness, you'll discover:

- Why your hidden place isn't wasted time — it's where formation happens before the first draft

- Why abiding in Christ is a creative practice, not a detour from your calling

- How a focus word or word of the year becomes more than a spiritual practice — it becomes the tether you didn't know you'd need

- Why your slow pace doesn't disqualify you from the God-given message you carry

You are not behind. You are beloved.

CONNECT WITH EMILY GRABATIN:

Website: emilygrabatin.ca

The Heart's Calling Substack

Welcoming Slow Growth community

This is a space for the sacred, the soulful, and the slow creative. Welcome to the journey.

Word of the Year: Linger

Christian fiction author Melissa Alyse shares how a single word linger refreshed her creative calling. Through her spiritual practice, she learned how important it is to move at God's pace instead of the world's—especially amid the expectations and shoulds of being a new author.

A delightful episode for any writer or creative navigating purpose, patience, and spiritual growth.

In this episode we cover:

- What happens when God strips your plate down to one thing — and why that's not loss

- Why spiritual growth for writers doesn't always look like a writing course

- The unexpected lesson linger actually taught her (hint: it wasn't about slowing down)

- What it really looks like to abide in Christ as a creative

- Why your calling is not behind schedule — no matter your detours

Guest Melissa Alyse writes grace-filled Christian cozy non-murder mysteries and sweet romance novels. With no formal writing training, she published her first novel in June 2025 and has since released seven books — proof that when God calls you, and you respond, He also equips you. Find her at melissaalyse.com

BOOKS & RESOURCES MENTIONED

A Place to Belong by Melissa Alyse (Book 1 in her series; book 3 includes a character who adopts a word of the year)

One Perfect Word by Debbie Macomber

Scripture References: Romans 12:2 | Colossians 2:2–4 | Colossians 2:6–7 | John 15

CONNECT WITH EMILY:

Website: emilygrabatin.ca

The Heart's Calling Substack

Welcoming Slow Growth community

This is a space for the sacred, the soulful, and the slow creative. Welcome to the journey.

Focus Words: Listen to Your Life

What does it look like to write from your best self — not your most pressured, depleted, or comparison-weary one?

Writer and educator Bailey Gillespie joins Emily for a conversation that is honest and subtly liberating. Since age fifteen, Bailey has lived with chronic illness and long-term pain — and rather than write around it, she writes from the contemplative space of faith and formation and what it means to walk with God when life is slow and tender (and very much unresolved).

If you’ve ever felt behind in your creative calling, weary of shortcuts and screens, or disconnected from the voice that first made you want to write — this episode was made for you.

In this episode:

- Why your limitations might be the very thing shaping your most authentic voice

- How analog journaling quietly restores what digital shortcuts slowly take

- What Frederick Buechner’s “listen to your life” quote means as a daily creative and spiritual practice

- How restorative rhythms empower you to show up more fully — not less

- Why becoming the kind of person who can make great work matters more than the work itself

Bailey shares how returning to analog writing practices — pen, notebook, nature — helped her reclaim originality and create from a place of soul care rather than striving.

Mentioned in this episode:

Frederick Buechner — Presbyterian minister and writer; the origin of the phrase "listen to your life"

Andrew Peterson — author and musician; Bailey's entry point into Buechner's work

Justin McRoberts — author, podcaster, and creative coach

Emily P. Freeman — author and podcaster known for her work on reflection and discernment

Telling the Truth: The Gospel as Comedy, Tragedy, and Fairytale — Frederick Buechner

ABOUT THE GUEST: Bailey Gillespie is a writer and educator from Northern California who loves a good road trip to the coast. She writes from the contemplative space of faith and formation and what it means to walk with God when life is slow and tender (and very much unresolved).

Website: baileygillespie.comLive Your Life Substack: baileygillespie.substack.com

CONNECT WITH EMILY:

Website: emilygrabatin.ca

The Heart's Calling Substack

Welcoming Slow Growth community

This is a space for the sacred, the soulful, and the slow. Welcome to the journey.

Word of the Year: Grace

You chose a word for the year. Maybe you made a vision board, wrote it in your journal, felt that quiet sense of this is it. And then life got full — and your word got a little lost.

This solo episode is your sweet invitation back.

In this word of the year reflection exercise, Emily Grabatin offers a journalling prompt for anyone who chose an intention or focus word and wants to go deeper than January allowed. Using her own story of choosing grace — and the reluctant prayer that followed — she explores the question that unlocks everything else.

In this episode:

- Why the first feeling your word stirs up might be the most important one to pay attention to

- What your fear around your word is quietly trying to tell you about where your real growth lies

- How a bathroom renovation became an unexpected answer to a reluctant prayer about grace

Your word story is still being written. Come create the next chapter in your spiritual growth.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

emilygrabatin.ca/wordsurvey

CONNECT WITH EMILY:

Website: emilygrabatin.ca

The Heart's Calling Substack

Welcoming Slow Growth community

This is a space for the sacred, the soulful, and the slow. Welcome to the journey.

Focus word: Abide

Have you ever felt trapped in a spiritual wilderness, wondering if your creative calling still matters? Artist, writer, and podcaster Hayley Rawnsley knows that exhausting tension between faith and creativity — and the crushing pressure to perform. Graduating during the pandemic, she found herself unraveling from years of striving, until painting and contemplative prayer opened an unexpected door into abiding in Jesus.

In this episode, Hailey shares how her wilderness season became the very place she discovered a slower, deeper way to create — rooted in presence rather than performance.

We cover:

- Why your spiritual wilderness season is not wasted

- How contemplative prayer transforms your creative process

- Breaking free from performance and striving as a Christian creative

- What abiding in Jesus actually looks like in daily creative life

- Why the story you're carrying deserves a rooted foundation, not a rushed platform

This conversation is for the Christian writer or artist who is tired of performing and longs for a way to experience peace and purpose in their creative calling.

About the Guest: Hayley Rawnsley is an artist, writer, and podcaster whose creative work is inspired by faith and spiritual wilderness. Her passion is helping creatives break free from performance and learn to create from abiding in Jesus.

Website + Abiding Creative Workbook: desertsblooming.com

Substack: https://substack.com/@desertsblooming

Podcast: Abiding Creatives

CONNECT WITH EMILY:

Website: emilygrabatin.ca

The Heart's Calling Substack

Welcoming Slow Growth community

This is a space for the sacred, the soulful, and the slow. Welcome to the journey.

Word of the Year: Sweet Simplicity

Drowning in motherhood or work but still craving time to write and create? You're not alone. This honest conversation explores the tension of finding sweet simplicity when life feels overwhelmingly full and perfectionism takes over.

Join host Emily Grabatin and guest Kate Crocco as they discuss setting boundaries, disappointing others, and changing priorities to make space for creativity and what's most important to us. Kate, a psychotherapist, homeschool mom of four, and former girl boss, shares her spiritual growth journey from entrepreneur perfectionism to motherhood overwhelm.

In this episode, we cover:

- Why perfectionism and comparison follow you into different season of your life

- How to recognize when good opportunities are burning you out

- The hard thing you might have to do to show up for what matters most

- Keeping the desire to write alive despite overwhelming responsibilities

- Finding sweet simplicity through boundaries and changing priorities

Her warm, authentic approach creates a safe space for exploring the messy realities of creative motherhood.

About the Guest: Kate Crocco is a psychotherapist, author, podcaster, and homeschool mama of four dreaming in the breadcrumbs of her day. She is author of Thinking Like a Boss and Drawing the Line.

katecrocco.com

CONNECT WITH EMILY:

Website: emilygrabatin.ca

The Heart's Calling Substack

Welcoming Slow Growth community

This is a space for the sacred, the soulful, and the slow. Welcome to the journey.

Are you an anxious creative who feels stuck, overwhelmed, or paralyzed by the project in your heart? Do you struggle with shiny object syndrome, fear of not measuring up, or finding time alongside your full-time work? This contemplative, encouraging conversation offers hope.

Join host Emily Grabatin and guest Jackie Scott—self-published author of seven books and multi-passionate artist—as they explore how a simple 15-minute daily habit transformed creative paralysis into consistent courage.

In this episode, we cover:

- How one focus word became an anchor through creative doubt and discouragement

- Why 15 minutes a day led to more finished projects than years of waiting for "enough time"

- The mindset shift that made hitting publish feel possible (even with anxiety)

- How to know when shiny object syndrome is helping or hurting your creative momentum

- Why your day job doesn't need to be your identity for you to live with purpose

This lighthearted, faith-centered conversation will inspire ministry leaders, coaches, and writers to finally start that meaningful project they've been putting off.

About the Guest: Jackie Scott is an author of several devotionals and artist who creates watercolour and digital art, among many other creative pursuits. Connect with her and find her books at jackiescottartist.com.

CONNECT WITH EMILY:

Website: emilygrabatin.ca

The Heart's Calling Substack

Welcoming Slow Growth community

This is a space for the sacred, the soulful, and the slow creative. Welcome to the journey.

Word of the Year: GROW

When growth doesn't look like we imagined—when our book doesn't take off, our ministry feels stagnant, or our character work feels repetitive—it's easy to wonder if we're actually growing at all.

In this honest and vulnerable conversation, Bible study author Amy Sloss shares her journey with the word "grow" and how God redefined her expectations completely. Amy expected abundance and new opportunities after publishing her first book, Passages. Instead, she found herself back in the trenches, dealing with areas of pride, control, and judgement she thought she'd already conquered.

If you've ever felt discouraged by slow spiritual growth, frustrated that your plans aren't unfolding as expected, or wondered why transformation feels like such hard work, this episode will meet you right where you are. Amy's story reminds us that the most significant growth often happens beneath the surface—in the daily discipline of surrender, the humility of owning our part, and the faithfulness of remembering how God has led us.

In this episode, we cover:

- Why spiritual growth rarely matches our expectations (and what to do when you feel stuck)

- The difference between one-time transformation and ongoing character pruning

- How releasing your plans actually opens the door to real growth

- The power of remembering God's faithfulness when you can't see immediate results

- Why authentic vulnerability creates safe spaces for others to grow

About the Guest: Amy Sloss is a writer, mother of five, and author of Passages: Pruning You For His Glory, a Bible study workbook born from her own journey of discovering hidden pride, bitterness, and control. Through vulnerable storytelling and biblical truth, Amy guides others through the uncomfortable work of letting God prune what needs to go so His fruit can flourish.

amysloss.ca

CONNECT WITH EMILY:

Website: emilygrabatin.ca

The Heart's Calling Substack

Welcoming Slow Growth community

This is a space for the sacred, the soulful, and the slow. Welcome to the journey.

Word of the Year: Freely and Lightly

Do you carry unnecessary weight into your creative work? As writers, coaches, and entrepreneurs, we often turn what we love into a burden—adding pressure, expectations, and the exhausting need to be someone we're not. Your word of the year was supposed to bring clarity and motivation, but instead it became another source of stress.

In this contemplative episode, spiritual director and formation coach Lindsay Sterchi shares how choosing the phrase "freely and lightly" transformed her approach to both life and work. Her wisdom on authentic growth will resonate deeply with creative professionals navigating calling and everyday demands.

Through Lindsay's story of facing family challenges while maintaining her leadership and creative work, you'll discover a different way to approach personal growth—one that prioritizes becoming over performing.

In this episode, we cover:

- How to practice choosing a word of the year that invites authentic transformation rather than adding pressure

- Why recognizing and releasing emotional weight is essential for sustainable creative work

- The power of holding joy and sorrow together in your calling without losing yourself

- How to create a "faster return" to your true self when expectations overwhelm you

- Why whole-person integration means your spiritual formation impacts every area of life

This intimate, soul-stirring conversation feels like sitting with a wise friend. Expect reflective pauses, profound questions, and gentle wisdom that settles deep rather than demanding immediate action—perfect for creative souls seeking slow, meaningful growth.

Mentioned in this episode:

Matthew 11:28-20 (MSG)

Connect with Lindsay Sterchi: lindsaysterchi.com

Connect with Emily:

Website: emilygrabatin.ca

The Heart's Calling Substack

Welcoming Slow Growth community

This is a space for the sacred, the soulful, and the slow. Welcome to the journey.

Word of the Year: Life

Does your word of the year feel too vague, overwhelming, or completely irrelevant to your life right now? Have you ever forgotten your word months into the year?

You're not alone. Many writers, ministry leaders, and entrepreneurs struggle with choosing a word of the year that actually makes sense—and wonder if there's a point to their chosen word or if they've somehow missed God's direction when their word doesn't align with their current reality.

In this honest and hope-filled episode, host Emily Grabatin welcomes Ginette Armoogan—ordained minister, certified life coach, and author of the devotional "Hope Unhindered"—for an intimate conversation about trusting God's mysterious timing. Ginette shares how her word "life" felt so confusing she completely forgot about it—until a cancer diagnosis six months later revealed God's profound preparation for her darkest season.

In this episode, we cover:

- Why the word that makes no sense in January might save your life in July

- What to do when you've completely forgotten your word of the year (and why that's okay)

- How to recognize God's preparation when your circumstances feel chaotic and out of control

- Why leading from your pain isn't imposter syndrome—it's authentic authority being refined

- The practice of pausing to process what God has been weaving through your story

Through tears, vulnerability, and profound wisdom, this conversation offers encouragement for anyone who has ever doubted whether they heard from God correctly. Emily and Ginette's warm, authentic dialogue creates a safe space to explore spiritual confusion while providing practical hope for trusting God's perfect timing, even when His leading feels impossible to understand.

ABOUT THE GUEST:

Ginette Armoogan is passionate about people finding and living in freedom. She is an ordained minister, certified life coach, social justice advocate, author, and lover of all things beautiful.

Website: lifeunhindered.ca

Devotional: Hope Unhindered: 40 Days of Encouragement for the Weary

CONNECT WITH EMILY:

Website: emilygrabatin.ca

The Heart's Calling Substack

Welcoming Slow Growth community

This is a space for the sacred, the soulful, and the slow. Welcome to the journey.

Word of the Year: Patience

After eight years of undiagnosed chronic fatigue, Rochelle Tyme was desperate for answers. As a Registered Psychotherapist, wife, mother, and longtime ministry worker, she'd tried everything—doctors, diet changes, spiritual freedom sessions—but nothing helped. She knew something was deeply wrong, yet no one could figure out what. The exhaustion was invisible to everyone else, but to Rochelle, it was stealing her ability to do the things she felt called to do.

Then God gave her a word: patience. Not just patience to wait for healing, but patience that would transform how she trusted Him in the waiting.

In this honest, contemplative conversation, Rochelle opens up about the frustration of being unheard, the anger she felt toward God, and the surprising gratitude that emerged when she realized her chronic fatigue was stripping away an identity built on productivity and pushing through.

For authors, ministry leaders, and entrepreneurs who are exhausted from trying to keep up with their calling, this episode offers a different way forward.

You'll discover:

- How chronic burnout often comes from patterns of pushing through that need to be broken

- The difference between trusting God from exhaustion versus trusting from rest

- Practical ways patience shows up beyond just waiting for your breakthrough

- Why slowing down might be protecting you from continuing harmful patterns

- How to recognize when God is answering old prayers through present suffering

Rochelle's journey reminds us that God cares far more about refining our hearts than maximizing our productivity—and that the stripping process, though painful, might be the most loving thing He could do for us.

What if your limitation isn't the obstacle you think it is, but actually an invitation to discover who you are beyond what you do?

CONNECT WITH ROCHELLE TYME:

tymetherapy.com

CONNECT WITH EMILY:

Website: emilygrabatin.ca

The Heart's Calling Substack

Welcoming Slow Growth community

This is a space for the sacred, the soulful, and the slow. Welcome to the journey.

Word of the Year: A Wild Ride

Feeling trapped between wanting to grow and barely having the energy to get through each day? You're not alone. Chronic illness, overwhelming circumstances, and survival mode can shrink your world until taking any risk feels impossible. But what if stepping out of your comfort zone during your hardest season could be the key to breakthrough?

In this vulnerable and inspiring conversation, Joanna K. Harris shares how she moved from a decade of chronic illness and homelessness to launching a business, getting certified in reflexology, and rediscovering her calling—all while still managing health challenges. When life feels like too much, how do you find the courage to say yes to new opportunities?

In this episode:

- How to reframe suffering as adventure instead of just endurance

- Practical steps for taking small risks when energy is limited

- The surprising ways God provides when you step out in faith

- How to overcome the fear of asking for help during vulnerable seasons

- Why comfort zones become prison cells during chronic struggles

Joanna's story proves that breakthrough doesn't require perfect health or ideal circumstances—it requires a willingness to trust God's "wild ride" plan. Her honest, hope-filled approach will encourage anyone feeling stuck between survival and their calling.

About the Guest: Joanna K. Harris is a certified life coach, author of Crazy, Hard, Beautiful Journey, founder of Grace Possible, and former missionary. After experiencing chronic illness for over a decade, she now helps others find purpose and adventure even in their most challenging seasons.

GracePossible.com

CONNECT WITH EMILY:

Website: emilygrabatin.ca

The Heart's Calling Substack

Welcoming Slow Growth community

This is a space for the sacred, the soulful, and the slow. Welcome to the journey.

Welcome to Welcoming Slow Growth! If you've ever felt caught between busyness of loving what you do and longing for more spaciousness to breathe, wonder, and create—this podcast is for you.

I'm Emily Grabatin. Over the past decade, I've coached big-hearted entrepreneurs, authors, and ministry leaders who are pursuing callings bigger than what comfortably fits in their capacity or calendar. And here's what I've learned: sometimes the most revolutionary thing we can do is slow down and just be.

In this welcome episode, I'm sharing why I created this sacred space for creators, entrepreneurs, and dreamers who are ready to unclench their grip on the constant hustle and ease into a fresh perspective. Because what if welcoming slow growth—the very thing you think will hold you back—is actually what propels you forward?

One way of inviting slow growth is through the word of the year practice.

In This Episode:

- Why slowing down might be the most revolutionary act for your calling

- The surprising power of choosing a word of the year (and actually letting it shape you)

- A sneak peek at the incredible stories coming your way from real people whose words transformed their entire year

- An invitation to notice what word might be whispering at the edges of your heart

Coming Up Next: My conversation with a guest whose word of the year "wild ride" positioned her with the exact mindset she needed for a tumultuous season—and opened opportunities that changed the trajectory of her vocation.

CONNECT WITH EMILY:

Website: emilygrabatin.ca

The Heart's Calling Substack:

Fledgling community:

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Upcoming guest interviews with Ginette (pastor, author, life coach), Rochelle (psychotherapist), and Lindsay (spiritual director)

This is a space for the sacred, the soulful, and the slow. Welcome to the journey.