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The Divine Worth Podcast

Karen Papin

Are you ready to overcome fear and self-doubt to see yourself as God sees you? Welcome to Divine Worth, the podcast that empowers you to embrace your divine potential and shine your light with confidence, joy, and love. Join life coach Karen Papin and inspiring guests as they share personal stories of discovering their divine worth. Each episode offers spiritual and practical guidance to help you navigate challenges with faith and become a beacon of light to those around you. Start your journey to a more fulfilled and joyful life with Divine Worth.

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  • S3 · E97
    Today · 13 min

    Finding Self-Worth in Grief | Come Follow Me Isaiah 50–57: He Is the One Who Comforts You

    Have you ever had a week where you felt like you were carrying everything: the worries, the to-do lists, the people you love who are hurting, and that quiet voice whispering you’re not enough? This Come Follow Me episode is for you. This week’s Come Follow Me reading takes us through Isaiah 50–57, where the Lord says, “I, even I, am he that comforteth you.” Karen shares what these chapters taught her about grief, about her own five-year journey through infertility and miscarriage, and about how the Savior knows every sorrow we carry. Even when we can’t feel Him, He is still reaching out, still holding us, and still seeing our divine worth. In this episode: * Why “a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief” means Christ truly understands your pain * How the Lord promises to turn our wilderness into Eden and our deserts into His garden * Holding on through the small and simple things when healing feels slow * Moving from comfort, to overcoming, to lifting others * Shifting from fear of others’ opinions to the eternal truth of your self-worth in Christ Whether you’re studying Come Follow Me on your own or with your family, this episode will help you see your self-worth through the Savior’s eyes and remember that His kindness will not depart from you. Scriptures and resources mentioned: * Isaiah 51:3, 7, 11, 12, 15–16 * Isaiah 52:7–9 * Isaiah 53:2–7 * Isaiah 54:1, 7, 10–11, 13 * Alma 7:11–12 * Divine Worth Summit session with Jenny Webb: Made Whole Through Seasons of Grief 📓 Go deeper with the companion journaling pagePaid subscribers to Beloved & Becoming on Substack receive a journaling page for every episode. Each page helps you apply this week’s Come Follow Me reading and strengthen your self-worth in Christ. Become a paid subscriber here: karenpapin.substack.com This post has bonus content for paid subscribers. Upgrade to get full access. ✨ Join the 2nd Annual Divine Worth Summit: Made Whole (October 19–23)This free five-day virtual summit explores how Christ makes us whole through grief, struggle, and every season of life. Register free before October 19: karenpapincoaching.thrivecart.com/summit26/ Listen to more episodes: karenpapin.substack.com/listen/divine-worth-podcast Transcript Have you ever had a week where you felt like you were carrying everything? The worries, the to-do lists, the people you love who are hurting, or even your own pain, and then that quiet voice in the back of your mind whispering, you’re not doing enough, or you’re not enough? If that’s you right now, this episode is for you. Welcome to the Divine Worth Podcast. I’m Karen Papin. “I, Even I, Am He That Comforteth You” This week we are diving into Isaiah chapters 50 through 57, and I want to start with this verse. It’s Isaiah chapter 51, verse 12: “I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass.” What I love about that is that right there, the Lord is saying, I, even I, am He that comforteth you. I just finished recording a session for the Divine Worth Summit with Jenny Webb, where we talked about being made whole through seasons of grief. It was a heavier session because we were talking about grief and those experiences where we’ve lost someone we love. And this is something we have both found: the Lord comforts us, and He is there in those hard times and in those seasons of grief. That is a theme throughout these chapters in Isaiah. The Lord comforts us, and He is there for us in those hard times. The Lord Shall Comfort Zion Earlier in chapter 51, it says: “For the Lord shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.” (Isaiah 51:3) As I’ve read these chapters, what I have really seen is that the Lord is calling out to these pains and sorrows and struggles that we face, and then reminding us that He is there. And because He is there, there is hope, there is joy, and there is peace. Sing, O Barren Chapter 54 says, “Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child.” As someone who struggled with infertility for about five years, this verse really spoke to me. Going through that was one of the harder experiences of my life. Having a miscarriage in the midst of that time, and wondering if I would ever be able to have kids, was heartbreaking for me, because it was something I had always wanted. And yet through that time, the Lord carried me. He was there, and He was helping me. Verse 7 of chapter 54 says, “For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee.” Sometimes it is hard to see the Lord in our lives, but He is there. He truly is there. Even in those moments when we struggle to feel Him, when we struggle to see Him and know Him, He is still there reaching out to us, comforting us, holding us, and carrying us. He comforts us even in those times when we feel numb and unable to see Him in the midst of the hardships we are facing. His Kindness Shall Not Depart From Thee Continuing in verse 10 of chapter 54: “For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee.” Those mountains and hills that we are facing will be removed someday. So hang in there, because the Lord’s kindness is still there. He’s still helping you, He’s still reaching out, He’s still holding you, and He is still giving you that peace as you are able to receive it. Verse 11: “O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires.” Verse 13: “And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children.” There is hope, there is strength, and there are blessings to come. Hang on, for He is with you. Everlasting Joy Through Small and Simple Things Let’s go back to Isaiah chapter 51, verse 11: “Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.” Do you see the joy in that scripture? As we hold on and continually seek to have the Lord in our lives, as we do the things that fill us and help us prepare for harder times, we keep doing those small and simple things we’re taught: reading our scriptures, praying, going to the temple, going to church, and taking the sacrament. Even in the moments when we don’t see the Lord, as we do those things, He will bring joy into our lives. Sometimes it’s not in the timing we would like. And yet keep doing those things. Keep holding on. Keep moving forward and keep seeking Him, because you will find Him if you seek Him and stay true. A Man of Sorrows, Acquainted With Grief One of my favorite parts of Isaiah is chapter 53, which talks about the Savior: “For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.” (Isaiah 53:2–3) What I love about this scripture is that it talks about how Christ is a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. Even in our moments of sorrow and grief and intense pain, the Lord knows us and He understands us. Alma chapter 7 talks about how the Lord has gone through pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind. He has taken upon Him our pains, our afflictions, and our temptations, so that He may know how to succor us. And here in Isaiah 53:3, we gain a deeper understanding that Christ is a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief, meaning He knows. He knows what we are going through. He knows how hard it is. He knows how it weighs us down, because He has been through it as well. And yet we hide our faces from Him because we’re struggling, because we’re having a hard time seeing Him in the midst of this darkness and grief. Yet the Lord knows us, and He is still reaching out to us. With His Stripes We Are Healed Verse 4: “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.” Right there, He is carrying us in the midst of the struggles we are facing. “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5) Sometimes it feels like the healing will never come. But because Christ has overcome all things, we can overcome all things as well, as we continually put our faith and trust in Him. He has carried us. He is carrying us. And He will continue to carry us. Because of all He’s gone through, we can receive the healing that comes through Him. “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:6) Do you see how much He loves you in this verse? Even when we turn away, He is still willing to go through what He went through for us. He took on the iniquity of us all. He took on your sins and your burdens, because He loves you. “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.” (Isaiah 53:7) He’s not complaining. He’s not fighting. He is willingly being that lamb for us. He’s willingly being that lamb for you. Allow Him in, because He loves you and He’s done all this for you. And because of it, there is hope and there is joy to come. Look at What I Have Done Isaiah 51:15–16: “But I am the Lord thy God, that divided the sea, whose waves roared: The Lord of hosts is his name. And I have put my words in thy mouth, and I have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, Thou art my people.” What I love about this is that it’s like He’s saying, Look at what I have done. Look at what I have accomplished. Of course you can make it through as well. I am with you. And not only that, He is asking you to arise. The very next thing it says is, “Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem.” That’s the other message that comes through these chapters: I am here for you. With me you can be comforted. With me you can overcome. And with me you can reach out to others and bring them unto me. How Beautiful Upon the Mountains Isaiah 52:7–9: “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth! Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion. Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem.” When we liken that to ourselves, it’s an invitation to be redeemed, and to allow the joy that comes from that redemption and overcoming to come in, so that we can publish that peace and joy and help others find it as well. There’s a natural progression here. We recognize that we have done wrong, or we’re in the midst of a struggle. Maybe we haven’t done wrong at all, but we’re experiencing mortality and everything that comes with it, and we struggle. Then we rely on the Lord, and He helps us overcome, in His time and in His way. Through that, we experience growth, we see the hope that comes, and we find joy through the redemption process. And when we are filled with that love, we want to share it with others and help them feel it too. Fear Ye Not the Reproach of Men Sometimes fear starts to creep in. We talked about this last week, how the Lord calls us and then fear comes in. Yet the Lord says in chapter 51, verse 7: “Fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings. For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool: but my righteousness shall be for ever, and my salvation from generation to generation.” What a wonderful reminder. Maybe fear is going to come in, yet shift your focus back to the Lord, because He is eternal and He is the one who overcomes. The reproach and revilings of men are fleeting, like the moth that eats up the garment. The Lord is eternal, and He sees the eternal worth that is within you. So let us turn to Him. Let us allow Him to comfort us, strengthen us, and help us overcome. And even in those moments of grief, let us hold on to what we know about our Savior, and hold on to the hope that there will be a time when we experience that joy, that great redemption, and the overcoming of all things. Join Us for the Divine Worth Summit If you want to learn more about being made whole, I have the Divine Worth Summit coming up October 19th through 23rd. The whole summit is about being made whole: how we can be made whole through Christ in the different circumstances and struggles we face, and how Christ is there. Sign up for free before October 19th by clicking the link in the show notes, and join us as we come to better understand and recognize the great love our Heavenly Father has for us. We’ll see you next week on the Divine Worth Podcast. Get full access to Beloved & Becoming at karenpapin.substack.com/subscribe

  • S3 · E96
    October 1 · 28 min

    Isaiah 40–49: Fear Not, He Has Called You by Name | Come Follow Me LDS | Divine Worth Podcast

    Isaiah can feel hard to read, but these chapters are full of God’s love for you. In this Come Follow Me LDS episode of the Divine Worth Podcast, Karen Papin walks through Isaiah 40–49 and shares the verses that stood out to her most, with a focus on what they teach about your divine worth. Chapter 40 opens with one word: comfort. From there, Isaiah repeats the same messages again and again: fear not, I am with thee, I have called thee by name, gather together, sing and be joyful, and they shall not be ashamed. Karen explains how each of these phrases is a personal invitation from the Lord and a reminder that He knows you, formed you, and is calling you to His work. In this Come Follow Me LDS study, you’ll learn: * Why Isaiah 40 marks a shift from warning to comfort, and how these prophecies speak to anyone who feels defeated or lost * How “they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength” (Isaiah 40:31) applies to what He asks of you * The five truths about your worth in Isaiah 43:1, and why passing through the waters and the fire doesn’t mean He has left you * What “look unto me” (Isaiah 45:22) teaches about keeping an eye of faith, like Peter walking on water * Why the “furnace of affliction” (Isaiah 48:10) is a place where the Lord chooses you, not punishes you * The tender promise of Isaiah 49:16: “I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands” Whether you’re following the Come Follow Me LDS Old Testament schedule with your family or studying on your own, this episode will help you love Isaiah and see yourself in his words. Come Follow Me LDS study doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. When you read Isaiah looking for God’s love, you’ll find it on almost every page. Resources mentioned: * Come Follow Me—For Home and Church: Old Testament 2026, Isaiah 40–49 lesson * Karen’s free 7-day gratitude challenge, which helps you recognize God’s hand in your life: https://karenpapin.com/gratitudecourse/ * Scriptures referenced: Isaiah 40–49; 2 Nephi 2:25; Doctrine and Covenants 18:10; Proverbs 3:5–6; Alma 26:27 (the sons of Mosiah); Numbers 21:8–9 and 1 Nephi 17:41 (”look and live”); Matthew 14:28–31 (Peter walking on water) * Hymn: “How Firm a Foundation” Get the Companion Journaling Page for This Episode Want to go deeper with Isaiah 40–49? Subscribe to Beloved & Becoming on Substack at karenpapin.substack.com. Paid subscribers receive a journaling page that goes with this episode, so you can reflect on where the Lord is calling you and how He’s already shown up in your life. It’s a simple way to turn your Come Follow Me LDS study into a personal conversation with God. Transcript: For this episode, I’m going to help you love Isaiah. I am really excited to dive into this. I forgot how much I love Isaiah until we started diving into these chapters for Come Follow Me. This week’s Come Follow Me reading is Isaiah chapters 40 through 49. I’m going to read the scriptures that really stood out to me from this week’s reading and explain how they relate to your divine worth and how you can see God’s love for you throughout them. As a young adult, I had a goal to better understand Isaiah. I bought some books about making Isaiah easier, and I really did gain a great love for it as I read. Isaiah talks a lot about the Savior and about redemption, and you can truly feel God’s love through his words. But sometimes it can be a little tricky to get through those Isaiah chapters. So my goal here is to help you gain a greater love of Isaiah, and to see through the things the Lord tells us in Isaiah’s words that God loves you, that He believes in you, and that you are of great worth. A Message of Comfort: Come Follow Me LDS Isaiah 40–49 One of the cool things about chapter 40 is that it sets the tone for this reading. Here’s a quote from the Come Follow Me manual: “Comfort is the first word of Isaiah chapter 40. It marks the beginning of a different tone, a different emphasis in the prophet’s message. Isaiah’s earlier writings warned Israel and Judah about destruction and captivity that would come because of their sins. But these later prophecies were meant to comfort the Jewish people over 150 years in the future, after Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed and the people were taken captive by Babylon. These prophecies, however, reach even further into the future than to the defeated, disheartened Israelites. They speak to us who also sometimes feel defeated, disheartened, or even lost.” I hope that quote gives you a better understanding of what you’re going to get out of these scriptures as we dive into them. Right off, in chapter 40, verse 1, Isaiah says: “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God.” The Lord is calling you to receive comfort from Him. It’s an invitation. The truth is that whatever you have gone through, and whatever you are going through, the Lord loves you, and it’s through Him that true healing can happen. Verses 2 and 3: “Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lord’s hand double for all her sins. The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” Right here, the Lord is calling you. He is calling you to share about the Savior. He is calling you to prepare the way for people to receive the Lord. Repeated Phrases in Isaiah: A Come Follow Me LDS Study Guide As I went through these chapters, there were a few phrases that were repeated several times. He is calling you. This shows up again and again. Gather together. This is not something we are doing alone. We are gathering together to become stronger in the Lord and to bring others unto Him. Sing and be joyful. Singing and joy often go together in these verses: “Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains” (Isaiah 49:13). He is talking about singing praises and remembering gratitude, because a praise is often a form of gratitude. As we embrace gratitude in our lives, we start to recognize and bring in the joy that our Heavenly Father wants us to have. We know from 2 Nephi 2:25 that “men are, that they might have joy.” That is something the Lord wants for us. I have formed thee from the womb, and called thee by name. The Lord knows us. He created us. He has known us all our lives. Elect. Last week we talked about Emma Smith and how she was an elect lady, someone called by God. That’s what elect means: you are chosen. The Lord is saying, You are my chosen people. Fear not. That makes a lot of sense to me, because He is calling us. When we recognize that the Lord is calling us, it often requires us to step outside our comfort zone and do something we’re not used to or that scares us. So He says it several times: fear not. I am with thee. This is often paired with fear not. These are little reminders that you don’t have to be afraid, because He is with you. Throughout these scriptures, the Lord keeps pointing to the great works He has done, showing that with Him nothing is impossible. And yet people keep turning to idols and other gods that really aren’t going to do anything for them, while the Lord will be an integral part of our lives. They shall not be ashamed. When we keep our faith, trust, and focus on the Lord, we are not ashamed. We know we are doing what is right. Whenever we feel opposition, or others look down on us for doing what’s right, we can stand firm, because the Lord is there with us reminding us that what we did was right. Now let’s dive into the verses so you can see how these phrases show up, and recognize that the Lord is calling you, that He believes in you, and that He is there for you because He loves you. Isaiah 40: They That Wait Upon the Lord (Come Follow Me LDS) Verse 8: “The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.” What I love about that is He’s telling us, trust in me. Everything else is fleeting, but the Lord is eternal. Verse 9: “O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!” Do you see how the Lord is calling you? He sees you as capable of sharing the truth of the gospel with others. Verse 11: “He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.” This is about how the Lord reaches out to you and supports you. He is going to help you through the things He is asking of you. I love that He compares Himself to a shepherd and us to lambs, because a true shepherd will do whatever he can for his sheep. They know him and he knows them. Verses 12–14: “Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance? Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord, or being his counsellor hath taught him? With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding?” To me, this shows the Lord’s great understanding. He knows the dust of the earth. He knows the weight of the mountains. The Lord knows more than we do, so let us trust Him, because He has a greater vision of what can be accomplished. Verse 26: “Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.” Isn’t that beautiful? He calls them all by name. He knows you. He is strong in power, and not one faileth. As it says in Proverbs 3:5–6, as we trust in Him, lean not unto our own understanding, and in all our ways acknowledge Him, He directs our paths and helps us succeed. Verse 29: “He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.” He gives us strength and power to fulfill His will. And I love verse 31: “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” One reason I love this is that I just love birds, and eagles in general. But it reminds us that we will have the strength and energy to do what He is asking of us. That may look different depending on the person and the situation in your life. Yet as we put our faith and trust in Him, He will give us enough of what we need to accomplish those things. Do you see how beautiful this chapter is, and how the Lord is showing you, I believe in you. I believe that you can do this. Trust in me? He also talks about those who create idols and worship them, and how that does not profit them. But the Lord is an active participant in our lives. He is with us. Isaiah 41: Fear Thou Not, For I Am With Thee (Come Follow Me LDS) Verse 8: “But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend.” Verse 10: “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” The hymn “How Firm a Foundation” is based on this scripture. The Lord is with us in the moments when we feel discouraged, and He strengthens us. There’s a scripture in the Book of Mormon about the sons of Mosiah, telling how when their hearts were depressed and they were about to turn back, the Lord comforted them. The same is true for us. He will help us in the dark times of our lives too. Sometimes it’s hard to see Him in those times, yet keep trusting and keep having faith, because He is there, helping you even in ways you don’t recognize. Verse 13: “For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.” Verse 14 also says fear not. That is one of the themes throughout these chapters. Halfway through verse 17: “I the Lord will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them.” In those deep, dark times, He is not forsaking you. He is still there. In verses 18 and 19, He lists the things He will do: “I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water… I will plant in the wilderness the cedar…” To me this is a reminder that we can get caught up in all these other things, yet the Lord is capable of helping us overcome, and He is continually reaching out to help us in different ways. Verse 20: “That they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the Lord hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it.” He’s saying, open your eyes to see the great works I have done. Why is that so important? Because when we intentionally choose to see the ways the Lord is helping us, it brings in gratitude and joy. It also gives us hope that we too can overcome, because we have Him on our side. There is nothing we cannot do when we have the Lord on our side. Isaiah 43: I Have Called Thee by Name (Come Follow Me LDS) There’s so much in all of these chapters. I love how often the Lord reminds us that He is calling us, and reminds us once again to fear not. That shows up several times in chapter 43. Verse 1: “But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.” He created you. He formed you. You do not need to fear. He has redeemed you. You are His. That’s five things right there letting you know that you are of worth, that you are loved, and that the Lord knows you. Because of that, you have no need to fear. Verses 2–3: “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour.” In verse 1 He tells us He knows us, loves us, and has called us. Then He tells us we’re going to go through the rivers and through the fire. There are going to be hard things. We are not exempt from the struggles of life, yet the Lord will make a way for us to get through them, and we can overcome. There is such hope in these verses. Verses 4–5: “Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee… Fear not: for I am with thee.” He is directly telling you that He loves you and that you are precious in His sight. We know from Doctrine and Covenants 18:10 that “the worth of souls is great in the sight of God.” Here we are told again: you are precious in His sight. Verses 6–7: “Bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth; even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.” We are reminded that we are His sons and daughters. He created us and formed us. Verses 10–12: “Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the Lord; and beside me there is no saviour. I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, that I am God.” Let us rise up and be those witnesses. Let us seek to see Him in every aspect of our lives so we can bring that light to others, so that they too can be redeemed and feel the love the Lord has for them. Verse 25: “I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. Put me in remembrance: let us plead together…” I love that phrase, let us plead together. The Lord is saying, I have gone through the Atonement. I have blotted out your transgressions, and I’m not going to remember your sins. Let us plead together. Isaiah 44: Thou Shalt Not Be Forgotten (Come Follow Me LDS) Once again, the Lord is calling us. Verses 1–3: “Yet now hear, O Jacob my servant; and Israel, whom I have chosen: thus saith the Lord that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen. For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring.” The Lord is calling us, and He is going to bless us. The truth is that the Lord wants to bless us. I’m not reading every verse in Isaiah 40–49 that talks about idol worship and turning away from the Lord, but they’re interspersed throughout these chapters. What the Lord is saying is: come unto me so I can bless you. Stop turning to other things. They are not going to give you what you seek. So where is your focus? Are you focused on the things that, as verse 9 says, are “all of them vanity,” meaning they’re fleeting and don’t last? Or are you turning to the Lord, who is eternal, who has been there from the beginning, and who will be there in the midst of your struggles? Verse 21: “Thou shalt not be forgotten of me.” It’s that simple, beautiful reminder: I have not forgotten you. Isaiah 45: Look Unto Me and Be Ye Saved (Come Follow Me LDS) Verse 3: “I, the Lord, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel.” That’s how well He knows us. Verse 4: “For Jacob my servant’s sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me.” First in verse 3 and now in verse 4: I have called thee by name. There are certainly times when we are not focused on Him and don’t recognize Him in our lives, and yet He is still calling us by name. Verse 6: “That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the Lord, and there is none else.” This stood out to me because God is there in nature. We can see Him in the rising of the sun. There are so many ways to see the Lord in our lives. If you want to dive deeper into recognizing God in your life, check out my free 7-day gratitude challenge. Each day you receive a topic to focus on, all about recognizing the ways God is there in your life: https://karenpapin.com/gratitudecourse/ Verse 22: “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.” I love that phrase, look unto me. It reminds me of look and live. When the Israelites in the wilderness were bitten by fiery serpents, Moses raised the brass serpent on a pole, and all they had to do was look and live. The Book of Mormon tells us that many didn’t look because it was so easy. They were skeptical that they could be healed that way. So here is a beautiful reminder: where do we put our focus? On the Lord. Another phrase that comes to mind is having an eye of faith. When we keep our focus on the Lord, we can do impossible things. Peter walked on water as long as he kept his eyes on the Lord. It was when he got distracted that he sank, and even then the Lord was right there, ready to reach out and lift him up. Isaiah 46–48: The Furnace of Affliction (Come Follow Me LDS) Isaiah 46:11, about halfway through: “Yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it.” The Lord follows through on what He says He will do. That goes both ways: in blessing us, and in allowing consequences when we are not putting our faith and trust in Him. All the more reason to put our faith in Him. We can trust Him, because He will follow through. Isaiah 48:10: “Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.” As I mentioned earlier, we are not exempt from struggles and trials. That doesn’t mean they’re consequences or punishments. Sometimes we go through the furnace of affliction to become stronger, to learn from our experiences, and to gain more empathy. There are many reasons we go through the trials we do in life, and the Lord is choosing us even in the midst of those struggles. Isaiah 49: Graven Upon the Palms of His Hands (Come Follow Me LDS) There are so many good things in this chapter, but I want to focus on verse 16. After telling us that He will not forsake us and has not forgotten us, the Lord says: “Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.” The Lord will not forget us. He has literally engraven us on the palms of His hands. Those are continual reminders of His love for us. He loves us so much that He gave His life for us. He loves us so much that He rose again. He loves us so much that He suffered for your sins. He wants you to know that He loves you and that He will not forget you. You are of worth, and you have a great work to do on this earth. He is calling you to do it. As you put your faith and trust in Him, you can let go of fear and move forward with faith that He will provide a way. New Come Follow Me LDS episodes of the Divine Worth Podcast release every Thursday. Listen at karenpapin.substack.com/listen/divine-worth-podcast. Get full access to Beloved & Becoming at karenpapin.substack.com/subscribe

  • S3 · E95
    September 24 · 22 min

    Emma Smith: An Elect Lady

    Emma Smith gave up a life of comfort to follow the Lord, and what followed was mobs, persecution, poverty, forced moves, and the loss of several children. Yet in Doctrine and Covenants 25, the Lord opens His words to her by calling her “my daughter.” In this episode, Karen Papin explores Emma’s story and what it reveals about God’s love for LDS women today, especially when life is heavy and we can’t see the whole picture. If you’ve ever struggled with your self worth, doubted your confidence, or wondered whether God still sees you in your grief, this episode is for you. In this episode, you’ll learn: * How the Lord prepared Emma for the roles He had in store for her, and how He is preparing you too * Why reading D&C 25:1 with your own name can transform your self worth * Why God’s love doesn’t mean He removes the hard things * A tender account from the end of Emma’s life that reminds us not to judge others or ourselves so harshly * What it means to be an “elect lady”: chosen with love and respect, and trusted with meaningful work Karen also shares her own experience with grief after a miscarriage and how the Lord patiently guided her back to growth. For LDS women seeking deeper faith and lasting confidence, Emma’s story is a reminder that your worth isn’t something to earn. It’s something to become. This week, ask yourself: What great work is the Lord calling me to do, and what one small step can I take today? 🎧 Go deeper on the Strength to Become podcastWant to explore what it means to be an elect lady and how the Lord calls us to teach, expound, and exhort? Listen to “Becoming a Covenant Child of God,” the companion episode on this week’s For the Strength of Youth lesson on Emma Smith and D&C 25:https://karenpapin.substack.com/p/becoming-a-covenant-child-of-god 💌 Grab your free Divine Worth Scripture CardsJust as the Lord reminded Emma that she was His daughter, these free scripture cards help you remember who God sees in you. Keep them on your mirror, in your car, or in your scriptures as daily reminders of your self worth and a boost to your confidence in Him:https://karenpapin.com/scripturecards Resources mentioned in this episode: * Doctrine and Covenants Section 25: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/25 * “My Great-Great-Grandmother, Emma Hale Smith” by Gracia N. Jones, Ensign, August 1992: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/1992/08/my-great-great-grandmother-emma-hale-smith * “Emma,” from the album Nashville Tribute to the Prophet * Lucy Mack Smith’s words about Emma, quoted from her history of Joseph Smith * For the Strength of Youth lesson: Emma Smith, a covenant daughter of God (D&C 25) ✨ Paid subscribers: your journal pages are waiting Listening is just the beginning. Real change happens when you take time to sit with the Lord and write down what He’s teaching you. Paid subscribers get the companion “An Elect Lady” journal pages for this episode. It’s a printable 4-page guide with space to write your own name into D&C 25:1, six reflection prompts drawn from Emma’s story, a “small and simple step” commitment, and a Divine Worth declaration to carry with you all week. If you’re ready to build your self worth and confidence as a daughter of God, upgrade to a paid subscription and download your journal pages below. This post has bonus content for paid subscribers. Upgrade to get full access. Episode Transcript Welcome to the Divine Worth podcast, where we are letting go of our fear and self-doubt and other limiting beliefs so that we can embrace who God sees in us. I am your host, life coach Karen Papin, and I’m excited about today because we are diving into learning about someone from the Doctrine and Covenants: Emma Smith and her story. I talked a bit about this on my Strength to Become podcast, because this Sunday’s For the Strength of Youth lesson also focuses on Emma Smith, how she was a covenant daughter of God, and what we can learn from that and from Doctrine and Covenants section 25. I dove into that lesson there, but I wanted to talk about Emma Smith on the Divine Worth podcast as well because of the lessons we can learn from her about God’s love for us, and how He is there for us even in the hard and difficult moments of our lives. So I’m going to share some of the lessons we can learn from Emma Smith, from her story, and from Doctrine and Covenants section 25, and how we can hear the Lord speaking to us through the words He tells Emma Smith. With that, let’s learn a little bit about Emma. The Lord Prepared Emma for Her Divine Roles The first thing I want to talk about concerning Emma Smith is how the Lord prepared her to fulfill the roles He had in mind for her. Emma was raised in a wealthy family. One thing we can glean from that is that she knew how to be in society. I imagine a lot of the grace she had and her ability to lead came as a result of her upbringing. She went on to become the first lady of Nauvoo. She went on to become the Relief Society president. And because of the great faith she had growing up in her family, all of those things helped prepare her to fulfill those roles in the Relief Society and as the wife of Joseph Smith. She hosted diplomats in her home. She made public appearances with Joseph at community events and supported her husband politically in various ways. She had been guided by the Lord throughout her life to be in a position where she could be a great support to her husband. Her education offset the lack of education Joseph Smith had, and she often served as a scribe for him. Those were some of the ways the Lord prepared Emma to fulfill the divine roles He had in store for her. God Saw Emma as His Daughter Another thing we can learn from Emma is that God saw her as His daughter. We learn that in Doctrine and Covenants section 25, so let’s dive in and read it. This section is a revelation given specifically to Emma through the Prophet Joseph Smith. Verse 1 says: “Hearken unto the voice of the Lord your God, while I speak unto you, Emma Smith, my daughter; for verily I say unto you, all those who receive my gospel are sons and daughters in my kingdom.” Right there, He is letting Emma know, you are my daughter. And not only that, but that all who receive the gospel are His sons and daughters. As we read that, we too can come to know, understand, and feel the truth of it. In fact, go back and read that verse, and where it says “while I speak unto you,” insert your name: my daughter. “For verily I say unto you, all those who receive my gospel are sons and daughters in my kingdom.” He is also speaking to you and letting you know that you are a child of God. Why is that so important? Because when we recognize and understand who we are as children of God, it affects every aspect of our lives. It affects what we believe, it affects our capabilities, it affects our behaviors, and ultimately our environment. As we truly embrace that we are children of God, with the divine qualities of our Heavenly Father within us, and as we turn to Him and allow Him to lead and guide us, we can grow. With the help of the Savior, we can overcome all things, and our capacity to do hard things grows as we put our faith and trust in the Lord. “How Much Can One Heart Take?” That is definitely something we see throughout Emma Smith’s life. She experienced so much. One quote I want to share with you is from Emma’s mother-in-law, Lucy Mack Smith: “I have never seen a woman in my life, who would endure every species of fatigue and hardship, from month to month, and from year to year, with that unflinching courage, zeal, and patience, which she has always done… She has been tossed upon the ocean of uncertainty—she has breasted the storms of persecution, and buffeted the rage of men and devils, which would have borne down almost any other woman.” Emma went through so much in her life. She gave up a life of ease, comfort, and wealth to marry Joseph Smith, which turned her life upside down in a lot of ways. She lived in a place of uncertainty because of the persecution. Mobs would come into her home in the middle of the night. She lost several children, not just one or two, and she carried that grief and pain throughout her life, missing those children. She and Joseph lived as vagabonds in many ways, moving from city to city. At times her husband was in and out of jail because of false accusations thrown at him. There was intense persecution, and they were driven from home to home. When Joseph was in jail, she had to pack up her family and travel to a different town to escape the persecution, without any strength and support other than the words Joseph wrote to her in letters. To give you a little more of an example, in the August 1992 Ensign, Emma’s great-great-granddaughter, Gracia N. Jones, wrote an article called “My Great-Great-Grandmother, Emma Hale Smith.” She wrote this about Emma: “Emma did not know a settled home until Nauvoo. Due to persecution and to further the Lord’s work, members of the Church moved from state to state. Emma suffered much tribulation. She was robbed and ridiculed. She and the children often went hungry. Still, she struggled to provide for her children during Joseph’s imprisonments and long absences. Many Saints helped her, but some took advantage, severely increasing her difficulties and undermining her trust. While Joseph and the other Church leaders were unjustly imprisoned at Liberty, Missouri, Emma and her four little children became part of the major Church exodus from the state after the extermination order was issued on the 27th of October, 1838, by Missouri Governor Lilburn Boggs.” That gives you a little more of an idea of what Emma experienced. There’s a song on the Nashville Tribute to the Prophet album called “Emma,” and a phrase from that song often comes to my mind when I think of Emma Smith: How much can one heart take? The article also describes how Emma’s granddaughter realized that Emma never really smiled with her eyes, because she was weighed down by all the grief she had experienced in her life. And yet, throughout all of it, she had faith in God. She knew Joseph Smith was a prophet, and she knew the Book of Mormon is the word of God. She never stopped believing that. Leaving the Judgment to the Lord I think sometimes we as members of the Church criticize Emma because she did not come across the plains with the Saints, but stayed in Nauvoo after Joseph Smith’s martyrdom. Yet when you really think about the grief and pain she carried, and all the times she had to gather her children and take them to another home, is it really any wonder that, in the midst of all that grief, she did not want to do that again? I also think sometimes the Lord has a different plan for us than what we think, and it really is not up to us to judge the plan He has for someone else. Once again, in that article, Gracia says: “It is documented that Emma quarreled with some Church leaders over various aspects of settling Joseph’s estate, and that hurt feelings resulted which were not resolved at the time. Yet through prayerful examination of materials and through refraining from judging the people involved, I have come to peacefully understand that in the threatening atmosphere of persecution that prevailed at the time, some of Emma’s hesitation resulted because she feared for the lives of her children. She did not know whom to trust, and there was no time and no peace for the natural healing of her grief to occur.” So she’s sharing how that affected Emma’s decision not to come across the plains. And yet Emma had a beautiful experience at the end of her life that tells us the Lord loves us, and that the way He judges is different from the way we judge. Also from that article, around the time Emma passed away: “Sister Elizabeth Revel, Emma’s nurse, explained that a few days earlier Emma had told her that Joseph came to her in a vision and said, ‘Emma, come with me, it is time for you to come with me.’ As Emma related it, she said, ‘I put on my bonnet and my shawl and went with him; I did not think that it was anything unusual. I went with him into a mansion, and he showed me through the different apartments of that beautiful mansion. And one room was the nursery. In that nursery was a babe in the cradle.’ She said, ‘I knew my babe, my Don Carlos that was taken from me.’ She sprang forward, caught the child up in her arms, and wept with joy over the child. When Emma recovered herself sufficient, she turned to Joseph and said, ‘Joseph, where are the rest of my children?’ He said to her, ‘Emma, be patient, and you shall have all of your children.’ Then she saw standing by his side a personage of light, even the Lord Jesus Christ. Finding this testimony reminded me of how precious each soul is in the sight of our Savior, whose compassion and power to save is beyond all comprehension. All of us make mistakes and are in need of repentance. Whenever we withdraw from the fellowship of the Saints and cease to partake of the sacrament on a regular basis, we tend to lose our way and become subject to misunderstanding, especially if our course has been set by real or imagined injury to our feelings or pride. This could happen to any of us, including my dear great-great-grandmother.” I think that’s a beautiful reminder that it’s really not up to us to judge. If anything, when we look at Emma’s life, we can see just how difficult it was, and also the great love and compassion the Lord has for her. We already know from Doctrine and Covenants section 25 that He saw Emma as His daughter. And from the experience she had just a few days before her death, we can recognize that the Lord still loved her enough to send Joseph Smith to prepare the way for her to enter into the next life. So one thing we can learn from Emma’s life is not to judge others so harshly, and also not to judge ourselves so harshly, but to recognize and understand that the Lord loves us. He is patient with us, and He knows us. I know for me personally, when I experienced a miscarriage, there was a period of time when I did not want to grow. The grief was so strong. And the Lord was patient with me. He helped me, He guided me, and He gave me strength when I needed it. When I was ready to start taking more steps outside my comfort zone, He was there, ready to guide me in those moments as well. God’s Love Doesn’t Remove the Hard Things Another lesson we can learn from Emma Smith’s life is that God’s love doesn’t mean He removes the hard things. Clearly she went through a lot of difficult things. Seeing what she went through reminds us that just because we are doing what He asks of us does not mean everything will go exactly the way we want. In fact, the opposite is often true. We will experience opposition and go through hard things. But it’s a learning process of trusting in the Lord even in those hard times, and knowing that He is there even then. I once heard a story of a girl who had cancer. She would often write in her journal about what she was experiencing, and her parents found the phrase “the moon is still round.” They wondered what it meant. Going through her journals, they found an entry where she described looking out her window at the different phases of the moon and realizing that even if she only saw a glimmer of it, it was still the same shape. She realized the same is true of God. Even in the times when we struggle to see Him in our lives, He is still there. He is still there. God Trusted Emma with Meaningful Work Another lesson from Emma Smith’s life, and what the For the Strength of Youth lesson focuses on, is that God trusted Emma with meaningful work. In Doctrine and Covenants section 25, verses 6 through 8, this is what He says to Emma: “And thou shalt go with him at the time of his going, and be unto him for a scribe, while there is no one to be a scribe for him, that I may send my servant, Oliver Cowdery, whithersoever I will.” She is going to go with Joseph Smith in the struggles he’s facing, being that comfort and support to him as his wife. And she is also to be his scribe. At this time, Oliver Cowdery was serving as scribe, but the Lord had other plans for Oliver, so He asks Emma to take over those duties. Verses 7 and 8 continue: “And thou shalt be ordained under his hand to expound scriptures, and to exhort the church, according as it shall be given thee by my Spirit. For he shall lay his hands upon thee, and thou shalt receive the Holy Ghost, and thy time shall be given to writing, and to learning much.” Here the Lord tells Emma that she is to expound the scriptures. She is called not just to be a scribe, but to teach others as well. He then calls her to compile a hymnbook. Verse 12 says: “For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart; yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads.” He’s talking about the importance of what Emma is doing. She will put together these songs, and they will bless the Saints and all who sing from that hymnbook. He calls her to several great works in this section. And we too are asked to teach, expound, exhort, and be guided by the Lord in serving others. He asks this not just of Emma, but of us as well. If you want to dive deeper into that, check out my Strength to Become podcast, where I talk more about how the Lord asks us to teach, exhort, and expound the scriptures. “Murmur Not”: Trusting When We Don’t See the Whole Picture Another lesson we learn from Emma is in verse 4: “Murmur not because of the things which thou hast not seen, for they are withheld from thee and from the world, which is wisdom in me in a time to come.” God is allowing Emma to learn and grow through the things she doesn’t understand. He’s essentially telling her, You don’t have the whole picture, so just trust me in this. I think that’s something we can all learn. A lot of times we don’t have the whole picture, and yet as we put our faith and trust in the Lord, He leads us and guides us. I say that a lot: He leads us and He loves us. He will help us navigate the uncertainty in our lives. He really does have a greater vision of what needs to happen. If we can put our faith and trust in that, we will overcome, and at some point, whether in this life or the next, we will come to understand why certain things happened the way they did. That can be a really hard lesson to learn. Yet as we do it, the Lord guides us, and we can find the great joy that comes from trusting in Him. Something to Become, Not Something to Earn The last thing I want to share is that God’s love gave Emma something to become. Not something to earn, but something to become. Doctrine and Covenants section 25, verses 14 and 15, says: “Continue in the spirit of meekness, and beware of pride. Let thy soul delight in thy husband, and the glory which shall come upon him. Keep my commandments continually, and a crown of righteousness thou shalt receive.” He ends this revelation with the promise of a crown of righteousness. And I haven’t mentioned this yet, but at the beginning, in verse 3, He calls Emma an elect lady. I talk more about this on the Strength to Become podcast, but elect means you are chosen, and lady is a title of respect. So the Lord is essentially saying, You are someone I have chosen with love and with respect. Then toward the end, He talks about how she will receive a crown of righteousness as she keeps the commandments and seeks not to be prideful. This is something we can learn from as well, because we too can be elect. He is calling us to do the great work He has in store for us. That may look different depending on who we are. We are all individuals, and the Lord knows and understands that. He knew that with Emma Smith, and He loved her through every experience she had. She may have been greatly tested throughout her life, and yet the Lord saw her as His daughter. He saw her as an elect lady. He called her to do a great work. And He is doing the same for us. So take some time today to think: What is the great work the Lord is calling me to do? And what is one thing I can do to move forward? Even if it’s a small and simple step, what is one thing you can do to move forward and truly embrace that you are an elect lady, someone chosen by God, called, and given a great work? I will see you next week on the Divine Worth podcast. Get full access to Beloved & Becoming at karenpapin.substack.com/subscribe

  • S3 · E94
    September 17 · 6 min

    When You Can't Forgive Yourself: A Letter on Mistakes, Confidence, and Self Worth

    This week’s episode is a little different — and deeply personal. After a tender moment with her son turned into an accidental elbow to the face (and a whole lot of mommy guilt on his end), Karen was reminded of something we all carry: the tendency to hold onto our mistakes long after they’ve happened, replaying them over and over instead of moving forward. In this episode, Karen shares a letter she wrote — one she imagines coming from a loving Heavenly Father to “the one” who feels stuck in shame. It’s a message about releasing guilt, receiving grace, and rebuilding your Confidence and Self Worth after you’ve fallen short. Because your mistakes were never meant to define you — they’re part of the process of becoming. If you’re an LDS woman who struggles to move past your own missteps, who ruminates instead of repents, or who just needs to hear that you are loved regardless of your weaknesses — this episode is for you. True Confidence doesn’t come from never messing up. Real Self Worth comes from knowing whose you are, even in your imperfection. In this episode: * The story behind the letter — a real moment of motherhood and repentance * A full reading of “A Letter to the One,” originally published on Substack * Why rumination keeps us stuck, and what repentance actually offers us instead * How embracing God’s love can restore your Confidence and Self Worth, even after failure Resources mentioned: * Read more Letters to the One (and other devotional writing) on Karen’s Substack, Beloved & Becoming Coming up next week: A study of Emma Smith as a covenant woman of God, diving into Doctrine & Covenants section 25. Want more encouragement for the journey? Head over to Karen’s Substack, Beloved & Becoming, for more letters, devotionals, and reflections — and be sure to check out Karen’s other podcast, Strength to Become, for more on building the Confidence and Self Worth every LDS woman deserves to carry. Transcript: A Letter to the One Welcome to the podcast. This week I am doing something I haven’t done before, and I want to give you a little background on what I’ll be sharing today. I had this experience where I was cuddling with my son, putting him to bed. We were just cuddling there, and I was singing to him. He shifted in a way and elbowed me right in the face — I couldn’t escape it. It hurt. My son felt horrible. He curled up into himself and started crying, feeling awful that he had hurt Mommy. I held him and did my best to comfort him, but it took a while for him to calm down and move on from that experience. And I realized — this is something we all go through. We hold onto a mistake we made, even though we feel horrible, even though there are things we can do to overcome it, and even though we have the Savior in our life. We still hold onto these mistakes. We beat ourselves up over and over. We ruminate over and over. As I was pondering this — and since I’ve been focused on writing down the things that come to my mind — this was one of those things. So I wrote a letter to the one who is stuck in those mistakes and can’t get out of them. I posted it on Substack, and I want to share it with you today. Here is what I wrote, to that one: My dear one, I held you as you cried. In that moment, all I wanted was for you to be comforted. I offered words of comfort and the love shared through my warm embrace. Yet you still felt the sorrow, the pain, the guilt, the shame. All I could do was hold you — trying to allow the love I felt for you to flow through my arms and into your soul. Trying to ease your pain through words I’m not sure were even getting through to you. Sometimes that’s all we can do: feel that pain. Sometimes all we can do is allow ourselves to see the mistakes we’ve made. And we struggle to move to the next step, because what we see is so obvious to us, and so painful to admit. Yet that acknowledgment is the first step to moving forward. It is hard, but so needed. Please don’t get stuck there. I know what it’s like to ruminate over and over on what you did — replaying that moment in your mind, wishing you could go back and change the reality of what happened, yet feeling the hopelessness and awareness that what was done was done. There is hope. It’s called repentance. It’s called love. It’s called doing what you can to right the wrongs, and committing to doing things differently next time. Because you see — when you get stuck in the hopeless, either not focusing on what happened, or refusing to accept it, or ruminating over and over and not accepting that you can’t go back and change it — it keeps you from making the change. My dear one, mistakes are a part of life. They are a part of learning. And you have been given agency and the ability to choose who you will be moving forward. You get to choose how you want to respond to what happened. So instead of hiding in shame, allow yourself to feel my love for you — my love that extends to you regardless of the mistakes you’ve made or the weaknesses you carry. Accept where you are, because then you can see more clearly the actions you need to take to make things right. Move forward from that love that I have for you. Move forward with hope. I love you. And I always will. That’s the end of the letter to the one. I imagined writing that not only to my son, but I also felt the words spoken to myself — as if Heavenly Father were telling them to me. I hope you felt that too. That you know you have a loving Heavenly Father who understands that you have made mistakes, and because of that, has provided a way for you to move forward — to apply the Atonement in your life, to have His love in your life, and to learn and grow. While we are here on earth, we will make mistakes. That is part of the process. I hope you enjoyed this letter. You can find more letters like this one on my Substack newsletter, Beloved & Becoming — I’ll put the link in the show notes. Be sure to join me next week. We’ll be talking about a covenant woman of God — specifically Emma Smith — diving into Doctrine & Covenants section 25 and learning more about how God showed His love through her. See you next week. Thanks for reading Beloved & Becoming! This post is public so feel free to share it. For paid subscribers, get your journaling pdf for this episode below: This post has bonus content for paid subscribers. Upgrade to get full access. Get full access to Beloved & Becoming at karenpapin.substack.com/subscribe

  • S3 · E93
    September 10 · 18 min

    Self Worth After the Fall — What Eve Teaches LDS Women About Mistakes and Redemption

    Welcome back to Season 3 of the Divine Worth Podcast! In this episode, Karen shares a personal update on her summer of writing and growth, then dives into a powerful lesson on self worth through the story of Eve. If you’ve ever struggled with self-editing, rumination, or shame after making a mistake, this episode is for you. Karen unpacks Eve’s story from Moses chapter 5, showing how the very first woman on earth — with no mortal mother to guide her — modeled a journey of failure, grief, and redemption that speaks directly to self worth for LDS women today. From the fall in the Garden of Eden to the heartbreak of losing her son Abel, Eve’s life reminds us that mistakes are not the end of our story — they’re part of God’s plan for growth. Karen also introduces the practice of free writing as a tool for processing difficult emotions, and issues a challenge: what if you aimed to fail more, not less, in pursuit of doing what’s right? This episode is a gentle, faith-filled invitation for LDS women to release shame, embrace imperfection, and rebuild self worth through the Savior’s grace. In this episode: * Karen’s summer update: writing, homeschooling, and starting a Substack * Free writing as a tool for processing grief, anxiety, and depression * Eve’s story and what it teaches us about self worth * How Eve’s loss of her son Abel speaks to grief and rumination * The “40 fails a month” mindset shift * A simple 3-step process for moving past mistakes: acknowledge, get curious, remember it’s not the end Paid subscribers on substack, your journaling prompts for this episode are waiting for you at the bottom of the page — a companion to help you sit with Eve’s story and reflect on your own journey toward self worth. Full Transcript Welcome Back to Season 3 Welcome to the Divine Worth Podcast. I am so, so happy to be able to be here with you today and be able to start Season 3 of the Divine Worth Podcast. We’ve had a little bit of a break, and in that time I’ve been focusing more on writing and stepping outside my comfort zone in that way. I started a Substack to hold myself accountable to this new goal I have of improving my writing. On there I share more about Divine Worth and seeing what God sees in you. I’ve been writing these “Letters to the One” — letters that are about helping you to feel seen, to feel heard, to recognize that God loves you. There are also letters of things that I want my kids to know. I’ve been writing these letters to the one, and also just doing writing exercises and sharing the things that I am writing so that I can learn and grow and get better — because the only way I’m going to get better at my writing is by actually taking that action and writing. That’s what I’ve been doing over the summer, in addition to spending more time with my kids and enjoying that they’ve been home. They’re back at school now, except for my eldest, who I’m homeschooling, and that has been a fun experience so far as well. So that’s a little update on what’s going on with me. But I am excited for this season of the Divine Worth Podcast. Free Writing as a Release One of the things I’ve been doing with my Substack is a free write. What that is, is I just take time — I grab my writing notebook and I write whatever comes to my mind without really censoring what it is that’s coming out. This can be a really beneficial exercise to do when you’re feeling depressed or anxious, or if you’re feeling grief — to just be able to write out the emotions you’re feeling. The interesting thing about doing that is it is a huge release, because that part of ourselves that is feeling these unresolved emotions begins to feel seen and heard. We’re no longer hiding or trying to hide those emotions or act like we don’t have them — we’re actually acknowledging and experiencing them so that we can process them and ultimately move forward in the ways we want to move forward. So that’s something I’ve been doing with my Substack — writing out whatever comes to my mind, whatever I’m feeling, and then processing those emotions through my writing. Sometimes it can be hard to do that, because inside there’s this desire to want to edit myself, to edit the things I’m saying. Yet the most powerful writing happens as we just let it all out. If you’re someone who finds yourself editing yourself throughout your day — keeping you from trying something new because you’re afraid to fail, or maybe you have trouble beginning a conversation with someone else because you’ve got all these ways you’re editing yourself before you even open your mouth — or maybe you’re someone who replays things over and over again in your mind. That’s something I have really struggled with in the past — just ruminating, even after a conversation or a mistake I made, replaying it over and over again. I’ve come a long way as I’ve learned some of these tools, such as this free writing. Or maybe you feel stuck in shame anytime you make a mistake, and you struggle to really let go of those mistakes. Eve’s story is something I feel is really helpful in relation to all of this, for those of us who do tend to edit ourselves. So let’s learn a little bit more about Eve. Eve: The First Woman Eve was the first woman on Earth. That is something that can seem so unfathomable to me, because sometimes in our lives we feel alone. Sometimes, as a mom myself, I can feel at such a loss for what to do for my kids and for those I love — not even just my kids, but for anyone we’re called to serve, we can feel at a loss and not really know how to move forward. So I can only imagine what Eve must have experienced and been feeling, being someone who really was the first one, paving the way for all the other women who would come after her. She did not have a mortal mother to help her know how to nurse her babies, or to know when to push them to step outside their comfort zones and when to rein them in, and to guide them in the different things they did. She was someone who we know made mistakes, and yet we also know there was wisdom within her mistakes. Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden. They were told not to eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. When Satan came tempting Eve, she desired to be able to know good from evil, and so she partook of the fruit. Then she goes and gets Adam to partake of the fruit. What happens is they’re kicked out of the Garden of Eden because of this transgression they chose. But they still believe in God, they still follow Him, and they make sacrifices to Him, and they know that He is there and that He will guide them. What Moses Chapter 5 Teaches Us So I want to go into Moses chapter 5, because there’s something very interesting said within these verses. They’ve been cast out, and it says: after many days an angel of the Lord appears unto Adam, saying, “Why dost thou offer sacrifices unto the Lord?” And Adam said unto him, “I know not, save the Lord commanded me.” So they are still putting their faith and trust in the Lord, and they understand that they made a decision that caused them to be kicked out of the Garden of Eden, and they are accepting of the Lord’s decision in that. Then the angel says unto them: “This thing is the similitude of the sacrifice of the Only Begotten of the Father, which is full of grace and truth. Wherefore thou shalt do all that thou doest in the name of the Son, and thou shalt repent and call upon God in the name of the Son forevermore.” So here they’re talking about — you have been asked to do these sacrifices because they are reminding you what the Savior does for you. And yes, you made this choice, yes, you have fallen because of this choice, but there is a way for you to overcome. “And in that day the Holy Ghost fell upon Adam, which beareth record of the Father and the Son, saying: I am the Only Begotten of the Father from the beginning, henceforth and forever, that as thou hast fallen thou mayest be redeemed, and all mankind, even as many as will.” And in verse 10: “And in that day Adam blessed God and was filled, and began to prophesy concerning all the families of the earth, saying: Blessed be the name of God, for because of my transgression my eyes are opened, and in this life I shall have joy, and again in the flesh I shall see God.” And verse 11: “And Eve, his wife, heard all these things and was glad, saying: Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed, and never should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient.” This beautiful understanding comes over them — that this was actually part of the plan. That we would come here, that we would make mistakes, and that we would have a Savior to help us overcome those mistakes, to learn from them, to know and understand good and evil, and to understand the joy that comes from repentance, and to move forward — multiplying, replenishing the earth, teaching others, bringing them unto this great knowledge as well. Seeing God’s Love Through Eve Eve’s story teaches us something beautiful — that mistakes are part of this process here on earth, and we have a Savior to help us overcome each one of those mistakes. We can see God’s love through Eve, because of this experience where she made a decision, and because of that decision she fell — and allowed us to be able to come to this earth. I imagine that as the first woman, as the first mother on this earth, there were many times Eve felt like she was not doing a very good job — where she was making a mistake, where she did not know how to overcome those weaknesses. And yet she was given the Savior to help her overcome, time and time again. Eve’s Grief: Cain and Abel Another example from Eve that I don’t think we actually think of from her perspective is that her sons Cain and Abel — Cain was her son, and he killed his brother Abel. Just imagine the heartache Eve must have felt in learning about that, in the grief of having not only lost her son, but having lost Abel because of the action of another one of her sons. Just the heartache — Eve felt it all too. Eve knows what it’s like to go through hard things, and she also knows what it’s like to continue to move forward, and just the courage she must have had to be able to have kids after that as well — being able to give birth to Seth and raise him and teach him to follow God’s path, even after having, I’m sure, felt like she had failed in some way or another. Eve’s story is a story of redemption. It’s a story of helping our weaknesses become strengths. And I’m not saying that Cain’s actions were a result of anything Eve did or did not do, because Cain had his agency, and Satan was there tempting him, and his choices were on him. However, as a mom, as someone who knows what it’s like to wonder, “What if I did this?” or “What if I did that?” and start ruminating on all of those mistakes and things I could have possibly done, wondering if that would have made a difference — I imagine Eve probably felt some of those things as well. We can learn from Eve and from her story, because the Lord was there for her, and He helped her understand that joy of redemption. He helped her have the strength to have more kids even after that, and sometimes that can be really hard to think — “Am I really going to go through this again?” — for someone who had struggled with infertility toward the beginning of my marriage and had a miscarriage, and just the pain that each month would bring. To have the courage to continue in such a journey of having lost and yet trying again is something we can also learn from Eve, right? It takes courage, it takes strength. The beautiful thing about Eve’s story is that you actually do see that God was there with her throughout her story. We learn about God’s plan from Eve — that we are here to be tested, that we will make mistakes, yet God has given us this beautiful plan of having the Savior to help us overcome these mistakes, to rise, and to be able to make our weaknesses become strengths. So for those of you who do struggle with ruminating, for those of you who do struggle with feeling like you shouldn’t be making mistakes — remember Eve, and remember how she overcame, and the joy that she found from her redemption. Remember that you are as Eve. Weakness Made Strong In Ether 12:27, the Lord tells us that He gives weaknesses to us that we may be humble, and as we put our faith and trust in Him, He will make those weaknesses become strong. I remember hearing a story of a person who would try to get 40 fails in one month, and he would keep track of all the times he failed. But because he was willing to fail, he was able to overcome and become really successful. By failing, I’m not saying that you purposely go out and sin and make bad decisions — what this means is that you are willing to step outside your comfort zone, that you are willing to try to do what it is the Lord is asking of you, even if that means you are willing to make a mistake in the process of doing the right thing. So what if you purposely aimed to fail? What if your goal was to get as many failures as possible while trying to succeed — giving it your all, yet at the same time acknowledging, “Hey, I failed. That means I am trying.” Just shifting that perspective of what failure actually means. What if you let go of having a picture-perfect life? What if you embraced both the ups and the downs? How would you learn and grow? How would you connect with others? What if you moved forward — not purposely making mistakes or sinning, but doing what you can with the knowledge that you have — and when those mistakes happen, understanding that the Lord will help you overcome them, learn, and grow from them. Rather than getting stuck in that shame, you embrace the acknowledgement, the guilt, understanding, and then embrace the Atonement of the Lord into your life. Moving Forward in Love Allow yourself to be free. We do that by first acknowledging that what we did was a mistake. Then get curious. Then remind yourself that it’s not the end. Just because you made a mistake doesn’t mean you have to give up. Just because you made a mistake doesn’t mean you can’t make things right again — or if it’s something you really can’t go back and fix, remember that the Lord loves you even as you are, and He can help heal those places that seem impossible to heal. In those moments of grief and pain and loss, the Lord can help us receive the strength and comfort that we need. Instead of looking at our failures and mistakes as things that never should have happened, let us see them as ways that we can grow and learn — helping to build empathy within ourselves for others as we learn to embrace God’s love into our lives, healing those wounds that have been created, and allowing us to move forward in that love. I will see you next week on the Divine Worth Podcast. *For paid subscribers on Substack, I’ve included journaling prompts as a companion to this episode. You can download the pdf for those below. This post has bonus content for paid subscribers. Upgrade to get full access. Get full access to Beloved & Becoming at karenpapin.substack.com/subscribe

  • S2 · E92
    June 18 · 24 min

    You Are Known, Loved, and Called: Divine Worth Scriptures for Self Worth and Confidence

    Do you ever struggle to truly believe in your own self worth and confidence? In this special season finale episode, Karen walks through a powerful collection of divine worth scriptures that can help you recognize who God sees in you. Whether you're battling self-doubt, fear, or feelings of inadequacy, these scriptures offer a tender reminder that you are known, loved, and called for a purpose. Let this episode be a seed — a starting place for nurturing your belief in your own worth and confidence as a daughter of God. 5 Key Takeaways: A particle of faith is enough. You only need a desire to believe. Nurture it, and it will grow. God knew you before you were born. Nothing you face surprises Him. His knowledge of you is personal and complete. You are fearfully and wonderfully made. Your self worth isn't earned — it was built into you by your Creator. Your light is meant to shine. Fear and self-doubt dim your confidence. Shifting focus to serving others helps dissolve that fear. Trust His path over your own. When you lean on the Lord's understanding, your confidence in what you're capable of expands beyond what you imagined. Resources Mentioned: Divine Worth Scripture Cards (Free Download): Get your free printable scripture cards to carry these truths with you daily → karenpapin.com/scripturecards 30-Day No Sugar Challenge: Ready to take a bold step toward confidence and clarity? Join the challenge → karenpapin.com/coaching/nosugar Divine Worth Scripture Journal: Dive deep into 52 scriptures and let your belief in your own self worth and confidence grow week by week → Get it on Amazon Beloved & Becoming on Substack: I'm pushing myself to step outside my comfort zone, this time through writing. Join me on this journey and also for more encouragement, writing, and faith-filled content, follow Karen on Substack → https://substack.com/@karenpapin The Divine Worth Podcast will return for Season 3 in the fall — with a brand new focus on women in the scriptures and what their stories reveal about your worth. See you then! Get full access to Beloved & Becoming at karenpapin.substack.com/subscribe

  • S2 · E91
    June 11 · 49 min

    How to Feel It All — Unlocking Emotions to Deepen Your Self Worth and Confidence with Emily Baker. Ep 91

    How to Feel It All — Unlocking Emotions to Deepen Your Self Worth and Confidence What if the emotions you've been avoiding are actually the key to unlocking your deepest self worth and confidence? In this powerful Part 2 with feminine development mentor and professional home organizer Emily Baker, we go deep on the full spectrum of human emotion — from the negative feelings we stuff down to the joy we self-sabotage right at the threshold. Emily shares why emotions are a divinely given guidance system, how Jesus Christ modeled emotional wholeness for us, and how learning to feel your feelings is the very thing that will increase your capacity to experience both God's love and your own worth. If you've ever wondered why joy feels scary or why anger keeps showing up uninvited, this episode is for you. 5 KEY TAKEAWAYS 1. Your emotions are a divine guidance system. Negative emotions signal misalignment. They don't mean something is wrong with you. They are invitations to grow your self worth and confidence from the inside out. 2. Blocking negative emotions also blocks positive ones. The door to your feelings is either open or closed. Shutting out the hard emotions limits the joy, love, and confidence you can experience. 3. Anger is the emotion we most avoid. We sugarcoat it, minimize it, or pretend it isn't there. Learning to acknowledge anger — without judgment — is a critical step in building emotional self worth and confidence. 4. We self-sabotage at the threshold of joy. There is a limit to how much joy we allow ourselves to feel. Expanding that limit requires getting comfortable with who you already are — not who you're striving to become. 5. Christ felt it all — and so can you. The Atonement is the ultimate example of the full range of human emotion. He experienced every feeling in his body so he could meet you exactly where you are, sorrow and joy alike. RESOURCES MENTIONED Book: The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks — a must-read on upper limiting and how we sabotage our own joy and success Scripture: 2 Nephi 2:25 — "Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy." TV Series: The Chosen — referenced for its portrayal of Christ's everyday joy and emotional fullness Emily Baker: Feminine development mentor and professional home organizer. Hear her first appearance on Episode 87 of the Divine Worth Podcast. Want to go deeper in your own journey of self worth and confidence? Grab your free Divine Worth Scripture Cards — a collection of scriptures to remind you of who you truly are as a daughter of God. Get yours at https://www.karenpapin.com/scripturecards Ready to take a bold step toward feeling better in your body and building the self worth and confidence to show up fully? Join the 30-Day No Sugar Challenge at https://karenpapin.com/coaching/nosugar/ — a simple, supportive reset designed to help you feel like yourself again. Get full access to Beloved & Becoming at karenpapin.substack.com/subscribe

  • June 4 · 33 min

    You Are More Than You Think You Are — Self Worth, Confidence & What God Sees in You

    Do you struggle to see your own self worth and confidence the way God sees you? In this episode, Karen Papin shares her personal journey from a girl who could barely speak in a group to someone who now uses her voice every week to uplift women. Through the story of Gideon, the words of Nephi, and powerful scriptures, Karen reminds us that God sees our divine worth and potential long before we do. 5 Key Takeaways God sees your self worth and confidence clearly. He called Gideon a "mighty man of valor" before Gideon believed it himself. He sees the same in you. Growth happens one step at a time. You don't need to see the whole path. One step of faith is enough. Weakness is a gift. God gives us weakness to draw us closer to Him. He turns weak things strong. Your self worth and confidence aren't based on your qualifications. God doesn't call the equipped — He equips the called. This isn't about you — it's about God's children. When you act in faith, the ripple effect touches families, teens, neighbors, and communities. Resources Mentioned Lead Kindly Light — Hymn Judges 6 — The story of Gideon 1 Nephi 3:7 — "I will go and do..." Ether 12:27 — Weakness made strong 1 Samuel 16:7 — "The Lord looketh on the heart" Proverbs 3:5–6 — "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart" Doctrine and Covenants 121:34–36 — Many are called Elder Ronald A. Rasband, Women's Conference 2021 Ready to take your next step in building self worth and confidence in God's vision of you? 🎁 Grab your FREE Divine Worth Scripture Cards — a beautiful collection of scriptures to remind you of your worth every single day.👉 karenpapin.com/scripturecards 🍬 Join the 30 Day No Sugar Challenge — if this episode taught you anything, it's that the Lord can help you do hard things. Prove it to yourself. Take that one next step and do this challenge with His help by your side.👉 karenpapin.com/coaching/nosugar Get full access to Beloved & Becoming at karenpapin.substack.com/subscribe

  • May 28 · 47 min

    God's Plan Is Better Than Yours | Divine Trust, Self Worth, Faith & Letting Go with Annie Ogden

    In this episode, Karen chats with Annie Ogden, a comedian, social media strategist, aquarium educator, and aspiring human rights lawyer from Lehi, Utah. In this episode, Annie shares her remarkable journey of letting go of her own plans and discovering that God's plan was far better. Through humor, honesty, and heartfelt storytelling, Annie talks about what it truly means to have divine worth — and how self worth and confidence grow when we stop putting conditions on our value as human beings. 5 Key Takeaways Your worth has no conditions. Divine worth means your soul is beautiful, full stop. Self worth and confidence don't come from what you achieve — they come from who you are as a child of God. Let go of the perfect plan. When Annie surrendered her acting dreams, God opened doors she never imagined. Real self worth and confidence grow when we trust His plan over our own. Self-love and divine love work together. On days when self worth and confidence feel impossible, God's love is the backup. He loves you even when you can't love yourself. Talk to God like a friend. Honest, real prayer — even the messy, scary thoughts — deepens your relationship with Him and strengthens your sense of divine worth. Try the mirror challenge. Look at yourself and say: "I am awesome. I am a child of God. He knows me. He loves me." It sounds simple, but it can shift how you see yourself completely. Resources Mentioned Hebrews 12:2 – Annie's featured scripture: "Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith." Romans 8 – "Who can separate us from the love of God?" "Promptings of the Spirit" – Talk by Elder Gary E. Stevenson (October 2023 General Conference), including the mirror affirmation challenge Dance in My Armor Podcast – Annie has also been featured there Annie's Instagram: @ogden_annie Religious Freedom for All Instagram: @religiousfreedomforall Annie's YouTube Channel: Halley-yeah (H-A-L-L-E-Y-E-A-H) Continue your divine worth journey:✨ Grab your FREE Divine Worth Scripture Cards — a beautiful reminder of your self worth and confidence in Christ. Download them at 👉 karenpapin.com/scripturecards 🍬 Ready for a reset? Join the 30 Day No Sugar Challenge and take a powerful step toward caring for the body God gave you. Sign up at 👉 karenpapin.com/coaching/nosugar Get full access to Beloved & Becoming at karenpapin.substack.com/subscribe

  • May 21 · 21 min

    You Belong - Finding Self Worth and Confidence Through the Family Proclamation

    Do you ever feel like you don't quite fit the ideal? Like everyone else has it together while you're quietly falling short? In this episode, Karen reflects on a lesson she taught based on Elder Ronald A. Rasband's October 2025 General Conference talk, "The Family Proclamation: Words from God." She shares deeply personal experiences — including her struggle with infertility and miscarriage — to remind us that the Family Proclamation isn't a measuring stick. It's a loving invitation. No matter where you are in life, your self worth and confidence are rooted in one simple, powerful truth: you belong to Heavenly Father's family. 5 Key Takeaways You are not behind — you belong. The Family Proclamation points a direction, not a deadline. Your self worth isn't measured by how close you are to the ideal. The ideal is a goal, not a grade. God doesn't expect perfection from the start. He gives us truth and space to grow into it. Christ makes up the difference. On your hardest days, your best is still enough. Confidence comes from trusting that He fills the gap. Pray to know truth for yourself. Whether it's the Book of Mormon or the Family Proclamation, God invites us to seek personal confirmation of His words. Small, consistent steps build great things. Choose just one principle — faith, forgiveness, love — and apply it. Alma 37:6 reminds us that by small and simple things, great things come to pass. Resources Mentioned "The Family Proclamation: Words from God" — Elder Ronald A. Rasband, October 2025 General Conference Moroni 10 — Praying to know truth Ether 12:27 — God gives us weakness that we may be humble Alma 37:6 — By small and simple things are great things brought to pass Amos 3:7 — God reveals His secrets to His prophets Hymn: Welcome Home (newer Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints hymn) Quote from President Russell M. Nelson on divine potential Quote from President Gordon B. Hinckley: "Do the very best you can." Ready to strengthen your self worth and confidence with scripture? Grab your FREE Divine Worth Scripture Cards — a powerful tool to remind you daily of who you are and how deeply you are loved. Download yours at 👉 www.karenpapin.com/scripturecards And if you're looking for another way to invest in your confidence and well-being, join Karen's 30 Day No Sugar Challenge! Taking care of your body is part of honoring your divine worth. Sign up at 👉 karenpapin.com/coaching/nosugar Get full access to Beloved & Becoming at karenpapin.substack.com/subscribe

  • May 14 · 43 min

    Ep87: From People Pleaser to Knowing Herself with Emily Carolynn Baker

    What does it truly mean to know your self worth and confidence as a daughter of God? In this powerful episode, Karen sits down with Emily Carolynn Baker — LDS life coach, Montana guide, and mom of four — to explore how our divine identity as spiritual beings is the foundation of unshakeable self worth and confidence. Emily shares her deeply personal journey from people-pleasing and emotional avoidance to discovering that her preferences, emotions, and desires are sacred expressions of who she already is. 5 Key Takeaways Your spiritual identity comes first. You are a spiritual being having a human experience — not the other way around. True self worth and confidence are rooted in that divine identity, not your circumstances. Knowing your preferences matters. If you can't answer "what do I want?", that's a sign to go deeper. Reconnecting with your own desires is a foundational step toward self worth and confidence. Negative emotions are not a spiritual failure. They are rumble strips — guiding you back to yourself. Feeling them fully is how you grow into more of who you already are. Receiving is a spiritual principle. Letting others serve you isn't weakness. It's an essential part of covenant living and restoring balance in your relationships. You are that you are. Like God's declaration in Exodus 3:14, your worth is not determined by others, outcomes, or circumstances. Self worth and confidence come from knowing no outside force gets to define you. Resources Mentioned Emily Carolynn Baker on Instagram: @emilycarolynnbaker (Carolynn with two N's) Emily's mentorship program and free webinars — find details on her Instagram Connect & Take Action💳 Free Divine Worth Scripture Cards — Anchor your self worth and confidence in God's word. Grab yours at www.karenpapin.com/scripturecards 🍬 30-Day No Sugar Challenge Waitlist — Ready to feel your best from the inside out? Join the waitlist at karenpapin.com/coaching/nosugar Get full access to Beloved & Becoming at karenpapin.substack.com/subscribe

  • May 7 · 21 min

    Ep86: More Than a Mom: Rooting Your Self Worth and Confidence in Who You Really Are

    Motherhood is beautiful — but it can also be overwhelming, messy, and full of moments where your self worth and confidence take a hit. In this special Mother's Day episode, host Karen Papin shares powerful clips from the She Is Known online experience, featuring conversations with Hayley Clarke, Jackie Swainson, and Rachel Rhien Tucker. Together, they explore how God sees you in every hard, beautiful, imperfect moment of motherhood — and why your self worth and confidence are rooted in something far deeper than what you do or don't get done in a day. 5 Key Takeaways: Stop "shoulding" yourself. Satan uses shame to destroy your self worth and confidence. Focus on what truly matters — not the world's impossible checklist. You can't hide from God. He sees you fully and loves you completely, in your best moments and your hardest ones. Your identity is daughter of God. That core identity never shifts with seasons, roles, or circumstances — and it is the foundation of true self worth and confidence. Your weaknesses are your potential. They are not evidence of failure. God uses them to build your strength. Trust your intuition. God partners with you to know what each of your children uniquely needs. You are not parenting alone. Resources Mentioned: She Is Known Mother's Day Experience: https://karenpapincoaching.thrivecart.com/sheisknown/ Want a daily reminder of your divine self worth and confidence? Grab your free Divine Worth Scripture Cards at www.karenpapin.com/scripturecards — and keep God's truth about who you are close to your heart every single day. Ready to go deeper and feel truly seen? Join the She Is Known experience at https://karenpapincoaching.thrivecart.com/sheisknown/ Get full access to Beloved & Becoming at karenpapin.substack.com/subscribe

  • April 30 · 23 min

    Ep85: What a 30 Day No Sugar Challenge Taught Me About Divine Worth as an LDS Woman

    Here's your episode description: What happens when you do something hard and actually follow through? Your confidence grows. Your self-worth deepens. And your relationship with God transforms. In this episode, Karen shares what she learned from her 30-day no sugar challenge — and why it was never really about the sugar. After her 8-year-old daughter was diagnosed as pre-diabetic, Karen was motivated to make real changes. What she discovered along the way was a powerful lesson in self-worth, confidence, and what it truly means to partner with God in your goals. 5 Key Takeaways: Self-trust builds confidence. Every time you follow through, your belief in yourself grows stronger. Identity shifts are more powerful than willpower. Focusing on who you are becoming matters more than white-knuckling through cravings. Your cravings are emotional signals. When you pause and turn to God instead of sugar, your self-worth stops depending on temporary fixes. A whole-soul approach works. Mind, body, spirit, and community all strengthen your confidence to keep going. God is your greatest partner in goals. When you invite Him in, He prepares a way and gives you strength you didn't have alone. Resources Mentioned: 📖 Alma 37 — "Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings" 📖 1 Nephi 3:7 — Nephi's commitment to follow through 🎯 Karen's 30 Day No Sugar Challenge 🌸 She Is Known — A Mother's Day Experience Ready to build real confidence and self-worth through a challenge that will change more than your health? Join Karen's 30 Day No Sugar Challenge — with video lessons, tracking sheets, and daily reminders to help you partner with God every step of the way. 👉 Join the 30 Day No Sugar Challenge Also coming soon — She Is Known: A Mother's Day Experience.Because sometimes we lose sight of who we are among all the roles we carry. This special event will help you reconnect with your self-worth and be truly seen by God. 👉 Learn More About She Is Known Get full access to Beloved & Becoming at karenpapin.substack.com/subscribe

  • April 23 · 46 min

    Ep84: Own Your Opinions, Own Your Worth with Abby Harding

    Do you ever struggle to feel like you are enough? In this episode, Karen sits down with Abby Harding — wife, mom, Christian author, content creator, and host of the Strive Podcast — to talk about the journey of building genuine self worth and confidence from the inside out. Abby shares her story growing up in Orange County, navigating comparison culture, returning home from a mission, and how her faith helped her rediscover her identity and confidence. This conversation is warm, honest, and packed with truth that will remind you of who you really are. 5 Key Takeaways Self worth starts early. Children begin questioning their worth as young as age seven, often shaped by what they hear at home. Be mindful of how you talk about yourself around your kids. Knowing yourself builds confidence. When you are clear on who you are — your values, your likes, your opinions — outside comparison loses its power over your self worth. Your worth is not tied to your obedience. As Sister Renlund teaches, your worth is constant and given by God. Nothing you do or don't do can change it. Give yourself grace in transitions. Life changes — like returning from a mission or a spiritual high — can shake your confidence. Rest, process, and be kind to yourself in those seasons. Pray for reminders of God's love. When you actively ask God to show you His love, your eyes open to how He sees you — and that transforms your self worth and confidence from the inside out. Resources Mentioned The Strive Podcast by Abby Harding — wherever you listen to podcasts Born to Shine: Ignite Your Heavenly Light by Abby Harding — available on Amazon Doctrine & Covenants 25 — Abby's favorite divine worth scripture "Turn On Your Light" — talk by Sister Eubank, 2017 Connect with Abby on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook: @_abbyharding_ ✨ Free Gift for Listeners! Strengthen your self worth and confidence daily with scripture. Grab your free Divine Worth Scripture Cards at www.karenpapin.com/scripturecards 🍭 Ready to partner with God in your goals? Join the 30 Day No Sugar Challenge — a faith-filled journey to build confidence, change your identity, and prove to yourself what you are capable of. Sign up at karenpapin.com/coaching/nosugar Get full access to Beloved & Becoming at karenpapin.substack.com/subscribe

  • April 16 · 38 min

    EP83: You Are Mine: From Rock Bottom to Belonging with Phylicia Aquino with Phylicia Aquino

    Have you ever felt like you didn't belong anywhere? If you've been struggling with your self-worth and confidence, this episode is for you. In this powerful episode of the Divine Worth Podcast, host and life coach Karen Papin sits down with Phylicia Aquino — the self-proclaimed "sassy saint" — for a raw, emotional, and deeply inspiring conversation about what it truly means to rebuild your self-worth and confidence after hitting rock bottom. Phylicia shares her remarkable journey from a military childhood marked by racial identity struggles, to losing herself in destructive choices, to experiencing a miraculous spiritual awakening that restored her self-worth and confidence completely. Her story is living proof that no matter how far you've fallen, God sees your worth — even when you can't. If you've ever questioned whether you are lovable, enough, or worthy of good things, this conversation will speak directly to your heart and begin to rebuild your confidence from the inside out. 5 Key Takeaways: Your self-worth is not determined by where you fit in. Phylicia's struggle with racial identity shook her self-worth and confidence to the core — but God's truth is louder than any label others put on you. He says, "You're not different. You're mine." God never stops pursuing you. No matter how dark the path, your self-worth in God's eyes never changes. He is always reaching out His hand, ready to restore your confidence and call you back home. True love rebuilds your confidence. Real love — from God and from those who care for us — shows up in our worst moments, refuses to let go, and reminds us of our self-worth when we've forgotten it completely. Stillness is where God restores your self-worth. When we quiet the distractions and choose to be still, that's when God can speak truth to our self-worth and confidence and remind us of who we truly are and what we were created for. Your trials are building your confidence, not breaking you. Phylicia wouldn't trade her pain because it shaped her into the woman God always saw — a warrior, a source of joy, and never-ending love. Your struggles are not destroying your self-worth; they are refining it. Favorite Scripture Shared:Doctrine & Covenants 31:5 — "Therefore, thrust in your sickle with all your soul and your sins are forgiven you... for the laborer is worthy of his hire." Connect with Phylicia Aquino:Follow her on Instagram: @sistaaquino Resources & Links: ✨ Join the Divine Worth Membership — A community dedicated to helping you grow in self-worth and confidence as you step into the divine role God has for you:👉 https://karenpapincoaching.thrivecart.com/divineworthmembership/ 📖 Get Your FREE Divine Worth Scripture Cards — Daily scriptures to anchor your self-worth and confidence in God's truth:👉 www.karenpapin.com/scripturecards 📓 Divine Worth Journal by Karen Papin — Your daily companion for building self-worth and confidence through scripture and reflection. Find it on Amazon:👉 Search Divine Worth Journal by Karen Papin or visit: https://www.amazon.com/Divine-Worth-Journal-Scriptures-Embracing/dp/B0CZDPF4TT/ 🍬 30 Day No Sugar Challenge — Partner with God in your goals and watch your self-worth and confidence grow as you prove to yourself that you are capable of more than you think:👉 https://karenpapincoaching.thrivecart.com/30-day-no-sugar-challenge/ If this episode spoke to your heart and helped strengthen your self-worth and confidence, please share it with someone who needs this message today. Leave a review so more people can find this community and begin their own journey back to their divine worth. You are worthy. You are enough. You are here for a reason. Don't give up. Get full access to Beloved & Becoming at karenpapin.substack.com/subscribe

  • April 9 · 49 min

    Ep82: The Art of Trusting God with Jenedy Paige

    What does it truly mean to be strong? In this powerful episode of the Divine Worth Podcast, host and life coach Karen Papin sits down with artist, athlete, and speaker Jenedy Paige — known as the "Art Ninja" — for a deeply moving conversation about self worth and confidence, faith, and discovering what you're truly capable of when you trust God's plan for your life. Jenedy shares her remarkable journey from a teenager with zero art training to a celebrated oil painter, and from a complete beginner to a six-time American Ninja Warrior competitor. But beyond the physical feats, this episode dives into the heart of true inner strength — the kind rooted in knowing your identity as a daughter of God. Whether she's talking about grieving the loss of her young son, learning to paint through divine inspiration, or hosting an empowering event for 500 women, Jenedy's story is a testament to what happens when we stop telling ourselves what we can't do and start letting God show us what we can. If you've ever struggled with self worth and confidence, doubted a prompting from God, or wondered if He really sees you in your pain — this episode is for you. 5 Key Takeaways: God's belief in you shows up in what He asks you to do. Jenedy shares how God's persistent promptings — like applying to American Ninja Warrior with zero experience — are actually evidence of His belief in our potential. When we feel resistance to a good thing, that's often a signal it's coming from Him. True self worth and confidence grow when we say yes to those uncomfortable callings. Obedience is about becoming, not just doing. After years of competing and never being aired on TV, Jenedy learned that God wasn't interested in a marketing campaign — He was transforming her into a stronger, more faithful person. The task was never the point; becoming was. This reframe is foundational to building lasting self worth and confidence. Take action to show your faith. Jenedy's advice for overcoming fear of a God-given prompting is simple: take the first step. Sign up. Book the appointment. You don't need the whole plan — just enough faith to move your feet. Each action builds momentum and reinforces your self worth and confidence along the way. Strength means knowing who you are. When asked what it means to be strong, Jenedy's answer cuts right to the core: strength is knowing you are a child of God. That identity is the foundation of all self worth and confidence — and it looks different for every person. Strength isn't one-size-fits-all; it's personal, divine, and expansive. Journaling bridges prayer and scripture into real transformation. Jenedy emphasizes that writing is just as vital as prayer and scripture study. Journaling helps you identify what to pray about, record how God shows up, and synthesize spiritual experiences into lasting testimony — especially in the dark seasons when you need to remember His faithfulness most. Resources Mentioned: Jenedy Paige's website: jenedypaige.com Instagram: @JenedyPaige Strong Women Experience: strongwomenexperience.com Online painting classes: Patreon (search Jenedy Paige) Scripture referenced: Helaman 5:12 — the foundation on the rock of the Redeemer Scripture referenced: Matthew 10:29–31 — the sparrow scripture Book referenced: Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis Ready to go deeper in your own journey of self worth and confidence? 📖 Grab your FREE Divine Worth Scripture Cards to keep God's truth about your worth close every day:👉 www.karenpapin.com/scripturecards 🍬 Join the 30 Day No Sugar Challenge and take a powerful step toward strengthening both your body and spirit:👉 https://karenpapincoaching.thrivecart.com/30-day-no-sugar-challenge/ Get full access to Beloved & Becoming at karenpapin.substack.com/subscribe

  • April 2 · 18 min

    Ep81: Easter and our divine worth (rebroadcast) with special Easter meditation

    In this special Easter episode, life coach Karen Papin shares personal reflections on the significance of Easter and how it relates to our divine worth. Drawing from her experience finding peace in scripture after her younger brother Sam's passing, Karen explores how Christ's atonement, suffering, and resurrection demonstrate the immeasurable worth of each individual. The episode concludes with a guided Easter meditation that invites listeners to visualize themselves as witnesses to key moments in the Savior's final days. Key points: Christ's sacrifice demonstrates our inherent divine worth regardless of whether we accept it The empty tomb is proof that we are not meant to remain in brokenness Christ suffered not only for our sins but also for our pains, afflictions, and infirmities Because of Easter, we can trust that we are never alone and that our mistakes don't define us Christ sees beyond who we are now to who we are becoming Questions to Ponder Where have I been doubting my worth? How does the atonement and resurrection of Christ speak to that doubt? What would it look like to live today like I truly believed I was worth it? Scriptures: John 15:13, Mosiah 14:4-5, Alma 7:11-12, Matthew 26:8, Revelation 21:4 Get your free divine worth scripture cards at www.karenpapin.com/scripturecards and remember: you are of worth, you have a purpose, the Lord loves you, and only you can make the impact on this world that you are meant to make. Get full access to Beloved & Becoming at karenpapin.substack.com/subscribe

  • March 26 · 32 min

    Ep80: Stop Dimming Your Light: Embracing Who God Made You to Be ith Michelle Bacca Llamas

    Do you struggle with self-worth and confidence? Have you ever been told you're "too much" — too loud, too passionate, too bright? In this beautiful and uplifting conversation, host Karen Papin sits down with marriage and relationship coach Michelle Bacca Llamas to talk about what it truly means to embrace your divine identity and let your light shine — even when others are uncomfortable with it. Michelle shares her deeply personal journey of rediscovering her self-worth and confidence after losing herself in her first marriage, and how surrendering her will to God has helped her step boldly into who He needs her to be. If you've ever dimmed your light to make others comfortable, this episode is for you. 5 Key Takeaways You are not "too much" — you are exactly who God needs you to be. When others are uncomfortable with your light, it's often a reflection of their own struggle with self-worth and confidence, not a flaw in you. Instead of dimming your light, use it to help others find theirs. His love has always been there. Even when we don't recognize it, God is consistently present in our lives — carrying us through the hard seasons. Building self-worth and confidence starts with trusting that you are never alone. Grace is a powerful tool. We are far too quick to shame ourselves when we make mistakes. Michelle reminds us that the Atonement is meant to be used — give yourself grace, take your mess to the Lord, and let Him unravel it. Stop dismissing your divine qualities. When someone gives you a compliment, resist the urge to deflect. Practice saying "thank you" and then learning to actually believe it. Your self-worth and confidence grow as you stop dismissing what Heavenly Father says about you. Be still with Him. One of the simplest and most powerful tools for recognizing your worth is stillness. Take a few minutes each day to be still — not just quiet, but present with God — and let Him remind you of your divine identity. Resources Mentioned Scripture featured: Doctrine & Covenants 93:12–13 — "He received not of the fullness at first, but continued from grace to grace." Connect with Michelle Bacca Llamas: Facebook: Michelle Llamas, LLC Instagram: @baccamichelle Ready to Go Deeper? If this episode sparked something in you and you're ready to truly build your self-worth and confidence, here are three ways to take your next step: 📖 Grab your FREE Divine Worth Scripture Cards — beautiful cards to keep God's truth about your worth front and center every day.👉 www.karenpapin.com/scripturecards 📓 Get the Divine Worth Journal on Amazon — a guided journal filled with scriptures to help you embrace your divine worth and potential. Search Divine Worth Journal by Karen Papin or click below:👉 Get the Divine Worth Journal ✨ Join the Divine Worth Membership — a community where we are letting go of self-doubt and stepping into the divine roles God has for us. If you're ready to surround yourself with women who are committed to growing in self-worth and confidence, this is your place.👉 Join the Divine Worth Membership You are of worth. You have a purpose. The Lord loves you — and only you can make the impact on this world that you are meant to make. 🌟 Get full access to Beloved & Becoming at karenpapin.substack.com/subscribe

  • March 19 · 39 min

    Ep79: Breaking Free From People-Dependent Confidence with Ashlee Boyson

    What happens to your self worth and confidence when the unthinkable occurs? In this powerful episode, host Karen Papin sits down with Ashlee Boyson — mother of seven, author, and speaker — who shares her remarkable journey of rebuilding self worth and confidence after her husband was murdered in 2011. Ashlee opens up about discovering his infidelity in the same devastating moment, navigating a painful second marriage, and how God used every broken piece of her story to reveal her true, unshakeable worth. If you have ever tied your self worth and confidence to another person's opinion of you, this episode will speak directly to your soul. 5 Key Takeaways Your self worth and confidence cannot come from another person. Ashlee learned through heartbreak, betrayal, and loss that when we attach our worth to how others see us, we are left empty every time. True self worth and confidence are rooted in how God sees us — and that never changes. Hiding your story keeps you stuck. Many of us shove our pain under the rug hoping it will disappear, but healing begins when we are willing to acknowledge our story with honesty. Sharing her story — first through a blog, then through speaking — became the most freeing thing Ashlee ever did for her self worth and confidence. God's answers to our prayers don't always look the way we expect. Like the Jaredites, sometimes God says "you tell me," sometimes He gives clear direction, and sometimes He simply asks us to trust Him. Each response is designed to build us, not break us. Tell your children the truth. Ashlee made the courageous choice to share age-appropriate truth with her kids after tragedy struck. Rather than protecting them with lies, she protected their ability to know and own their story — and they have thanked her for it. Small, simple daily habits protect your self worth and confidence. Ashlee's grounding routine — one verse of scripture, a prayer, and a few lines in a journal — may seem modest, but done consistently it creates the spiritual foundation needed to fight off the negative thoughts that erode self worth and confidence every day. Resources Mentioned Ashlee's books – Moments We Stand (a three-part series chronicling her journey through murder and the murder trial) and her children's grief book Quite — all available on Amazon Ashlee's website: momentwestand.com Ashlee on social media: search Moments We Stand Scripture referenced: 1 Samuel 16:7 — "The Lord looketh on the heart." Book of Mormon references: 1 Nephi 1:1 (Nephi on afflictions and being highly favored) Ready to Go Deeper? If this episode stirred something in you and you are ready to truly step into your self worth and confidence, here are three ways to keep growing: 🌿 Grab your FREE Divine Worth Scripture Cards — a beautiful collection of scriptures focused on your worth, designed to remind you daily of how God sees you.👉 www.karenpapin.com/scripturecards 📓 Get your Divine Worth Journal on Amazon — a guided journal with scriptures to help you embrace your divine worth and potential. Search Divine Worth Journal by Karen Papin or click the link below.👉 Get it on Amazon ✨ Join the Divine Worth Membership — if you are ready for ongoing support, community, and coaching to build lasting self worth and confidence, this is your next step.👉 Join the Divine Worth Membership You are of worth. You have a purpose. The Lord loves you — and only you can make the impact on this world that you are meant to make. Get full access to Beloved & Becoming at karenpapin.substack.com/subscribe

  • March 12 · 43 min

    Ep 78: From Exhaustion & Resentment to Calm & Connection with Kristen Smith

    Do you ever feel like you're doing "all the things" — serving, working, mothering, showing up — yet still feel completely empty inside? If your self worth and confidence are buried under exhaustion, resentment, and overwhelm, this episode is for you. This week, Karen sits down with emotional wellness coach Kristen Smith, who shares her personal journey from burning out as a busy working mom of four to building the peaceful, connected life she always longed for. After 30 years of marriage, raising four daughters, juggling work-from-home life, church callings, and a husband who had drifted from their faith, Kristen found herself crying on the floor of her closet — convinced she needed to change everyone else. What she discovered instead set her on a completely different path. Kristen opens up about the moment she felt God whisper, "You're praying for the wrong miracle," and how that nudge began a journey toward real self worth and confidence — not through fixing others, but through doing the inner work herself. She shares how gut health, mindset work, and emotional wellness tools all came together to help her find peace without losing her faith or herself.If you've been white-knuckling life and wondering why the gospel isn't "working," this conversation will give you clarity, hope, and a practical first step forward. **5 Key Takeaways:** 1. Focus on what you want, not what you don't want. Your brain and body respond to where your attention goes. Reframing your thoughts — from "I don't want to fight with my husband" to "I want a loving, healthy relationship" — is one of the most powerful tools for building genuine self worth and confidence from the inside out. 2. You might be praying for the wrong miracle. 3. We all think differently 4. Your body is keeping score. 5. Awareness is always the first step. **Resources Mentioned:** - 📖 The Gap and the Gain by Dr. Benjamin Hardy — on focusing on progress rather than lack - 📖 The Body Keeps the Score — on how stored emotions manifest as physical symptoms - 🎙️ President Russell M. Nelson's talk on Seeking and Expecting Miracles - 💬 President Nelson quote: "The joy you feel has little to do with the circumstances of your life and everything to do with the focus of your life." - 📖 3 Nephi 18:20 — Kristen's favorite scripture on asking, believing, and receiving **Connect with Kristen Smith:** - 📲 Instagram: [@body.and.spirit](https://www.instagram.com/body.and.spirit) — relationship coaching & tools for letting go of resentment- 📲 Instagram: [@healthy_kristen](https://www.instagram.com/healthy_kristen) — gut health, nutrition & personal content- 🗓️ Book a free 1-hour session with Kristen via the link in her Instagram bio **Ready to go deeper in your own journey of self worth and confidence?** ✨ Join the Divine Worth Membership — a community where you can let go of self-doubt, anxiety, and limiting beliefs and step into the divine role God has for you:👉 [karenpapincoaching.thrivecart.com/divineworthmembership](https://karenpapincoaching.thrivecart.com/divineworthmembership/) 📖 **Grab your FREE Divine Worth Scripture Cards** — beautiful reminders of who God says you are:👉 [www.karenpapin.com/scripturecards](http://www.karenpapin.com/scripturecards) 📓 **Get your Divine Worth Journal on Amazon** — search *Divine Worth Journal by Karen Papin* or go directly to:👉 [amazon.com — Divine Worth Journal by Karen Papin](https://www.amazon.com/Divine-Worth-Journal-Scriptures-Embracing/dp/B0CZDPF4TT/) You are of worth. You have a purpose. The Lord loves you and believes in you — and only you can make the impact on this world that you are meant to make. Get full access to Beloved & Becoming at karenpapin.substack.com/subscribe

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