I sat down intending to talk about control, but as often happens, God took the conversation deeper than I expected.

For years, I thought I had control issues.

What I'm realizing now is that many of those behaviors weren't really about control at all. They started as survival skills.

Somewhere along the way, I learned to anticipate problems, protect myself, prepare for worst-case scenarios, and carry responsibilities that were never meant to be mine. Those patterns helped me survive difficult seasons, but God has been gently showing me that I don't have to live there anymore.

In this vulnerable and unedited conversation, I share pieces of my own healing journey, childhood wounds, unhealthy coping mechanisms, anxiety, self-protection, and the freedom that comes when we begin to surrender the things we've been carrying for far too long.

We also talk about:

• Why control often starts as a survival skill • Childhood wounds and the coping mechanisms we develop • The hidden burden of trying to protect everyone around us • How survival mode can quietly become a way of life • The difference between surviving and surrendering • What God has been teaching me about trust, healing, and letting go • Why some of the things that once protected us may be the very things God is asking us to release • The freedom that comes when we stop carrying what was never ours to carry

Friend, maybe you're not controlling because you want power.

Maybe you're controlling because you learned it's the only way to survive. Maybe, it's now just a coping mechanism that turned into a habit.

And maybe God is inviting you into something different.

Maybe He's inviting you to put down the things you've been carrying and trust Him with what comes next.

Scripture Mentioned: Matthew 11:28-30 Isaiah 61

RESOURCES

💛 Operation Reset (Free Workshop) https://melissabatt.com/operation-reset

VIP Operation Reset: https://melissabattcoaching.myflodesk.com/resetvip

💛 1:1 Coaching with Melissa https://melissabatt.com/breakthrough-coaching

🚶 MOVE Meetups-FREE Sign up here: https://melissabattcoaching.myflodesk.com/move Tuesdays at 9:00 AM (Locally) Thursdays at 9:00 AM (Online)

Jesus Laughs Devotional-https://a.co/d/0eyD6Nxz

Content Note: This episode includes discussion of childhood trauma, sexual abuse, anxiety, depression, and mental health struggles. Please use discretion when listening around children.

P.S. Because so many of you have told me these unedited episodes feel like we're simply sitting together over coffee, here's another one.

No script or fancy editing. Nothing polished. Just an honest conversation with what God is teaching me in this season.

Have you ever felt like something was off, but you couldn't quite put your finger on it?

That's where I found myself recently.

A quick note: Several of you have reached out to say the unedited episodes feel like we're just sitting down having coffee together. So that's exactly what this is. Raw, real, and unscripted.

After months of feeling like something was out of alignment, I asked God to show me what it was. I expected Him to point to my schedule, my business, or one of the many other things on my plate.

Instead, He pointed me toward my marriage.

In this honest and vulnerable episode, I'm sharing what happened when God answered that prayer, the unexpected lessons He revealed, and why the areas we often overlook can become the very places He wants to bring healing, growth, and alignment.

While much of this conversation centers around marriage, the bigger invitation is for all of us to ask:

Is there an area of my life that God may be calling me to pay attention to?

You'll hear how God used a canceled hair appointment, a leadership event, a timely conversation with a true friend, and even a marriage coach to reveal some blind spots I couldn't see on my own.

Because sometimes the area God wants to work on isn't the area we think needs fixing.

• How God revealed an area of my life that was out of alignment
• The unexpected connection between a canceled hair appointment and a prayer I'd been praying
• The question that completely shifted my perspective
• Why I decided to work with a marriage coach
• Small changes that are already making a big difference
• The danger of focusing on what others aren't doing instead of examining our own hearts
• How to recognize areas God may be asking you to address
• Why God doesn't call us to settle for mediocrity in any area of our lives

• Is there an area of your life that feels out of alignment right now?
• Have you been asking God to change someone else when He may be inviting you to look inward first?
• What strengths and blessings have you overlooked because you've been focused on what's missing?
• What is one small step of obedience God may be asking you to take today?

Feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or distracted?

Melissa helps Christian women get unstuck, reclaim their time, reduce distractions, and move forward with faith, purpose, and accountability.

Co-author of the best-selling women's devotional Jesus Laughs-grab it on Amazon here!

Learn more about coaching: https://melissabatt.com/breakthrough-coaching

Sign up for weekly pep talks and more honest conversations via email: https://melissabattcoaching.myflodesk.com/onthelist

Remember, friend: Sometimes the breakthrough we're praying for starts with paying attention to the area God has been trying to show us all along.

How often do you try to self-protect? Or manage the people around you so you can protect them? Or hesitate to do what you feel called to do because you don’t want to mess it up… or make God look bad?

A behind-the-scenes and unpolished look at what God is showing me about overthinking, misalignment, and delayed obedience… and why I’ve been so tired lately.

SPOILER ALERT: It's probably why you are so tired also! Sometimes, God doesn’t call us to do His work. 😉

Just a hint at where we’re going today.

If you’ve been stuck in your head, trying to get it right before you move, this one is for you.

We’re talking about where that comes from, what Matthew 11:2–30 really means when He says His burden is light, and how to take one simple step forward instead of overthinking your way out of it.

Dear listener,

Even for me, as someone who really loves to overshare, this episode is far beyond my comfort zone when it comes to honesty and transparency. I have sat on this episode for at least a week. And, as much as I wanted to edit it, make it pretty, and delete about 15 minutes of what I would consider over-sharing, I strongly sensed the Lord telling me to publish as is. The Lord wastes nothing.

As I continue to follow Him and hear His voice tell me to do things differently than I've ever considered doing before... I will trust Him.

I pray that my doubts, tears, questions, worries, and ramblings meet you exactly where you are and that you will be able to glean from this behind-the-scenes look at what's been going on in my world over the last year.

I pray it comforts you. I pray that it challenges you. And I pray it provides enough light to help you make it at least one more baby step further into your own personal journey with the Lord. He is good. He provides. He is always faithful. And, He loves you more than you can imagine. ❤️

An inside, messy, look at what it looks like to trust God and say YES to the things He brings to our attention. A heartfelt conversation about having a posture of surrender and walking out the things the Lord has for us, even when it doesn't make sense.

Hey friends! This is an unedited update about what God has been revealing to me related to the ministry He has called me to, this podcast, etc... A conversation about trusting God, knowing His voice, how to know it's God, and a behind-the-scenes look at what it looks like as I navigate all of those things and do the best of my abilities to walk in obedience and trust Him more than myself.

If the new year has arrived and you already feel scattered, off-rhythm, or unsure how to get back into your routine, this episode is for you.

In this honest, gentle pep talk, Melissa shares openly about the struggle of getting back into healthy rhythms, especially for those with ADHD. This isn’t about productivity, discipline, or starting strong. It’s about awareness, grace, and learning how to show up again when routine has been disrupted and there’s no external accountability pushing you forward.

Melissa talks about why shifting focus can feel so hard with ADHD, why this isn’t a personal failure, and how staying loosely connected to healthy habits during rest can make re-entry gentler. She also shares what helps her ease back into routine after extended breaks, without shame or pressure.

If you’ve been feeling behind, overwhelmed, or frustrated with yourself for not “bouncing back” faster, this episode will remind you that you’re not broken, you’re human, and God meets you right where you are.

• Why getting back into routine can feel especially hard for those with ADHD

• The difference between awareness and excuse, and how naming the struggle removes shame

• Why self-directed follow-through is often harder when there’s no external accountability

• How routines support the ADHD brain and help create a sense of safety and grounding

• Why staying loosely connected to healthy habits during rest or vacation matters

• Simple ways to ease back into rhythm without comparing where you are to where you left off

• A gentle reminder that something is better than nothing, and showing up matters more than catching up

If the new year already feels overwhelming and you need help rebuilding healthy rhythms, the 12-Week Reset is available to support you step by step.

If you’re feeling stuck in one specific area and just need clarity or a place to start, you can also book a single Unstuck Session.

Not sure which option is right for you? Email Melissa directly at melissa@melissabatt.com with the subject line HELP, and she’ll help guide you toward the next best step.

In this episode of God-Sized Dreams, we’re talking honestly about why healthy habits keep feeling hard — and why so many women walk into a new year already feeling behind, exhausted, and like they’re failing before they even start.

If you’ve ever told yourself, “This is the year I’m finally going to get consistent,” but felt overwhelmed just thinking about it, this conversation is for you.

Here’s the truth most people won’t tell you: Healthy habits aren’t failing because you lack discipline. They aren’t sticking because you’re trying to add them onto a life that’s already overloaded.

Melissa breaks down the one mistake she sees over and over again with high-achieving, faith-filled women — especially those who care deeply, try hard, and still feel like it’s never enough. This episode reframes the idea of failure, explains why this isn’t a willpower issue, and introduces a gentler, God-led approach to building rhythms that actually fit your real life.

If you’re tired of starting over every January, wrestling with exhaustion, or wondering why doing “all the right things” still leaves you drained, this episode will help you slow down, breathe, and take your next baby step forward with clarity and grace.

• Why healthy habits aren’t sticking — and why it’s not a discipline problem

• The difference between effort and capacity, especially for overachievers

• How performance can quietly become a coping mechanism

• Why undoing is wisdom, not quitting, and how God often asks us to let go before adding more

• A simple baby step to help you reclaim time, energy, and peace without adding another thing to your plate

Instead of trying to add a new healthy habit, choose one thing to undo:

• one commitment to pause,

• one app to mute,

• one expectation to loosen,

• or one boundary to reinforce.

Only after creating space do you consider what might be added back in a healthier way.

You don’t have to figure this out alone — and you don’t have to know the “right” next step either.

Depending on where you’re at, here are a few ways (with links) you can take your next baby step:

• MOVE Meet Up — for a monthly Spotify playlist, movement challenge, and encouragement

• Get on the email list — for encouragement, tools, and faith-filled baby steps

• Operation Reset VIP — if you need help slowing down, clearing space, and realigning priorities

• Breakthrough Unstuck Session — a one-time session for clarity and direction

• Screen Time Reset — if distractions and overstimulation are draining your peace

• 6 months of Breakthrough Coaching — deeper, ongoing support and accountability

And if you’re not sure where to start, that’s okay too. You can always email me directly at melissa@melissabatt.com and put “HELP” in the subject line. We’ll connect and figure out the best next step together.

If this episode resonated, share it with a friend who feels exhausted or like she’s failing — and then keep listening. There’s more support waiting for you here.

You don’t have to stay stuck. Let’s take the next baby step together. 💛