Rising up is not about denying pain or pretending life is easy. It is about choosing to stand again when strength feels gone.

Melissa shares how the loss of her brother at a young age reshaped her understanding of resilience. Each day felt like a battle simply to keep going. What sustained her was not willpower, but faith. Jesus became her source of strength when everything else felt unstable.

“Rising up is not pretending the pain is not there. It is standing again because Christ is my strength.”

That definition deepened even more after the loss of her mother. During chemotherapy treatments, Melissa and her mom would listen to Rise Up. The song became an anthem of hope, courage, and determination to keep fighting even when circumstances felt overwhelming. It was a reminder that rising up often happens quietly, moment by moment, in places most people never see.

For Drew, rising up has often looked like confronting feelings of failure and inadequacy.

Despite success in wrestling and leadership, he carried an internal belief that he was never enough. Achievements did not silence the voice of self-doubt. What ultimately changed everything was surrendering that burden to Jesus.

True strength, Drew explains, comes from realizing we were never meant to carry life on our own. Rising up happens when we stop striving to be enough and allow Christ to live and work through us.

Faith reframed his struggles, turning insecurity into dependence and pressure into peace.

As the conversation unfolds, Drew and Melissa expand the idea of rising up beyond individual stories and into a shared mission. Drawing from Bible, specifically Matthew 5, they reflect on Jesus’ call for believers to be the light of the world.

A Rise Up Culture is not about hype or perfection. It is about people walking together, encouraging one another, and allowing the love of Jesus to transform hearts, homes, and communities.

Drew challenges listeners to shift their perspective:

“What if I became more aware of His presence and His life-giving power in me than I am about the enemy trying to stop me?”

When fear no longer leads, faith has room to grow.

Rising up does not look the same for everyone. It is shaped by grief, struggle, healing, and faith journeys that are deeply personal. Sometimes it looks like courage. Sometimes it looks like rest. Sometimes it looks like choosing to hope again.

Rising up is rooted in honesty, not denial.

Faith gives strength where self-effort falls short.

Vulnerability creates space for real transformation.

Community helps us rise together, not alone.

As Drew and Melissa invite listeners to share their stories, one truth becomes clear. When we choose authenticity, lean into faith, and walk in community, rising up becomes something we do together.

And together, we rise. 🤍