Trigger Warning: This episode includes discussion of loss (death of a spouse), alcohol use, and eating disorders (anorexia + bulimia). Please use discretion as you listen.

In this inspiring episode of Echos of Impact, Briana Gray and Cherise Thompson sit down with Heather Palmer—Kansas City local, yoga teacher, and author of Gold-In Cracks—for an honest conversation about resilience, surrender, and what it looks like to let God meet us in the hard places.

Heather shares her story of getting married young, walking through her husband's cancer journey, and becoming a widow with a one-month-old baby. From there, she opens up about the quiet ways shame can keep us stuck, the numbing patterns so many of us default to, and the healing that begins when we stop running and start surrendering.

Together, we talk about the beauty of kintsugi (repairing broken pieces with gold), and how God doesn't waste our cracks—He can fill them with light, strength, and purpose.

• Heather's journey through loss, grief, and rebuilding her life

• The "bad theology" of believing: "If I'm good, life will be good"—and what Scripture actually says about suffering

• How shame keeps us stuck, and why grace + compassion are what pull us out

• Numbing, distraction, and the invitation to actually feel what we've been avoiding

• The powerful metaphor of kintsugi—highlighting the cracks instead of hiding them

• Living in the "eye of the storm": boundaries, peace, and what's actually your job to carry

• Breath as a spiritual practice—and why it matters more than we think

• Encouragement for anyone who feels like they're "too far gone" to rebuild

• "Our purpose is to constantly redirect ourselves back in and refine who we are… to be in alignment with God."

• "The darkness isn't in the way. The darkness is the way."

• "Shame keeps me stuck. Grace and compassion is what pulls you out."

• "Everything inside the circle is my job. Everything outside the circle is not my job."

• "Maybe the cracks aren't flaws in our story—maybe the cracks are the story."

• "You can rebuild from anything. The moment you pair with God, you can rise again."

• Follow Heather on Instagram: @heather8888

• Grab her book, Gold-In Cracks: Available on Amazon

• Heather is local to Kansas City (Lee's Summit area) and welcomes listeners to come to a yoga class—reach out to her on Instagram to connect.

Where have you been trying to avoid the hard—when God might be inviting you to walk through it with Him?
Come tell us on Instagram, or share inside our Facebook group. 💛

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Interested in joining The Woman's Success Code?
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Ready for a fresh start? Schedule your complimentary Life Audit with Briana:
https://calendly.com/echosofimpact/complimentary-life-audit?month=2024-12

If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to follow the podcast and leave a review. It truly helps us keep sharing stories like Heather's—stories that remind us we're not broken… we're becoming.

Until next week, friends! 💛