A broken heart, a midnight prayer, and a phone call that changed everything—this conversation with singer-songwriter Janie Balderas is a map through the valley and back into the light. We open with her roots as a preacher’s daughter in Austin and Georgetown, where faith was real, messy, and often miraculous. Then the ground gives way: a sudden divorce, graveyard shifts, and the brutal whisper that she was unlovable. Janie takes us inside those nights on the floor, the anxiety that mimicked a heart attack, and the stubborn hope that wouldn’t leave, even when a rogue house rat became an unwanted roommate.

What happens next feels ordinary and sacred all at once. After a raw re-surrender to God, relief arrived like a breath of clean air. A modest temp job appeared, and the trainee she was asked to onboard turned around—her eighth-grade sweetheart, now the man she’s been married to for three decades. We talk about seasons: why choosing your kids doesn’t cancel your calling, how creative gifts can wait without withering, and how music returns with deeper truth when you’ve lived the lyrics. Janie’s catalog reflects that journey, from the wink of Whiskey and Jesus to the cinematic grit of Baptize, the new spaghetti-western-tinged single she performs live on the show.

Along the way, we explore grief, purpose, and the imperfect daily work of faith. Janie shares how prayer steadied her, how community lifted her when she had no pulse of hope left, and why age is just a number when the message is urgent. Expect laughter, a few tears, and a performance that feels like stepping into cool water after a long, hot road. If you’ve ever wondered whether you waited too long, fell too far, or missed your shot, this story says otherwise.

Listen now, share it with a friend who needs courage today, and if the conversation moved you, subscribe and leave a review so more people can find their way back to hope.

We love to hear from you! Send us a text