Let’s Get Real with Justin and Trisha Davis

Episode 082: Don’t Burn Your Own House Down: How Small Choices Shape the Health of Your Marriage with Lindsay Maestas

What if most marriages don’t fall apart because of one big moment—but a series of small, unaddressed ones?
Justin and Trish sit down with author, podcaster, and speaker Lindsay Maestas to talk about her new book Don’t Burn Your Own House Down and the very real, modern challenges couples face today. From emotional distance and unresolved resentment to attachment styles, prayer, friendship, and intimacy, Lindsay shares vulnerably from her own marriage and the lessons she’s learned along the way.
This conversation is honest, hope-filled, and deeply practical—offering couples tools to recognize the “small fires” early, reconnect with humility, and pursue healing before crisis hits. If you want to strengthen your marriage without waiting for everything to fall apart, this episode is for you.
Links and/or Resources
Don’t Burn Your Own House Down by Lindsay Maestas
Living Easy with Lindsay Podcast
Instagram: @LivingEasyWithLindsay
Lindsay’s website

Ep 081: Deeply Loved: The Power of Empathy in Faith and Relationships with Bill & Kristi Gaultiere

What if the missing piece in your faith or relationships isn’t more effort—but empathy?
Justin and Trish are joined again by psychologists and spiritual directors Bill and Kristi Gaultiere, founders of Soul Shepherding, to talk about their new book Deeply Loved. Together, they explore how empathy helps us experience God’s love on a heart level, why many Christians struggle with shame and emotional honesty, and how biblical empathy leads to healing, growth, and healthier relationships.
This conversation addresses common misunderstandings about empathy, including the idea of “toxic empathy,” and offers practical ways to pair empathy with truth and responsibility. If you long to feel deeply known, deeply loved, and more connected to God and others, this episode is for you.
Links and/or Resources
Deeply Loved by Bill & Kristi Gaultiere
Soul Shepherding: https://www.soulshepherding.org
Books by Justin & Trisha Davis

Ep 080: Healthy Rhythms: What We Wish We Learned Earlier About Burnout, Boundaries, and Peace with Justin and Trisha Davis

In this honest and personal episode, Justin and Trish talk about life transitions, burnout, and the rhythms they wish they had established much earlier in their marriage, faith, and family life.
From becoming grandparents to navigating grad school, empty nesting, work demands, and emotional exhaustion, they talk candidly about how unrealistic expectations, people-pleasing, and one-size-fits-all solutions can quietly erode our peace. Rather than focusing on goals, this conversation centers on healthy rhythms, understanding your season of life, and making small but meaningful changes that protect your emotional, spiritual, and relational health.
If you feel tired, stretched thin, or unsure how to create sustainable rhythms in this season, this episode will help you pause, reflect, and take a healthier next step.
Links and/or Resources
Check out their website
Books by Justin & Trisha Davis
Email the team: admin@justinandtrisha.com

Episode 079: From Dropout to Doctorate: Dr. Terence Lester on Poverty, Trauma, and the Power of Community

What does it take to break cycles of poverty, trauma, and limitation—and replace them with purpose, healing, and hope?
In this deeply moving episode of the Let’s Get Real Podcast, Justin Davis sits down with Dr. Terence Lester, author of From Dropout to Doctorate, nonprofit leader, and founder of Love Beyond Walls. Dr. Lester shares his remarkable journey from growing up in poverty, experiencing homelessness, dropping out of high school, and joining a gang—to earning multiple graduate degrees and dedicating his life to serving the most overlooked in our communities.
This conversation goes far beyond personal success. Dr. Lester unpacks how poverty is trauma, how limited exposure can erode imagination, and how one encouraging voice—a teacher, mentor, or advocate—can change the trajectory of a life. He reflects on reconciliation with his father later in life, the healing power of forgiveness, and why community—not individual effort alone—is central to transformation.
Justin and Terence also have an honest, thoughtful dialogue about race, awareness, proximity, and what it truly means for the Church to love its neighbor—not just in theory, but in practice.
This episode is a must-listen for anyone passionate about faith, justice, education, reconciliation, and becoming the kind of person who helps others feel seen, known, and valued.
 
Links and/or Resources
From Dropout to Doctorate by Dr. Terrence Lester 
Love Beyond Walls – Dr. Lester’s nonprofit serving individuals experiencing homelessness
Follow Justin and Trish: @justindavis33 | @trishdavis_
 

Episode 078: From Rescue to Freedom with Brittany & Sammy Higgs

Episode Description: 
What does it look like when ordinary obedience turns into extraordinary impact?
In this powerful and deeply moving conversation, Justin and Trisha sit down with Brittany and Sammy Higgs, founders of The HER Campaign, to talk about faith, family, and the courageous work of walking with survivors of sex trafficking from rescue to true freedom.
What began as a quiet conviction, and a willingness to open their own home, has grown into a multi-location ministry providing holistic, trauma-informed care for women exiting trafficking. Along the way, Brittany and Sammy share the messy, faith-stretching realities of saying “yes” to God, including selling their business, opening a safe house with young children at home, and even walking 580 miles from Montana to Denver with a baby goat named Freedom to raise awareness.
This episode doesn’t just inform, it confronts hopelessness and helplessness and replaces them with action, faith, and tangible next steps. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by the darkness in the world or unsure how your “small yes” could make a difference, this conversation is for you.
 
Links in this episode: 
The HER Campaign Website: https://hercampaign.org
Follow The HER Campaign: @hercampaign (Instagram & social platforms)
Education & Awareness Resource: https://iamonwatch.org
Follow Justin and Trish: @justindavis33 | @trishdavis_

Episode 077: The Last Episode of 2025: Reflections, Roller Coasters & Setting Goals That Actually Transform You with Justin and Trisha Davis

In the final episode of Season 7, Justin and Trish close out 2025 with one of their favorite annual conversations: reflecting on the year that’s ending and preparing intentionally for the year ahead.
This episode is equal parts honest, hilarious, and deeply vulnerable as they unpack the real stories, real struggles, and real growth that shaped their year—personally, spiritually, and relationally.
Justin shares why fulfilled is the word that best captures his 2025, the surprising journey back to seminary, running a half marathon, and rediscovering purpose after seasons of disorientation and loss. Trish opens up about her word for the year—roller coaster—and what it was like to experience grief, joy, transition, and pressure all in rapid succession.
Together they dive into:
Why fulfillment is different from contentment
How grief, transition, and healing shaped their choices
Why they ditched resolutions years ago—and what they do instead
The power of setting goals rooted in identity rather than shame
If you’re entering the new year feeling hopeful, hesitant, exhausted, overwhelmed, or ready for change—this episode will help you breathe, reflect, and take your next step with intention.
Links & Resources
Follow Justin on Instagram: @justindavis33
Follow Trisha on Instagram: @trishdavis_
Have a question or want to share your goals for 2026? Send us a DM!
Learn more or connect with us at JustinandTrisha.com

Episode 076: An Untroubled Heart: Anxiety, Grief, and God’s Timing with Kara Stout

In this tender and hope-filled episode, Justin and Trish sit down with Kara Stout—writer, wife, and new adoptive mom living in Los Angeles—to talk about what it looks like to pursue an untroubled heart in a world that feels anything but calm.
Kara shares honestly about walking through an artery dissection, financial struggle, infertility, the loss of both parents (including her mom’s cancer journey), and an adoption that fell through—before God brought their daughter Nora into their family. Out of that deep well of suffering and God’s faithfulness came her new devotional, The Untroubled Heart: Calming Anxiety and Finding God’s Purpose.
If you’re overwhelmed by the news cycle, carrying quiet grief, or waiting on God to move in a situation that feels stuck, this conversation will remind you that you can bring all of it to Him—and that waiting on God is not passive.
In This Episode, We Talk About
Why our souls feel so overwhelmed in the age of constant news and notifications—and how to set healthy boundaries around what we consume
The tension of “both/and”: holding real grief and real faith at the same time without canceling either one out
How Kara watched her mom model joy and trust in Jesus in the middle of suffering—and how that shaped Kara’s view of eternity
Walking through seven years of infertility, a failed adoption, and the surprising ways God’s timing later made sense
The beauty and complexity of open adoption and the story of meeting Nora’s birth mom on Kara and her husband’s wedding anniversary
Why waiting on God is not passive—and how to actively seek His heart instead of just His answers
The heart behind 30 days of morning and evening devotionals, and why “bookending” your day with God matters
How nature, beauty, and creation have become one of the primary ways Kara experiences God’s presence
Resources Mentioned
Kara's Book: The Untroubled Heart: Calming Anxiety and Finding God’s Purpose by Kara Stout

Ep 075: You Are God’s Love Offering: Seeing Yourself the Way God Sees You with Rachael Adams

In this heart-to-heart conversation, Justin and Trish sit down with author and podcaster Rachael Adams (The Love Offering Podcast) to talk about what it really means to live loved by God in the middle of real life—busy schedules, insecurity, comparison, and all.
Rachael shares the simple but profound church-pew moment that changed everything for her, how God used loneliness and small acts of obedience to shape her calling, and why it’s so hard for us to love ourselves even when we know all the “right answers.” If you’ve ever felt too insignificant, too broken, or too behind for God to use you, this episode will breathe hope into your soul.
In This Episode, We Talk About
How a simple “love offering” envelope in a church pew became a personal invitation from God
Why quiet, unseen obedience (Bible study groups, serving at church, showing up for people) matters more than we think
The difference between feeling unworthy and what God actually says is true about us
Comparison, social media, and why every generation is battling the same old lie in a louder way
Practical ways to bring God into your everyday when life feels too full for a “perfect quiet time”
Why it’s often easier to believe God loves other people than to believe He deeply loves you
A powerful, specific prayer Rachael prays over anyone who struggles to believe they are loved and seen by God
Resources Mentioned
Rachael’s Books
A Little Goes a Long Way
Everyday Prayers for Love
Podcast
The Love Offering Podcast with Rachael Adams
 

Episode 074: The Truth About Feeling Stuck: Shame, Growth, and God’s Invitation with Justin and Trisha Davis

In today’s episode of Let’s Get Real, Justin and Trish dive into the truth behind “stuckness” — why we find ourselves in the same patterns again and again, and what God invites us to do when we feel trapped.
Justin shares from his own story about the slow drift into feeling stuck, the emotional and spiritual lies that keep us from moving forward, and how small steps of honesty can open the door to big transformation. Trish brings wisdom and compassion as she unpacks why we avoid change and how vulnerability can be the key that unlocks healing.
If you’ve ever felt hopeless about a relationship, discouraged by repeated cycles, or afraid to take the next step… this episode will breathe life and courage into your journey. You’re not as stuck as you think you are — and we’ll help you see where God is already inviting you to move.
LINKS & RESOURCES
Follow Justin on Instagram: @justindavis33 Follow Trisha on Instagram: @trishdavis_

Episode 073: Sally Harris on Healing, Surrender, and Finding Hope in Estrangement

What do you do when the child you raised no longer wants a relationship with you? In this deeply moving episode of the Let’s Get Real Podcast, we sit down with Sally Harris, a coach and mentor to moms navigating the pain of estrangement from their adult children.
Sally shares her powerful story of losing connection with her daughter for nearly a decade, hitting her own rock bottom through alcohol dependence, and finding freedom the moment she surrendered fully to God. She opens up about the shame, guilt, and isolation many moms feel, and how healing begins with one courageous choice to focus on personal health, community, and faith.
This conversation is raw and real. Whether you’re a parent experiencing estrangement, an adult child navigating brokenness with a parent, or a friend walking alongside someone in pain, Sally’s wisdom will give you hope and practical steps forward.
If you’ve ever felt stuck in relational pain, this episode will remind you: change doesn’t start with fixing someone else; it starts with one choice to surrender your own heart to God’s healing.
Links & Resources
Connect with Sally Harris: YouTube Channel | Website
Justin & Trisha’s new book: One Choice Away from Change → Order Here
Follow us on Instagram: @justindavis33 | @trishdavis_