Grace in the Grind with Wanda Thibodeaux | Created In The Image of God 225

Joy can feel like a luxury when life is heavy. For Wanda Thibodeaux, it became a lifeline. Growing up in a small rural community in Michigan, she walked through trauma, confusion about her worth, and seasons where the loudest messages around her were anything but kind. That journey pushed her into psychology, music, and writing—eventually becoming a Christian author, ghostwriter, and host of the Faithful on the Clock podcast.In this episode, Wanda talks candidly about how words—both spoken and unspoken—can shape a person’s sense of identity, and how the enemy uses those lies to drain joy and distance people from God. She unpacks her conviction that “if we can be joyless, we can be godless,” and explains why fighting for joy is not denial but spiritual resistance: a refusal to agree with darkness about who God is and who we are. Along the way, she reflects on themes from her new devotional, Grace in the Grind, and how daily practices can reconnect work, faith, and emotional health.The conversation is grounded and hopeful, offering clear encouragement for anyone who feels stuck in discouragement, burnout, or old stories about their value. Wanda’s mix of warmth, insight, and practical wisdom invites listeners to see joy not as something reserved for “after” the struggle, but as a way of backhanding the devil right in the middle of it. Get full access to SOOPMedia on Substack at soopllc.substack.com/subscribe Get full access to Created in the Image of God at wadefransson.substack.com/subscribe