Priscilla Shirer on Purpose, Parenting, and Life's Trials

Priscilla Shirer steps into this episode with honesty, humor, and hard-won faith. Sam, Clif, and Priscilla go deep—into stories of calling, what surrender to God really looks like, and how loss can open space for peace and perspective. Priscilla, who calls teaching the Bible her joy, shares how a knack for “talking too much” became a calling once surrendered to God. Together they talk about parenting, not out of a playbook, but through presence, integrity, and the courage to show up in good seasons and in grief. She opens a window into her family’s rhythms, the margin she’s learned to carve out after losing her mother, and how small, steady choices build a legacy. If you’re worn out by perfection or looking for hope that’s anchored in reality, pull up a seat at the table.Some of the major standout moments:Priscilla recounts surrendering her gift for communication, remembering her father’s challenge: “If you would just surrender this thing…not get rid of it, just surrender this thing to the Lord, it could be exactly what He’s wired you for.”With vulnerability, Priscilla shares how ten family losses in six years, including her mother and cousin, became both a test of faith and a catalyst for living with gratitude and trust in God’s timing—“stop and smell the roses” is now a lived-out practice.She gives voice to the tension of raising sons as athletes and men of character, encouraging families to focus less on perfection and more on consistency, even if that means sometimes pulling out question cards to help break the ice at dinner.Priscilla calls coaches and parents to the crucial work of “separating for them their identity from their sport,” pushing back on a culture that ties worth to performance.Stepping onto a movie set for “War Room” stretched Priscilla far outside her comfort zone, turning a one-time adventure into a new avenue for ministry and impact.Her closing word is a testimony to God’s steady hand: “He is faithful…when everything else is crumbling or disintegrating or in some way disappointing…the rock behind all of that is that He’s faithful.”Links to checkout: Going Beyond Ministries: https://www.goingbeyond.comThe Armor of God by Priscilla Shirer: https://www.amazon.com/Armor-God-Priscilla-Shirer/dp/1430040270God is Able by Priscilla Shirer: https://www.amazon.com/Able-10th-Anniversary-Priscilla-Shirer/dp/1430083077/I Surrender All by Priscilla Shirer: https://www.amazon.com/I-Surrender-All-Priscilla-Shirer/dp/B0CSVG9QVW/Connect with Sam: Website: https://www.samacho.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thesamachoX: https://x.com/thesamachoInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesamacho/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesamacho/YouTube:  ⁨https://www.youtube.com/@TheSamAchoPodcastBook Sam to speak at your event: https://www.samacho.com/speakingRead Sam's books: Let the World See You: https://www.samacho.com/resources/let-the-world-see-youChange Starts With You: https://www.samacho.com/resources/change-starts-with-you