Episode 1 Season 6: Held in the Hard Places: God's Presence in SufferingEpisode 1 Season 6: Held in the Hard Places: God's Presence in Suffering
Trauma Survivors Unite: Christian Emotional Recovery
Rachel Leroy shares her recent struggles and reflects on how God stays present in seasons of exhaustion, waiting and trauma. The conversation centres on rest, non-linear healing, and seeing tiredness as a sign of what you’ve carried, not of weakness.
30:19•24 Aug 2026
Held in the Hard Places: Finding God’s Care When You’re Exhausted
Episode Overview
- Exhaustion is not weakness or lack of faith; it often reflects how much someone has carried.
- Rest can be a deeply spiritual act, and allowing God to care for you while you recover is valid and necessary.
- Some of the hardest struggles are invisible, yet they are still real and deserving of compassion.
- Healing from trauma rarely moves in a straight line; progress can mean recovering faster and responding with more kindness to yourself.
- Honouring your limits, like in the spoon theory, helps prevent burnout and supports long-term emotional and physical recovery.
“You are a person to care for, not a problem to fix.”
What drives someone to seek a life of healing after deep trauma and exhaustion? In this heartfelt start to season six, Christian Emotional Recovery turns its focus to those "held in the hard places"—the seasons where you're worn out, crying most days, and wondering if you'll ever feel like yourself again. Host Rachel Leroy speaks honestly about her own recent struggles with health issues, insomnia, financial stress, and even her house being struck by lightning.
She uses these experiences to connect with trauma survivors who feel like they're barely hanging on, reminding them that "being tired doesn't mean you're weak" and that God’s presence doesn’t disappear just because circumstances stay hard. You’ll hear Rachel talk about invisible battles, the pressure to "be strong", and the false idea that exhaustion equals failure.
She highlights biblical examples like Elijah, Joseph, David and Ruth to show that even people of great faith have seasons of collapse, waiting and overwhelm. A key message runs through her words: "Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is allow God to care for you while you rest or recover." Rachel also introduces the spoon theory to describe limited energy, encouraging trauma survivors to honour their limits without comparison or shame.
Healing, she says, often looks like "two steps forward and one step back" and progress might simply be recovering faster, responding with more compassion, or managing one small task in a day. This episode leans toward gentle encouragement rather than strict structure, making space for tears, rest, and the courage to begin again.
It’s aimed at Christian trauma survivors who are tired of being told to push harder and need someone to say, "It’s okay to stop." If you’re exhausted, questioning your strength, or stuck in a waiting season, could this be the reminder you need that you’re a person to care for, not a problem to fix?
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