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Maybe you’ve grown up as a Christian going to church or maybe you’re not interested in religion at all. But when you’re scrolling, hanging out with friends, trying to sleep, or overwhelmed with your day-to-day, do big existential questions ever pop in- you know- things like, “Why am I here? How did all this get here? What happens after I die?” “Is there a God and is there really meaning to all this?” ”What’s so special about Jesus Christ?”
We’ve all experienced deep longing for something this world can’t seem to satisfy.
Even someone as wildly successful as Taylor Swift knows that to be true. “I had won album of the year at the Grammys for a second time...” She said, “and I remember thinking afterwards, ’Oh my god, that was all you wanted!... That was all you focused on. You get to the mountaintop and look around and you’re like... what now?”
If you’re tired and feeling overwhelmed with all the different voices yelling for your affections- telling you what to go after- whether it be success, beauty, the perfect partner, social media followers, money, or power… only to leave you let down and unsatisfied, searching for more… Maybe like my friends and me, you’re after finding something REAL.
Every week, join me (Janell Wood), special co-hosts and guests as we ask questions, look for answers, and search for the source of something REAL: Restoration, Eternity, Authenticity, and Love. I believe those things can ultimately be found in relationship with Jesus Christ, but don’t take my word for it. Listen to our conversations for yourself and go on a journey with us: Is Jesus the REAL thing?
Episodes
4 days ago
4 days ago
53 min
Happy Wednesday!
We are excited to be introducing our next co-host, Hailey!
In this vulnerable episode, Hailey opens up about her journey of faith and the experiences that ultimately led her to a passionate, personal relationship with Jesus.
She shares about growing up surrounded by legalism, walking through abuse, spiritual warfare, and wrestling with a distorted view of womanhood and gender identity.
Through it all, Hailey began to discover the intimacy and love of Jesus. She shares that her relationship with Christ brought healing and transformation to areas of her life that had once been marked by confusion & fear.
Today, Hailey walks in freedom, and her story is a powerful testimony of the restoration that is possible through a genuine relationship with Jesus.
Hailey also shares some of the questions she is still curious about, from difficult Old Testament passages and questions about God’s judgment, to what happens in the spiritual realm and the mysteries of Scripture.
We hope you love Hailey as much as we do!
LINKS
I Believe in a Higher Power - Ava's Story
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2MuVWFbZzue3ZLgCtIJGzB
Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/finding-something-real-podcast/id1481017856
Instagram: finding_something_real
Facebook: Finding Something REAL with Janell Wood
Tiktok: @findingsomethingreal
Youtube: Finding Something REAL with Janell Wood
Sep 30, 2026
Sep 30, 2026
51 min
Happy Wednesday! 🤍
We’re so excited to officially introduce one of our Season 9 co-hosts, Ava!
Two weeks ago, we shared the first part of Ava’s story when she joined Frankie for an episode where they opened up about their friendship and the conversations they’ve had around faith. In this episode, Ava shares more about her own story, upbringing, and where she currently stands in her beliefs.
Ava didn’t grow up in a Christian home. She believes there is some kind of higher power, but she’s still exploring what that means and what she believes about God.
We’re so grateful Ava said yes to being a co-host this season. We’re excited to hear her perspective, ask honest questions, and continue this journey of Finding Something Real with her. 🤍
LINKS
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2MuVWFbZzue3ZLgCtIJGzB
Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/finding-something-real-podcast/id1481017856
Instagram: finding_something_real
Facebook: Finding Something REAL with Janell Wood
Tiktok: @findingsomethingreal
Sep 22, 2026
Sep 22, 2026
48 min
Happy Wednesday! 🤍
We’re so excited to officially begin Season 9 of Finding Something Real!
In this episode, we’re joined by Janell and Ana, our Season 8 co-host and media manager, for a look back at our live recording and retreat. We’re sharing a little behind the scenes of how it all came together and, most importantly, introducing you to our new co-hosts for this season!
Season 9 is bringing new voices, new conversations, and plenty of honest questions as we continue seeking truth together.
We’re so glad you’re here, and we can’t wait for you to come along for the ride! 🤍
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Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2MuVWFbZzue3ZLgCtIJGzB
Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/finding-something-real-podcast/id1481017856
Instagram: finding_something_real
Facebook: Finding Something REAL with Janell Wood
Tiktok: @findingsomethingreal
Sep 16, 2026
Sep 16, 2026
47 min
Happy Wednesday! 🤍
We’re so excited to introduce you to one of our new Season 9 co-hosts, Ava!
Ava and Frankie have been close friends since they were six years old, and their friendship has continued to grow through the years. While Frankie is a Christian and Ava is agnostic, their friendship has always made room for honest conversations about faith, religion, and the questions that come with it.
We’re so grateful Ava said yes to being part of this season’s cohort. In this episode, we get to know her a little better and begin exploring what it looks like to seek truth together—even when we don’t all start from the same place.
We hope you enjoy getting to know Ava and join us as we continue Finding Something Real.
Sep 9, 2026
Sep 9, 2026
49 min
Happy Wednesday! 🤍
We’re back with our recap series, and today we’re joined by the person who makes all the videos happen—Reina!
Reina is our amazing video editor and was also a co-host alongside Ana for Season 8. These two girls are a huge part of what makes Finding Something Real happen. From working behind the scenes to creating content, editing videos, and helping bring the ministry to life, they’ve both poured so much into making this podcast what it is today.
We hope you enjoy hearing from these two and getting a little glimpse into the people behind Finding Something Real.
We’re so grateful for everything they bring to this ministry and hope you enjoy the wisdom and stories they share in this episode!
Sep 2, 2026
Sep 2, 2026
1 hr 28 min
Happy Wednesday! 🤍
We have a fun treat for you today! We’re sharing the full live recording with our Season 8 co-hosts. If you’ve been following along this season, you’ve probably seen a few clips from this conversation—but today, you get to hear the whole thing!
The co-hosts recorded this conversation last August, kicking off the season by sharing the questions, thoughts, and conversations that ultimately helped shape Season 8.
It’s such a rich and honest conversation, and we’re excited for you to hear where it all began.
We hope you enjoy this special episode!
Aug 26, 2026
Aug 26, 2026
50 min
Happy Wednesday! We’re back with our summer series, and we’re so excited about this one!
One of our most popular episodes this past season was with Tripp and Megan Almon, where they shared their wisdom on godly relationships and unpacked some common myths—like the idea of “finding the one.”
In this episode, our co-host Frankie sits down with Tripp and Megan for a follow-up conversation, going even deeper into relationships, dating, and what it looks like to pursue God in the process. They also share from their experience working with young adults who are searching for truth, offering insight into some of the questions and challenges they encounter along the way.
We hope you enjoy this deeper conversation with Tripp and Megan!
Aug 19, 2026
Aug 19, 2026
45 min
Happy Wednesday! We’re back with our summer series, and today we’re joined by someone very special to us, Hailee Huddleston.
If you know Ana and Hailee, you probably know them as a bit of a dynamic duo. They’ve served together in several ministries, including Valley Collective, which they started together. Hailee has also been a huge part of Finding Something Real behind the scenes, helping plan fundraisers, create awareness for the ministry, and support the podcast in so many ways.
In this episode, Hailee shares some of her favorite Finding Something Real episodes and reflects on why those conversations have meant so much to her. Then, we flip the script and talk about something we believe every Christian can grow in: being able to confidently defend their faith.
We talk about why we believe the resurrection happened, how we wrestle with the reality of suffering, and what it looks like to have meaningful conversations about our faith when we don’t have every answer. Sometimes the idea of defending what we believe can feel intimidating, but you don’t have to be an apologist to share why you believe in Jesus.
Our hope is that this conversation encourages you, takes away some of that pressure, and reminds you that you can have confidence in what you believe while still being willing to ask questions and keep learning.
We’re so grateful to have Hailee with us for this episode, and we hope you enjoy this week’s conversation!