S1:EP27 When the Story Didn’t Go as Planned and God Showed Up Anyway, With Dare “Stokes” Blalock

Welcome back to Moms With A Call, where real stories meet real faith. In this deeply tender episode, McKenzie and Rebecca sit down with their friend Dare, who bravely opens her heart to share her journey through infertility, pregnancy loss, and the long road toward surrendering her plans to God. With honesty and humility, Dare walks us through the ache of miscarriage, the emotional toll of IVF, the joy of unexpected pregnancy, and the spiritual awakening that unfolded in the middle of it all. This conversation is raw, hopeful, and full of the quiet miracles that happen when we loosen our grip and let God write the story. Together, they explore what it looks like to hold grief and gratitude at the same time, to navigate career and motherhood with an open hand, and to trust God even when the path feels impossible to understand. If you have ever walked through questions, waiting seasons, or the kind of heartbreak that changes you, Dares story will remind you that God is present in every chapter, even the ones that hurt the most. We talk about: The emotional and spiritual complexities of infertility The grief of miscarriage and the tenderness of healing IVF, pregnancy, and finding God in the waiting Navigating postpartum highs and lows Unexpected blessings that arrive when we surrender control Balancing calling, career, and motherhood with faith at the center Episode Timeline: 00:00 - Opening banter and personal anecdotes 02:10 - Introduction to the podcast 02:41 - Introducing our special guest 03:46 - Dares background and personal story 11:01 - Faith, struggle, and meeting God in the hard places 18:41 - Infertility and the long waiting season 41:07 - Reflections and cultural parallels 42:09 - The beginning of the IVF journey 43:04 - IVF success and the miracle of pregnancy 44:18 - Navigating IVF while holding onto faith 47:20 - Postpartum challenges and unexpected joys 51:27 - A surprising second pregnancy 01:01:56 - Career decisions through the lens of faith 01:12:56 - Final reflections on surrender Connect with Moms With A Call: Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube: @momswithacall Show updates, behind the scenes moments, and more: www.momswithacall.com Listen on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and Amazon Leave a review and tell us how this episode moved you. Your words mean more than you know. Have a story to share? We would love to hear from you: [email protected] Intro and Outro Music by Jason Bowles Branding and Design by dvoorheisdesigns.com