The Insecurity Fix They Don’t Teach in Church with Dr. Caroline Leaf // The Nona Jones Show

According to a 2023 report from McKinsey & Company, women remain significantly underrepresented in senior leadership roles, holding only 28% of C-suite positions. And when they do rise, they’re twice as likely to be mistaken for someone more junior, or labeled “aggressive” rather than assertive.The message is clear: lead, but not too boldly. Speak up, but not too loudly. Be strong, but not so strong that you make people uncomfortable.But here’s the truth: the world desperately needs women who are willing to lead with power, confidence, and integrity—all at the same time. Women who refuse to shrink, soften, or silence themselves to fit someone else’s comfort level.Today’s conversation is for every person who’s ready to lead without apology. Because power isn’t the problem. The problem is when we believe we have to abandon ourselves to achieve it.

Offense is one of the enemy’s sharpest weapons — a silent trap that steals your attention, drains your energy, and chains your purpose. It doesn’t just distract you; it hijacks your focus and turns it toward bitterness, resentment, and dishonor. Too many of us are carrying offenses that are holding us back from God’s best. In this message, you will learn how to break the grip of offense, live unoffendable, and keep your heart and mind locked on what truly matters to God.

There’s a tension many of us feel as believers: we want to be bold about our faith, but we also want to be wise, professional, and respected in the workplace. We’ve all heard “preach the Gospel, and if necessary, use words”—but let’s be real, sometimes it feels like even our presence as Christians in corporate spaces is unwelcome.According to a 2023 Barna Group study, nearly half of practicing Christians under age 40 feel conflicted about sharing their faith at work, worried about offending colleagues, jeopardizing relationships, or risking professional consequences.And yet, Jesus never called us to compartmentalize our lives. He didn’t say, “Represent Me only on Sundays.” He said, “Go into all the world.” That includes the conference room, the sales floor, the teacher’s lounge, and the corporate headquarters.Today’s conversation is for anyone wrestling with how to show up fully as a believer in spaces where faith might be met with skepticism. Because the truth is, the world might not be asking about Jesus, but it’s desperately looking for the hope, integrity, and compassion that comes from Him.

Let’s be honest: heartbreak hurts enough when nobody knows your name. But when your personal life becomes public fodder—when strangers dissect your story, speculate about your decisions, and cast judgments from behind their screens—the wound cuts even deeper.Here’s the problem: We were never designed to process pain under a microscope. Healing is a sacred, private journey. Yet sometimes God allows our private struggles to spill into public view—not to shame us, but to shape us.Today, I am joined by Samantha Lee, who is going to talk about what it takes to heal when the whole world seems to be watching. Because while your pain might be public, your healing belongs to you—and to God alone.

Most of us have not been taught how to handle conflict well. We’ve learned how to shut down, lash out, avoid, or pretend—but not how to lean in with love and truth.And this is a problem—because difficult conversations aren’t going away. They’re part of life. Whether you’re dealing with a strained relationship, tension at work, or just trying to talk through different perspectives—learning how to communicate across discomfort is essential.Studies show that, in personal relationships, fear of conflict is one of the top reasons people avoid necessary conversations, often leading to resentment, broken trust, and missed opportunities for growth.So today, we’re digging into how to not just have those conversations—but how to hear them with grace and self-awareness. And my brilliant guest today does this work for a living.

Have you ever felt certain God was calling you to do something—but the moment you stepped out, the people you thought would cheer you on either went quiet... or walked away? If you've been there, you're not alone. And you're not crazy. We’re communal beings. We crave belonging. So when doing what God told us to do isolates us, it can leave us wondering: Did I hear Him right? Am I being prideful? Why is no one standing with me?Today’s conversation with Tim Ross is a healing, honest, and holy one. We’re talking about how to build the courage to go it alone—not because you want to be isolated, but because sometimes obedience will isolate you.

In today's episode of The Nona Jones Show, I'm joined by Abby Zachritz to discuss the unique challenges—and yes, the joys—of parenting children with disabilities and complex medical diagnoses.Now, before we get into it, let’s look at the reality:➡️ In the U.S. alone, 1 in 6 children has a developmental disability.➡️ Over 3 million children live with complex medical conditions requiring ongoing care.➡️ And behind every one of those children is a parent—a warrior—often juggling grief, advocacy, financial stress, and loneliness… all while trying to hold their families together.But here’s the thing: in the middle of that storm, there is beauty. There is strength. And there is purpose. And today’s guest is someone who embodies all of that and more.If you are a parent walking through this journey—or if you know someone who is—this conversation is your invitation to breathe, to be seen, and to know: you are not alone.

You know those moments… Someone makes a comment. You see a post online. You walk into a room and suddenly feel like you don’t belong. Your chest tightens. Your thoughts race. You question your worth. And before you even know it, insecurity has hijacked your peace.But what if I told you that insecurity isn’t the problem? The real issue is what we do with those moments—how we interpret them, how we internalize them, and whether we process them or allow them to take root in our identity.That’s why I’m so excited about today’s guest, Dr. Caroline Leaf! She’s not just a neuroscientist. She’s a faith-filled, truth-speaking, brain-rewiring powerhouse who is helping people around the world renew their minds in the most practical, transformational ways.

After nearly twenty years in corporate leadership—serving as an executive at some of the largest companies in the world—I recently made the decision to step away and go full-time into entrepreneurship and ministry, and I know I'm not alone. According to a 2023 McKinsey report, nearly 70% of Americans say they’ve considered leaving their jobs to pursue more meaningful work, and more than 5 million new business applications were filed in the U.S. in 2022 alone. That tells me something: people are hungry for purpose over paychecks, for calling over comfort.In this episode, I want to talk about what it means to truly follow God into the unknown—to leave behind what’s safe, stable, and culturally celebrated in order to step into purpose.

Join my Patreon today and get early access to new sermons, behind-the-scenes vlogs, and more exclusive content!http://patreon.com/nonanotnoraWe live in a world that celebrates perfection, filters out flaws, and makes it seem like everybody has it all together—except us. But the truth is, insecurity affects everyone, no matter how successful, talented, or confident they might appear. And the real danger isn’t just feeling insecure—it’s pretending we’re not. Because when we hide our struggles, we actually give them more power over us.But here’s the good news: honesty breaks the chains of insecurity. When we open up about our struggles, we invite healing, we invite freedom, and most importantly, we invite God into the places we’ve tried to hide. And today, we’re going to talk about why being honest about our struggles is so important—not just for ourselves, but for those who are watching us. To do this, we have an incredible guest joining us to talk about why honesty is so important in this journey--Grammy award winning artist, Lecrae!Join my newsletter today to receive exclusive content including early access to new messages!https://www.thenonajones.co Order my latest book The Gift of Rejection here:https://www.nonajones.com/books/the-gift-of-rejection Check out my new website!https://www.nonajones.com/ Take a look at my other books!https://www.nonajones.com/books