Show Notes
I just wanted to pop on today because I feel like something that can be so comforting in this world is that God knows the desires of our hearts. And that could be scary because sometimes we don't even know the desires of our hearts, but let me just tell you the secret to tapping into what those desires are and what the future looks like when we pray this prayer.
So years ago I started praying this prayer, God, I want your will for my life. I just want, I want what you want. Whatever that is. I didn't know, the desire of my own heart. I didn’t know my dreams. I didn't know what was deep-seated in me. I'd had hints and clues through the years, but no sure direction. And I knew that the Bible made these promises and I know that the bible referred to the desires of our hearts and that God would meet those. And, I used to struggle because I thought to myself, what even are the desires in my own heart? I don't even know if that is. But in Psalms 37, this is the encouragement given.
I knew that was a promise. I KNEW that it was in the Bible, but I didn't know what the desires of my heart were until God revealed them to me. And the way that He reveals the desires of your own heart is to pray that prayer, God, Your will for my life. It says here, it says, Fix your heart on the promises of God and you will be secure. Make God the utmost delight and pleasure of your life. See guys, when your eyes, when your gaze is fixed up, when asking for God to guide and direct and lead your steps, there is no failing. There is security there. He created you. He formed you before the creations of the world.
Even before we were born, God planned in advance our destiny and the good works we would do to fulfill it. So we, are preordained for a plan that God wrote. Before we we're born He knew us. He formed us He shaped us He chose the family we would be born into. He chose the time and country we were born in. He knew it all, and he had a plan. So when you submit and surrender, you ask God to lead and direct you, to guide your steps, to align your heart’s will with his own.
When your heart longs for the will of God be done, it will be so. And let me tell you the neat thing about asking God to align your heart with his own will. See when you do that he will answer prayers for you that you've prayed. In the past he doesn't forget anything that we've asked and even if we didn't have the words, even we didn' t know what we were asking for, he knows the heart motive behind it. He knows that thing that we have longed for even, if can't put it into words for ourselves.
More from Unexpected with Hannah Love
I loved getting to sit down with Leanna Crawford (lattes in hand, of course). Leanna grew up homeschooled in a small farm town in Washington, found Jesus at a young age, and felt God put a calling on her life to do music. The doors opened. She moved to Nashville. Life was good. And then it got really hard. She shares honestly about the season when anxiety kept her up at night, when she couldn't sit at the piano without crying, and when she felt like she had let everyone down. We talk about how God used her sister Lindsey, a counselor at Porter's Call, and the people around her to keep pointing her back to Jesus. That's how she found her love for music again. Not "I have to do this." "I get to." We also talk about God's timing being so much better than our plans, the unexpected gift of marriage, the long wait to get pregnant... and Leanna shares some really sweet baby news right here on the show. 🤍 If you're in the valley right now, I pray her words at the end of this episode land right where you need them. God doesn't waste your pain. Scripture we touched on: Romans 8:28 Proverbs 13:12 Jeremiah 29:11 Ephesians 1:4 Resources mentioned: Porter's Call (free counseling for artists): https://www.porterscall.com Leanna's album, Thank God Connect with Leanna: Website: https://www.leannacrawford.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leannacrawford/ Hannah's Social Media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unexpected.hannahlove/ Instagram (Personal): https://www.instagram.com/hannah.billingsley/ Website: https://unexpectedwithhannahlove.com/ #LeannaCrawford #ChristianPodcast #FaithStory
Today I’m sitting down with Madison Watkins to talk about a testimony that is ultimately a story of God’s pursuit. Madison grew up knowing the Lord and knowing she had been given a voice for a purpose. But after finding success through reality singing shows and pursuing a career in Los Angeles, she began to realize how easy it was to know God while still seeking the things of the world. As opportunities grew, so did the pressure to build her own name. Slowly, the industry began changing her—and eventually, Madison found herself at the end of herself. But God never stopped pursuing her. Madison shares how getting sick became an unexpected turning point, how God asked her to lay down her career and her gift, and why she stepped away from singing for an entire year. In the stillness, she began hearing His voice again. And when God eventually called her back to music, the assignment was clear: use the gift He gave her for His glory. We talk about surrender, identity, the distractions that keep us from hearing God, dying to our flesh, and the freedom that comes when we stop trying to make our own name known and start living to make His known. If you’ve ever wondered whether you’ve wandered too far, become too distracted, or held too tightly to something God is asking you to surrender, I hope Madison’s testimony reminds you: He is still pursuing your heart. Guest Social Media: Instagram: Madison Watkins TikTok: Madison Watkins Hannah’s Social Media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unexpected.hannahlove/ Instagram (Personal): https://www.instagram.com/hannah.billingsley/ Website: https://unexpectedwithhannahlove.com/ #ChristianPodcast #FaithJourney #UnexpectedPodcast
In today's episode of Unexpected with Hannah Love, Shay and I sit down with our dear friends Rebecca St. James and Cubbie Fink for a conversation about marriage, family, faith, identity, and finding contentment in every season.
This episode is extra special — we’re sitting down with family for the start of a new Couples Series, and it’s one of the most honest, life-giving conversations we’ve had. We talk about marriage, communication, prayer, and what it really looks like to build a family rooted in faith — not perfectly, but intentionally. In this episode, we cover: What prayer actually looks like in marriage (and why it can feel hard) Learning how to communicate in different seasons The power of speaking life over your spouse and your children Why family culture matters more than we realize Letting go of control and embracing the season you’re in What it means to lead, love, and serve within your family There’s so much beauty in doing life alongside people who point you back to truth — and this conversation reminded me just how important that is. If you’re married, preparing for marriage, or simply navigating relationships and family… I pray this episode encourages you right where you are.
In this second part of my conversation with Dr. Laura Sanger, we go deeper… into truth, into awareness, and into the authority we have in Christ. This is one of those conversations that may stretch you a little—but my prayer is that it also strengthens you. We talk about the reality of spiritual warfare, the importance of understanding what we’re up against, and how we can stand firm without fear… because we already have victory in Jesus. And most importantly—we end in hope 🤍 ✨ In this episode, we talk about: Why understanding the battle matters The importance of truth in a world full of confusion Protecting our minds and our families Recognizing deception and staying grounded in God’s Word Walking in the authority we’ve been given through Christ Raising the next generation with faith and discernment This isn’t about fear—it’s about awareness. And when we truly understand who we are in Christ, everything changes. You are not a victim… you are walking in victory.