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~ Has self-doubt ever talked you out of something God was calling you toward?

It’s more common than you think. And it might be the very thing keeping you from the dream God placed on your heart.

In this episode, I'm talking about something I see in almost every woman I coach: the tendency to downplay our abilities and wait until we feel ready before we take a single step forward. The problem is, that moment of feeling ready rarely comes on its own.

Here are three things I want you to walk away knowing today:

• You do not have to have it all figured out before you start.
• You do not have to feel confident before you begin.
• You do not have to be perfectly competent to take the next step.

I also dig into one of my favorite stories in Scripture: Moses at the burning bush. Moses witnessed miracles, heard directly from God, and still said, "Please send someone else." If that is not relatable, I don't know what is. His story reminds us that self-doubt in the face of a calling is nothing new, and that God's presence is what makes the calling possible, not your readiness.

Your dream has nothing to do with trying to be perfect. God gave it to you in love and grace, and He does not expect you to fulfill it a certain way. Your job is simply to be faithful and take the next step.

If you are ready to work through this and figure out what your next step actually looks like, I would love to have you join me for my workshop, The Next Best Step for Pursuing a God-shaped Dream. Register at merrittonsa.com/workshop.

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~ Are you a Christian woman trying to figure out the next right step for a dream? You feel like God has called you to something more in midlife, but what should you do about it?

I've spent the last 10 years talking to women about their dreams. What I've learned is that most of us are not stuck because we lack talent or even faith. We're stuck because the dream feels bigger than us, and we don't know how to move forward or who to process it with.

A God-shaped dream is a specific calling that uses your gifts, your faith, and even the hard things you've walked through. It serves others. And it carries kingdom value in a broken world that desperately needs hope and healing.

Because of that, you are not meant to carry the dream alone. No, we were meant to do this together! You, marching forward, faithfully carrying your dream, walking alongside other women who are carrying theirs.

This is important kingdom work, and this is why I'm hosting a workshop just for you on April 23rd, 2026.

Join me for The Best Next Step for Pursuing a God-Shaped Dream. Whether you're just beginning, shifting gears, or somewhere in the messy middle, this is your space.

In this episode, I cover:

• What makes a dream "God-shaped" and why that distinction matters
• Why feeling overwhelmed or uncertain doesn't mean you're off track
• How to move forward without waiting for a perfect plan

Come to the workshop and determine the next best step for your dream. There's no homework, no pressure, and no perfect starting point required. Just you, your dream, and a room full of women who get it.

RSVP at merrittonsa.com/workshop and come ready to breathe, think, and take your next step.

God made you for a purpose, and He can be trusted with the dream He gave you.

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What if the thing standing between you and your dream is simply that you have never said it out loud?

In this episode, my friend and co-host Erin Straza and I get honest about what it actually takes to go after something that feels bigger than you. We talk about renewing your mind, knowing who God says you are, and why speaking the dream matters more than having a perfect plan to follow.

Before we close out the conversation with Erin, she shares a story about her husband Mike, a 56-year-old competitive runner whose coach challenged him to name a time goal he had been too afraid to voice. That moment was a game-changer and sheds light on how we think about a God-shaped dream.

In this conversation, we’re talking about:

• The daily choice to set your mind on life and light instead of fear and doubt
• Why knowing you are a beloved daughter of God is the foundation
• How saying the dream out loud is an act of faith rather than pride

You do not have to say it publicly or post it online, but you do need to say it to someone you trust. That is exactly why I built Dream Believers, a community where women pursue God-shaped dreams together, are honest about the highs and lows, and remind each other who we are in Him. Learn more and join today: https://www.merrittonsa.com/dreambelievers.

The dream God placed in you was never meant to stay hidden. Sometimes we think we need to see the whole path before we can take the next step, but that’s simply not true. Your job is to be faithful to what is right in front of you today.

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Have you been holding back, waiting for the perfect plan or just the right timing to go after a dream?

In this episode, I sit down with my longtime friend Erin Straza for an honest conversation about what it actually looks like to start something when you don't feel qualified, confident, or certain it's going to work.

We talk about the real cost of perfectionism and why it will knock you out every time if you let it.

In this episode we dig into:

• Why the momentum you're looking for comes from starting, not from waiting until you feel ready
• How a simple outline, even just two to four things written down, can break the grip of feeling stuck
• Why treating your early attempts as practice, not performance, changes everything

One of the things Erin said that I keep coming back to is that we champion a child’s first steps because we're on the outside looking in and we know it’s bound to happen. We need that same encouragement too.

If you're in a season where you feel stuck and you're longing for women who will walk with you toward your dream, I want you to know that's exactly why I built Dream Believers. It's a community of women who love Jesus, ask good questions, and show up for each other through the messy, faithful middle.

Learn more at merrittonsa.com/dreambelievers

And remember, the goal was never to be perfect. The goal is to be faithful to what God has given you right now.

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Have you ever felt stuck between a dream God has given you and the fear of taking the wrong step? If yes, this conversation is for you.

This month I'm joined by my friend and non-profit communications consultant Erin Straza, and together we get refreshingly honest about something so many of us quietly wrestle with: procrastination. Not the lazy kind, the kind that comes from caring deeply about getting it right.

We talk about why hesitation is often just protection in disguise, and how perfectionism can keep your dream simmering on the back burner indefinitely.

If you struggle with procrastination too, here's what I want you to hear: that stalling isn't a character flaw. It's a sign of how much this dream matters to you.

IN THIS EPISODE, WE EXPLORE:

• Why trusting God and acting on that trust can feel like two very different things
• How dreaming about the future can quietly replace doing the work of today
• What your personal wiring has to do with choosing your next right step
• Why imperfect progress beats perfect stillness — every single time

I also share something I believe wholeheartedly: everything we do is just practice. The missteps, the detours, the seasons that felt "wasted" — they're all shaping you for exactly where God is calling you next.

If you've been waiting for permission to move forward without having it all figured out, consider this your moment.

And if you're craving community with women who get it — women who are pursuing God-sized dreams and cheering each other on — I'd love to have you inside Dream Believers, my virtual community built just for you.

👉 Learn More: merrittonsa.com/dreambelievers

🔗 Connect with Erin Straza

• Website: http://erinstraza.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinstraza/

Devoted Dreamers is hosted by Merritt Onsa, a Christian life coach, mentor, speaker, and founder of Dream Believers. New episodes drop every week for the woman who believes her best chapter isn't behind her.

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Produced by Jonathan R. Clauson.
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The dream has been there for a while now. You can feel it.

But every time you consider the next leap of faith, something stops you. Maybe it sounds like: "I'm not ready yet." Or "What if I'm wrong about this?" Or the most persistent one: "I don't want to waste the precious time I have left."

If that's where you are right now, this episode is for you.

To open Season 14, I sit down with my longtime friend, writer, and nonprofit communications consultant Erin Straza.

Together, we unpack the belief so many women carry: that confidence must come before courage.

Spoiler: That's not how it works.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL DISCOVER:

✦ Why "I don't feel ready" is rarely about readiness.

✦ What to do when you're not sure this is the right dream.

✦ A different way to interpret the nerves.

This is the episode to send to the woman in your life who has a dream she keeps putting off. And if that woman is you, it's time.

🌿 You Were Never Meant to Do This Alone

If this conversation made you wish you had women in your corner who actually talk about these things, that longing is telling you something.

Dream Believers is a community for Christian women who have sensed God stirring something meaningful and want to take steps forward.

We gather around three things that actually move dreams forward:

Proximity: the right women walking beside you

Consistency: showing up regularly so momentum becomes real

Depth: honest conversations about faith, fear, calling, and taking the next step

If you're ready to pursue your dream in a way that's rooted in Scripture, aligned with how you're wired, and supported by women who get it, come find your people.

👉 merrittonsa.com/dreambelievers

🔗 Connect with Erin Straza

• Website: erinstraza.com/
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/erinstraza/

Devoted Dreamers is hosted by Merritt Onsa — Christian life coach, mentor, speaker, and founder of Dream Believers. New episodes drop every week for the woman who believes her best chapter isn't behind her.

Learn more about the Dream Believers community at: merrittonsa.com/dreambelievers

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Produced by Jonathan R. Clauson.
Theme music by Reaktor Productions.
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I’m closing out this 10-part Habit Series with one of the simplest and most transformative practices I’ve ever picked up: daily gratitude.

In this episode, I share why spending just one or two minutes thanking God before your day begins can quietly reshape your mindset, soften pessimism, and strengthen your ability to persevere in the long haul. I’ll walk you through how I practice daily gratitude, why I keep it intentionally simple, and how this habit has helped me stay grounded even in seasons marked by uncertainty, grief, and things I cannot control.

We’ll also zoom out and talk about why gratitude matters so much when you’re nurturing a God shaped dream. Consistency, self-leadership, and perseverance are not just personality traits. They are muscles you build. Daily gratitude is one small habit that strengthens all three.

If you’ve felt discouraged, stuck in negativity, or unsure how to keep going faithfully with the dream God has placed on your heart, this episode will help you reset your focus and start your day from a place of trust and truth.

And before I wrap up, I’m also giving you a behind-the-scenes look at what’s coming next for the Devoted Dreamers Podcast. I’ll share how Season 14 is evolving, why I’m changing the format, and what you can expect as we head into a new season focused on taking meaningful action on your God-shaped dream.

Get the Habit Tracker here: merrittonsa.com/habits

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Produced by Jonathan R. Clauson.
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When it comes to creativity and taking action on our dreams, there’s a lot of talk about moving forward, but we don’t spend nearly enough time looking back.

That’s why I’m adding this brand-new habit to the Devoted Dreamers Habit Series: Scheduled Reflection. It’s a practice I didn’t include when I first launched the series, but it’s one I’ve come to see as essential for long-term faithfulness to a God-shaped dream.

Here’s why:

Without a consistent reflection practice, we miss key opportunities for growth and learning.

When was the last time you took a pause to reflect on something you tried? It could even be a new habit you attempted during this series. Did you keep it up all week? Was it a total flop? Did you find yourself making adjustments with each new attempt?

When you skip the reflection, you also miss out on the potential mindset shift that comes as you consider what you might do differently next time.

But when you build a new reflection practice, it helps you recognize what God is already doing in and through you.

Want to make it easy? I share a simple three-question reflection framework you can use weekly, monthly, or anytime you feel stuck.

If you want to pursue your dream with steadiness instead of burnout, this habit matters right now.

Get the Habit Tracker here: merrittonsa.com/habits

NEXT STEPS:
Connect with Merritt: Website || Instagram || Book a Call
Leave a Review: Apple Podcasts/iTunes
Subscribe: on Apple Podcasts * on Android
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MORE ABOUT THE DEVOTED DREAMERS PODCAST:
Produced by Jonathan R. Clauson.
Theme music by Reaktor Productions.
Ad music by Komiku.