There are some conversations that feel less like an interview and more like sitting on a friend’s couch, coffee in hand, hearts cracked open. This is one of them.
Today, I’m sitting with my dear friend Anna McParlan—who also happens to share my birthday (God knew we’d be linked from the start). Anna’s story is a tapestry of heartbreak and healing: the chaos of motherhood, the calling of adoption, the ache of church hurt, and the steady thread of God’s faithfulness running through it all.
We’ve both walked through seasons where people failed us but Jesus never did. This episode is two friends getting honest about life, faith, and the God who shows up in it all.
Anna takes us back to being a four-year-old watching her dad battle brain cancer for the first time, the way her youngest brother Jonah (who has Down syndrome) taught her what it means to be made in God’s image, and how her father’s stroke and eventual passing shaped her faith.
We talk about choosing joy in the middle of suffering, what postpartum anxiety and panic really feel like, and the slow work of healing from church hurt without losing sight of Jesus. Through every thread, Anna’s story is one of grit, grace, and learning to trust God in the messy middle.
Key Themes + Takeaways
Community as a lifeline in crisis—the friends who show up with silly hats, meals, or open arms.
Choosing joy isn’t bypassing pain; it’s a defiant hope in the middle of it.
Postpartum anxiety and panic attacks are real, and God often heals through both prayer and practical help like therapy, medication, and community.
Church hurt is devastating, but it’s not the same as Jesus. Keeping our eyes on Him is what sustains us.
Writing, sharing, and telling the truth (even in small ways) can help us rewrite our own stories with God.
Our Favorite Quotes
“I just began to see that God doesn’t make mistakes—Jonah was created on purpose, for a purpose.”
“My dad grabbed the whiteboard with his shaky hand and wrote, ‘I choose joy.’ That became our family’s anthem.”
“Wrestling with God is the most intimate place you can be—it’s face-to-face, even with all your fear on display.”
“Your story is not over. Even when you feel hopeless, He’s still writing goodness into it.”
Chapter Markers
00:00 Two friends, one birthday, and a story of faithfulness
02:01 Growing up with a dad fighting brain cancer
04:03 Jonah’s birth and learning the wonder of God’s image
08:31 “I choose joy”—the moment that changed everything
16:15 Grief, college plans, and wrestling with God’s silence
25:16 Young marriage, surprise pregnancy, and surviving the whirlwind
28:30 Postpartum anxiety and panic attacks—the hidden battle
44:09 Church hurt, trust, and keeping our eyes on Jesus
53:25 Adoption, redemption, and the thread of God’s faithfulness
56:00 Encouragement for anyone in the thick of grief or hurt
Your Turn
This week’s reflection: “Where are you being invited to choose joy—not to skip over the pain, but to find God’s nearness right in the middle of it?”
Take a few minutes to journal, pray, or sit quietly with that question. Sometimes the smallest act of naming your season is the first step toward healing.
💛 Let’s Stay Connected
I really do mean it when I say: my DMs are always open.
✨ Got a story to share? A moment that hit home? Slide in anytime.
Here’s where to find me and go deeper:
Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/jessica_hustleandheartsalon/
Podcast blog → https://hustleandheartsalon.com/blog/
Salon home → https://hustleandheartsalon.com/
