Be Brave & Beautiful

Keep Asking, Keep Seeking, Keep Knocking

To kick off the first episode of 2024, I share a message on persistently seeking the face of God in 2024 like never before. As we seek God with our whole hearts, consistently and diligently, we get to know Him more personally. There is fruit in the disciplined pursuit of God! Tune in to hear more on how we should seek God for who He IS, not just what He gives. Matthew 7:7-11 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone wh...

Five Habits I'm Leaving Behind in 2023

It’s the final episode of the year! How is it almost 2024?! In this episode, my husband Grayson puts me on the hot seat as I open up about 5 unhealthy habits I want to leave behind in 2023. From walking away from toxic gossip to combating daily distractions, we deep dive into areas where we can all gain breakthroughs and improvement. What are 5 habits you want to kick to the curb this year? Message us on Instagram at @bebraveandbeautiful so we can keep each other accountable! Instagram: @b...

Life, Love, and the Lord with Allie Schnacky

My girl Allie Schnacky came on today's episode to chat about all things life, love, and the Lord! She is a speaker for JWLKRS Worship, YouTuber, influencer, host of the “Keep it Real” Podcast, and founder of Chosen & Free Community. We covered several topics during our girl chat including battling comparison on social media, experiencing persecution for your faith, finding eternal fulfillment, navigating deep conversations before marriage, and the urgency of taking a stand for your faith now...

The Heart of Psalm 138: Gratitude and God's Faithfulness

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and it's a time to express our gratitude! While we often think of Thanksgiving as the family holiday when we stuff our faces with delicious food, the word “Thanksgiving” goes deeper, and in fact, higher. Thanksgiving is another way of saying “God did that. God gets the glory.” Gratitude makes much of God because it shows (1) that God is the author of all that is good and (2) that we love the Giver more than the gifts. In this episode, I break down Psa...

For the Girl Tired of Waiting

Frustrated, exhausted, and discouraged from your current waiting season? Then this episode is for YOU! My friend Liv Wysocki shares her 10-year-long engagement season after an unexpected trial that changed her marriage timeline forever. She gets REAL on the impatience, frustration, comparison, and isolation that is accompanied by "the wait." However, instead of fixing her eyes on "the promise", she focused on The Provider. Listen in to hear her vulnerable testimony and gain valuable biblica...

Faith-Fueled Finances: Navigating Godly Stewardship

Whether it's our finances, time, health, or relationships, how can we faithfully steward the resources in front of us? My husband Grayson (whose biblical name means "Son of a Steward!") shares the importance of giving God the firstfruits of your finances and belongings. He shares a recent testimony of God's faithfulness in our marriage after we gave more than a 10% tithe to the church -- and how this one experience forever changed the game for us in biblical stewardship. Listen in to gain pr...

From Jealousy to Joy

What is the spiritual root of jealousy and comparison? And why do we all struggle with feeling "incomplete?" On today's episode, guests Ben and Annemarie McLean share valuable biblical insight regarding our temptation to struggle with jealousy, envy, comparison, and feeling incomplete. Even as Christ followers, it’s easy to fall into jealousy and comparison when we see other people prosper and thrive and we feel like we’re not. Does a shift from a worldly to eternal perspective get our eyes ...

Overwhelmed and Undernourished - Is Your Soul Starving for Rest?

Burnt out? Overcommitted? Spread too thin? We live in a culture that values productivity over presence. Culture has taught us that our value is found primarily in what we produce, which results in a lifestyle of unhealthy “hustle” and ultimately compromised quiet time with the Lord. Listen in on my conversation with my best friend and former Miss Kentucky 2019, Alex Francke Sohn, as we discuss the pressure of productivity and performance and lack of true soul rest and sabbath in today's cul...

Taking a Stand Even if You Stand Alone

Marcus Schroder, 19-year-old co-founder of Warriors for Christ, was arrested two weeks ago on July 29th for publicly reading the Bible on the sidewalk in Watertown, Wisconsin. He was handcuffed for "violating a sound ordinance without permit," even though he was given no prior warning. As Marcus' microphone was yanked out of his hand, he was walked off of the sidewalk in handcuffs wearing a t-shirt that read "I will stand for truth even if I stand alone." Marcus reported it was "all worth it...

Navigating Transition in Your First Year of Marriage

Tune in to this fun girl chat with my fellow newlywed best friends Janeshka O'dell and Mckayla Summers as we talk all things first year of marriage, life transitions and moves, our funny wifey fails, and how we knew our husbands were “the one!”

For the One Feeling Fearful and Overwhelmed

Worship songs for the week: No Turning Back - Steffany Gretzinger & Leeland Good Plans -  Red Rocks Worship You Will Be Saved - Elevation Rhythm Been So Good -  Elevation Worship Over & Over - Elevation Rhythm Enduring Word Commentary Follow us on Instagram! @bebraveandbeautiful

Rooted: Cultivating a Faith that Runs Deep

Is the soil of your heart ready to grow the Word of God? Our culture is trying to disrupt the soil of our hearts every single day. It’s trying to make us hard, shallow, and allow other things to grow alongside the ONE thing that will bear “fruit that remains into eternity." With over 35 years of working as an organic citrus farmer, Michaela's dad, Ben McLean, shares his knowledge as a soil expert to draw similarities between ground soil and the soils of our hearts. You’ll also hear from An...

Keep the Secret Place Sacred

With the constant pressure to achieve, perform, and post our everyday lives, we have become a distracted society driven by the need to always be seen. We have lost the idea of spending our time where it matters most: the secret place with the Lord. Michaela dives into why there is freedom, protection, and transformation in the uninterrupted secret place. Based out of Matthew 6, she shares the importance of developing consistent spiritual disciplines in your everyday prayer life.

What It Means to Live Wholly Surrendered to God

What does it mean to offer ourselves as a living sacrifice to God? How can we live wholly surrendered to Him? Michaela shares insightful commentary from "Enduring Word" about the life-changing truth found in Romans 12:1-2. She shares the urgency to not conform to the pattern of this world in order to experience the God-transformation that is in store for our lives. Listen to know how we can live out the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God! Romans 12:1-2:Therefore, I urge you, brothers...

3 Tips on Discerning God's Best

How can we tell what’s best from what’s good? In this episode, Michaela shares three practical tips on how to discern God’s will in everyday decisions. While the enemy knows how to distract and confuse us, the Lord is faithful to give us “markers” to help us evaluate life’s options and choose the path that He is making straight before us. Featured Verses: Romans 12:2 (NIV) Philippians 1:9-10

Social Media-Induced Anxiety and the Pursuit of the Perfect Image

Michaela, Annemarie, and Livvy McLean joined Jessica Landmon of Women Get Real Ministries for a podcast ministry weekend in her snowy Vermont cabin! In this podcast, they dive head-first into the generational misunderstandings of the stigma around social media-induced anxiety and the pursuit of perfectionism afflicting millions of women today. To know more about Women Get Real Ministries, visit http://www.womengetreal.org/ or @womengetreal on Instagram!

Redeeming the Narrative: Grayson's Story

Michaela's husband, Grayson Wilkes, joins the podcast for the first "Wednesday with the Wilkes." In this episode, Grayson shares his powerful testimony of losing his father when he was 15 years old and overcoming unexpected trials and trauma. He shares valuable wisdom and insight on seeking healing, counseling, and ultimately the incomparable love of God. Reference Times: 1:30 -- Cheslie Kryst’s passing 3:20 -- Grayson’s testimony 13:08 -- How to understand trauma 15:00 -- Traumatic expe...

Makeup with a Message ft. Hope Beauty USA

When did the beauty industry get so ugly? Michaela interviews Hope Harvard, owner of Hope Beauty USA, on her pursuit to bring truth, purity, and femininity back to a perverted beauty industry. With products named after women in the Bible, Hope started "Hope Beauty USA" to show that women can have "cosmetics without compromise." Michaela and Hope discuss a variety of topics, from the cultural and spiritual war against women's identity to the crudeness of big beauty brands. Articles mentione...

oh hey, its me again: Where We Were to Where We Are Going

Michaela McLean Wilkes (new last name, check it out!) explains her year-long hiatus from the Brave & Beautiful platform, her last season of falling in love and getting married, and the new heart and vision for B & B in 2022. This next year is going to be full of dynamic new speakers, devotionals, and messages including "Wednesdays with the Wilkes," featuring Michaela's husband, Grayson Wilkes! To stay up-to-date and in-the-know of all things Brave & Beautiful, follow @bebraveandbeautiful on I...

Living Pure in a Polluted World: Relationships with Tori Masters

Kicking off the new mini series "Living Pure in a Polluted World," social media influencer and former Miss Florida 2014 Tori Masters shares her testimony of how God transformed her view regarding purity in relationships. Listeners will be encouraged as Tori and Michaela will bring clarity and biblical insight on this culturally confusing topic.

Why We Wouldn't Trade 2020 for the World

Kicking off Season Two, Michaela and Annemarie put 2020 in a new light by sharing five transformative life lessons they learned throughout the year. Listeners will be encouraged and challenged to reevaluate their own perspective on 2020 as they look forward to this year with newfound insight that only comes from overcoming challenging seasons.

Giving Yourself Space for Sadness

There's no doubt 2020 has thrown us into times of uncertainty and change like never before. Much of that has evoked feelings of loss as we've had to come face-to-face with a world that isn't the same. Michaela takes the lead on this topic as she uses her recent experience to point listeners to allowing space for sadness. As we embrace times of grief, we realize they are healthy parts of the human experience as well as a means of spiritual and personal growth.

Be Unafraid to Confront Your Fears

When it comes to fear, it's not "if" we experience it, but "when." The Brave & Beautiful team identifies the difference between unhealthy and healthy fear while unpacking three strategies to help defeat fear in our lives.

Be Unafraid of Tomorrow

It seems like overnight our thoughts about tomorrow went from confident to complicated. In a world that is spinning and shaking, thinking about tomorrow can produce thoughts of fear and anxiety. Tune in to hear the Brave & Beautiful team unpack three truths that will help you face tomorrow unafraid.

Be Unafraid to Go Small

During this unexpected time of isolation and uncertainty, it's easy to lose sight of how valuable a season of "going small but deep" can be. The Brave & Beautiful team dives into themes of humility, surrender, and contentment as we are encouraged to maximize a season that while at times, uncomfortable, will best prepare and position us for what lies ahead.

Be Unafraid of Transition: Part Two

In Part Two of "Be Unafraid of Transition," the Brave & Beautiful team unpacks how transition can affect our identity and expose areas in our heart that need growth. It also give us opportunities to cultivate humility and dependence on God.

Be Unafraid of Transition: Part 1

Introducing the "Be Unafraid Series," the Brave & Beautiful team shares less-talked about messages that go straight to heart issues that hold women back from moving forward in courage and purpose. Our first topic is "Be Unafraid of Transition." In Part One, the team shares how we can go from being "stuck" to "unstuck" by identifying negative mindsets that hold us back from moving into new seasons of growth.

Taking Control of the Scroll

Wrapping up the social media series, Michaela and Annemarie McLean share 5 tips to establishing and maintaining healthy social media habits!

Facetime vs. Face-to-Face Time

You have 2,000 friends on Facebook and 4,500 friends on Instagram, but who do you call when you need someone? In this episode, the Brave & Beautiful team talks about the vital importance of cultivating meaningful relationships face-to-face in the digital age.

Anchoring Your Self Image in the Sea of Social Media

Guest Lize Landis joins the Brave & Beautiful team as they dive into how social media affects self concept. From hearing personal stories and practical truths, listeners will be encouraged to anchor their self image in Christ while embracing healthy social media habits.

Cut the Comparison

From body image to number of social media followers, women are notorious for comparing themselves to one another. In this episode, the Brave & Beautiful team dives into how we can cut the comparison and rejoice in the freedom of living in our own unique God-given identity and purpose.

Redefining Brave & Beautiful