Episode 22: What Allie's Faith Journey is Teaching Me - a follow up to our conversation

When someone you love starts to question their faith, it can stir up deep emotion—sadness, confusion, fear, and sometimes even guilt. In this tender follow-up to her heartfelt conversation with her daughter, Allie, Brooke Oniki shares what she’s learning about faith, love, and agency as a mother walking that road with grace.

Brooke opens up about the real, human process of holding two truths at once: feeling sadness when things look different than she expected, while also feeling peace and hope in God’s timing. Through scripture, reflection, and personal experience, she shares how she’s learning to model her heart after the Father in the parable of the prodigal son—honoring agency, keeping her heart soft, and trusting that love always leads the way.

You’ll hear:

• The difference between clean pain and dirty pain—and why understanding both brings healing
• What it looks like to love your child without trying to control their spiritual path
• How to keep “the waters warm” and the bridge intact when connection feels uncertain
• Insights from the parable of the prodigal son and how it models divine, unconditional love
• Why agency isn’t a problem to fix—it’s a sacred part of God’s plan

Brooke reminds us that while we can’t choose our children’s paths, we can always choose the state of our own hearts. Loving like the Father means staying soft, open, and ready to run toward connection whenever it comes.

Reflection Prompts:

• What emotions come up for me when my loved one’s faith looks different from mine?
• How can I honor their agency while still staying connected?
• Am I holding space for love—or clinging to fear and control?

✨ Free Workshop for Parents of Adult Children:

Join Brooke for her free class: Bridges, Not Walls: Building Stronger Bonds with Your Adult Children.

Learn how to communicate with more peace, reduce tension, and stay close even when you don’t always agree.

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✨ Bonus for Listeners:

Brooke also recorded two private podcast episodes just for women in midlife:

• Menopause Explained with Nurse Practitioner Gretchen Fors
• Enjoying Sex in Midlife with Certified Sex Coach Julie Merrill

Get access here → Get the Bonus Episodes

✨ Want help navigating faith and family transitions?

Schedule a free one-on-one coaching session with Brooke here: Book Your Call