Chasing Happiness with Ryan DeMent

Feeling like you are going backward is not the same as going backward. The storm that comes back is often where God does the deepest work.You thought you were finally climbing out, and now it feels like you are sliding right back into the storm you just survived. I know that feeling because I am living it right now. After eighteen months in my own financial storm and years of walking people through their worst money seasons, I can tell you the return is not the punishment you are afraid it is. This week it hit me again, right when I thought I was through, so this is not a lesson from the other side. It is the truth from inside it.What we cover:Why the feeling of going backward is not the fact of it. You are not at square one. You are climbing the same mountain from higher ground, and it only feels familiar because the view rhymes.Why God lets the storm come back. Elijah had the greatest victory of his life and collapsed days later. God did not rebuke him. He fed him, let him rest, and recommissioned him in a whisper. The return did what the victory could not.My testimony, from the middle of the storm. I don't have a tidy ending because I haven't reached it yet, and I am telling you the truth anyway.What the lender's seat sees. The person who quits in the last mile is convinced the setback meant they were back to nothing, versus the one who reads the second wave as the middle, not the verdict.Scriptures referenced:2 Corinthians 4:8-9, 1 Kings 19The return is not the punishment. It is not proof you failed. It is the place where God does the work the victory could not do. Stay in the water. He is in it with you.If this episode hit you, the last episode covers how gratitude in the middle of the storm opens your hands for what is next. Subscribe so you do not miss the next one.

Stop asking God for more until you can be grateful for what is already in your hands. Clenched hands cannot receive.After years of watching people chase money and blessings they do not have yet, I can tell you the real reason God has not given you more. It is not that He is holding out on you. Gratitude is the open hand that receives, and a hand clenched around what it does not have has no room for what God is trying to give. Every morning someone asks how I am doing, and I tell them I am grateful, because I made the wake-up list this morning. I mean it completely.This one is personal. I have spent 18 months in my own storm, and some mornings the only honest thing I could be grateful for was that I woke up with another chance. That was enough to get up and keep going.What we cover:Why gratitude is the requirement, not the reward. You think it is the thank-you note after the gift. God treats it as the open hand that can receive the gift at all.Why ungrateful hands stay empty. Ingratitude trains your eyes to only see what is missing, so you miss what God is already doing. The Israelites turned a short journey into forty years the same way.My testimony. Why the wake-up list became the most honest thing I say all day.What the lender's seat sees every week. The bitter client with plenty who stays stuck, versus the grateful client with almost nothing who keeps moving.Scriptures referenced:1 Thessalonians 5:18, James 1:17, Luke 17:15-17You woke up today. You made the wake-up list. That is already enough to be grateful for, and gratitude is how you open your hands to receive what God is building next.If this episode hit you, the last episode covers what to actually do with what God places in your open hands, from the parable of the talents. Subscribe so you do not miss the next one.

What the parable of the talents says about investing is not what most Christians think. It is Jesus being blunt about money, fear, and stewardship.The parable of the talents is a money parable from the first verse. A master gives three servants different amounts. Two put the money to work and double it. One buries his out of fear and hands it back unchanged. The buried servant is the only one the master condemns, and not for losing money. He never lost a dime. He is condemned for letting fear talk him into doing nothing.I am recording this one from inside my own story. For a long stretch, I was the servant who buried it. I was so afraid of losing what little I had that I did nothing with it and told myself that was the responsible, even godly, choice. It was not. It was fear wearing a responsible costume.What we cover:What the parable actually teaches about investing your money. Stewardship is active, not passive. Burying what you were given is the one thing this parable condemns.Why fear was the real sin. The servant said, "I was afraid, so I hid it." Fear told him a lie that protecting what he had was safer than putting it to work.My testimony. How I moved from burying what I had to tithing consistently, one percent at a time, from five percent up to a full ten.What the lender's seat sees every week. The clients too afraid to ever make a move, versus the ones who steward what they have and build something over time.Scriptures referenced:Matthew 25:23, Matthew 25:25

Stop forcing the outcome. Obedience is your job; the outcome is God's, and mixing them up is why you are exhausted.After years of doing loans for Christians, I can tell you why so many faithful people are burned out. They are doing two jobs at once, their own and God's. Your job is obedience. Small, daily, specific. Show up, do the work, tithe, steward the little. God's job is the outcome. The growth, the timing, which door opens and which one closes. When you try to do God's job for Him, you do not just exhaust yourself. You get in His way.I am recording this one from inside my own storm. For 18 months I have been trying to force outcomes God never asked me to control while completely missing the daily obedience He was actually asking of me. This week it finally started to shift.What we cover:What your job actually is. Small daily obedience, not big flashy obedience. The next right thing today, never "make the outcome happen."What God's job actually is. Growth, timing, provision, open and closed doors. Backed by 1 Corinthians 3:6-7 and Proverbs 16:9.My testimony. The three-stage evolution my prayers went through over 18 months, from bargaining with God to finally asking Him to change me instead of my circumstances.What the lender's seat sees every week. The borrower who calls three times a day trying to force a closing timeline versus the one who does the paperwork and lets the process work. Same tools, wildly different peace levels.Scriptures referenced:Micah 6:8, 1 Corinthians 3:6-7, Proverbs 16:9You are not exhausted because your situation is too hard. You are exhausted because you are trying to do two jobs at once. Do the small faithful thing in front of you today and let God do the growth.If this episode hit you, the last episode covers why the problem in front of you was never the punishment. It was the setup for the miracle. Subscribe so you do not miss the next one.

Stop praying the problem away. It is the miracle you have been asking for, from a Christian lender who sees this every week.Every major miracle in the Bible has a problem attached to it. The problem is not the obstacle. The problem is the setup. Lazarus had to die before the resurrection. The wine had to run out before it turned into wine. The Red Sea had to be there before it could part. God does not do miracles into abundance. He does miracles into problems.I am recording this one from inside my own storm. For 18 months I have been asking God to remove the problem in my business, and it hit me this week that the problem was never in my business. It was in me. He grabbed my attention through the business because He could not grab it any other way, and the miracle He has been building is the change in my character, not the resolution of my circumstances.This episode is teaching plus testimony. I walk through the biblical pattern that miracles always follow problems, share the internal shift that took me 18 months to see, and tell two stories from the lender's seat about borrowers I watch every week trying to pray the problem away when the problem was the point.What we cover:The pattern in scripture. Every miracle in the Bible was set up by a problem. Lazarus. The wedding at Cana. The Red Sea. The feeding of the 5000. God works into insufficiency, not into abundance.My testimony. Where I am in my own storm right now. The 18 months of chasing the Joneses. The realization that the problem was never external. Why I am starting to help others through what I have already survived, including planning to lead FPU at my church.What the lender's seat sees every week. Two borrower stories. The couple who felt inadequate compared to their friends and kept refinancing to keep up. The single guy who realized the spending was the problem and used the refi to break the pattern instead of extending it. Same tool. Two completely different outcomes based on whether the person let God work IN the problem or tried to pray it away.The guardrail: The miracle may not be that God pulls you out of the problem. The miracle may be that God changes who you are while you are in it.Scriptures referenced:John 11, John 2The problem in front of you is not the punishment. It is the platform. God is not ignoring you. He is setting up something you could not have asked for because you did not know it was possible.If this episode hit you, the last episode covers the three quiet signs God is already elevating you through the problem. Subscribe so you do not miss the next one.

Stop looking for the deposit. 3 signs God is elevating you financially, from a Christian lender who sees this every week.Most Christians assume the first sign of elevation is a deposit in the account. It is not. The first signs are quiet shifts in your character that you have probably not connected to God yet. You have been begging God for a financial breakthrough for months, maybe years, and you have not noticed that He has been answering the whole time. Just not the way you expected.I am recording this one from inside my own storm. I am watching all three of these signs show up in my own life right now, and I am not standing over anyone. I am standing next to you.After years of doing loans for Christians, I can tell you there are three quiet signs God gives you right before the elevation shows up in your account. And most people miss all three because they are watching for the wrong thing. God prepares the vessel before He pours the blessing, and every one of these signs is how you know the preparation is in motion.What we cover:Sign One: Your old lifestyle habits stop being satisfying. You walk through Target and put things back on the shelf. The car you always wanted stops looking as good on the lot. Doom scrolling stops giving you the dopamine hit. This is not you being disciplined. This is God changing your appetite.Sign Two: You get drawn to help people in situations you used to be in. You find yourself sending long text messages to friends going through what you already survived. You take calls that do not pay you because they need to be taken. This is not you being generous. This is God building the platform before He puts you on it.Sign Three: You start seeing money problems as spiritual problems. The old prayer sounds like "God, please fix my finances." The new prayer sounds like "God, please change me so You can trust me with the finances I am asking for." That shift is the moment elevation is closer than you think.Scriptures referenced:Ecclesiastes 5:10, 2 Corinthians 1:4, Romans 12:2The three signs God is elevating you financially are not the ones you are looking for. You are looking for the deposit. God is watching the character. If your appetite for the wrong things is fading, if you are being drawn to help people you used to walk past, and if you are starting to see your money problems as spiritual problems, God is not delaying your breakthrough. He is finishing your preparation.If this episode hit you, the last episode covers the three mistakes that will block the breakthrough if you keep doing them. Subscribe so you do not miss the next one.

Stop tithing harder and start asking a different question. Most Christians spend their whole life begging God for the breakthrough and never realize the reason it has not shown up is not that they have not asked enough. It is because they are still doing three things every single week that make it impossible for Him to bless what is already in their hands.I am recording this one from inside my own storm. I am watching myself do at least one of these three things right now, and I am not standing over anyone. I am standing next to you.After years of doing loans for Christians, I can tell you these three mistakes show up over and over again in every borrower who prays for the financial breakthrough and never actually gets it. God is not being cruel. He is being wise. Every one of these mistakes is a character issue disguised as a money problem, and the blessing does not go where the character cannot hold it.What we cover:Mistake One: Chasing the Joneses. God cannot bless a life built to impress other people. The blessing arrives, and it gets consumed instantly because the lifestyle is already too big for the income. I share what this cost me in my past life, close to $100,000 in debt trying to keep up with people who were themselves on the verge of bankruptcy.Mistake Two: Financing your impatience. The tools that let you have things now are the same tools that guarantee you never actually own them. Credit cards, buy here pay here, buy now pay later, financing everything. Impatience is the sin behind the financing, and when you finance everything, you are telling God His timing is too slow for you. I share what I am doing right now in my own life to break this pattern.Mistake Three: Not being faithful with the little. If God trusted you with $500 and you blew it, why would He trust you with $50,000? He is not being cruel. He is being consistent. Faithful in little is the doorway to being trusted with much.Scriptures referenced:Luke 12:15, Proverbs 21:5, Luke 16:10The real reason God is not blessing your finances is not that He has forgotten you. It is because He loves you too much to hand you a blessing that would destroy you. Every one of these mistakes is something you can start correcting today.If this episode hit you, the last episode covers the one question you have to answer before the breakthrough shows up. Subscribe so you do not miss the next one.

Most Christians spend the entire waiting season asking God for the breakthrough. Almost nobody stops to ask the harder question: what God is really waiting to hear an answer to.After years of doing loans, I have watched a pattern repeat itself. The client who prays for the refi to consolidate credit card debt closes the loan and maxes the cards again in six months. The cash-out that was supposed to save the business gets spent on a truck. The inheritance is gone in two years. None of these people were bad. Nobody asked them the honor question before the money hit.I am recording this one from inside my own storm. Personally and in my business, I am asking myself this exact question every morning. This is not a lecture. It is a conversation from the seat I am actually in right now.What we cover:Why God delays the breakthrough for people He loves. The delay is not punishment. It is protection. He is not going to hand you a breakthrough that becomes the next crisis.The pattern I have watched from the broker seat for years. The refi, the cash-out, the inheritance. Same story every time. The behavior that caused the problem does not disappear when the money shows up.The three questions God is asking you in the wait: Will I still tithe when it is a real number? Will I still work as it depends on Him? Will I still remember who I was when I had nothing?The three moves you can make today, in the storm, that prove out your answer to the honor question before the breakthrough ever arrives.Scriptures referenced:Luke 16:10, Deuteronomy 8:17, Deuteronomy 8:18The wait is not God ignoring you. It is God asking you a question. If you can answer it in the storm, the storm becomes the training ground for everything He is about to release.If this episode hit you, the last episode covers what God is actually doing behind the scenes while your situation feels stuck. Subscribe so you do not miss the next one.

When a borrower stops hearing from their lender, they almost always assume the worst. They think the deal is dead. The file got lost. Someone forgot about them.Almost every time, the file is just in process.I have been in the mortgage business long enough to know that a quiet file is not a forgotten file. And I believe the same is true about what God is doing in your life right now.In this episode, I use the mortgage underwriting process as a framework for understanding what God is doing in your financial waiting season. It is the most practical illustration I have found of what the Bible says about seasons of silence, and it has changed the way I personally handle waiting.What we cover:What your file actually is. God knows every detail of your situation, your history, your capacity, your calling, your debts, your assets, and where He is taking you next. He does not process files halfway.What happens when a file goes quiet? In underwriting, silence means one of two things: conditions are being worked behind the scenes, or the lender is waiting on something from the borrower. God is the same way. The question to ask is not "has He forgotten me?" It is "what condition is being worked, and is there anything He is waiting on from me?"The biblical proof. Joseph is the anchor. Seventeen years old when God gave him the dream. Thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh. Thirteen years of conditions being cleared. The pit, Potiphar's house, the prison, the cupbearer who forgot him, none of it was random. All of it was underwriting.What to do while your file is being processed. Three moves: do not make desperate moves that blow up the file, respond to every condition God gives you promptly, and trust the processor.Scriptures referenced:Psalm 139:16, Lamentations 3:25, James 1:4Your file is not lost. It has never been lost. Stay in the process.If this episode hit you, the next one covers the one sin that makes every waiting season harder than it has to be, and most people never identify it as a sin. Subscribe so you do not miss it.

Rick Warren says the number one sin Christians fight every single day is not addiction, and it is not pride. It is anxiety. And once I understood what that actually meant, it changed everything about how I handle a season of waiting.This episode is not about how to feel less anxious. It is about understanding why anxiety is a sin, specifically, how it hijacks the waiting season God designed for your growth, and three concrete moves that bring you back to the present moment where God is actually working.I share the Bayard Park story in this one. We lost six figures on a development project, and for a long season, I kept asking God why. What I did not see at the time was that anxiety was the thing making that season heavier than God ever intended it to be.What we cover:What anxiety actually is. Most people treat it like a personality trait. The Bible calls it disobedience. That reframe changes everything about how you handle a hard season.How anxiety hijacks a season of financial waiting. It gives you specific targets: checking the same balance at midnight, running numbers that have not changed, replaying decisions you cannot undo, and planning for a worst-case scenario that has not happened. All of this is a location problem, not an information problem.How to come back to the present. Three moves: name the time zone you are in, find one specific thing God is doing right now, and replace the question. Anxiety asks what if. The present asks what now. That one shift changes everything.Scriptures referenced:Philippians 4:6, Proverbs 12:25, Matthew 6:34If this episode landed for you, the next one covers five specific signs that God is calling you out of your financial situation right now. Not someday. Right now. Subscribe so you do not miss it.

I used to think God was a vending machine. Put in the prayer, get out the provision. Pay off the debt. Done.What I did not understand is that God was waiting for me to move first. This episode is about the moment that changes.In this episode, I walk through five specific signs that God is calling you out of debt right now, not someday, not when things settle down, right now. Each sign comes with a practical application, so you walk away with one thing you can actually do today.What we cover:Sign 1: You feel convicted every time you look at your balance, and why that feeling is not guilt, it is direction.Sign 2: You keep hearing the same message about money from every direction, and what to do when the pattern becomes undeniable.Sign 3: Your debt is blocking what God is trying to do next. The spiritual and practical cost of staying in debt when God is ready to move you forward.Sign 4: You feel peace when you think about having less and how to tell the difference between the peace of God and the relief of avoidance.Sign 5: God has already shown you the way out, and you have not taken it — the hardest sign of all, and the one that removes every excuse.Scriptures referenced:Proverbs 22:7, Romans 13:8, Philippians 4:7, James 4:17If this episode hit you, the next one covers exactly what to do while you are in the process of getting out, and how to wait on God when the timeline is longer than you expected. Subscribe so you do not miss it.

If you have been waiting on God for longer than a year and are starting to wonder if He has forgotten about you, this episode is for you.Waiting on God is not passive. There are three distinct phases, and most people get stuck in one without realizing it. In this episode, I walk you through all three phases, what each one feels like from the inside, and the one practical move you need to make at each stage.What we cover:Phase 1: The First 90 Days — You prayed, you believed, and the answer has not come. The faith energy is still there, but the doubt is starting to creep in. The prayer that needs to change and why.Phase 2: The Six-Month Wall — The early faith energy is gone. You told people God was going to come through, and now you are embarrassed. This is the most dangerous phase, the one where most people either give up or force the thing they have been waiting on. What to do instead.Phase 3: Year One and Beyond — A year in, there are two roads. Deeper surrender and a different kind of peace, or bitterness and a quiet faith that stopped expecting anything. What it actually looks like to choose the first road and what it produces.I share a specific 18-month season where a deal I had been trusting God over collapsed at the last hour. What that taught me about God's timing, financial patience, and what it means to surrender to a deadline without surrendering belief.If this episode helped you, the next one to listen to is about what to do financially while you are in the waiting room. Subscribe so you do not miss it.

Are you in a season where God just feels quiet? You are praying, you are showing up, and you cannot hear Him. In this episode, I want to talk about what is actually happening in that silence.I share five signs that tell you God is preparing you for something bigger than you can see right now. And I get personal about my own story: 18 months ago, we were two days away from closing on a major property development, and everything collapsed. At the time, it felt like a complete failure. Now I can see exactly what God was doing.What we cover:Sign 1: A closed door is a redirect, not a dead end. God is not taking things from you; He is moving you toward something better.Sign 2: Your character is being tested, not your worthiness. You are worthy. But God wants to see who you are when no one is watching.Sign 3: You are gaining clarity about what you actually want. The silent seasons are where God narrows your focus and reveals your true direction.Sign 4: God is removing the people and things that would have slowed you down. Those relationships that faded, those doors that closed, they were not accidents.Sign 5: The delay is protection, not punishment. God can trust you with little before He trusts you with more. The wait is the preparation.If this episode reached you at the right time, share it with one person walking through a storm right now. That is how we grow this community.Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUdXizFo7cjSMbOEJ698mwwDownload the YouVersion Bible App: https://www.youversion.com

Morning prayer is where most people start. But what if God is waiting for something more from you than a quick prayer before your day gets crazy?In this raw and honest episode, I share exactly how my week went in the middle of my financial storm. The battles. The anxiety. The moments where I went astray. And the two faith practices that are keeping me moving forward 1% every day, even when the storm will not stop.The first is a morning prayer routine built around three specific things. Peace. Purpose. And wisdom. Not a generic prayer. A daily anchor that keeps me focused on what God wants me to do instead of what my anxiety is telling me to do.The second is something I had never heard before. A woman who held weekly staff meetings with God about her finances. Every single week for months. She went over every dollar. Every debt. Every decision. And her entire financial life changed because she finally gave it all to God.I am not going to lie to you. That convicted me. Because I am still fighting God on the financial front. I have not fully surrendered. And this episode is my honest admission of that.In this episode:— Why weathering the storm means getting up 1% better every single day— The morning prayer routine built around peace, purpose, and wisdom— Why is time your most valuable asset, not money— How to stop doomscrolling and replace it with the Bible app— Why putting God first changes every other priority in your life— The weekly staff meeting with God concept and how to start one today— Why surrendering your finances to God is the hardest and most necessary move you will ever makeIf this hit home, share it with someone who is in their storm right now. More tools and resources at trutalk.co

How to surrender to God is the question nobody wants to ask out loud. Because surrendering means admitting you cannot fix it yourself.And that is exactly where I am right now.In this raw and honest episode, I confess something I am not proud of. I am still fighting God on multiple fronts. Still stubborn and bullheaded even while my financial storm keeps going. And the things I try to fix on my own keep getting worse.This one is for the faith-driven entrepreneur who is grinding but spiritually empty. It is for the believer in any kind of storm who keeps asking God why but has not actually surrendered the outcome to Him.In this episode:— Why surrendering to God is the only move that actually changes the storm— The hard questions you need to ask yourself right now— How to build a daily Bible habit that becomes your playbook— What Solomon's story teaches us about money as an idol— Why putting money above God is keeping you stuck— How to build a support system of like-minded believers— The peace that comes even in the middle of the storm when you finally let goIf this hit home, share it with someone in their storm right now. More tools and resources at trutalk.co

Surrendering to God is the hardest thing you will ever do. Especially when the storm keeps coming, and rock bottom keeps finding you.What if that storm was not sent to destroy you? What if God sent it specifically to change you from the inside out?In this raw and honest episode, I share where I am right now. Bouncing off rock bottom more than once. Chasing materialism and keeping up with people who were just as broke as I was. And the moment I finally stopped fighting God and started surrendering everything to Him.This one is for the faith-driven entrepreneur still grinding but spiritually empty. It is for the believer going through any storm who cannot figure out why it will not stop.The answer is inside you. And until you have that raw, open, daily conversation with God, the storm keeps coming.In this episode:— Why surrendering to God changes everything— The real cost of chasing materialism— What rock bottom actually teaches you— The story of Jonah and why it applies to your life right now— How to start having honest daily conversations with God— Why you keep fighting God and how to stopIf this hit home, share it with someone in their storm right now. More tools and resources at trutalk.co

When you hit rock bottom, you don't need a motivational speech. You need someone who's actually there right now telling you the truth.In this episode of the Chasing Happiness Podcast, I get completely raw about the last few days of my life. Financially low, emotionally drained, and spiritually tested, I woke up angry at God. Legs off the bed, feet on the floor, asking "Why? What am I doing wrong?" And then something shifted. God didn't fix it for me. He showed me where the answer already was. This episode is for anyone who's in that place right now and needs to hear that faith isn't just a feeling, it's a decision to keep getting back up.

Why can't I just change this on my own terms? I've asked that question more times than I want to admit.In this episode, Ryan gets honest about something most people in the faith space won't say out loud. Being saved doesn't mean the storm stops. It means you finally start asking better questions. Ryan shares where he's at right now, still in it, still wrestling, and what God keeps nudging him to change from the inside out.If you're in a season where you keep asking God why this is still happening and getting nothing but silence, this episode was made for you.This is a raw conversation about Christian faith in hard times, breaking old patterns, and what it actually looks like to stop fighting the process and start trusting it. Ryan talks about the difference between the why spiral and the what question, and why that one shift might be the only thing that gets you through your storm.What's the why question you keep asking God that you know you need to let go of? Drop it in the comments. No judgment, just honesty.You're not alone, and God is not done with you yet. Stay safe, stay healthy, and keep chasing.

Be still and know that I'm God. That's one of the most quoted verses out there and one of the least understood.This week I'm getting honest about something I've wrestled with for a long time: I don't know how to be still. My still is anxiety. Worrying about what's down the road that probably won't even happen. Asking "why is this happening" instead of asking "what is God trying to get out of me?" The moment I started asking that second question — something shifted.In this episode, I'm talking about what being still actually means in the middle of a real storm. Not a polished answer. Just what I'm living right now, a commercial deal I didn't close on my own, a tribe I'm still building, and the one thing that completely shuts my anxiety down: serving others.If you've ever stood at the bottom of the mountain wondering when it ends, this one is for you.What is your still? Drop it in the comments. No judgment, just honest people figuring it out together.You're not alone, and God is not done with you yet. Stay safe, stay healthy, and keep chasing.Chasing Happiness — Unfiltered faith for hard seasons.

I want to be able to put my head down on the pillow and go to sleep while everything is burning, and right now, I can't.This week, I'm wrestling with something that's been eating at me: why do I keep trying to fix everything myself instead of giving it to God? My friend's wife has this unrelenting faith; she just lets it all go and has no anxiety. Me? I'm stuck in the exhausting loop of fighting a battle I was never meant to win alone. I bounce between peace and panic every few days. I don't have it figured out. I'm just still chasing it.If you're in a season where you know you need to surrender but your hands won't let go, this one is for you.What's the one thing you're still holding onto that you know God wants you to release? Drop it in the comments. No judgment here, just honest people trying to find their way back to trust.You're not alone, and God is not done with you yet. Stay safe, stay healthy, and keep chasing.

Why won't we give each other mercy? When someone is going through a storm, addiction, divorce, or financial collapse, too often we judge instead of showing up. We withhold the very thing they need most.In this episode, we dig into what it really means to meet people where they are. Why did Jesus break bread with the people no one else would? Why your tribe matters more than your beliefs. And why finding the right people, not the loud ones, is what gets you through the storm.If you're in a storm right now, this one's for you. And if you know someone who is, share it with them.

When life falls apart, most of us do the one thing that makes it worse. We pull away from God and try to fix the storm on our own. In this episode of Chasing Happiness, Ryan DeMent shares candidly about why we walk away from God in painful seasons, how God uses those storms to reach our hearts, and the daily habits that help you come back. Honest prayer, daily Scripture, serving others, and finding a small community of people who will show up for you. If you feel distant from God and overwhelmed by everything you are carrying right now, this conversation will help you take your next step back toward Him.

When the storm has lasted so long that quitting feels like the only logical option, it is time to get brutally honest with yourself and with God. In this episode of Chasing Happiness, Ryan DeMent shares unfiltered lessons from his own never-ending financial and business storm. He covers why he refuses to quit, how daily prayer, Scripture, and radical consistency are holding him together, and what he has learned about faith, community, and finding peace in the middle of the pain. If you are exhausted, depleted, and wondering if the fight is still worth it, this conversation will remind you that your pain is not wasted and the other side of your storm is closer than it feels.

How to pray when your life is falling apart, because God doesn't need your perfect words; He needs the real you.Ryan DeMent knows what it's like to be pushed to the edge. A house deal in Indiana is draining him financially, bills are piling up, and he has no clear answers, but he still chooses to lean into God instead of giving up. In this episode of the Chasing Happiness Podcast, Ryan gets raw about what honest prayer actually looks like: messy, tearful, angry, and exactly where God wants to meet you.If you've ever felt like your prayers weren't "good enough," this episode is for you.⛪ This Easter Sunday, take the first step. Purpose Church, West Valley, Arizona: https://purposearizona.com/

Are you in the middle of a storm right now — wondering if God even cares? In this episode of Chasing Happiness, I share what hit me like a ton of bricks on a prayer walk: I realized I didn't have enough faith to believe God would give me peace WHILE I'm in the storm. This is raw. This is real. And it just might change the way you see your struggle.🎙️ In this episode you'll learn:✅ Why God allows storms — and what they're really meant to do✅ The difference between asking God to END your storm vs. give you PEACE in it✅ How to trust God's timing when you're frustrated and exhausted✅ Simple daily steps to build faith even when it feels impossible✅ Quick anxiety resets you can use anywhere, anytime💬 Key Quote:"That storm God brought you wasn't meant to break you. It was meant to shape you."👉 Subscribe for weekly conversations about faith, mental health, and what it really means to heal — no surface-level advice, just honest conversations.

Why Your Storm Gets Worse When You Don't Change This — and what God is actually doing in the middle of your hardest season.This episode of the Chasing Happiness Podcast is one I needed to record for myself as much as for you. I'm in a storm right now. Financially. In business. In real estate development. And it's been going on longer than I ever planned. Bills aren't getting paid. Revenue dried up. And I had to sit with a hard truth:The storm isn't here to ruin me. It's here to change me.I spent years chasing the Joneses — and here's the thing nobody talks about: the Joneses are one paycheck away from bankruptcy. I was addicted to instant gratification, status, and a lifestyle built on debt. And God, in His patience, used a storm to strip all of it away — because something on the inside had to change first.In this episode, I open up about:✅ Why your storm will intensify if you're not doing the internal work✅ The difference between asking "why me" vs. "what needs to change."✅ How instant gratification kept me stuck — and what it takes to break free✅ Why prayer is a sign of STRENGTH, not weakness✅ Using scripture to fight anxiety and stay present in the middle of the chaos✅ How a simple life — zero debt, financial discipline — is the real goal💬 "The storm wasn't here to ruin you. The storm is here to change you. Now you've gotta figure out what the change is."If you're in a storm right now and it doesn't feel like it's letting up — this episode is for you. God is not absent. He's working. And the question isn't why. It's what?👉 Subscribe for honest conversations about faith, mental health, and what it truly means to heal:https://www.youtube.com/@ChasingHappinessPodcast

Trusting God in hard times — what do you do when the storm won't stop and you've been asking "why" with no answer?This is the rawest episode of the Chasing Happiness Podcast I've ever recorded. I'm in a storm right now — it's financial, it's business-related, it's real estate development — and it's been going on for longer than I ever expected. Bills stacking up. Revenue gone. And I broke down on a walk the other day.But here's what I've learned after 52 years: the question isn't "why me." The question is "what needs to change?" And that one shift changed everything.In this episode, I'm opening up about what God is actually doing in my storm, why I believe Deuteronomy 8 is the playbook, and why I'm not giving up — even when it would be easier to.💡 "I don't know what I'm gonna do with myself when I don't have this storm on my plate. I'll feel like I'm missing out on life." — That's how deep this goes. And that's exactly why God's still working.If you're stuck in a storm that won't quit — you need to hear this. You're not alone. And you're not done.👉 Subscribe for honest conversations about faith, mental health, and what it really means to heal: https://www.youtube.com/@ChasingHappinessPodcast#TrustingGodInHardTimes #WhenGodIsSilent #FaithAndFinances #ChristianMotivation #NeverGiveUp #WaitingOnGod #ChasingHappinessPodcast #HardTimes #Faith #Hope #Overcome #ChristianEncouragement #RyanDeMent #Deuteronomy8

Faith isn't comfort. Being faithful to God was never meant to be comfortable — and that's actually good news.In this episode of Chasing Happiness Podcast, I'm breaking down why the storms of life aren't punishment — they're purpose. God never promised an easy life. He promised He'd be there through it. So why do we keep chasing comfort instead of growth?We're talking about:🔥 Why faith in today's society is harder than ever🔥 The "worst-case scenario" of trusting God in the storm (spoiler: it's peace)🔥 How to find your real purpose — hint: it's NOT your job🔥 Daily practices that actually quiet anxiety (prayer walks, scripture, small groups)🔥 Why you have to get connected to yourself before you can connect to GodIf you're going through a season of struggle, this episode is your reminder: the storm isn't the end. It's the beginning of something God has been preparing you for.📖 Key Scripture: Deuteronomy 8🎧 New episodes every week on Chasing Happiness Podcast — where faith meets mental health.

When you’re in a long storm and your prayers seem to hit the ceiling, it’s easy to assume God has abandoned you. In this episode of Chasing Happiness, Ryan DeMent unpacks three reasons God may feel silent shaping you from the inside out, nudging you toward needed change, and drawing you closer to His presence and shares how daily time with God, simplifying life, and finding a small circle of trusted people have helped him fight anxiety and find peace even when nothing on the outside has changed yet. If you’re exhausted, impatient, or frustrated with God’s timing, this conversation will help you shift from “Why me?” to “What are You doing in me?” and walk through your storm differently.

In this episode of Chasing Happiness, host Ryan DeMent invites listeners to look beyond the question of why and start asking what’s my purpose? If you’ve ever felt stuck, anxious, or disconnected from your faith, this conversation will help you realign with God’s plan for your life.Together, we explore how to:Draw closer to God during difficult seasonsDiscover purpose through serving othersReplace anxiety with faith and peaceBuild meaningful friendships rooted in faithTune in and get inspired to live with purpose, peace, and trust in God’s timing.

When your back is against the wall, and you’re out of options, it’s easy to assume God is late, but His timing is never off. In this episode of Chasing Happiness, Ryan DeMent shares a raw look at ongoing financial storms, anxiety, and exhaustion, and how daily time with God and passages like Deuteronomy 8 have reminded him that God provides in the wilderness, blesses in abundance, and calls us to serve others instead of chasing the Joneses. If you’re in a storm, financial, health, or work-related, this conversation will help you breathe, pray, and trust that God is still guiding you toward peace, purpose, and provision.

In this episode of Chasing Happiness, host Ryan DeMent invites listeners to look beyond the question of why and start asking what’s my purpose? If you’ve ever felt stuck, anxious, or disconnected from your faith, this conversation will help you realign with God’s plan for your life.Together, we explore how to:Draw closer to God during difficult seasonsDiscover purpose through serving othersReplace anxiety with faith and peaceBuild meaningful friendships rooted in faithTune in and get inspired to live with purpose, peace, and trust in God’s timing.

When life won’t let up and everything feels like one long storm, it’s easy to assume God has abandoned you—but what if He’s actually protecting you? In this episode of Chasing Happiness, Ryan DeMent shares a raw financial struggle with a rental property and how it revealed God’s protection, not punishment, along with practical ways to find peace in the storm through Scripture, prayer, journaling, and trusting God one step at a time.

When life falls apart and you’re asking, “God, why is this happening?”, this episode helps you find clarity in the chaos by uncovering your God-given purpose, even in the middle of the storm. Drawing from real struggles with anxiety, burnout, and loneliness, Ryan DeMent shares how drawing closer to God, serving others with your gifts, and building a Christ-centered community can transform your funk into purpose-filled peace. If you’re an anxious Christian craving direction, deeper faith, and friends you can truly count on, this conversation will help you take the next honest step with God.

For followers of Jesus who feel overwhelmed by money stress, business pressure, or constant setbacks, this episode explores how faith and persistence can turn “why me?” into a deeper sense of purpose and peace. Ryan shares honest stories about financial struggle, daily Bible reading with YouVersion and The Bible Recap, serving others, and leaning on small-group community so you can let God use your storms to reshape your heart, clarify your calling, and remind you that you’re not alone.

This episode is for followers of Jesus who feel their New Year's resolution fading on Quitter’s Day and want to reclaim their faith, consistency, and daily habits with God. Ryan shares honest stories about anxiety, a draining development project, and unexpected provision, along with practical rhythms like fasting, simple workouts, daily Bible reading, journaling, and reflecting on Deuteronomy 8, so you can stop quitting on yourself, trust God’s timing, and keep showing up one day at a time.

Christian entrepreneurs and real estate‑minded listeners wrestling with purpose in 2026 will learn how to stop letting a job or W‑2 define them and instead seek God’s calling. Ryan shares his own struggles with business storms, money anxiety, and chasing status, along with how church community, small groups, prayer, and serving others are helping him discern God’s purpose and find a more fulfilling path forward.

Feeling anxious, overwhelmed, and stuck in a financial storm that never seems to end? In this episode of Chasing Happiness, Ryan shares openly about his own money struggles, the stress of putting every extra dollar into the business, and what it’s like to feel late on bills and alone in the fight.​He talks about chasing the Joneses, buying things on credit, and the realization that “stuff” never brings lasting happiness—then contrasts that with the peace that comes from faith, gratitude, and remembering what God has already provided: health, family, a roof, food, and the gift of Jesus at Christmas.​You’ll hear how daily time in the Bible, learning what true peace really is, and trusting that God is in the boat during the storm (not promising an easy life, but promising His presence) has changed how he handles anxiety, pressure, and uncertainty.​If you’re in a storm—financial, relational, or health-related—this episode is for you. Hit follow, leave a rating or review, and share this with someone who needs a reminder that they’re not alone in what they’re walking through.​

When God feels silent, it can seem like your prayers are bouncing off the ceiling and your storm will never end. In this episode of Chasing Happiness, Ryan talks openly about seasons when God goes quiet and what that silence might actually mean for your heart, your habits, and your relationship with money and stuff.​​He shares:Why storms are often meant to change you from the inside out, not just change your circumstances.How impatience, anxiety, and chasing promotions, toys, and credit cards can keep you stuck.The journey from keeping up with the Joneses to wanting zero debt, a strong cash cushion, and a generous life.Practical ways to walk through a “quiet” season with God: Scripture, journaling, walking, tithing, and choosing to trust His timing over your own.​​If you’re in a storm, feel like God has gone silent, or are trying to let go of old patterns with money and identity, this conversation is for you.If this episode spoke to you, please follow the show, leave a rating or review, and share it with someone else who’s in a quiet season with God. Your share might be exactly what they need today.

Feeling like everything is collapsing—finances, business, family, even your faith? This episode explores what it’s like to be under spiritual attack and how daily time with God, prayer, and Bible reading can move you from anxiety and overwhelm to real peace in the middle of the storm. Hear honest struggles with money pressure and doubt, plus simple faith rhythms that keep you grounded when nothing seems to be working.

Does faith equal trust? After 51 years, I finally understand—and it changes everything about how I handle life's storms.If you're in a waiting period right now, this episode will help you stop going crazy while God is working in your life.🎧 IN THIS EPISODE:✓ Why we trust strangers (Uber drivers, pilots) but struggle to trust God✓ The 3 critical elements of faith most people miss: Touch, Feel, Vision✓ How daily Bible reading eliminates anxiety and starts my day right✓ What peace actually means (not the absence of problems)✓ Why peace feels like a superpower during financial storms✓ The real reason God sends storms: shaping you from the inside out✓ Understanding God's plan vs. your backup Plan B, C, D✓ What I've learned after months of waiting in business struggles✓ How your storm story can help someone else avoid the same pain---💭 KEY QUOTES:"We trust an Uber driver to get us from point A to point B, but none of us can see God, and we lack faith. Why? Because we can't touch it, feel it, or control it.""A storm is sent because God is trying to correct you, not punish you. He's trying to redirect you and improve you from the inside out.""God's timing is perfect. He knows better than we do. All the mistakes we're making because we wanted Plan B or Plan C—He knew that already.""When you have peace, criticism is like water off your back. You're just moving on. It's not worth it."---🙏 THE 3 ELEMENTS OF FAITH:**TOUCH:** Daily conversations with God, not just talking but listening in quiet time**FEEL:** Inner peace that protects your mind and family, even in the storm**VISION:** Seeing God's bigger plan beyond your current circumstances---⚠️ PERSONAL CONFESSION:"I've been in a pretty long waiting period on the business side. It's starting to conclude, but it's still there. I know how waiting feels. But in that time, I'm learning to draw closer to God."---📖 DAILY PRACTICE THAT TRANSFORMED MY ANXIETY:"If I do not start out reading the Bible in the morning, my anxiety goes off the charts. It's just not worth it."---💡 FOR THOSE WAITING IN THE STORM:You're not being punished—you're being prepared. One door closes, God opens a window. Keep your face in the Good Book. Stay in quiet time. Trust the process. Your story will help someone else.---Whether you're facing financial pressure, health challenges, or just feeling stuck in the waiting, this episode reminds you that God's timing is perfect—even when it doesn't feel like it.---💬 What storm are you trusting God through right now? I'd love to hear your story.---⭐ If this encouraged you, rate 5 stars and share with someone who needs to hear this today.#ChasingHappinessPodcast #Faith #Trust #GodsTiming #LifeStorms #ChristianPodcast #Peace #Purpose #Waiting #FaithJourney #SpiritualGrowth

You're in a storm. It's Thanksgiving week. And you're asking yourself: "What am I supposed to be thankful for?"In this deeply personal Thanksgiving episode, I share three daily practices that eliminate anxiety, the brutal truth about chasing material things, and why your current storm might be exactly what you need to become who you're meant to be.🎧 IN THIS EPISODE:✓ Why being alive today is the first blessing to acknowledge✓ The scripture-based practice that eliminates anxiety about bills and the future✓ Why "the Joneses" are broke—and why you need to stop comparing yourself✓ How a business insurance challenge costing tens of thousands refocused my life✓ Why God's timing is always perfect (even when life feels overwhelming)✓ What 51 years taught me about money, happiness, and self-worth✓ Why your life is about serving others, not accumulating possessions✓ How to be thankful FOR the storm, not just through it---🙏 THE 3 DAILY PRACTICES:1. Wake up every morning and thank God for another day2. Read scripture daily to start your day (it eliminates anxiety)3. Be grateful for the blessings you already have---💭 POWERFUL QUOTES FROM THIS EPISODE:"God doesn't have a plan A, B, and C for you. The only reason why things change is because you screwed it up or I screwed it up. God's will and direction is his will and direction, and that's why his timing is always perfect.""Your storm is gonna be the best story and the best comeback that you get to share with others going through that same period in their life.""Money doesn't solve your happiness. It solves problems, but it doesn't solve your happiness. What solves our happiness is giving to others, being at service to others.""It has taken me 51 years to realize that it's not about me. It's about serving others and taking care of others that need help."---🎯 WHAT I'M THANKFUL FOR:• Roof over my head• Food on the table• Clothes on my back• Bills paid• Money in the bank account• Family that's well, safe, and healthy• Everything else is icing on the cake---Whether you're facing financial pressure, personal battles, or feeling lost this holiday season, this episode reminds you that your situation changes when you start listening to God and fix what's on the inside.---💬 What's ONE thing you're thankful for this Thanksgiving? Share your story—I'd love to hear from you.---⭐ If this episode encouraged you, please rate 5 stars and share with someone battling their own storm today.---#ChasingHappinessPodcast #Thanksgiving #Gratitude #Faith #ChristianPodcast #DailyPractices #Purpose #ServingOthers #GodsTiming #LifeStorms #AnxietyRelief #FindingHappiness

Feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or lost in life’s storms? This episode dives deep into how faith—not religion—can ground your mindset, help you overcome financial, emotional, and spiritual challenges, and truly transform your journey. Learn actionable steps to reset and find purpose when life gets tough. Follow for more weekly real-life wisdom and motivation!

Struggling through a storm—financial, spiritual, or personal? Discover how faith, mindset, and action can turn hardship into purpose. Listen for real-life stories, breakthroughs, and practical steps to move forward. Don’t forget to follow and share if this episode inspires you!

Is your world too noisy to focus? Ryan reveals the habits, routines, and faith practices that help him and thousands of others find calm and clarity. From honest talk about anxiety and entrepreneurship to Bible-based habit stacking, learn how tuning out distractions leads to a happier, more productive life.Listen for:The morning routine that silences chaosWhy small, positive habits create big resultsHow faith and action work together to beat anxietySteps anyone can take to create real peace starting today🔥Follow, rate, and share your journey with us!🔥

You don’t need more time or money, you need purpose.In this week’s Chasing Happiness, I talk about how to stop chasing what doesn’t matter and start using your time and gifts the way God intended. I share my own lessons about managing time, trusting God with money, and finding peace in serving others.If you’re tired of feeling stuck or directionless, this episode will help you slow down, reset, and rediscover what truly matters.

Life can feel like a rollercoaster of ups and downs. One day you’re on top, the next you’re wondering where your purpose went.In this week’s Chasing Happiness, I share my personal faith journey through storms, anxiety, and finances. We talk about why the hard seasons in life are meant to shape you, not break you, and how daily faith habits can help you find peace again.If you’re tired of chasing success and ready to live with purpose, this episode is for you.

Do you feel like you’ve lost your sense of direction or purpose? You’re not alone.In this week’s Chasing Happiness, I share my personal story of struggling to find peace while searching for meaning. We discuss building daily quiet time, breaking free from anxiety, and rediscovering your calling through faith and service to others.If you’re tired of chasing success and ready to find peace again, this episode is for you.

Everyone is talking, but no one is really listening. We are more connected online and more disconnected in real life.In this episode of Chasing Happiness, I share how faith can help us find peace and rebuild connection in a noisy world. We discuss letting go of pride, choosing grace, and learning to listen with your heart once again.If you are craving calm and clarity amidst the chaos, this episode is for you.

Faith, Patience & Persistence to Finally ChangeWhy does life feel stuck? Why do storms drag on? In this episode, I share the hard-learned lessons about waiting, persistence, and trusting God when everything within me wants quick fixes.We talk about the truth: real change won’t come until you shift from chasing instant gratification to building patience, persistence, and daily faith.If you’ve been praying for change but nothing seems to be happening, this episode will help you understand why waiting matters and how God shapes us from the inside out.