Rising From The Ashes

What if the thing keeping you from the life God has for you isn’t failure… but perfection?In this heartfelt episode of Rising From the Ashes, Amy Grace sits down with writer and creative, Tori Konuszewski, to talk about her powerful Substack post that begins with a line that stops you in your tracks: “When perfection becomes a prison.”Together, they unpack what happens when we chase flawless faith, perfect motherhood, and picture-perfect lives — and how God gently invites us into something better: real.Tori shares the story and the heart behind her words:“God wants more than perfect for you. He wants real. He wants the real you — the ‘I don’t know what I’m doing,’ coffee-fueled, overstimulated, underappreciated you.”Through the lens of grace, the wisdom of The Velveteen Rabbit, and the truth of the Gospel, Amy Grace and Tori explore how letting go of perfection can become an act of deep spiritual freedom.This conversation is for the woman who’s tired of performing and ready to be seen, known, and loved — just as she is.In this episode:How perfectionism keeps us stuck and strivingWhy “being real” is one of the holiest things we can doThe role of faith and grace in embracing imperfectionWhat freedom looks like when we stop chasing approvalListen in and exhale. This is your permission slip to stop performing and start becoming — the real, radiant you God designed from the beginning.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ski.family.farm/ Substack: https://substack.com/inbox/post/176439677?r=6p0y9n&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&fbclid=IwY2xjawN3jFpleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEePgd5RrXceSaTaSYR7nPCVlFWE31vo69R94gVl0EEHzCQTVNjj2Dvk6M-IeM_aem_hY5F9BVQ8_AijUJx_dHuuw&triedRedirect=trueSend a textTo follow along:Instagram: @amygraceclark Website: www.amygraceclark.com

In this episode of Rising From the Ashes, I’m joined by interior designer Grace Porter — the creative heart behind @graceporter_designs and www.graceporterdesigns.com.Grace has a gift for creating spaces that are both timeless and deeply restorative — homes that breathe peace, balance, and intention into everyday life. Together, we talk about how our home environments shape our energy, why timeless design never goes out of style, and the simple changes that can turn your home into a true sanctuary for your soul. In this conversation, you’ll hear:How design impacts your stress, focus, and wellbeingThe heart behind Grace’s timeless design philosophySimple ways to create calm and flow in your homeWhy peace should be the foundation of every spaceIf you’ve ever felt that your home should do more than just look beautiful — that it should feel beautiful, too — this episode will inspire you to see your space with fresh eyes.Connect with Grace Porter: Instagram → @graceporter_designs Website → www.graceporterdesigns.comSend a textTo follow along:Instagram: @amygraceclark Website: www.amygraceclark.com

In this episode of Rising From the Ashes, Amy Grace dives into one of the most powerful stories of courage and divine purpose in Scripture — the story of Esther.From orphan to queen, Esther’s journey reminds us that God is always at work behind the scenes, even when He seems silent. Through faith and bravery, she risked everything to save her people — and in doing so, revealed the heart of God’s redemptive plan.Amy Grace unpacks three “sticky note” truths inspired by Esther’s story:• Take the risk — God’s grace meets us in the unknown.• Trust the timing — you were created for such a time as this.• Break the silence — your story could be the key to someone else’s healing.This conversation will encourage you to see God’s hand in your own story — in every heartbreak, every risk, and every moment that feels uncertain. Because even in the silence, He’s moving.Tune in and be reminded: your story matters, your courage matters, and you are right where you’re meant to be.Send a textTo follow along:Instagram: @amygraceclark Website: www.amygraceclark.com

What does it really look like to hand your business over to God? In today’s episode, I’m sitting down with Hannah Rita—the heart and lens behind Hannah Rita Photography and The Elevated Elopement Experience. Hannah isn’t just capturing wedding days; she’s creating intentional, God-centered experiences that reflect each couple’s unique love story.But behind her breathtaking work is an even more powerful story: choosing to make God the CEO of her business. Hannah shares how surrendering control has transformed not only the way she serves her clients but also how she defines success, handles challenges, and dreams for the future.In this conversation, Hannah shares:➡️ The moment she handed her business over to God.➡️ What “God as CEO” looks like day-to-day.➡️ How faith shapes the way she serves her clients.➡️ Encouragement for Christian creatives learning to let go of control.Friend, if you’ve ever felt the pressure to do it all on your own—this episode will breathe fresh hope into your journey.Follow Hannah on Instagram @mrshannahrita & @elevated.elopement.experienceSend a textTo follow along:Instagram: @amygraceclark Website: www.amygraceclark.com

From panic attacks to powerhouse CEO, Maggie Eterno’s story isn’t about perfection—it’s about healing, authenticity, and leading from within. In this raw and honest conversation, she shares how counseling, motherhood, and messy growth shaped the way she leads her business and her life—layer by layer. Connect with Maggie on Instagram: @maggieeternoIf this conversation encouraged you, share it with a friend who needs to hear it, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode!Send a textTo follow along:Instagram: @amygraceclark Website: www.amygraceclark.com

Legacy isn’t just what we leave behind — it’s how we live today. In this episode, Amy Grace shares how God turns our broken pieces into a beautiful testimony, and how surrender — not perfection — builds a lasting legacy of faith and hope.Send a textTo follow along:Instagram: @amygraceclark Website: www.amygraceclark.com

Sometimes we don’t get the storybook ending we hoped for.  Sometimes we’re reminded of the harsh reality of living in a broken world. Sometimes our deepest fears come true. Sometimes we’re left with unanswered questions and words unspoken. Sometimes we’re left with broken hearts that long for healing. And yet, despite all of that reality, we can know with certainty that God is still writing the story of our lives. He will never leave us, never forsake us. He knows all, and despite our inability to understand the plan, we can trust all that we don’t know and don’t understand to the One who knows all. He will come close and carry our heavy soul and broken heart.Listen in as Amy Grace pulls back the curtain on her long hiatus from the podcast world and invites you into a season where recovery, redemption, and becoming have taken on deeper meaning in an unfolding story.Send a textTo follow along:Instagram: @amygraceclark Website: www.amygraceclark.com

Join in on today’s episode about the power of our identity. Jenn is a wife, mama of 4, life coach, and entrepreneur. She has a masters degree in psychology and counseling and has spent 15+ years in personal development and 5 years in the mindset space. Her mission is to empower women like me and you to know our true worth, break free from the lies we've told ourselves, and help us link the connections between our thinking and our outcomes in life. In this episode, we discuss the possibility of transforming our identity and the impact our identity has on our legacy. We dive into core beliefs, mindset, and how God can be more than just a Bible verse in this transformative journey. Jenn shares insights from her own story and tangible action steps that we can implement to grow our identity and live into our full potential. www.jennboughey.comInstagram: @jennboughey Podcast Episode with Life With Loverly featuring Jenn Boughey: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/life-with-loverly-with-brittany-sjogren/id1585706259?i=1000627580625Send a textTo follow along:Instagram: @amygraceclark Website: www.amygraceclark.com

In this episode, you won’t find a to do list or a to eat list or a to supplement with list. As someone who has struggled with disordered eating, I wanted to take you a little deeper than a list of rules to follow. Alexa is a health coach, entrepreneur, and almost board certified nutritionist. Alexa’s background in psychology and her expertise in nutrition equip her with the tools to not only educate on nutrition but also the why behind it all. Understanding the why and the psychology behind your nutrition habits can plan a key factor in the success of your nutrition goals. Discover how comparison, diet culture and a one size fits all beauty standard can keep you trapped a vicious cycle of yo yo dieting and chronically feeling stressed out by nutrition. After working with Alexa over the past year I knew I wanted her to share some of the highlights we have discussed in my own personal health journey. Simplify your approach and come back to the basics focusing on whole foods, balanced macros, hydration, and reducing stress whether inside or outside the body. Alexa's Instagram @vitalitybyalexaContact: [email protected] a textTo follow along:Instagram: @amygraceclark Website: www.amygraceclark.com

This might just be the episode you've been waiting for. In this episode we have a vulnerable conversation about addiction. It’s a conversation that could possibly feel a little uncomfortable, but one that I hope brings light to a very dark problem. Addiction. It steals so much from us. It steals depth and meaning and life and love. But the one thing addiction will never be able to steal is the truth - the truth of who God is, the truth of what God is able to do in a surrendered heart, and the truth of who God says you and I are when we invite Him into our lives. Behavioral addictions may not be something that show up on a drug screen, but they will show up in relationships, in finances, in mental health; and they will affect every single area of life. A quick review of statistics from Covenant Eyes reveals just how widespread and deadly an addiction to pornography and/or sex is, and just how quickly those statistics are growing. In this episode, you’ll hear Justin talk about his mindset shift and three actionable choices he integrates into his daily life to live in recovery. You’ll also hear him discuss the 24-hour rule and the way it has changed the way we approach life. After listening to this episode, I hope you realize that no matter how incredibly low you feel, God can still step in and redeem your story.  I never want you to feel so alone or so broken that you feel like you can’t ask for help. There is hope for your story, and I hope you surrender it all to God and lean into writing this next chapter with Him. Covenant Eyes Statics: https://www.covenanteyes.com/pornstats/Ever Accountable: https://everaccountable.com/?linkId=lp_996873&sourceId=justinclark&tenantId=everaccountableThe Power Of One Morehttps://www.amazon.com/Power-One-More-Ed-Mylett/dp/1119815363Send a textTo follow along:Instagram: @amygraceclark Website: www.amygraceclark.com

Anna tells the powerful story of how her daughter’s health diagnosis stretched her, deepened her faith, and gave her an appreciation for the things that really matter in life. Anna shares how she no longer sees her own preconceived notions regarding faith and motherhood, but now sees her beautiful daughter intricately designed by God and all the ways He has been faithful in their journey. Despite the difficult moments, she will tell you that it has been both hard and beautiful. Whether you are walking through a difficult season related to your child’s health, or perhaps a completely different kind of hard, Anna challenges you to lean in, pray bold prayers, and don’t give up. To learn more about Anna and her daughter’s health journey, go follow along in Instagram at @anna.richtSend a textTo follow along:Instagram: @amygraceclark Website: www.amygraceclark.com

This episode is with elopement photographer Hannah Rita, she takes us behind the scenes to discover the labor of love and magic of designing an unforgettable elopement experience. Hannah has been capturing timeless moments since 2016 and is passionately dedicated to her mission of telling YOUR story. She first photographed our family in 2018 and in this episode she gives you a glimpse into the emotion of that session. We talk about mom life, intention, mine and Justin’s vow renewal, and what it takes to actually create such a magical experience. Listen in on the conversation! Want to learn more about Hannah Rita?Instagram: @elevated.elopement.experience and @mrshannahritaWebsite: www.theelevatedelopementexperience.comSend a textTo follow along:Instagram: @amygraceclark Website: www.amygraceclark.com

Looking back it’s wild to see how far God has carried us, because none of this should be what it is today. We were literally walking out the process of divorce. We knew in our human minds it was over, BUT God had a different plan that we never saw coming. Day by day, God was chiseling away at our hearts and ultimately brought us to this place of togetherness. I couldn’t see it then like I see it now. And, honestly if you had told me in March of 2018 where we would be by December of 2018, I would not have believed you. Not a single word. But on this side of that season, I know now that day by day your whole world can change just by saying - God, what do I do today, just today?Send a textTo follow along:Instagram: @amygraceclark Website: www.amygraceclark.com

This episode is all about discovering the freedom of giving up one definition of success and what you thought life would look like, and stepping out into the unknown of creating a new definition of success for a deeper sense of life and connection. Liz found herself working her dream job but chose to leave her traditional career path and eventually pursue entrepreneurship. She is now redefining what success looks like and feels like for herself and her family all while helping others reach their own personal business goals.Her advice to you - take a leap of faith and get over the fear of what others think. Instagram: @repurposed_photography and @ontrendcreativestudio Send a textTo follow along:Instagram: @amygraceclark Website: www.amygraceclark.com

“Like a fine gold chain that’s gotten tangled, you may have some things to untangle, but they don’t diminish your value. You’re still pure gold, tangled or not.” I love the relationship I see with this concept and the verse Job 23:10 where it says, “But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold.” I know it’s easy to look at our own stories and diminish the value of them, maybe even diminish the realness of them. We look around us and maybe we see harder stories and discredit our own, or maybe we see beautiful stories and feel ashamed, so we try to hide our stories. But whatever your story is, it’s your story. No one else will have a story just like you, and I believe there is gold to be found in your story and in your life. So maybe it’s time for you and I to stop comparing our stories and start uncovering the gold God has put into our stories. Maybe it’s time to stop hiding our stories and start telling about God’s grace and His goodness. Send a textTo follow along:Instagram: @amygraceclark Website: www.amygraceclark.com

There is a deep and burning desire in my bones to tell you the story of a girl whose heart broke young, who carried secrets that would eventually break her, who lost everything, but ultimately found God. She now wants you to know that you don’t have to do life alone. And your worst circumstance will shape you, but it doesn’t have to define you. She wants you to know that you can pick up all of the broken pieces that don’t make sense, you can give them to God, and He will create a beautiful masterpiece you’ve never before imagined. It is my hope that you’ll watch your life unfold in awe and wonder and one day you’ll look back and see how all the pieces link to each other. And no matter how painful some pieces still are to look at, in the whole of the picture, you can see the goodness and faithfulness of God. I hope you come to see how you were becoming and how all along He was pursuing your heart. Send a textTo follow along:Instagram: @amygraceclark Website: www.amygraceclark.com