For many of us, the word “father” carries a mix of emotions—some joyful, others painful. Whether your relationship with your earthly father was loving, complicated, or marked by absence, there is one Father whose love is perfect, healing, and always present.
This week on The Love Offering Podcast, I had the privilege of talking with Rosann Coulon about her powerful devotional 40 Days to God, the Father. Through ten heartfelt sections, Rosann invites us to rediscover the true nature of God as a loving, encouraging, faithful, guiding, trustworthy, providing, protecting, comforting, healing, and merciful Father.
Whether you’re in a season of need, grief, or growth, this devotional meets you right where you are and reminds you that God is the Father your heart has always longed for.
🎧 Listen now: The Love Offering – Rachael Adams – Christian Podcast
Let’s walk together toward healing and deeper intimacy with the One who never fails us.
With love,
Rachael
P.S. Forward this to a friend who may need encouragement in their relationship with God as Father. You never know how one message could bring hope to a hurting heart.
Summary
Join host Rachael Adams on the Love Offering Podcast as she welcomes Rosann Coulon, author of “40 Days to God, My Father,” for an inspiring conversation about discovering God as our perfect Father. Rosann shares her journey of finding healing and comfort in God’s embrace, especially through life’s challenges. Together, they explore how understanding God as a loving, guiding, and comforting Father can transform our perception of ourselves and our relationships. This episode is a heartfelt invitation to deepen your relationship with God and experience the profound love and security that comes from knowing Him as your Father.
Transcript ( AI Generated)
Rachael Adams (00:02.144)
Welcome to the Love Offering Podcast. I’m your host, Rachel Adams, author of Everyday Prayers for Love, learning to love God, others, and even yourself. Each week, we delve into meaningful conversations about how to live out the greatest commandment: loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and loving our neighbors as ourselves. Whether through inspiring stories, practical tips, or biblical truths, I hope to encourage you to love boldly, live faithfully, and reflect God’s love in your everyday life.
My guest today is Roseanne Coulon. She is the author of 40 Days to God, My Father, Finding Shelter in the Heart of God. In this beautiful and timely devotional, she gently guides us to experience God as the loving, perfect Father we all long for. Whether your earthly father relationship has been marked by love or heartache, or a mix of both, Roseanne invites us to find healing, comfort, and security in the heart of God.
Roseanne, welcome to the Love Offering Podcast. I’m so happy to have you here today.
Rosann Coulon (01:04.622)
Thank you. I’m excited to be here, Rachel.
Rachael Adams (01:07.798)
So to begin, would you share what inspired you to write 40 Days to God My Father? Was there a personal experience or season in your life that brought this message to light?
Rosann Coulon (01:17.922)
Yeah, so it was a difficult season. My dad was a pastor, and he taught me to love the Lord. He introduced me to the Lord. I became a Christian at the young age of three, and our house was filled with the joy of the Lord, serving others, and just the love that came with it. But he developed a chronic illness that I think was brought on by burnout, and he began medication, and over time, he developed a dependency on the drug. So things changed, and though he never took to the streets or that kind of thing, he did abuse medication, and it changed his personhood. I mean, he was still a loving person, or he loved the Lord, but he struggled with addiction. And I found myself through that wondering, and I didn’t even realize it until I began counseling. I had projected my dad’s feelings onto me. I started wondering, wait, if he can feel, can God feel? I had put him in my life; I would say I was idolizing my father. So I didn’t realize all of that, but then I just began to question God, and it took me through a dark time in my life through counseling. I remember the counselor asking me point-blank, ‘Do you trust God?’ And before I thought about it, I tended to babble. I said no. And then she said, Okay, now we can get somewhere. Not realizing that, I could go to God. And she said, ‘Now you need to go to God and tell Him what your struggle is.’ And I did, and God, I filled him in my spirit, said to me, Now it’s time for you to know me as your father. So he invited me on that journey, and I had read the Bible many times. This was when I was around 40, by the time I reached the hard line. And so I went back to the scripture and began to see how God proved Himself as Father, and through that, what He brought to me, I felt Him saying, ‘Now I want you to share that with others.’ So that’s what the book was born out of, and that’s how it came about. And now I’m just trying to carry the message.
Rachael Adams (03:58.194)
It’s truly a beautiful message, and I’ve shared it with listeners before. However, in case there are any new listeners, I have also had a similar struggle, and I didn’t realize God as my Father in that kind of relationship. I knew who was my Savior and my Redeemer and my Lord, but to have that kind of intimacy and loving relationship as a father, it didn’t happen until I became a mother myself and experiencing that relationship with my son Will and spending time in his word and his love letter to me that kind of intimacy and developing that kind of relationship. I love how he continues to reveal more and more of himself as we become ready. As we grow in our relationship with him. I feel like he’s becoming more like a friend now, and I think it’s beautiful, all the different aspects and attributes of God our Father. And so so excited to continue this conversation. Still, we’re going to take a brief break to hear a word from today’s sponsor. And when we return, Roseanne will share more about how our view of God as Father can bring healing and hope to wounded hearts.
Rachael Adams (05:14.966)
Welcome back. We are talking with Roseanne Coulon. She is the author of 40 Days to God, My Father: Finding Shelter in the Heart of God. So Roseanne, you acknowledge that many of us carry wounds from our earthly fathers’ disappointment, absence, or pain. I know you shared your personal experience with us, but could you tell us more about how God met you in that place?
Rosann Coulon (05:42.702)
As I turned to scripture and began examining it from the beginning, I wondered how God proved Himself as Father. And it’s really about examining his characteristics. So then I was looking at how God is doing this for me? I examined 10 different aspects. So, God, as a loving Father, that’s one of the sections in the book, looking at how He has loved me. Some of that comes from reflecting on my own experience. You mentioned knowing God, or seeing God as your father, through the birth of your son. I don’t have kids, but my sister and my first niece were born, and that picture of me loving her and whispering in her ear at her birth, saying, ‘I love you,’ is something I’ll cherish forever. And I said it over and over, just wanting her to know that I love you and I will be here for life. And then I was able to look back on those things and say, well, this is how God does this for us. And his whispers are all around us. And it comes in his word too, where he says, I’ve loved you with an everlasting love. And it’s holding on to those truths. So then I moved on to how God comforts us. So, I view him as a comforting father, and I would say that these devotions, my personal stories, are not all tied to my dad. It’s really through the difficulties I’ve faced in life. And there are many; I wish I had one hard story and could say, ‘Okay, I’ve done it, I’ve learned.’ But I’ve had several. went through many, many long years of chronic illness myself. I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. I also went through deep valleys in that, and I didn’t understand why I was homebound in my 20s and 30s. And out of that, too, I was unable to have children. It was like the chronic illness took that. I also discuss the concept of surrender and how God comes to us. And I use the story of Paul, where he talks about how his grace is sufficient. So I use that example too, and that’s God encouraging us that He will be with us and give us the strength we need. And His plans are higher than ours. His ways are not our ways. And there are many things that I haven’t understood, but now I can see through His various characteristics that He has met me and what He has done for biblical saints. I was looking at how he showed up for Joseph. I remember Joseph; the story is the first time I read through the Bible, and I was in my teens. And I, of course, had heard Joseph’s story in Sunday school and talked about it, but like reading it and putting myself there and imagining how he must’ve felt in that pit when his brothers, you know, forsook him. mean, the people who should have loved him most abandoned him, and you know, even thought about killing him. I remember crying about that and just thinking how you know because it that was so foreign to me but then later going through the experience with my dad I almost felt some of the same things I felt that abandonment I felt that that wonder of where are you God and then it felt like things continued to happen it wasn’t just that like I said it was it was the chronic illness we went through financial struggles. My husband went through a different job change, and that was a long period. So there were many concerns, worries, and cares. But I’m reading Joseph’s story over and over; the word says, ‘but God was with Joseph.’ And that makes me want to cry just thinking about it. When he was forsaken, God was with him. Then he, you know, it looked like he was coming out of it, but he became one of Potiphar’s guys. He was one of the leaders. But then Potiphar’s wife set him up, you know, and she lied about him, and then he was put in prison. But it says that God was with Joseph. And it’s like that just whispered over my life. And that’s just something beautiful to me, God’s faithfulness. So, I share stories like that, relating to what God has done before, and He will do again, and He will never forsake any of His children. And he wants anyone who is not his child to come to him. He’s there, he’s ready, he’s waiting. And in the book, I also wanted to, knowing that I’m speaking primarily to Christian women, but I also wanted to mean and hope that someone who doesn’t know the Lord would also be able to say, ‘I want to know this good God.’ I want to know this father; I need this father. And so in the back of the book, there’s also an invitation to salvation. And I pray that ultimately, my ultimate goal is that someone who doesn’t know the Lord will come to know Him, fall in love with Him, and experience His love for them.
Rachael Adams (11:13.928)
Yeah. Yeah. It changes everything. And for me to view myself as his daughter. So if he is our father, we are his daughters, and he talks to us about that concept. What does that do? It’s freeing for your heart to know your worth and value in Him.
Rosann Coulon (11:33.036)
Yeah. So, I’ll use an example, actually, with my dad when he was at his best. I remember one time he came to my 16th birthday. He comes to me and says, ‘You know, if I could, I would buy you a brand-new car.’ You know, we weren’t financially able, and he said, ‘I love you that much.’ I’m willing to give you that, and I think you deserve that, and I wish I could do it. And so I think, as when we think of a daughter, like a good father, the father that God has designed, even earthly fathers, the heart is to take care of, provide for, protect, be trustworthy, caring, you know, all of those things. That’s the whole concept. And in that space, then we have someone who loves us unconditionally, provides for us, and we are secure. So that knowing that I am God’s daughter and what my earthly father would have done, couldn’t do, God can do. I mean, and he can go above and beyond. And then I also use the story of the bleeding woman and Jesus, whom we know, as he says, ‘I am my father or one.’ So we can look at Jesus and see what Jesus did and understand that this is the Father, too. And so the bleeding woman comes to Jesus in the crowd, she touches his garment and he says, Take heart, daughter, you have been made whole, your faith has made you whole. And when I read that again, I had read it many times, I looked up the concept of ‘daughter’. What does it mean? That’s a term of endearment, and it’s a right to be in my family, in my household, in your mind. And that concept, when I read it and heard God saying to me, ‘You are my daughter.’ So, if God is my Father and I am His daughter, ultimately, I don’t need anyone else; I don’t want to say I don’t need anybody else, but He is my everything. So, the needs, cares, concerns, doubts, turmoil, and pain – he can care for them. He wants to care for it. I can run to him with it. And that, I don’t, it’s hard to explain. It’s just unexplainable. The joy, the peace, the calm, and the comfort that it gives me.
Rachael Adams (14:18.134)
Yeah, me too. The security is for eternity. We are his family, and he’s preparing a place for us in our father’s house, right? And so I think I needed to be reminded of that. That’s one of my favorite scriptures. Take heart, daughter. That is something we can all do today. You also write that God is the father our hearts desperately need. What do you think are some misconceptions that we might carry into our faith because of our imperfect Father experiences, and how does scripture reframe them?
Rosann Coulon (14:52.557)
So I think it does come back to what I was saying. We tend to project the feelings we have onto others, and it may not even be just our father. This may come from other relationships. If someone else can let me down, can God let me down? And our humanity, we tend to look at our circumstances. And so that was what was happening with me. I was saying, ‘Okay, if my dad can go from, you know, days and nights of him studying the scripture.’ I remember him doing long periods of fasting with nothing but water and just how he loved the word. He could explain the word. I could turn to him for wisdom when I needed it, and I could trust that he would provide me with what I needed. Now, what happened is I put him in the place of God because he had been that source. So I was running to that source, and when his vision or perception became a little bit unclear, and I was no longer able to go there, it made me think I couldn’t go to God. So I’m projecting those feelings. So we tend to do that with our earthly fathers.
Like I said, we also do that. We may do that with other people. There may be other people whom we put our trust in, and they can let us down, which sends us into a tailspin. It ultimately comes down to knowing the Word or immersing oneself in it and discovering who God is. And there’s a scripture in Exodus or Numbers that says, ‘God is not a man that He should lie.’ Okay, so that’s something that I have to say to myself. God is not, and it can stop it. God is not man. I can’t compare him to a man, and I will fail. I mean, it wouldn’t be fair for somebody to put me in the place of being the one that you’re gonna depend on for your security and all of the help you need in every area. I can’t meet anybody’s needs in that way. So, it comes down to knowing who God is. And I will also say, Rachel, that I think we have first to admit that we’re struggling to see God as Father. We can’t go anywhere or move forward until we acknowledge that there’s an issue, or we’re stuck where we are. So I remember, you know, going back to that, that counselor said, You need to be honest with God. And I remember just saying to the Lord, ‘Lord, I am struggling to trust you.’ And then I said, ‘Okay, now God has helped me trust you.’ And I, there are still times I have to do that. I still think something may come up, and I have to say, ‘Okay, Lord, help me trust you.’ So it comes down to who God is and the biblical truth that He is not man. He is faithful. What he’s done for Joseph and others, he will do for me. How he spoke to the bleeding woman, he says to me. And how he showed up in the life of Paul when Paul had the thorn in the flesh, and he asked the Lord three times, and the Lord said no. And I use that example, too, of how I felt the Lord did say no to me about having children. I wanted a whole house, and I had to realize that His grace was sufficient. So it is just sinking deep into the world.
Rachael Adams (18:48.382)
Yeah. I’m just thinking about how we can do that with our fathers, too. And I know that’s the main topic of today’s conversation, but I recall that in college, I didn’t have a close relationship with God, even though I was a believer, and I would often turn to my husband to fill the void in my heart. I’m talking about idolizing somebody or just expecting them to fulfill my every need. And it’s just, it was so hard on him. Bless his heart. He was so patient. But that’s a lot of pressure to put on any human being. No human being can carry that or meet all of our needs. But so often I think that we do that, whether it is your father figure or a husband, a spouse, or a mother figure, whoever it may be, that the Lord is the only one who can fully satisfy your heart. And so I think that’s such a good point. And you know, Rosanne, you were talking. You mentioned, I think, one, possibly others, that you discussed in your devotional, which is divided into 10 sections, each revealing a different characteristic of God as Father. So, you mentioned comforting Father. Would you walk us through, briefly, what all of them are, and maybe which one is most special to you in this season of life right now?
Rosann Coulon (20:04.706)
So it’s a loving father. It lets me say that there are 10 sections. It’s a 40-day devotional. There are 10 sections. So there are four devotions in each section. So there’s a loving father, an encouraging father, a faithful father, a guiding father, a trustworthy, providing, protecting, comforting, healing, and merciful father. So I really, and looking at the book, I wanted to see and know that God is and can be our everything. He can fulfill our every need. And so I chose those 10 because they tend to encompass all areas of our lives and all the struggles we go through. Currently, in my life, I would probably say a guiding father. I’m just in; we’re in another transition season right now. So, just focusing on God can guide me. And then, you know, using the scripture where it says that his word is a lamp to my feet and a light unto my path. So just trusting, you know, that God’s word is he’s speaking to me in this season and that he will guide us on the right path and take us through even the dark tunnels that we go through or maybe we don’t understand. And he’s guiding us to a better place and eventually he will guide us home until we’re face to face with him and delivered from all the troubles.
Rachael Adams (21:37.428)
Yeah. So thank you. Thankful for his guidance and the fact that he has given us His Holy Spirit as believers to counsel us, provide us with wisdom, empower us, and continue to guide us, and for His word that guides us. know his truth. So how do you think intentionally spending 40 days with the father? And I don’t know if you want to touch on like 40 days is so special and in scripture that transformation. So how do you think that transforms not just how we see God, but also how we see and view ourselves and others.
Rosann Coulon (22:11.181)
Yeah, so I think that was my whole thing. 40 days, you know, that significance and that transformation, looking at, you know, Jesus being in the wilderness 40 days and the Israelites in the wilderness 40 days. And so that was very important for me to stick to that number. So, it’s like going back to the transformation and seeing ourselves as God sees us, and the love He has for us, and then that provision in all areas. I hope that within those 40 days, you will be able to see God encompassing every single aspect and area of your life. And I hope that they will come away seeing God has this, whatever it is, He’s got it. He has it now in every area, and He will have it, whatever comes tomorrow or in the future. He’s there.
Rachael Adams (23:27.21)
I imagine the level of intimacy, you know, there’s the verse and I’m not exactly sure where it is that talks about this, you know, the sheep know my voice and that they know me, that knowing. But then, there’s also the opposite of that. When we get to heaven and he says, Depart from me, I never knew you. And that’s what knowing it is: intimacy. And so, to develop a relationship anytime that we want to get close to somebody, we have to spend time with them and listen to and hear their words. This is really important, but we’re going to take another short break to hear from today’s sponsor. And when we return, Roseann, we’ll discuss God as the healing Father.
Welcome back. We are speaking with Roseann Coulon, and she is discussing God as a healing and comforting father. And so for the listener carrying unresolved father wounds or trauma, what word of encouragement or hope would you offer?
Rosann Coulon (24:33.495)
So the word that I would offer would be, you know, always go back to Isaiah 41 and 10, where he says, do not be discouraged for I am with you. I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. So I just, I want to say that he is your strength. He’s there to help in whatever situation. And he promises that he will be that for his children And that’s encompassing everything. If you need provision, whatever need that is, He can provide it. And if there is pain in your body, God can give the healing or He can provide His presence as you endure that. And Jesus, He says to us, in this world, you will have tribulation. I mean, it’s a given. I wish it wasn’t. I mean, I want to believe that salvation took us from pain, but it doesn’t. But he says, be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world. So we have him, we have his presence, and, going back to what you said, we have the Holy Spirit to be with us; that’s our comfort, that’s the actual healing. Having the healer is the true healing that we need know thinking about the woman maybe that is struggling with trust issues because of maybe what she has experienced and that she struggles to believe that God is truly loving safe and close. What’s maybe one simple but powerful step she could take today to begin that journey of trust and intimacy with her Heavenly Father?
Rosann Coulon (26:13.697)
So I’ll go back to what I said. First of all, I think it would be admitting that just saying I’m struggling with trust. And I would say the most powerful step, I think, would be going to God and being honest with him and telling him. Like I did myself, Lord, I’m having trouble trusting you and then relying on the Holy Spirit to help you. So, in that, God invited me and said, ‘Okay, now it’s time for you to know me as your Father.’ Now I wanted to say, what does that look like? So then I had to say, how will I know him as my heavenly father? And we know that the Lord reveals himself through his word. So I would say that admitting that, being honest with the Lord and asking him to help you to see who he is as father and going to his word. I would also say that one step may be going to a Christian counselor. It’s so important to have people that we can trust, who can guide us in those ways and help us find the resources that we have. that may be something that is needed.
Rachael Adams (27:28.394)
You know, know we are daughters, but I’m just thinking about the parable of the prodigal son and how if those aren’t familiar listening aren’t familiar with that parable. Basically this son has squandered what his father has given him and is not proud of his life and kind of goes away and then returns and the father instead of being angry, he almost was running to him arms wide open, so thankful, wanting to give him the best of everything that he has. And so that’s the kind of picture, that’s the kind of father we serve that no matter what we’ve done, we can come back to him and we can repent and we can, he will forgive us and then welcome us back. And so I’m just so thankful for that truth if that’s the kind of God and Father that we serve.
Rosann Coulon (28:18.239)
Yes. Yeah. And thank you for bringing that up, Rachel. It’s just a beautiful picture of his arms wide open, and it brings me to tears to think that he’s always ready to take us back and is prepared to help us through those pain points. He’s not shy with our pain or he doesn’t discount it. He’s welcoming and he wants to hear your heart. No matter what that looks like, he wants to listen to your struggles and is ready, willing, and able to bring about the healing and transformation you need.
Rachael Adams (29:07.092)
Yeah, well, one of the aspects of God that you mentioned is the loving father. So that leads me really well into my question for you. Is there a biblical concept of love that you think applies to this topic today?
Rosann Coulon (29:23.319)
So the biblical concept of love would be, think, loving his word. I don’t know if that’s a good answer, but just, I don’t know, Rachel. I definitely have gone through times in the darkness where it was hard to read his word. I wondered, are you speaking to me? But I honestly just love his word and who he is in that.
Rachael Adams (29:29.206)
Mm-hmm, it’s a good answer.
Rosann Coulon (29:51.362)
That biblical concept would be to, think, and if we fall in love with His Word, we’re ultimately gonna fall in love with Him, and then we’re gonna fall in love with others. And we’ll even see ourselves, love ourselves as He loves us in the biblical aspect. know, our world, loving ourselves nowadays is not necessarily always a good term. It’s kind of about lavishing ourselves and putting ourselves above others. But I think if we fall in love with the Word and we find out who God is, we fall in love with Him, we see His love for us, and then we in turn will love others.
Rachael Adams (30:29.14)
Yeah, absolutely. Well, tell us something that you are loving right now.
Rosann Coulon (30:34.897)
Right now, I’m enjoying the flowers blooming, although the pollen here in North Carolina is a bit tricky, if not quite a lot. I walked out for a little bit yesterday. I’ve been sick, so I haven’t been out very much because of the pollen, but I did yesterday and it’s just so, I don’t know, it’s so such a blessing when you see those green leaves where it was everything was so dark and now those those buds and the flowers and the blooms it’s just I’m loving that it’s just beautiful.
Rachael Adams (31:14.39)
Me too. have a lot of red buds right now that are starting to bloom and so it’s one of my favorite things too to see that new New life and I know I want to stay connected with you. I’m sure listeners are going to want to so tell us how we can best do that and purchase a copy of your new book.
Rosann Coulon (31:31.726)
My author website is LeavingAwell.com. You can also search for my name, RosannCoulon.com, and it will direct you there. And my name is a little bit hard to spell, but it’s R-O-S-A-N-N-C-O-U-L-O-N, and I am most active on Instagram. That’s about the only place I am, so I’m there. I love interacting in that place. And then my book is sold on Amazon. It’s available at Barnes & Noble, as well as Booksamilion and other online retailers. So I would love to have anyone connect, and I would love to hear your stories, and if the book blesses you.
Rachael Adams (32:12.47)
Yeah, absolutely. Well, we will include all of those links in the show notes. But Rosanne, would you please just pray for us as we close today?
Rosann Coulon (32:22.231)
Dear Father, I thank you so much for these people who are listening, Lord, the hearts who may be hurting, that may be wondering and concerned about how you are as their own Father. So Lord, I just pray that you help them to see your love, that you help them to know that you are with them, that you have promised that your peace will be with them and that you want to give that to them. So I’m just asking you right now to reveal yourself, Lord, that you would help us to love each other well and to proclaim your word and your power and also ask blessing upon Rachel and her ministry and just help us, Lord, to do what you would have us to do. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.
Rachael Adams (33:09.99)
Amen. As you were praying, I was just thinking about how Jesus taught us to pray. And it’s our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. And how that relationship of even God the Father and Jesus the Son gives us such a beautiful example of what that relationship looks like. So today has been so meaningful and impactful to me. Thank you for sharing this lovely invitation to draw close to our perfect Father. Your words, Roseanne, are a gift to every heart longing for healing belonging in love.
Rosann Coulon (33:43.725)
Thank you. Thanks for having me.
Rachael Adams (33:46.688)
Thank you for listening to the Love Offering Podcast today. I hope today’s conversation reminded you of just how loved and known you are by your Heavenly Father. If this episode encouraged you, would you consider sharing it with a friend and leaving a review? It helps more people discover the show and join us in this Love Offering Movement. To connect with me, visit rachelkadams.com. While you’re there, download the Love Offering Calendar, a free resource filled with simple daily ways to love those around you.
Don’t forget to pick up a copy of my new book, Everyday Prayers for Love, Learning to Love God, Others, and Even Yourself, and Roseanne’s book, 40 Days to God, My Father, Finding Shelter in the Heart of God. They are available now wherever books are sold, and I pray they will draw you deeper into God’s heart. Thanks again to Life Audio for supporting this message. For more great faith-filled shows, visit LifeAudio.com. Until next time, let’s make our lives an offering of love.
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