In this episode of the Overcomers Podcast, Dr. Alison Caldwell Andrews joins Kristen Bruinius to discuss the complexities of menopause, perimenopause, and postmenopause. They explore the impact of environmental factors on hormonal changes, the importance of understanding hormone levels, and the role of nutrition and lifestyle in managing symptoms. Dr. Alison shares her personal journey and insights into holistic approaches to hormone health, emphasizing the significance of iodine and adaptogens.

Access the free menopause guide here: https://www.sollenaturals.com/menopause-guidebook?specialistSite=Kristen&referralCode=Kristen&

This week we’re back with Part 2 of a powerful and deeply personal conversation with Pastor Fred DeYoung.

Fred returns to unpack the final emotions from the sermon series he preached to his church in Sioux Center, Iowa — a series that moved people across every age and stage of life because it finally answered a question many believers have silently carried:

What do we do with our emotions as Christians?
Are they a sign of weakness?
A lack of faith?
Something to suppress?
Or are they something more?

In this episode, we dive into:
✨ Stress — when healthy pressure turns into spiraling “what-ifs”
✨ Anxiety — the feeling of being out of control and the God who never is
✨ Anger — the “cheaper emotion” that often hides unspoken fear
✨ Regret — learning from the past without living trapped in it

You’ll hear:
💬 Why denying or obsessing over emotions will always control us
💬 What it means for God to have emotions — and the two He never does
💬 Why it is biblically true to say: “It’s okay to not be okay”
💬 How to support someone who is hurting without trying to become their savior
💬 The statement that might change someone’s life:

“Your past is your history — not your prison.”

Fred and I talk honestly about emotional triggers, identity in Christ, healing from the inside out, and how Scripture doesn’t shame emotions — it guides them.

If you’ve ever said “I’m fine” while falling apart inside…
If you’ve ever loved someone you couldn’t fix…
If you’ve ever wished faith made life easier…
This episode is for you.

🌿 May this conversation remind you:
God gave you emotions as a gift — as a compass, not a cage.
And you never have to face them alone.

What if “I’m fine” isn’t the whole truth?

In this first episode of a two-part series, I sit down with family friend and former pastor Fred Young to unpack his sermon series, “I’m Fine…but Not Really,” all about the emotions we often hide—especially in the church.

Together, we talk about:

• Why it’s biblical and healthy to say, “It’s okay to not be okay.”

• How Scripture shows us a deeply emotional God—Jesus weeping over Lazarus, agonizing in Gethsemane—and what that means for our own sadness.

• The difference between sadness and despair (that “tunnel with no light” feeling) and why you should never walk through it alone.

• The “front of the house vs. back of the house” analogy and how it mirrors our social media highlight reels.

• How the Psalms (especially Psalms 42, 55, 69, and 88) give language to our tears and show us we’re not the only ones who feel this way.

• The emotion of confusion—especially when people we trust hurt us—and why it’s so important that God is never confused, even when we are.

• How to begin discerning: Is this just my emotion… or is God using this emotion to lead me?

If you’ve ever buried your feelings to “be strong,” or worried that your emotions make you less spiritual, this conversation is for you. Fred gently reminds us that emotions are a gift from God, not an identity to worship or a problem to bury—and that God meets us in them, not just once we’ve “pulled it together.”

💛 If you’re in a really dark place right now, please don’t stay silent. You don’t have to tell everyone—but you do need to tell someone. Reach out to a trusted friend, pastor, counselor, or local crisis line today.

This is Part 1, where we cover sadness, despair, and confusion.
Next week, we’ll be back with Part 2 to continue the series on emotions and identity in Christ on Overcomers.