Build It Messy

I’m getting honest about a heavy day. The kind where I’m carrying burdens for people I love, feeling the weight of unmet expectations, and wondering whether I’m planting bitterness or growth in the middle of it all.In this episode, I take you with me to a moment on a bike trail, a stubborn rose bush growing under a deck, and a realization that shifted my perspective: sometimes being moved to new soil isn’t punishment, but grace.This isn’t about toxic positivity or pretending everything is fine. It’s about the choice between becoming bitter or becoming better, and how that one little letter, the “I,” can make all the difference. I share what I’ve been learning about what we water, what we bury, and what can happen when bitterness quietly takes root without us even realizing it.If you’ve ever felt stuck, replanted, disappointed, or like you’re holding on to something that’s actually holding you back, I think this conversation will resonate with you. My hope is that it encourages you to look at your circumstances through a different lens and reminds you that growth is still possible, even in the places you never expected to bloom.Key Timestamps: [00:00:00] Introduction[00:01:15] Bitter or Better?[00:02:45] A Heavy Day on the Trail[00:04:30] The Rose Bush Lesson[00:07:20] Replanted in New Soil[00:09:15] "I'm Going the Right Direction"[00:10:45] Why Roses Keep Blooming[00:12:00] The Danger of Bitter Roots[00:13:30] Choosing Better Over Bitter Memorable Quotes:"Am I going to get bitter through this process or am I going to get better? And the letter that's different in those two words is the letter I and I need to decide what my choices are going to be and which direction I'm going to go into today." [00:03:30] – Kimber Allen"Instead of framing it like you can't do this or you're not learning this fast enough, why don't you frame it like I'm going in the right direction and I’m getting it." [00:07:58] – Kimber AllenIf you're ready to keep building that kind of life alongside other women who are choosing faith over perfection, courage over waiting, and honest growth over having it all figured out, I’d love for you to join me inside Build It Messy, my Skool community. Because beautiful lives are built honestly, faith-first, and one brave step at a time. Join us here: https://www.skool.com/build-it-messy-3088Links Mentioned In This Episode:30-Minute Discovery Call: ⁠https://calendly.com/kimberlyaproductions Connect with Kimber Allen:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kimberlya.coProduced by Evolved Podcasting: www.evolvedpodcasting.com

What if the prayers you pray today could impact generations you'll never meet?I share the story of my great-grandmother, Susan, a mother of 14 who would disappear into a closet under the stairs to pray for generations she would never meet. Those prayers are still speaking today.This episode isn't about having it all together before you start building a legacy, but the messy, faithful practice of praying out loud, talking about your faith, and leaving behind artifacts that outlive your voice. If you're exhausted, questioning, or wondering whether your voice still matters, I want to remind you that a legacy is being built right now in the middle of your everyday life.In this conversation, I share three practical tools that have helped me think differently about legacy and faithfulness, simple ways to leave fingerprints on the future, even when you're too tired to think about it.Key Timestamps: [00:00:00] Introduction[00:04:23] Susan's Legacy of Prayer[00:06:38] Living in Answered Prayers[00:07:18] Meeting You in the Mess[00:09:12] Tool #1: Pray Out Loud[00:10:32] The Prayer Wall Practice[00:11:18] Tool #2: Share Your Faith[00:13:42] Tool #3: Write It Down[00:15:42] Remembering with Rocks[00:16:48] "I Visited with Jesus"[00:18:05] Leaving Fingerprints on the Future Memorable Quotes:"News flash, you're already passing it on. Someone's already watching you. Someone is already building from what you're leaving behind" [00:07:14] – Kimber Allen"Isn't that so cool that long after we're gone, our prayers can be the fingerprints that we leave on the future generations." [00:17:20] – Kimber AllenAnd if you're ready to keep building that legacy alongside other women who are choosing faith over perfection, I'd love to welcome you into my Skool community, where we embrace the truth that beautiful lives aren't built perfectly, they're built honestly, faith-first, and with the courage to start before you're ready: https://www.skool.com/build-it-messy-3088Links Mentioned In This Episode:30-Minute Discovery Call: https://calendly.com/kimberlyaproductions Connect with Kimber Allen:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kimberlya.coProduced by Evolved Podcasting: www.evolvedpodcasting.com

There's a weight that settles in quietly. You don't always notice it until your shoulders are lower, your eyes dimmer, and the joy you once carried feels distant. I open up about a moment in January when a single verse stopped me cold: "A heart of peace gives life." The question that followed changed everything: Is my heart at peace?In this episode, I introduced a simple but profound tool: soften your countenance. It's not about faking a smile or pretending everything is fine, but paying attention to what your face, your posture, and your presence are actually saying about the condition of your heart. From Moses descending Mount Sinai with a face so radiant it had to be veiled, to the daily decision to look up and let that radiance reflect back, this is an invitation to close the gap between where you are and where you want to be.Key Timestamps: [00:00:00] Introduction[00:01:20] The verse that changed everything[00:02:15] Soften your countenance[00:03:21] The atmosphere you carry[00:03:33] Moses' radiant face[00:04:53] Looking to God brings radiance[00:05:35] A journal reflectionMemorable Quotes:"A heart of peace gives life. And I thought, is my heart at peace?" [00:01:50] – Kimber Allen"The face often tells the truth, the heart is carrying. So let's pay attention to our heart and what we're carrying." [00:07:07] – Kimber AllenAnd if you're ready to keep building a life marked by peace, faith, and courage even when it's messy, you’re invited to join my Skool community, Build It Messy, where we embrace the truth that beautiful lives aren’t built perfectly, but honestly: https://www.skool.com/build-it-messy-3088Links Mentioned In This Episode:30-Minute Discovery Call: https://calendly.com/kimberlyaproductions Connect with Kimber Allen:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kimberlya.coProduced by Evolved Podcasting: www.evolvedpodcasting.com

There is a gap between moving forward and just stumbling through the dark. Between the clarity you are searching for and the heavy things you are quietly carrying along the way. That weight can become the enemy of your peace if you do not realize what you are holding onto.I share a story about a Friday night backyard scavenger hunt with teenage girls and the moment we realized why everyone kept tripping. This episode unpacks what it means to walk in the light and why so many of us choose the harder path without realizing it. Through diamonds, car keys, and a random shoe, I walk you through the things we hide, the burdens we carry, and the invitation to stop stumbling. This one is for anyone who has ever felt stuck, foggy, or like something just is not working.You do not have to walk in the dark. Come into the light.Key Timestamps: [00:00:00] Introduction[00:03:30] The backyard scavenger hunt begins  [00:08:30] The car keys: who's in your passenger seat?  [00:12:30] The random shoe: what path are you walking?  [00:17:30] The 90-day miracle board Memorable Quotes:"What is one area of my life that I've kept hidden from God, from myself, or from others that I feel invited to bring into the light today?" [00:15:30] – Kimberly AllenIf this resonates with you, you’ll feel at home in our Skool community where we build beautiful lives not perfectly, but honestly, faith-first, and with the courage to start before you’re ready: https://www.skool.com/build-it-messy-3088. Links Mentioned In This Episode:30-Minute Discovery Call: https://calendly.com/kimberlyaproductionsConnect with Kimber Allen:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kimberlya.coProduced by Evolved Podcasting: www.evolvedpodcasting.com

There's a gap between where you thought you'd be and where you are. Between the promise you felt and the fulfillment you're still waiting for. That gap can become the enemy of faith if the story you're telling yourself isn't the right one.I get honest about turning 60, starting something completely new, and what it means to trust God's timeline when it doesn't align with your own. I unpack three truths about delay, grief, and wholeness that will shift how you see the season you're in right now. This one's for anyone who's ever felt behind, off course, or like they missed their moment.You're not late. You're right on time.Key Timestamps: [00:00:00] Introduction[00:04:17] Turning 60 and starting something new[00:05:03] The gap between promise and fulfillment[00:07:11] Three truths about God’s timeline[00:07:57] Joseph: From pit to palace[00:09:28] Grieving your timeline[00:14:24] The graduation party conversation[00:15:52] His timing is always rightMemorable Quotes:"Trust isn't believing He'll come through. Trust is believing that He knows the right moment when it's best for you." [00:10:17] – Kimber Allen"The outcome is just the byproduct of who you've become through some of the delays and some of the setbacks." [00:11:31] – Kimber AllenIf this resonates with you, you’ll feel at home in our Skool community where we build beautiful lives not perfectly, but honestly, faith-first, and with the courage to start before you’re ready: https://www.skool.com/build-it-messy-3088. Links Mentioned In This Episode:30-Minute Discovery Call: https://calendly.com/kimberlyaproductionsConnect with Kimber Allen:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kimberlya.coProduced by Evolved Podcasting: www.evolvedpodcasting.com

There's something you're carrying that doesn't have a name yet. It's not quite fear, not quite sadness. Just a gnawing that shows up in the quiet moments, the thing you've gotten really good at editing out of your story for everyone else.In this episode, I'm sitting down with you like we're on the couch with coffee, unpacking four lies we've believed about vulnerability. It’s not the kind that overshares with everyone, but the kind that brings your real self before God and the people He placed in your life, because the edited version of you can't do what the real version of you was called to do.If you've ever felt like you need to hold it all together, like your struggle means your faith isn't working, or like the full version of you is just too much, this one's for you.Key Timestamps: [00:00:00] Introduction[00:00:52] What fear really means in Scripture[00:01:18] Vulnerability is the courage to be seen[00:05:52] The unspoken thing without a name yet[00:08:41] What vulnerability really is[00:11:08] Lie #1: Strong people hold it together[00:14:52] Lie #2: Struggle means your faith isn’t working[00:16:08] Lie #3: Struggle should stay private[00:20:41] Lie #4: The real me is too much[00:23:18] “There was a lot of Kimber in your talk.”[00:25:18] Jesus in the garden: the model of vulnerabilityMemorable Quotes:"Vulnerability is actually courage, and it's the courage to be seen, to be known before God and before the people He placed in your life." [00:08:33] – Kimber Allen"The edited version of you can't do what the real version of you was called to do." [00:22:56] – Kimber AllenAnd if you’re ready to stop building your life from perfection and start building it from honesty, faith, and courage, come join my Skool community where we’re learning to build beautiful lives before we feel fully ready: https://www.skool.com/build-it-messy-3088. Links Mentioned In This Episode:30-Minute Discovery Call: https://calendly.com/kimberlyaproductionsConnect with Kimber Allen:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kimberlya.coProduced by Evolved Podcasting: www.evolvedpodcasting.com

The middle is where most people quit, and not because they lack vision or desire, but because they're tired. They're empty. They've been enduring so long they've forgotten what it feels like to hope without flinching.I sit with that tension in this episode. I don’t offer shortcuts or platitudes. Instead, I walk through what it actually takes to keep going when the foundation is poured, but the walls aren't up yet. When you're not where you were, but you're not where you're going either. I talk about endurance that doesn't numb out, character that's formed in the waiting, and the power of just one more step.This isn't about pushing through for the sake of productivity, but staying present, staying faithful, and trusting that what God is building in you during this season could not be built any other way.Key Timestamps: [00:00:00] Introduction[00:02:45] Holding onto hope on hard days[00:05:12] Building faith, courage, and endurance[00:08:50] Faith vs. surviving on fumes[00:11:34] The messy middle builds character[00:13:42] The power of one more step[00:15:28] My messy middle: building this podcast[00:18:00] Hives, stress, and my father’s wisdomMemorable Quotes:"There's a difference between enduring with faith and surviving on fumes. One keeps your heart open and the other slowly closes it." [00:08:51] – Kimber Allen"In this messy middle is where our character is formed." [00:09:52] – Kimber AllenAnd if you’re in that in-between place too, you can join my Skool community where we build together: Beautiful lives aren’t built perfectly, they are built honestly, faith-first, and with courage to start before you’re ready; we build the life that’s been waiting for you because you are not broken, you are building: https://www.skool.com/build-it-messy-3088. Links Mentioned In This Episode:30-Minute Discovery Call: https://calendly.com/kimberlyaproductionsConnect with Kimber Allen:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kimberlya.coProduced by Evolved Podcasting: www.evolvedpodcasting.com

The life you're waiting to start might already be under construction. I walk through what it means to build a foundation that can actually hold weight, the kind that doesn't crack when the storms hit. I’m not talking about perfection or curation. I’m talking about confession, surrender, and the daily practice of showing up even when you don't feel equipped.Through stories from the construction site, the gym, and my own quiet mornings with a journal, I unpack the three things required to build anything that lasts: an honest inventory, the faith to move toward what you're being called to, and the courage to walk through it even when it's embarrassing. This isn't about waiting until you're ready, but starting messy and staying faithful.If you've been sitting on something you know you're supposed to do, this episode will give you the push you need to take the next step.Key Timestamps: [00:00:00] Introduction[00:02:10] Site foundation walk[00:03:07] Curate vs. confess: God’s intent[00:04:13] Daily foundation habits[00:05:33] Life inventory check[00:07:48] Growth talk with son[00:09:19] Journaling for self-discovery[00:10:27] Courage moves faith[00:10:39] Lost at the gym story[00:14:23] Workout breakdown[00:15:13] Starting over daily practice[00:15:24] Evaluate your foundationMemorable Quotes:"The world tells us to curate, but I truly believe that God wants us to confess." [00:03:01] – Kimber Allen"Courage is the muscle that makes that faith move." [00:10:18] – Kimber AllenLinks Mentioned In This Episode:30-Minute Discovery Call: https://calendly.com/kimberlyaproductionsIf you’re ready to build alongside people doing the same, you can join the Skool community here: https://www.skool.com/build-it-messy-3088. We build beautiful lives not through perfection, but through honesty, faith-first living, and the courage to start before you're ready.Connect with Kimber Allen:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kimberlya.coProduced by Evolved Podcasting: www.evolvedpodcasting.com

Sometimes the people who love you most will tell you the hardest truth. For me, it came over champagne at 10 p.m., three months before my wedding. My best friends drove up from South Carolina to tell me I was marrying the wrong person. I knew they were right. I also knew my entire life was about to unravel.This is the story of how one conversation, one picnic, and one still small voice in a closet changed the trajectory of everything. It's about the courage it takes to walk away from what's familiar and step into what's unknown. It's about surrendering control and trusting that the mess you're standing in might actually be the path forward.Life doesn't always unfold neatly. But when you look back, you can see where every tangled thread was leading you all along.Key Timestamps: [00:00:00] Introduction[01:53:00] Building a business and raising three boys [02:53:00] The 4th of July visit that changed everything [04:12:00] "You're marrying the wrong person" [05:31:00] Meeting John at the Jefferson Memorial [06:44:00] The conversation with Dad [07:34:00] The picnic and the breakup [08:44:00] The wedding gown and the still small voice [10:08:00] Taking the step of courage Memorable Quotes:"I really felt like it was the Lord talking to me. He said, get up. You will wear that wedding gown, but it'll be with the man that I've chosen for you, not who you've chosen for you." [00:08:52] – Kimber Allen"Life is not always perfect, and it's not as we always see it, but boy, it's pretty exciting when we just allow things to unfold in our pure obedience and surrendering." [00:10:48] – Kimber AllenLinks Mentioned In This Episode:30-Minute Discovery Call: https://calendly.com/kimberlyaproductionsAnd if you’re ready to start building honestly, faith-first, and before you feel fully ready, you can step into that journey here: https://www.skool.com/build-it-messy-3088Connect with Kimber Allen:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kimberlya.coProduced by Evolved Podcasting: www.evolvedpodcasting.com

Because Even Strong Women Have Places That Need Restoring.Build It Messy is the podcast for women who are winning in some areas of life and quietly aching in others. Maybe your career is thriving but your faith feels distant. Maybe you’re a great mom but you’ve forgotten the dreams that used to keep you up at night. Maybe your relationships need tending, your courage needs rebuilding, or there’s a version of yourself you’ve been meaning to get back to.This is that space.Host Kimber Allen believes the most beautiful lives aren’t built perfectly. They’re built honestly, faith-first, and with the courage to start before you’re ready. Each week, she brings real conversations, restored stories, and practical wisdom to help you build the life that’s been waiting for you.It’s okay if it gets messy. That’s where the restoration begins.