I’m absolutely thrilled to share our Fall 2025 Conference Edition with you—and I truly believe this might be our most transformative issue yet. “From Panic to Peace: Ancient Remedies for Modern Stress” speaks directly to where so many of us find ourselves in today’s chaotic world.
In a world where anxiety seems to be the default setting and peace feels like a luxury we can’t afford, we’re reaching back to the timeless truths that have sustained believers for centuries. Because here’s what I’ve learned through my own journey: the remedies for our modern stress aren’t found in the latest self-help trend—they’re found in the ancient wisdom of Scripture and the testimonies of faithful women who’ve walked hard roads before us.
📋 What’s Inside This Issue
Cover Feature
- Living on After Him: From Grief to Greater Purpose – Dr. Sharon Norris Elliott
Dr. Elliott’s vulnerable journey through widowhood and discovering God’s greater purpose through loss
Author Spotlight
- From the Publisher & Editor – Linda Evans Shepherd & Amber Weigand-Buckley
Finding light in a world hungry for Jesus and learning to surrender instead of suppress - 3 Ways to Refocus on God’s Peace – Grace Fox
Practical wisdom for when fear threatens to overwhelm your heart - When Your Plans Go Up in Smoke – Linda Evans Shepherd
A hilarious true story of finding God’s purpose when everything goes wrong (including her plane!) - Abigail Adams: Stress Throughout History – Cynthia L. Simmons
Ancient remedies for modern chaos from one of America’s founding mothers - Parenting… Again?!! When You’re Trying to Hold It Together—And Drowning at the Same Time – Stacy Sanchez
Hope and help for grandparents raising grandchildren
Practical Wisdom
- The Power of the Written Word: Pages of Faith – Lee Ann Mancini
Building spiritual foundations through reading and storytelling - Snapshots of the Savior – Pam Farrel
Scripture-based strategies for finding hope in difficult seasons - Leading During Conflict: A Guide to Taking Off the Gloves – Sheri Schofield
Biblical strategies for leading with grace when tensions run high - The Storyteller’s Calling: 5 Principles to Make the Lessons We Teach Stick – Terrie Hellard-Brown
Crafting messages that transform hearts and minds for the Kingdom - Beyond the Thank You Card: What Teachers Really Need – Gretchen Huesmann
Meaningful ways to support the educators shaping our children’s lives
🌹 Stories That Will Move Your Heart
Our Cover Story Will Leave You Breathless
Dr. Sharon Norris Elliott’s cover feature, “Living on After Him: From Grief to Greater Purpose,” is one of the most vulnerable and powerful pieces we’ve ever published. Sharon takes us on her raw journey of losing her beloved husband James to cancer, and how she discovered that grief doesn’t have to be a permanent residence—it can be a season that leads to greater purpose.
Her words will stay with you: “Grief is supposed to be a season, not a permanent residence.” This isn’t just a story of survival—it’s a testament to how God can transform our deepest pain into our greatest calling.
When Life Gets Hilariously Chaotic
You absolutely MUST read Linda Evans Shepherd’s “When Your Plans Go Up in Smoke (Along with Your Plane).” Yes, you read that correctly—Linda’s plane literally caught fire mid-flight! But that’s just the beginning of a story that will have you laughing, crying, and marveling at God’s redemptive purposes in our most chaotic moments.
Her takeaway will change how you view life’s unexpected detours: “Sometimes, the worst days are sneakily wrapped beginnings.”
Ancient Wisdom for Modern Overwhelm
Grace Fox brings us back to basics in “3 Ways to Refocus on God’s Peace” with immediate, practical tools for when fear threatens to overwhelm. Drawing from her own experiences with childhood trauma and family health crises, Grace shows us how focusing on God’s Hebrew names can transform our perspective and fill us with peace that truly passes understanding.
💪 For Every Woman Facing Life’s Challenges
Leading Through the Storm
Sheri Schofield’s “Leading During Conflict: A Guide to Taking Off the Gloves” offers biblical strategies for anyone navigating difficult conversations and tense situations. Whether you’re leading in ministry, work, or family situations, Sheri’s hard-won wisdom will equip you to lead with both grace and strength.
When You’re Parenting Again
Stacy Sanchez opens her heart in “Parenting… Again?!! When You’re Trying to Hold It Together—And Drowning at the Same Time.” Her honest account of becoming a primary caregiver to her grandson offers hope to the 2.7 million grandparents across America who are raising their grandchildren. Her message is clear: you’re not failing when you can’t handle everything alone.
Making Your Messages Stick
For all our storytellers and teachers, Terrie Hellard-Brown’s “The Storyteller’s Calling: 5 Principles to Make the Lessons We Teach Stick” provides invaluable guidance on crafting messages that don’t just inform, but transform. Whether you’re writing, speaking, or teaching, these principles will help your words make an eternal impact.
📚 Practical Help for Daily Life
This issue goes beyond inspiration to offer practical tools for everyday challenges:
- Lee Ann Mancini shows us how reading builds spiritual foundations in our children
- Pam Farrel gives us Scripture-based “snapshots” for finding hope in dark seasons
- Cynthia L. Simmons reveals how Abigail Adams handled stress and political chaos
- Gretchen Huesmann helps us support teachers in meaningful ways beyond thank-you cards
💖 This Issue is for You If…
- You’re walking through grief or loss and wondering if joy will ever return
- Stress and anxiety feel like your constant companions
- You’re leading through conflict and need biblical wisdom for difficult conversations
- You’re parenting or grandparenting in challenging circumstances
- You want to make your messages and stories more impactful for the Kingdom
- You simply need hope and encouragement for whatever you’re facing
- You’re seeking ancient wisdom for very modern problems
✨ How God Uses These Stories
What I love most about Leading Hearts is how God consistently uses these stories to speak directly to what you’re facing right now. Time and again, readers tell us they picked up an issue at exactly the right moment—when they needed to hear about God’s peace, His redemptive purposes, or how to find hope in impossible circumstances.
This issue continues that beautiful tradition of divine timing.
📖 Read It Right Now (Completely FREE!)
You don’t have to wait another moment to dive into these life-changing stories. Read the complete digital edition free below right now. Share it with friends, use it in discussion groups, or pass it along to anyone who needs a reminder that God’s peace is available even in our most stressful seasons.
📚 Want It in Your Hands?
There’s something special about holding a magazine, isn’t there? About being able to flip through pages, tear out articles to share with friends, or curl up with it and your morning coffee. Order your print copy here and experience these powerful stories the way they were meant to be savored—slowly, thoughtfully, and with your whole heart.
💕 My Prayer for You
As I write this, my heart is full thinking about each of you who will read these words. Some of you are in seasons of deep stress and uncertainty. Others are grieving losses that feel insurmountable. Some are leading through conflicts that seem impossible to navigate with grace.
But here’s what I want you to know with absolute certainty: you are not alone in this journey. You serve a God who specializes in bringing peace to chaos, hope to despair, and purpose to pain. Through the stories in this issue, you’ll be reminded of truths your heart desperately needs to hear.
Sometimes, the most powerful remedy for modern stress isn’t something new and trendy—it’s something ancient, tried and true, passed down through generations of faithful women who discovered that God’s peace really does surpass all understanding.
May this issue be that gentle reminder for your weary soul today.
🌟 What Happens Next?
After you read these stories, I have one simple request: share them with someone who needs hope today. Sometimes God uses our willingness to pass along encouragement to completely change someone’s perspective and even their life trajectory. You could be that light for someone else today.
With love and prayers for your peace,
Linda
🔗 Quick Links
- Read FREE Online – Start reading immediately
- Order Print Copy – Get the magazine delivered to your door
- Share with Friends – Email this to someone who needs encouragement
P.S. – Don’t miss our behind-the-scenes content and author interviews on our social media channels. Follow us for daily encouragement and sneak peeks at upcoming issues @LeadingHeartsmag
